No, I'm not talking about myself, but thanks anyway, yeah?
I am talking about "The Legendary".
I know, they're not making a comeback, because they didn't go away a long time. But in a way they did. One could argue The Roots descended into darkness with their last two albums, Game Theory and Rising Down; not the most fun-loving albums those were.
But a glimmer of light shines through with this new track, which debuted not too long ago on Late Night (Jimmy Fallon's show, which I blogged about here).
I say glimmer because it's not all sunshine and jumping jacks, but it's a more optimistically nuanced track that leaves the evil synths of Rising Down behind for the time being.
---
It's still blockbuster season, and I'm still involved. I have to say that The Taking of Pelham One Two Three was better than the version that came out this year, which was differed in title by using the numerals "1 2 3". The differences don't end there though, as the respective tones of each film couldn't be any more unrelated. Walter Matthau wins (But Denzel Washington is still the man).
Up was fun and touching. Not perfect though. I'm still not sure how I feel about "talking" dogs.
I'm sure I saw other movies too, but I really just wanted to say that I hopped back on to the Harry Potter express, after missing the last one (the only one I haven't seen), and I'm glad I did. Half-Blood Prince was very entertaining, but pretty much all just set up for the climatic two-parter The Deathly Hallows. Consider me hyped.
---
Hey Stockton folks, I just started going to a young adult group weekly meeting for Catholics (but non-Catholics are welcome). Really nice folk, and learning about faith in a (young) adult setting is great and something pretty much new to me. I've been in a young adult group that fizzled out shortly after it began, but this particular group has been around years now, so I could potentially be in for the long haul (or at least until I'm 39, which is what their website says is the cutoff). In any case, check out their site, lukefive.org and maybe see me there on Tuesday nights and hang out. They don't bite.
Showing posts with label movies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label movies. Show all posts
Friday, July 24, 2009
Friday, May 22, 2009
Summer Movie Season Is Here
Hey all. It's been awhile since I talked film, and just in time for blockbuster season, I've got some things to say...
My first summer blockbuster viewing went to Angels & Demons, the sequel to 2006's The Da Vinci Code. I'm well aware of the controversy of that first film, but I'm going to sidestep discussion of it. These movies are fiction and entertainment to me, period. And entertained I was with Code. A & D picks up the action this time around, and I wasn't disappointed. I have to say that this one treads into B-movie territory, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, even for past Oscar winners Ron Howard, who directs, and Tom Hanks, lead actor.
You might think a movie that's set in the Vatican and dealing with Papal election might be too heavy handed, but just enough humor is injected into the proceedings. And the action keeps things moving, making you forget the numerous holes in logic that are contained in this movie. Eventually, the outrageous last action scene pushes things over the edge, into the B-movie territory I alluded too earlier. Yeah, it's crazy, but I did like the first Crank film after all.
Coincidentally enough, like Crank, Angels & Demons involves a key helicopter scene in its finale. I can't really tell you which scene was crazier out of those two films, so that tells you how wild A & D gets. And I bet you didn't think I'd be comparing it with Crank, mind you. That might be a bad sign for some, but I give A & D a pass.
Next up in my blockbuster viewing went to Star Trek. I don't know what else to write that hasn't already been stated by the majority of critics, who dig this reboot of the franchise that goes back to the 60's TV show. I was a casual viewer of that show as well as it's spin-off incarnation, Star Trek: The Next Generation. Never in all those viewings have I ever seen such action as displayed in the new movie. Everyone does a good job, with a special nod to Simon Pegg's portrayal of Scotty. It kept me laughing, something I don't remember doing too much of when watching the TV shows. The guy who plays Dr. McCoy gets an honorable mention in the humor department too, as his scenes with Kirk, would-be captain of the Starship Enterprise, were enjoyable as well. Speaking of Kirk, the actor chosen to play him does a nice job too, even though I had doubts about his likability going in.
Like I mentioned, I was only a casual viewer of the originals. As such, it was probably easy for me to overlook certain things that hard core Trekkies (aka Trekkers) wouldn't in the portrayals of all the core characters as well as the way the overall Trek universe is presented in general. But it wasn't all mindless blockbuster spectacle, and the set-up for an anticipated sequel is executed just fine, introducing a whole new time line that preserves what's happened in the past (or more appropriately the future) without necessarily having to re-tread ground.
With Star Trek doing so well, it has become the go-to franchise now for space flicks, at least while the world of Serenity is on the shelf.
Lastly, I caught the sequel to A Night At The Museum. The original was entertaining enough, and I didn't really expect much in the sequel, even with some modern comedy regulars in tow, including Superbad's Jonah Hill and Bill Hader, and various cast members from The Office (U.S. version plus U.K. version's Ricky Gervais). It has its moments though, and enough of them for me to give it a pass. Ben Stiller does Ben Stiller again, and it might be time for him try something else, though his scenes with The Simpson's Hank Azaria were standouts.
