It’s been a while since I’ve done this, but with the Saints on the road, I’ve had more evenings free lately, and have been spending them watching movies. Here are some quick reviews. Opinions expressed are all mine.
- You probably remember Hudson Hawk. It’s an improbable story of a cat-burglar who times his breakins by singing tunes, and how he’s working with a secret vatican agent nun. But dangit, it’s a fun movie, if you accept the premise and just lean back and enjoy it. 9 of 10.
- Matt Damon does a nice job of playing a super-spy with amnesia in The Bourne Identity. Franka Potente does a great job as the gal who’s helping him find out who he is. 8 of 10. From the sound of things, they’re planning to do movies from the other two books in the trilogy eventually, but don’t hold your breath—The Bourne Supremacy is slated for 2005.
- Phone Booth stars Colin Farrell as an self-absorbed publicist who’s trapped in a phone booth by a sniper. It’s a story that Hitchcock reportedly wanted to do, but couldn’t figure out a good reason for someone to be trapped in a phone booth. I guess I’d give it a 7 of 10, but maybe an 8. Not much in the way of action, per se, but still plenty going on. It’s only 81 minutes long, but seemed longer, in a good way.
- True Crime is a story about a man convicted of a murder he didn’t commit, who’s to be executed that night. Clint Eastwood plays the (formerly drunk) reporter who’s trying to prove they’ve got the wrong guy. 7 of 10, only because it’s a little more predicable than I’d like.
- Jackie Chan and Owen Wilson are back as Roy O’Bannon and Chon Wang in Shanghai Knights. Yeah, it’s a sequel, but it’s a reasonable story and it’s a Jackie Chan movie, so I have to like it. If you liked the first one, you’ll enjoy this one, too. 8 of 10.
- The Toxic Avenger’s certainly not a good movie, but it’s actually paced pretty well, and there’s enough T & A so even when it gets slow, there’s something to watch. Add in some gratuitous gore, and you’ve got a fine movie for sitting around and drinking beer while you watch it. Probably only a 4 or 5 of 10, unless you’re loaded.
- The Farrelly Brothers do the Three Stooges. And I mean that in the
rape
sense ofdo
. Bleagh. [steveo]