Sunday, July 30, 2006
Scoop
Here is a late scoop from a new critic-in-training on Woody Allen's latest comedy.
A young college journalist (Scarlett Johansson) lands the biggest scoop of the century from a spirit (Ian McShane) that arose while she was a volunteer in a magic trick - the identity of Britain's "Tarot Card Killer". She rushes off with the magician to spy on the suspect and land her story. The only problem is, she begins to fall for the subject (Hugh Jackman) of her expose.
I thought it was pretty good. The guys behind me made the comment when we were leaving that it “made up for Miami Vice” guess they didn’t like Miami Vice.
I’m pretty tough on movies so I guess I would give it 2 ½- 3 out of 4 stars because I thought it was better than most. Not necessarily a must see on the big screen but entertaining.
Here is a late scoop from a new critic-in-training on Woody Allen's latest comedy.
A young college journalist (Scarlett Johansson) lands the biggest scoop of the century from a spirit (Ian McShane) that arose while she was a volunteer in a magic trick - the identity of Britain's "Tarot Card Killer". She rushes off with the magician to spy on the suspect and land her story. The only problem is, she begins to fall for the subject (Hugh Jackman) of her expose.
I thought it was pretty good. The guys behind me made the comment when we were leaving that it “made up for Miami Vice” guess they didn’t like Miami Vice.
I’m pretty tough on movies so I guess I would give it 2 ½- 3 out of 4 stars because I thought it was better than most. Not necessarily a must see on the big screen but entertaining.
Thursday, July 27, 2006
The Illusionist
It is Vienna at the turn of the century. Different social backgrounds eventually separate childhood friends only to finally meet again when they are adults. He has become Eisenheim the Illusionist (Edward Norton) and she is Princess Sophie (Jessica Biel) betroth to an unlikable Crown Prince who will never be willing to let her go. If they are ever to be completely free of the powerful Prince, Eisenheim must perform his greatest escape act. Toss a smart police inspector (Paul Giamatti) into the mix and who in the audience can’t figure out the ending to this love story. For a movie featuring magic, this one does a lousy job of misdirection. In a good magic show, the witnesses may know the outcome, but the magician will introduce some unexpected twists and turns to keep the viewers off balanced. No surprises here for Alien, except how boring this plot was. Alien hoped at least to see some great magic feats on the screen, but the best ones looked like they were created with computer graphics enhancements.
Alien gives it 1 ½ “amateur night delusion” stars out of 4.
It is Vienna at the turn of the century. Different social backgrounds eventually separate childhood friends only to finally meet again when they are adults. He has become Eisenheim the Illusionist (Edward Norton) and she is Princess Sophie (Jessica Biel) betroth to an unlikable Crown Prince who will never be willing to let her go. If they are ever to be completely free of the powerful Prince, Eisenheim must perform his greatest escape act. Toss a smart police inspector (Paul Giamatti) into the mix and who in the audience can’t figure out the ending to this love story. For a movie featuring magic, this one does a lousy job of misdirection. In a good magic show, the witnesses may know the outcome, but the magician will introduce some unexpected twists and turns to keep the viewers off balanced. No surprises here for Alien, except how boring this plot was. Alien hoped at least to see some great magic feats on the screen, but the best ones looked like they were created with computer graphics enhancements.
Alien gives it 1 ½ “amateur night delusion” stars out of 4.
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
Miami Vice
It’s “Collateral” meets “Traffic” meets “Hostage” meets “Sleeping with the Enemy” in this television series revisitation. Crockett and Tubbs are back with their fast cars and boats, but gone are the 80’s music, pastel outfits, and sock less fashions. When an internal leak gets agents killed, Sonny and Rico go deep undercover as drug traffickers to expose the dealers and their operation. The big stars in this movie are Colin Farrell, Jaime Foxx, and Michael Mann’s exquisitely filmed locales. The movie runs a tad long and the thick accents are a bit hard to understand, but the action is raw, gritty, and powerful.
Alien gives it 3 “high impact and visually stunning” stars out of 4.
