A film review of: Eagle Eye.......

I wasn't really in the mood for a film yesterday but I changed my mind at the very last minute, took the 1.15pm showing of Eagle Eye and was glad I did. Last week I saw Righteous Kill, a movie that would have been OK with any other two leading men but when you have Pacino and De Niro together (in the same scenes and shots for a change) you expect something more, and RK didn't deliver that; twists have to be cleverer than that! The reason I sidetrack to RK was that it was then I saw the list of films available and other than the Cohen movie which I have slated for next week when audiences have dwindled a bit (I hate packed movie theaters, I prefer them all to myself) there was little to tickle my fancy. Then I remembered that EE was out so I swung by and invested 2 hours. This Shia LaBeouf dude is, in my opinion, 'the' up coming lead actor in action/adventure movies. I didn't see him in Indiana Jones, I missed it. I saw him in Transformers and he was good; in this film he is very good.

He has this ability to be unwitting, vulnerable, slackerish, scruffy, smouldering, heroic, scared, determined and aggressive whenever needed; but he doesn't come across as superhuman which, maybe is the appeal and why so many movie goers are paying to see him.

Eagle Eye is a more a commentary on the 'big brother' State, that being Government and/or military, having the control over satelites that can delivery high def sound and vision from your cell phone and the CCTV camera that is following you down the street and at the subway station to track you. In this plot, track you and make you do stuff you don't want to do whilst taking control of automated stuff to stop others from catching you do the stuff you don't want to do......phew! Got that?

Throw in a 'super computer' hidden under the Pentagon, a 'we couldn't get Liv Tyler' actress as the female lead and a bit of badass anti-terrorist agent in the form of Billy Bob Thornton and you have yourselves an action 'romp' that makes 2 hours whizz by easily.

It's not the best plot to a film I've ever seen but it was pretty good.

6/10

It certainly beats watching the hours and hours of CNN talking about the vote that failed.......how long can people talk about one subject for?

....and I'm not belittling the subject matter, just the reporting thereof!! :-)

Until next time.

Drude

Enough is enough.....!

OK, I know that I've been a lazy bastard on this so called blog of mine, that I thought I'd use to review movies I've seen. Frankly it got a bit boring for me as the films up for viewing were getting worse, then Batman came out and it was like, "why would i blog about this along with the other billion people?", so I didn't!

Films have had a tough job living up to that film since I saw him (of course I mean the Ledger Dude); the rest of the film sort of tried to catch up to him and just about hung on even if it was 30 mins too long. Anyway, nothing since has really made me want to review or write here so It's been rather barren, dear reader. Sorry.

So what made me want to write today?

I think I'm turning into a 'grumpy old man' but at only 45 - how can that be?

Now I'm not sure whether it's the culture here in Canada or I'm becoming less and less tolerant of things when they are not as they should be.

Here's the story:

I have a great 'spousal' medical coverage through my wife's job and so I get to get new glasses with a free eye test for pretty much nada from my piggy bank.

So i trundle off to a local 'glasses shop' (name withheld) and get my eyes tested - they are actually about the same and all is well.

I pick out a new pair of clear and a second pair of sunglasses. "Clear ones in a couple days and the sunglasses in a week", she says. Great, see you in a week I think.

A week goes by and I pop in to pick up my glasses - clear ones are 'in' but no sunglasses. "probably in tomorrow", she says.

I leave it 2 days and go in (you are probably wondering why I didn't call ahead, but my wife wanted to glasses shop too so I was already there.

The sunglasses are still not in. "Monday or Tuesday", she says.

Canadian summer has and is no way to be compared with anything summery this year so I say, "OK".

It's now Wednesday so I call ahead to see if they are in, the conversation with the very nice, but inept, man went like this:

Man: hello
Me: My name is XXXXXXX I am enquiring as to my sunglasses. Are they ready to be picked up?
Man: (after checking) We have the lens' in, we just have to fit them, probably tomorrow or Friday.
Me: Why the huge delay - I was told a week it's now 2 weeks?
Man: We just got them in today.
Me: I realise that but i was told a week, then another 2 days then another 2 days - it's now 2 weeks. A week later than i was expecting, so I'd just like to understand why?
Man: well they are big lens'.
Me: I know, i picked them. What does that have to do with how long it takes?
Man: well I had to send them to a special lab to get them made.
Me: I see. Could you not have told me that at any stage of these 2 weeks?
Man: Eh?
Me: Well my expectation was to wait for these glasses a week. I'm getting slightly frustrated that it's now 2 weeks. BUT, if i'd been told that these glasses were special/large etc and had to be sent somewhere special and it might take longer - maybe 2 weeks, I would be happy to wait and let you call me when they were in.
Man: You see they are special lens'.
Me: Yes i understand that now. My point is that my expectations were different to what was going to happen - do you see that my frustration at waiting a week longer for these glasses would be non-existent if I'd been told about how very special my glasses were/are?
Man: We'll try to get your glasses ready today.

