|
|
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows. The sequel to the 2009 reinvention of the classic Arthur Conan Doyle character finds Dr. Watson (Jude Law) about to perform his nuptials with his bride Mary (Kelly Reilly) as Sherlock (Robert Downey Jr.) sets his sights on the greatest criminal mastermind he's yet encountered--Professor James Moriarty (Jared Harris). Irene Adler (Rachel McAdams) has a brief almost-cameo at the start of the movie but she isn't around for long (which is unfortunate since I rather liked her character).
There's a couple of unusual editing choices in the movie (like Irene's fate, the part immediately before the opening title with Sherlock sitting in a restaurant and a couple of other things too). Generally, the directing is on-par with the original film (same director) and Guy Ritchie attempts to put his usual flair on the film with mostly successful results. The acting and most of the wit from the first film is present although if I had to choose one over the other, I'm a bit partial to the first film. For one thing, the story was a bit tighter then this one is. Also, some of the Holmes-Watson chemistry is overshadowed by the fact they have to travel out of their normal environment (England) for France and Switzerland. In the first film, Irene Adler added to the overall story while in this one, Madam Simza Heron (Noomi Rapace) and her fellow gypsies seem to overpower it in some instances which puts the whole thing a little off-tone in my opinion. It's not a major difference but a subtle one... In the first film, the movie was all about Sherlock and what a bizarre character he was and Watson's straight-man to him. In the second film, the duo must rely on the Gypsies help as well as the remote assistance of Mycroft Holmes (Stephen Fry), Sherlock's Ambassadorial brother. There's still some of the chemistry present--especially at key points in the film--but it could've been a bit stronger overall. Sherlock is a bit more of a lonely goof (for lack of a better term) in this film instead of being in control at all times (like in the first). It's a subtle difference in many respects but not a positive one.
The story is fairly good as is the action, cinematography and special effects. Moriarty schemes to throw all of Europe into a war so that he can profiteer from the chaos. On the subject of the plot, I was kind of hoping we might see an explanation of precisely why he wanted the device from the end of the first movie but that was never addressed here (I have no idea if there was any plan to address it at any point, even when the first movie was being written, but I had half hoped to see an explanation of some sort here and there is none. The device is completely forgotten about).
I also noticed something in the movie I'm getting a bit tired of seeing: When an assassin attacks somebody, they incapacitate the assassin just long enough to escape but not well enough to ensure they won't get right back up and pursue them immediately thereafter. This results in a long chase/fight that could've been resolved had the target simply knocked them out (or killed them) in the first place. I know, it would be less exciting otherwise but can't anyone bother to write something different occasionally?
In summation, a decent film that's worth checking out if one's inclined to see more set in this world. There's good action, good acting and a fairly good story. Recommended. (Jan. 3/12).
Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol. The fourth outing in the M:I series sees the return of Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise). This time, the IMF is set-up by a rogue terrorist element that frames them for a bombing at the Kremlin. Disavowed, the remaining team members must pull together and stop nothing less then a full-scale nuclear war. The special effects and action are spectacular (especially the whole Dubai hotel sequence). Story-wise, the movie is okay but the typical spy/action movie plot. I would hardly say it's all that memorable compared to any other M:I movie or even James Bond or the Bourne series. As with previous installments, we get the requisite beautiful woman in the form of Agent Jane Carter (Paula Patton). The villian is Kurt Hendricks (Michael Nyqvist) but he doesn't get a lot of screen time compared with previous villains in this series. Ving Rhames makes a cameo (he was in the previous three films as an IMF agent) as does Michelle Monaghan (Hunt's wife from the third movie). I did have a few minor problems with the movie--one instance of the use of IMF technology (involving the Kremlin) struck me as a tad far-fetched. I also wondered about Hunt's wife's fate and how that would realistically work (I suppose the viewer isn't supposed to think too much about it but I did). Still, this is an excellent popcorn movie despite it and better then the third one. Recommended. (Dec. 30/11).
