We just saw Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer. Despite the outstanding visual effects, I was disappointed. Okay, it’s Marvel Comics stuff but, still, I expected a storyline that had more than a plot for a second grader.
Even Jessica Alba who had never disappointed me before seemed to have lost her charm. She looked anorexic. Sure, she still looked good in the Fantastic 4 costume but the girl-woman appeal was gone. She looked tired and haggard. And the color of the lipstick… gee, what gives?
The bantering between Johnny (Chris Evans) and Ben (Michael Chiklis) was still there although the lines didn’t sound as spontaneous as they did in the first film. Trite would describe it best.
There were obvious goofs too. In the scene where Dr. Doom was going to steal the “surfboard”, he went into the secured room wearing normal clothes. After shooting the soldiers, he was suddenly wearing a hooded cape. Where the heck did the costume come from — out of his pocket or from under his boots?
Anyway, watch at your own risk. If you’re the type who can forgive anything so long as the visual effects are great, you will probably still enjoy Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer.
Meanwhile, here are some of the films I saw recently. Recent is, of course, relative since we’re talking about a time frame of about two months. Some spoilers ahead along with my personal notes.
1. Little Miss Sunshine
A little girl from a dysfunctional family enters a beauty pageant. A sex-crazed grandfather trained the little girl for the contest’s talent portion but ODs on the way to the pageant. The drive from Arizona to California was a revelation in more ways than one as the members of the family revealed their true selves to one another and to themselves as well. The film does not seem to have any negative aspect. The actors were all great but the story was even better. The beauty pageant scene was funny, disturbing (pay attention to the looks and mannerisms of the other contestants), embarrassing and touching all at the same time.
2. The Contract
Morgan Freeman plays an assassin hired by the Secret Service to kill an “obstacle to progress.” He gets picked up by the Feds and a bungled rescue results in a road accident that throws the car Freeman was riding in down the cliff and straight into a raging river. He escapes from the sinking car and saves the US Marshall in the car with him. John Cusack and his son, on a trekking holiday, chance upon the two men. The US Marshall dies but not after instructing John Cusack to deliver Freeman to the authorities.
While the ostensible plot is about the attempt by Freeman’s men to save him, the real story is the uneasy relationship between Freeman, Cusack and the young boy, dangerously hovering between distrust and the dependence on one another for survival. An interesting point raised: Is every assassin an amoral, unfeeling monster? Freeman’s character, although one of the best in the business, was not a monster. Killing, for him, was a job, not a compulsion. Kinda adds a multidimensional feel to an assassin which is really refreshing since most films stereotype them.
The Contract is worth seeing. Morgan Freeman never disappoints.
3. Shooter
If you’re a fan of guns and more guns, you’ll enjoy this one. Mark Wahlberg plays an assassin who was coaxed out of retirement to eliminate a killer who was allegedly out to assassinate the US President. It turned out that he was recruited to be the fall guy in the President’s assassination, a plot hatched by a US senator and elements of the FBI.
Mark Wahlberg was so sexy that our Persian kitten wouldn’t move away from the TV. When she started kissing the TV screen, we had to get her out of the room.
4. The Wicker Man
The 2006 remake of a 1973 film. Nicholas Cage is a policeman who goes to the mysterious Summersisle off Washington to search for the missing child of his ex-fiancee. He finds a cult and discovers, too late, that he was lured to the island to be the offering in the cult’s pagan rituals. The plot may sound interesting but, believe me, the movie was just plain bad. PLAIN BAD. Enough said.
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Rush Hour 3! I’m waiting for that as well
Gotta love Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan together, they look so cute 
I must really go out sometime. I do not recognize that movies hehehe
Mae, ano ba yan, all work and no play? Play more! hehehehe
Sassy for me it has to be OCEANS THIRTEEN. Director Stephen Soderbergh’s last installment of the Ocean series has to be the most fun, tongue-in-cheek visual and literal swordplay of all these movies. The cinematography holds you in thrall of the glittering new Las Vegas, and the scenes are livid in color and detail, right down to Pacino’s character’s (Willy Banks) crazy colored hair. Watching it in a cinema was just fun, fun fun. You suspend disbelief at the crazy plot, but hey, you place your bets on the gang the minute the opening scenes roll. If you’re a little tired of all the CGI and digital effects of recent fantasia comic book movies, Oceans is the antidote. Contemporary and gritty right down to the last drop.
