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Articles from
January 2007
I'm not sure what I expected with Instinct  , but it definitely wasn't what I got. What I got was so much better. I've said it before and I'll say it again: I love it when you watch a movie with little-to-no foresight about the movie's premise and it turns out to be a great movie. The surprise seems to make it that much better. I wasn't sure what to think about the main character at the beginning of the movie. For some reason, I wanted to make some excuse for how he acted in the airport. Honestly, I still don't know why he went crazy. I had my speculations in the beginning, but they don't seem to be right, after seeing the end of the movie. There was an obvious touch of sorry and regret for a second, tho. I could only make assumptions as to why; but that assumption turned out to be true. I think it might've meant more knowing who this group of people was at the time, tho. In the end, it was nice to see the true back-story. The whole thing was very touching. What started as a man to be feared turned out to be quite the opposite... well, you should fear him in that one situation, but I think most would feel the same way.
If you haven't seen Instinct, I suggest you check it out. It's a touching movie in one you might not expect.
Night Listener was an odd movie. There's not a whole lot I can really say about the movie without giving it away, tho. The basic concept of a thriller was there, but it wasn't enough of a thriller to really keep me on the edge of my seat. I just thought Robin Williams' character was going a bit far. Then again... well, I guess I don't want to give it away, so I'll just let you watch it yourself. When I say "watch it yourself," I don't think I'd suggest that anyone run out and rent it immediately. Watch it eventually, but I don't feel like it's a must-see movie.
I didn't know much about Blood Diamond before watching it, which is usually a good thing. I enjoyed the movie, but it wasn't all that. The one thing I think is funny is how it affected the diamond market. Of course, we all know that won't have much of a long-term affect. People always see movies like this that touch on ethical issues and want to change their ways, but it all fades away. Movies are a great medium to make short-term changes in peoples' lives. For the longer term changes some would like to see, there needs to be something that'll have more staying power. That isn't likely to happen anytime soon, as far as I see. Beyond the ethical impact of the movie, it's entertaining, as well.
Well, everything I knew about Highlander came to pass in the first two seasons. I do have to say that these are some of the most dynamic writers. Not "dynamic" as in fantastic, but "dynamic" as in they seem very adept to change. I don't think I've seen any show that changes so much. They bounced back and forth between the US and Paris in the first two seasons; and, introduced, killed off, and re-introduced characters. It's like they had no vision and just flew from the seat of their pants. I am interested in seeing where they take the show, now. With no insight into the future, I'm excited.
I saw an episode of Drawn Together a couple of years ago and thought it was pretty good. After watching season 1 , tho, I'm thinking it's one of those things that is better left as a memory. If you like Beavis and Butthead type of humor, this is for you. The whole thing is essentially piss and shit jokes. I admit there are funny parts, but all-in-all, not really something I care to finish. Then again, I have this near uncontrollable urge to finish what I start. Perhaps I'll stick it out for season 2 . They're currently on a break for season 3 . I guess I'll watch season 2 and decide on season 3 when it comes out on DVD. Like I said, tho, I don't expect it to get any better.
I really liked Covenant . I admit it was predictable in several parts, but it was good. I had to laugh during the big fight scene because it reminded me of an anime series I liked, Dragonball Z . Of course, the end of the movie left you with one question: what happened to the fifth guy? Sure, it's definitely possible he was completely destroyed in the fight, but I think they left it open for a reason. There's no sight of a sequel that I've seen, but I would definitely entertain the idea of one. I'm not sure what else there is to discuss, but more back-story might be good.
I love Pretender ; I just finished season 1 and can't wait to start the next season . Ok, I admit the show isn't the best show in the world or anything, but I really do like it. One thing I like is how Jarod is like a kid in every episode. He finds something so simple and ties it into his plan. I also think it's funny when he makes truthful comments and people take it as a joke. Like when someone might ask, "How long have you been a doctor?" and he responds with, "For about a week."
For those who don't know the premise of the show, Jarod is a boy genius who was kidnapped. He was raised by an organization, known as The Centre, that used his genius to work thru scenarios in order to solve mysteries. They call him a "pretender" because he essentially takes on a personality in these scenarios to determine how they might react. Once he escaped, he used his skills to help those in need. He's avenging those who can't stand up for themselves; unearthing hidden truths. If you haven't seen it and like detective-type shows, give it a shot. It's not the same as CSI or Law and Order , so don't expect those. This is a little more... umm... '90s, for lack of a better way to put it.
Season 10  of South Park was more of the same. I know that sounds kind of bla, but it was good. The show just seems to maintain a constant level of quality. This season, they indirectly poked fun at themselves in Cartoon Wars Part 1 and 2 ; added a touch of government conspiracy (re: 9/11) in Mystery of the Urinal Deuce ; spoke some truth in Miss Teacher Bangs a Boy ; and made sure to add in the usual religious episodes, Go God Go 1 and 2 . My favorite episode was Make Love, Not Warcraft , which reminded me of the superhero episode a while back. In the end, it's entertaining, but the bar has been set and there weren't any episodes that were leaps and bounds above that, so I have to give this one a 3.
