A MOVIE JUNKIES' REVIEWS..........

Movie Junkie is a harsh title, but a fitting one for me. Even before coming to Baghdad I could be found at the local cinema on a thursday at midnight catching the early premier of the latest blockbuster to explode onto the big screens! Although I will freely admit I have been to all the early screenings of the Star Wars movies.....special editions included, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy and all of my favorite Superheros' leaps to celluloid. I can assure you all I have yet to wield the armor of a Stormtrooper, bare the hairy feet of a Hobbit or don the skin tight latex of my favorite hero while waiting in line at the cinema. Thank God, huh? That latex image got me feeling woozy too, ugh! Speaking of Stormtrooper Armor, this is the funniest..... I'll put the Link in when I can, but go to youtube and search "star wars insult dog" and laugh your ass off.



Anyway, I've been watching a lot of movies lately, mostly on DVD, but I wanted to share some thoughts on them. Mostly I love the Action/Fantasy and SciFi genres, however I do loves me some indie filmmaking so there may be a few titles that are new to you. I will start with what I saw on my first R&R at the theaters.

JUNO

I loved this movie! Ellen Page and Michael Cera will probably be typecast for the rest of their acting careers but thats ok! I love their wit, timing and humor, this is Friends' Phoebe syndrome for these two actors. The magic of it is, whatever Lisa Kudrow is in, I will watch!

The story is simple. An unplanned teen pregnancy forces Juno, with the help of her best friend Leah, to seek out the future parents of her unborn child. Knowing that neither she, nor her boyfriend Bleeker, are ready for parenthood. Great cast, I absolutly love Allison Janney and she delivers as usual. Lots of excellent supporting cast. Great fun, definitly worthy of an Oscar nod

CLOVERFIELD

This must have been one of the most hyped movies I have ever followed on the internet, the viral campaign was very elaborate and, at times, fun to try to follow and figure out clues. It promised to be a ground-breaking cinematic experience. It was very good, done well, and it did take the whole "Blair Witch" thing to a more tolerable level. My only gripe was the monster. Not only was there not enough footage, but when there was it was not "cool" looking for the most part. Now, had this been a new Godzilla sequal like everyone was talking (and praying for) about, I think this movie would have increased it's appeal immensly! Even the newer, americanized, Matthew Broderick Godzilla would have been better. Although I did like the little mini-monsters running around exploding people, Godzilla would have made this a much more successful movie.....and a little bit of background, tension building music would have helped. Good none-the-less!

SUNSHINE

This movie, while visually stunning, is definitly for the more die-hard Sci-Fi fans. It takes place fifty years in the future and the sun is dying, going out. Earths survival hinges on the success of a ship that is built to help re-ignite the sun, the 2nd ship of its kind....the first dissappeared 7 years earlier without a trace. Until now. The crew picks up a SOS beacon from their predecessors and are forced to seek them out to complete their mission. A very somber pace, very similar to 2001: A Space Odessey, incredible visuals and very trance-like soundtrack. Michelle Yeoh, Cillian Murphy and Chris Evans lead the cast. You have got to love Michelle Yeoh, she is a wonderful actress and she can kick ass!

ROCKET SCIENCE

This was a great underdog movie with some truly off-the-wall characters! Hal, a high schooler, plagued with a severe stutter ( the scenes on the lunch line as he approaches the lunch lady practicing under his breath to say the word pizza over fish, you feel his frustration) suffers everyday in school. He is asked to join the debate team by the schools lead debater and object of his new-found crush, Ginny. Events lead to her stabbing him in the back followed by his master plan to get even with her by bringing her former debate partner out of retirement. I forgot his wierd friends name, when he goes over his house they spy on Ginny with binoculars, but man this kid is a bonified Rick-James-Super-Freak!! He is a riot and worth seeing the movie alone!

THE CELESTINE PROPHECY

Well, I knew of this book from years ago, written by James Redfield, discusses various psychological and Spiritual ideas which are rooted in many ancient Eastern Traditions. The main character of the novel undertakes a journey to find and understand a series of nine spiritual insights on an ancient manuscript in Peru. I have always wanted to read the book, still do actually. As for my review..........AAAAAAAHHHH!!! MY EYES, MY EYES!!!! AAAAHHH, MY EARS TOO!! WHAT THE HELL IS THIS SHIT!!! FOR THE LOVE OF GOD MAKE IT STOP, PLEASE MAKE IT STOP!!! THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING TO ME, AAAAAHHHH!!!! PLEASE, NO MORE, NO MORE....... Wow, this was one of the worst freakin movies I have ever seen. I got the feeling it was a lame attempt to jump on the coattails of "The Da Vinci Code", but it failed in a big way! Not one good aspect to the film, has to be one of the worst all time films. Sorry to whoever made it. I'm not even including the movie poster because thats what made me buy it! I'm such a sucker!

NO COUNRTY FOR OLD MEN

I really wanted to dislike this movie on some level but I couldn't justify a reason. There were some scenes, mostly in the end I was confused about, however, I was completly drawn into the movie so I got over it. This ultra-violent movie won the Best Picture nod this year which I found very surprising. Definitly worthy, I just always thought the Academy would lean tword less violence for a wider viewing audience. Javier Bardem plays one helluva psycho, this guy is out there with the pressurized tank, whatever that thing was?? I guess people are looking for new, exciting ways to kill on screen. A great movie for sure, but not sure this should have been the best movie pick. I am looking forward to reading the book actually, I have a feeling a lot was missed in translation from page-to-screen. Definitly worth seeing!

MARTIAN CHILD

This is a wonderful film about adoption, acceptance and recognizing family is what you make it. John & Joan Cusack, never to be missed along with Amanda Peete, round out the cast.

Cusak plays a widower that persues an adoption that he and his late wife had planned on prior to her passing. He connects with a boy who claims to be an Alien from Mars, shuns the sunlight and wears a utility belt weighed down with batteries so he will not float away (Mars' gravity is much stronger so on Earth he is very light). Being a Science Fiction writer and filmmaker, Cusack sees himself in this boy and they connect on a level only the two can share. Heart-warming with a message that needs to be told, this movie is a real tear-jerker.

What I'm waiting for?????

IRON MAN

THE INCREDIBLE HULK

SPEED RACER

CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: PRINCE CASPIAN

INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL

SON OF RAMBOW

YOUNG@HEART

THE DARK KNIGHT

THE CLONE WARS

WALL*E

LARS AND THE REAL GIRL