Sideways; Troy

Reviews from That Guy Named David:

Sideways (B)

I think that every year since The English Patient won for Best Picture, the so-called critics have singled out one independent film a year and universally proclaimed it as the greatest thing since sliced bread. This year, it appears that Sideways has taken that label from the critics and run with it to numerous Oscar and Golden Globe nominations. Based upon everything I have read and heard, I had really high expectations coming into this movie. As viewers of this site know, I am generally a big fan of the type of movie that Sideways is marketed to be. However, for whatever reason, this movie did not really connect with me. I thought that Paul Giamatti (The Ides of March) was absolutely perfect in his role as the down-and-out writer/wine connoisseur who, to a fault, values friendship and loyalty to his friend above all else (it’s a crime that he is not nominated for Best Actor). But the story seemed fragmented, and I could never really get into the flow of the movie. I recognized the fine performances by Giamatti, Thomas Haden Church (Spider-Man 3), and Virginia Madsen (The Astronaut Farmer) and think that they will deserve whatever awards they win; however, it was almost as if they were performing in a vacuum without enough of a plot to keep me from thinking about anything other than the fact that they were good acting performances.

Troy (C)

I already saw Gladiator.

Friday Night Lights

A review from That Guy Named David.

Friday Night Lights (A)

When I was a kid growing up in small-town Texas, H.G. Bissinger’s Friday Night Lights was considered required reading. I remember reading the book and being amazed at the similarities between 1988 Odessa, Texas, and its love of the Permian Panthers and what I was experiencing as a high-school football player in a south Texas town of 6,000. All my friends that didn’t experience small-town Texas high-school football laugh when I describe the treatment that high-school football players get when, from August through December, there is nothing more important than what happens under the lights on Friday night. From the small-town radio shows, the autograph sessions at the elementary school and junior high (seriously), the free meals at local restaurants, the “slide under the radar” treatment in many classes (especially on gameday), etc., the town’s obsession with this sport unnaturally places 16 and 17 year old kids on a pedestal from which they feel they can never be knocked. The movie adaption of Friday Night Lights did an artful job of showcasing this treatment and the effect that the sport has on the kids and the community at large. Billy Bob Thornton (Bad Santa) did an exceptional job portraying the pressures that coaches (who generally make more than every other person at the school) feel to win every game or pack their bags and get out of town. However, I thought the movie and book were best when they profiled the players and various members of the community and the types of problems that they experienced, from racism to alcoholism to effects of the oil bust on an oil town. Perfect adaption of a great book.

This Is Spinal Tap; Waiting for Guffman

DVD reviews from That Guy Named David.

This Is Spinal Tap (C-) and Waiting for Guffman (A-)

I finally rounded out the Spinal Tap/Guffman/Best in Show/Mighty Wind group of satires and must admit that I was both overwhelmed and underwhelmed when all was said and done. As to Spinal Tap, for years I had listened ad nauseam about the brilliance of this movie from the Movie Snob and another guy that used to post on this site. I was told repeatedly that it was arguably the best satire ever written, and if I didn’t think it was better than sliced bread, then I was an unmasculine idiot (well, I think that was what was inferred after I said I thought it wasn’t not anywhere near as good as sliced bread… or banana, raisin, garlic or several other types of bread). Simply put, blah. Spinal Tap was boring, the music was just plain stupid, and it failed to hit on the jokes that I was told made this such a great movie. Maybe I should have appreciated the fact it was the first of these movies and therefore cut it some slack, but on its face, I was far from impressed. Waiting for Guffman, however, brought me back to the reasons why I liked Best in Show and A Mighty Wind. The acting was great (Parker Posey (Columbus) is a comedic genius), and there were enough quirky one-liners and ridiculous scenes to keep me laughing throughout. So, in sum, I have discovered that, unlike the Star Wars series, Rocky, etc., sometimes the original is not all that it is cracked up to be, and it takes a little time to get it right.

