Netflix Diary
1. The Simpsons Movie
The numerous jokes about paying to see a movie version of a TV show were funny, and may have preempted the most obvious criticisms of this, but didn't actually render them untrue. And I'm glad I waited to catch it on DVD, because the lingering feeling of an overlong latter day episode would've been worse if I'd centered a Friday night out around seeing this in the theater. Don't get me wrong it was good, in the same way that better new episodes, or old reruns that I haven't seen in long enough to forget some of the jokes, are still enjoyable. But considering that I like the South Park movie better than any episode of the actual show, I feel like they could've stepped it up here more in some way, if not necessarily in a musical direction.
2. Ocean's Thirteen
As suffocatingly stylized and smug as these movies can come off, they are well crafted and have enough twists to keep you interested, and this might be my favorite of the three, especially since they flip the whole heist premise on its ear and make it a completely different kind of job. Clooney is strangely a non-presence in this one, and most of the laughs come from Matt Damon (who, between "I'm Fucking Matt Damon," the portrayal of him in Team America, and his scenes in Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back, is becoming the funniest serious actor on the A-list).
3. 1408
As I've mentioned before, J.G. and I have a Valentine's Day ritual of ordering Chinese and renting horror movies, and this year this was one of our selections. Kind of a standard Stephen King adaptation but something a little different for Cusack. It didn't really shock or scare me but did succeed in making me feel antsy and uncomfortable along with the protagonist.
4. The Reaping
Our other VDay flick, I'd been wanting to see this since the first trailer and still did even after the horrible reviews. I liked it, though, good and creepy with the pleasant surprise of Idris Elba in a major role (if still a generic sidekick role).
5. Blades Of Glory
Post-Semi-Pro, people seem good and sick of Will Ferrell sports comedies, but I figure this is still at least the best of the bunch, even if that's not saying much (having been vaguely unsatisfied by Talladega Nights and given the impression that the other 2 suck). I didn't figure Jon Heder to do anything of worth after being potentially forever typecast in his iconic debut role in an incredibly awful 'cult' comedy, but he's actually pretty funny in this.
The numerous jokes about paying to see a movie version of a TV show were funny, and may have preempted the most obvious criticisms of this, but didn't actually render them untrue. And I'm glad I waited to catch it on DVD, because the lingering feeling of an overlong latter day episode would've been worse if I'd centered a Friday night out around seeing this in the theater. Don't get me wrong it was good, in the same way that better new episodes, or old reruns that I haven't seen in long enough to forget some of the jokes, are still enjoyable. But considering that I like the South Park movie better than any episode of the actual show, I feel like they could've stepped it up here more in some way, if not necessarily in a musical direction.
2. Ocean's Thirteen
As suffocatingly stylized and smug as these movies can come off, they are well crafted and have enough twists to keep you interested, and this might be my favorite of the three, especially since they flip the whole heist premise on its ear and make it a completely different kind of job. Clooney is strangely a non-presence in this one, and most of the laughs come from Matt Damon (who, between "I'm Fucking Matt Damon," the portrayal of him in Team America, and his scenes in Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back, is becoming the funniest serious actor on the A-list).
3. 1408
As I've mentioned before, J.G. and I have a Valentine's Day ritual of ordering Chinese and renting horror movies, and this year this was one of our selections. Kind of a standard Stephen King adaptation but something a little different for Cusack. It didn't really shock or scare me but did succeed in making me feel antsy and uncomfortable along with the protagonist.
4. The Reaping
Our other VDay flick, I'd been wanting to see this since the first trailer and still did even after the horrible reviews. I liked it, though, good and creepy with the pleasant surprise of Idris Elba in a major role (if still a generic sidekick role).
5. Blades Of Glory
Post-Semi-Pro, people seem good and sick of Will Ferrell sports comedies, but I figure this is still at least the best of the bunch, even if that's not saying much (having been vaguely unsatisfied by Talladega Nights and given the impression that the other 2 suck). I didn't figure Jon Heder to do anything of worth after being potentially forever typecast in his iconic debut role in an incredibly awful 'cult' comedy, but he's actually pretty funny in this.
This entry was posted
on Tuesday, March 18, 2008 at 10:47 AM.
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kiss out the jams : 10:35 AM