Kent's Talk

Good Luck Chuck

So I have to admit the first time I pressed play I was a little tipsy and passed out before they met. But thankfully the dvd was still there so I could watch it sober last night.
I wanted a few laughs and this movie delivered.
I haven't been a fan of Dane Cook and let me tell you after seeing him in the bathtub I was like please keep your clothes on and stay with the jokes!!
Jessica Alba.....what can I say about her but yes she is hot and yes she can act, I think, because I really didn't know until I saw the gag reel and she could keep a straight face (almost). What movie is she known for?
Overall, I had a good time watching this movie. Is it a bad thing that I totally knew the poster they were referring to? I mean of course I haven't done all those positions but damn they were funny!
Watch this movie for a few good laughs then watch the extras for more!

La Science des Rêves (The Science of Sleep)

It is bonkers and will make you pee your pants backwards through your nose trying to figure out the unfigure-out-able surrealist ready made artishly love story mish mash that it is.

The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor

I was hoping the Journey to the Center of the Earth was a one time bad hit. Unfortunately it was not. This is the first movie I walked out of in my entire life.

It pretty much did all the wrong things the 4th Indiana Jones did. Ages the main character beyond usability, add a shitty son co-star and a wife that is a waste of screen space. Secondly, the Asian that is the boys love interest (wow did it feel forced) was unbelievable and also useless. The script felt dry, forced and tasteless. The action was so fast moving with little in-between that they pretty much crammed the movie down your throat. They really tried to make 3-4 hours fit into 2 hours (which was hard enough to try to reach the end of). Finally, Jet Li is in the movie for like 15 minutes even if you count him NOT in his human Jet-Li form.

The 'mummy' enemy has been overdone and overexposed. The "jokes" are really just horribly bad quips that we don't give a crap, then they throw Yeti's and all the other randomly made-up crap at you. You totally get the feeling that they had no real story, they just tried to see how much magical and mystical bullshit the audience would buy.

Judging from the ratings on Flixster, they like eating shit. I hate to say these bad things, because Fraser is my home-boy. I love his performances, but there is nothing left that was good from the first to in the series to bring to this. They turned an original and stylized character who was mortal to the feeling like you're watching a cross between a bad zombie movie and bad comedy. It's just so unbearable I can't even write anymore.

The only thing I hope, the only thing I pray for is that this is not the end of Brendan Fraser's usefulness. That is all I care about, I mean, Jet-Li sold his soul to hollywood. This we know, I've accepted this. But Brendan, I just don't think I could take that.

The Dark Knight

Simply put, this is the best adaptation of anything anywhere into film. Up until now the only "villains" you have seen in any comic movie (let alone many movies made-to-date) has lacked substance and depth. From the opening scene of a Gotham crime in broad daylight to the final scenes we see a city that we have never really known before. Policed by comical figures and protected by a plastic suite wearing, bad one lining Batman. We finally (including the Batman Begins) have a villain that feels so eerily real you get shivers down your spine and a city so torn and chaotic that there are points where you feel lost and hopeless in your seat.

For me this was the best cinematic experience I have ever had, and would pay to see it again not out of boredom or "nothing better to do" or just to have another friend to see it with me. Fuck the friend, I want to see it again myself. The film itself is, in my opinion, flawless. The characters were cast to the T, the parts were played to perfection and the film itself, with seamless accuracy pulled the real sadistic and chaotic world of Gotham and made you almost live it in your seat. At almost every moment of portrayal of the Joker, it hit every note that I was looking for in who he truly is, on paper and in reality. He is psychotically thrilling and devilishly accurate (even for a psych major).

I can't say enough good things about this film, I really wanted to find at least one flaw in it, and every time I looked, all I found was something else that amazed me. The surgically accurate portrayal of a truly psychotic man that is only motivated to see the world burn, a Batman who really cannot find himself and the mind games between them. I really felt the hard hearted feeling for the long arm of the law of Gotham; almost so that it was depressing watch it. The movie had triumph, truth and tragedy. I have never walked away from a film so satisfied or surprised as at the moment I saw this film. It is the ONLY film in a theatre that I almost gave it the standing ovation, literally standing and clapping. If I had seen it in the opening week, I guarantee I would have, as well as many others in the stands.

