Clashing Boondocks Aren't that Into You: Mini movie review time
The only significant pop culture consumption that happened in my life this weekend was some movie viewing on the big screen, DVD and TV.
On Friday evening I watched the Clash of the Titans remake at the cinema. Of course my full review will be up on the blog this week Wednesday, but the short version is that the film is, as expected, a big brainless blockbuster. It's about as cheesy as the original, but in a very 21st Century way. The film is very flawed and the ending is particularly grating in its limpness, but the overall result is one of those movies that will be great fun to dissect with friends. Particularly if they're of the geeky persuasion.
On Saturday night a friend hired The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day, the action movie sequel a decade in the making... that still went straight to DVD in South Africa. Now Boondock Saints II is not a project hijacked by another filmmaker and a padded out with new cast members. Pretty much everyone involved in the cult favourite, stylishly ultra-violent first film, is back for All Saints Day, whether in front of the cameras or behind the scenes.
This reunion however has not saved Boondock Saints II from being spectacularly CRAP. There is a 5 minute surge of genuine coolness about an hour into the film, when the MacManus twins (Sean Patrick Flanery and Norman Reedus) stage a hit on a mob high-rise, but otherwise the Boondock Saints II seriously over-strains itself trying to recapture the anarchist magic of the original. Instead what's popped out is a cinematic turd that's not funny, cool or entertaining in any way. And this despite having a plot that's actually not bad. Avoid this film, particularly if you enjoyed the original because this monstrosity will seriously make you question for love for the first flick.
Finally, on Sunday I caught He's Just Not That Into You, based on the self-improvement book of the same name by Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo. It's tempting to call He's Just Not That Into You a romantic comedy but it's probably better to just call it a relationship film. Although the movie centres on the topic of love and dating it's neither romantic nor particularly funny. It does however have a very appealing ensemble cast that includes Ginnifer Goodwin, Jennifer Aniston, Jennifer Connelly, Justin Long, Ben Affleck, Drew Barrymore, Bradley Cooper and Scarlett Johansson. And honestly I could identify every single character in my real life circle of friends. Including *ahem* myself.
Anyway, He's Just Not That Into You feels about 20 minutes overlong, and ultimately succumbs to the Hollywood Happy Ending syndrome, which negates a lot of the (sometimes quite painful) honesty that has preceded it. However, for the most part, the film is really quite entertaining and intelligent - way better and spikier than the recent Valentine's Day, which I admit I also enjoyed.
He's Just Not That Into You may in fact be a couples' movie your male significant could sit through. If he's still not keen, just tell him Scarlett Johansson strips off at one point and is almost taken from behind on a desk.
On Friday evening I watched the Clash of the Titans remake at the cinema. Of course my full review will be up on the blog this week Wednesday, but the short version is that the film is, as expected, a big brainless blockbuster. It's about as cheesy as the original, but in a very 21st Century way. The film is very flawed and the ending is particularly grating in its limpness, but the overall result is one of those movies that will be great fun to dissect with friends. Particularly if they're of the geeky persuasion.
On Saturday night a friend hired The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day, the action movie sequel a decade in the making... that still went straight to DVD in South Africa. Now Boondock Saints II is not a project hijacked by another filmmaker and a padded out with new cast members. Pretty much everyone involved in the cult favourite, stylishly ultra-violent first film, is back for All Saints Day, whether in front of the cameras or behind the scenes.
This reunion however has not saved Boondock Saints II from being spectacularly CRAP. There is a 5 minute surge of genuine coolness about an hour into the film, when the MacManus twins (Sean Patrick Flanery and Norman Reedus) stage a hit on a mob high-rise, but otherwise the Boondock Saints II seriously over-strains itself trying to recapture the anarchist magic of the original. Instead what's popped out is a cinematic turd that's not funny, cool or entertaining in any way. And this despite having a plot that's actually not bad. Avoid this film, particularly if you enjoyed the original because this monstrosity will seriously make you question for love for the first flick.
Finally, on Sunday I caught He's Just Not That Into You, based on the self-improvement book of the same name by Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo. It's tempting to call He's Just Not That Into You a romantic comedy but it's probably better to just call it a relationship film. Although the movie centres on the topic of love and dating it's neither romantic nor particularly funny. It does however have a very appealing ensemble cast that includes Ginnifer Goodwin, Jennifer Aniston, Jennifer Connelly, Justin Long, Ben Affleck, Drew Barrymore, Bradley Cooper and Scarlett Johansson. And honestly I could identify every single character in my real life circle of friends. Including *ahem* myself.
Anyway, He's Just Not That Into You feels about 20 minutes overlong, and ultimately succumbs to the Hollywood Happy Ending syndrome, which negates a lot of the (sometimes quite painful) honesty that has preceded it. However, for the most part, the film is really quite entertaining and intelligent - way better and spikier than the recent Valentine's Day, which I admit I also enjoyed.
He's Just Not That Into You may in fact be a couples' movie your male significant could sit through. If he's still not keen, just tell him Scarlett Johansson strips off at one point and is almost taken from behind on a desk.
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