What I watched This Week- 08/15-08/22 by ME

136. 08/14/08 – Oldboy – 9/10 – Great foreign movie about revenge. Confusing at times but a super dark ending, but a great story.

137. 08/16/08 - Juno - 10/10 - My mother wanted to watch it, she had never seen it. See full review.

138 - 08/17/08 - Bird on a Wire - 6/10 - Mom bought it at a garage sale. i twas this or Pretty Woman. Easily forgettable.

139. 08/20/08 - Secretary - 7/10 - Another that is a second viewing. It takes a leap of faith when their relationship crosses the line of appropriateness. Otherwise a decent if unorthodox love story.

Movie Review: Star Wars: Clone Wars by ME

Clone Wars follows Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi's exploits during the period between Episode II and Episode III. The lead off for an animated TV series which will air on the Sci-Fi Channel as well as TNT this fall, Clone Wars holds up in the well established Star Wars universe, with a few grievances. It's not a bad film, there are just a few things that really hurt this ambitious project.

The story goes like this – Darth Sidious and Count Dooku have kidnapped Jabba the Hutt's son in order to fake a rescue so they can get Jabba on the side of the Separatists. Obi-Wan and Anakin, along with Anakin's precocious new padawan, Ahsoka Tano, must actually rescue Jabba's son for the same reason, as well as to expose Dooku and his apprentice Asajj Ventress for what they truly are.

I know it isn't a very strong plot but this is the lead off for a TV show that is aimed at children as well as hardcore fans. And that is where the problem lies. Amidst rather brutal scenes of clone trooper deaths and massive destruction, scenes of over humanized and way, way over the top humorous battle droids have been added for comic relief. If the pendulum didn't swing so fast and far between brutal and humorous, it might have worked. Well, at least Jar Jar Binks doesn't show up. Another point of contention is the lack of John Williams famous score. It's there, but “re-imagined” or “updated” some may say, but it didn't work for me, at least for the beginning and end credits, that is. When I go to a Star Wars film I want that first, familiar, blaring note to blast out at me and make it feel like I am returning to something familiar and well loved.

Most of the voice acting is spot on, however, the voice used for Chancellor Palpatine stands out like a sore thumb among voices who at least try to match their real life counterparts. Which is really too bad as the voice actor who plays him – Ian Abercrombie, does a decent Darth Sidious, but as Palpatine is sorely lacking. Anakin's voice, provided by Matt Lanter is even better for Anakin than Hayden Christensen, less whiny and a tad more serious while still retaining some of the impertinence from Christensen's performance. And James Arnold Taylor's Obi-Wan brings forth a well set tone of authority and wisdom that fits Obi-Wan to a T. Some of the best work was for Yoda and Padme, Tome Kane and Catherine Tabor respectively. I was surprised to find it wasn't Frank Oz and Natalie Portman voicing them since they had gotten Samuel L. Jackson, Anthony Daniels and Christoipher Lee to reprise their roles.

As well as as decent voice cast, Clone Wars has some great animation, even if some of the character design is slightly lacking. The battle scenes are gorgeous, continuing what was previously showcased in Episode's II and III. The lightsaber duels were tight and beautifully choreographed except for the fight between Obi-Wan and Asajj Ventress which seemed a little jerky at times. But, ever since the original trilogy, I have always been excited to see what a Jedi in his/her prime can do and I have not been disappointed with the prequels, and Clone Wars continues to wow me with the feats of the Jedi.

All in all. Clone Wars may not be a perfect Star Wars film, but I will be watching every episode that is aired, if only to see how Ahsoka fairs by being trained by the future Darth Vader. I mean, you know it isn't going to end well right? Some have said that giving Anakin a padawan ruins established continuity, but I believe we will just have to see how everything turns out.