Young Adult. The latest film from Jason Reitman (Thank You For Smoking, Juno, Up in the Air) is a story about a woman in her late thirties who returns to her hometown to pursue her old boyfriend, a man she believes she is destined to be with--despite the fact he's happily married and has a newborn daughter. Mavis Gary (Charlize Theron) is a successful ghost writer of a moderately successful young adult vampire book series who is suffering writer's block on her latest effort, the last in the Waverly High series. Her life is a mess--her condo is messy, she lives off Diet Coke and Rum and her social life is virtually non-existent. One day she's reminiscing and overhears two teenaged girls discussing a boyfriend and how one thinks she's destined to be with him. After a spiritually unsatisfying encounter with a man she meets through a dating site she decides to pack up her belongings and head back home to Mercury, Minnesota. She's invited to her old flame's newborn daughter's baby shower. Buddy Slade (Patrick Wilson) is her old boyfriend and someone she believes she's destined to be with. She takes every opportunity to try and seduce him back to her, even though he is mostly oblivious to her attempts. While in town, she meets up with Matt (Patton Oswalt), a nerdy guy who used to have a locker right next to her. He tries to reason with her about Buddy, but she's having none of that--she knows they're destined to be together and will stop at nothing to achieve her goals. Matt has his own problems--he walks with a cane after having been beaten severely in high school for being gay (even though he was actually straight). Mavis is attractive, shallow and was once quite popular. At 37, she wakes up one day and suddenly realizes
she is uncertain where she fits into her own life. She's learned nothing since being a teenager, judging everyone and everything by her own shallow standards, being unable to look deeper at people or things in her own life. She is a thoroughly unlikeable character yet she is also relatable. Every character in Reitman's various movies is an outsider of sorts and Mavis is no exception. For all she's accomplished and all she ever had going for her, she really has little tangible to show for it. In the end, we're not certain if she's really learned anything or not. We like to hope she has but there's no way to be certain. Does anyone like her every really learn to grow? The script by Diablo Cody (Juno, Jennifer's Body) is well written and thoughtful. An earnest and believable story, Young Adult is a must see for people who enjoy character driven storytelling. Recommended. (Dec. 19/11).
Hugo. Under the best circumstances a film should be not just a movie but an experience unto itself. Hugo, the new movie from Martin Scorsese, is such an experience. It starts out deceptively simple, posing as a child oriented adventure fantasy. When the audience is thoroughly convinced of this reality it quickly evolves into something far more interesting and immersive while never undermining its own internal logic. Hugo (Asa Butterfield) is an orphan, living in the Paris train station in the early twentieth century, tending to the facility's clocks secretly while evading a bumbling train station inspector (Sacha Baron Cohen) and trying valiantly to repair an old automaton that his father had brought home from a museum he was working at. Hugo believes the automaton might hold a final secret message from his deceased father. But when he finally discovers the secret of the machine, it reveals a much bigger tale then he could have ever realized. Along with Isabella (Chloe Moretz), the god daughter to Georges Méliès (Ben Kingsley), he sets out to learn the truth. Hugo is many things. A tale to find out where one belongs in life. A celebration of movie history and the spirit behind the early silent films. Mostly, though, it's about the human spirit. About finding where you belong, using your imagination and doing what you love with who you love. I saw the film in 3D and have to agree it's probably one of the best movies I've yet seen in the format. I am not a 3D fan at all. I see it as a cash grab by desperate studios, nothing more. Films like Up and Tron Legacy seemed like the 3D gimmick was largely a waste of time and that they would've been infinitely better without it. To date, only Avatar has actually proven the format to my satisfaction. Hugo actually rises to the challenge of the format, reveling in the visual trickery for all it's worth instead of just making it a pointless afterthought. The 3D also helps add to the sensation of the fantastic in the train station. A place that is at once both real and ephemeral in its existence. This is yet another fine audition to Scorsese's resume. I feel like this film should get an Oscar nomination for story telling. Everything that is set up earlier in the film pays itself off, The characters are well defined and easy to sympathize with. The music and 3D are well done. Do yourself a favor--see this movie. Highly Recommended. (Dec. 8/11).
The Muppets. Gary (Jason Segel) and his brother Walter (voiced by Peter Linz) are life long Muppets fans. Together with Gary's girlfriend Mary (Amy Adams), they journey to Hollywood to see the legendary Muppet theater. Unfortunately, the Muppets are all long gone and the place is terrible disrepair. As it happens, Walter overhears an oil tycoon as he plots to buy the theater, tear it down and drill for oil. The only hope to save the theater is to find Kermit and the other scattered Muppets so they can put on a telethon and try to save the day. The Muppets have been gone for about a decade but this is a fine return to form (this is the first ever Disney produced movie, after Henson's company sold the property a few years back). Jason Segel co-wrote the script and his comic sensibilities translate well to this PG fare. From casual jokes to gags to breaking the fourth wall, this movie employs a little bit of it all. And to its credit, it works very well. In addition to the jokes, there are a lot of shout-outs to the original show and original movies (some of which I caught. There were likely others I missed as well). The story is fairly standard fare but it works well enough to help re-introduce the Muppets to the general audience. It establishes the characters, move the plot along and gets the job done. Combined with the humor and the performances (both real and puppeteering) and you have an easy win. My only minor complaint is that I never saw Rizzo the Rat in the movie (if he was there, he was stuffed in the background somewhere). After such a prominent role in previous movies and shows, this seemed a tad odd (maybe they just couldn't fit him in?) All in all, an excellent production and well worth watching. Recommended. (Nov. 29/11).
