Change Your Image
jswraven
Ratings
Most Recently Rated
Reviews
Tron: Legacy (2010)
The Big Lebowski meets Daft Punk in the Matrix
A lot of reviewers are giving Tron: Legacy 10 start "despite its flaws."
Great visuals? Yes. Appropriate music? Sure.
But, the story is a bit forced and the dialog is downright BORING. Perhaps Disney could have shaved $5 million off the marketing budget and spent it on writers instead. This is a momentous movie--give us some momentous dialog.
Instead, we get Jeff Bridges (Kevin Flynn) acting The Dude. That was fine in "The Big Lebowski" and even "The Men Who Stare at Goats"--yet, it feels out of place here.
Garrett Hedlund (Sam Flynn) plays every rebellious young man from every recent movie (think Chris Pine as Kirk in "Star Trek" and Shia LeBeouf as Mutt in the last "Indiana Jones"). Angry, bored, talented. Yawn.
Cillian Murphy plays Edward Dilinger (son of original "Tron" nemesis Ed Dillinger). He gets a few lines, then that plot thread vanishes. Why is he even in the movie?
Yes, the movie was entertaining. Go see it in the theater, have some popcorn, be entertained. But 10 stars? Hardly. You won't remember more than two lines from the movie by the time you recycle your 3D glasses.
Letters to God (2010)
Good movie, but little appeal for non-Christians
Caught a preview event last night.
First, let me say the production values of this movie are top notch. The casting, cinematography, sound, and editing were all very professional. The acting was top notch. This is not a fly-by-night operation.
Now, on to the story. It's based on a true story of a boy fighting cancer and his effect on the lives of the people around him. Most of the characters in the film are Christians (Protestant/evangelical, though non-denominational). An awkwardness in Christian movies--one that this film cannot overcome--is the need to highlight prayer as an action. At one point, a church pastor says offers to pray for another, non-church going character. The pastor then proceeds to place his hands on the man and pray out loud for him. Even as a Christian in a theater full of Christians, I was uncomfortable.
At one point in the movie, the mother of the boy with cancer yells, "Stop quoting Bible verses to me!" Yes! This is how many people feel around Christians. The writers had a gem here that they could have explored with a skeptical audience. However, it was too little, too late in the movie. People uncomfortable with Jesus and prayer as themes will have already left the movie.
I think the movie is not supposed to be so much "seeker friendly" as it is supposed to be a resource for people who are in some way affected by cancer (have cancer, know someone who has cancer, etc). That's okay, but it seems the great amount of talent, effort, and money used will ultimately result in a movie that sits on the library shelves of churches across the country.
Bottom line: "Letters to God" is a good movie that I can't recommend to my non-Christian friends.
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003)
A Great Concept that Fizzles
I was not familiar with the "graphic novel" that League is based upon, but I did find the concept rather intriguing. Victorian Era literary characters thrown together in an adventurous industrial dawn. Nice.
The movie gives a fine introduction to the concept. I was interested for the first fifteen minutes or so. I like adventure--and we haven't seen Alan Quartermain since Richard Chamberlain's closet 80's.
But, a great idea with a decent story-premise cannot be held together entirely by Sean Connery's name and Peta Wilson's looks. The effects are obviously digital, and not often well done--digital fire that looks like digital fire is unimpressive. The plot takes an expected and pointless turn, then wanders off into drivel. Even half-way through the movie I figured that I could just watch it for adventure's sake and not think too hard about what was going on... wrong.
After all the characters make their introductions, we get the cookie-cutter moments of doubt and self-demons (onboard The Nautilus), before we again wander into drivel. While I do not expect "character development" in an action/adventure/fantasy movie, I would expect some consistency--I'm thinking specifically of "Mr. Hyde."
For a let-down summer movie, I would normally recommend a "wait for the video/DVD." However, I think the shortcomings of the digital effects will be more apparent on home entertainment centers.
Disappointing. I cannot give it higher than a 5.
Hercules (1983)
Yes, a kid's movie
George Littman's comment (12 Aug 1999) really sums it up best: This is a kid's movie.
I actually remember going with my dad to see this movie it's opening week. I was a whopping 6 years old. Wow, did I think Hercules was one coolest movies. Even the silly metallic robots (what's the Greeek word for Evil Robot?) were cool.
Would I watch it on late night cable for old-time's sake? Perhaps. Would I ever pay money for this? Maybe when I have a 6-year old of my own...
