three flicks with Kevin Spacey

One of my favorite actors is Kevin Spacey. I especially like him in American Beauty, K-PAX, The Big Kahuna, and The Usual Suspects. Lately I've been on a mini-run of movies with Spacey that I hadn't seen before...

The Negotiator - The story has an interesting premise: a police hostage negotiator himself takes hostages and has to deal with another negotiator. But much of the rest of the story is filled with stereotypical elements. Fortunately most of the focus is on the two main characters, excellently played by Samuel L. Jackson and Kevin Spacey. The non-police supporting actors did a good job, too.

Moon - I generally agree with Brian's review, but I found the story sort of weak and predictable -- after the initial revelation, I saw where it was going from miles away. But the excellent main character(s) focus sort of makes up for this -- Sam Rockwell really pulls off a tricky set of roles. I also like how "Gerty" (computer/robot) mostly avoids several computer stereotypes; Spacey's voice gives it just the right balance of logic and "heart"...

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil - Eh. This certainly had some interesting elements, but ultimately it didn't quite gel and pull me into caring much about any of its characters (especially the main John Cusack one), and it slid into a stereotypical courtroom drama in the last third. Kevin Spacey does well enough, although his character doesn't have a lot of depth, so he doesn't have a lot to work with.

Predators

I was excited but skeptical about this one. I love the character of the alien hunter as much as the next guy, but the twelve-plus years since the original have only offered one lackluster sequel and two poorly executed crossovers with the Alien movies. There was a lot riding on this new movie for science fiction fans.

Luckily, the film delivers...and then some! Predators is, in my mind, the only proper sequel to the original. The tension from the first film is back, which is impressive, seeing as how the audience is almost fully aware of what's happening by this time. What's especially nice, though, is how fresh this movie feels. It's obvious the filmmakers went to great lengths to avoid stepping in the footsteps of the original. They assume the audience knows about the predator's various tricks and trades, so the characters don't spend more than one or two lines on them. And though they tie this one in with the original, it has more than enough clout to stand on its own with.

Part of what makes this movie so enjoyable is the characters. We don't get much in the way of characterization, but each of them are intense enough to stand out on their own. Even the ones that die off early are memorable.

The action is great, too! It's evocative of the original movie, but more intense and suspenseful. All of the great, old Predator tricks are here, along with some new ones.

Predators is a great, new addition to the franchise! It's respectful to the source material without being a long, drawn-out homage. Definitely a must-see!

How To Train Your Dragon

I'm always skeptical of animated movies geared toward both children and adults. I don't know why, though. Nine times out of ten I enjoy them when I actually watch them. How To Train Your Dragon is no exception.

What a delightful film! While it makes no effort to surprise audiences with a complex story and plot twists, it's still very solid. The pacing is just right, and even though predicting the inevitable outcome is fairly simple, you can't help but wonder how it will come to fruition.

The mood of the picture is another perfect balancing act, in my opinion. It would have been easy to get too dark with big, fire-breathing reptiles, but it's all pretty lighthearted.

The only potential problem I foresee with this movie is its scope. Vikings and dragons... There aren't too many young girls I know that are as interested in those things as boys. That being said, I saw it with three girls between the ages of 18 to 24, and they all enjoyed it.

five flicks

Sherlock Holmes -- Excellent! If someone had told me a few years ago that I'd be excited about yet another version of Sherlock, I'd have laughed in their face. But this is fresh, energetic, smart and witty, and just fun and well done. Robert Downey Jr's Holmes is great, and Jude Law is just right as his Watson... I also like Guy Ritchie's use of slow motion and flashbacks...

Terminator Salvation -- I liked it. Not as good as T2, and a bit off in places, but overall a decent installment that kept me interested and entertained. Christian Bale's John Conner is decent, but I thought Sam Worthington had the more interesting role. Great machine graphics and sound effects!

Gran Torino -- Meh. I had heard good things about this, but I was disappointed. It had some interesting, funny, and cool passing moments, but overall it seemed weak and sad. Lately I've been rewatching some Dirty Harry flicks, and Clint was really much sharper back then... Oh well...

The Men Who Stare At Goats -- This was certainly different; even though I realized it wasn't to be taken very seriously, I still almost bailed at a few points early in the movie. But eventually it hooked me and reeled me in. Nice ensemble acting.

Across The Universe -- I haven't even finished this one yet (waiting for my daughter, we're watching it together), but I already like it. I was somewhat skeptical at first, but the fresh and interesting takes on Beatles songs have really won me over, and the creativity and heart is more than enough to make up for a few dubious moments. I'm with Brian on this one!