It’s “Collateral” meets “Traffic” meets “Hostage” meets “Sleeping with the Enemy” in this television series revisitation. Crockett and Tubbs are back with their fast cars and boats, but gone are the 80’s music, pastel outfits, and sock less fashions. When an internal leak gets agents killed, Sonny and Rico go deep undercover as drug traffickers to expose the dealers and their operation. The big stars in this movie are Colin Farrell, Jaime Foxx, and Michael Mann’s exquisitely filmed locales. The movie runs a tad long and the thick accents are a bit hard to understand, but the action is raw, gritty, and powerful.
Alien gives it 3 “high impact and visually stunning” stars out of 4.
Saturday, July 22, 2006
Ant Bully
It’s “A Bug’s Life” meets “Over the Hedge” meets “Star Wars” meets “Them” in this latest animated creature feature about how you treat others, working as a team, and never giving up. A new boy in the neighborhood gets bullied and takes out his frustrations on a bunch of ants. With the help of a little magic, the ants get to impose their justice on the boy. See the world through ant eyes. This movie was reminiscent of a favorite book from Alien’s childhood, “The Boys Who Vanished”.
Alien gives it 3 “For Queen and Colony” stars out of 4.
It’s “A Bug’s Life” meets “Over the Hedge” meets “Star Wars” meets “Them” in this latest animated creature feature about how you treat others, working as a team, and never giving up. A new boy in the neighborhood gets bullied and takes out his frustrations on a bunch of ants. With the help of a little magic, the ants get to impose their justice on the boy. See the world through ant eyes. This movie was reminiscent of a favorite book from Alien’s childhood, “The Boys Who Vanished”.
Alien gives it 3 “For Queen and Colony” stars out of 4.
Friday, July 21, 2006
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest
This is not a sneak preview. This movie has already released.
First, Alien was surprised that someone could make a movie based on a Disney ride. Then, Disney was surprised at the amazing success of the first “Pirates” movie. So Disney now attempts to convert this creation into a trilogy. The end result is a bunch of spectacular action sequences interspliced between memorable images from the ride and the morphing of the first film's skeletal crew into barnacle-covered men/sea creatures. This leg of the sea journey drags on for a little too long. It’s entertaining, but not as good as the first one. Still, it will make tons of gold doubloons.
Alien gives it 2 ½ “yo ho, yo ho, it’s a pirate’s life for me” stars out of 4.
This is not a sneak preview. This movie has already released.
First, Alien was surprised that someone could make a movie based on a Disney ride. Then, Disney was surprised at the amazing success of the first “Pirates” movie. So Disney now attempts to convert this creation into a trilogy. The end result is a bunch of spectacular action sequences interspliced between memorable images from the ride and the morphing of the first film's skeletal crew into barnacle-covered men/sea creatures. This leg of the sea journey drags on for a little too long. It’s entertaining, but not as good as the first one. Still, it will make tons of gold doubloons.
Alien gives it 2 ½ “yo ho, yo ho, it’s a pirate’s life for me” stars out of 4.
Monster House
Three kids investigate a mysterious house which attacks anything that crosses onto its property. This animated movie seems like it would be a great children’s film, but it may be too dark and scary for the very young. The movie’s personification of the creepy house and its revealed secrets is a bit bizarre. It’s too old for little kids and it’s too childish for grownups, so it may only appeal to young adults with a dark inner child.
Alien gives it 2 “uvula” stars out of 4.
Three kids investigate a mysterious house which attacks anything that crosses onto its property. This animated movie seems like it would be a great children’s film, but it may be too dark and scary for the very young. The movie’s personification of the creepy house and its revealed secrets is a bit bizarre. It’s too old for little kids and it’s too childish for grownups, so it may only appeal to young adults with a dark inner child.
Alien gives it 2 “uvula” stars out of 4.
Little Miss Sunshine
While Alien was visiting a haunted house, his scouts were sent out for a little sunshine and here are some of their reports:
Scout #1 : Very funny. Reminds me of "Raising Arizona". 3 stars out of 4.
