Blog Archives
Saturday At The Movies: They’re All Going to Laugh At You – David Ward Revisits Carrie
In October, we will see the release of the remade Carrie, this time starring Chloë Grace Moretz in the titular role and Julianne Moore as her religious-zealot, overbearing, and abusive mother. I am cautiously optimistic about this upcoming film, as I feel both Moretz and Moore are singularly gifted actors who will likely bring something very interesting to the roles, never mind the special effects, which will almost certainly eclipse those in the last twenty to thirty minutes of the 1976 original.
Given the new film is coming out in the next few months, I decided, for the first time in many years, to re-watch Brian DePalma’s take on Stephen King’s first (well, first published) novel. I wasn’t disappointed. Despite the feathered hair and, in terms of today’s displays, rather lacklustre effects (even for the time, the effects are pretty cringe-worthy in places), it still holds up as a terrific supernatural thriller encased in a horrific tale of adolescent abuse, both at the hands of Carrie’s peers and her mother.
Saturday At The Movies: Molly Maxwell
The Queen and I often talk about how, back in our high school days, the worst thing one could think of was staying home on a Saturday night. You know, if you didn’t have someplace to be, you just weren’t cool enough. But then, as you get older, you start to relish those evenings in. Without plans or having anyplace to be.
Try telling that to someone still in the thick of high school, still coming of age, and they’ll tell you you’re nuts. If they even deem to talk to you at all.
Growing up. It’s not easy. But in the right hands, it makes for a fun movie. Which is what Molly Maxwell is.
Saturday At The Movies – G.I. Joe: Retaliation
Of all the films I’ve talked about with friends over the last few years, I don’t think that there’s one that has split people more than G.I. Joe: The Rise Of Cobra. Some folks absolutely enjoyed the flick, which introduced us to a team that featured Snake-Eyes, Duke, Scarlett, General Hawk and others doing battle against The Baroness, Storm Shadow and the men who would eventually become Destro and Cobra Commander. Then there were others who hated the plot, the acting and the fact that Cobra doesn’t become Cobra until the end of the film.
I rewatched Rise Of Cobra last week and while, to my mind it’s not a particularly good film, it wasn’t nearly as bad as I remembered it. That being said, its sequel, G.I. Joe: Retaliation is hugely superior in every regard.
Read our review after the jump!
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Saturday At The Movies: It Really Is The Incredible Burt Wonderstone
I went into the theater with low expectations for The Incredible Burt Wonderstone. After my disappointing romp with James Franco, I needed something lighter to cleanse the palette. I love Steve Carell and he’s been called the nicest man in Hollywood, so I thought I would give him a chance with this Burt Wonderstone movie. It has Steve Buscemi and Alan Arkin, as well as Olivia Wilde as the love interest and Jim Carrey as an insane magician. How bad could it be?
It turned out to be a lovely, little, knee slapper with some definite laugh-out-loud moments and a hint of black humor that kept it from tipping over into corny territory.
Check out the trailer and then read my review after the jump!
Saturday At The Moves: Star Trek: The Next Generation – All Good Things…
If you’re a Star Trek fan, you’ve likely had the debates about which of the films is the best? Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Kahn usually takes the cake, often followed or even trumped by Star Trek: First Contact. If you’re open to change, J.J. Abrams reboot of the franchise might be the winner. You don’t often hear Star Trek V: The Final Frontier given much credit; same with Star Trek: Nemesis.
If you ask me, one of the greatest Star Trek movies of all time never actually hit theatres, though it did play on the Jumbotron at Toronto’s Skydome back in the spring of 1994. It was the series finale of Star Trek: The Next Generation, the final toll of the bell as the cast and crew of the Enterprise got ready to beam up to the big screen. As it was, all good things did briefly come to an end…
Saturday At The Movies: Zero Dark Thirty
I couldn’t wait until I saw this movie. It was closure in a way, a horrendous deed was done and for once the bad guy got caught. The historical drama, Zero Dark Thirty, directed by Kathryn Bigelow, written by Mark Boal and produced by Bigelow, Boal and Megan Ellison, centers around the events leading up to the discovery of Osama bin Laden’s hideout and his execution. Now there has been a lot of controversy with critics saying that the film did not give enough factual information, or that it downplayed the horror of torture. Maybe the critics are right, but who cares? For me, it was important to see this film. Why? One good reason; a group of terrorists known as al-Qaeda, were given an order from Osama bid Laden to attack and murder American citizens. I wanted to see how we finally caught the monster and this film does a good job in telling the story. Learn more after the jump.
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Saturday At The Movies Bonus – A Revelation: Silent Hill:Revelation Sucks
Here’s a little insight into my brain. I don’t like writing negative reviews. There are ways to be clever about doing them, of course, where you can spill massive amounts of vitriol at a band or a film or a book. There’s even some art to it. But often it feels like a waste of time to put effort into something that is based on negativity.
But sometimes I can’t help myself.
Twenty-seven minutes of my life. That’ what I lost trying to watch Silent Hill: Revelation.
You’ll only have to lose two watching the trailer. It’s pretty decent. Check it out and the read what little I can say about this film after the jump.
Saturday At The Movies: Identity Thief
Identity Thief – the new comedy starring Melissa McCarthy and Jason Bateman. The previews put this one over the top, showing off McCarthy and her delightful banter. But once again, clever trailer editing has shown us all of the best parts of this far-fetched comedy and left the rest of the movie as filler.
Check out the trailer and then read my review after the jump!