Oh and Amy Adams charms as usual. I'd ask for more of her if there's another sequel, but I'm not going to ask for another sequel. This one ties things up just fine, and there's absolutely no need for a third one.
So there you have it. The summer blockbuster first shots have been fired, and it should continue to be an entertaining season, at the least.
My first summer blockbuster viewing went to Angels & Demons, the sequel to 2006's The Da Vinci Code. I'm well aware of the controversy of that first film, but I'm going to sidestep discussion of it. These movies are fiction and entertainment to me, period. And entertained I was with Code. A & D picks up the action this time around, and I wasn't disappointed. I have to say that this one treads into B-movie territory, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, even for past Oscar winners Ron Howard, who directs, and Tom Hanks, lead actor.
You might think a movie that's set in the Vatican and dealing with Papal election might be too heavy handed, but just enough humor is injected into the proceedings. And the action keeps things moving, making you forget the numerous holes in logic that are contained in this movie. Eventually, the outrageous last action scene pushes things over the edge, into the B-movie territory I alluded too earlier. Yeah, it's crazy, but I did like the first Crank film after all.
Coincidentally enough, like Crank, Angels & Demons involves a key helicopter scene in its finale. I can't really tell you which scene was crazier out of those two films, so that tells you how wild A & D gets. And I bet you didn't think I'd be comparing it with Crank, mind you. That might be a bad sign for some, but I give A & D a pass.
Next up in my blockbuster viewing went to Star Trek. I don't know what else to write that hasn't already been stated by the majority of critics, who dig this reboot of the franchise that goes back to the 60's TV show. I was a casual viewer of that show as well as it's spin-off incarnation, Star Trek: The Next Generation. Never in all those viewings have I ever seen such action as displayed in the new movie. Everyone does a good job, with a special nod to Simon Pegg's portrayal of Scotty. It kept me laughing, something I don't remember doing too much of when watching the TV shows. The guy who plays Dr. McCoy gets an honorable mention in the humor department too, as his scenes with Kirk, would-be captain of the Starship Enterprise, were enjoyable as well. Speaking of Kirk, the actor chosen to play him does a nice job too, even though I had doubts about his likability going in.
Like I mentioned, I was only a casual viewer of the originals. As such, it was probably easy for me to overlook certain things that hard core Trekkies (aka Trekkers) wouldn't in the portrayals of all the core characters as well as the way the overall Trek universe is presented in general. But it wasn't all mindless blockbuster spectacle, and the set-up for an anticipated sequel is executed just fine, introducing a whole new time line that preserves what's happened in the past (or more appropriately the future) without necessarily having to re-tread ground.
With Star Trek doing so well, it has become the go-to franchise now for space flicks, at least while the world of Serenity is on the shelf.
Lastly, I caught the sequel to A Night At The Museum. The original was entertaining enough, and I didn't really expect much in the sequel, even with some modern comedy regulars in tow, including Superbad's Jonah Hill and Bill Hader, and various cast members from The Office (U.S. version plus U.K. version's Ricky Gervais). It has its moments though, and enough of them for me to give it a pass. Ben Stiller does Ben Stiller again, and it might be time for him try something else, though his scenes with The Simpson's Hank Azaria were standouts.
Oh and Amy Adams charms as usual. I'd ask for more of her if there's another sequel, but I'm not going to ask for another sequel. This one ties things up just fine, and there's absolutely no need for a third one.
So there you have it. The summer blockbuster first shots have been fired, and it should continue to be an entertaining season, at the least.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Coming out of the dark.
Just coming in to wipe off the dust, and give a nod to some notables...
Happy-Go-Lucky: rented it, loved it. See it!
Cartworks: It hit #100 and is still going. That's my homie.
Til' the next...
-Derrick
Happy-Go-Lucky: rented it, loved it. See it!
Cartworks: It hit #100 and is still going. That's my homie.
Til' the next...
-Derrick
Monday, March 9, 2009
What I Watched Instead.
Checked out Two Lovers starring Joaquin Phoenix and Gwyneth Paltrow.
There were no blue "muscles" to look at, and for that, I'm grateful for that alone that I opted for Two Lovers (the only nudity involved a brief shot of Paltrow's left breast).
Shots at that other movie aside, I enjoyed Two Lovers acting performances, especially by Joaquin Phoenix. It's not a totally depressing film, for the most part staying away from easy melodrama where lesser movies would have inserted it.
It's not the best film of 2009 (correction: it was actually released last year) that I've seen so far (I'd give that to Coraline) but I'd personally recommend it.