Garden State

A video review from That Guy Named David:

Garden State (A-)

I must admit I am a big-time sucker for the introspective, “what the hell am I going to do with my life” type of movie (ex. Lost in Translation, The Graduate, Beautiful Girls, Wet Hot American Summer). This movie fits in that category. Plus, it stars Natalie Portman (Annihilation), one of the three current actresses over whom I have a mild obsession (Scarlett Johansson and Jennifer Garner round out that list). As to the movie itself, the plot centers on a twenty-something (director Zach Braff, Oz the Great and Powerful) who has gone home for his mother’s funeral. During the trip, he meets up with Portman (who is great in this role), does some drugs, hangs out with friends, and comes to the realization that he can feel emotions after years of being stuck on various medications. I wasn’t sold on the ending, but it didn’t ruin the movie for me. All in all, very good.

Ocean’s Twelve

That Guy Named David weighs in:

Ocean’s Twelve (C)

As an admitted fan of Ocean’s Eleven (the re-make), this movie was on my list of “must-sees” over the holidays. After sitting through 2 hours of this dud, however, the expectations were not even close to being met. Basic premise: Ocean (George Clooney, Up in the Air) and his gang have two weeks to get casino boss Terry Benedict’s money to him or they will be killed. Now, maybe it was just me, but I thought the whole idea behind Ocean’s Eleven was that they pulled off this great heist without having Benedict (Andy Garcia, City Island) know it was them behind it. Well, that premise of the first movie is destroyed in the first 20 minutes of this movie. And after the new premise is revealed, the story fragments about 50 times and then makes a very weak attempt at the end to pull everything together. Simply put, they were trying to hard to make an intricate, complex caper and failed miserably in doing so. The great part of the first movie was that the story was relatively simple to follow, yet the details of the heist itself were interesting and kept your attention. The sequel, however, seemed to get bogged down at times and then would try its damndest to be clever and send the viewer on loops that were unnecessary and took away from the story. And don’t get me started on the Julia Roberts (Mystic Pizza) role (you’ll understand when you watch the movie). Weak. Wait till it comes out on video.

Ray

A review from That Guy Named David:

Ray (B+)

This movie would have been so-so had it not been for the incredible performances put on by Jamie Foxx (Annie) and cast. I know this has been said hundreds of times since the movie’s release, but it would be shocking if someone puts together a performance that will take the Oscar away from Foxx. Throughout the movie, you forget that it is an actor playing Ray Charles and not the musician himself on the screen. And the accompanying cast also put together performances that rivaled the performance by Foxx. As for the story itself, I thought it bogged down just a little in the middle of the movie, but overall, it was a captivating account of the life of one of the greatest musicians of the 20th century. In addition to the great music and incredible acting, I enjoyed the way you could see the evolution in race relations as the movie moved through the 50’s and 60’s. Overall, it was a very pleasant movie-going experience, and I would recommend it to anyone interested in the history of music in this country.

The Day After Tomorrow; Van Helsing

That Guy Named David reports:

The Day After Tomorrow (D+)

Good special effects. Horrendous acting. I am making a new rule for myself that I will not watch any movie from here on out whose primary star-power is Dennis Quaid (The Parent Trap). The plot was ridiculous, and as mentioned before, the acting was mind-numbingly bad; however, the special effects kept this movie relatively entertaining for a while. The only way I recommend it, though, is if you are at someone else’s house who has rented it and their cable is out, there is no one with whom to talk, and there are no books or magazines in the home.

Van Helsing (D-)

What a great night of movie-watching. First, I get to sit through 2 hours of the “end of the world” sci-fi with The Day After Tomorrow (see above review), and then I get to top it off with one of the single worst sci-fi/horror flicks ever made. Well, it appears Hugh Jackman (The Greatest Showman) has found his niche playing unconvincing “super-heroes” with no acting ability whatsoever. And this story… good God. At the beginning of the movie, I literally thought it was a bed-time story that was being told to a kid or something, much like The Neverending Story. But as the movie progressed into Jackman… sorry, “Van Helsing” fighting Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (who in this movie was about 20 feet tall) and then Dracula, I knew it was going to be a real task just to make it to the final credits. But I persevered, only to get to an ending that sucked about as bad as the rest of the movie. Horrible.

