I've found that recently I've been getting backed up on my film watching. Not that I can't watch as many movies as I'd like, but that I'm watching them faster than I can properly review them.
So here's my next batch--you'll probably see more quite soon, as I have several more that are waiting for their write-ups. Enjoy.
#28. The Dunwich Horror
Source: Netflix Instant - Queue
Released: 1970
MPAA Rating: R
Running Time: 90
My Rating: 4/5
Comments: This film is described as featuring one of the rare leading roles for Dean Stockwell. I really enjoy his performances in projects like Quantum Leap, Dune, Blue Velvet, and most recently, the Battlestar Galactica remake. He’s a great character actor and in this film he really gets to show off his creepy side. He’s a warlock (of course) who is trying to bring a Lovecraftian Apocalypse to Earth via a strange ritual involving a kidnapped woman. The tone is tense, slow-building, and creepy throughout the quite short running time. It’s well worth checking out if you enjoy Dean Stockwell’s work or the writing of H.P. Lovecraft, upon which the movie is based.
Source: Netflix Instant - Whim
Released: 2010
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Running Time: 116
My Rating: 2/5
Comments: I knew what I was getting into when I put this movie on. It’s bad. Starring racially miscast parkour warrior Jake Gyllenhaal as the prince, the story is a Arabian swords and sandals fantasy revolving around a plot to blackmail the prince and take the throne. The writing is terribly written and poorly delivered, and the plot is really just a conveyor belt to get us from one setpiece to the next. Ben Kingsley is the all-too-obvious villain (when is he not?), but even his performance is phoned in. Skip it, even if you love the game.
Source: Netflix Instant - Queue
Released: 1984
MPAA Rating: PG
Running Time: 116
My Rating: 4/5
Comments: The sequel to the groundbreaking 2001: A Space Odyssey doesn’t quite live up to its predecessor. The first was slowly and deliberately paced, gently moving us through the solar system with beautiful model work and visual effects, but the sequel chooses not to follow this style in the slightest. It feels less like a grand space opera and more like any other conventional scifi/adventure film. It’s well acted and the characterization is there, but it really doesn’t live up to 2001. That being said, it’s certainly not a bad film, and the book is maybe my favorite in the 2001 series by Arthur Clarke. But, go into the film sans expectations from the first, and enjoy it for what it is.
#31. Tron: Legacy
Source: Torrent
Released: 2010
MPAA Rating: PG
Running Time: 125 min
My Rating: 2/5
Comments: Yet another example of a sequel that doesn’t live up to its namesake. Legacy is, ultimately, a very forgettable action movie that only remains Tron on a superficial level. I understand the studio’s desire to add some youth and action into the world of Tron, especially after such a long break, but the movie isn’t done as well as it should have been. My expectations clouding my reviews again, I know, but regardless of how you feel about the original, this sequel is typical Hollywood: lots of flash and special effects, but lacking an original plot or characters. I will say, the Daft Punk soundtrack is incredible, listen to it instead.
#32. Defiance
Source: Watched in Class
Released: 2008
MPAA Rating: R
Running Time: 137 min
My Rating: 4/5
Comments: This is the gripping story of a band of fugitive Jews during the Second World War, trying to rebuild their lives while hiding from the Germans. Lead by the fantastic Daniel Craig and Liev Schreiber (playing two Jewish brothers who assembled the runaways), the movie is a new take on the WWII war drama. The action, setting, drama, everything is quite good and well-worth watching. And, the fact that it’s based closely on a real story adds a lot of weight to the story, especially the ending.
That's it for this week. If you've got a movie that you'd like me to review, or if you just want to know what I think about a particular film, just leave a comment and I'll get back to you with an answer. Thanks for reading.
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