Re: Rate the last movie you saw.
03/03/14 11:32 am | #4988
Chaos (Blu-ray, 1st viewing) – This was released in 2004, which was a little before Statham’s career as one of the premier action stars took off. He’s coupled with some decent talent here, which includes Wesley Snipes and Ryan Phillippe – all of whom do a good enough job for this. It’s a fairly predictable little dirty cop drama, with a few decent twists thrown in. Seasoned movie watchers will form some suspicions early, but if not, the movie ties up all loose ends relatively well at the conclusion. In summation: a decent Statham film that tries to be a little more intelligent than his normal fare, but ultimately resorts to predictable twists for shock factor. Fans of Statham and Snipes will find enough to warrant a viewing, but most everyone else can let this one slip.
5.5/10
End of Days (Blu-ray, 1st viewing) – I definitely received a bit of a surprise from this. I guess it’s the pessimist in me, but I tend to really enjoy these end times films, and this one was no different. Arnold plays the broken, suicidal ex-detective pretty well, and the supporting cast is good, too. Again, not sure if it was the film’s themes, or the humorous dialogue between Arnold and his partner, but I thought it was good. Gabriel Byrne is also strong as Satan’s host. In summation: surprisingly strong end times film starring Arnold, which also features a fairly well developed story and some good performances from its supporting cast members. Fans of Constantine and Legion will enjoy it.
7/10
Cutthroat Island (Blu-ray, 1st viewing) – This is one of those movies that’s only remembered as being a huge box office bust, when in reality it’s a decent action/adventure film. I’m not sure if they didn’t market it enough, or if moviegoers 19 years ago were less receptive to the pirate film. Modine, Davis, and Langella are all good in their respective roles, and the entire thing has sort of an Indy-lite feel to it.
In summation: one of the biggest box office flops of all time is actually a competent action/adventure film with decent humor, action, characters and story.
6/10
Ghostbusters (Blu-ray, 1st viewing) It’s been on my radar for a while, and with the recent death of Harold Ramis, I felt like it was finally time to watch it. I didn’t like it quite as much as I had hoped, but it certainly has its moments. The cast is outstanding overall, but Moranis and Murray still every scene they’re in. It deftly mixes elements of horror and comedy pretty well, better than most, but as a film I thought it lacked some direction. In summation: one of the most successful, well thought of comedies, and with good reason; an exceptional cast and a unique storyline help to ensure it will stand the test of time.
6.5/10
2 Guns (Blu-ray, 1st viewing) – It gets a little convoluted with so many back stabbings and betrayals, but this is solid team up by Washington and Wahlberg. They’re obviously the main draw, but it has some elements of a buddy cop film (which I tend to enjoy) with quite a bit of action to it as well. It’s probably not all it could have been with this much star power, but it’s definitely worth a watch for fans of the starts. In summation: has a few too many twists for its own good and it nears a collapse under the weight of its lack of believability, but 2 Guns makes excellent use of its considerable talent and never fails to entertain in its 105 minutes.
7/10
Green Zone (Blu-ray, 2nd viewing) – The same team-up of director and actor that made the Bourne movies so good team-up again. I’m not sure how much of this is fiction, but it does make for a pretty solid thriller. I remember when this came out it being marketed more as an action film, but that’s really not what it is. It’s in a similar vein as Zero Dark Thirty, with some elements of The Kingdom and Body of Lies thrown in. Fans of Damon’s Bourne series and the aforementioned films will enjoy it. In summation: a steady performance from Damon and some solid direction make this a serviceable, if a bit formulaic thriller.
6.5/10