The Whole Ten Yards

A DVD review from That Guy Named David:

The Whole Ten Yards (C-)

I’m a firm believer that if you spent the time to watch a movie that is decent and there is a sequel, you ought to give the sequel a chance. However, after seeing this dud, I’m thinking of amending this belief. This movie would have been a D had it not starred the incredibly gorgeous Amanda Peet (Gulliver’s Travels). Ridiculous plot and really, really bad acting (mostly by Bruce Willis (Moonrise Kingdom) and Matthew Perry (17 Again)). And speaking of Matthew Perry, I’m also now a believer that he has one role (Chandler Bing) and it has gotten very old. Overall, just a bad movie, but at least I got to look at Amanda Peet for a couple of hours.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

DVD review from That Guy Named David:

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (B+)

After watching this movie for about 20 minutes, I was tempted to turn it off. I thought that the cast (and specifically, Jim Carrey, Yes Man) was trying way too hard to make the movie into some weird, “look at me, I can act very odd and keep plodding through with no plot” kind of movie. It reminded me a little of Mulholland Drive, without the scenes that make Mulholland Drive worth watching. Well, I think my problem was that I had read nothing about the movie and once I got an idea of what was going on, I realized that I should be patient and give the movie a chance to develop. In retrospect, I’m glad that I did. Once it all clicked (which for my dense brain, occurred about 30 minutes into the movie), I thought the movie was extremely well-done and the acting was superb. Even the ending was a nice touch, which I was a little worried about once I began to enjoy the movie. Anyway, it’s a definite renter. I may even buy it eventually. I’m becoming a big fan of those “Focus Features” (Lost in Translation, The Pianist, Being John Malkovich, Wet Hot American Summer, etc.).

Bleachers (book review)

A book review from That Guy Named David:

Bleachers (B+)

After barely making it through the Bourne series, I decided to jump over to a quick read authored by one of my formerly favorite authors (his last few “legal thrillers” have been duds). Anyway, I was recommended this book by another small-town guy who just joined our firm. As a self-proclaimed former high school football standout (setting the single-season sack record at a certain small, South Texas high school), I was intrigued by the premise of the book. In Bleachers, a former all-American football star from a tiny community returns to his roots when he learns that the town’s legendary football coach is about to die. The book does an outstanding job of detailing the love of high school football and the idolization of its star players in small communities in the South. It also does a decent job of profiling the main character and demonstrating how the hype of the “glory days” is really very hollow and once gone, can leave you searching for a direction in life. There were a few story lines that I thought unnecessary (ex. the former girlfriend angle that Grisham weakly attempts to tie in to his development of the main character); however, all in all, the book was a nice, two-day read. And it reminded me of a lot of things that I had not thought about in a pretty long time.

Hellboy; Bad Santa; The Bourne Supremacy

Reviews from That Guy Named David:

Hellboy (D)

I rented this movie because (a) my girlfriend was not in town and this is the kind of movie that there is no way in Hell she would watch (no pun intended), and (b) the honorable Movie Snob chose to go see this over Kill Bill 2 a few months back when we went to the movies and actually gave it a decent review. I should have known that (a) my girlfriend is much smarter than I am, and (b) the Snob has some very jacked-up taste in movies. Simply put, I’m considering petitioning Blockbuster to get my $3 back after watching this dud. I should have known in the opening scene where people and Hell-Boy are coming in and out of the porthole to Hell that this was not going to be worth wasting an hour and a half of my life. Ugh.

Bad Santa (C+)

I had read good reviews on this movie, but the Elder Statesman had said it was weak (and we generally agree to an extent on most movies). Well, I think my opinion was somewhere between the reviews and John’s take on the movie. There were scenes that made me laugh based upon the absolutely pathetic state of Billy Bob Thornton (The Astronaut Farmer) throughout the movie. I also thought a few of the scenes where he launched into f-bomb tirades were relatively entertaining. That being said, the story was weak, and there were way too many loose ends and unanswered questions dangling out there at the end of the movie to make this movie enjoyable for me. Mindless entertainment to some degree, but not something to watch with the folks or if you actually want a little substance in your movies.

