Movie Reviews
Blood Diamond. Above average fictionalized piece on the Africa diamond trade, its illicit dealings, and its affect on the people of Africa. Perhaps a bit too preachy from time to time, and featuring an over-idealized supporting character, but overall a good story with very good acting. Recommended. A-.
Wall-E. I prefer the edgier or the funnier Pixar pieces, such as The Incredibles and Ratatouille. Having said that, Wall-E is a good way to spend an afternoon, but falls into Pixar’s second tier. The plot is predictable and hits you over the head with environmentalism and health issues. Even if you find yourself agreeing with this advocacy, its heavy-handedness is almost cringe-inducing. The graphics and technical aspects of the film are outstanding, as you might expect. However, brilliant CGI never equates to brilliant storytelling. Mildly recommended. B+.
Night at the Museum. I know this is meant to be a silly, childish movie, but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s a silly, childish movie. Even with a plot that forces you to suspend your disbelief to begin with, you have to end up suspending it even more to sit through the contrived storyline. Right. Nothing to see here…move along… C.
Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead. If you don’t like movies that only feature characters you don’t like, then you won’t like this one. A strong cast demonstrate a wide range of human weaknesses in a chain of Murphy’s-Law-inspired events, where everything just keeps going wrong. Very worthwhile. A.