Tag: action

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

Posted December 14, 2013

Be forewarned: my review of the second Hobbit film is kind of vague and philosophical more than my usual analysis. Because there’s not much to say. This has the feel of a story pulled apart and so half formed. There’s new characters but no depth in their relationships or interactions. Tauriel’s relationship with Legolas and his relationship with his father and all the possible intricacies and tension and… we’re given nothing. Even though I think the elves (and the credit song) are the best part of the whole thing. There’s action and great production values, but there was no doubt […]

Pacific Rim

Pacific Rim

Posted July 13, 2013

Pacific Rim is soooo cool! That was my initial impression when they showed footage at Comic Con last year, and also the strongest reaction I had leaving the theater today. (I’m glad I saw it opening weekend. Because unique ideas are becoming so rare in summer blockbusters and this is a good one. a little scary every now and then because those kaiju aren’t joking around.) But I was also impressed that in the midst of a giant monsters vs. giant robots movie there’s a human element to it. The concept is giant monsters (kaiju) vs. giant robots (jaeger) but […]

The Lone Ranger

The Lone Ranger

Posted July 4, 2013

I almost don’t even want to review The Lone Ranger, I just want to talk about when marketing lies. And I have to admit it’s not often that I’ll watch a trailer and get the tone of a movie so wrong. Even when they hedge around the edges of a story, usually I can spot it. But this was a master job of misdirection. The trailers suggested a family movie with outlandish action, a little danger, and a story full of farce and horses and trains. But this was certainly NOT a fun family movie. Really, The Lone Ranger is […]

Fast & Furious 6

Fast & Furious 6

Posted June 8, 2013

I really liked Fast 5. And because of that I kind of have a soft spot for the Fast & Furious movies. kind of. I mean, I haven’t seen the first movie in years and would love to rewatch it. I saw the second movie and thought it was ridiculous. Have never seen the third movie. I tried to but couldn’t get past the first fifteen minutes. The fourth one is on tv all the time so I’ve seen that quite a bit and it’s fun enough on a Saturday afternoon with nothing going on. But I really expected to […]

Django Unchained

Django Unchained

Posted January 12, 2013

I don’t think anyone would deny that Quentin Tarantino is a talented filmmaker. He also has a style so when you go to one of his movies you pretty much know what you’re getting yourself into. So, I can’t say that Django Unchained surprised me, especially after seeing the panel at Comic Con this past year. It’s bloody and violent and even though I was expecting it, it still kind of surprised me in the beginning and a few other times. There’s course dialog but also a lot of wit and unexpected, smart lines. I do like dry humor so […]

Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows

Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows

Posted January 6, 2013

This is a harder movie to review than it should be. Because Robert Downey Jr. is incredibly sharp and entertaining. He pulls off the eccentric but brilliant character with a flare that seems realistic however stylized it is. Jude Law as Watson is a strong enough counterpoint to ground Sherlock and make both characters more interesting. It handles more of the Sherlock lore than the first one, introducing elements like Mycroft which broaden the world nicely. The plot is less convoluted than the first one (at least to me). The action is cool, but I can’t help feeling less impressed. […]

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Posted December 16, 2012

Peter Jackson is not Tolkien.

I know I’m stating the obvious there but after seeing The Hobbit I’m not sure Peter Jackson is aware of this fact.

Red Dawn

Red Dawn

Posted December 8, 2012

I have to admit, I guess from the top, that I’ve never seen the original Red Dawn. But I actually didn’t think this movie was half bad.

Looper

Looper

Posted October 6, 2012

There are so many things I want to say about Looper I don’t even know where to start.

The thing about good movies is that you can analyze them inside and out. You can draw out narrative parallels that maybe were or were not actually intended. You can talk in circles about

The Bourne Legacy

The Bourne Legacy

Posted August 25, 2012

The Bourne Legacy is a decent reboot. They worked hard to incorporate elements from earlier films and while somethings worked considerably better, others didn’t.