The only criticisms I have heard is that the fight scenes are too quick or that Batman's voice is unreal. First, the voice is not unreal and believe it or not that's how it's supposed to be (whether his own naturally produced voice or modified in some way by technology). There's a reason police officers are trained to speak in deep monotone and commanding voices, it's a psychological tactic (read a book). Secondly, the average fist fight lasts less than 30 seconds (check your almanac). Finally I found both parts only to increase the mood and reality of the film. The manner in which Bruce fights or is injured is both believable and completely logical for his character, the same goes for the Joker. Much attention was paid by both actors to their speech and delivery as well as the directors conveyance of how the two battle (the Joker would never fight Batman one-on-one or fair). These only made the movie the flawless piece of work I said it was.

I was initially opposed to the probability of nominating Ledger. I have since changed my mind. Not that he should win, but I think it is impossible for him to miss the ballot at this point. Even if he had not died he would have a strong chance of being nominated, which would've surprised me had I not seen the film. Now, it seems inevitable based on his performance.

Enjoy!

The Dark Knight

So I had planned to see this on my birthday and when I went to buy tickets a week before, I shouldn't have been surprised that it was sold out! I had to see it on Imax, which by the way you should too cause it's awesome! So I had to wait a day later but I will say it again, it was worth the wait!
I definitely think it was in the same realm as Batman Begins, but that movie was just the beginning.
I have to disagree with all the critics that say that the only reason why so many people saw it was because of Heath Ledger's untimely death. Do they not know we have been talking about this movie for over a year now? Don't they know how excited we were with each new poster and how much we died to see a new glimpse of the movie???
The Joker was great! He did an excellent job. Totally different from how Jack Nickleson portrayed him, a lot darker, and that was perfect!
Christian Bale is still my favorite pick for Batman. I have to admit though when I first heard him speak, I giggled. It sounded so funny to how Bruce Wayne talked.
Kudos to Christopher Nolan for doing such a great job and I'm excited to see what happens next.
I heard that Two Face looked horrible but when I saw him for the first time, I loved it! I don't know why but that whole skeleton look really did it for me. I wish we could have seen more.
If you waited and talked about this movie as long as I did, I don't think you will be disappointed. Actually, the only disappointment you'll feel is when Batman is driving away and you realize the movie may be finished. I was disappointed that when me and a few others stayed until the credits were done, there wasn't anything there. Wish someone (and I think he knows who he is) would have written his review already!
So what are you waiting for?! Go see this on Imax!

The Dark Knight

So I had planned to see this on my birthday and when I went to buy tickets a week before, I shouldn't have been surprised that it was sold out! I had to see it on Imax, which by the way you should too cause it's awesome! So I had to wait a day later but I will say it again, it was worth the wait!
I definitely think it was in the same realm as Batman Begins, but that movie was just the beginning.
I have to disagree with all the critics that say that the only reason why so many people saw it was because of Heath Ledger's untimely death. Do they not know we have been talking about this movie for over a year now? Don't they know how excited we were with each new poster and how much we died to see a new glimpse of the movie???
The Joker was great! He did an excellent job. Totally different from how Jack Nickleson portrayed him, a lot darker, and that was perfect!
Christian Bale is still my favorite pick for Batman. I have to admit though when I first heard him speak, I giggled. It sounded so funny to how Bruce Wayne talked.
Kudos to Christopher Nolan for doing such a great job and I'm excited to see what happens next.
I heard that Two Face looked horrible but when I saw him for the first time, I loved it! I don't know why but that whole skeleton look really did it for me. I wish we could have seen more.
If you waited and talked about this movie as long as I did, I don't think you will be disappointed. Actually, the only disappointment you'll feel is when Batman is driving away and you realize the movie may be finished. I was disappointed that when me and a few others stayed until the credits were done, there wasn't anything there. Wish someone (and I think he knows who he is) would have written his review already!
So what are you waiting for?! Go see this on Imax!

