Films to see and others to avoid

I’ve seen a bunch of movies lately, some amazing, some absolutely horrible. Here’s a run down of what to see and what to avoid.

21

Finally got the chance to go out to the theaters again. It was my first time in a long while and this was the perfect way to get back into it. I absolutely adored this movie. The younger actors were all well cast and Kevin Spacey and Laurence Fishburne anchored the whole thing down beautifully. Intense and lots of fun.

American Gangster

Fantastic movie, one of the best I’ve seen in years. You really can’t go wrong with anything Denzel Washington related. Although I feel that his roles are starting to feel pretty similar in all of his movies, you can’t fault him for absolutely nailing it every time.

August Rush

Complete and utter crap. The storyline is so incredibly lame. That kid talked about “following the music” so much that I understand why he was an orphan. And to believe that he could instantly play tap-style guitar or a grand organ his first time touching them is beyond absurd. Then some little girl tells him what the notes on the piano are, and suddenly he’s writing complex notation and major symphonies to be played by the New York Philharmonic a few minutes later. Please. Maybe this could be entertaining for someone that knows nothing about music, but if you’ve ever played an instrument in your life, avoid this movie at all costs.

Dan in Real Life

Somewhat predictable romantic comedy, but it has a few laugh out loud moments. Very well cast, at the very least. A good Sunday afternoon rental.

Michael Clayton

George Clooney is one of my favorite actors and I only realized it when I saw this movie. He carries the whole thing on his shoulders and does an amazing job. It’s a story with a lot of twists and it will keep you guessing until the very end, which I really enjoy.

Walk Hard

This movie was a major letdown. I was expecting it to be right up my alley, but the jokes were tasteless and rarely hit the mark. I was expecting a much deeper parody, but it was pretty much just trying to make “Walk the Line” into a comedy. It failed and I fell asleep watching it. Understandable for a drama, but not for a comedy.