The Bourne Supremacy (B+)

Like the idiot I am, I made sure that I finished the book prior to going and watching the movie. Turns out, however, that there is not one fact from the book that is a part of the movie. Oh wait… the lead character’s name is Jason Bourne (and even that is a little different from the book). Be that as it may, however, because this movie was about 10 times better than the book of the same title but different story. I gave this movie the same grade as the last Bourne movie, but I think that I liked it a little more. About the same amount of action (and a really cool car chase towards the end of the movie), but there was a little more substance to the story this time around. Currently, I am reading The Bourne Ultimatum, so if this last movie is any indication, I am looking forward to the next Bourne movie that is nothing like the book in which I am engulfed right now.

Fahrenheit 9/11

From That Guy Named David:

Fahrenheit 9/11 (B)

I agree with the vast majority of Mario’s review from a few weeks back, but I’ll give my two cents. I thought Moore hurt his credibility to an extent by starting the movie with about 30-45 minutes of conspiracy theory regarding the Bush family and the Saudis. Okay…so the Bin Ladens gave some money to some oil companies tied to some former Bush companies and they know/work with some people who the Bushes know and blah, blah, blah… it just got too much like the idiotic right-wing conspiracies that were made up about Clinton in the past decade (ex. good Christian Jerry Falwell’s video outlining all the “Clinton killings”). That being said, when the movie shifted its focus to the current debacle the President has gotten us into in Iraq, I thought Moore did a great job with the images, the interviews with soldiers/families/politicians, etc. A couple of moments in the movie that I thought were very well done and showcased 2 of the moments in the past 3 years that I believe display the arrogance/ignorance of the current President: (1) Moore uses the pure-political photo op of George W. flying onto the aircraft carrier with the big banner behind him declaring “Mission Accomplished” and puts the footage to the music from Greatest American Hero (one of the best t.v. theme songs ever in my opinion). After focusing on this coverage and the speech declaring an end to “major combat” in Iraq (with the great music), Moore immediately shifts to subsequent war footage from Iraq (the most powerful of which is two U.S. soldiers walking along a sidewalk when a bomb goes off right next to the soldiers). Horrible footage, but it illustrates what all rational people in this country (other than our President and his speechwriters) should have been thinking after our forces swept through the country in a couple of weeks (i.e., the invasion was the beginning, not the end of what is going to know turn out to be a very long and very bloody occupation of that country). Bush does look pretty presidential in that flight suit, though. (2) On the same line of thought, there is a clip of Bush’s idiotic “Bring ’em on” comment when things began to go bad after the “end of major combat,” and Moore then shifts the footage to some of the many instances over there of the enemies of this country “bringing it on.” Pretty powerful film. However, if you go in knowing that Moore is using this as a campaign ad to get rid of Bush, then you will know what to expect and see the movie for what it is,… a propaganda piece meant to inflame opinion against the current administration, but done very well and filled with many stories/comments/footage that make you think twice about the current direction of the foreign policy of this country. Of course, if you go in believing everything that you see (like the guy sitting behind me in the theater), then you might as well also believe the Bush campaign ad currently showing in all battleground states that (falsely) claims that John Kerry wants to raise the gasoline tax by 50 cents. Just my thoughts.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

From That Guy Named David:

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (B)

In June of 2001, in afternoons after enduring BarBri while studying for the Bar, I decided to set aside the bar materials and read the four Harry Potter books that were out at that time. Out of the four, I thought the Prisoner of Azkaban was one of the best. However, I just was not overly impressed with its adaption onto the big screen. Maybe I’m just a bit freaked out because the (supposed) 12-year old Harry looks like a high-school senior to me. And the rest of the “kids” are all getting too big to believe that they are school children. That being said, I think my main problem with this movie was expectations. I had read review after review lauding this movie as something really good and was expecting an impressive movie. Instead, I saw nothing too different from the first two Harry Potters; however, as was pointed out to me after the movie, “what the hell were you expecting? For Christ’s sake, it’s Harry Potter.”