7/10

Keep reading,

Mitch Emerson

mitchemerson@hotmail.com

New Feature: What I Watched This Week by ME

Now I don't review everything I watch. If I did, I would never stop writing. I have, however, started a list of movies that I have watched for the entire year. I won't bore you with the entire list so far, but I will start posting each weeks additions with a thought or two on the film. And actually, this first post will cover the last two weeks as I had some minor surgery last Thurs. and wasn't up to posting.

Also, I am not including TV shows here either, that's why the list is a little lean as I have been catching up on season 1 of Burn Notice, series 2 of Spaced and seasons 2 and 3 of Weeds. Feel free to post comments or ask me to expound on any of the movies.

Mitch Emerson
127. 08/01/08 - POTC: At World's End – 8/10 - Less confusing than the first time I saw it, but the effects more than make up for minor bitches about the convoluted plot. Some of the humor takes you away from the darker tone of the third film.

128. 08/02/08 - Charlie Bartlett – 8/10 - Entertaining and fun film that lets Anton Yelchin finally lead, instead of being upstaged by Justin Timberlake. See full review

129. 08/05/08 - 28 Weeks Later - A decent sequel. Minor issues with zombie dad which were sort of explained as he holds on to some logic. See full review.

130. 08/06/08 - Batman (1966) – 3/10 - Way too campy for even a big Batman fan like myself.

131. 08/06/06 - Stand By Me – 10/10 - One of the best adaptations of a Stephen King story.

132. 08/07/08 - Jumper - 6/10 - Not as bad as most have said. Seriously missing character development as well as being badly edited. See full review

133. 08/07/08 - Bicentennial Man - 8/10 - It feels a little long, but nothing really feels extemporaneous. The love story seems a tad weird, but helps set up a wonderful ending.

134. 08/08/08 - The Bank Job – 7/10 - Rented it for Jason Statham, sadly he doesn't kick any ass. Not a bad heist film, a little convoluted for my taste.

135. 08/10/08 – 1408 – 8/10 - Decent adaptation of a Stephen King story. Dragged a little in the middle.

136. 08/14/08 – Oldboy – 9/10 – Great foreign movie about revenge. Confusing at times but a super dark ending and a great story.

DVD Review: Jumper by ME

In Jumper, David Rice (Hayden Christensen) is a guy who can teleport. Does he use this skill to help the world? No, he uses it to rob banks and get the girl (Rachel Bilson). But does this make him a bad guy? Not really, although it seems to me that he does have some moral issues which make him a questionable “hero” for the film. Anyways, enter Roland (Samuel L Jackson), leader of a group of fanatics called Paladins, who just want to kill all jumpers since they believe no one should wield such power. Jamie Bell pops in as a mentor who is also a lone wolf type.

Now it's established early on that David has had a rough childhood, which explains why he isn't a nice guy, but there could have been more. Also shown is him watching people trapped in a flood on tv and he does nothing to help. Even though Christensen's acting has improved over his stint in the Star Wars prequels, as a character, I still have more sympathy for Anakin. I mean, David is technically a criminal even though the Paladins that are after him seem to be zealots themselves.

It seems to me that Sam Jackson was just collecting a paycheck on this one if we hadn't already known about his big interest in comic books and sci-fi. I mean Unbreakable and the Star Wars prequels should be hint enough. And as much as Hayden's skills as an actor have improved and Sam Jackson is, well, Sam Jackson, the most believable is Rachel Bilson, who is confused for most of the film. But with the story as confusing as it is, she may not actually be acting. Then she decides she doesn't want any part of David's predicament, which hopefully mirrors her feelings for her involvement in the film or any sequels that may or may not happen.

I know the movie is called Jumper, but does it have to jump from scene to scene? At times, Jumper seems hastily put together and edited. And all the jumping to and from public places, not exactly a smart thing to do when the “badder” guys are after you. I say “badder” as we have already established that David isn't a saint himself, even though he is trying to save the girl. He treats her like crap, but hey, it's the thought that counts right? Some missed opportunities include the dynamic between David and his mother, which would help any sequel that gets made. Hell any kind of character development would help.

