I absolutely adored The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants and was a bit worried about them making a sequel. Luckily the sequel was worth it but, it definitely wasn't as good as the first one. I also didn't feel the stories flowed together s well as they did in the first movie.
As in the first one all the acting was good. In the original though Blake Lively was left hanging a bit story wise. She was given the weakest of the four stories and it didn't make her seem like much of an actress. In the scenes with the other three actresses she was pretty good but, alone she didn't hold up well. However, she was given a much stronger story and very talented actresses to work with in that story and she fared much better.
The guest appearance of Blythe Danner was good. Funny yet emotional which pretty much defines the two movies. I also enjoyed the guest appearance of Oscar nominee Shohreh Aghdashloo. That was a nice surprise.
On a side note I was very surprised to hear a new song from Michelle Branch at the end of the movie. It's a great song and fits the movie very well.
Spoilers:
I liked how the story had the girls drifting apart. It's very true to life how things get told to one person but, somehow don't always make there way to others.
One slight story issues was the out of nowhere part with Bridget going on an archaeological dig. That seemed odd and didn't go with her character. I did however, like how it played into her deciding to go see her grandmother.
I liked the reality of the condom breaking when Tibby and Brian had sex. Not something you usually see. Everything usually works out perfectly. Tibby's reaction of not wanting to see him seemed pretty true to her character. What didn't seem true to her character was sitting around just hoping she didn't get pregnant. Sure that set up a very funny scene later when she put the pants on hoping they would bring her another miracle. However, in this day any young woman would know about the morning after pill. And Tibby would so be that girl who after the initial freak out would run straight to the health services on campus and get it.
Overall the movie was good and worth the price of matinee admission. I think if you're a fan of the original it would also be worth full price admission.
Monday, August 18, 2008
Thursday, August 14, 2008
The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor
I really didn't think they needed to make a third movie in this series. And while it wasn't bad it also didn't change my opinion of them making it.
The story was little stilted and it wasn't nearly as exciting as the first two. Even the fight sequences weren't that great. The writing was very forced in places as was the delivery particularly by Brendan Fraiser. The problems with the action and the dialogue aren't a surprise since they changed both the director and the writer. I really felt everyone involved was trying to create too much new stuff. It's like they got together and said lets forget the first two all together. It's a franchise you can't just through out what came before.
I wasn't too sure how the switch from Rachel Weisz to Maria Bello would go. It was okay mainly because the changed the characters a bit. Primarily that was done by moving the time of the story forward a bit so the character were older.
There really just wasn't that much that was notable in the movie.
Spoilers coming up:
There was a cute moment with the dialogue at the beginning of the movie. Maria's character has become an author and she was doing a book reading. Someone asked her if the character was based on her. The response she gave was "I can honestly say it's a completely different person." Very subtle nod to the actress switch.
I did not like the ending very much. I liked that the guards of the mummy this time were women. However, I didn't like that they had no real hand in killing him. That was a big let down.
Saw a matinee and it was barely worth that price to me. I really think you should just wait for dvd.
The story was little stilted and it wasn't nearly as exciting as the first two. Even the fight sequences weren't that great. The writing was very forced in places as was the delivery particularly by Brendan Fraiser. The problems with the action and the dialogue aren't a surprise since they changed both the director and the writer. I really felt everyone involved was trying to create too much new stuff. It's like they got together and said lets forget the first two all together. It's a franchise you can't just through out what came before.
I wasn't too sure how the switch from Rachel Weisz to Maria Bello would go. It was okay mainly because the changed the characters a bit. Primarily that was done by moving the time of the story forward a bit so the character were older.
There really just wasn't that much that was notable in the movie.
Spoilers coming up:
There was a cute moment with the dialogue at the beginning of the movie. Maria's character has become an author and she was doing a book reading. Someone asked her if the character was based on her. The response she gave was "I can honestly say it's a completely different person." Very subtle nod to the actress switch.
I did not like the ending very much. I liked that the guards of the mummy this time were women. However, I didn't like that they had no real hand in killing him. That was a big let down.
Saw a matinee and it was barely worth that price to me. I really think you should just wait for dvd.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Hell No
Some people out there need to be smacked. I have had about enough of classic horror films being remade. Of course the Friday the 13th remake is really an update since last I saw they had drastically altered the story. Spoiler for anyone who hasn't seen the original and/or doesn't know about the change in story- The killer wasn't Jason in the original and now it is. STUPID is all I have to say on that one.
And now they are going ahead with remaking A Nightmare On Elm Street. There are so many things wrong with that. The biggest one being the fact that I just read that Billy Bob Thornton is going to play Freddy. HELL NO is my opinion on that one. And I do not care if Robert Englund thinks it is good casting.
The thing with movies like Halloween or Friday the 13th is the killer is masked and has no real personality. They are silent stalking killers. You can make as many of those movies as you want and as long as the actor playing the killer is of the same basic body type and learns the mannerisms it doesn't matter that much. That isn't the case with Freddy.
