Some Movie Reviews...

So I figured I would post a few movie reviews, hopefully short:) In no particular order...

The Dark Knight
Great film, not only an effective action/adventure/thriller but also a film with depth. A great discussion on good and evil, it's relationship, the concept of escalation and revenge and when the end should justify the means. The writing is quite good (I know Mr. Director didn't like the amount of exposition, but I thought it was appropriate and interesting... what is a good dramatic film but exposition?) the real talent in the writing is the characters. Heath Ledger does and amazing job of making a very bad villain, with almost no back story that is given, multi-dimensional, and much of that is due to the writing. This is true across the board, the acting is great, and much of that has to do with the great writing. The direction is very good, never letting the effects upstage the story or characters. A very good film.

Hellboy II: The Golden Army
I enjoy Guillermo Del Toro films. This one is definitely him. It is funny at times, interesting, a good discussion of fantasy, reality and their relationship. The effects are amazing, and totally Del Toro (the Angel of Death is my favorite). The plot moves well, the action is well staged, the interaction is good. Well directed and written. Don't let the word "Hell" in the title keep you from seeing this or the previous film ("Hellboy").

August Rush
Sentimental fluff, a retelling of Oliver Twist with a musical genius twist. I found the characters to be one dimensional, able to change motivation depending on a needed plot point. Several characters were introduced, were interesting (Robin Williams is the most noticable) but were then left unresolved when they weren't needed anymore. The plot itself is derivative, predictable and more or less unbelievable. The actors do what they can with the material, some better than others. The direction is adequate, but not inspired in any way. The music is good, and the movie is entertaining enough. I enjoyed it, but I don't really want to see it again.

Next
Entertaining, an interesting and engaging sci-fi action adventure with a "time travel" type twist. The plot doesn't linger to long on any one point, which is good because I am sure it could be deconstructed pretty easily. The acting and direction keep everything together, making an enjoyable movie.

Just My Luck
A fluff romantic comedy. The plot is pretty out there, but sticks to its logic pretty well. It is funny, which is good, and has some good music (a major component of the film). The actors work with the concept and each other well, and make the whole thing enjoyable.

A Knight's Tale
I remembered this film as being a funny, romantic action adventure. Revisiting... not as good as I remembered by a long shot. The romance is infuriating at times, the humor is base and often unfunny and the action adventure becomes unbelievable. It's also a ploddingly paced film. Cut about 20 minutes, and it might be a good movie. It has no relation to history. I wouldn't recommend it unless you like time/culture bending jousting movies with apparently intellectually challenged protagonists (here I reference the many times I yelled at the characters for doing something stupid, but required of them to move the plot forward).

Atonement
An interesting and engaging drama, well plotted and well directed, with fine acting. I can see why it got all those awards and nominations. The characters are well defined and played. It also has several superb shots (the tracking shot over Dunkirk is amazing). The writing keeps the characters front and center, but also moves the plot at a good pace. A good solid film.

That's enough for now:)