Manuel on Movies #10

First off, thanks to all the kind words from you all in our difficult time last week. Yeah, that is about all I want to say on that. Let's move on...

Some more reviews for you including a couple from a couple of months ago that I forgot to do...




Zach and Miri Make a Porno - I love Kevin Smith movies. I have loved them from the first time I saw Clerks and wondered how they could get away with saying those kinds of things in a movie. Always riding that thin line between funny and obscene, his movies crack me up. When I first heard he would be making a movie about people making porn, I knew he would be taking it to the next level. Boy, did he ever! Now, like usual, I was never offended, but it was easily the most vulgar movie I had ever seen. It was funny as hell and some scenes had me rolling in my seat, but boy was it raunchy. I guess a movie about porn (although it is a sweet love story) was bound to be like that. Here is what did make me uncomfortable as we sat in the theater watching it. A couple of rows up from us were 2 kids, both no older than 10 years old. Yes, on the screen was full frontal nudity, simulated sex acts, and raunchy language, and there were two young kids there - by themselves. How did they get there? Well, when the movie started, they walked in with an adult woman who proceeded to sit them down, and then once they were situated, she took off for the back of theater, to do what or see who, who knows? The fact that they were sitting there by themselves made me very uncomfortable. Still, despite this, I loved the movie. Is was pretty much what I expected and that is good enough for me. 7.5 out of 10


Horton Hears a Who - Quite a difference from the above movie, no? I just saw this the other day as we were given the DVD for Christmas. Despite us being big Dr. Seuss fans as well as fans of Jim Carey and Steve Carrell, we never saw this in the theater. This was a cute family film and there were even a couple of scenes where surprisingly, I laughed out loud. The animation was great and there were like usual, a few in-jokes that probably only adults would get. I am glad we got to see this. 7 out of 10



Journey to the Center of the Earth - When this movie remake came out at the movies in the Summer, I thought it looked like it would be a train wreck and stayed way clear of it. The surprisingly, someone gave it to us for Christmas. You know, it wasn't bad. Not a masterpiece by any means, it was at least watchable and I could see myself watching it over and over if I was a kid. Almost like an Indiana Jones for kids under 10. In the theater, it was in 3D so watching it on DVD, you can clearly see where some scenes were set up for the 3D and it suffers because of this when watching it on DVD. "Why did he just hold that light right up to the screen like that?" Scenes like this give the movie an extra dose of cheesiness it probably didn't need, but in the end, like I said, it was watchable and kept my interest. 6 out of 10





The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - Beautiful. Honestly, I could probably stop right there because that really sums up what I felt about this movie. I really thought this movie was flawless and didn't mind at all the nearly three hour run time. It felt like a fairy tale and was just so heartwarming, it made me become the most emotional I have had in a long time in a film. Pitt is wonderful and the special effects in this movie to have him at various sizes are simply astounding. The makeup was also great as well, heavy at first since he starts off as an old man, and then gradually getting less and less and he gets "younger." There are very few perfect films that are made. This is one of them. 10 out of 10





Saw V - By now it is just keeping up the tradition - end of October, I know I am going to go see a new Saw sequel. It's like clockwork. Like the other films, there are traps, gruesome deaths, and twists. Like the other ones, I was entertained. Not high art by any means, the continuing storyline of Jigsaw keeps me intrigued. Some movie franchises get destroyed by pointless sequel after sequel (see most 80s horror franchises), but somehow, the Saw series still keeps me entertained and anxious for the next one. Yes, many are people are done with this series, but I still eagerly await each one. 7 out of 10



Vantage Point - What a clever film. The actual storyline of the film is maybe 30 minutes tops. Everything that happens in this 90+ minute film happens within a thirty minute "real time" time frame. So, how does it fill 90 minutes? The story is told from the view points of the various characters in the film. We see a scene from the view point of a character and just when they are about to reveal an important clue, they start all over from someone else's point of view, basically teasing us by turning us the other way right as they are about pull the curtain for the big reveal. Focusing on an assassination attempt, bombing, and kidnapping, there is plenty to be revealed that is hinted at through the various characters but not fully revealed until the very end. It keeps you on the edge of your seat and intrigued. I quite enjoyed this film. 7.5 out of 10



Wall E - If I told you that I just saw a movie that was stuffed full of social commentary; an attack on the American way of life, you might think that I just saw a Michael Moore movie. You probably wouldn't think I just saw a Pixar film. But that is what Wall E is. Yes, kids can enjoy the film and based on how much it made, they did. But this movie probably goes right over the head of children as the messages, although too much for children to grasp, are there to smack you right in the face if you are adult. On the defensive are our lifestyles, our destruction of the environment, and even our tendency to drive out little stores in favor of a one stop fits all big box store. All this from a movie where the two main characters barely speak a word. Now, this is a brilliant film and visually stunning, especially on Blu Ray. The story is wonderful and touching. But this movie goes beyond touching and really drives home its point about the lives we lead, much to the chagrin of many I am sure.. I loved it, but this social commentary may turn off some people. Or, perhaps people won't even notice. Who knows. 9 out of 10



Wanted - I actually thought this looked kind of silly when it came out at the movies. It looked like the special effects might be cool, but that is about it. I rented it on Blu the other day and I LOVED it. Yes, the special effects were great. Not just great, but they were cool. Almost as if it was taking off where the FIRST Matrix film left off. But the story was great too. It had some twists I did not expect and the narration by the main character throughout the film was clever and witty. The action scenes were top notch thanks to the special effects, but it was definitely not an "action first and the script comes secondary" kind of movie(Not that there is anything wrong with those kind of movies on occasion.) They left it open for a potential sequel and I, in fact, hope that they will. I plan on buying this. 9 out of 10.