spiehler's stats
- Review count9
- Helpfulness votes1
- First reviewMay 18, 2008
- Last reviewApril 10, 2011
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating4
spiehler's Reviews
Overall rating
4
/
5
Solid actioner with a heart
PostedApril 10, 2011
If you are the type of moviegoer who requires that every single question be answered by the time the end credits roll, "Hanna" is not your film. There are a LOT of unanswered questions. Kinda like, I don't know, let's say, um, life.
Seriously though, for what it is, it's a tidy little package. The closest approximation I can make is that it's a Bourne film where Jason Bourne just happens to be a 16-year-old girl. Saoirse Ronan is a gem. And if you hear complaints about Cate Blanchett slipping in and out of her Southern accent, there's a VERY good reason for it. It tells volumes about her character.
Major props to Joe Wright for ratcheting the tension throughout the movie without resorting to cheap shots. And who knew he could direct action so well?
Bottom line: If you liked "Bourne," and you can put yourself in the position of a character who really isn't quite sure exactly what's going on, you'll have a great time. Bonus points if you can enjoy fantastic cinematography and a really cool score.
Yes, I recommend this movie.
Share:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Overall rating
5
/
5
Pixar goes 10-for-10.
PostedJune 7, 2009
Believe the hype. UP is that good. Perhaps the most emotional of the 10 Pixar features. Children will laugh, adults will find themselves dabbing away a tear or two. This movie is one of the greatest love letters to marriage I've ever seen.
The 3D is never gimmicky. it just enhances the experience.
The short subject "Partly Cloudy" is very cute, and you'll get a few chuckles, but don't expect the full-on belly laughs of last year's brilliant "Presto." Not saying "Partly Cloudy" is bad, just that "Presto" was that *good.*
Yes, I recommend this movie.
Share:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Overall rating
3
/
5
Solid, not spectacular
PostedMay 24, 2009
If you're a fan of the X-movies, or of Hugh Jackman, you're gonna have a great time. If you're looking for lessons beyond the genre, ala Iron Man or Dark Knight, you'll be disappointed.
Wolverine is straight ahead action flick, and it that way, it succeeds in spades.
Not in the same league as Iron Man or Spidey 2, but above Daredevil & Electra.
Note for the squeamish: Some of Logan's transformation into the adamantium-clawed Wolverine can be a bit gruesome, not so much for what it shows, but what it suggests.
No Stan Lee cameo, but look for pro poker player Daniel Negreanu.
Yes, I recommend this movie.
Share:
+1point
1of 1voted this as helpful.
Overall rating
3
/
5
Faithful to a fault
PostedApril 7, 2009
I'm a huge fan of the graphic novel. Here's the problem: I'm not sure if this movie will really appeal to anyone who hasn't read the book.
Zack Snyder adapted the book with a fan-boy's devotion. But does it work for a general audience?
Best part of the movie: Jackie Earle Haley as Rorschach. Perfection.
Random thoughts: The film is over-long. The changed ending works even better than the comic's ending, IMO. The change to Rorschach's flashback about the child killer is a huge misstep. For such a slavish adaptation to make a change that big is perplexing. The comic's way tells us MUCH more about Rorschach than Snyder's depiction.
3 stars for the general public. Add one if you're a fan of the book.
Yes, I recommend this movie.
Share:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Overall rating
3
/
5
Mostly harmless
PostedApril 4, 2009
A decent entertainment, but nothing that will stay with you. Some great laughs for all ages, but the plot is paper thin, and we really never get know, or care much, about the characters.
The 3D is spectacular. Ultimately though, it's a collection of gags and action set pieces strung together with the wispiest of stories. Another reminder of just how high Pixar has set the bar, and how everyone else keeps missing it.
Yes, I recommend this movie.
Share:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Overall rating
5
/
5
Spectacular, but not for everyone
PostedFebruary 8, 2009
My family and I were blown away by this movie. Like many things written by Neil Gaiman, it is, at its heart, a classic fairy tale.
As such, it contains elements that will not appeal to everyone. If you think all animated movies must be mile-a-minute gag-fests, this is not your film.
That said, this is a stellar piece of filmmaking. It belongs to a group of films I call "slow-moving fables." Classic tales in the old tradition. Films like Dark Crystal, Iron Giant, Mirrormask, and Spirited Away. If you liked these movies, you'll LOVE Coraline.
If you have a sense of wonder, this movie will touch it. Coraline is destined to become a classic.
Yes, I recommend this movie.
Share:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Overall rating
4
/
5
Delivers the goods
PostedNovember 27, 2008
If you're searching for deep revelations about the nature of humanity, you've come to the wrong place! If you're looking for a fun actioner, look no further.
Transporter 3 covers familiar ground, with some slight twists. Frank Martin (Jason Statham) drives like a man possessed, takes out impossible numbers of bad guys, and looks great doing so.
Darker in tone than #2, #3 may have the most coherent plot of the series. I realize that's not saying much. After the extreme cartoony feel of #2, it's a nice return to roots.
Nothing new here, but if you're a fan of the series, you'll be happy. Now if Statham could just find that breakout role
Yes, I recommend this movie.
Share:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Overall rating
5
/
5
Stellar. Believe the hype.
PostedJuly 20, 2008
Let's put it this way: The Dark Knight is one of the three greatest super hero movies ever. (Spidey 2 & Iron Man being the others).
Pros: Heath Ledger is transcendent, the movie looks fantastic, and it gives you a lot to think about.
Cons: A tad long.
Note: This movie is intense. Not gory, but intense. Take the PG-13 seriously.
Yes, I recommend this movie.
Share:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Overall rating
4
/
5
One of the better comic book movies
PostedMay 18, 2008
(Disclaimer-I've never read the Iron Man comics, so I am not addressing faithfulness of adaptation here.)
The only things that keeps me from giving this a 5-star review are the occasional slow spots, and the fact that this film flies high, but never quite soars breathlessly like Spidey 2 or Batman Begins. But I'm being REALLY fussy there.
The only things that keeps me from giving this a 5-star review are the occasional slow spots, and the fact that this film flies high, but never quite soars breathlessly like Spidey 2 or Batman Begins. But I'm being REALLY fussy there.
Where does it fit in the recent comic-book movie pantheon? IMO-just barely below the aforementioned films, and above eveyrthing else-Fantastic Four, X-Men, and WELL above Superman Returns.
Walking out of this film, I really agreed with a lot of critics and fans-Robert Downey Jr. is the ONLY actor who could have played Tony Stark. He was pitch-perfect. Maybe the best super hero lead performance ever. The way he confronts his past, and embraces his future is multilayered and inspiring.
Jeff Bridges-GREAT villain! Gwyneth Paltrow-nice to see an A-list actress tackle the normally thankless role of "the girl" in a superhero flick. She really gets the most out of it.
Make sure you hang around for the end of the credits.
Here's looking forward to IM2.
Scott
Yes, I recommend this movie.
Share:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.