Re: Rate the last movie you saw.
04/14/14 9:28 am | #5052
Justice League: War (Blu-ray, 1st viewing) – It’s more or less an origin story for the heroes. There’s not a lot of story here, pretty much just 75 minutes of action. I’m not near as big into the animated features as I am the live action stuff, so keep that in mind when I say this didn’t do a whole lot for me. I know plenty of people love this stuff, but I think it may be time for me to stop buying these, as I just can’t see myself rewatching any of them, except for maybe Under the Red Hood, which had a lot more depth than any of these others. In summation: the animated features aren’t as accessible to fans of the movies, but ardent fans of the comics will surely find plenty to love here.
5/10
Duplicity (Blu-ray, 1st viewing) – I was caught off guard by this one. It popped up for $3 on Amazon, and considering the decent reviews and actors, I decided to pick it up about a month ago. It was much better than I expected it to be. Clive Owen and Julia Roberts are trying to pull off a caper involving a couple of large, highly competitive firms. Giamatti, Wilkinson, and the rest of the supporting cast are all great, too. There are plenty of twists and thrills throughout, and the ending really throws you for a loop. In summation: a hard one to categorize; plays out a little like a heist film with some romance and spy intrigue; worth watching if you’re looking for something a little different and cerebral.
7/10
Red Heat (Blu-ray, 1st viewing) – I like buddy cop movies, and though this doesn’t fail in any major area, it’s just too formulaic for its own good. Arnold plays the role of the Russian sent over to the United States to take a criminal back. Belushi’s not his brother, but even he’s toned down in this a little too much for his own good. I think the film would have been better served going for more of a comedy feel than a serious action movie, as neither star is really great in that dramatic of a role. In summation: Walter Hill and Arnold have both done better than this watchable, but often formulaic buddy cop film.
5/10
The Ward (Blu-ray, 1st viewing) – There’s some nice eye candy in this one, and it has a certain atmosphere that works in its favor, but it’s not that scary and you’ll see the twist coming long before you reach the end of the film. It seems like an odd movie for Carpenter to make his return with, as it’s pretty low budget and had almost a non-existent theatrical run. In summation: worth a watch for fans of psychological horror, but not much here you haven’t seen before.
5/10
Four Brothers (Blu-ray, 2nd viewing) – It’s one of those movies that works in spite of itself. The cast is good, but the concept is just so cheesy and ludicrous it shouldn’t work as well as it does. I’m a strong proponent that Markey Mark is one of the more underrated actors today (though he is getting a little more notoriety) and Hedlund, Tyrese, and Andre 3000 are all serviceable in their roles. In summation: doesn’t quite deliver the emotional punch it aspires to, but thanks to a likeable cast and plenty of action, it never fails to entertain.
6.5/10
V for Vendetta (Blu-ray, 2nd viewing) – I really like Alan Moore’s, The Watchmen, and though I haven’t read the graphic novel for this, I think the movie is pretty good. Hugo Weaving and Natalie Portman are both good in the leads, and the dystopian elements are fleshed out pretty well. I think it could have worked better as a series, since there’s quite a lot jammed into the movie. Not at my personal top tier for the comic/graphic novel adaptations, but definitely worth a watch. In summation: a strong adaptation of the source material, V makes for an intelligent action movie with some great dialogue.
7.5/10
Bait (Blu-ray, 1st viewing) – Looks like it’s going to play out more like that standard schlock you see on the Sci-fi channel, but it’s actually a decent movie. The plot is essentially a tsunami washes a couple of sharks into a supermarket, where 10 or so of the customers/employees are trapped. The concept is about the only outlandish part of it; from there it’s really just a struggle for them to survive and escape. It looks great on Blu-ray, and for a low budget picture, they’ve got some decent talent in here. There’s not really anyone big in it, but people who watch a lot of movies will recognize several of the actors from supporting roles in bigger films. In summation: not your typical shark movie thanks to good acting and likeable characters.
6/10