popplers

Movie 3-fer

Over the Hedge (IMDb:7.2|Rot:75% - CotC:63%)

It's been hot lately. Really fhot. Which gives me a convenient excuse to see less-than-stellar movies in air-conditioned splendor, perhaps while drinking a Mike-a-rita. We saw Over the Hedge at The Strand a few weeks ago, and it was entertaining enough. DreamWorks is no Pixar, but the film has its moments. I particularly liked Steve Carell as ADHD squirrel-thing Hammy and William Shatner as Ozzie the Opossum. There's also a very funny scene involving a Mountain Dew/ Red Bull beverage that was reminiscent of the finale in the Futurama episode Three Hundred Big Boys. Silly, highly implausible even if you accept the whole talking-animals premise, funny, and a better-than-average kid flick, as The Onion's A.V. Club attests:

[…] There's plenty of manic running around and screaming, and several of the silent-action-set-to-sad-pop segments that are fast becoming animated films' standard method of establishing tone and character. But directors Tim Johnson (Antz) and Karey Kirkpatrick can be surprisingly sly and methodical; in particular, their expectation-reversing, low-key approach to a much-foreshadowed caffeinated-squirrel gag sets Over The Hedge apart for its cleverness as much as its energy. […]

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (IMDb:7.4|Rot:53% - CotC:42%)

We went to a matinee of Pirates of the Caribbean 2. Group opinion on this one varied widely, from "I liked it" to "OK, but too long" to "Well, that's 3 hours of my life that I'll never get back". The CGI stuff was awesome— I really liked Davy Jones's crew and the Kraken wasn't half bad either. But I thought that the movie dragged. I enjoyed Ty Burr's movie review and this follow-up article:

The first casualties of this state of affairs are storytelling and dialogue -- the twin leaks that sink "Dead Man's Chest" faster than Davy Jones ever could -- but the rot has spread to editing (all those padded running times), music, and other areas. The appearance of a truly well-made Hollywood entertainment is now a lonely fluke. […]

Which brings me to "Miami Vice," the most fun I've had in a movie theater in months.

I feel dirty even saying that. It stars Colin Farrell; it's based on a TV show that was '80s camp even while it was on the air -- how can such a film be taken seriously? Because: (a) it's not meant to be, and (b) its craftsmanship is nevertheless of the highest and most serious order. Moviegoers have responded; the film was the first to topple "Pirates" from its perch at the top of the box-office. […]

A Prairie Home Companion (IMDb:7.6|Rot:81% - CotC:71%)

This week's Strand movie was A Prairie Home Companion. I enjoyed it, although I realize it's not for everyone. I couldn't even finish reading the hissy-fit of a review that vitriolic critic Rex Reed posted in the New York Observer. But if you're a fan of the radio show (and it's been on for over 30 years, so someone must be) or if you enjoy Robert Altman films, it's definitely worth it. Woody Harrelson and John C. Reilly steal the show as Dusty and Lefty, the singing cowboys. Early in the film, as the camera pans over to them, practicing in their dressing room backstage, singing (with harmony) I Used To Work In Chicago, I couldn't help but laugh. ("Liquor she asked for; lick 'er I did; I don't work there anymore.") Excellent cast, with lots of sweet moments.

Posted by rv at August 4, 2006 11:31 AM to movie