A hat store in West LA (okay, Santa Monica/Venice) for the past five years and I didn’t know about it. Sheesh. Anyway, went there yesterday to pick up a blue fedora. Awesome.

Fedora Primo

Ebert was right, it IS two movies in one, and half will like the first while the other half will like the second. I’m the former, I enjoyed the building suspense and the curiosity evoked by Ewan’s character Lincoln Six Echo. I enjoyed the science and the future society depicted. Once they discovered the turth (and I don’t have to spoil it for you since the damned commercials do that already) and exit into the real world, Michael Bey signals you, right then and there, that it’s time to start the new movie, by doing his signature helicopter-camera-spin around the actors looking-around-confused shot. Then it’s an action movie.

To be honest, The Island would have been a tight scifi/suspense pic almost like Gattaca if they kept the mood of the first half all the way to end. There really is no need for the big action set pieces except to see stuff blow up. Realistically, mercenary/bounty hunters wouldn’t run around a city like Los Angeles in armored vans and cars and jet-powered flying bikes and instead hide in the shadows tracking their prey without attracting the attention of the law. But really, people like stuff like that, and I enjoyed the big action set pieces as much as everyone else (some of it is ridiculous and awesome in its sheer … uh… ridiculousity.. ahem). So I don’t mind that this movie is trying to be a summer action flick, and I enjoyed it enough that I need not wish for a better version without the exploisions.

It’s good, and Ewan’s good, and Scarlett Johansson’s gotten prettier (and sexier) on top of already being a decent actress.

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Surprisingly similar to the original one starring Walter Matthau and Tatum O’Neal. And how the hell did they find another kid like Tanner or Amad? Virtual carbon copies, I tell you, including demeanor.

It’s the Bad News Bears. It’s Little League at its finest and worst, with kids that act likes kids (none of that fancy Dakota Fanning, Haley Joel Osment creepy adult-like panach? here) and spew language like kids.

I liked it a lot.

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Enjoyable movie. It’s a fun ride until the last 20 minutes, when movie conventions take over and demand a happy, if completely unbelievable based on the previous 100 minutes, ending.

Matinee. See a matinee, at best.

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After watching The Living Daylights again after all these years, I actually have to say that Timothy Dalton played James Bond to the best of my expectations. Unfortunately, the films during his tenure were not as spectacular or imaginative, particularly in the way of villains, which while making the film more realistic (even with the gadgets and cars) did take away from Bond magic.

I need to find a hatterer in LA. This could be difficult.

Great movie, definitely better than the psychedelic version starring Gene Wilder (though I enjoy that one, as well).

The songs are present, this time keeping to Roald Dahl’s lyrics (which do not have an Oompa Loompa do-pa-ti-do chorus), but the music set in different styles according to Elfman’s whimsy.

Speaking of Elfman, this is the first score in a long while that made a significant mark, not only as good accompaniment to the film, but can, when listened to alone, bring the appropriate scenes of the film back in your mind. This is something the Batman Begins soundtrack, while a good mood-setter in the theater, lacks.

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Actually, not bad. Starts and ends the same — you know, with the drunken car ride and the gameball. The meat of it is entertaining enough on a matinee ticket, so I didn’t feel cheated.

Good for a rental.

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Romero used the genre he created as a form of social commentary, even if that very genre was mostly used just for the horror and gore aspect by his descendants. This one is no different.

It’s an enjoyable film, not so much scary as a solid adventure story with a moral lesson. It’s still gory as all hell, though. No, really, your stomach will turn in some of the scenes.

Good fun.

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