3 movie mini reviews!!!!!

I know, its been awhile but expect much in the coming weeks!  There will be a same day review of "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" as well as several film reviews including these three!

The Day:  This post-apocalyptic film is an apocalypse of its own.  The title refers to how long the first 30 minutes felt like.  F

The Bay:  A heavy handed anti-pollution or anti-poultry industry (not sure which) posing as a horror film-film.  Yet, still a decent enough watch and suitably creepy at times. C

Pitch Perfect:  After the first hour and about 15 minutes, the film takes on a massive charm and sucks you in, but the only things that got me through that first 75 minutes was a good performance from the wonderful Anna Kendrick and especially a magnificent take from Rebel Wilson's "Fat Amy".  B

Mini Review: "The Expendables 2"

Much like the first, this one is an epic shut your brain off slice of big fat cheesy fun.

B+

Mini Review: "Argo"

An amazing job of putting us back into the iranian hostage crisis, maybe the most accurate period movie to come along lately.  Great acting and oustanding direction.  One of the top films of this year.

A+

Mini Review: "Resident Evil: Retribution"

This is one of my favorite franchises right now.  Sure none of the films are what you'd call "good", but they work on a 4 part formula:  BIG (gunfights, zombies, explosions), LOUD(soundtracks, gunfire, explosions), DUMB (scarcest of plotlines), FUN (you walk in and out w/a smile on your face).  However, "Retribution" loses the most vital part of the equation (fun) and loads up on the dumb leaving it a bit hollow.

D

2 more mini reviews!

2016 Obama's America:  Interesting look into the history of the "president", smartly stays out of moron birther territory by pointing out birth announcements in newspapers and other more important reasons to vote for anyone but him in Nov.  B-

Fat Girl:  2001 French film about a difficult family dynamic, focusing on 12 year old Anais (the titular fat girl) and her older, more attractive sister Elena.  Brilliant look at sibling rivalry and family dysfunction with an ending that opens up to much interpretation.  A

2 mini reviews!

Butter:  A black comedy allegedly intended as an allegory to the 08 democrat primaries, some interesting moments (admittedly, the intimate scene involving Ashley Green and Olivia Wilde was one) but overall not that good.  D

Cosmopolis:  A seemingly allegorical movie, very introspective and almost too deep for its own good, will polarize audiences.  Love it or hate it, Cronenberg brings out the best in star Robert Pattinson, who reveals some talent underneath the pre-teen-girl-panty-tingling sparkling he's mainly known for.  A+

Mini Review: "Juan of the Dead"

Low budget Cuban variant of the classic Shaun of the Dead has none of the intelligence, wit or heart of what it mimics, and in fact is shockingly dull.

F