Movie Micro-Reviews: Edition 30 - the Big Weekend

I had a weekend almost completely to myself. And when I had Leah with me at home, she wanted to watch movies, too. Though I certainly did other things than just watch movies (chores, reading, chores, writing, chores, running, chores) you might think otherwise when you see the list below. Just realize that only the last, oh, twelve movies were from this weekend.

12 Monkeys	69	Brad Pitt steals the scenes he’s in, but Bruce Willis holds his own. But it’s Madeline Stowe who plays the “audience hero,” and she does it very, very well. From the start, you know this is a strange sci-fi story, and if you like that kind of thing, you’ll enjoy this.
Sound of Thunder (A)	47	Expectations were low, so this was passable. Interesting concepts, but in the end, you could read the classic Bradbury story in less time and be more entertained.
Australia	60	It’s two movies, with the same characters. A sweet near-comedy, followed by a serious drama. Strange construction, somewhat predictable, but I’m glad I saw it. Good music.
Changeling	74	The story would be jarring enough if it were pure fiction, but knowing that the authorities can be so powerful, and that men can be so destructive, in real life – it’s disturbing. Jolie was remarkable in her vulnerability and strength.
The Matrix	93	New peak in FX; fun concepts; tight story. The plot moves from one fully-formed environment to another equally satisfying, but very different – and does it many times. Whoa. Excellent.
Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants 2 (The)	70	Though the magic of the first movie was lacking, the characters were still very real, and the emphasis on friendship wove the stories together well. Entertaining.
Wanted	58	Why, in some venues, does over-the-top impossible-to-achieve action work OK (James Bond, Mission Impossible) and in others it doesn’t? Perhaps it’s my expectations. Or whether I care about the characters. Anyway, cool action, but entirely unbelievable. Characters were OK, but not engaging. See once if you like action, and don’t mind swearing and blood.
Dolores Claiborne	75	Much less like “Misery” than it is like “Shawshank” and I guess not quite as good as either, but plenty good. A mystery with deep, well-acted characters.
Bucket List (The)	87	Loved the characters, and with actors like this, that is already enough. “Seize the Day” and buddy movie and life lesson. How would I handle this situation? Makes you think.
300	73	The visual style of this movie was perfect for its subject. Everything tinted in a golden hue, like the age of heroes should be. Very bloody, but in a graphic-novel atmosphere. And all the people were so perfectly sculpted.
The Blues Brothers	91	One of my all-time favorite comedies, and Great Music!
Magnificent Seven (The)	72	A classic I had never seen. I understand why Vogler used it in “The Writer’s Journey.” Just think what a great actor like Yul Brynner could have done these days with more sophisticated direction and modern scripts.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest	78	A flawed hero, and Nicholson plays those well – of course, this was one of his most famous. Hubris and compassion. I’m glad I saw it the same weekend as “The Bucket List.” Louise Fletcher was perfect as Nurse Ratched, and now I know why she played Winn on DS9.
40-Year-Old Virgin (The)	57	Better than I thought, but still with more super-crude humor than I appreciate. Still, I laughed some, and enjoyed it. Once.
Transporter (The)	50	A couple of inventive action sequences, but not much else. A time filler.
Cinderella Man	79	One great thing about true stories put to film is knowing that Hollywood can’t change the ending. Crowe was understated, Zelwegger a completely convincing Depression-era wife, and Paul Giamatti was, once again, perfect. A message for our times, too.
Resident Evil – Apocalypse (2)	25	This was just bad. Fell asleep in the first hour-plus, because there was no story, just zombie violence. It finally got interesting in the final 10 minutes, as it set up for a sequel. Why should I trust they can make a sequel any better?
The Princess Bride	94	“He’s only mostly dead.” “As you wish.” “Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.” “We are men of action, lies do not become us.” “Have fun storming the castle.” “It’s possible, Pig. I might be bluffing.” What a wonderful movie!
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off	86	OK, so the adults are clueless, but this is told from the point of view of high school seniors. The “Day Off” is a fantasy we all had at that point. We all wished we could be Ferris, but we were Cameron. Cameron needed this day with Ferris so much!