In Theaters:
- Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen - You may have heard of this one, it’s about a bunch of giant robot cars set on world domination and the giant robot cars trying to stop them. Oh, and there’s some humans mixed in there, namely Shia LeBouf and Megan Fox. Oh, and some explosions too … lots and lots of explosions. It is a Michael Bay flick after all. Came out today. Watch it in IMAX. Portions were filmed in IMAX on 70mm film (standard film is 35mm, IMAX doubles that and turns the picture on its side, making the picture 9 times larger than your standard release … I told you, giant robots), and let’s face it, if you’re going to spend all that money on the theater, you might as well get the biggest robots you can. This has turned into the largest description in the history of This Week in Movies. Michael Bay would be proud. BOOM.
~ Save to Netflix
- My Sister’s Keeper – I haven’t heard anything about this one, but it stars Cameron Diaz, so I wouldn’t watch it with your eyes.
~ Save to Netflix
On Video:
Past Video Releases of Note:
- Gran Torino – Clint Eastwood directs Clint Eastwood as a crotchety old man who learns to love his punk kid neighbors. It looks really good despite my lame description, but I have a platonic man-crush on Clint Eastwood, wrinkles and all.
~ Add to Netflix
- The International – Clive Owen and Naomi Watts go to war against a national bank. It got mediocre reviews, but looks like a fun enough rent.
~ Add to Netflix
Tags: Michael Bay, movie, Rental, theater, This Week in Movies, video
Kyle Terry is DrChocolate and my good friend from college who I asked to help me out with my movie reviews. My budget limits the amount of movies I can see and the good Dr, while having similar taste in movies as me, often has differing viewpoints that I think will be valuable to the site.
Whiz-bang fizz pop. That’s where director McG excels, and he shows it in Terminator Salvation with many many dogfights, fistfights, and gunfights. I’m sure anybody reading this knows the Terminator back story, so I’ll skip it and dive right in: McG, he of the infinitely vexing moniker, actually acquits himself quite well to the Terminator material and luckily for him, the parts that seem destined to spin off into la-la land are saved by an effectively gritty Christian Bale. The action scenes pop and move furiously, but not without a sense of purpose. They, barely I’ll admit, transcend the Michael Bay action-for-actions-sake vortex, but they plunge, swerve, and explode on a grand scale and are generally effective because you care about the cast. As mentioned, I think McG needs to graciously thank his cast for keeping this movie in line. The performances from Bale and Anton Yelchin as a young Kyle Reese are particularly good. Newcomer Sam Worthington is charismatic as a mysterious outsider (although the previews completely spoiled why he’s mysterious), this despite that fact that he doesn’t do much but glower and fight, though I believe that’s more the scripts fault than his. Bryce Dallas Howard is a victim of the screen writing as well; her role seems ancillary and underwritten. The entire Terminator saga has not come without its fair share of clunky, brick heavy dialogue and some poorly manufactured emotion and this installment is no exception in that department either. However, I ended up liking this movie far more than I thought I would. Recommended for a weekend of surprisingly well-made whiz-bang fizz pop.
Tags: Christian Bale, McG, Movie Reviews, Terminator Salvation
In Theaters:
- The Hangover – Four friends go to Vegas for a bachelor party and wake up the next day with alcohol induced amnesia. Mike Tyson ensues.
~ Save to Netflix queue
- Land of the Lost – Will Ferrel remakes a 70s camp-fest with expected results. Be sure to watch him on Man vs. Wild, Thurs. June 4 on Discovery channel.
~ Save to Netflix queue
- My Life in Ruins – Nia Vardalos (Big Fat Greek) is a tour guide in Greece who is unhappy with life. I can’t tell if this is supposed to be a sequel or not. I can tell it’s going to be 2 hours of Greek-flavored poo.
~ Save to Netflix queue
On Video:
- He’s Just Not that Into You – Marketed as a romantic comedy that really understands women and their woes. In reality, it’s directed by the 51-year-old married male director of such gems as License to Wed, The Beautician and the Beast, and Dunston Checks In … Oh, and Sesame Street’s Follow That Bird. That movie changed my life.
~ Add to Netflix queue
- Defiance – James Bond organizes a rag-tag rebel army to fight the Nazis. Sounds like Return of the Jedi with less Ewoks.
~ Add to Netflix queue
- Revolutionary Road – Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Road to Perdition) directs Leo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet as they battle through the struggles of marriage. Looked pretty good.
~ Add to Netflix queue
Tags: Movies, Rental, theater, This Week in Movies, video
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