Dell's Good, Bad & Ugly Movie Reviews

[dell71]

new Star Trek = 10/10

Just can't let it go, can you? No, my thanking you is not a mistake - I admire persistance.

Well, if you think I was harsh on it then please read this and tell me what you think of it.

[j.hen]

Just can't let it go, can you? No, my thanking you is not a mistake - I admire persistance.

Well, if you think I was harsh on it then please read this and tell me what you think of it.

Those kind of reviews are just a cry for attention from the writer.

[dell71]

Those kind of reviews are just a cry for attention from the writer.

Maybe so, but he has some valid points.

Just to reiterate - I like the movie!

Hey dell btw did you ever get my PM from a while back? You like the blog concept at all?

Yes, responded to it...sorry it took so long.

[dell71]

Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian
2009. Rated PG, 105 minutes.
Director: Shawn Levy.
Starring Ben Stiller, Amy Adams, Owen Wilson, Hank Azaria.

Plot: Larry (Stiller) has left his job as graveyard shift security guard at the New York Museum of Natural History and become a successful inventor/hocker of infomercial stuff. However, he springs back into action when he finds out most of the exhibits and the tablet that gives them late-night life are being transferred to the Smithsonian.

The Good: It sets a phrenetic pace and rarely lets up. The point of any dialogue is less to advance the plot than to set up the next action sequence. Among the cast, Amy Adams as Amelia Earhart is a bright spot. She's a whirling dervish of energy most closely parallelling the movie as a whole. Even though who they are may require some explaining to younger viewers, the inclusion and treatment of The Tuskegee Airmen is quite a nice touch.

The Bad: On its way to setting that pace it quickly dissolves into a series of cheesy, slapstick style action scenes with really bad cgi, to boot. In lieu of attempting to make us care even one iota about anything we see on the screen, they just keep throwing more crap up there until its just a cluttered mess. The closest thing to explaining it I can do is tell you that lots of things from American history are briefly touched on and made fun of for a brief moment or two and then its on to the next thing. Its got a bad case of "more is less" syndrome. It puts way more stuff on the screen than its predecessor with far lesser results.

The Ugly: The way "The Thinker" is portrayed is borderline blasphemous.

Recommendation: The kids might enjoy it but it probably won't be one of their faves, especially if they've already seen the original. That one was tolerable, even inventive and fun at times. This one is bigger but totally vapid with a dubious message.

The Opposite View: Chris Kaltenbach, Baltimore Sun

What the Internet Says: 6.0/10 on imdb.com (12/12/09), 44% on rottentomatoes.com, 42/100 on metacritic.com

MY SCORE: 3/10

[Buzzman]

Dell what do you think of Gladiator and American Beauty?

[dell71]

Dell what do you think of Gladiator and American Beauty?

I thought they were both excellent. AB is one of my faves, Spacey was just so damned good in that. Of course, Crowe kicks all sorts of ass in Gladiator. Its been a while since I've watched either, though (I think Gladiator was on regular tv a couple weeks back).

[Epidemik]

Hey Dell,

What do you think of Enemy of the State

[nflman2033]

Don't think so. I did grow up with "The Shat" but I'm not one of those so blinded by his awesomeness I love everything Trek that he was involved in. Hell, just look at the review for ST:TMP, in which I was far harsher.



Didn't watch them. If I ever buy it, or somehow wind up with it in my possession otherwise, I'll have to check them out.

i didn't think you were too harsh at all, i honestly don't understand the hype for it, I am going to watch it again, but I am not really happy with it, I have gone over the stuff I didn't like Plenty of times.

anyway as a Shat fan, you have seen the film in my signature right?


also glad to see you watched the Virgin Spring, it is a must

[Maynard]

i am not an action fan so didnt care for gladiator. i loved american beauty.....enemy of the state is a good movie. Not something i would watch a 2nd time though.

i downloaded 6 movies last night. started watching tyson. got bored and wasnt impressed by this one so far. Its a documentery and i knew that, but its just not that interesting.

dell, did you review state of play?

