Last movie you watched......

I've watched the new karate kid several times now, and the more I watch it, the more I'm convinced it might actually be superior to the original. It's a tad long, but it really is a beautifully made film (odd to say about an American Kung Fu flick).

The symmetry between scenes like the shadow play and the later training with dre and mr. Han is outstanding and the artistry of the fight scenes and natural scenery is really breathtaking.

This movie faced a lot of challenges overcoming viewers' memories of the original. How do you change "wax on, wax off" but keep the concept without making it cheesy?

This might have been Jackie Chan's best acting role. He really was outstanding.

The music, the cinematography, the choreography ... They really did nail it.

 

Saw Animal Kingdom over the weekend. Intriguing, very well acted, wide range of personalities, not too long. Mother was nominated for best supporting actress, Guy Pearce had a decent role, main protagonist did a nice job acting without much dialogue. A very good rental.

Jack Goes Boating with Philip Seymour Hoffman. Kinda funny, kinda weird. A really small film set in NYC with some well done scenes. The relationship between Hoffman and his buddy is not the stereotypical buddy relationship nor is it homoerotic. Deep, well done.

 

Oh, and I forgot to mention, Taraji P. Henson will win an Oscar some day. Not based, necessarily, on her role in the karate kid, but she just seems to pull off such a wide variety of roles so easily. Benjamin Button's mother, the cop in Date Night, the singer in Hustle and Flow. She's damn good.

 

PS- Karate Kid had a better score than Oscar-winner The Social Network.

 

Last two days ... watched "The Warriors," since it was about to expire off my instant que, and "The Assassination of a High School President."

The Warriors ... at least I now know where the little bit in NWA's "100 Miles and Runnin'" came from. Enjoyable 1 1/2 in front of the tele.

I liked Assassination, too. Moved quickly. Lots of funny moments.

 

Agree! Hope she gets a prime role in the next 2-3 years, because she has a tremendous amount of talent.

Ditto Kerry Washington, but I see her more as a box office superstar a la Reese Witherspoon more than an Oscar-type actress.

 

Biutuful. Grim, but strangely elegant.

Might tend to move anyone who has lost a father.

The great Ebert nailed this one, too, as only he can.

http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110126/REVIEWS/110129983

 

HC & I saw "The Adjustment Bureau" based on a novel (or maybe a short story) by the legendary sci-fi writer Phillip Dick)

It's a sci-fi/romance/'thriller that pretty much covers all the demographics and for the most part it 's a smart, well written movie. Good vehicle for Matt Damon but I never quite got his attraction to the character played by Emily Blunt. Maybe it's because I don't find her particularly attractive despite her English accent.

It's about a 2 1/2 out of four

 

"Rango" with the family. Very well written for the parents, kids had a blast.

 

Perfect date movie - great romance with lots of special effects.

 

She's going to star in the new CBS crime drama, "Person of Interest," created by J.J. Abrams:

http://dimewars.com/Blog/Taraji-P--Henson-To-Star-In-New-CBS-Pilot-Person-Of-Interest.aspx?BlogID=604793b3-a70e-453b-9946-1e9806852a57

 

I have not seen this yet, but Ebert sure does like it, and that really suprises me because on its face, this looks awful.

http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110302/REVIEWS/110309997