Scout #2 : Ohhh, my gosh...Ginni says it's off the charts funny!!!!!!! It even got a clapping ovation at the end. Totally dysfunctional family. Alan Arkin's favorite "F" word works because of his role as a heroin using grandpa...
Scout #3 : An enjoyable, entertaining movie about a family of dreamers who take a road trip, and pull together as each experiences a heartache. The family is the main character – no one member was the lead. The acting was good and the laughs were plentiful. This movie relies on solid performances of understated sarcasm, believable character hyperbole, and universally recognizable idiosyncrasies. The comedy drew laughs from true-to-life observations and quotes from characters that we all hate to admit we are related to (e.g. “Everybody, act like you’re normal!”). This is a good one to see if you have teenagers, aging parents, borderline siblings, or a “family dysfunction” so you can realize that your family isn’t that crazy after all. Scouts give it 2 1/2 out 4 VW vans, but leave the kids who don’t understand the “f” word at home.
Finally, Alien manages to catch a little sunshine for himself...
This is an odd little adult (rated “R”) comedy about a dysfunctional family on a quirky road trip to enter the daughter into a beauty contest. This family has lots of problems, but these characters are endearingly charming and lovable. If you are easily offended by bad behavior, then this movie may not be for you. The funniest scenes stem from situations that are so wrong. The film pokes fun at the family unit and child beauty pageants. Greg Kinear, Toni Collette, Steve Carell, and Alan Arkin star as the family adults.
Alien gives it 2 ½ “push starting the VW van” stars out of 4.
While Alien was visiting a haunted house, his scouts were sent out for a little sunshine and here are some of their reports:
Scout #1 : Very funny. Reminds me of "Raising Arizona". 3 stars out of 4.
Scout #2 : Ohhh, my gosh...Ginni says it's off the charts funny!!!!!!! It even got a clapping ovation at the end. Totally dysfunctional family. Alan Arkin's favorite "F" word works because of his role as a heroin using grandpa...
Scout #3 : An enjoyable, entertaining movie about a family of dreamers who take a road trip, and pull together as each experiences a heartache. The family is the main character – no one member was the lead. The acting was good and the laughs were plentiful. This movie relies on solid performances of understated sarcasm, believable character hyperbole, and universally recognizable idiosyncrasies. The comedy drew laughs from true-to-life observations and quotes from characters that we all hate to admit we are related to (e.g. “Everybody, act like you’re normal!”). This is a good one to see if you have teenagers, aging parents, borderline siblings, or a “family dysfunction” so you can realize that your family isn’t that crazy after all. Scouts give it 2 1/2 out 4 VW vans, but leave the kids who don’t understand the “f” word at home.
Finally, Alien manages to catch a little sunshine for himself...
This is an odd little adult (rated “R”) comedy about a dysfunctional family on a quirky road trip to enter the daughter into a beauty contest. This family has lots of problems, but these characters are endearingly charming and lovable. If you are easily offended by bad behavior, then this movie may not be for you. The funniest scenes stem from situations that are so wrong. The film pokes fun at the family unit and child beauty pageants. Greg Kinear, Toni Collette, Steve Carell, and Alan Arkin star as the family adults.
Alien gives it 2 ½ “push starting the VW van” stars out of 4.
Who killed the Electric Car?
While Alien was exploring a haunted house, his scouts were sent on a mission to find out who killed the electric car.
Scout #1: Although a bit dry, this movie was very informative and enjoyable. 3 ½ stars out of 4.
While Alien was exploring a haunted house, his scouts were sent on a mission to find out who killed the electric car.
Scout #1: Although a bit dry, this movie was very informative and enjoyable. 3 ½ stars out of 4.
