Brief Movie Reviews

Been busy with the holidays, which is why I haven't posted lately.

I've had a chance to watch some DVDs recently. I wouldn't bother to write a full blown review unless I come across something particularly special, but it's worth commenting on what I've seen. I plan to subscribe to Netflix early in 2007, and I'm sure I'll overindulge for a while with that new toy once I have it. I'm a story junkie in all forms, and when I'm free of the restriction of paying for individual rentals, I'm bound to take some risks in hope of finding the odd gem.

Pirates of the Carribean: Dead Man's Chest - Not bad for a popcorn flick, though not as good as the first one. The filmmakers tried a little too hard to top the first one, with occasionally ridiculous results. It's still worth a rental if you enjoyed the first one.

A Scanner Darkly - This one gets points for style and credit for leaving the source material relatively intact, as far as I know, which is all too rarely the case. It's not a great film, though, and feels more like a character study than anything else. I wouldn't bother renting it unless you're a particular fan of one of the actors involved. Robert Downey, Jr. stands out. Keanu Reeves' popularity continues to mystify me. I liked him in "The Matrix" and "Johnny Mnemonic", but he was supposed to be relatively deadpan in those movies.

The Descent - Big thumbs up for this one! Highly recommended, if you enjoy horror films. The characters are more than cardboard cut-outs, and some of the most frightening scenes are the ones that could happen to anyone who went caving in the real world. There's a subplot with a subtle and satisfying payoff where most films would've hit you over the head with it. I'd seen one of the director's previous movies ("Dog Soldiers") and while it had elements I liked a lot, it was nothing to write home about overall. After this one, I'll be paying closer attention to his work.