3D or Idiocracy

Is it just me or do the film production companies seem to be pumping out 3D films like free Target gift-cards? Do they think we are too stupid to enjoy the substance of a movie so they need to keep us "occupied" with things flying at our faces through the screen? What will be next, dramas, foreign films, documentaries?...

9

Visually, pretty cool (most likely if you have an HD TV). Too bad the movie is lame...
9 is about the future, a future of machines that have destroyed humanity. The thirst for technology that they have created has turned against them. All that is left to stop them are the numbered dolls, created by a mastermind. The characters all have different personalities (if you could call them that) and purposes. It sounds like it could have been a good si-fi movie, but the flatness of the 'dolls' 'personalities ruines it.
No emotion, no matter how hard they actors tried, which obviously was not very much. Almost NONE of the voices seemed to fit their characters. There were stabs at comedy here and there, I guess to show that they were some what human, but it did NOT work...at all.
The only character that seemed to do anything for the movie was #5, voiced by John C. Reilly. He had a voice that fit his character. He was the only one who had any emotion in his voice.
This movie is not worth seeing, unless you have a 3D Imax theatre in your home. To sum up this movie in one word it would be flat...just flat.

Fantastic Mr. Fox

Classic Wes Anderson, people! The signature comedy, the one color theme (in this case orange, red, and gold), the long pauses, the lasting close-ups. You are aware of the clearcut personalities of the characters, almost imediatly. Sure some of the pauses are little too long, but somehow that makes it more unique, more appealing...to me at least.
A whole world is created by the detailed animation and recognizable characatures.
Cocky, handsome [Fantastic] Mr. Fox (voiced by the smooth, George Clooney) is nearing the end of his salad days. He has a family to look after and care for. His son, Ash (voiced by the awkward, Jason Schwartzman), is desperate to impress his father. But his father seems to be focused more on Kristofferson (voiced by Eric Chase Anderson), a cousin who has come to stay with them. It seems that Mr. Fox has replaced Kristofferson as his son. Mrs. Fox (voiced by the always original, Meryl Streep) is a sweet, dedicated housewife, who is worried for her husband's safety.
Mr. Fox longs to be the daring guy he used to be. But he, and his whole family, end up in trouble when he starts to get back into his old habits.
Anderson's comedy may be a little mature for children, although silly sometimes. And the plot may also be a little too slow and complicated for them. My 7 year old sister was not that impressed. I did enjoy watching it with my family.

Babies :: rogerebert.com :: Reviews

Babies :: rogerebert.com :: Reviews

The Brothers Bloom

Have you ever watched a movie, there is good acting, good cinematography, good directing, a good score, and a good script, but there were so many twists you were just ready for it to end. That is what is wrong with this movie.
Directed and written by Rian Johnson, The Brothers Bloom is about two brothers that become con-men. The younger brother, Bloom (Adrian Brody), is longing for a real life, an "unwritten" one. The older brother, Stephen (Mark Ruffalo), is still obsessed with the thrill of the con. With their "sidekick" (in a sense), Bang Bang (Rinko Kikuchi), they devise the most radical and imaginative cons, all written by Stephen, and pull them off, or possibly smooth talk their way out of it! But when the try to rip-off Penelope (Rachel Weisz), a lonely, single, heiress from New Jersey, it does not quite go as planed.
The problem is the brothers (and the writing) con you, and the audience, too much. The first two twists are intriguing and unexpected, but when you get to the 3rd (at the least), it sort of loses its thrill. Not that the movie was not good and fun to watch. It has a bit of everything, adventure/action/romance/comedy/drama, ect.
Adrien Brody gives a wonderful performance, and so does Mark Ruffalo. Like always Robbie Coltrane (The Curator), does a fantastic job. Rinko Kikuchi, whom I had never heard of before this film, is amazing, and I hope to see more of her in American, or British, movies! Rachel Weisz on the other hand...I do not like as much. Her character is a big part of the movie and she did not really seem to capture it well. I can see how it would be a hard role to play, an eccentric, lonely, hopeful, heiress, longing for adventure. But it just does not work, it seems like she is pushing too hard. Not to generalize, but I have never really liked her movies, or acting.
Yes, I would recommend this movie. Although you may get exhausted at times, its fun.

And personally I think Adrien Brody is handsome, although everyone seems to disagree. I guess I have a thing for tall, thin, jewish looking guys. Oh well, just felt like mentioning that.

Whatever Works

Boris Yellnikoff (Larry David from Curb Your Enthusiasm) hates people. The human race is a "failed" species, according to him. They are all "microbes" compared to his Nobel Prize intelligence. He would rather be isolated from the world than have a social interaction. Long story short, lets just say he is an extreme pessimist.
On his way home, from visiting the few friends he has, he meets a happy-go-lucky runaway named Melody St. Ann Celestine (Evan Rachel Wood). He takes her in and figures out, although she is not the smartest person in the world, she is not so bad. She opens his heart to the not so bad things in life and, for once, he is happy.
Woody Allen directs this sarcastic film about a guy who learns to love, despite how stupid.
I have to say I did not expect much of this movie. I thought it was going to be another story about a not so likable guy who finally discovers the meaning of life, or something like that. But I was pleasantly surprised. They were a lot of laughs, which I did not expect either. It was a feel good movie with a guy who learned what feel good was.