Quickshot Movie Reviews
The Exorcism of Emily Rose
This isn’t really a horror movie.
The commercials completely bill this as a horror movie, but in truth it’s a courtroom drama based on a real case. The movie starts with a priest getting arrested for an exorcism gone wrong. The exorcism itself is shown in flashback. While the flashbacks are a little scary, they’re not Exorcist scary. And there are long bouts of legal drama between scares.
Essentially, what you have is the scariest Law & Order episode you’ve ever seen.
The one thing that this movie maybe does better than The Exorcist is debate the idea that Emily isn’t really possessed but rather suffering from a medical condition. This idea is only marginally touched on in the updated version of The Exorcist, but dealt with in great depth in the novel. I find this idea fascinating, and it was the most compelling part about The Exorcism of Emily Rose.
The 40 Year Old Virgin
First things first: There’s nothing wrong with an adult male collecting action figures.
That said, Steve Carrell’s character Andy in The 40 Year Old Virgin is hysterical, playing up the nerdy toy collecting and bike riding and bad clothes wearing to comic perfection. The supporting cast is all great, and you’ve got to love a movie that has a musical number ("Age of Aquarius" no less).
It’s not the best comedy I’ve ever seen, but it was far funnier than I thought it’d be. And though you’ve seen that chest waxing scene so many times in commercials that it’s not funny anymore, you’re still not prepared for it in the movie. I challenge you not to wince and laugh.
A Sound of Thunder
Based on a Ray Bradbury story, this movie would have been great if it wasn’t for piss-poor CGI. The story (about what happens when you affect a timeline during time travel) is pretty interesting, and it’s handled well, but the effects leave a lot to be desired. The greenscreen is horrible, with the actors obviously walking in place and the backgrounds looking flat. The CGI monsters look okay, but they’re not even quite on par with Jurassic Park, and that was 15 years ago. It took me right out of the story.
Red Eye
Here’s another film being billed as a horror film that’s really not. This one is really a suspense film rather than a horror film–more like a Brian DePalma in the 1980's film than a Wes Craven film. Still, it’s not a bad film (and would probably be scary as an in-flight movie on an airplane).
I think that Cillian Murphy has the potential to be a star, and Rachel McAdams is slowly winning me over as a bona fide leading lady. The pacing of the movie is a little off, and of course things get a little ludicrous plot-wise, but it’s still mostly fun.
Wedding Crashers
Speaking of Rachel McAdams, here she does great work playing the heart of a film that revels in its depravity. Think I’m wrong? Then think about Will Farrell picking up chicks at a funeral. All right, then.
This was one of those movies that everyone was raving about, saying how hilarious it was and that I must see it. Usually, I wind up hating these movies, but this one lived up to the hype for once.
Vince Vaughn carries the film with his rat-a-tat dialogue, and Isla Fisher steals the movie as Vaughn’s romantic interest. The movie drags a bit during the "serious" part where you’re supposed to doubt the possibility of a happy ending, but if you can get past that (and the illogical timing of the weddings) then you should come out having laughed pretty hard. If you’re like me, you’ll want to check out the DVD so you can watch Vince Vaughn’s dialogue with subtitles so you can understand everything he’s saying.
This isn’t really a horror movie.
The commercials completely bill this as a horror movie, but in truth it’s a courtroom drama based on a real case. The movie starts with a priest getting arrested for an exorcism gone wrong. The exorcism itself is shown in flashback. While the flashbacks are a little scary, they’re not Exorcist scary. And there are long bouts of legal drama between scares.
Essentially, what you have is the scariest Law & Order episode you’ve ever seen.
The one thing that this movie maybe does better than The Exorcist is debate the idea that Emily isn’t really possessed but rather suffering from a medical condition. This idea is only marginally touched on in the updated version of The Exorcist, but dealt with in great depth in the novel. I find this idea fascinating, and it was the most compelling part about The Exorcism of Emily Rose.
The 40 Year Old Virgin
First things first: There’s nothing wrong with an adult male collecting action figures.
That said, Steve Carrell’s character Andy in The 40 Year Old Virgin is hysterical, playing up the nerdy toy collecting and bike riding and bad clothes wearing to comic perfection. The supporting cast is all great, and you’ve got to love a movie that has a musical number ("Age of Aquarius" no less).
It’s not the best comedy I’ve ever seen, but it was far funnier than I thought it’d be. And though you’ve seen that chest waxing scene so many times in commercials that it’s not funny anymore, you’re still not prepared for it in the movie. I challenge you not to wince and laugh.
A Sound of Thunder
Based on a Ray Bradbury story, this movie would have been great if it wasn’t for piss-poor CGI. The story (about what happens when you affect a timeline during time travel) is pretty interesting, and it’s handled well, but the effects leave a lot to be desired. The greenscreen is horrible, with the actors obviously walking in place and the backgrounds looking flat. The CGI monsters look okay, but they’re not even quite on par with Jurassic Park, and that was 15 years ago. It took me right out of the story.
Red Eye
Here’s another film being billed as a horror film that’s really not. This one is really a suspense film rather than a horror film–more like a Brian DePalma in the 1980's film than a Wes Craven film. Still, it’s not a bad film (and would probably be scary as an in-flight movie on an airplane).
I think that Cillian Murphy has the potential to be a star, and Rachel McAdams is slowly winning me over as a bona fide leading lady. The pacing of the movie is a little off, and of course things get a little ludicrous plot-wise, but it’s still mostly fun.
Wedding Crashers
Speaking of Rachel McAdams, here she does great work playing the heart of a film that revels in its depravity. Think I’m wrong? Then think about Will Farrell picking up chicks at a funeral. All right, then.
This was one of those movies that everyone was raving about, saying how hilarious it was and that I must see it. Usually, I wind up hating these movies, but this one lived up to the hype for once.
Vince Vaughn carries the film with his rat-a-tat dialogue, and Isla Fisher steals the movie as Vaughn’s romantic interest. The movie drags a bit during the "serious" part where you’re supposed to doubt the possibility of a happy ending, but if you can get past that (and the illogical timing of the weddings) then you should come out having laughed pretty hard. If you’re like me, you’ll want to check out the DVD so you can watch Vince Vaughn’s dialogue with subtitles so you can understand everything he’s saying.
posted by Amy at 12:59 PM
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