Megiddo: The Omega Code 2 (2001)
Not bad, but not entertaining
So many of todays movies are seeping with secular humanism--just believe in yourself, blah blah. I was rather disheartened in "End of Days" that the church (church loosely meaning Christian, Jewish, Muslim faiths) was powerless against evil (Satan), while little ol' non-believer Arnold Schwartenmuscles just had to find faith in himself to do the baddies in. That said, I found refreshment in Megiddo's more sacred rendition of Good vs. Evil. This isn't Satan fighting Man while God stands idly by; this is Satan fighting God, with Man caught in the middle. Megiddo presents a fresh view of the mix of physical and spiritual warfare. The depiction of both types of warfare is average. You can tell that the producers didn't have the millions of dollars for special effects that a big studio has. But, there is the occasional explosion--and a particular short dogfight--that keep it from being direct-to-video hoakie. Think TV's "A-Team" but with people actually dying. Some of the non-warfare crowd shots are a little fuzzy, and seem more like file-footage. The plot is fine and the acting is generally good. You don't really notice until half way through the movie that there isn't a lot (if any) foul language thrown around--especially refreshing after putting up with the f-word fields of Pulp Fiction and the Boondock Saints. In fact, there's no "skin" and no really graphic/bloody violence (hence the "A-Team" feel). The PG-13? Some disturbingly real occult occasions. What makes this movie a 5? It's very single-sighted. Megiddo follows one story from beginning to end. No side stories, no twists. And, the development of the plot/characters is very basic. I might have chuckled once the entire movie, and there is no romance to be had. At times it was a tad slow. So, wait for it to come out on video. It won't lose anything in the transition from the movie screen to your TV screen. If you're religious or curious about the cosmic struggle between Evil and God, check it out. At the very least after watching Megiddo you will want to read (or re-read) Revelation from the Bible. But, if you're anti-Christian/Muslim/Jew and/or looking for "Independence Day" or "Stigmata," look elsewhere.
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001)
Eye candy
Was the plot somewhat contrived? Yes. Was the editing a little choppy at times? Yes. Was the action a little blurred at times? Yes. Was Angelina Jolie rather stunning? Yes. This is an eye candy movie. If you're a fan of the computer game, this is a treat. See it, but don't pay over $6 to see it.
Starship Troopers (1997)
Not good, not bad
I read "Starship Troopers" by Heinlein when I was young. I always imagined what a great movie it would make. Paul Verhoeven single-handedly destroyed my vision. In response to those of you who think the plot is 'unoriginal'--the book was written by one of the forefathers of science fiction. The reason the plot looks unoriginal is because so many have copied it! (Read some books by Heinlein, Asimov, or Bradbury and you will notice how much Hollywood has 'borrowed' over the years--in fact, I think they're making a movie version of 'Fahrenheit 451' right now...) Anyhow, Verhoeven butchered the book. Yes, he grew up in WWII Europe, so he had to throw in his own violent/naziesque view of war (hence the bad tactics and the nazi uniforms). He's a also knows what sells (hence the ultra-violence and the pointless nudity). If you liked this movie, you probably liked 'Independence Day" too, and that's okay. If you hated this movie for the above reasons, READ THE BOOK! It's great, the weapons are better, the armor (Murauder suits) are way better, there is a whole other race of aliens involved... it's much better. (Incidently, in the book the Troopers use nerve gas on the 'bugs,' and said 'bugs' actually carry weapons and have space ships.)
The Phantom (1996)
Oh so sleepy
Catherine Zeta-Jones was in this movie? I guess if I had known that at the time, I might have stayed awake long enough to see her! Do yourself a favor: put on a big purple costume and run around in the jungle for two hours--it's time better spent than watching this dull movie. (I will qualify that by saying I'm not a Billy Zane fan, and I was never into "The Phantom" comics.)
Joey (1985)
Back in the day...
I remember watching this on video for my 10th or 11th birthday. That little demented dummy scared the p**s out of us! Now, I was never a horror fan and had never really seen a horror flick before that, so my sense of 'scary/not scary' had yet to be tarnished. So, if you have a 10 year old who isn't into slasher horror flicks, but wants something a little scary, go for it. (We also watched the 80's version of "Invaders from Mars" and thought it was pretty cool--for what it's worth.)
Speed 2: Cruise Control (1997)
121 wasted minutes
Speed 2 took two hours of my life that I'll never get back. Two long, dull hours. The boat has energizer batteries--it just keeps going and going and going, even after it runs aground. This movie keeps going and going and going, and it never really leaves the dock. This review is more entertaining than Speed 2.