I feel like I say this all the time, but I hated the ending of Children of Men . All I can do is hope there's a sequel. Overall, the movie was great, but the ending left so many questions. I did notice there was a Children of Men: Visions of the Future listing on IMDB, but it's supposedly a TV show. The cast includes some of the same names, but my guess is that might only be for the pilot. Even with that, it could only be flashbacks. Who knows. The year for it was 2007, so I'm sure there'll be news out about it by the time the movie hits DVD. My guess is that it would start in the fall after the DVD's been out for a few months.
What!? Honestly, that's all I have to say. I was curious about A Scanner Darkly when I saw it was in the theaters, but didn't know anything about it. Now that I've seen it, I still don't know what the hell the point was. Well, I could come up with some BS line about drug rehabilitation or maybe even spin a line about a corrupt government, but in the end, they're all just a random thoughts. Keanu Reeves plays an undercover detective that gets too deep, in a sense. The thing that made it somewhat interesting is that nobody knew his identity, not even the police. The undercover police had a suit that would completely disguise them. Very interesting concept. If you're bored, it might be interesting to see the first 10 minutes of it, but anything past that and you'll just be wasting your time. I know a lot of people don't like Reeves, but I don't have a problem with him. It's not his acting that I had a problem with, it's the story.
The first season of Highlander was good. There is one thing I don't understand, tho. Why did they up and move to France in the middle of the season? Sure, I know the reason used in the show, but there has to be a reason for such a big change in scenery; especially with "The Gathering" at hand. Speaking of which, what the hell? There was a lot of talk about "The Gathering", but none of it amounted to anything. I was expecting some big ordeal wrapping up the season.
Anthony Head , who played Jiles in Buffy: The Vampire Slayer , made an appearance in one episode. Of course, he was french and didn't quite have the british accent he had in Buffy. I just find it interesting to see people bounce between shows like they do.
I remember watching Highlander years ago, but it seems most of what I saw has already come to pass. There's only one more secret I know; and all I have to say is it's a mighty big convenience. I will say I'm glad to finally see the relationship between Connor MacLoed of the Highlander movies and Duncan MacLoed of the series. I was glad to see this covered in the very first episode. How did Connor put it? "Same clan, different vintage." Apparently, Duncan heard stories of someone who rose from the dead about 100 years earlier. I'm not sure why they went for this new, but related personality, but we'll see how it all pans out in the end. I've been wanting to watch this series for a while, so I can't wait to get thru it.
Sat
Jan
06
2007
Water
Water is one of the most boring movies I've seen in a while. I will say it's mildly interesting, but not so much as to make me want to sit thru it again. The movie did touch a chord with me, tho. Basically, it's about the Indian culture and how widows are ostracized from the public. I found this very aggravating. Every culture has its close-minded attributes and I hate that. If you're interested in different cultures, then you might want to check it out; otherwise, I don't think I'd recommend this to anyone. Like I said, mildly interesting, but boring as all get-out.
Sat
Jan
06
2007
Gossip
Just as it sounds Gossip is about spreading gossip. Essentially, a group of college friends decide to spread a rumor and watch it grow. The concept is definitely one we've all heard of, I'm sure; but that's not to say I didn't enjoy the movie. While it was somewhat predictable, I liked the guessing game. I recognized a familiar face in the movie, tho, Norman Reedus . For those who don't recognize the name -- I wouldn't -- he was in one of my favorite movies, Boondock Saints . There was talk about a sequel in 2005, but it never happened. Too bad. Actually, spurred by the interest of that sequel, I found out there were legal problems and the sequel is currently seeking funding. That's pretty exciting. You can find out more at the Official Boondock Saints Website .
I hadn't heard about Lies & Alibis before it arrived in the mail, but I liked it. The movie was full of twists and turns. Honestly, the whole concept behind the movie was interesting. I'm not going to say much about it except for, think Hitch , only not. Yeah, yeah, that's not much to go on, but I think you'll be pleased. Don't expect some extraordinary movie, tho. It's still pretty good and I'd recommend it.
Tue
Jan
02
2007
Eragon
While I'm probably one of the few who don't know this, Eragon is apparently a children's book. I didn't expect it to be very good, but I was surprised. I did, in fact, enjoy the movie. The only real complaint I had was the ending, as usual. I had no idea this was a multi-part movie. Of course, I suffered the same aggravation when I watched Lord of the Rings . Sure, I knew it had something to do with a book, but I didn't think it was going to be split up. To be honest, besides a quite vague familiarity with the name, I knew nothing (and still know nothing) of the book. Either way, Eragon was better than I expected. I look forward to the sequel. I'm assuming they're going for a Lord of the Rings type of movie, but it's far off. The plot from Lord of the Rings was much thicker with a better cast. I'm sure anyone familiar with both knows this already. I'm not sure why so many people were disappointed by the movie, tho. I guess they had high expectations where I had none. Either way, I'd suggest you give it a shot, if you like these types of movies..
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