The main problem with the Dark Knight trilogy is the friction between slick, shadowy realism and blockbuster bombast. This friction hampers the third movie the most because (naturally) it tries to top the first two–higher stakes, bigger scale, bigger crisis, smaller apparent odds of the good guys prevailing. But the first two also suffered. Batman [...]
Things I learned from Crazy Heart: 1. Jeff Bridges just needed the right role to win him that Oscar, because, honestly, he did the same thing in this movie that he does in every other movie. I bet if his character in Tron Legacy had been a burned out alcoholic programmer/guru then he would have [...]
The Book of Eli (spoiler) Denzel Washington kills people across wasteland America and then at the end we find out he’s blind (I think). I almost want to watch it again, knowing this about him and marveling at how he accomplishes stuff. But then I would have to see the movie again, and I don’t [...]
Bronze medal: Cate Blanchett, whose accent is different in every scene. (Honorable mention: me, for figuring out that it was supposed to be Southern American.) Silver medal: Eric Bana’s character, for his inexplicable maneuvers leading up to the final fistfight. First he sprints toward the bad guys and punches them in their SUV. Then he [...]
It’s not good. Here is the plot summary: Here are some laughs for you: I just want to say that if I see a movie in a [...]
Part 1: X-Men First Class Compliment #1: I like Michael Fassbender. Complaint #1: Kevin Bacon looked unconscionably stupid in his telepathy-blocking helmet, and so did Beast (in general). Complaint #2: The role of Emma Frost was performed by a marionette. Compliment #2/Complaint #3: The role of Mystique was performed by someone who was really really [...]
I know. Criticizing this movie is like criticizing a football player for having zero on-base percentage, batting average, RBI count, etc. He’s a football player. Those things aren’t part of his game. He is not concerned with them and he doesn’t pretend to be. A football player’s goals and efforts are governed by a completely [...]
Here’s how to have a good time: 0. Buy a bottle of booze and invite friends. 1. Watch the movie Margin Call. 2. Every time someone says “Fuck Me” take a drink. 3. Every time the characters talk about how much money someone makes, take off a piece of clothing. 4. Any time someone says [...]
Oh David Denby. I thought we had something, but I was wrong. I can still recall how every week I would rush to open the New Yorker to the movie review section to read your smart, funny and spot on reviews. I remember how we laughed together at Tom Hanks, eviscerated The Green Lantern and [...]
“44 Inch Chest” was recommended to me by a friend who later claimed she was only saying she liked one of the actors (Stephen Dillane). Note to friend: if you like an actor in a bad movie, you have to emphasize that the movie is bad. “The movie sucked, but I love Stephen Dillane.” Good [...]