Lulu's Movie Reviews
I've been meaning to do this, so don't think I'm totally copying off of Burb! I have watched an unusual number of movies this past week and feel a slight need to comment.
National Treasure
I didn't go to the theater and see this with my friends because, well, it just seemed too cheesy. I was right--it is. It would take a thousand bodybuilders/fleet of zeppelins/flotilla of meat hooks to suspend all of the disbelief that this movie required. Truly Indiana Joneseque. BUT, still entertaining (and pretty child-friendly, too), and isn't that what movies are all about?
Two things bothered me overly: 1. Jon Voigt's awful acting--my lord! He was bad. 2. When they first steal the Declaration and have Dr. Chase, the National Archives gal, in the van, the misogyny goes wild! They talk to her like she is a child--"you're yelling" "are you incapable of being quiet" "she's talking again!"--all the old cliches. Here's a clue for ya, boys--she has a right to be pissed. She is the head of the National Archives and you have just stolen the Declaration of Independence and it almost cost her her life. I saw no reason for the disrespectful vibe.
It could have been better, but for Entertainment Lite, it was pretty fun. C+
Office Space
I saw this movie a long time ago and liked it, but didn't love it. Same feeling now. It nails bosses--esp. the manager of the TGIFridays-ish place, all worried about flair. And I love the skinny white boy singing gangsta rap in his subcompact on the way to the office, self-consciously turning it down when a black person approaches the car. Worth viewing. B-
Walk the Line
This is the biggie. The one that made it all worth it. LOVED IT! Love Johnny Cash, love Reese and Joaquin (whom I never loved before), loved the sound, loved the acting, loved the story, love Johnny Cash. The only let-down? Driving home after I JUST took all the CDs out of my car--including Johnny's "Unchained", which I listen to a lot and think is one of the best albums ever. I brought it to work today, if you're interested. I was trying to find something--anything!--worth listening to on the entire trip home. All crap. All tripe! A bunch of tinny, jangly garbage. And that made me so mad that I wanted to shoot all of those DJs and "singers"--just to watch them die.
National Treasure
I didn't go to the theater and see this with my friends because, well, it just seemed too cheesy. I was right--it is. It would take a thousand bodybuilders/fleet of zeppelins/flotilla of meat hooks to suspend all of the disbelief that this movie required. Truly Indiana Joneseque. BUT, still entertaining (and pretty child-friendly, too), and isn't that what movies are all about?
Two things bothered me overly: 1. Jon Voigt's awful acting--my lord! He was bad. 2. When they first steal the Declaration and have Dr. Chase, the National Archives gal, in the van, the misogyny goes wild! They talk to her like she is a child--"you're yelling" "are you incapable of being quiet" "she's talking again!"--all the old cliches. Here's a clue for ya, boys--she has a right to be pissed. She is the head of the National Archives and you have just stolen the Declaration of Independence and it almost cost her her life. I saw no reason for the disrespectful vibe.
It could have been better, but for Entertainment Lite, it was pretty fun. C+
Office Space
I saw this movie a long time ago and liked it, but didn't love it. Same feeling now. It nails bosses--esp. the manager of the TGIFridays-ish place, all worried about flair. And I love the skinny white boy singing gangsta rap in his subcompact on the way to the office, self-consciously turning it down when a black person approaches the car. Worth viewing. B-
Walk the Line
This is the biggie. The one that made it all worth it. LOVED IT! Love Johnny Cash, love Reese and Joaquin (whom I never loved before), loved the sound, loved the acting, loved the story, love Johnny Cash. The only let-down? Driving home after I JUST took all the CDs out of my car--including Johnny's "Unchained", which I listen to a lot and think is one of the best albums ever. I brought it to work today, if you're interested. I was trying to find something--anything!--worth listening to on the entire trip home. All crap. All tripe! A bunch of tinny, jangly garbage. And that made me so mad that I wanted to shoot all of those DJs and "singers"--just to watch them die.
posted by lulu | 6:12 AM
5 Comments:
Oh yeah--"A" on the Walk the Line.
And did you notice that there are only three movies reviewed here even after I said I watched a lot of movies? We watched "Bug's Life", too. No need to comment. And I still have "Upside of Anger" but haven't watched it yet.
"Office Space" only got a B-? That surprises me. Of course, if you didn't LOVE it . . .
But how could you not love it? I'm not usually a big comedy-movie person, but this one is about as perfect as that genre gets. It's got everything--satire handled expertly, great acting, plenty of memorable one-liners, walking stereotypes that nevertheless wind up exuding their own flavor. This is one movie that I love more every time I watch it. Maybe that's the problem--you need to watch it many more times. Maybe as many times as you've watched "The Big Lebowski." Then you'll see.
I'm bummed I missed the "Walk the Line" outing. Maybe I can talk Jackspatula into going with me to see it in lovely Warren, Ohio, where we will be spending Thanksgiving. If that town still has a functioning movie theater, that is . . .
I almost gave it a B, but I don't want to blow my wad, you know? I don't want to become one of those dumb audience members that you see on "The View" who mindlessly give every fricking B-list celebrity a rousing ovation. Not that you, flip, are one of those! A movie has to earn an A, and you won't see it that often! I can see why you like it so much, but it just doesn't compel me to watch it over and over, even though I laughed heartily several times, and chuckled many more.
I have to save the A's for the truly great--the Spinal Taps, the Raising Arizonas, the Dr. Strangeloves, and the Big Lebowskis (which might end up with an A-, actually).
editorial query: Are you even talking about the same movie? "The Office" or "Office Space"? Same or different?
Thanks, Sven--I fixed the title. It's "Office Space".
Post a Comment
<< Home