40Cent @ the movies

[Centurion40]

Saw Jack Reacher yesterday.  I've never read the book(s) and I never even knew about the Jack Reacher character until the movie trailer came out; so I had no preconceived notions.  I didn't even know what to expect.  It was an ok crime thriller; some of the stuff you could see coming, others you could not.  It was fairly serious except for a deliberately funny scene where 2 overly enthusiastic half-witted goons try to mess-up Reacher (Tom Cruise) with a BB bat and a crowbar.

The Reacher character was played like a Libertarian hero, self reliant, strong and living off of the grid- answering to no one but himself and his own sense of morality and justice.  But why Cruise?  What would interest him in THAT role?

Peeps have said that Reacher is supposed to be physically intimidating, so my eye was peeled to see if they'd use some movie magic to make Cruise look larger than he is... and they did.  There was a scene where Reacher was walking through a crowded tavern, and the way the scene was shot, Cruise appeared to be taller than everyone else in the joint.  Accidentally funny.

I'd say that it's an okay rental.  Go ahead and pay full price at the theatre if you've got nothing better to do.

24 out of 40.

[Silent Disapproval Robot]

I saw the latest Die Hard movie today.  It's just plain bad.  I think Willis was on Rohypnol during the entire filming because he was pretty much just sleep walking through the whole thing.

The plot is nonsensical.  It feels like they hired writers from a twitch based video game to come up with set pieces and then tried to build a story around that.  A story that was designed by a marketing committee who found a graph of "cool Die Hard" moments and decided to just reinsert every one of those into this film.

Remember the limo driver from the first film?  We should totally have like a wacky guy who drives Bruce Willis around and makes wisecracks.  Let's make him a Russian cabbie this time!  Brilliant! 

Remember how Alan Rickman and Willis talked about Americans being cowboys in the first film?  We should totally have the bad guy say he hates cowboys!  Brilliant!!

Remember how Bruce Willis had his yippie kay yay catchphrase?  We should come up with a new catchphrase!  I know!  He's in Russia.  Let's have him keep yelling "But I'm on vacation" every time something nearly kills him!  Brilliant!!!

Remember how the bad guy fell off that building in slow motion while looking back up towards the camera?  We should totally do that again!  Brilliant!!!!

What about an intelligent bad guy having a duel of wits with McLean where they both make mistakes and improvise clever solutions on the fly?  Nah, people don't want to see that!  Let's just add more explosions, a psychotic hot chick, and a bunch of Euro types as henchmen.  That's what people really want to see!

2/10

[Arctic Blast]

Yeah, it was pretty weak. they've forgotten that what made John McLane an interesting character was that he WASN'T some sort of indestructible superman out to save the world. I really hope this is the last one.

Also, how in the Hell does that chick MISS THEM with a freaking HELICOPTER?! I mean, she isn't really even all that close!

[Martok]

The title's obvious reference to Star Trek & Klingons aside, I still liked A Good Day to Die Hard well enough.  But then, I rarely expect much from my action films; they're generally a guilty pleasure, nothing more. 

That being said, I will admit I was bothered by how weak the bad guys seemed to be in this one (which SDR also mentions).  They really didn't have that solid a plan, they weren't good at improvising solutions on the fly, and McLane and his son rarely feel like they're ever in much real danger.  I'll credit the movie with surprising me with the reveal/twist towards the end, but otherwise I do have to agree the villains are easily the lamest in the series thus far. 

I really hope this is the last one.

I wouldn't bet on it... 

[Longdan]

Everybody has their favourite for different reasons.  I thought the stupidest one was the one where
the bad guys were crashing airplanes at xmas or something.  Because I worked at Air Traffic Services
that movie had so freakin' many technical plotholes in the premise that I cannot watch it.
Even their attempted band aid explanations are so stupid they are not even wrong.
I suppose when it is an area of expertise it becomes unwatchable.

[eyebiter]

Went to see the Evil Dead (2013).   This is a more serious production, without the quirky humor of the Bruce Campbell films. 
However if you want gore, this is the movie for you.  Solid remake with a darker tone than the original.  Worth the price of admission. 

31/40

[mirth]

Saw GI Joe Retaliation. Not great, but cheesy fun. Needed more hot chicks. Still, much better than the first one.

25/40.

[Windigo]

Saw GI Joe Retaliation. Not great, but cheesy fun. Needed more hot chicks. Still, much better than the first one.

25/40.

You went to a public showing at a theatre?   :oYou better have had kids with you or you risk revokation of your man card. Indulgences like this film should be enjoyed with buds at home, with beer... and a bigscreen.....


;) ;) ;) ;) ;)

[mirth]

Saw GI Joe Retaliation. Not great, but cheesy fun. Needed more hot chicks. Still, much better than the first one.

25/40.

You went to a public showing at a theatre?   :oYou better have had kids with you or you risk revokation of your man card. Indulgences like this film should be enjoyed with buds at home, with beer... and a bigscreen.....


;) ;) ;) ;) ;)

Went with the GF. She enjoyed the beefcake. And I have to admit that The Rock is ruggedly handsome. No Aquaman, but still...

[Bison]

We saw the Croods yesterday.   Excellent family film.

[Centurion40]

We saw the Croods yesterday.   Excellent family film.

Agreed.  Great, colourful animation to boot!

[Silent Disapproval Robot]

I went to see Olympus Has Fallen.  It's dumb, full of plot holes, and spilling over with jingoistic, flag-waving posturing but if you just turn your brain off and go in expecting a dumb movie where a lot of people get shot in the face, it's not so bad.

6.5/10

[Windigo]

I went to see Olympus Has Fallen.  It's dumb, full of plot holes, and spilling over with jingoistic, flag-waving posturing but if you just turn your brain off and go in expecting a dumb movie where a lot of people get shot in the face, it's not so bad.

6.5/10

You are generous ... I saw it with two women who thought it was great... myself...  2 self-performed lobotomy proceedures outta 5

[Centurion40]

The women folk love Gerard Butler.

[Windigo]

The women folk love Gerard Butler.

I loved him in The Ugly Truth....