Slowly Learning...

There's not a whole lot to say here, which is good, because I'm not in the mood for a long review. Basically this film gives you more of the Bourne franchise. If you like the first two, this one will definitely appeal to you. If you didn't like the first two? Well then this probably isn't for you.

They haven't changed a whole lot, which is a good thing. There wasn't all that much wrong with the first two. They weren't overwhelming or outstanding, but they were solid additions to the Action/Thriller style genre. The stories are all solid, and don't have any gapping holes. It's also not an over the top CG fest, which is a nice change. And to top it all off, you get to look at Julie Stiles (or Matt Damon for the women out there).

My only complaint with the film (other than the fact that the ending would have been better if they cut it off about 2 minutes sooner) is the camera work. Every shot (action or not) seems to shake as if being handled by someone having a seizure. And the constant zoom-ins? Come on. Add to that the fact that the action scenes cut shots every two seconds, and you have a hard time following any of the action. The only way to tell who's winning the fight is to wait to the end and see who is left on the floor. If this is the style or the times (which it appears to be), then it's time to move on. If you can't get people who can shoot an action scene without cutting every two seconds, then get a new film crew. And if you can't get actors who can stage a fight where you don't have to constantly change shots, then get new actors. You're all highly paid, and we are paying highly (especially with some theatre costs now) to see a movie, not try and imagine what's happening out of "scrambled porn vision".

But in the end, the overall movie makes up for the shoddy camera work enough to make it watchable.

RATING: Worth Full Price for Fans of the Series (worth a matinee for others)

Posted by Thom at 6:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I have been told time and again that I shouldn't pick at my scabs because it will leave a scar. Yet I always continue to pick. It's just a force of habit that I have. I just have to pick at anything that sticks out, and my scabs and scratches are no different. And after all this picking I have five scars on my body (possibly a sixth, but I haven't seen the top of my head in quite some time).

However, when I originally received these five separate injuries I never picked at those scabs. Still, scars formed. I can accept that because each of those injuries where rather severe. One is from surgery, another two required stitches, and a fourth would have required stitches, if I had had anything left to stitch on. So naturally I expected scars from all of them.

But what about everything else? I constantly pick at all my scabs. I pick at the scabs that form over the original scabs that I picked at. Still, none of those wounds have ever left a scar. In fact none of them have ever become infected either. I've never had any issues at all with picking. I'd like to think that I'm special, and have some magically healing ability, but that's just not so.

I guess that some old wives' tales are just that, old wives' tales.

Posted by Thom at 1:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Good reviews or bad reviews this was one of the films that I knew I would end up seeing. I grew up on the Simpsons, and unlike some of the people in the audience in the theatre, I remember when it all started. I also remember when the show used to be good. That is when they should have made this film, back in the glory days. Now it is just a last ditch effort to keep some life in the franchise and rake in a few last bucks. To be honest, the film isn't terrible, but it's not good. It's basically what we've all come to expect from the past few seasons of the Simpsons. There are a few really good lines that make you laugh out loud strung together by long stretches of "I guess that's funny" or "wow, this show really has lost it". But those brief good moments are just enough to keep you going, giving you that false sense of hope that maybe this will be where they turn it all around! But sadly it isn't. The show jumped the shark a good 5-6 seasons ago and has just continued to tread water since then. And this film is just an 87 minute version of that show that is trying to hold onto the long gone glory days.

RATING: Worth a Matinee Ticket (Unless you are a die-hard fan or really have loved the last 5 seasons), Worth a Netflix rental (of the first 11 seasons on DVD).

Posted by Thom at 12:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I have recently been playing Dawn of War, thanks in most part to Dave's urging (and his new post in video game design which afforded me a copy of the game), and I've come to realize a very strange duality in myself.

In most video games I have very little patience or caution. I'm the one who goes running out into the middle of the action in 1st-Person shooters, invariably getting himself killed in about ten seconds. I'm not one to hide and wait. I prefer the fast-paced action of UT or the likes. In basketball games I play the most up-tempo game that they could shorten the shot clock to about 10 seconds and I'd be ok. In Tiger Woods I constantly spray my drives left or right as I try to cut it over trees and water with maximum power. I am just not very reserved in my gaming actions.

However, Dawn of War is a completely different story. I don't know exactly what it is (maybe the massive amounts of multitasking) but I've never been a big fan of RTS's. It's almost been too stressful for me. DoW is slightly easier in that aspect, but I still am extremely overly cautious. I establish my base and slowly expand as I build up a massive force that I'm sure will wipe out any enemy post that I attack. I take it so slow at times that it can take me an hour to finish a mission that could probably be done in 15 minutes. And when I don't have a good place to set up my base and branch out from...oh man, don't even get me started there.

I'm not sure why I can be so impatient and reckless in almost every style of game other than RTS style games, where I am perhaps the most cautious and reserved player ever. But what I do know is that if anyone is interested in playing some DoW online sometime I'd be down for that. I would probably be a pretty easy target too.

