This is the month where the studios start to role out the big summer releases. The highlight this year is the final film of the Star Wars saga. Let's take a look at what I saw shall we?
Best of the Month: Crash
Worst of the Month: A Lot Like Love
- Crash. Amazing movie. Not easy to describe or watch. Great ensemble cast sisplays the good and bad in each of us. ****
- Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room. An informative documentary, I know have an idea of what these guys did. And what they did was not very nice. ***
- The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Laugh out loud funny and frustratingly obtuse. It is very reminiscent of Monty Python style humor. Lot's of randomness. I would have liked it to have been a bit more cohesive. **.5
- House of Wax. Surprisingly entertaining. It takes awhile to get going, but when it does, it provides some good atmosphere, some decent blood, and a fantastic climactic set piece. Not a classic by any stretch but decent. **.5
- Kingdom of Heaven. Excellent epic film about the Crusades. Bloom is still rather slight, but this film is excellent. ***.5
- A Lot Like Love. Ashton Kutcher and Amanda Peet in a stillborn romantic comedy. A few funny moments, but nothing worth recommeding. *.5
- Mindhunters. A rather dumb, but highly entertaining horror film wrapped in the trappings of an FBI procedural. ***
- Unleashed. Highly entertaining action drama, features some of Li's best acting. The story could have gotten deeper, but the slice we get is great. ***
- The Animation Show 2005. A collection of animated shorts from around the world in a variety of mediums and genres. Excellent if you get to see it. ***
- Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith. Wow! I loved it, of course it brings up as many questions as it answers. Action packed from start to finish. ***.5
- Kicking & Screaming. This was a fun movie. The kids were good and Mike Ditka was hilarious. I still find Ferrell to be hit and miss. **.5
- 3 Iron. An existential, methodically paced drama from Korea. It is almost hypnotic. I need to see it again before even beginning to explain it. ***.5
- Layer Cake. British gangster import is very good. Inventively shot and nicely plotted. ***
- The Longest Yard. Adam Sandler vehicle was a lot better than I had expected. Plays the line of comedy and drama in a rather unbelievable setup. ***
- Mad Hot Ballroom. Delightful documentary about inner city kids in a dancing program/competition. This had me smiling the whole time. ***.5
- Madagascar. Better than Robots and Shark Tale. Plays up th Looney Toon style aspect. Lots of physical comedy and some good voice performances, but it was still a bit thin. **.5
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Article comments
1 - Eric Berlin
How do you have time to see all these films? It was cause for a minor celebration that the wife and I actually managed to get to the theater to see Star Wars.
Interesting take on Hitchhikers: most reviews I've read have faulted the film for being too mild, not risky enough.
2 - Chris Beaumont
It's not easy, but I try! :)
I haven't read Hitchhiker for a long time, and the film just seemed to jump around with weird transitions. Their were very funny bits, but I think the bigger vision would be lost on those unfamiliar with the book, and on that count it fails. I still had fun though!
3 - Eric Olsen
added this to the regular features list - thanks Chris!!
4 - Tan Hoang
It took me a while to figure out that you didn't rank the movies with your numbers because I would assume Layer Cake would be higher than A Lot Like Love since you did say it was the worst out of all of them.
5 - Chris Beaumont
I should have made it clearer, the list is in the order in which I saw the film. Crash happened to be the best and the first I saw in the month!
6 - Tan Hoang
Nice... I've been meaning to watch it, but no one i know wants to... grrrr, i guess i have to wait for the DVD
7 - Chris Beaumont
Sadly I am usually by myself when I go. 64 trips to the theater 7 times with someone.....
8 - The Theory
there are some things you just keep to yourself... no need to announce to the world how pathetic you are.
Ok, I jest I jest. I saw Hitchhiker's Guide alone the first time, too...
9 - Richard
Glad to see another who appreciated Kingdom.
Take care,