Paycheck

From That Guy Named David:

Paycheck (C)

On weekends in which the girlfriend is not in town, I tend to rent movies which have zero chance of being shown should she be around. And for the most part, they consist of mindless, shoot ’em ups that add nothing to my daily existence but manage to mildly entertain me for a couple of hours. Paycheck is no exception. The plot of this movie has more than a few holes in it, but it’s an interesting enough premise to keep you somewhat entertained. As for the acting, well … I’ll admit that having Uma Thurman (Prime) in it did make me more attracted to this movie; however, after watching it, I have no idea what she was thinking. For example, when you are riding on the back of a motorcycle being chased by a half dozen or so cars full of bad guys, I’m not sure it’s realistic that you would be making corny jokes. As for the other lead, Ben Affleck (Justice League) (of Bennifer fame), let’s just say that I think he is possibly one of the most overpaid actors in Hollywood (he’s nipping at Keanu’s heals right now). He is simply horrible in this movie. All in all, though, between 5 and 7 on Sunday when the options were (1) work, (2) Playstation, (3) Pepsi Smash on the WB, and (4) this movie, I was okay with the decision to watch this one.

Shrek 2; Troy

From That Guy Named David:

Shrek 2 (B+)

If you liked the first Shrek, you’ll enjoy the sequel. The movie starts off with a new song by San Francisco’s 2nd finest band, the Counting Crows (the Grateful Dead is still the Bay Area’s best). After this beginning musical scene (reminiscent of that great “I Love L.A.” scene in The Naked Gun), you are introduced to more of the same from the first Shrek. In this one, Shrek’s new bride is summoned back to see her parents (the King and Queen of Far, Far Away) and introduce her new husband to them. Of course, they think that she is coming back with Prince Charming, who was dispatched to save her from the castle in which they stuck her as a child when they realized she was a freak. You see, Prince Charming was supposed to kiss her and end the horrible curse that had turned her into a freak. Anyway, without going into any more painstaking detail, you can imagine how the plot evolves. I’ll admit that I thought the plot dragged at times (nothing like Master and Commander, but still relatively boring on occasion); however, the introduction of Puss in Boots (voice of Antonio Banderas, Spy Kids) really added a new spark to the movie that made it enjoyable throughout. Donkey (voice of Eddie Murphy, Coming 2 America) was as entertaining as in the first, and there were multiple jokes relating back to various aspects of popular culture that made me laugh out of recognition at what was being spoofed. Good, light, summer movie that I’m sure will make a killing at the theaters.

And The Movie Snob adds his two cents’ worth on Troy.

I really liked this flick, maybe because it brought back fond memories of my college days when we were all reading The Iliad for freshman literature class. Sure, the director took some liberties. I sure don’t remember any romantic subplots in Homer’s original, which is all about wrath and honor and the quest for immortality through glory won in combat. But there’s plenty of that in the movie, as well as some close-up looks at the dirty, agonizing reality of war. The battle and combat sequences were all very good, and Eric Bana (Hanna) and Peter O’Toole (Becket) as Trojans Prince Hector and King Priam actually give fine performances amid all the swordplay. (Although Bana should have bulked up a bit more to be a suitable opponent for Achilles [Brad Pitt, Ad Astra].) A few other comments–Diane Kruger (The Host), who played Helen, was very pretty, but did she really have “the face that launched a thousand ships”? I’m thinking Nicole Kidman might have been a better choice. Also, did they give Rose Byrne (from the excellent 2003 film I Capture the Castle) hazard pay for her performance as the captured Trojan priestess Briseis? She had to be black and blue after that shoot. Anyway, on the whole, I had a great time. I give Troy a strong B+, maybe even an A-.