At this point I gave up. My ',managing expectations' sermon was landing on stoney ground here.

I come across this almost everyday, people generally saying what or when they will do something with data that makes me happy at the time but is in no way aligned with what they will 'actually' do or when they will do it - or complete it.

Has no one here ever been trained about 'managing expectations'?? It really does solve almost every complaint before the complaint is ever made.....and it can go further by turning a potential complaint into a happy customer who might even (gasp!) recomend said service/shop/garage/glasses shop to their friends.

The rule is simple = "be Scotty". Remember the original Star Trek?

Kirk: I need those engines Scotty!
Scotty: They're going to take at least 10 hours Cap't, the dilythiam crystals need realigning.
Kirk: You have 8 hours Scotty.
Scotty: I'll do my best Cap't. but I canna work miracles here.

Scotty fixes the crystals in 6 hours and is commended time and time again.

Lesson learned - this was the 60's - we are now in the 21st fucking century and people still want to please people at the point of purchase by setting expectations that do not live up to reality, in the wrong direction.

Another quick story - my A/C went on the 'blink' last week - I called my garage who had only just finished work on the A/C - they said bring it in at 2pm. I took it in at 2pm for them to check and they said come back in 30 mins - I said I would grab a burger around the corner and be back at 2.30.

At 2.30 i returned to find no one had looked at it. They know my numbers - could they not have called and said, "take your time over your burger, we haven't got to your car yet." OR just told me 60 mins in the first place! As it was I wolfed down a burger, fries and a shake and then spent 30 mins sitting in their sterile waiting area.

Should I just accept this or should I try to point out this whenever it happens - if I do the latter I am told that I'm being grumpy. Is this being grumpy, dear reader?

Maybe I should just accept this as 'the way'.

Maybe others should just expect more 'grumpiness'.

grumpily yours,
drude

Another movie review.....better late than never!

Ok, so these movie reviews are not exactly weekly as I had planned but living in Ottawa one has to deal with a few natural circumstances; mainly weather; mainly snow!

Some Tuesday's I don't feel like battling through the slush, snow and ice or the ploughs, salt and bad drivers. I also have that bad knee that is still causing some 'limpage'.

Anyway - it's Spring, right? Right! So I decided today was a good day to see a film and write about it.

I had a load to pick from as the last movie I saw was way back in February and was Jumper. (see last post). The films on offer were all new(ish) but I was in the mood for some cards, Vegas and a sprinkling of Spacey and Fishburne so '21' it was.

Now I'm aware of gambling films and the plots surrounding 'counting cards' and frankly this film offered nothing new really; it was the way in which the story was told that made this film a nice story with a happy ending.

So in a nutshell; Spacey brilliant MIT professor has a gang of genii students who, as a team, take Vegas for a few grand each weekend by counting cards. Now, any system needs to have rules and as we all know - when you start to win big you start to get emotional rather than follow the rules - this happens and the team breaks up and then a few losses and betrayals occur. I'll not go into too much detail as it would spoil the film for you.

Suffice to say that it was a good film that was 123 minutes of 'cruise control' for Spacey; one of my favorite actors, this was no stretch for his talent. It was nice to see Laurence Fishburne (larger than life!!) who had a decent role but I still always see him as Morpheus - not my fault.

The rest of the cast was ok - I fail to see the continuing attraction casting directors have with Jim Sturgess but as he is a Brit I'll not dwell too much. Kate Bosworth does a good job as the love interest but again - no stretch there. Still, we'll be seeing much more of her in movies to come, I'm sure.

I was going to see another movie and it probably would have been The Bank Job
but the seats at the cinema were so hard and uncomfortable I decided I couldn't do a 'TMT' (two movie tuesday). Why are cinema seats so uncomfortable? Beats me - one would have thought that they would want you to enjoy a movie instead of shifting around trying to beat the 'numb bum' or general 'arse ache'.

Until next week dear reader.........

Drude.

Jumper is actually rather good!

Ok, so it's not the most original of plots but anyone english who is about my age remembers the 'Tomorrow People' - and always wished they could 'jaunt' - well this is the updated version of that with some exceptional FX and Samuel Jackson thrown in for good measure.