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
Lady in the Water
It’s a fairy tale meets horror show in M. Night Shyamalan’s latest suspense thriller. A mysterious young lady (Bryce Dallas Howard) crawls out of an apartment complex swimming pool and seeks protection by the superintendent (Paul Giamatti) from a wolf like beast preventing her return to her world. A colorful cast of characters must come together in this close community to combat this creepy creature. The suspense intensifies as the search to identify the guardian, the symbolist, the healer, and the guild becomes more desperate. M. Night shows his keen sense of humor as he pokes fun at this genre and movie critics. He even prominently casts himself as a writer in this film. If this is based on the bedtime stories M. Night used to tell his own children, then it is a wonder that they ever got a good night’s sleep. If your tastes run a little bit on the odd side, you may enjoy this dark mystery/fantasy movie.
Alien gives it 3 “narf, scrunt, tartutic” stars out of 4.
It’s a fairy tale meets horror show in M. Night Shyamalan’s latest suspense thriller. A mysterious young lady (Bryce Dallas Howard) crawls out of an apartment complex swimming pool and seeks protection by the superintendent (Paul Giamatti) from a wolf like beast preventing her return to her world. A colorful cast of characters must come together in this close community to combat this creepy creature. The suspense intensifies as the search to identify the guardian, the symbolist, the healer, and the guild becomes more desperate. M. Night shows his keen sense of humor as he pokes fun at this genre and movie critics. He even prominently casts himself as a writer in this film. If this is based on the bedtime stories M. Night used to tell his own children, then it is a wonder that they ever got a good night’s sleep. If your tastes run a little bit on the odd side, you may enjoy this dark mystery/fantasy movie.
Alien gives it 3 “narf, scrunt, tartutic” stars out of 4.
Monday, July 17, 2006
My Super Ex-Girlfriend
Look out X-Men, Spiderman, and Superman, here comes G-Girl. It’s a classic romantic comedy meets superhero satire meets “Jaws”. It’s everything you ever wanted to know about superheroes, but were never shown before. What would you do if your crazy girlfriend was too needy, extremely jealous, very controlling, and endowed with super powers? It’s a funny, funny man/woman relationship chick flick with special effects for the guys. It’s light hearted fun which spoofs your comic book superhero and their secret identity.
Alien gives it 3 “mysterious meteorite” stars out of 4.
Look out X-Men, Spiderman, and Superman, here comes G-Girl. It’s a classic romantic comedy meets superhero satire meets “Jaws”. It’s everything you ever wanted to know about superheroes, but were never shown before. What would you do if your crazy girlfriend was too needy, extremely jealous, very controlling, and endowed with super powers? It’s a funny, funny man/woman relationship chick flick with special effects for the guys. It’s light hearted fun which spoofs your comic book superhero and their secret identity.
Alien gives it 3 “mysterious meteorite” stars out of 4.
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
You, Me, and Dupree
One of the “Wedding Crashers”, Owen Wilson, lingers after the honeymoon to make it “two’s company, three’s a crowd” in this version of “The Man Who Came to Dinner”. Kate Hudson and Matt Dillon play the newlyweds and Michael Douglas is her dad.
Alien was busy overdosing on Substance D and searching for pirates, so scouts were sent out to report on this preview. Stay tuned for their reviews shortly.
Scout #1: You must try and see You, Me & Dupree... I laughed through the whole movie. This movie hits the mark because all families have a DUPREE in them to some extent! 4 out of 5 stars...
Scout #2: Better than I thought it was going to be. Very funny. We laughed. 3 out of 4 stars.
Scout #3: Predictable, but still very funny says this Owen Wilson fan. 3 out of 4 stars.
Alien finally got around to reviewing this film.
Owen Wilson is the houseguest from hell. He plays Dupree, the best friend who’s annoying, disgusting, charming, and lovable. The real story is about a guy adjusting to married life and working for his father-in-law, but Dupree steals the show. Stay for one more chuckle in a final scene after the credits.
Alien gives it 3 “finding your inner self” stars out of 4.
One of the “Wedding Crashers”, Owen Wilson, lingers after the honeymoon to make it “two’s company, three’s a crowd” in this version of “The Man Who Came to Dinner”. Kate Hudson and Matt Dillon play the newlyweds and Michael Douglas is her dad.
Alien was busy overdosing on Substance D and searching for pirates, so scouts were sent out to report on this preview. Stay tuned for their reviews shortly.
