Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Well, all I can say about this film is "Terrific".

Who cares what the critics have to say about it..go see this film anyway.

I truly enjoyed Johnny Depp's characterization of Willy Wonka..try to convince me he didn't model it after Michael Jackson!

Freddie Highmore is wonderful as Charlie Bucket. The chemestry between them is great. (see Finding Neverland).

The casting of Helena Bonham Carter and Noah Taylor as Charlies parents was perfect, and Christopher Lee as Willy's father give some insight into why Willie is as shut down as he is.

PInk Sheep, Suspended Cows, Oompa-Loompas, Violet, Augustus, Mike-tv, Veruca, Grandpa Joe, they're all there.

I liked it, and I can't wait to see it again.

til next time!

Fantastic Four

I like it!!

After such a run of marginal films..I really enjoyed this one. The personality of each fantastic character really shines brightly, Particularly in the case of The Thing.

The Torch's sharp, self centered wit could have been dialed back a bit. There could have been less time showing us how they each figure out how to control their respective fantastic ability. And there could have been more time spent actually fighting Dr. Doom. But these are little bumps in the road, and did not really detract from the movie as a whole.

I'm looking forward to future installments.

til next time

Penny

War of the Worlds

More and more of my little blurbs seem to start out with:
"I'm SO over "

One relationship I really don't get is Spielberg/Cruise.

This movie is not supposed to be comedic. Between the down right awful performance by Tom, and the hysterical screaming of Dakota, this movie is barely tolerable.

A dangerous message that comes across clearly in the movie is:
"The aliens will start at the poor sections of town. They will destroy them, but they won't touch the rich sections of town."

The ending is down right awful...and I"m talking about the ending AFTER the proper, traditional ending to the story.

There are some good things..
The effects are very very good. Those aspects are very enjoyable. But overall..I'd have to say that this isn't even a renter. Wait for cable! and skip the pay-per-view.

til next time

Penny

Mr & Mrs Smith

First let me say up front..I'm so OVER Brad Pitt!

I went to see this on my own because I just think Angelina is hot..no doubt about it. You'd have to be dead between the ears to not think she's hot.

So, the film. The boy/girl sniping got old very quickly. The action scenes were fairly satisfying. The result is a resounding "this film was OK". Just OK.

Now in this case..the film is in a real life setting, not clearly a fantasy as in the Lara Kroft, Tomb Raider series. In these cases
I am always concerned when girls get into martial arts type fights with guys who are equally trained. Ya see I have some martial arts training myself and I KNOW that a trained girl against an equally trained guy is probably gonna lose! Also when you see people take round-house kicks to the face, and stand up and come after more..well that just doesn't happen. The fight is over. The person kicked is not getting up. The same is true with correographed fights where one person, in some sort of work boot, or leather shoe, kickes the other repeatedly in the abdomen...the fight is over. This is particularly true if the kick-ee is a female.

So I worry about the millions of moron American movie viewers. You know who they are. They're the ones who believe that Ah-Nold really IS the terminator, rather than a role created in a writer and actors imagination. They think that this fight stuff is real.

I worry that people, particularly women, will get hurt.

till next time,

Penny