Other stuff I watched last week:
A Powerful Noise is an excellent documentary. Unfortunately there were only about a handful of us in the theater, and it was a one-time only showing in Stockton (and most likely in your city as well). If you can get a chance to see it though, I highly encourage you to do so.
I also caught the gruesome horror flick, The Descent, on On Demand. It was pretty fun to watch, but the ending left me a little ambivalent. Word is that there is a different (and maybe better) ending for the UK version. There's a sequel supposedly coming out based on the US version though. I'm kind of interested nonetheless.
On television, I caught the first week of Jimmy Fallon taking over for Conan O'Brien in the Late Nite slot, primarily to see how The Roots did as his band. They did a good job, and I'm glad that all of the band members are involved, including Black Thought, who did some singing here and there. The band also played with Ludacris for his performance, which was easily my favorite one out of the week.
As far as the rest of the show is concerned, it's not too bad. It's the first week, so I'm expecting it to get better over time as Fallon relaxes more into the role. He's definitely not as funny as Conan, nor do I expect him to be, but with tighter writing, I can see more special moments from the show accumulating over time. And using "the best band in late night" (in Fallon's own words at the end of each show) whenever possible wouldn't hurt.
There were no blue "muscles" to look at, and for that, I'm grateful for that alone that I opted for Two Lovers (the only nudity involved a brief shot of Paltrow's left breast).
Shots at that other movie aside, I enjoyed Two Lovers acting performances, especially by Joaquin Phoenix. It's not a totally depressing film, for the most part staying away from easy melodrama where lesser movies would have inserted it.
It's not the best film of 2009 (correction: it was actually released last year) that I've seen so far (I'd give that to Coraline) but I'd personally recommend it.
Other stuff I watched last week:
A Powerful Noise is an excellent documentary. Unfortunately there were only about a handful of us in the theater, and it was a one-time only showing in Stockton (and most likely in your city as well). If you can get a chance to see it though, I highly encourage you to do so.
I also caught the gruesome horror flick, The Descent, on On Demand. It was pretty fun to watch, but the ending left me a little ambivalent. Word is that there is a different (and maybe better) ending for the UK version. There's a sequel supposedly coming out based on the US version though. I'm kind of interested nonetheless.
On television, I caught the first week of Jimmy Fallon taking over for Conan O'Brien in the Late Nite slot, primarily to see how The Roots did as his band. They did a good job, and I'm glad that all of the band members are involved, including Black Thought, who did some singing here and there. The band also played with Ludacris for his performance, which was easily my favorite one out of the week.
As far as the rest of the show is concerned, it's not too bad. It's the first week, so I'm expecting it to get better over time as Fallon relaxes more into the role. He's definitely not as funny as Conan, nor do I expect him to be, but with tighter writing, I can see more special moments from the show accumulating over time. And using "the best band in late night" (in Fallon's own words at the end of each show) whenever possible wouldn't hurt.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Not Watching.
I don't want to watch Watchmen. I'm tired of morose comic book adaptations. I didn't like The Dark Knight, not better than Batman Begins anyway. I'm more looking forward to the slate of Marvel films coming out. But you can keep Watchmen. The graphic novel was enough for me, and the fact that the ending is different in the film is a deal breaker. Ask me why, and I have good reasons. Logical reasons. But no, I'm not watching.
Here's a flick worth watching though: Taken. Liam Neeson kicking ass and getting his white girl (daughter) back. Say word.
Here's a flick worth watching though: Taken. Liam Neeson kicking ass and getting his white girl (daughter) back. Say word.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Three more words on Coraline
No young children.
It's a creepy (entertaining) flick, bound to give out nightmares. So I just wanted to add that to my earlier review.
It's a creepy (entertaining) flick, bound to give out nightmares. So I just wanted to add that to my earlier review.
Three Word Movie Reviews
Okay, I've watched a grip of movies since I last blogged, and that makes for too much to write. So I'm going to do each one in three words or less. By the way, I actually saw Notorious before The Reader, like I said I might. Same goes for He's Just Not That Into You. Everything else was after. Here goes (each title links to their respective Internet Movie Database page):
Notorious: Puffy didn't distract.
He's Just Not That Into You: What a waste.
Chocolate: Autism violently fun.
Ghost Town: Pleasurable enough.
Coraline: Don't miss 3-D!
RocknRolla: Dude, I'm lost.
Be Kind Rewind: Really very amusing.
I think that covers it.
Notorious: Puffy didn't distract.
He's Just Not That Into You: What a waste.
Chocolate: Autism violently fun.
Ghost Town: Pleasurable enough.
Coraline: Don't miss 3-D!
RocknRolla: Dude, I'm lost.
Be Kind Rewind: Really very amusing.
I think that covers it.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Ranking Best Picture, Minus One
Whoops. I forgot to mention Milk.