Part of the genius of the Freddy character was the Wes Craven wrote him with a personality. He has dialogue and it's not lame dialogue either. Not only did it take great writing to make that character it took some damn good acting. In the wrong hands Freddy is campy and not scary. Robert however, made Freddy into an icon of pop culture. He transcends all horror sterotypes and can never be recreated properly. The only reason Freddy vs. Jason worked at all is that Robert came back to play Freddy. I've always said when Robert was done being Freddy that had to be it and it should be.
The other problem with Billy Bob being Freddy is his age. Should this work and they decide to make a whole new series they are going to have problems. They run a huge risk of having to recast the Freddy role again and that screws things up even more.
Any new Nightmare on Elm Street movie without Robert is just a complete waste of time and shouldn't be made. They won't be getting my money at the theater for this disaster.
There is really only one Elm Street movie left to make. And it is the only way to make one without Robert. You would still need Wes though since the character and the story are his creation. And that movie is a prequel. That's right if you want a new Elm Street movie Wes needs to write a movie about Freddy leading up to his death by fire.
And now they are going ahead with remaking A Nightmare On Elm Street. There are so many things wrong with that. The biggest one being the fact that I just read that Billy Bob Thornton is going to play Freddy. HELL NO is my opinion on that one. And I do not care if Robert Englund thinks it is good casting.
The thing with movies like Halloween or Friday the 13th is the killer is masked and has no real personality. They are silent stalking killers. You can make as many of those movies as you want and as long as the actor playing the killer is of the same basic body type and learns the mannerisms it doesn't matter that much. That isn't the case with Freddy.
Part of the genius of the Freddy character was the Wes Craven wrote him with a personality. He has dialogue and it's not lame dialogue either. Not only did it take great writing to make that character it took some damn good acting. In the wrong hands Freddy is campy and not scary. Robert however, made Freddy into an icon of pop culture. He transcends all horror sterotypes and can never be recreated properly. The only reason Freddy vs. Jason worked at all is that Robert came back to play Freddy. I've always said when Robert was done being Freddy that had to be it and it should be.
The other problem with Billy Bob being Freddy is his age. Should this work and they decide to make a whole new series they are going to have problems. They run a huge risk of having to recast the Freddy role again and that screws things up even more.
Any new Nightmare on Elm Street movie without Robert is just a complete waste of time and shouldn't be made. They won't be getting my money at the theater for this disaster.
There is really only one Elm Street movie left to make. And it is the only way to make one without Robert. You would still need Wes though since the character and the story are his creation. And that movie is a prequel. That's right if you want a new Elm Street movie Wes needs to write a movie about Freddy leading up to his death by fire.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
90210 the second coming
Honestly I don't know what to think about them reincarnating Beverly Hills, 90210. At least they are dropping the Beverly Hills part from the title. I mean who really called it by it's full name anyway.
Considering the changes in society one thing's for sure the show will probably be a lot more risque this time around. Then again there were a lot of things they did on the original that were considered risque for the time.
I'm not really sure I buy Kelly Taylor becoming a school guidance counselor. Sure the character has a lot of life experience to pull from but, I see those kids just saying you did it so can I. I mean come on what are the chances that not a single one of those kids is the child of someone that went to school at West Beverly High at the sametime as Kelly and the gang.
Really though I had no interest in this show until they managed to land Shannen Doherty. I do believe that Brenda Walsh would become a big time director. And is will be interesting to see just how full of herself that character has become. I may actually take in a couple episodes with Shannen. I have to admit that part of me will be hoping there is some sort of throw down between Brenda and Kelly.
Ya know you really have to enjoy the development for Shannen on this one. All those years ago she was pretty much made a star by Aaron Spelling and she got a little too full of herself and was sent packing. Years later Spelling gave her another chance on Charmed which of course aired on the WB/CW and she blew it again when she felt she wasn't the big star. And now here she is on a new version of the show that first made her a star on the network that housed the show that gave her a second chance. And interestingly enough both those shows managed to thrive for several years after her departure.
So what is the lesson the producers from 90210 can learn here? Simple lose Shannen after a few years if you want the show to have a long run.
Considering the changes in society one thing's for sure the show will probably be a lot more risque this time around. Then again there were a lot of things they did on the original that were considered risque for the time.
I'm not really sure I buy Kelly Taylor becoming a school guidance counselor. Sure the character has a lot of life experience to pull from but, I see those kids just saying you did it so can I. I mean come on what are the chances that not a single one of those kids is the child of someone that went to school at West Beverly High at the sametime as Kelly and the gang.
Really though I had no interest in this show until they managed to land Shannen Doherty. I do believe that Brenda Walsh would become a big time director. And is will be interesting to see just how full of herself that character has become. I may actually take in a couple episodes with Shannen. I have to admit that part of me will be hoping there is some sort of throw down between Brenda and Kelly.
Ya know you really have to enjoy the development for Shannen on this one. All those years ago she was pretty much made a star by Aaron Spelling and she got a little too full of herself and was sent packing. Years later Spelling gave her another chance on Charmed which of course aired on the WB/CW and she blew it again when she felt she wasn't the big star. And now here she is on a new version of the show that first made her a star on the network that housed the show that gave her a second chance. And interestingly enough both those shows managed to thrive for several years after her departure.
So what is the lesson the producers from 90210 can learn here? Simple lose Shannen after a few years if you want the show to have a long run.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)