The soundtrack was reeeally distracting, like vintage deVol stuff from the 60s, which would have been tolerable had it been set then, but the film is set in the 90s.  Matt Damon is very good in this wacky but supposedly true story that seems like something Kurt Vonnegut made up.  It runs much too long, though, and wears out its welcome.

FF=2

An off-beat documentary about 3 guitar guys: 2 genuine legends (Jimmy Page and The Edge) plus Jack White.  I didn’t think much of White before this but came away respecting him.

FF=2

Very violent but in a comic-book way.  The bullet budget could have paid off my mortgage.  I got a definite “Boon Docks Saints” vibe from it.  If you liked that film, you’ll like this.

FF=2

With Matt Damon and Morgan Freeman headlining, I thought this might be a typically crappy Hollywood biopic, but it has a documentary feel and Freeman brings tremendous dignity to the Mandela role.

FF=2 (some of the rugby sequences go on too long)

Who knew what John Woo could do? (I could =not= resist that sentence.) “Do” would be an historical epic, and he did a great job.  I confess to knowing next to nothing about Chinese history and all the various Emperors and dynasties, but I learned something here.  The clashing armies and fleets must have been awesome in the theatre, but even on my home screen they’re impressive.

FF=2 (as with most Asian directors, Woo lets his martial arts sequences run too long)

Got a feeling this film was trying to out bloody Kill Bill, but a lot of the blood was CG, and that doesn’t count.  Nowhere near Kill Bill as a film, but not a bad way to kill 96 minutes.

FF=2

Any film with Gary Oldman and Denzel Washington can’t be bad, and this isn’t.  But it could have used a more coherent plot. The book in question is a bible and the tagline goes: “Some will kill to have it. He will kill to protect it.” But it’s never clear what good it’s going to do for whoever possesses it.  Some good Mad-Maxish action sequences though.

FF=2

It’s too long, and it’s more of a prequel to the familiar Robin Hood story we all grew up with, but I enjoyed this film. I can’t speak much to the history (I know Richard died in France but I don’t recall Philip invading the British Isles), but I was carried along by the various treacheries and betrayals that pepper the plot, and excellent action sequences (which you expect from Ridley Scott).  I didn’t find much chemistry between Crowe and Blanchett, so I tended to FF through those scenes.

FF=2

Three separate storylines that seem to have nothing in common but collide at the end.  I usually love this type of a tale but this kind of fell flat for me.

FF=2

In martial arts, Michael Jai White is sort of the anti-Bruce Lee. No little cat cries or funny faces, no eye-popping acrobatics. He’s an irresistible force who methodically demolishes his opponents.  The downside of that is he never comes up against anyone who seems a real threat.  A by-the-numbers revenge plot fills the spaces between the fights.  Meh.

FF=2