School of Rock; Master and Commander

From That Guy Named David:

School of Rock (B)

I’ll admit to being extremely skeptical about this movie after hearing the Movie Snob laud Jack Black (Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle) as the “comedic genius of modern times” or some such something. Anyway, after watching this pleasant little movie, I’ll admit that I was probably a little harsh with my baseless criticism of Black after hearing the Snob go on and on and on about his “unbelievable wit and incredible ability to bring the audience to tear-inducing laughter.” The movie was pretty funny at times, except for the corniness of the plot in general. I still am not on the same line of thought as the Snob in thinking that Black is “the Bob Hope of the next generation,” but I do think that this movie has its moments. The little Asian kid made me laugh too. Not bad.

Master and Commander (C-)

Wow. Talk about a movie that had a lot of hype and then landed with a massive thud as I wasted a Sunday morning watching this dreadful display of Waterworld on steroids. Note to Russell Crowe: you were good in Gladiator, but there is no need to play that role again. There was nothing about this movie that I enjoyed. Okay, so they get attacked by a bigger ship, then float around trying to find it, stumble upon an island or two, and then, voila… they find the ship and have a battle with it again. Such great writing. Oh, and that other guy from A Beautiful Mind (you know, the guy that really didn’t exist) (Paul Bettany, The Young Victoria), well, his performance is just as bland as Crowe’s. And to think that my friend Becky said this was a very good movie when she went and saw it several months ago. Makes me wonder if she actually watched any of the movie.

Kill Bill Vol. I and II

That Guy Named David meditates on killing Bill:

Kill Bill Vol. I and Kill Bill Vol. II (B+).

As a kid, I remember watching Bruce Lee’s movie “Enter the Dragon” and being mildly entertained. Then, in college, my roommate was a big “Kung Fu” freak, so I watched countless episodes of David Carradine wandering through the Old West beating the hell out of anyone that got into his way, all the while remaining Zen-like in his search for some everlasting truth. Well, Tarantino’s “Kill Bill” takes these kung fu spaghetti westerns and transforms them into a 21st century hit. The movie begins with the Bride (Uma Thurman, Paycheck) being beat to a pulp and shot by a gang of assassins (Vivica A. Fox, Independence Day; Lucy Liu, Charlie’s Angels; Michael Madsen (BloodRayne); and Daryl Hannah (Blade Runner)) and Bill (Carradine, Bound for Glory). Without giving away the movie, let’s just say that Uma goes on a bit of a rampage after she awakes from her coma, seeking revenge upon the aforementioned killers. Vol. I contains a ton of violence, but it almost has a comedic effect in the way it is portrayed. Vol. II picks up right where Vol. I leaves off and does a great job of answering all the questions raised in Vol. I, without all the heads and limbs being chopped off. I absolutely love watching Tarantino movies, and these are no exception. Go see them, but unlike the idiot in the movie theater in row 2, leave your kid at home.

Lost in Translation

From That Guy Named David:

Lost in Translation (A). I hate to disagree with our friends Chris and Kara and with our guest reviewer, but this is one incredibly great movie. Maybe I’m a sucker for the “looking for all the answers” movies (even though I realize the actual “answers” are probably unattainable). Nonetheless, Bill (Stripes) Murray’s performance was incredible, and Scarlett Johansson (Vicky Cristina Barcelona) was surprisingly good. For me, this movie struck a few chords and made me think about a lot of things that are occurring and have occurred in my life. Very impressive in all respects. Best movie I’ve seen this year (and yes, that includes Big Fish).

Bad Boys II; S.W.A.T.

Reviews from That Guy Named David:

Bad Boys II (C-)

S.W.A.T. (C)

Instead of writing two separate reviews for the same genre of movie, I’ve decided to consolidate the reviews of these two movies. I decided to rent them on Saturday because the girlfriend was not in town, and I realized that I would never have the opportunity to watch either should she be with me. Anyway, Bad Boys II is relatively entertaining for the first hour to hour and a half; however, over the next hour to hour and a half, it gets boring. Suffice it to say, it is waaaaay too long. There should be a federal law prohibiting any movie starring both Will Smith (Hitch) and Martin Lawrence (House Party 2) from exceeding two hours. S.W.A.T., on the other hand, is not as long, but considering you know exactly what is going to happen at the end of the movie during the first 20 minutes, it makes for a pretty boring affair. I was disappointed in the acting by Colin Farrell (The Lobster), as I have enjoyed him in most everything else I’ve seen in which he has starred. These movies may have been a decent diversion on a rain-soaked Saturday; however, I wouldn’t recommend them unless you seriously have some time to kill.

