Two for the money

Two for the money is a movie that had all the key ingredients for me to want to watch it:

1. A good cast - I enjoy Al Pacino movies
2. An American sports theme
3. A gambling/spread betting theme
4. Rene Russo

I enjoyed the movie but I had a couple of reservations. The plot just lacked a littel cutting edge to it - it didn't want to be an all out comedy or an all out thriller and consequently kind of missed being really good at any one thing. It had some aspects of the high pressure sales seen in Boiler Room and the comeback kid feeling of Jerry Maguire but ended up being wide of the mark of those two movies.

Overall - 6/10 - Not bad and an interesting premise that does not quite deliver

Superman Returns

Decided I needed to get the windows tinted in my car - so I went to see the 3M autocare chaps at IBN Buttuta mall. They said it would take a couple of hours so I took in the new Super Returns movie.

This movie is loooong - well over two hours. Not that I mind a long movie it is just that there are a few points where it was just not moving fast enough. Kevin Spacey was great as Lex Luthor and the Superman had a flawless hair the whole way through the film which was a bit odd. The special effects were great but the story I felt was lacking in places. I thought they could have got Lex Luthor to be much more evil.

Overall - 6/10 - OK - but I liked X-Men 3 better

Hostel

I saw the trailer for this movie and was intrigued. I recently watched Saw and Saw II and secretly enjoyed them. So I thought I would give Hostel a go - it was Europtrip meets A Texas Chainsaw Massacre without capturing any of the good points of those movies.

I found Hostel to be truly horrible, gratuitous and pointless. The only redeeming thing being some eye candy for lads other than that avoid

Overall - 2/10 (some amusing "Amsterdam" comedy at the start")

Stay Alive

I took my first trip to a Dubai cinema today and randomly ended up seeing a movie called "Stay Alive". Before I get to that the three things I have heard about Dubai cinemas are absolutely true:

1. People will talk throughout the movie
2. People's cellphones will continually ring/bong and be talked into
3. The temperature appears to be set to sub-zero

I had prior warning to all those things so while I found them all a little irksome forewarned is forearmed and I just tried to ignore it all and watch the movie.

"Stay Alive" is a teen horror/slasher movie where what happens in a virtual world (PS2/PC game) happens in real life. Thus ensures the usual jump out of your seat moments and freaky use of surround sound effects. It was enough for me to become a little fidgety.

As a slasher movie goes it was poor but the unique VR/RL Storyline helped out by the appearance of Samaire Armstrong (who bore a striking resemblance to a late night "entertainer" in Las Vegas I once met) made me pay attention for the first 60% of the movie after which I was wishing it would be over.


Overall: 5/10 - The product placement of nice Alienware laptops was nice - but since then they have been acquired by Dell. Further proof of "Rhymes with Hell"

Lost in Translation

I was told by a good friend of mine Paul M that I should watch this movie as soon as I got over here and that is what I duly did.

Lost in translation has been critically acclaimed by numerous people so I shall not add to that. Suffice to say it is a great film. However I could only sympathize with Bill Murray's sleepness nights in a hotel in a foreign land all the more with my recent relocation! Sadly though I have yet to find my Scarlett Johansson.

Overall 9/10 - proof that simple plots are the best and that narrative cinema is here to stay

Glory Road

Now this is the type of movie I look forward to every year. The plot hold no surprises as they are usually based on a true story but it is the character portrayal and the big climax "win" scene at the end.

This movie is a true story of a 1966 college basketball team who fielded black players and went on to win the NCAA championship. The racism issue is dealt with well in the film and certainly adds to the plight of our heroes.

I didn't look to hard at the facts behind this film but enjoyed the story as it was presented. Not as good as Remember the Titans or Rudy but not bad at all.


Overall 7/10 - mostly as I am a sucker for this type of film.

Cheaper By The Dozen 2

Having seen the first I was keen to watch this movie for two reasons a.I was coming to the end of a 6.30hour flight and was rather tired and b. for completeness

This really is the death of narrative cinema to quote a famous film critic. However I found it rather amusing with a wholesome feel. Also how could I not enjoy performances from Steve Martin and Eugene Levy ?

Overall 6/10

Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo

Having moderately enjoyed the original Duece Bigalow Male Gigolo movie - I thought I would give this a watch. Sadly it was really really awful and not even funnily bad if you see what I mean.

I give it 1/10 - only redeeming feature is that Kelly Brook makes a silverscreen appearance

Lord of War

An usual Nicholas Cage movie based on actual events of a gun runner. I liked his narrative thoughout the movie and the occasional "Jackie Brown"'esq gun descriptions in the movie. Overall 7.5/10

Domino

This was my DVD of the day a gritty performance by Keira Knightley - the weird thing is that
she smokes exactly like an old friend of mine Gemma W. This movie also has the main star narrating through it - not as well done as Lord of War from that point of view.

I give it 7/10 mostly for some of the dark comedy in it.