Recently saw:
1. The Talented Mr. Ripley: Hated it. Though the technical aspects of this movie were well done, the plot didn't hold my attention and Jude Law's character annoyed me to no end. Moreover, I tend to dislike movies with homoerotic themes, especially if I don't know about it in advance. Which brings me to...
2. My Own Private Idaho: Hated it. I don't know what made me think I would like this movie. It was like Brokeback Mountain, Monster, Johns, and Born on the Fourth of July, all wrapped up in one depressing rip off of Shakespeare's Henry IV. The character Bob (Falstaff) was ridiculous, especially in the robbery scene. Don't get me wrong, it was, objectively speaking, well done, much in the same way a great painter could create a stunningly lifelike portrait of Courtney Love. I just didn't like it. Plus Flea was in the movie. No movie with Flea in it can ever be considered great.
3. The Aviator: Don't need to see that again. I don't hate everything Leonardo DiCaprio does. But he sure does take a lot of roles that do not seem to suit him. As young Howard Hughes, flying daredevil, he was great. As older Howard Hughes, industrialist and germ freak, he didn't fit the character. Cate Blanchett was spectacular, however, as Kate Hepburn. Overall, I'm a fan of Scorcese's work, but this was not his best. As a 45 minute short, this film would have been fun. As you approach the one-hour mark, it starts to get old. And it's damn near three hours long.
4. Collateral: The plot was full of holes and absurdities, but I enjoyed the film nonetheless. What kind of holes? Some marksmanship improbabilities near the end. A hot lady lawyer considering, for even a moment, hooking up with a cabbie she rode with. The cops finding that taxi when they just happen to watch the right security camera feed. Then, them letting that taxi get away. In spite of those flaws, the film moved fast, bored me for non a moment, and provided the best action thriller I'd seen in a long time. I should have rented this one a year ago.
5. Mr. & Mrs. Smith: Stupid. Plot hole and absurdity after pot hole and absurdity. The lead characters seemed like video game characters (what made me think that?) and the acting was inferior. I know Brad Pitt can act, because I saw 12 Monkeys, Se7en and Snatch. But you can't tell from watching this piece of crap. If I was this film on a 1-5 star basis, I would gripe that they owe me two stars for wasting two hours of my life. Wouldn't watch it again if you paid me.
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