If you want to read lengthy, drawn-out reviews of the movies in theaters now (or soon to be) then this isn't the blog you should be reading. Most of the posts from The Other Critic are short, sweet and to the point; that's how we roll here.

We also don't just focus on current movies. Let's face it, there are plenty of good movies that have been made, and sometimes viewers have a tendency to forget that there is more to life than movies in the theaters.

With all that said, please enjoy the short and concise, and sometimes opinionated reviews. If you don't like them, that's okay—we won't hold it against you.

Saturday, May 23, 2009

Return From Movie Review Hiatus

Ah, it's good to be back among the living. Don't ask, it's a long story and everyone will want to hear it over and over—just wait for the movie. :)

Anyways, since my arrival back, I have been busy. Very busy. The people in the theater near my house must love me, some even know me by name (a little sad, but then again...).

In this post I will be reviewing 4 movies. Yes, four movies. X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Star Trek, Terminator Salvation and Angels and Demons. So, lets get down to it.



The Scoop:

When choosing which mutant hero they would use to launch the X-MEN feature-film prequel series ORIGINS, the creators of the hugely successful franchise had a no-brainer of a decision in going with... more

Here's what The Other Critic thinks:

You know, I think a lot of people were expecting a lot more from this film. True enough that there were some flaws in the storyline, but, in my opinion, those were minor. I would have liked to seen a little more of the story behind some of the characters, and I would have liked for Gambit to have had a little more screen time, but, the story is about Wolverine. I loved, absolutely loved, the opening sequence. Fantastic. This is a movie that I plan on buying when it is released on DVD for sure.

If you like comic book based movies, you should like this one. If you don't like comic books, you still might like this one, but I'd steer clear of the Punisher series...



The Scoop:

The greatest adventure of all time begins with Star Trek, the incredible story of a young crew’s maiden voyage onboard the most advanced starship ever created: the U.S.S. Enterprise. On a journey... more

Here's what The Other Critic has to say:

There are only four words to explain how I feel about the latest installment in the Star Trek franchise of movies: "Beam me up, Scotty!"


This was a brilliant move for Star Trek movies. I was really glad when I saw that th
ey were going to go back and tell the "how it all started" story—I don't think I could have watched anything starring the original James T. Kirk. I knew within the first ten minutes of the movie that I was soooo getting my $8 worth, no doubt in my mind. The story was refreshing, the special effects were amazing and for once, it wasn't Kirk who had the romantic story line—way to go, Spock! I loved all the "subtle" references to "our parents Star Trek"—things like "Dammit Jim, I'm a doctor not a physicist!" Props goes out to the person who cast the actors and actresses for this film—especially for Scotty. Wonderfully done.

This is definitely one you will want to see in theaters, at least once. Very, very, very good show. Probably the best of the year, although there might be a few contenders on the horizon...



The Scoop:

In the highly anticipated new installment of The Terminator film franchise, set in post-apocalyptic 2018, Christian Bale stars as John Connor, the man fated to lead the human resistance against... more

Here's what The Other Critic thinks:

There are people out there that will tell you this movie was nothing more then explosions and bullets with little story line. They might have seen the movie, they might have read some critics review. I 'd say that it was worth the $8 to find out for yourself—and if you're cheap, spend $5.50 and see a matinee.

I am a fan of the Terminator series. Good old Arnold will always be The Terminator to me. I actually really enjoyed this installment in the Terminator series. I expected to see the usual amount of gunfire and explosions that tend to accompany such films like this one—and I was pleasantly surprised at the outcome in the end. There were only a few things that I didn't like. Christian Bale saying "I'll be back." and the molten metal scene were a little over the top for me—they could have done something a little better I felt. But, aside from that, I'd say that I would see this one again—probably a matinee, though.



The Scoop:

The team behind the global phenomenon The Da Vinci Code returns for the highly anticipated Angels & Demons, based upon the bestselling novel by Dan Brown. Tom Hanks reprises his role as Harvard... more

Here's what The Other Critic thinks:

You know, I thought this movie was pretty good. Not as intriguing as The DaVinci Code was, but still pretty good. I am not sure if it was because I had just eaten dinner or the fact that I caught a later show, but the first part of the movie was really slow moving for me—I even caught myself nodding off a few times. Now, don't let that discourage you from seeing the movie—I tend to fall asleep when the lights go out, especially after eating. There were parts of the movie that were slightly predictable, but the sory itself was good. Tom Hanks and Ewan McGregor deliver as usual.

If you have read the book, you might not like this movie. The whole first part of the book is hardly mentioned—no whirrly motorized wheelchair or super fast privately owned plane. And there is no mention of the relationship between the daughter and her scientist/priest father, simply that they were lab partners. I am not sure that I would go to the theater to see this one again, maybe rent it from Red Box when it comes out, maybe.

--

Well, that's it for now. I am still planning on doing a "First Impressions" post soon to review movie trailers that I've either seen online or in the theater. Until that happens, if you have any movies you'd like The Other Critic to (watch) and review, let me know.