C Movies
Cloverfield Commercial – Slusho!
When I saw the trailer for Cloverfield a number of months back, I was pretty excited about the movie. I knew that it was the brainchild of J. J. Abrams, who created Lost and was involved with Mission Impossible 3.
I don’t have time to research this a lot right now, but I couldn’t help but laugh when I saw this video for “Slusho – Happy Expressions”. It’s this Japanese drink company and somehow it relates to the Cloverfield movie debuting on the 18th of January next year. It’s some sort of viral campaign for the movie, I think I read somewhere that there is a contest to make the best Slusho Commercial. Check it out. If you don’t say to yourself, “What the Hell?” then you may need to check yourself into a rehab program, you my friend are too far gone and things like this seem like everyday life. But I love random stuff, and this made me laugh out loud.
Cars (2006)
Who’s Voice is in it
Owen Wilson, Paul Newman, Bonnie Hunt, Larry the Cable Guy
What was good
As you can tell from the rating everything. But what really struck me was how realistic things were. The reflections on the surfaces and the backdrops, it is all just so breaktaking. They take the best pieces of the characters and animate them in such a way to give them more depth, and giving just enough human qualities to non human objects. I feel like a broken record, but it was one of the most amazing things
I have ever seen, and I think that had to do because they chose cars as subject matter.
What sucked
I honestly can’t think of anything.
Who should go see this
Everyone. I think that Pixar keeps raising the bar, and that is exactly the way it should be. There is more adult humor, not quite like Shrek, but there is something there for everyone. Romance, some animated action, humor, a great story, and visuals. Having seen it twice now, I really know that kids think it is funny, which is expected but good to know.
Clerks II (2006)
Who’s Voice is in it (Who’s Not?)
Rosario Dawson, Jason Mewes, Kevin Smith, Jason Lee, Wanda Sykes, Ben Affleck
Should you see this movie?
Unless you are Clerks I fan, no. Vulgarity to offend is the whole point, and I could watch this once so I seemed cool, but I didn’t really enjoy it all that much. Now, I think others who have seen and really enjoyed the first one will love this. The underlying story is pretty simple, one man unsure about what to do with his future, marry because it is easy and seems like what he should do, or pursue the harder life and true love. It is amazing that this much of a story is underneath all of the interactions and the donkey show.
Click (2006)
Who’s Voice is in it (Who’s Not?)
Adam Sandler, Kate Beckinsale, Sean Austin, Henry Wrinkler, Christopher Walken, David Hasselhoff
Should you see this movie?
Yes, go to see this one, but keep in mind that the previews make this look like a typical Sandler movie when it really is half a funny Sandler movie and half of Punch Drunk Love somberness. In this one Sandler is an architect trying to get ahead, provide for his family, have enough time, the usual kind of stuff. He wishes there was some way he could balance it all, enter Walken, who gives Sandler a remote to fast forward, pause, basically control his life with a special tv remote. The problem being is that the remote remembers things, preferences, how he acted before, and does it in the future. This starts to spiral his life out of control and he misses large pieces of it, becoming an old man. As I said, the movie turns not funny half way in, and changes into a life lesson. But it is still an interesting idea and since it is funny it does make for an entertaining night, just be warned.
Cruel Intentions (1997)
Who’s in it
Reese Witherspoon, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Selma Blair, Ryan Philippe
What was good
If you like evil, seduction and devious teenagers who act 12 years more sexually advanced then they should be, then this is a good movie for you. I like it for the dark humor related to the content, and the beautiful people and the characters they play, the whole movie is kind of a tease.
What sucked
The acting isn’t the best, Philippe is hard to swallow most of the movie even though he does have some comic delivery. But this movie is really dated for me now. It does deal with high school type betrayal and lust and other adult concepts in young kids and can be hard to relate to or even believe.
Who should go see this
If you like those high school / college movies, this just isn’t the party type. This is not a date movie, and this isn’t a movie I would watch on a first time couples date, more of something that I would watch maybe if you really like Reese Witherspoon. She seems really young in this movie, but beyond that, if you like this genre you’ll like this but I don’t know who I would actually recommend this to among my friends, it would be very limited.
Chronicles of Narnia (2005)
Who’s in it
No one you know, many animated animals and Gabriel from Constantine
What was good
Very good job of bringing this story to life, from the main characters such as Aslan and the children, to the scenery and the fantastic sci-fi world, the wardrobe, the fully animated characters, etc. etc. Weta, that worked on Lord of the Rings, also worked on the costuming for this one as well. But really true to the book from what I remembered, and with Disney at the helm I think they watched over the intended audience. Having said that…
What sucked
Having Disney at the helm, and that this movie came after LOTR, I felt really bored through a lot of this movie. I know it is for kids, but I thought that it was awkward how far out of the way they tried to cut out most violence. Most of the violence is to animals, and they just fall over, and I am not saying you need that, but if you are going for a realistic subject for some of these animated characters, you need to go all the way not just pick and choose what makes sense to keep parents happy. Plus, this movie felt low budget at times, because watching this movie, it is hard to not compare it to LOTR, and in that class, you really have to equal or push new ground and that was hardly the case with this one. There were some funny green screen moments, and more tell than show at parts to really get a grasp for the characters especially the Ice Queen.
Who should go see this
I would recommend this to most people, because I think most will like this. Fun, adventure, magical and visual, and true to a great Christian based story. But for anyone who has particular taste you may not like this for your own personal enjoyment. Parents will love it, 20 somethings maybe not if you don’t have a Christian background and empathize in what the director was balancing.
The Constant Gardener (2005)
Starring Rachel (Tessa) Weisz and Ralph(Justin) Fiennes, this is a movie about Corporate America’s drug testing that they want kept quiet in Africa.
This is a good movie. The storytelling isn’t completely original, but it is a nice way of giving the viewer a true sense of how much Justin and Tessa love each other. From how they awkwardly met, Tessa at Justin’s throat to the end, when you learn that the distance between them is because Tessa is trying to protect Justin, from things he doesn’t need to know.
Tessa, a strong willed individual, has just met Justin and for whatever reason that I missed, is going to Africa. An English diplomat, it seems feasible. Whilst in Africa, Tessa, a bleeding heart for all people in need, starts to poke around and upsets some people. Well, the movie starts out with the news that she has been raped and murdered. The a good chunk of the movie is told backwards, including how they met right up to the point of when she died. When the back story catches up to current time, Justin sets out to finish what Tess starts, at the cost of his life. To expose a pharmaceutical company that is testing a new drug on Africans who they believe “Will die anyway”.
A very well made movie, emotional, this is something my parents may like. It is brutal, the violence in Africa, and it is very sad. For that reason, although it is good, it isn’t something you’d want to own for entertainment value.
