Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Yeah, I saw the new Transformers movie. I'm a bit surprised too considering my utter disdain for the original. Now don't get me wrong. I loved Transformers growing up. I still have most of my Autobots and Decepticons. But this isn't a toy franchise that translates well into a live action film; I fear the same for the new GI Joe movie. That being said, I do feel this film is a slight improvement over the original, with a stronger and more cohesive story. However, the movie clocks in at a whopping 150 minutes. And you can feel every minute drag on, especially in the last hour. After all, how many giant robot fights can you watch? After the first 90 minutes, each fight looks the same. Sure the CG work is top-notch, but I just didn't really care. It's hard to get worked up over what is essentially a long video game cut scene. But it appears I'm in the minority. The theater was absolutely packed yesterday, and the crowd ate it up, applauding at the end. Perhaps they were excited the film was finally over. Now that's something I can put my hands together for.

The Hangover

This is easily the funniest movie I've seen in years. It's consistently funny too, not just a few chuckles sprinkled throughout. Beyond the humor, what surprised me most was the inventive premise. I was expecting to see some Vegas bachelor party movie...which wouldn't have been very original. But instead, all we see is the aftermath of the crazy night, giving us the same sense of amnesia as the lead characters; we don't know what happened the night before and they can't remember. More importantly, where's their friend who's supposed to get married? And why is there a tiger in the bathroom and a baby in a closet? It all unfolds like a wacky detective story as these three guys try to put the pieces together. While the script is tight and original, it's the cast that really makes it all work. In particular, Zach Galifianakis. He steals every scene. But Bradley Cooper (Alias) and Ed Helms (The Office) hold their own too. Plus, there's some great cameos and homages to other Vegas films. The movie has been such a hit that there's already talk of a sequel, which is a little depressing. As much as I'd like to hang out with these characters again, it would be tough to top this one.

Up

Unlike most modern animated films, Pixar's movies have a timeless quality, and Up is no exception. There are no tongue-in-cheek pop culture references aimed at the adults in the audience. That's something I'm getting tired of. It was okay in the first Shrek movie, but I feel it somewhat cheapens the experience. Almost like the filmmakers know their story isn't good enough to keep adults interested. But with Pixar, the story comes first, and there are no cheap jokes thrown in. As a result, Pixar's movies are more likely to hold-up over time, much like other Disney classics. In many ways their movies are a throwback to old Hollywood, when audiences were less fractured by demographics and focus groups. Like all of Pixar's movies, Up will appeal to any avid film goer. And it's playing in 3D too, so check out your local listings. I saw it in digital 3D and it's easily worth the slightly higher price. Plus, the digital projection looks so clean. In fact, it might be the best looking film I've ever seen in a theater. For me it wasn't quite as good as WALL-E or The Incredibles, but it's still worth checking out.

Terminator Salvation

Wow. This movie didn't suck hardly as much as I expected it to. Who knew? After the epically underwhelming Rise of the Machines, I couldn't help but go into this one with extremely low expectations. After all, it was directed by McG, the dude best known for his work on the Charlie's Angels flicks. Plus, I've never found the post-Judgement Day era as the most compelling part of this story. In fact, I always thought those future sequences were pretty lame. But to my surprise, the script keeps things interesting, presenting several chicken-egg quandaries as John Connor seeks to save his teenage father, Kyle Reese, played by Anton Yelchin; also seen as Chekov in the new Star Trek movie. It appears the movie branches off of the last film, seemingly ignoring the events of The Sarah Connor Chronicles TV show, which picks up the story after T2. Maybe there is a connection between the two, but I couldn't figure it out. Anyway, the movie does showcase some major events in Terminator lore including the origins of the legendary T-800. Unlike the last film, this one gives us plenty to think about while delivering solid top-notch action sequences. Some of the larger machines looked like leftovers from the Transformers movie, evoking an involuntary gag reflex. But such moments were fleeting. Overall, this is a good Summer popcorn flick, especially if you've brushed-up on the mythology of the series.

Angels & Demons

Of the two Dan Brown novels I've read, I liked Angels & Demons the best. So I was quite eager to check out this movie, especially considering the (limited) access Ron Howard was given to the Vatican. Plus, I thought he did a commendable job of bringing The Da Vinci Code to the big screen, despite Tom Hank's horrific hair. But unfortunately, Angels & Demons is a mess. Granted, this might be one of those unfilmable books. For most of the film Robert Langdon's mental process is expressed through dialogue, helping fill the audience in at a rapid pace as he describes the significance of statues, symbols, and minutiae of church history. Much of the insights offered in the book are totally lost in these heavily abridged dissertations. Beyond that, the entire premise is completely ridiculous, something I was willing to overlook in the book. It's one of those movies where the bad guy goes out of his way to drop clues so the protagonist has a fighting chance at thwarting the dastardly scheme. Sure, it makes for good drama as Langdon and crew ping pong all over Rome looking for the next clue. But when you apply logic to the narrative, it just doesn't work. However, I do give the movie credit for one improvement over the novel. We were spared the scene of Langdon plunging out of the helicopter and creating some sort of MacGyver-style parachute mid-air before splashing down in the Tiber without a scratch. That's the point in the novel where I totally gave up. I gave up on this movie long before that omitted scene.

Star Trek

I've never been a huge fan of the Star Trek movies. Sure, Wrath of Kahn is decent, but all the others were pretty mediocre, even when compared to the significantly older and lower budget original series. The TNG movies weren't much better. So when this J.J. Abrams reboot was announced, I couldn't muster an ounce of enthusiasm. But as the release date got closer and closer, I fell victim to the buzz and began to show some interest. After all, it was the first big event movie of the Summer. So I went and saw it on the opening weekend before I could be swayed by what I felt would be mostly negative reviews. To my surprise and delight, this is the best Star Trek movie yet. The pace, tone, and casting are near perfect. Chris Pine really blew me away as the new Kirk. But everyone else is great too, in particular Simon Pegg as the new Scotty. There were moments when I thought the movie tried too hard to appeal to the original's fans. As a result, there were moments where the sense of homage edged dangerously close to parody. Really, how many "Damn it Jim, I'm a doctor..." lines do we need out of Bones? But overall, it's a great piece of entertainment whether you're a hardcore fan or not. And I hear everyone has signed on for at least two more films so I can't wait to see where this new crew goes next.

Watchmen

Most comic book movies are loose adaptations at best. Filmmakers usually pull the main character(s) out of a comic book and devise a new adventure to be lived-out on the big screen. Watchmen on the other hand is arguably the most faithful graphic novel-to-movie adaptation ever attempted. Almost everything is present, down to the most intricate details. Entire swaths of dialogue are pulled directly from the novel. Camera angles are meticulously framed to match Dave Gibbons' artwork. There are minor differences, but for the most part, the story is left intact. Overall, I'm amazed at how much Zack Snyder's team was able to cram into a 163-minute running time. I was expecting many more cuts. But does the movie work on it's own? I'm not so sure. I can imagine the movie would feel like a confusing mess to those unfamiliar with the graphic novel given the non-linear narrative structure, not including Dr. Manhattan's perception of time and subsequent flashbacks and flash forwards. Largely, I feel this is a movie for hardcore fans, and for that I commend Snyder (and the film's financiers) for taking such a huge risk. I won't be surprised if this film has a big weekend then quickly fades. At the showing of Friday the 13th a few weeks back, the trailer for Watchmen barely registered a response from the packed house. Meanwhile, the trailer for Transformers 2 was greeted with thunderous applause. Go figure. But I get it, and I liked it. Can't wait for the Blu-ray.