Big Fish

A new review from That Guy Named David:

Big Fish (A)

I told The Movie Snob that this movie was the best I have seen in the past several years. Maybe I overstated a bit, but that would follow the premise behind this story. The movie is directed by Tim Burton, renowned for his directing Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure (he also directed such little-known movies as Batman, Beetlejuice, and Edward Scissorhands). He is also known for being a bit of a freak, which fits in well with this movie. Without giving too much away, Big Fish is about a son (Billy Crudup, Alien: Covenant) going back to see his dying father (Albert Finney, Amazing Grace). The father is known for being a bit of a storyteller, and the son desires to find out what his father was really like when you strip away the embellishments of the stories. In essence, the movie becomes a showcase for how our lives are all made up many individual stories (some embellished, some not; and I want to emphasize to The Movie Snob that the federales are not an embellishment). Anyway, the storyline is great, the imagery is classic Tim Burton, and the acting is superb, all of which makes this a must-see coming into the movie awards season.

The Cat in the Hat

From Mike the Movie Man:

The Cat in the Hat. (D+) This is one movie that should never have been made. Yes, it will probably bring in a pretty penny for the studios, but Theodor S. Geisel, aka, Dr. Seuss, has got to be rolling over in his grave. The film tries to be something for everyone, but ultimately it is neither appropriate for the kids, nor appreciated by adults. Unlike movies with mass audience appeal such as Shrek, the adult humor in this movie is not presented simultaneously with the kiddie humor. So when an adult joke is lobbed out there, the adults in the audience are laughing and the kids are left to question and focus on what was so funny to the adults. Not good. And if you just want to see it for the adult humor, sans the kids, don’t bother. The adult humor is few and far between. As for the acting and the voices, Sean Hayes (The Three Stooges) was passable as Mr. Humberfloob and the voice of the fish. Amy Hill (50 First Dates) was pretty good as Miss Kwan, the baby sitter. Alec Baldwin (Rock of Ages) was annoying as the neighbor Quinn. Mike Myers (The Love Guru) had a few humorous moments, but was mostly trite. And Kelly Preston (Sky High), as the mom, did not stand out at all. Thing One and Thing Two were mildly amusing for about 2 minutes. All in all, whoever thought they could bring to life a cutesy rhyming children’s storybook was smoking too much kitty litter. I would not even recommend this one when it comes out on video/dvd.

Elf

From That Guy Named David:

Elf (B)

Will Ferrell (Bewitched) could possibly be the funniest person alive. His portrayal of Buddy the Elf had me laughing throughout this movie. While, generally, I’m not a fan of the Christmas movie genre (with the exception of Christmas Vacation, which is a staple at my home during the holidays), Ferrell’s performance made this otherwise cheesy movie enjoyable. I still can’t stand James Caan (Misery), and this movie did nothing to change my opinion of him; however, Ferrell’s performance was the spotlight and definitely the highlight of this movie. This is a good movie to see if you have a couple of free hours on a Saturday or Sunday during the holidays.

Scarface; Finding Nemo

Movie reviews from That Guy Named David:

Scarface (B+)

I’m a little embarrassed that it took until my 28th year on this earth to see this movie, but I finally got around to watching it last night when I realized I really didn’t care about Philadelphia vs. Green Bay. Of course, I knew the catch phrases from the movie, but I was impressed with some of the aspects of the movie that I didn’t even know were a part of it. For example, the performance by a young Michelle Pfeiffer (Murder on the Orient Express) (who I wasn’t aware had a part in this movie) was very impressive. The only reason it is not an “A” is because I thought the ending was a little overdone; however, I thought the performances were entertaining, and the movie kept my attention through its duration.