Scout #1: You must try and see You, Me & Dupree... I laughed through the whole movie. This movie hits the mark because all families have a DUPREE in them to some extent! 4 out of 5 stars...
Scout #2: Better than I thought it was going to be. Very funny. We laughed. 3 out of 4 stars.
Scout #3: Predictable, but still very funny says this Owen Wilson fan. 3 out of 4 stars.
Alien finally got around to reviewing this film.
Owen Wilson is the houseguest from hell. He plays Dupree, the best friend who’s annoying, disgusting, charming, and lovable. The real story is about a guy adjusting to married life and working for his father-in-law, but Dupree steals the show. Stay for one more chuckle in a final scene after the credits.
Alien gives it 3 “finding your inner self” stars out of 4.
A Scanner Darkly
Keanu Reeves, Robert Downey Jr., Winona Rider, and Woody Harrelson star in this dismal look into the near future where the war on drugs appears to be lost. Follow the paranoid journey of a group of druggies as they are pursued by the narcs in their “scramble suits”. The gimmick of this movie is interpolating rotoscope. In layman’s terms, it’s a process which looks like paint-by-numbers has been applied to live action film. It’s interesting at first, but hard to watch for 100 minutes. Maybe being under the influence is necessary before you can truly appreciate this movie about Substance D. This film is rated “R” for language, drug use, and nudity. It is based on a book by Phillip K. Dick, whose other stories inspired other movies like “Blade Runner”, “Total Recall”, “Paycheck”, and “Minority Report”.
Alien gives it 1 ½ “desertion, despair, doom, and death” stars out of 4.
Keanu Reeves, Robert Downey Jr., Winona Rider, and Woody Harrelson star in this dismal look into the near future where the war on drugs appears to be lost. Follow the paranoid journey of a group of druggies as they are pursued by the narcs in their “scramble suits”. The gimmick of this movie is interpolating rotoscope. In layman’s terms, it’s a process which looks like paint-by-numbers has been applied to live action film. It’s interesting at first, but hard to watch for 100 minutes. Maybe being under the influence is necessary before you can truly appreciate this movie about Substance D. This film is rated “R” for language, drug use, and nudity. It is based on a book by Phillip K. Dick, whose other stories inspired other movies like “Blade Runner”, “Total Recall”, “Paycheck”, and “Minority Report”.
Alien gives it 1 ½ “desertion, despair, doom, and death” stars out of 4.
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
A Prairie Home Companion
This is not a sneak preview. This film has already released.
Garrison Keillor takes the audience on a back stage tour of his real-life live public radio variety show of the same name. It is a show within a show where the colorful characters include a singing sister act, a suicide-obsessed daughter, a pregnant stage manager, a singing cowboy duo, a detective character straight out of a dime store novel, and a mysterious woman dressed in a white trench coat. If you are nostalgic for an old-time radio show, you may enjoy this movie and its songs and humor. Meryl Streep is always convincing in every new character she portrays. Lily Tomlin, Lindsay Lohan, Kevin Kline, John C. Reilly, Woody Harrelson, Virginia Madsen, Tommy Lee Jones, and Maya Rudolph round out the cast.
Alien gives it 2 ½ “Red River Valley” stars out of 4.
This is not a sneak preview. This film has already released.
Garrison Keillor takes the audience on a back stage tour of his real-life live public radio variety show of the same name. It is a show within a show where the colorful characters include a singing sister act, a suicide-obsessed daughter, a pregnant stage manager, a singing cowboy duo, a detective character straight out of a dime store novel, and a mysterious woman dressed in a white trench coat. If you are nostalgic for an old-time radio show, you may enjoy this movie and its songs and humor. Meryl Streep is always convincing in every new character she portrays. Lily Tomlin, Lindsay Lohan, Kevin Kline, John C. Reilly, Woody Harrelson, Virginia Madsen, Tommy Lee Jones, and Maya Rudolph round out the cast.
Alien gives it 2 ½ “Red River Valley” stars out of 4.
