Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Tron: Legacy
Not As Bad As You'd Think


Tron Legacy is the sequel taking place 28 years after the original. There have been a lot of bad reviews. Mostly from nerd websites. They argue about every little detail. In reality, this is a summer blockbuster released at Christmas. But I would like to thank those critics, because they lowered the expectations enough that I could enjoy the movie.

The biggest problem with this movie is the Uncanny Valley issue. Having a digital version of a younger Jeff Bridges would be fine if it was only in the computer world. But they open with him digitally younger too. So right off the bat, you're taken out of the movie. Starring at this creepy wax face.

But once we get into "the Grid" things move at a brisk pace. There are the familiar settings. Light bike races. Escaping to outside the grid. Fighting back. It's all enjoyable. It looks cool. I didn't really feel there were any cringe worthy parts. Hey, it's much better than the original (although not that much, I guess, since it is bad).

Tron Legacy does suffer from recent film issues of "setting up the series". There are a lot of loose threads. Lines of dialog and characters that are introduced and forgotten. You know they're leaving a lot doors open so they don't have to wait another 28 years to make a sequel.

Did you enjoy it?
I did.

Would you see it in theaters again?
Possibly.

Would you buy it?
No.

Would you rent it?
Eh. Maybe if I had a 3D television.

Would you watch it if you saw it was on TV?
But of course.

Friday, December 17, 2010

Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale


Just in time for the holidays comes a unique Christmas movie about the origins of Santa. From Finland. With subtitles. Oh yeah, you're excited. This movie is a fun spin on the real tale of Santa Claus. FYI, he's buried in Europe. A financier funds an expedition to get Santa dug up. A small town witnesses the results. That's all I can say about the movie.






It's not that scary. It's not really gory. It is played serious, not campy. And it is a lot of fun. You can tell it's done on a budget. The ending really makes the film. What I can say is that it is a lot of fun. It is opening in selected theaters on Christmas Eve. Think Gremlins, if you're looking for the tone of the film.

Did you enjoy it?
Yes.

 Would you see it in theaters again?
Maybe. Our family is looking for a movie to go to on Christmas.

 Would you buy it?
No, but I may put it in your stocking.

 Would you rent it?
Maybe next Christmas.

Would you watch it if you saw it was on TV?
Yes.

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Faster


Oh boy. You know this movie is going to live upto it's name when you see Dwayne Johnson (formerly known as The Rock, but finally able to lose his moniker) pacing in his cell room. No one in the main cast gets names (except Carla Gugino for some reason). You get names like "Driver" and "Cop" and "Killer". Smart stuff.

He is getting revenge for some people killing his brother. The end.

Did you enjoy it?
Eh. As part of a double feature, sure.

Would you see it in theaters again?
No.

Would you buy it?
No.

Would you rent it?
No.

Would you watch it if you saw it was on TV?
Probably.

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Megamind (in the 3rd dimension)


I have really been slacking on my feature films. But I got around to seeing Megamind the other day. It's pretty cute. The plot is interesting and somewhat original. What if the Super Villain won? Then what?

It looks good. It has 3D. I think all cartoons should be in 3D from now on. The story sags in the middle. They didn't really know what to do beyond the premise and outline.

Sadly, not a lot more to say about the movie. Same will be true for my next review. Interesting that I saw them both in the same night.

Did you enjoy it?
Yes.

Would you see it in theaters again?
No.

Would you buy it?
No.

Would you rent it?
No.

Would you watch it if you saw it was on TV?
Yes.

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

My Pharmacist


In case you didn't know, I spent the first couple years of college in Pharmacy school. During my time I roomed with a fellow Pharmacy student named Dirk. Imagine my surprise to find him on WGN this morning educating me of the dangers of accurate children's dosage.

Congrats, Dirk.

http://www.wgntv.com/videobeta/881ce4d4-739d-44e7-bbcb-507d55d832b8/Health/Medical-Watch-Proper-dosage-for-children