Due to the increase in ticket prices, I didn’t see as many movies as I wish I could have. I invite anyone who wants to share his or her opinions on any of this summer’s many releases to email [email protected]. Please include your name, the movie title, and a short paragraph for each film. Those chosen will be published in my next column.
Spiderman 3
Directed by Sam Raimi. Co-written by Ivan Raimi. Starring Toby Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, Topher Grace, Thomas Haden Church, and Bryce Dallas Howard.
Good:
The special effects, especially for the highflying swinging battle between Harry and Peter.
Bruce Campbell as the waiter who turned a small role into a great scene as Peter tries to propose to Mary Jane.
J.K Simmons as Jameson — a big difference from Dr. Skota of Law and Order.
Topher Grace as the villain Venom.
Sandman’s intentions.
Harry was more involved and had more character than most of his co-characters.
Bryce Dallas Howard making Gwen likable by apologizing to MJ after realizing evil Peter used her as a pawn to make MJ jealous.
Pink Floyd covered the Spiderman theme song; joining The Ramones, Aerosmith, Michael Buble, and Will Smith.
Bad:
Sam Raimi invited his brother, Ivan, to help write the script. Sometimes peoples’ expectations for a beloved character override publicly giving family a piece of the pie.
Not enough of it to make the audience completely hate Peter after being influenced by the alien tar. He is supposed to be redeemed.
Too many villains = too many subplots = too many problems.
Too much self-awareness of its franchise popularity.
Spiderman giving Gwen the upside down kiss he shared with Mary Jane (private to them, infamous to us).
Peter waking his aunt past midnight to get a ring and then almost lose it more than once because he didn’t keep it safe.
Shrek the Third
Directed by Chris Miller. Written by Andrew Adamson. Starring Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, Antonio Banderas, Julie Andrews, Rupert Everett, Justin Timberlake, and some female SNL cast.
Good:
Everything.
Shrek’s fear of fatherhood expressed in his nightmare.
The baby ogres are so cute.
Prince Charming’s revenge.
Snow White’s opening of Led Zeppelin’s ‘Immigrant Song.’
Merlin
Medieval High School.
One of the best trilogies in a long time.
Bad:
No complaints here.
Knocked Up
Directed and Written by Judd Apatow. Starring Katherine Heigl, Seth Rogen, Paul Rudd, and Leslie Mann.
Good:
All of the cast, direction, and writing.
Allison liked Ben before she got wasted.
The progression of the story and its characters.
Making fun of Hollywood and Ryan Seacrest.
Z100 said this film was about the not so good looking loser getting a woman so out of his league, and their mutual acceptance. But it is also about how appearances can be deceiving. Allison’s personality was the right match for Ben regardless of Katherine Heigl’s physical appearance.
Bad:
Nothing worth mentioning.
Hairspray
Directed by Adam Shankman. Written by Leslie Dixon. Starring Nikki Blonsky, Zac Efron, Amanda Bynes, Brittany Snow, John Travolta, Christopher Walken, Michelle Pfeiffer, Queen Latifah, and James Marsden.
Good:
Nikki Blonsky is Long Island’s newest star.
The choreography, costumes, and music.
The cast.
The makeup and hair that transformed John Travolta into a woman. Goodbye Danny Zuko. Hello Edna Turnbladt.
Jerry Stiller as Mr.Pinky, who was Wilbur in the original film. And Ricki Lake’s cameo.
Spunky Little Inez.
The scene matched against Tracy’s opening number, ‘Good Morning Baltimore.’
The easy adaptation from film to Broadway back to film.
Less expensive than seeing the play.
Bad:
Amanda Bynes as Penny when transitioning from dialogue to song.
Zac Efron riding off the High School Musical phenomenon. Although he did well, he was miscast against Nikki Blonsky.
Wilbur and Edna’s musical interlude taking attention away from the story.
Allison Janey’s dry wit was not used enough.
The Bourne Ultimatum
Directed by Paul Greengrass. Written by Tony Gilroy. Starring Matt Damon, Joan Allen, Julia Stiles, David Strathaim, and Albert Finney.
Good:
The non-stop action and stunt choreography.
The ‘surprise’ when Jason finally makes it to NYC and calls Pamela Landy.
Julia Stiles helping Jason.
Mixing memories and references from the first and second into the third.
The new characters.
As Marie’s brother, Daniel Bruhl makes his American film debut. He is one of the best German actors of German and European cinema; most notably Good-bye Lenin. His talent is ten times better than any of Hollywood’s pretty boys. If he chooses the right American films, good acting will need to be met by higher standards.
The Bourne Ultimatum is the capstone to the spy action thriller trilogy that appeals to and pleases a very broad audience.
Bad:
Some of the camera movements were too harsh and jumpy.
What was Nicky’s past with Jason?
How does Jason move so easily between borders?
How does he outsmart teams of Federal agents?
If the writers let Jason swim away, what will happen next?
No Reservations
Directed by Steve Hicks. Written by Carol Fuchs. Starring Catherine Zeta-Jones, Aaron Eckhart, and Abigail Breslin.
Good:
Aaron Eckhart is always adorable.
Kate does her best to balance work, Zoe, and her relationship with Nick.
Bad:
Did you know No Reservations is a remake of the acclaimed 2001 German film, Mostly Martha?
If you had seen the original, you might be disappointed by the remake.
In the original, the young girl’s father was a good man who didn’t know he had a daughter until Martha contacted him. While in the remake, he is dismissed and never mentioned again.
The ending of No Reservations was sweet, too sweet.
Including the songs, ‘You Can Count on My Love,’ and ‘The Lion Sleeps Tonight.’
Ten year old Zoe made it alone from Manhattan to a graveyard in Brooklyn.
Nick and Zoe make an Italian dinner of pizza.
