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Friday, June 5, 2009
Sir Critic’s Summer Movie Capsules, 1.0
Fortunately, I was not able to see My Life in Ruins or Land of the Lost this week. Unfortunately, I was also unable to screen this week’s one decent prospect, The Hangover, which leaves me with nothing new to review.
Fortunately, I can still play movie guide by offering you capsules of movies playing at a theater near you. Hyperlinks go to full reviews.
Angels & Demons: While it’s a vast improvement over the turgid, pompous Da Vinci Code, that’s like saying a paper cut is better than a severed limb. The sequel works fairly OK as an action film, with several exciting scenes, and the movie actually moves this time — but I still didn’t care about anybody or anything. The “gotcha” plot twist is preposterous. GRADE: C+
Drag Me to Hell: Director Sam Raimi, who had burned himself out with the underwhelming Spider-Man 3, returns to form with this very entertaining, gleefully gross and deliriously goofy horror/comedy romp about a woman trying to rid herself of a death curse. Alison Lohman, an underrated actress, is ideal in the lead. It doesn’t mean much of anything — but that’s all for the better. GRADE: B+
Ghosts of Girlfriends Past: This riff on “A Christmas Carol” has a potentially fun premise (Don Juan haunted by the spirits of his exes), but the movie fails to make it work, going for the obvious almost every time. Jennifer Garner is the movie’s sole saving grace. GRADE: C
Star Trek: Director J.J. Abrams resurrects the franchise in grand style by appealing to both longtime fans and to nonfans. The story remains true to the original characters, even while making imaginative changes, and Abrams gives the action scenes an energy rarely seen in the other movies. Terrific entertainment. GRADE: A
Terminator Salvation: As a spectacle, the fourth installment of the franchise isn’t half bad, with solid effects and decent action scenes, but emotionally it rings hollow. For all the razzle-dazzle, there’s no real reason to care. Only Sam Worthington, as a half-good, half-bad guy, makes a decent impression. GRADE: C+
Up: Pixar’s 10th feature is one of its best, featuring one of its most freewheeling and touching stories. At its core it’s about an elderly man who flies to South America by tying balloons to his house, but the movie offers so much more, from adventure to heartbreak and even a little science fiction. It’s a wild mix, but it never once steps wrong. A must-see, no matter how old or young you are. GRADE: A+
X-Men Origins: Wolverine: This comic book prequel isn’t as bad as I feared, but not nearly as good as it could have been. The movie is watchable enough, with some fun scenes, and Hugh Jackman is as charismatic as ever, but the story is so obvious and the effects so uneven, the film can’t measure up to its predecessors. GRADE: C+
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