Recent Movies

Now that I’ve got a Zip account, a flight to europe with 4 movies each way and a girlfriend who loves movies, I’ve been watching quite a number of them but I haven’t posted much and so, as often happens, I have too many to write about for any length. Quick takes.

Shrek The Third. Kind of funny, saw it on the plane and I might actually rent it to see the whole thing… or not.

Ocean’s 13. Not as good as the first or even the second. Funny if you like the characters. Not all that good. (on the plane)

Wild Hogs. Better than I expected but I expected a steaming pile of poo so it’s not saying much. (on the plane)

Blades of Glory. See Wild Hogs but a bit better. (on the plane)

Fantastic Four Rise of The Silver Surfer. I would have rented that one, not so sure anymore. Maybe to get a better look at the Surfer but that’s about it. (plane)

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End. Again, not as good as the previous 2 but this one was quite fun, might try to see the whole thing in a proper setting. (plane)

You, Me and Dupree. Kate Hudson is cute. Nothing else to say.

Spartan. Decent. I like that type of movie and Val Kilmer. Not bad at all but I’ve seen better.

The Driver. Pretty good. Great chase scene, Ryan O’Neal was better than I expected. Movies from those years have completely different rythms than they do today.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Jack’s brilliant, the movie is brilliant, the ending wouldn’t happen today. I see why it’s a classic.

Last Tango in Paris. The french subtitles bugged me and couldn’t be turned off. Weird, disjointed, great look. Brando is awesome. Again, different rythm.

The Wind That Shakes the Barley. Dark movie set in a period I didn’t know much about. A good movie that also teaches a bit of history.

The Departed. Loved it. Frickin’ DiCaprio surprises me every time, quite an actor who really inhabits his characters. Hell of a cast, pretty shocking ending.

The Dogs of War. Kind of lame, even with “the man”, Christopher Walken. Couple of nice parts but botched ending.

Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid. Two legends on screen together. Well done, well played, great chemistry. Ending feels a bit thrown together.

GoodFellas. I’d seen good parts of it before but never in one go. Great movie, damned violent in parts (duh!), stereotypical gangster flick but so well done.

The Darjeeling Limited. Didn’t fall in love with it as much as some but I did love it. Beautiful “universe”, superb colors, great acting. They could come out with a photography book filled only with stills from the movie.

On The Waterfront. Brando again. Brilliant again. “I coulda been somebody, I coulda been a contender!”. I’m not sure why, “a man’s man”? Though, troubled guy? Simple but real? I have the same kind of feeling watching Brando as I have reading Hemingway.

Rebel Without a Cause. Eeesh. Would this movie be talked about at all if Dean hadn’t died shortly after? I think not. Mostly lame.

Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead. Seymour Hoffman is brilliant, as usual. I liked it, nothing exceptional but enjoyable. I like Ethan Hawke but he’s overacting most of the time, hate the guy who plays the dad, he gets on my nerves. Twisted plot. Not exceptional but I’d recommend it.

Say Anything. Classic teenage flick that still plays well. Nothing but Cusack in common but it could almost play as “High Fidelity the early years”. Fun.