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GRITZ Movie Reviews: 007; Role Models; Changeling; House

QUANTUM OF SOLACE
I am really digging the new James Bond. Daniel Craig does calm, cool and collected as good or maybe even better than Sean Connery or Roger Moore. One thing is for certain, there is more non-stop action in these latest two 007 films than ever before, and that includes my all time favorite, Live and Let t Die.

There are exploding buildings, extreme car chases, narrow escapes, borderline sex scenes (hey, it’s rated PG), and a whole lot of shooting.

Mathieu Amalric is absolutely perfect Greene, a bad guy reminiscent of Adolph Hitler meets The Scarecrow from Batman Begins.

Olga Kurylenko is truly easy on the eyes, even after being drug through a keyhole backwards, and her ability to kick ass and take names without smudging her lipstick remains a mystery, although very cool.

Dame Judi Dench is always great as M, the somewhat motherly director in charge of Bond. That is, if anybody is ever truly “in charge” of James Bond.

To sum up, Quantum of Solace is an edge of your seat, action packed, sexy thrill ride. I had a blast. No pun intended.

FIVE STARS

 
ROLE MODELS
Seann William Scott and  Paul Rudd get into a bit of trouble while making their rounds of elementary schools and hawking their “anti-drug but drink this energy drink” campaign. After wrecking the company vehicle, they are sentenced to hard time as councilors at Sturdy Wings, a kind of “big brothers” organization, under the direction of former junkie Jane Lynch (who should get an award of some kind for her schizo role here). Teamed up with the two most hard core boys in the organization, Scott and Rudd have their work cut out for them. Oddly enough, the whole answer to helping the boys find themselves involves the somewhat bizarre mixture of a midevil reenactment group similar to the SCA, and the rock band KISS. In fact, if any of you reading this are old fans of the band, you’ll love all the references sprinkled throughout the film. Wonder if Gene Simmons has stock in this movie?

Elizabeth Banks is great as the girlfriend trying to understand her square-peg boyfriend. Banks has had a banner year, and her role here only adds to the resume.

When I saw the trailer for this one, I didn’t think I even wanted to see it. The preview sucked. Fortunately, the movie was much better. Very funny stuff.

FOUR STARS

CHANGELING
Angelia Jolie sure looks hot as a 1920’s single mom. But then again, she’d look hot dressed as Freddy Kruger. Hey, now there’s an idea. Since the rumors of Billy Bob Thornton as Kruger turned out to be false, maybe a sexy female version? Oh, never mind.

The movie is based on a true story of a child who goes missing, only to turn back up a few months later at the hands of the police. The only thing is, the boy they brought home isn’t Angie’s son. The cops try to convince her that he is indeed her son, and when she fights them on it, they toss her in the nervous hospital.

That’s when she makes friends with the local minister/talk show radio host and activist John Malkovich, who makes it his goal to help her uncover a police conspiracy that leads to a shocking end.

FOUR AND ONE HALF STARS

HOUSE

No, this isn’t a movie about the angry doctor who walks with a cane. Nor is it a remake of the eighties sleeper of the same name. It is, however, the most cliche, predictable, horror movie of all time. And I use the word horror loosely, since there is absolutely nothing scarry about it. Well, except the fact that so many people will pay their hard earned $8.50 during this economy to see such a piece of drivel.

ONE HALF STAR

-Reviews by Michael Buffalo Smith

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