Movie Quickie Reviews

I have had a chance to see several of the big summer movies recently, so here is a rash of mini-reviews for you.

Fantastic Four: [PG13] It ain't no Spider-Man movie, but this film got somewhat of a bum rap from the pre-release buzz which unanimously said "Fantastic, this movie is not." The film is fun summer popcorn movie which rarely takes itself too seriously. It won't be remembered for much 5 years from now, unlike the comic book it is based on, but it is worth watching and maybe worth getting on DVD, if you like the actors or the flame effects of the Human Torth. But be warned the villain is so bad - and I don't mean evil - that most of the time he is on-screen I found myself thinking about doing the laundry.

Mr. and Mrs. Smith: [PG13] This one was better than I expected. The trailers made it look like a bad TRUE LIES remake. And it pretty much is a TRUE LIES remake. But not a bad one. The action is amazing, the dialogue witty and funny, and the over-the-top effects are kept more or less believeable by the charm of the two actors. One must wonder how many hits on a bullet-proof vest can really take. But overall, I enjoyed this one. And it has one of the best last lines in recent movie history.

War of the Worlds: [PG13] This film is being criticized for not maintaining all of the themes of the original. Let's be honest here. This film is not about Britain in the 1900s. This is about 9/11, plain and simple, as seen by Steven Spielberg. The shock felt in the heart, the sudden understanding that what you thought was permanent is mortal, the senseless loss of life and innocense is all here. What is missing, however, is the dignity that was seen that horrible September day, and the coming together of a people to face a threat as one. But then, I suspect Spielberg was in Hollywood on that fateful day, not NYC. Parents, Do not let young kids see this movie. It is all clean, but there are some horrible images here that are sure to provide nightmares for decades to come.

Batman Begins: [PG13] Wow, a film that actually lives up to the hype. Better than Michael Keaton's Batman (even the original, unmarred by memories of later films) and one of the better comic book films. This one proves why X-Men and Spider-Man worked, but Catwoman did not. Comic book films thrive when their source material is respected, the origins are firmly expored, and the special effects are firmly based in the comic medium. They fail when they try to "reinvent" the character, skimp on origin material, or try to replace comic book effects with either hyperrealism or stylization that comes out of other traditions. Get this one on DVD!