Change Your Image
reinbeauchaser-1
Reviews
Ghost Town (2008)
Good but not Great
Until Sunday night watching the Emmy's, I hadn't a clue who Gervais was. Ricky's routine about his 'missing' award from the previous year had me in stitches, though, so come Monday - when my adult son and I decided to take in Ghost Town - I was really looking forward to seeing the movie.
I have to agree with one poster who said the first half was very funny, although there were times I wanted to slap Gervais' character with a 2 by 4. He was impertinently rude. A person I would loath to meet, regardless of 'where'. Yet, given the kind of movie this was, Gervais' style of wit fit perfectly.
*SPOILER ALERT*
And the routine between him and the admitting nurse at the hospital was hilarious. I mean, really - they do ask the most mundane and unrelated questions. Who cares what a person does for a living if they're going in for one of THOSE procedures, right. Oh, and the previous scene, with Gervais staring at the three bottles of - whatever it was? Hilarious! My mother had to endure two such events and I remember all too well how she would dash to the restroom after downing her trio of white stuff. I vowed never to have one done, not ever. Gervais did a great job with that part.
Still, the theme, unique in some areas, was a bit too redundant overall, at least for me. In defense of Ghost Town, however, I think it would be near impossible to come up with a script so unique that it can stand alone.
Suffice it to say, the movie was at time enjoyable, but it did seem to lose a bit of steam once Gervais' character became interested in Tea Leoni's.
*END SPOILER ALERT*
And I have to say that Tea turned out an excellent performance for the limited script they gave her. Greg Kennar, as well, did a great job as her jerky but very dead husband.
I did enjoy the turn-about of Gervais' character, too; that said a lot without being preachy.
Nevertheless, I can't say that my sides were hurting from too much laughing - and I was so hoping to do a lot of laughing. I think it could have been funnier and more spontaneous - and shorter. It was about twenty minutes too long. Had they kept it under 1.5 hours, I think they would have had a knockout winner.
In summary, Ricky's intro into the world of movies was enjoyable enough and I look forward to his next project. I recommend it only if you like romantic comedies with a side of sarcasm.
There Will Be Blood (2007)
Where's the Plot?
I am extremely disappointed. My son and I probably saw the most boring, plot-free movie ever in There Will Be Blood. Don't believe the critics; I'm certain they were paid off by the industry or worked on the film itself. Dialogue was meager at best (the first thirty minutes nary a word said, but the music was near deafening!). The character development was stale and uninspiring - save for that cult preacher; at least he was entertaining. Quite honestly, I didn't see any point at all to the movie and my son and I waited it out, hoping to see even a small sliver of reason why this movie received such high marks. The only thing that stood out for me was that maybe it was an allegorical tale about greed.
Seriously, we were scratching our head, trying to figure out why they titled it so and the only thing we could come up with is this
---------SPOILER ALERTS-----------
At the very end, we finally see blood. There Will Be Blood - at the end; get it? I think the industry pulled a fast one, if you ask me. Ha ha, I get it...but I wished I hadn't seen it.
There were many opportunities to justify the R rating, but none qualified, other than that pool of blood under the cult preacher's head. I've seen more blood (and gore) on CSI than this movie ever provided during its 2:45 hour snail race, not that my reasons for seeing it was to see blood, but - yeah, pointless.
In summary, TWBB was a shameless raping of our finances, plain and simple. Strong words? Yep, but so's my son's and my dislike for this 2 hour and 45 minute waste of time. I can't believe that Screenit.com's critic gave it 8 out of 10 stars and that people are talking about it and the 2008 Oscars in the same breath. Yes, Daniel Day Lewis did a fairly good job, but his win would be the only one even remotely deserving, that is IF he takes the trophy home next year. Anyway, I'd have rather seen Alvin and the Chipmunks - or that Veggie Tale Pirate Movie - than this poor excuse for entertainment. A classic it will not be!