Meh at the Movies
That’s pretty much been my reaction this year. “What’s good in theaters these days?” people often ask me. Right now, I don’t have much to tell them. Everyone loves Slumdog Millionaire. I mean everyone. Except me. There were some delightful moments — Danny Boyle’s an excellent stylist — but overall, I was not impressed, and at some point, I plan to write a case against the film. On the other hand, I enjoyed Transporter 3 far more than I thought I would — more than the new Bond, I’d say. This has not been a good year for movies, but I have high hopes for Frost/Nixon and Doubt, both of which I’ll see this week. I’ll also be seeing Punisher: War Zone, about which, well, I don’t know, but I guess it can’t possibly be worse than the last two attempts to turn the character into a viable Hollywood property. In the meantime, I’ve been reading a lot of graphic novels, which, along with TV serials like Dexter and 24, seem like the medium where all the really exciting pulp storytelling is happening these days.
Have some graphic novel recommendations for us?
— Kevin · Nov 29, 11:13 AM · #
I just saw the Turkish/German film “The Edge of Heaven” and can confidently state it is the best film of 2008…but I also loved the pulp storytelling of “Iron Man”, “The Incredible Hulk”, “Hellboy II” and most of all “The Dark Knight”*. I’d say for a certain type of fanboy (like me), 2008 is turning out to be a very good year for movies…and we still have the new Star Trek to look forward to!
*I’m also one of those who believe this film was more than just pulp entertainment, but I’m a Chicagoan who saw the film for the first time on IMAX and was blown away with how good the city looked. Plus, I remember when they blew up the old Broch’s candy parking garage, which doubled as the Gotham hospital the Joker blows up. I drive by that old factory site and it always gives me a vicarious thrill to think of it as the place Two-Face was born!
— Jeff Singer · Nov 29, 08:53 PM · #
Oops…I meant Brach’s Candy:
http://www.jaunted.com/story/2007/8/31/91422/4371/travel/The+Dark+Knight+Blows+Up+Brach’s+Candy+Factory
— Jeff Singer · Nov 29, 08:55 PM · #
You’re looking forward to Doubt? After the trailer? I don’t know — I think “opening up” his play like that was probably the worst decision John Patrick Shanley made when he wrote the screenplay. I guess I’ll know for sure only after I’ve seen the movie.
— scritic · Nov 30, 09:57 PM · #
Don’t hold back, Peter.
I graded SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE as a 4/10 back in September (see link at end), recognizing it for the lazy and emotionally dishonest piece of Tourist-Postcard Prettiness, Touristy Cross-Section, and Howler Plot that it is.
And while I genuinely was disappointed in SLUMDOG then, I’ve come to hate the film more each day as a successful bamboozle job that everyone inexplicably thinks is great and is already a Best Picture AMPAS lock, for at least a nomination.
http://vjmorton.wordpress.com/2008/09/15/toronto-08-day-7-capsules-part-1/
— Victor Morton · Dec 3, 02:10 AM · #