by Ethan Johnson
June 2, 2003
Hurrah! We made it to the theatre!
A Mighty Wind: Christopher Guest and Company are back, this time returning to the music/stage material to bring you a mockumentary (one presumes that this will be the format for all future Christopher Guest films) about a would-be folk reunion in New York city.
It was, in a word, "ok". So less than a word, actually. Waiting for Guffman was better, Best In Show was better, and a big part of the reasons for not getting very worked up about this flick is that as "regulars" get picked up in the course of making these movies, it's getting awfully crowded up there on the silver screen. So less Michale McKean and Christopher Guest because they had to fit Larry Miller in there somewhere. Less John Michael Higgins because Bob Balaban had to get up there too. And so on.
Like Guest's other films, this one does do a respectable job of capturing the essence of a musical genre. It's an OK movie but really more worth the rental if nothing else.
The Matrix Reloaded: At last!
One thing that irks me about the storytelling used in the Matrix trilogy (thus far) is that heart-pounding, sense-reeling action is suddenly stymied, and I mean stymied, by slow, drawn-out attempts at being some sort of postmodern spiritual vehicle. Face it, when David Icke is basing books on your movie, you've either hit some sort of cultural paydirt, or just the wall.
Look, this review will not affect your decision to see or avoid this movie. If, like me, you were predestined to see the movie opening weekend, then you probably were in the row ahead of me when I went. If not, you're waiting for it to come out on cable or not at all. I liked it, Mar wants to see it again, we're gonna own it, the end.
And don't, under any circumstances, think too hard about the plot. Unless you're a glutton for disappointment.
X-Men United: We seent it in DLP.
Like having Morgan Freeman in your movie, DLP instantly adds 2 stars to any movie, even Pluto Nash. And once again, this was another flick on the short list, which was made even better by the fact that DLP was an option.
More violent than the original, certain "X-Men" from the comics (back when I had a collection, pre-flood) have now made their appearance, namely Nightcrawler (who else would you cast besides Alan Cumming?) and "that russian dude that can turn into metal" whose name completely escapes me, and is treated more as an afterthought than a key player in this flick. I presume that he might get more exposure next time.
Tangent: Seeing how credible Alan Cumming and Hugh Jackman are in their respective roles, I think it's more than fair to say that you can dream up pretty much any sort of character, no matter how far-out and complicated, and there is an actor or actress out there somewhere that will personify that role. See Hagrid from the Harry Potter series, Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, and Willem Dafoe as Norman Osborne/The Green Goblin. Computer technology helps too, if course.
We're owning it, you had to see the original, and if you didn't, do so before galloping off to the theatre, and if you get to see it in DLP, the worst you'll rate it is 2 stars.
Bruce Almighty: Good movie.
Not great, nobody will be collecting Oscars for acting or directing, but if you want to have a good time with a screen full of "dumb entertainment" then you're in for a treat. Paying the matinee rate never hurts either.
Plus, Morgan Freeman is in it, and just like DLP, he makes the movie better. Plus, he's God, officially. Say what you want about Hollywood casting, but sometimes they get it right.
Remember, it's dumb entertainment. Have fun and quit being so analytical. <EM>
