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haggisdog
Reviews
Superman Returns (2006)
Dull and uninspiring, the final chapter in a story for a past generation
I had heard a number of people say that this movie was surprisingly good, so I was looking forward to a solid movie that would re-energize the Superman storyline. I was very disappointed. This movie has some of the worst dialog I've seen come from Kevin Spacey's mouth and Parker Posey must have been paid a fortune to keep her performance as dull as this. Superman himself was so clichéd that it makes me wonder if the director has been living in some strange 1920s cult his entire life. Even the classic problem the Superman character has of being too powerful to have any meaningful challenge was immediately ignored with him trying to save a 747 that had fallen from the sky. A pre-schooler would have trouble with the physics of that situation.
Anyway, I was hopeful that this would have turned Superman into a hero that was more approachable like the recent Batman movie did. However, it's back to the same well and judging by how it's done at the box office, I doubt we'll see another Superman anytime soon.
Nacho Libre (2006)
Easily the worst movie of 2006! Do Not See This!!
This movie is horrible, there is nothing funny about it and it truly and royally sucks. The pace is slow, the music is terrible, the jokes are non-existent and the acting is sub-par. I find Jack Black ususally very funny, even with material that isn't very strong but this movie will definitely have me reconsider whether I should see another one of his films. The premise sounds so naturally funny that I figured there had to be a few laughs but after desperately hanging on until the credits I didn't laugh at all... except at myself for having tolerated this for as long as I did! Save yourself the time and money, don't bother to see this.
Rocky Balboa (2006)
Great movie, one of the best in the Rocky series!
If the trailers to this film have you interested then you won't be disappointed. Stallone directs and performs in one of his best Rocky films with a strong storyline and some of the best fight scenes of any of his movies.
The story line has some interesting and complex elements, including Rocky struggling with what is motivating him to return to the ring and his son struggling to find his own identify under the 'shadow' of his father's success.
The dialog in the film is quite tight and there are a number of moving scenes where Rocky talks about what it means to pursue his goals and the sacrifices it takes to accomplish your goals. However, if you're looking decent, hard hitting action this movie has it too. If you watch HBO Boxing (and I do) you'll feel like your watching a Pay Per View fight right down to commentators like Jim Lampley, Larry Merchant and Max Kellerman calling the blow-by-blow action.
This is a slightly more introspective film that some of the original Rocky's but this fits Stallone's age. One of the most impressive elements of the movie is the tremendous shape that Stallone is in considering he must be almost 60! I would say this was definitely worth the admission, I'm almost tempted to see it again!
Wedding Crashers (2005)
How can this movie be so popular???
Wow, I've seen some lame comedies in my time but this was one of the worst I've seen in awhile. First off the premise is pretty offensive particularly if you're a woman... drunken louts, scam weddings and bed women by lying and manipulating... but let's move beyond that. For two guys who specialize in 'crashing' weddings both Vaughn and Owen seem incapable of thinking on their feet even though they reference a list of 'rules' developed by some 'master' wedding crasher. There's no real chemistry between either actor which makes most of the jokes sound awkward rather than funny and it's pretty obvious that Vaughn was enjoying the wedding cakes on set a little too much. There is an extended scene where the two have dinner with the family of a woman that Owen has fallen in love with that is possibly one of the worst I have seen. Every ancient, clichéd dinner gimmick including the 'cute as a button' grandma who gets tipsy and says outrageous things is present. The periodic need for showing topless women also comes across as a sophomoric effort to titillate young men.
If this movie makes you laugh then you are indeed very fortunate as there is no comedy you won't find funny.
This movie reminds me a lot of Hudson Hawk, it enjoyed a little popularity at the time and then quickly became remembered as one of the worst movies of its decade.
The Contender (2005)
Best Reality Show Ever
This was the best reality show I've ever seen. All of these contestants were stand-up guys fighting for a better life for themselves and their families. They fought wars and handled themselves with pride and dignity regardless of the outcome. It was heartbreaking to hear these proud warriors after their defeats get reduced to tears as they lamented the lost opportunity. Every single fighter described their bitter disappointment in terms of the impact it would have on their families, this while they carried the bruises, cuts and pain of having just laid everything out on the line for their opportunity. This show was really well produced and edited, Slyvester Stallone and Sugar Ray Leonard were real highlights and they were the perfect hosts for this show.
War of the Worlds (2005)
Boring, Predictable and Requires Complete Suspension of Belief
I just finished watching this and I guess the box office results should have given me an indication of what to expect. This movie had no sympathetic characters (unless you can relate to an incompetent father, screaming 10 year old or foolhardy teenager) and the motivation of the aliens was unfathomable. Everything from how the aliens end up on earth to what eventually causes them to leave makes no sense. If you're expecting a decent action film with a few larger than life characters this film will disappoint. If you're expecting something similar to the original you'll also be disappointed. In fact the only thing that probably won't disappoint most people is the 15 minutes of pretty incredible special effects that will give your big screen/sound system a work out. You can spend the rest of your time speculating on the whether Tom and Katie will stay together.
Party Monster (2003)
You're better off watching the American Justice version
I was a bit intrigued by this film particularly after watching the A&E American Justice episode that covered this topic. I had also heard that McCauley Culkin put on a strong performance and the message boards on IMDb were very active from fans and 'former' Club Kids. Unfortunately, after watching the film I was terribly disappointed. I actually thought McCauley Culkin had a very sub-par performance and played his role with a great deal of trepidation, he never really seemed like he was comfortable with the character of Michael Alig and all of his dialog and actions seemed forced. Contrast that with Seth Green who was very convincing in his role and is also capable of acting in other films. The final challenge with the movie, from my perspective, was that it was too long. The characters are all too difficult to relate to and the film seems to grind on trying to bring life/meaning to them. I'd again encourage anyone thinking about seeing this film to instead take the 40 minutes to watch the A&E version which is available on DVD.
The Boondock Saints (1999)
Great action flick, decent acting, not bad script
I didn't know what to expect when I rented this film, in fact I based my decision on an Internet search using "Top Ten Action Films of 2002". Now keep in mind the key word is "action", the story is a bit stretched at time and some of the performances are a little over the top (Willem Dafoe), however, its a decent enough tail and the story doesn't take itself too seriously so I thought it was a great romp. If you're looking for an action flick outside of the typical Bruce Willis/Arnold/Vinn Diesel genre then you won't be disappointed with this film.