Finding Nemo (A-)

I’m not as much of a dork as The Movie Snob in that he will go see Disney movies on Friday nights by himself (which if you ask me is a little disturbing). That being said, if I would have known that this movie was as good as it turned out, I probably would seen in the theatre. Very impressive animation, story, performances (by voice of course), and I thoroughly enjoyed it. My favorite character was the Ellen DeGeneres (Mr. Wrong) fish Dory. However, I can’t think of one aspect of this movie that I didn’t enjoy. A little sappy at the end, but watching a good, sappy movie with your girlfriend on a rainy Sunday evening is not such a bad thing sometimes (as long as it doesn’t become a habit).

Rejoinder from the Snob: I saw Brother Bear on a Sunday afternoon with friends — not alone on a Friday night!

The Best of REM (music review)

Another CD review from That Guy Named David:

The Best of REM: In Time 1988-2003 (B+)

As a child of the late 80’s/early 90’s, I was in my teenage years when REM blew up after Out of Time with “Losing My Religion,” etc. I had been a bit of a fan for several years when my first serious high school girlfriend (kinda an oxymoron) turned me on to Eponymous, which documented their greatest hits off Murmur, Life’s Rich Pageant, Document, and the early college radio material. While, for the most part, I am still a bigger fan of their earlier material, I found this c.d. contains almost all of their post-Eponymous hits. I was a little disappointed that this album contained such lame songs as “Stand” and “Electrolite,” while omitting “Radio Song,” “Drive,” and “Texarkana.” However, the inclusion of pure greatness, such as “Man on the Moon,” “Orange Crush,” “Daysleeper,” and “Nightswimming” made up for it. Plus, the c.d. contains a few new songs, including “Bad Day,” which is probably the best REM song I have heard in the past several years. While I probably have most of these songs on various c.d.’s, this compilation was well worth the buy.

Pearl Jam

That Guy Named David submits the following CD reviews for your edification:

Pearl Jam – State College, PA, May 3, 2003 (A+)

As an admitted Pearl Jam fanatic, I must say that I have listened to quite a few of their performances over the past 12 years. I’ve also seen them in concert on every tour through Texas (with the exception of the No Code tour). This concert is by far the best performance I have ever heard from this band. The concert is made up of 36 songs and 3 1/2 hours of some of the best Pearl Jam music that they have recorded. Highlights from the show include a version of “Daughter” with a “Highway to Hell” and “Another Brick in the Wall” tag in which the crowd gets involved and is as loud as the band, an acoustic set by Eddie Vedder including the Beatles’ “You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away” and “Gimme Some Truth,” and the closing of the show with CCR’s “Fortunate Son,” Neil Young’s “Rockin’ in the Free World,” and the regular closing number, “Yellow Ledbetter.” In addition, there are performances of songs from every album, rarities, covers, pretty much everything a fan would want from this band. Amazing.

Pearl Jam – Mansfield, MA, July 11, 2003 (A-)

During this tour, Pearl Jam played Mansfield, MA outside of Boston on 3 different nights. In those 3 nights, they tried to play as much of their collection as possible. This 3-c.d. performance is the last performance in Mansfield and, included with the staples that you will hear at most Pearl Jam shows, there are quite a number of songs that I have never heard of them playing live. The performance begins with a 12-song acoustic performance before the opening band goes on (in other words, they were the opening act for the act that opened for them). They then come back with a 33-song set that includes some favorites of mine that aren’t normally played in concert (including “Why Go” and “Tremor Christ”). The only problem I have with this concert is the acoustic set is incredibly good, while the regular concert set is a bit monotonous. Overall, it’s an out of the ordinary performance and nice addition to the collection.

Pearl Jam – Madison Square Garden, July 8th and 9th, 2003 (B-)

Normally, I would have to say that 5 c.d.’s worth of concert material from Pearl Jam would be considered a musical delight on the grandest of scales. However, this collection just didn’t do it for me. Maybe it was just Pearl Jam overkill. I did thoroughly enjoy the rendition of “Indifference” with Ben Harper (an incredible artist in my opinion), but the c.d.’s just don’t flow enough for me. The first night’s performance was exceptional, the second was pretty bland. There are much better performances out there if you are considering buying Pearl Jam concerts (see reviews above).