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mattshaw
Reviews
Fantastic Four (2005)
Entertaining - Not bad
Fantastic Four was my favorite comic when growing up. More than other comics of the period, it focused on the lives and and personalities of the characters. The movie does a perfect job in transferring these characteristics to the big screen. These were never extremely complicated characters. All of the actors do at least a passable job of recreating these personalities. The movie is fun and entertaining and thus achieves the first rule of any entertainment - it is entertaining. Even though they took liberties with the Doom storyline, he is still a good villain and acted well. Ben is clobber'in, Sue is mediating, etc. They may not be the XMen, but they are true to the comics I grew up reading and were very satisfying to watch on that level. I recommend it as a light and satisfying entertainment. I do not understanding much of the heavy criticism I have read here.
The Matrix Reloaded (2003)
Not better than Matrix, excellent fight scenes (SPOILER ALERT)
The first movie, The Matrix, was virtually flawless. It laid the groundwork for great expectations. Matrix Reloaded does not deliver.
Matrix Reloaded begins with an action sequence that turns out to be a dream - bad choice.
There are at least three times when the characters indulge in periods of extended exposition that are rather complicated and that most people will not understand. The first movie had a simple message: Free Your Mind - the Matrix has you. The entire movie repeated this message until almost everyone in the theater had at least some idea of what the Matrix was. The Matrix Reloaded introduces many new ideas and revelations, none of which are ever completely explained.
The first movie ends with a definite message: Wake Up. Free you Mind. The Matrix Reloaded ends with "To Be continued".- bad choice.
There is a one fight scene in Matrix Reloaded which literally looks like it was plucked straight from a video game. In a video game it would have been great. In a movie it diminishes the presence of the actors: Keanu Reeves and Hugo Weaving.
In the Matrix there is one villain and he is great. The Matrix reloaded has a minimum of six. This is not a strength.
The net sum of the above is a cross between boredom and confusion.
I do have to give Matrix Reloaded credit for excellent fight scenes but better editing would have eliminated many scenes that seem to have no purpose and just confuse and detract.
I would like to think that Matrix Revolution will end the trilogy with all of the things that made the first movie a classic. Since Matrix Revolution was made together with Matrix Reloaded, my expectations are not high. Sigh.
Despite all of this I still recommend seeing Matrix Reloaded. On a second viewing (unplanned) many of my criticisms were still present but seemed less severe.
Cube 2: Hypercube (2002)
I was abducted and all I got was this lousy Tesseract
The first movie "Cube" worked because it concentrated on the characters and their interaction. The ending was not weighted with great importance. Cube 2, I think, fails in not allowing enough time for character creation and interaction. Good CGI and a wealth of imagination, but where's the quantum beef? Did I say that? Now, with cube 2, we have an overall story, albeit still incomplete. I got a strong feeling from the ending that not only is a sequel probable but possibly a series - Cube: The Series. I do not know how a series could be sustained, but a Tesseract alone opens up limitless possibilities. Read "And He Built a Crooked House" by Robert A. Heinlein.
Anyway, I still enjoyed it and look forward to anything else done with the "Cube" concept.
Final Destination 2 (2003)
Rube Goldberg Killing Machines
Any really good Horror movie walks the line between horror and comedy. The better it does this - the better the movie. An example would be Romero's "Night of the Living Dead". FD2 does this extremely well - between the writing and the editing it creates tension and suspense very effectively. The Horror is graphic and disturbing.
The problem when you successfully straddle that horror/comedy line is the possibility of falling off the other side. For the first 30 minutes the movie is really successful at connecting chains of events that seem almost independently sentient. A coffee cup becomes a potential accomplice in Death's plan.
After 30 minutes one begins to see humor in mayhem. By the end of the movie and the not surprising "denouement", my wife and I (and the theater)were rolling in the aisles with laughter. "Scary Movie" wanted this response but settled for sight gags and in-jokes. I did not expect much from this movie, but was very impressed with the unintentional effect. I will now see the first movie in the series, just to see more work by this team. It is true that some did not laugh, but most were holding their sides. It would not be fair to suggest that they rerelease this as a comedy since it is also effective as horror. I also do not want to belittle the talents of David R. Ellis or the writers of the story and screenplay, J. Mackye Gruber, Eric Bress and also Reddick. These guys are masters of the genre!
I seriously give this movie a high rating and will recommend it to all of my friends.
Eight Legged Freaks (2002)
The itsy bitsy spider...
David Arquette was perfect for this. A combination of horror and comedy. I like the CGI which has to be the best so far. It most reminded me of "Tremors", which I think is a better movie. It could have been better but was entertaining and had the "jump from your seats" quality you expect from a good monster movie. I watched and re-watched most of the 50's and 60's monster movies and this definitely fits squarely into that genre. "Tremors" really fully achieved what "Eight Legged Freaks" only partially achieves. There needs to be a certain nervous anticipation always present with the creatures pushing the characters each time they become too comfortable or complacent. The ending theme is also great - very appropriate - I would like to know who sang it. I definitely recommend it to anyone who does not have an allergy to the horror genre (critics included).
Reign of Fire (2002)
No plot, no characters, no story.
Reign of Fire is distinctly lacking in....everything! I liked it and I support it because I like fantasy and appreciate their take on dragon rendering. Beyond that there is really nothing to discuss. They will make their money back (and more)but not for creating anything really special. Both Dungeons and Dragons and Dragonheart were much better movies. I would say wait for the DVD or tape, but I also like seeing movies on the big screen with an audience. I could be more negative and critical but they were cool dragons.
Men in Black II (2002)
More scum, More scrubbing bubbles!!
I'm biased. I liked the first one. Number two is in many ways a rehash of the original. I liked the attention to detail in retaining the look and feel with a few added surprises. It was 1 1/2 hours which some people will say is a blessing (my wife)and some people will complain was too short. I liked the appearance of David Cross - this added a certain...something. It was at least as good as the first one and, if your are a fan, you will like it. Do I want to see MIB3? Only if they change galaxies. My wife says, "It sucks, sucks, sucks and is the worst movie I have ever seen!" I think that may be a little severe.
Attack of the Crab Monsters (1957)
The very best with the very least.
This movie was released with the lowest of budgets but at a time when similarly themed movies were made just as cheaply. Admittedly the last time I saw this movie was probably 1957, but it still stays in my mind because the monsters seemed impossible to defeat up until the end. Many movies of this type usually gave away their ending in the first 10 minutes - The heroes were definitely going to win or the monsters were just too powerful for there to be any hope. Among those films released in the same time period Attack of the Crab Monsters was more than a cut above the norm. In century of extremely sophisticated computer generated images, the special effects in this movie must be compared with those for the 50's (not much better). If you give it a chance I think you will give it a place in your collection as it is in mine.