This is Chris's Movie Reviews Page
Current Reviews:
**** The Fall (2008)
Not since Julie Taymor's brilliant
Titus way back in 1999 have I seen a film so overflowing
with such rich, imaginative imagery. Titus tied for
my favorite film of 1999 (with Jim Jarmusch's stunning Ghost
Dog: Way of the Samurai). It's going to take a miracle
of a film to top The Fall
in 2008.
** The Incredible Hulk (2008)
It was okay, I guess. Y'know, one thing
that Louis Leterrier's The Incredible Hulk did was
make me like Ang Lee's Hulk a little bit more. At
least Ang Lee's Hulk had some depth to it. The
Incredible Hulk is all surface gloss. But y'know what?
I liked the way Hulk looked better, too. Just a warning:
this entire review is pretty much gonna be comparing the two
movies. You might want to read my old
review of that movie before you continue.
***½ Indiana Jones and the Kingdom
of the Crystal Skull (2008)
I know a handful of people who say
they like the Indiana Jones movies but didn't like
this one. I don't understand that, because this movie feels
exactly like the other Indiana Jones movies. If you liked
those movies, then you'll like this one (and if you didn't
like them, well, then I can't talk to you anymore). I liked
those other movies. I like this one just as much.
***½ Iron Man (2008)
This probably isn't going to be a long
review because there isn't much to say about Iron Man other
than that it's very, very good. It's also a whole heck of
a lot of fun. It also has spectacular performances. Also the
chemistry between the actors is something to behold. And the
special effects are top-notch.
***½ Forgetting Sarah Marshall
(2008)
The premise: Peter, TV show music composer
(Jason Segel), gets dumped by his long-time girlfriend Sarah
Marshall, TV star (Kristen Bell). Desperate to get over her
(and after a string of disastrous one-night stands) Peter
flies off on a whim to Turtle Beach resort in Hawaii, only
to find out that Sarah is vacationing there as well... with
her new boyfriend Aldous Snow, rock star (Russel Brand). But
perhaps gorgeous hotel clerk Rachel (Mila Kunis) can help
Peter get over Sarah at last...
*** The Forbidden Kingdom (2008)
Say you have a friend who isn't very
movie savvy. One day he comes up to you and says, "Y'know,
I've never really seen any Kung Fu movies, and I'd kinda like
to get into that genre." The Forbidden Kingdom
would be a perfect movie to show him. It's kinda like a "My
First Wuxia" movie. Start with this one, and then a few
movies later he might be ready for Crouching Tiger, Hidden
Dragon, and then a few movies later he might finally
be ready for Jet Li's Hero.
***½ No Country For Old Men
(2007)
I'm going to have to describe this
move in unfortunately vague terms, because I dare not give
away anything that happens. Make no mistake: you will not
be able to predict No Country For Old Men.
***½ Sweeny Todd: The Demon
Barber of Fleet Street (2007)
The broad outline of the story makes
it sound like a dark piece of horror: a man becomes consumed
with murderous revenge, but when his revenge is spoiled (seemingly
forever), he turns his frustration to a series of basically
random victims. But Burton infuses so much quirk into the
story that it becomes almost a rollicking good time.
***½ Cloverfield (2008)
Cloverfield is the brainchild of J.J.
Abrams. It plays something like this: Imagine a cross between
The Blair Witch Project, a giant monster movie, the
TV show Felicity, and a surprisingly large dose of
the obscure 80s movie Miracle Mile. In a good way.
In a very, very good way.
**** Juno (2007)
I saw this movie almost a week ago,
but I'm only now reviewing it because I was at a loss as to
how to accurately describe just how phenomenally good Juno
really is. I still am. But I'm willing to give it a try.
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