Green Zone (Review)

What I knew going in:
Matt Damon takes on Iraq in this war thriller directed by Paul Greengrass of the Bourne movies.  So basically its Bourne 4 in Iraq.

Hype:
Meh.  Bourne 4?  How exciting can that really be?  Sure its got action but Matt Damon - sooooo tired of him right now.

Opening Thoughts:
If you've read my blog at all you know I like it when movies get right into it at the outset.  Don't make me sit through a half hour of slogging boredom to get to the real movie.  Zone is doing a good job of that.  Action is pretty tense and good.

Bottom Line:
Is it Bourne 4?  Yes.  Is it overly Generic?  Yes.  Can you see the plot coming like a cruise missle "mistargeted" at a Haji School?  Yes.  Is it worth watching though?  Yes.  Its one of those films that won't blow you away but it will entertain you and that is more of a plus than the last two piles of scrap I watched.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0947810/

Repo Men (Review)

What I knew going in:
Jude Law and Forest Whitaker star in a dystopian Sci-Fi flick about two guys whose job it is to repossess artificial organs if their owners don't pay on time.

Hype:
Meh.  It doesn't look too science fictiony other than the organs themselves.  Jude Law as an action hero?  He was alright in Sherlock Holmes, but I don't think he's got charisma enough to be a leading man on the silver screen.

Opening Thoughts:
Exactly what you are expecting and nothing you haven't already seen in the trailers.  Very by the numbers.  Nothing is here that will surprise you, challenge your world beliefs, or keep you interested.

Bottom Line:
A typical moral tale during which the "hero" believes in the system at the beginning of the movie, and then takes on the system by the end of the movie.  Equilibrium much, anyone?  Here's the truly sad part:  The action is pathetilame, the dialogue is indy film worthy, and the plot is incredibly predictable; UNTIL THE END.  The end is great even though it could have been pulled off a little better.  Like many other recent films, I've spent two hours of my life in worse ways, but there's nothing here to recommend it.  Want a better dystopian sci-fi film then try The Matrix or Minority Report.  Want a better shock ending then try the Sixth Sense or Impostor.  The only thing that could have made me more disappointed with this film is if it was in 3D.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1053424/

Cop Out (Review)

What I knew going in:
Bruce Willis and comedian Tracy Morgan in a buddy cop flick directed by Kevin Smith. 

Hype:
Meh.  I like Kevin Smith, but this didn't look too good, even from the trailers.

Opening Thoughts:
The opening scene in which Tracy Morgan interrogates a suspect using nothing but movie lines is funny at first, then gets old fast.  And the biggest problem is they keep using the same gag over and over in the first 20 minutes. 

Bottom Line:
As with many films, you may like who is in it, and who is directing it, but sometimes they just fall flat.  There is no chemistry whatsoever between Willis and Morgan.  The Movie Line gag is used so many times I never want to see in in another film, and may have to strike that kind of repetroire from my personal wit.  The plot is so completely nonsensical and stupid it just goes to prove that if you are "in" in Hollywood you can do no wrong, even when you pen the type of Script only Rainman could find endearing.  Does it have a couple funny moments?  Sure.  You should still avoid it like downtown Chicago at 5p.m.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1385867/

Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief (Review)

What I knew going in:
Another teen book to movie translation starring Pierce Brosnan, Sean Bean, and some angsty emo teens in a film about what it would be like if the ancient Greek myths were alive and well in the modern day.

Hype:
Meh.  Fantasy with good looking special effects.  Frankly, the effects are all I'm interested in.

Opening Thoughts:
At the rate this is going Beavis and Butthead could predict the plot.  None of the characters are really grabbing me as interesting or original.

Bottom Line:
I bet I would have loved this movie when I was 15.  But I'm 38 now and I'm not railing against the injustices of society and my parents.  The special effects are amazing but the rest of the film is very meh.  If you have age appropriate kids take em, otherwise spend your money elsewhere.  Uma Thurman steals the acting show as Medusa and that one scene is kinda fun.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0814255/

Brooklyn's Finest (Review)

What I knew going in:
Richard Gere, Ethan Hawke, and Don Cheedle star in a cop film where three cops will end up in the same deadly location at the same time through unconnected events.  Written by Michael Martin who did a lot of the writing for Showtime's Sleeper Cell, which was a great show.

Hype:
Meh.  I've only seen about a million cop movies.  What can this one offer that I haven't seen before?  Sounds like a remake of Crash with more cops.

Opening Thoughts:
Pretty much exactly what I thought.  Cops being cops.  Justifying excessive use of force against criminals who clearly deserve it.   Requisite car chase.  Blah Blah Blah. 

Bottom Line:
Yeah OK we get it.   It sucks to be a cop.  Doesn't matter if its L.A., New York, Chicago, or any other big city.  Terrible things happen to good people and the ends don't justify the means.  Nothing about this movie is original or interesting in the least.  Go watch something else.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1210042/

From Paris with Love (Review)

What I knew going in:
John Travola and Johnathan Rhys Davies in a action film written by Luc Besson of Taken and 5th Element fame.

Hype:
Hobo Ass.  The trailers made this film look like total garbage.  Like Hollywood signed Travola up for 5 films but only had 4 scripts.  I figured if the rest of the film was treated as callously as the preview this movie was going to suck a golf ball through a garden hose.  Problem is, I have buddies who asked me if it was any good and since I am the sucker that will watch anything to save my bro's some pain, I knew I was going to have to see it.

Opening Thoughts:
Yep.  John Travola's character is as painfully lame as he looked in the preview.  All attitude and badass and couldn't be more stereotypical if they tried.  This film is kind of reminding me of The Rookie.  Why can't hollywood writers add a one-liner or two anymore?  Its like everything has to be this hyper-realistic overly contrived super-serious meta-world these days.  Get over yourselves.  One of the reasons Predator was a great action movie is because of the horrible one liners.

Bottom Line:
OK well color me surprised.  Despite everything this turned out to be a pretty decent film.  The plot is good.  The pacing is good.  I didn't totally hate Travola's character after the first half hour.   First movie I can honestly say went from Hobo Ass to Meh+.  You won't be too sorry you Netflixed it.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1179034/