Showing posts with label 2009. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2009. Show all posts

February 26, 2010

Knowing


Knowing, 2009.

Nicolas Cage, oscar winner and the biggest action star of the 90s (see The Rock, Con Air & Face/Off) was on a big run of strike outs when this reviewer decided to part with his $15 of his hardest earned to see his latest offering. Bangkok Dangerous, The Wicker Man remake, Next & Ghost Rider were all akin to having tabasco sauce forcefully shoved into one's eyeballs. Quite simply, big Nic needed this film to do well at the box office and for it to be entertaining for his legions of loyal, if not growing somewhat impatient, follwers.

Well, this film goes someway to redemption. The film was a huge box office success taking over $180M worldwide.

The film centres on a series of apocalyptic events, as predicted by a troubled young school girl in the 1950s. A university professor, Cage, takes it upon himself to decipher to girl's predictions in order to prevent any future disasters. Edge of your seat special effects and a surprisingly strong sense of tension throughout keep this film moving along nicely.

It is hard to take Cage seriously these days though in many ways, whether it be the hair plugs or the fact that it is laughable to think of him as a professor.

Early in the film, heavy focus is placed on his relationship with his son and troubles he confronts in moving on from his wife allow him to explore his other side (he did win an Oscar. No really, he did) which hasn't been seen much at all since 2002's Adaptation.

This is an entertaining film which this reviewer believes most will enjoy, although it was hard not to think back to Cameron Poe or Stanley Goodspeed.

6/10

Willo

February 24, 2010

(500) Days of Summer


(500) Days of Summer, 2009

The dude from Third Rock gets it done in a smart, funny, romantically scented comedy. Playing his leading lady - Zooey Deschanel - who pulls off cute bitch with aplomb.

JGL is a seriously good actor (see Mysterious Skin rather than him getting hacked up in Halloween H20) and he carries the audience with him throughout this one.

The lanky guy from Criminal Minds bobs up - but this is a two-hander and both are terrific. Snazzy dance sequence, Temper Trap on the soundtrack and a narrator with a cool voice - how can you go wrong.

Lads - if the girlfriend grabs this one at the video store - use it as leverage to rent District 9 but watch it with her anyway.

7/10

Nutbuckle