I saw The X Files the same day as Swing Vote and I wasn't thrilled with it either. It kept my attention but I had wanted some more scary parts, but what can you do? I never watched The X Files when I was younger, but I knew the main synopsis behind the show.
For those who don't know, the show is about FBI agent, Fox Mulder (David Duchovny), who believes in paranormal activity, but Dr. Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson), his partner, does not. Scully tries to find the reasonable explanation, while Mulder "wants to believe" that some things are paranormal. In The X-Files: I Want to Believe, Mulder and Scully are finally a couple and living together, but they still call each other by their last names, which confused me but I guess a habit is a habit.
Mulder and Scully no longer work for the FBI when the movie begins, but are asked back when a priest claims he is having psychic visions about an FBI agent that had gone missing the day before. Mulder and Scully agree to go back and help out, but as usual odd things happen and some can be explained and some can't. After a second woman is kidnapped, they start to find some connections and are able to come up with a theory and a suspect.
Anderson and Duchovny still have great chemistry from what I have seen of X-Files episodes and they did a good job. I think the material they had to work with wasn't grade-A, so their abilities were short-changed. The supporting actors were mediocre, and some were really creepy as you'd expect, especially a certain dog at the end. Yikes!
Anyways, I suggest the same as with Swing Vote, wait to rent this one, I don't know if it's worth movie theater prices, unless of course you're a die hard X-Files fan. If you are, then you've probably have already seen it.
Friday, August 22, 2008
Swing Vote
I saw Swing Vote about 2 weeks ago, been busy with things so I'm just getting around to my reviews now. The trailers intrigued me, and who doesn't love Kevin Costner. I mean Field of Dreams is a great movie.
Swing Vote had an interesting concept. After all of the votes were tallied, one vote hadn't counted because of a computer malfunction and the race was so tight that the entire Presidential Election came down to that one vote, Bud Johnson's (Kevin Costner) vote. When this happened, both Presidential candidates flew to the middle of nowhere to try and persuade him to vote for them. Then humor, chaos and the weight of responsibility ensued.
The story was a little slow for my taste, but I enjoyed it anyways. I don't think it's one of those movies I could watch over and over again like I do with Harry Potter. It definitely made me think as well. I'm not very into politics and I had never really cared about voting, but now I know that voting does count so that is one benefit I gained from this movie...or perhaps it was the government's benefit. Either way the story is quite far fetched but that's what movies are for, an alternate reality to an extent.
Kevin Costner played Bud Johnson, an alcoholic, single father living in Texico, New Mexico (mainly the middle of nowhere). Costner portrayed this role well I thought, but Madeline Carroll who played Bud's daughter Molly stole the movie away. She was intriguing, mature and brought the whole movie together. I thought she was adorable and without her the movie wouldn't have been half as good.
The supporting cast was great as well. I was a big fan of the Republican party in the movie, mostly because I love Stanley Tucci (also in The Devil Wears Prada). Tucci played the advisor to President Andrew Boone, played by Kelsey Grammar. And who doesn't love Kelsey Grammar? The Democratic candidate was Donald Greenleaf (Dennis Hopper) and his advisor Art Crumb (Nathan Lane). They all made the story a little more interesting because they all lost who they really were while trying to win over Bud. Just goes to show what politics will really do to win.
So this movie was ok, I would recommend waiting until it's released on DVD, or for you old schoolers out there, VHS.
Swing Vote had an interesting concept. After all of the votes were tallied, one vote hadn't counted because of a computer malfunction and the race was so tight that the entire Presidential Election came down to that one vote, Bud Johnson's (Kevin Costner) vote. When this happened, both Presidential candidates flew to the middle of nowhere to try and persuade him to vote for them. Then humor, chaos and the weight of responsibility ensued.
The story was a little slow for my taste, but I enjoyed it anyways. I don't think it's one of those movies I could watch over and over again like I do with Harry Potter. It definitely made me think as well. I'm not very into politics and I had never really cared about voting, but now I know that voting does count so that is one benefit I gained from this movie...or perhaps it was the government's benefit. Either way the story is quite far fetched but that's what movies are for, an alternate reality to an extent.
Kevin Costner played Bud Johnson, an alcoholic, single father living in Texico, New Mexico (mainly the middle of nowhere). Costner portrayed this role well I thought, but Madeline Carroll who played Bud's daughter Molly stole the movie away. She was intriguing, mature and brought the whole movie together. I thought she was adorable and without her the movie wouldn't have been half as good.
The supporting cast was great as well. I was a big fan of the Republican party in the movie, mostly because I love Stanley Tucci (also in The Devil Wears Prada). Tucci played the advisor to President Andrew Boone, played by Kelsey Grammar. And who doesn't love Kelsey Grammar? The Democratic candidate was Donald Greenleaf (Dennis Hopper) and his advisor Art Crumb (Nathan Lane). They all made the story a little more interesting because they all lost who they really were while trying to win over Bud. Just goes to show what politics will really do to win.