Well, I don't think I'll be able to catch it before the awards ceremony is broadcast since it's not in any theaters close by. I did see The Reader though. It was pretty good. I still like Frost/Nixon best.
Here's how I'd rank them, excluding Milk of course:
1- Frost/Nixon
2- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
3 (tie)- The Reader
3 (tie)- Slumdog Millionaire
Doubt should have been in there. Good thing it gets a bunch of nominations in other categories.
Well, I don't think I'll be able to catch it before the awards ceremony is broadcast since it's not in any theaters close by. I did see The Reader though. It was pretty good. I still like Frost/Nixon best.
Here's how I'd rank them, excluding Milk of course:
1- Frost/Nixon
2- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
3 (tie)- The Reader
3 (tie)- Slumdog Millionaire
Doubt should have been in there. Good thing it gets a bunch of nominations in other categories.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
A couple more for my consideration.
I saw two of this year's "Best Picture" Oscar nominees this week, Slumdog Millionaire and Frost/Nixon.
One of these should be added to my "Standout movies of 2008" list in my last blog entry. And the winner goes to Frost/Nixon.
The only "Best Picture" nominee left for me to see is "The Reader". I think I'm going to need to regard that one as a classic immediately after the final credit rolls in order for it to be deserving of its Oscar. The critics already believe it to be the very opposite of that, so I don't have much faith that it'll be anything more than a movie labeled one of the worst Oscar pics ever if it gets the golden statue.
I'm getting more interested. Unfortunately, I don't remember seeing it still being shown at any of the theaters I frequent. And who knows if I might end up choosing to watch Notorious instead. I would've done just that if there had been any more showings of it left at the times I went for Slumdog and F/N.
For sure though--I'm catching Puff/Big before Kate/Leo. Revolutionary Road is supposed to be better than The Reader, but I can wait for the DVD.
One of these should be added to my "Standout movies of 2008" list in my last blog entry. And the winner goes to Frost/Nixon.
The only "Best Picture" nominee left for me to see is "The Reader". I think I'm going to need to regard that one as a classic immediately after the final credit rolls in order for it to be deserving of its Oscar. The critics already believe it to be the very opposite of that, so I don't have much faith that it'll be anything more than a movie labeled one of the worst Oscar pics ever if it gets the golden statue.
I'm getting more interested. Unfortunately, I don't remember seeing it still being shown at any of the theaters I frequent. And who knows if I might end up choosing to watch Notorious instead. I would've done just that if there had been any more showings of it left at the times I went for Slumdog and F/N.
For sure though--I'm catching Puff/Big before Kate/Leo. Revolutionary Road is supposed to be better than The Reader, but I can wait for the DVD.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Top of the '08
Okay, ball starts rolling here...so hello.
My personal:
Standout movies of 2008
The Incredible Hulk
Doubt
Pineapple Express
Iron Man
Kung-Fu Panda
Chaos Theory
Redbelt
Persepolis (actually released in U.S. in December, 2007)
Flash of Genius
Sex & The City
The Bank Job
In Bruges
Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
The Visitor
How She Move
Leatherheads
Definitely, Maybe
Son of Rambow
Get Smart
Mamma Mia
Wanted
Tropic Thunder
Cadillac Records
Gran Torino
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Pride and Glory*
I was going to post other lists for books and music, but really, I largely spent far less money on those the past year than I did on movies. It's too complicated for me to try to break down the reasons why right now, but they're not a lost cause for me...yet.
Note: There was a list for "A Top Of The Head List of Favorite Websites, if not in 2008, then lately" but then I started cheating a little with the list so I just removed it. I might do it another time.
Anyway, there you go. Derrick does lists, for one.
*I realized I forgot to put this movie in the list the first time I posted this entry.
My personal:
Standout movies of 2008
The Incredible Hulk
Doubt
Pineapple Express
Iron Man
Kung-Fu Panda
Chaos Theory
Redbelt
Persepolis (actually released in U.S. in December, 2007)
Flash of Genius
Sex & The City
The Bank Job
In Bruges
Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
The Visitor
How She Move
Leatherheads
Definitely, Maybe
Son of Rambow
Get Smart
Mamma Mia
Wanted
Tropic Thunder
Cadillac Records
Gran Torino
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Pride and Glory*
I was going to post other lists for books and music, but really, I largely spent far less money on those the past year than I did on movies. It's too complicated for me to try to break down the reasons why right now, but they're not a lost cause for me...yet.
Note: There was a list for "A Top Of The Head List of Favorite Websites, if not in 2008, then lately" but then I started cheating a little with the list so I just removed it. I might do it another time.
Anyway, there you go. Derrick does lists, for one.
*I realized I forgot to put this movie in the list the first time I posted this entry.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