Of all the movies you listed, I was just able to watch 1 which is Little Miss Sunshine. And I agree! How disturbing to see the little girls all made up and dressed up. They looked like creepy dolls, IMO.
I don’t understand why Jessica Alba had to dye her hair blond for the sequel and why she’s really thin (judging from the previews)
I don’t like Mandy Moore either. I feel like she’s too pa-cute but since you said it’s a good movie, I’ll rent it out at Blockbuster tomorrow.
thanks!
And we’re going to watch Ratatouille next week when it hits the theaters!!! The whole family’s excited!LOL
ms. connie,
i’ve been passing “a good year” at the blockbuster shelves…next time i go, i’ll definitely take it home. my mom-in-law wanted to see “because i said so”- maybe on our next visit, we’ll rent it as well.
i really enjoy your posts on your movie nights- i remember so well how we all enjoyed family movie night when we were kids.
enjoy, and have a great one.
Ben, you’re making me sorry we opted for Fantastic 4 instead of Ocean’s 13 last night. LOL But then, you know, the kids rule hehehehe
It was enjoyable, Greymom. Diane Keaton and Stephen Collins… LOL but I won’t spoil your fun.
Inna, it a nice movie. So un-Russell Crowe in fact. And the location, oh my, it just makes you wonder what the attraction of the rat-race in the city is. But then, of course, I have already discovered what Russell Crowe did in the film, having moved to the suburb and all. Not on such a grand scale though.
I loved Little Miss Sunshine. That girl is just adorable and so talented. She might actually supass Dakota Fanning. Well just my opinion
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Haven’t see Fantastic 4 yes. Soon.
Looking forward to Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan’s shenanigans on the Rush hour 3 also. I miss those 2
Ako lang ata nag-enjoy ng F4. My husband fell asleep while we were watching it
Oh my gosh I couldn’t agree more on Wicker Man! I bought it on PayPerView, but after seeing it I wanted my money back.. What a rotten ending. Judy
Hey sas..try:
Knocked up. Great for crass humor but the lessons are there. It’s lighthearted fare and the suspended disbelief is mandatory as usual, but very entertaining.
Oceans 13. I think nuff said above.
Evan Almighty. I just saw this, laughed my butt off. Steve Carell is going places. He stole the show in Bruce Almighty and he’s goin for the fence in this one.
I’ll be watching Shooter next tuesday when Netflix mails it hopefully. Shooter is rated 4 stars out of 5. I’m on a 3 at a time package and lately Netflix is mailing it a day late to limit my renting. I’m averaging 19 dvd a month for $18. What a deal!
Hubby fell asleep watching Pirates naman.
Connie,
I’ve watched F4, The shooter, The contract…I’d like to watch Little M Sunshine, 88 minutes, A goodyear ..thanks for the reviews!
This weekend , we will watch Transformers (this is my cartoon era! ) and hopefully next week Die Hard 4! Don’t know when will Evans Almighty will be shown, but will watch it as well…
Hope to get more movie reviews from you! cheers!
Forgot to say, I’ve watched Next (Nicholas Cage, Julianne Moore, Jessica Beil) ..movie is ok if you aint doing anything saturday after lunch, but i won’t recommend it…;-)
Just saw the film Next. Maganda rin naman. I liked the premise of the story.
dexie – there is no competition between Abigail and Dakota. For one thing, Dakota never has to audtion for a role, it’s always offered to her.
Okay so, next to Ocean’s 13, Evan Almighty is on my list too. I didn’t like Bruce Almighty but that’s because I don’t like Jim Carrey, period. LOL
Die Hard 4 — a must hahahaha Crush ko dati si Bruce Willis before I discovered Brad Pitt.
I saw Next already. I enjoyed it. Although Nicholas Cage should have opted to retain the skinhead look (his hair looked terrible). And Julianne Moore was… teka, ma-post na lang nga as a separate entry hehehehe
Otto, kasi naman Dakota Fanning has a lot of films to her credit already. Abigail Dreslin only did Signs before Little Miss Sunshine, I think. They’re both great.
My point is that there is no competition between the two, so I don’t see how Abigail is going to “surpass” Dakota. They’re both actors, period.
Here’s my list:
1. Pirates of the Caribbean – Keira Knightley is getting thinner and thinner.
2. Spiderman – I didn’t know the soggy Parker can be rock and super hot in his evil costume. Not that I love the black over the red. I just love his ‘other side.’
3. Transformers – Cool robots. Drama, comedy, action, all rolled into one super movie!!! More! More! More!
Otto, agreed.