Posted by Thom at 1:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I know that this film is long gone out of the theatres, and has already won all types of awards, but I just got around to seeing it and thought that I should put in my two cents.

I had heard all sorts of wonderful things about this movie. From the stellar cast, to the great directing, and the great story (which was apparently very different from the Chinese film). Let's look at each one by one.

The Cast
Jack is good as always, and I do like Matt Damon (God knows why), and even Leo isn't too bad here. Sure the accents are sometimes a little overdone (or non-existent), but I can over look that. That falls more into the second category. There are even some good supporting roles by Marky-Mark and Martin Sheen, plus the entire Irish Mafia bunch seemed perfect. But God help me, Alec Baldwin... That was one of the worst performances I've seen. I don't know how he became so popular. This man cannot act his way out of a paper bag. But fear not Alec fans, for he won't suffocate in that bag, for I highly doubt he could act his way into one either. I was trying to come up with good things he's done and was only able to come up with the Narrator in Royal Tenenbaums (not a real acting role) and Bob in State and Main (but playing a bad actor isn't really acting either. That's like Courtney Love as a coke whore or Eminem as a white rapper from a trailer park). Please people, stop casting him! He almost singlehandedly killed the film.

Directing
Eh. Not terrible directing. But you could have gotten some better work out of some of your actors. And how hard is it to direct a movie that has already been made four years earlier? I'll call this one a wash.

Story
This is the same exact story as Infernal Affairs. I repeat. This is the same exact story Infernal Affairs. Oh, there is the twist that both Damon and Leo are sleeping with the same woman (nothing big there), and there is the "twist" or adding Marky-Mark to the cast and putting in the little extra to the ending. However, all this addition does is make the ending make no sense at all. I could go indepth with my explanation here, but I'll leave it be. If you really want to hear it message me or email me and I'll freely share it with you. In any case, the part of this movie that makes any sense at all is the same exact story as Infernal Affairs (just set in the US instead of China).

RATING: This wasn't a terrible movie, but the Best Picture of the year should not be a remake, especially not a remake of a movie that is only 4 years old! See it if you want, but I strongly urge you to rent Infernal Affairs instead. However, avoid Infernal Affairs II and III from what I've heard.

Posted by Thom at 1:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It's been a while (damn lazy me), and this time I have a plethora of excuses (my computer sucks, as does my mom's, I couldn't login for a while, then I couldn't remember the new link for logging in, etc.) but it all boils down to me just not doing what needs to be done. And I am sorry for that.

There were also lots of things that I wanted to talk about here, but I forgot what a lot of them are because I failed to write them down in my little notebook, and I can't remember what the other ones that I did write down were either because I forgot to bring my notebook with me. So all that will have to wait.

What I do remember though is that plans are beginning to form for yet another installment of the yearly Brandon Circle Clam Bake! Which is now neither a true clam bake (the clams are steamed) nor is it on Brandon Circle (which hasn't been true for about 4 or 5 years). Many dates were considered, and due to weddings, and other such conflicts, this year's festivities are planned for October 6th at my mother's house (directions are available to anyone interested in attending). And, as always, you are all invited to come join in. However, as everyone I know seems to be getting further and further away from Rochester, I'm not sure how big a crowd that will be. In any case I will be there, and shouldn't that be enough for you?

Posted by Thom at 1:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

So here are the last three films that I've seen in the theatres (long overdue) in condensed versions...

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix:
Harry and the crew are getting older, things are getting rougher, there are webs of lies and deceit, and there is an annoying lady in pink. That pretty much sums up the film. There isn't really a lot of new stuff, but it's fresh enough to make another installment in the septology. If you enjoyed the first 4, you'll like this one. If you didn't like the first 4, this one isn't going to convert you. Also, if you plan to see this one you really should see/read the first 4. Otherwise you have a good chance of being lost.

Black Sheep
People are experimenting on sheep; it goes wrong, very very wrong; the sheep start eating people; sheeple develop; there's lots of fantastically lame humor (and excessive blood and guts). Basically think Shawn of the Dead, but with zombie sheep and set in New Zealand. It's a Zombie-horror film that doesn't take itself too seriously and is lots of fun (if you are willing to stomach the guts; not a problem for me).

Sicko
Micheal Moore is back; he's still fat; he's still annoyed with the government; he's not politically biased... Wait, what?!? Yup. He attacks both sides in attacking the health-care system in the US. I must say that this is quite possibly his best documentary to date. It seems slightly less biased than his previous works (however you still do have to take everything that he says/presents you with with a grain of salt) and once again renewed my fervor to leave the US (possibly for Canada or Western Europe).

RATING(S): Worth an average ticket (or just rent it), Worth any ticket (but you'll probably have to rent it), Worth a full price ticker (or a good rental).

Posted by Thom at 1:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)