[dell71]

Hey Dell,

What do you think of Enemy of the State

Very underrated movie. It's not an all time great but I definitely feel its overlooked. Its pretty much what Eagle Eye wanted to be.

i didn't think you were too harsh at all, i honestly don't understand the hype for it, I am going to watch it again, but I am not really happy with it, I have gone over the stuff I didn't like Plenty of times.

anyway as a Shat fan, you have seen the film in my signature right?


also glad to see you watched the Virgin Spring, it is a must

Thanx. Honestly, I don't think I have seen the movie in your sig. I've been trying to figure out what that's from. Clue me in, lol.

i am not an action fan so didnt care for gladiator. i loved american beauty.....enemy of the state is a good movie. Not something i would watch a 2nd time though.

i downloaded 6 movies last night. started watching tyson. got bored and wasnt impressed by this one so far. Its a documentery and i knew that, but its just not that interesting.

dell, did you review state of play?

Sorry you couldn't get into Tyson.

Yes, on State of Play - http://www.virtualsportsnetwork.com/...&postcount=512

[Palooza]

What kind of homo doesn't like Gladiator? One of the best movies made since I was born.

[dell71]

Paranormal Activity
2009. Rated R, 86 minutes.
Director: Oren Peli.
Starring Katie Featherston, Micah Sloat, Mark Fredrichs, Amber Armstrong.

Plot: Katie (Featherston) believes something has been haunting her for her entire life and is in the house where she now lives with her boyfriend Micah (Sloat). Micah decides to film all the goings on in the house, hoping to get to the bottom of it. Things going bump in the night ensue.

The Good: Through the limitations of one of our characters having to hold the camera and the lack of extravagant special fx, it successfully feigns reality. Its easy to believe this is an actual couple and you are watching video documentation of their life. This makes it very easy to relate what's happening on the screen to the noises that break the night silence in your own home. Therefore, its as plausible as a haunted house movie can be and there is where its power lies.

The Bad: Its worst offense is because of that same camera that's such an asset. Even when the situation seems to dictate getting to or away from whatever is going on quickly, someone, usually Micah, usually stops to grab the camera, first. A major horror cliche pops up from time to time. It's that old favorite "You hear that? I'm gonna go check it out." And yes, Micah get annoying.

The Ugly: After one particularly adventurous night about halfway through, if I were Kate's boyfriend, without question I would've given her "the speech." What speech, you ask? "You know what babe? I don't think this thing is gonna work out between us. It's you...er...it's me, not you. Peace out." Love, be damned!

Recommendation: This is a very nice haunted house flick, best one I've seen in quite some time. It easily surpasses The Haunting in Connecticut, 2009's other major entry into the genre. Yes, it totally steals the concept from The Blair Witch Project, or probably more accurately from Cloverfield which stole it from TBWP but I like it better than both of those. As with all haunted house movies, I recommend watching this at home, late at night, with all the lights off, then going to bed immediately afterwards.

The Opposite View: Marc Savlov, Austin Chronicle

What the Internet Says: 7.0/10 on imdb.com (12/14/09), 82% on rottentomatoes.com, 68/100 on metacritic.com

MY SCORE: 8/10


Sidenote: I spent way too much time focusing on the ample bosom of our female lead. Maybe that clouded my vision. Nah.

[calgaryballer]

Sidenote: I spent way too much time focusing on the ample bosom of our female lead. Maybe that clouded my vision. Nah.

Seconded. Some of the scenes when they are in bed I couldn't take my eyes off them

[Buzzman]

i am not an action fan so didnt care for gladiator. i loved american beauty.....enemy of the state is a good movie. Not something i would watch a 2nd time though.

i downloaded 6 movies last night. started watching tyson. got bored and wasnt impressed by this one so far. Its a documentery and i knew that, but its just not that interesting.

dell, did you review state of play?

Gladiator is far from being just an action film.

[Lumpkin]

Sidenote: I spent way too much time focusing on the ample bosom of our female lead.

Its the only explanation I can come up with for Micah sticking around that long