I saw this on opening day as my kids were still here and wanted to see it so it wasn't a $4 movie this time but it was actually worth it. The plot was, as is always the case nowadays, predictable but it was the overall movie that brought it together. SLJ actually didn't really add anything for me - the stars are def Hayden and Jamie Bell; who I haven't seen in anything since he did that ballet film which everyone loved and I hated, and he was great in this movie - he def has a new slew of doors opening after this movie.

The special FX were top class and the speed of the movie was just right for a 90 minute film.

It was left way open for a sequel or 3 and Diane Lane as the Mum/Jumper hunter is an obvious way forward. A bit de-ja-vu withe the 'Luke, I am your Father' story line from Star Wars but hey....... only so many plots to go round.

Anyway - see the trailer here.

Drude.

At last; a movie review!

So I still have a 'gammy' knee - but I'm off the crutches and stick unless I venture on to uneven ground or have to scramble over snow etc. but I can shovel the drive and suffer just from stiffness and diminished knee strength. The movie theatre I frequent has a nice curved auditorium so if I sit on the left most seat of a row I can have the leg stretched out a bit - that works!

Anyway, my kids are over from the UK and we went to see a movie on Tuesday (half price!) but we also plan to see Jumper on Thursday - (full price!!!).

Anyway we saw Rambo; the final installment in the Rambo story that started in 1982 with 'First Blood'. I've seen all these films as I actually prefer the Rambo character to the Rocky character Stallone portrays. Brooding, angry, never smiling, can create warfare from a few twigs and leaves; perfect hero for me!

I wasn't, to be honest, expecting much in the way of plot: Rambo saught out to go on some dangerous mission, he refuses, he is convinced, he goes along and is forced to either demonstrate why the others with him should not go or are unprepared to face the danger etc. then a lot of killing and the final killing of the bad guy.

That is pretty much what we got, although this Rambo was a tad different in a few ways. There was a love interest (Dexter's girlfriend - actress Julie Benz); there was far more graphic maiming and killing, far more severing of bodies (heads, legs, arms, cutting in half etc.) and a happy ending!

Actually, I thought this was the best Rambo so far - just pipping the second one (rescue of Vietnam vets left behind........). It was well made, well directed and best of all - not too long - I'm getting a bit sick of rambling films that go over the 2 hour mark - this was about an hour and a half - perfect!

I actually winced a few times at the maiming and killing - so a warning - if you are squeamish this is not the film for you.

It gets 3 out of 5 stars from me.

Drude.

No new reviews.....due to knee injury.

Well, it was all going so well was 2008; no back pain after my back went out in November, got the car back after 5 weeks in the body shop after the local garbage truck decided to take the whole side of our car and rub bumpers!

2 weekends ago I was off to the car to take a few things prior to a trip to the pet store among other things and clear ice on the steps from the deck to the garden foiled everything.

A slip on this ice would have been painful on flat ground and my arse may have been a bit bruised but with the first step of 4 down to a snowy and icy path in front of me; down I went, landing first with my left leg which jarred on the icy snow and made my leg pitch forward over my knee and lower leg, spraining ligaments.

The pain was intense to begin with but after i reached the couch and got ice on it (bag of sweet corn) it started to feel better. Cue crutches, bandages, gel braces and finally a walking stick.

Two weeks later and I'm still in recovery but it's getting better; gone are the crutches and I only need the walking stick to go outside. Limping around the house isn't too much trouble and I even went shopping yesterday (a 5 hour trip to Wal-Mart.... God help me!).

It'll be a while until I'm running the 3 minute mile again or skating on the canal but at least I can see light at the end of the tunnel.

So, the main 'take-away' from this less than interesting installment is: I haven't been to see a movie for almost 3 weeks, therefore no reviews, just in case the one or two people who ever read these ramblings were wondering...... :-)

I'm pleased that 'No Country for Old Men' is getting awards it made my top 10 of 2007 (number 5 I think) and it was a good film - just, for me, an untidy ending.

I may be off to the movies tomorrow, we'll see how the leg is feeling.

Thanks. Friendo!

Drude

Tuesday, again - which means movie review time!!

Happy New Year to you dear reader.

It was meant to be a good day, starting with getting our car back from the body repair shop but that didn't happen and therefore I consoled myself with, not one TuesdayMovie, but two!

The movies I wanted to see were all playing and I could, maybe, even squeeze in three. The order I saw these in don't, then, reflect my level of desire to see them, moreover the schedule they are shown tends to work out better.

With a couple of sausage McMuffins inside me I venture off, first 'up' being National Treasure: Book of Secrets with Nicolas Cage and a girl and Jon Voight and the lovely Helen Mirren.