So this movie was ok, I would recommend waiting until it's released on DVD, or for you old schoolers out there, VHS.
Monday, August 4, 2008
The Dark Knight
Yes I finally saw The Dark Knight! It took me a little while with everything going on lately, but I have to say it was worth the wait. I somewhat enjoyed Batman Begins, but it wasn't nearly as captivating as The Dark Knight.
One thing I loved about this movie was the length. It was 2 hours and 35 minutes, which was perfect. The story was told in great detail and there didn't seem to be any holes in it either. That's one problem with movies today, no one wants to take the time to make a movie over an hour and a half because there isn't enough time to see it, but then the movie is sometimes compromised (example: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix). Anyways enough about that, onto the awesome acting!
Of course, Heath Ledger has to be acknowledged. He was absolutely amazing and ridiculously creepy! You could barely tell it was him. He portrayed the Joker in an amazingly dark way and brought him out in a realistic way. When Jack Nicholson played the Joker, it wasn't as realistic, especially with his face looking like a bunch of plastic attached to his cheeks. Sure Jack Nicholson is amazing, but Heath Ledger blew his portrayal of the Joker out of the water! He made the joker insane and the fitting opposite to Batman. The Joker's insanity made him the bad guy where Batman's insanity made him a vigilante trying to help Gotham City.
Christian Bale did a great job again, although this article sums up the one problem I had with his performance. His voice as Batman was so deep and menacing, it just bothered me for some reason. Otherwise, he did great being charming Bruce Wayne and then the vigilante Batman, who sometimes doubts if what he's doing is right and if he really is good or on the verge of villainous.
Maggie Gyllenhal had been criticized for her role as Rachel instead of Katie Holmes but I think they had it all wrong. I think she performed just as well as Katie Holmes had in Batman Begins as Rachel, and personally I just like Maggie Gyllenhal better than Katie Holmes so I thought it was an improvement for the role. She is still the conscience of Gotham City, now joined by her boyfriend Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), the new District Attorney. They both know what is right and what needs to be done. And one of the best quotes from the movie is "you either die a hero, or live long enough to see youself become a villain", which is so true for this movie.
Two supporting roles that I am a big fan of are Morgan Freeman as Lucius and Michael Caine as Alfred. They may not be the main characters, but I absolutely adore both these actors and without their characters The Dark Knight would lack some serious spark. They support Bruce Wayne and Batman in everything and are able to tell him when he's gone too far or not far enough, as well as they push him to these limits.
The story behind The Dark Knight has a classic good and evil plot but the lines become blurred when the good go towards the evil side and some evil lean towards the good side. Overall I think it's a great movie and everyone should see it. Definitely kept my attention more than Batman Begins!
One thing I loved about this movie was the length. It was 2 hours and 35 minutes, which was perfect. The story was told in great detail and there didn't seem to be any holes in it either. That's one problem with movies today, no one wants to take the time to make a movie over an hour and a half because there isn't enough time to see it, but then the movie is sometimes compromised (example: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix). Anyways enough about that, onto the awesome acting!
Of course, Heath Ledger has to be acknowledged. He was absolutely amazing and ridiculously creepy! You could barely tell it was him. He portrayed the Joker in an amazingly dark way and brought him out in a realistic way. When Jack Nicholson played the Joker, it wasn't as realistic, especially with his face looking like a bunch of plastic attached to his cheeks. Sure Jack Nicholson is amazing, but Heath Ledger blew his portrayal of the Joker out of the water! He made the joker insane and the fitting opposite to Batman. The Joker's insanity made him the bad guy where Batman's insanity made him a vigilante trying to help Gotham City.
Christian Bale did a great job again, although this article sums up the one problem I had with his performance. His voice as Batman was so deep and menacing, it just bothered me for some reason. Otherwise, he did great being charming Bruce Wayne and then the vigilante Batman, who sometimes doubts if what he's doing is right and if he really is good or on the verge of villainous.
Maggie Gyllenhal had been criticized for her role as Rachel instead of Katie Holmes but I think they had it all wrong. I think she performed just as well as Katie Holmes had in Batman Begins as Rachel, and personally I just like Maggie Gyllenhal better than Katie Holmes so I thought it was an improvement for the role. She is still the conscience of Gotham City, now joined by her boyfriend Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), the new District Attorney. They both know what is right and what needs to be done. And one of the best quotes from the movie is "you either die a hero, or live long enough to see youself become a villain", which is so true for this movie.
Two supporting roles that I am a big fan of are Morgan Freeman as Lucius and Michael Caine as Alfred. They may not be the main characters, but I absolutely adore both these actors and without their characters The Dark Knight would lack some serious spark. They support Bruce Wayne and Batman in everything and are able to tell him when he's gone too far or not far enough, as well as they push him to these limits.
The story behind The Dark Knight has a classic good and evil plot but the lines become blurred when the good go towards the evil side and some evil lean towards the good side. Overall I think it's a great movie and everyone should see it. Definitely kept my attention more than Batman Begins!
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