WALL-E

Who knew that a non-talking robot could make a movie so great, and an animation at that!
Wall*E is just one of those movies you must see regardless if it's your type of movie or not.
He's this cute endearing waste collecting robot that's left on Earth to clean up our mess. The humans have left years ago when the planet became too unhabitable.
Wall*E lives a happy life, finding treasures in the trash that he takes home to share with his friend the cockroach.
One of the treasures he finds is a living plant that ultimitely leads to the love of his life, Eve. She is sent down to Earth to determine if it's sustainable and Wall*E falls head over heels for her.
The whole movie moved along so nice and really captures your attention. It was funny to see how much of slobs the humans had become because I can totally see that happening. Robots taking over, that too. Mankind fighting their way back to reclaim Earth, hopefully.
Whether old or young, animation fan or not, go see this movie! I can't imagine you'd regret it!

I'm Not There

Cate Blanchett is riveting in her chameleon ability to morph into Bob Dylan more successfully than her peers. Her performance is flawless.

Baby Mama

At first I was not interested in seeing this film, the sight of Poehler peeing in a sink is not my idea of good comedy. However the film has some good laughs, and some of the better comedy I've seen from Tina Fey. I like her but her comedy seems to be a mix of good and bad, sometimes she's funny, sometimes she's not. In this film it's more than not, also, women will enjoy the film and its comedy much more than men.

Now, I won't admit I was wrong thinking it was bad, however, it was not as bad as I assumed it would have been. It was JUST passable as a movie that I would see, on a whim, with some friends at the theater. I wouldn't plan to see it, I wouldn't go out late on a Friday/Saturday just to see it. But on a slow Monday/Thursday afternoon when you're just hanging downtown, it is a good movie to see. No real thinking, some quaint comedy and a story that doesn't get too bad too fast. However, the last 15 minutes were both rushed, predictable and was not synergistic with the rest of the movie. However, this is becoming a common occurance in movies lately.

Not great, not bad, just right for an afternoon time killer.

Wit

Metaphysical poetry, malignant pernicious cancer of the ovaries leading to termination...becomes a fertile place for ruminationss we should all overhear. Emma Thompson is transcendent.

Das Leben der Anderen (The Lives of Others)

This movie clarifies the full extent of the Satsis' iron grip over East Germany and the effects of censorship on state socialist artists enduring monitoring, interrogation, forced confession and sometimes execution.

The Happening

*groan*

A lot of people have shown their distaste for this movie, some people actually liked it. I am here to tell you what was good, what was bad, and exactly why this ship sunk instead of floated.

The first 20 minutes are actually really really good, the first 5 especially. Call me crazy but I think as an actor, Wahlberg falls into a niche, one of action, comedy and adventure (almost like a B-movie performance actor, but with potential) and I'm really waiting for a movie that truly capitalizes on his ability to be serious and funny at the same time. This movie almost allowed him to do that, and I will keep my eyes open in the future. Lequizamo is a support role, but you can't really go wrong with him. The plot starts off really good, and leaves you thinking however, I must get to the bad parts.

About the middle of the movie the plot becomes pedantic. It does not stay strong in the minds to keep you "on your toes" and near the end of the film, almost all the things that started off great went from a downpour into a light mist. It totally lost its edge, its comedy and everything else.

The last 20 minutes especially make no sense, it's as if Shyamalan wrote it in 5 minutes before they started filming. Thus the ending kills anything good about the movie. I thought the plot was great, that Wahlberg was an excellent choice and some of the scenes are just excellently done. However, the plot disappears and convolutes near the middle and by the end you really don't care or understand what's going on anymore.

Thus it started with a bang and ended in a whimper.