These treasure hunt type movies often have some basic parts to them so lets just quickly check them off.......

Dashing and intelligent action hero/archaeologist - CHECK
Aging father or mother in tow - CHECK AND CHECK
Attractive colleague/ex-wife/potential love interest - CHECK
Bumbling assistant who sometimes gets it right - CHECK
Evil faction guy who is always one step ahead through evil and unfair methods - CHECK
Car chase - Check
Ends justify the means type of law breaking - CHECK
Final discovery - CHECK
Final disaster incorporating final discovery - CHECK

So on the face of it this film checks all the boxes - and that is true - but that's it - very little more than the above really - the car chase was in London and included a Fullers Ale delivery truck which was cool.

I'm really struggling to see why it was at the top spot for 2 or 3 weeks that it was - I guess the cast is a good draw and it's a sequel so that helps - but frankly it's just a run 'o' the mill treasure hunt film and nothing more - preferred the Mummy trilogy, and that's a brave statement to make.



So the next film is really going to be the next one 'on' and it turns out to be AVPR.

I would guess that if you don't know what that means then you should stay away from this movie all together!

When Alien first hit the silver screens in 1979 with a stomach bursting, T shirt busting, blood-spurting Hurt scream it was the scariest thing around and remained so for years.........until they made the second one (which actually was ok) and then Aliens turned into Alien 3 and it wasn't so scary anymore.

Likewise, the first Predator movie was just brilliant in every way - a classic (in my book) but the appalling sequel was just pitiful in a bad Steven Seagal movie kinda way - they just totally lost the plot!

I mean bad movie too as he has made some stinkers - he has also made some classics of their time too - 'Hard to Kill' is still a classic (again, in my book).

Anyway, back to the film at hand AVPR or in it's longer title of Aliens vs Predator: Requiem is the sequel to the first AVP which brought the Alien and Predator together under the plot line that the predator creatures used the Aliens as sport to hunt and hone their skills - and used humans to incubate them.

I have to say that the idea didn't really appeal to me but the first AVP was such a joy to watch that I still watch it again and again - for a 'no big movie star' cast it was a huge success (hence the sequel).

The sequel fails to bring that same magic - this time the plot starts where is left the last one with the Predator ship on it's journey home with a predator incubating an Alien, the first cross-breed.

This Alien bursts out and created havoc on the ship and it inevitably crashes back to Earth somewhere in Colorado where the usual killings, skinnings and acid dripping teeth shots begin.

The films only recognisable cast member for me was 'Michelle' off 24; actress, Reiko Aylesworth who put in a reasonable performance.

Of course the actors in these movies, unless you are Arnie, are not the stars - that is the role of the Aliens and the Predators - and they don't dissapoint - in their gory killing of the human population as well as each other.

My main problem was that I think they got away with some mediocre CGI by having the majority of the film at night in the rain. I think it was a restricted budget sequel that was ok but I won't be watching it again and again.



Next week it's the turn of Sweeney Todd and I am Legend.

Until next week......

Drude

Charlie Wilson's War squeezes in at number 2....

Happy New Year to my reader.....whoever you are.

We went to see Charlie Wilson's War on Sunday afternoon. I went with a little trepidation as I'd just read the Book by George Crile which was very well written or should I say documented. Films oft have a problem living up to their literary basis - but the screenplay for CWW was excellent, making the story digestable for the non-readers of the book but sewing together the main parts of it.

Some license was taken with who got introduced when but other than that it was a great story. It also makes a great point regarding the US fighting wars through guerrilla factions, funding them, arming them, training them all covertly - then as these people don't know where the 'aid' is coming from turn on their beneficiaries.

It also shows that the 'get in, win and get out' strategy might sometimes work in the 'moment' as a victory but if you get out too fast without rebuilding what you've helped destroy the situation can come back and bite you on the ass!

As Charlie Wilson actually said about the whole thing - "....then we fucked up the end game", in that the USA was happy to fund guns and ammunition and train the Muj to make IED's (yes, bicycle bombs and the like were all part of the training the CIA doled out) but when it came to a few million to rebuild schools and infrastructure the USA lost interest and moved on to the Balkans.



I wholeheartedly recommend Charlie Wilson's War and it squeezes in at number 2 for my films of 2007 - just pipped by the excellent Cronenberg film, Eastern Promises.

I also just saw on DVD Pirates of the Caribbean, At World's End....... too long, too much, too many sub plots - great trilogy that I hope will not be added to.

Next week I plan to see both I Am Legend and Sweeney Todd and maybe National Treasure and that will it for my 2007 films.