While the effects are nothing super special, their use is. The choreography of the fight scenes incorporating the jumping technique adds a little oomph to an otherwise lackluster film. After watching the special features, I learned that the effects were toned down on purpose, which makes sense. As well as the fact that it was planned from the get go that there was going to be three movies, if the first did well enough. Most interesting though is a section called Previz: Future Concepts, which were animatics that seems to be from future movies since they didn't look familiar at all. The action in those sequences is gonna be pretty interesting and should bring the action to the next level if future movies are made. Also a few trailers and commentaries, but since this was a rental I didn't get the chance to listen to.

Jumper is, at best, a way to waste some free time, if you don't have anything better to do.

5/10

Keep reading,
Mitch Emerson
mitchemerson@hotmail.com

DVD Review: Charlie Bartlett by ME

Charlie just wants to fit in, that's all. But having been raised in a wealthy family and having gone to private schools his whole life, it's no surprise that he has problems when he has to go to public school. When the family doctor prescribes Ritalin needlessly, Charlie sells them and instantly becomes the man to know. This somehow leads to him becoming the school "shrink". Now in real life I think he would just become a straight up dealer, but Yelchin's Bartlett is a nice enough kid that it might happen. And then the inevitable fall comes and Charlie must redeem himself, but it seems to get harder at every turn.

The main reason I wanted to see Charlie Bartlett was because of Anton Yelchin's performance in Alpha Dog. The boy was phenomenal (except for his singing), and he was only upstaged by a surprisingly good performance by Justin Timberlake, and is instantly likable in this as well. As we all know, Robert Downey Jr. may not be the best person to portray a person of authority, especially a principal, but he is pretty much believable, if unconventional. Kat Dennings is interesting here. I really like her and she does admirably in Charlie Bartlett, but I can't really see her as a leading lady. Great as a love interest, but I don't think she could carry a film all by herself. After those individual observations, I must say that the chemistry between all of the cast works remarkably well.

Special Features include two commentaries, one with the director and writer, and one with the director and Anton Yelchin and Kat Dennings. There isn't much besides those, just a music video and a strange little thing called "Restroom Confessional", which seems to be the cast and crew ad libbing confessions like in the movie. Not much here, but it's not a big budget, effects laden film that deserves a ton of features, but a making of would have been nice.

In the end, Charlie Bartlett is the story of a reluctant hero who must take responsibility for his action and become the real hero that everyone thinks he is. Do I recommend it? Yes I do. Why? Because it's an entertaining movie with a cast that really works together and has just enough of a serious undercurrent to keep it slightly grounded in semi-reality.

If they ever decide to remake Ferris Bueller's Day Off (Please don't!), they could do worse than casting Anton Yelchin as Ferris.

Keep reading,
Mitch Emerson
mitchemerson@hotmail.com

Don't forget to Digg it!

So my wife and my best friend have gone off and...

... created their own blogs! You thought that my marriage had gone down the toilet didn't you?

Seriously, my wife has been told by many, many of her online friends that she should write an advice column for years. Well, she finally did and now needs readers and people to help. It's over on Blogger so you know you can comment anonymously if you would like to keep some privacy and she is working on different ways to submit/comment so you don't have to sign up if you don't want to. I know it seems like I am just advertising for her but she truly has her feet planted on the ground and gives good, straight from the heart advice, but don't take my word for it. Check it out for yourself at Judi's Relationship Advice.

As far as my best friend, Odd goes, he has a radio show called Mad World Radio which is about to begin it's third season on September 5th. It's mostly a talk show with music thrown in. Topics have ranged from parenthood to local Detroit musicians. From books and movies to personal rants to some relationship advice. And! And! I will be joining him at least once a month for Mitch's Movie Minute, so if you don't want to listen to him, then listen for me, lol. Just kidding. The dude has a great personality and some slightly off-kilter opinions but he will always entertain as well as make you think. His blog can be found on Blogger as well - Mad World Radio - The Blog

So there you have it.