At The Movies

Been playing catch up with the releases I have been interested in:

Jack Reacher, I honestly did not want to see this film, turned down a dozen offers to see it with people, I DO NOT LIKE Tom Cruise!  Yuck!  Yet, Swede gave it to me for my birthday so I was sort of honor bound to watch it finally, under his snoring gaze (one eye open, mouth slack, etc).  Yeah, I now know why so many wanted me to see it with them - to point out the holes an eighteen wheeler could be driven through!  Plot is utter nonsense.  Shooting is wish full.  Nasty old Russian guy - well done but a little over the top since he was cast opposite Tom "I have not talent" Cruise.  In spite of this, it was entertaining and I laughed heartily several times.  I really dislike Robert Duvall however he did well in this movie and obviously he spent some time learning from a trainer, because he did it "right" for those of us of the old iron.  It is an owner as long as you can understand that those whom behave this way in real life will be the first to die - no matter how high your lifts are in your shoes.

Ender's Game, was another Swede recommendation - but you know, I really do not need anymore children movies where only they can conquer the universe and oh by the way, check out our plush stuffed toys for Christmas ...  Yeah, burned out on Spielberg and Lucas forever.  But, this movie was rather well done.  I understood the main character too well, I loved Ben Gazzara's role (i think that was him anyway!) but still flying saucers where leaping between the fictional fabric holes in this story.  I seem to have read this as a short story back in 7th grade, so I guessed the ending rather quickly.  Still a good film, not sure an owner, but ... not bad at all.

Secret Life of Walter Mitty, was an utter surprise!  I remember the first two well.  The first circa 1930-ish was delightful and I remember almost nothing of it - it has disappeared to history.  The 1947 version was a little darker as we are talking espionage and not really an owner either.  And now this one left me completely unprepared for one of the best efforts I have seen on film in quite a while.  Not only is this a must see, it is a must own as well.  Well paced, good use of humor, a clean film, and a well done eruption sequence!  (just saying because i was in one)  If you only own one film in the next six months or so, this is the one more than likely.  Good job gold stars to Ben Stiller!  And as a spoiler, the Greenland sequence, wasn't.  I know the driving scene was filmed on the road out of the Reykjavik airport to the city of Reykjavik.

So time to go hit the $1.00 theaters if you have any in your town!