Captain America: The First Avenger. In the busiest summer ever for superhero movies, Captain America is the final one of the season and a surprisingly good movie. Chris Evans (who has previously played the Human Torch in the Fantastic Four movies) plays a believable and charismatic character in the film, both before and after his transformation into the super soldier. Set mostly during the forties, the film takes it's time establishing Steve Rogers and showing his evolution from human weakling to celebrity to out-and-out hero. The special effects are flawless and the soundtrack was decent enough that I took note of it while it was on (I'm not sure it's worth owning per se, but at least it had some memorable elements to it which is more then I can say for most of them). Tommy Lee Jones Colonel Philips is an entertaining character as well (I think he exists, in part, to replace Nick Fury from this setting since he's already been established as being in the present and Sam Jackson). We also get Captain America's sidekick, Bucky (who's fate is kind of anti-climatic, to be honest) and also the Howling Commandos (sans Nick Fury) as Cap's personal unit during the war. Hugo Weaving is the Red Skull and does a decent job of it (he didn't blow me away but he was competent enough). There is an after-credits scene that merges into an all-out Avengers teaser (which was cool). A fairly competent super hero movie and one of the best this summer. Recommended. (July 22/11).
Kung Fu Panda 2. The original Kung Fu Panda was an excellent movie with a positive message about believing in one's self. Like Shrek, it was a good one-off movie that didn't need to be a series (but we all knew that was inevitable). KFP2 continues the story (and does a better job of it then Shrek ever did). In the second movie, our hero Po (Jack Black) seeks out the truth behind his ancestry (he is a panda with a goose for a father). He and the Furious Five are sent to a distant city to do battle with a new enemy: Shen, the peacock, who has an army of wolves at his command as well as the ultimate weapon--large cannons that can decimate anyone or anything in their way. We soon learn Shen is also responsible for the attack on the pandas that wiped out Po's village when he was a toddler. The first movie was about belonging and believing in yourself while this film is about finding where you came from and accepting your past, be it good or bad. While I prefer the first movie in some ways, I do think KFP2 is a worthy sequel to the original. Even the humor is ramped up in some respects (it seemed like there were a lot more actual jokes in this one as opposed to humorous things happening). Definitely worth checking out. Recommended. (July 16/11).
Green Lantern. A perennial favorite among DC Comic's characters, Green Lantern makes his debut in his first ever live action motion picture. Ryan Reynolds plays Hal Jordan, a cocky test pilot with a tortured past who is inadvertently picked to become the bearer of the green ring of the Green Lantern Corp after his predecessor crashes on Earth and dies. He soon finds the consequences of being a Green Lantern are much larger then he ever realized, with the fate of the Earth and the Galaxy itself at stake. Reynolds does a good job of being Hal Jordan in all respects. My impression of the traditional character in the comic is that he's more of a typical larger then life hero with flaws while the movie version is a more of a goofball with issues (more akin to how I always saw the Kyle Rayner GL). The special effects are mostly good although there are a few scenes of aliens that don't look quite perfect to me. I also felt the soundtrack was a bit too contemporary sounding. There were scenes with Parallax or the lanterns traveling through space that had a rock-y sound to them and it felt wrong. I think something more traditional might have made the scenes feel less rushed. I also think the editing could've used some work. Particularly in the opening, they could've trimmed it down to Abin Sur launching from his ship and then went back later to explain what he was fighting. Putting it all in the opening crammed too much in all at once and leaves the viewer trying to absorb it all. The Hal/Hector changing scenes also could've benefited from being split up instead of interlaced. Still, the movie's story comes through fairly well--we are left with a tale of a man who suffers from superficial bravado but deep inner fear and must overcome a villain that is fear personified. We like Hal and want to see him succeed plus we can all identify with being scared of something at some point or the other in our own lives. I also liked the portrayal of Sinestro here--he comes across as a noble warrior rather then a scheming scoundrel (which is then nullified by a late scene of him taking the yellow fear ring for himself. A scene which has absolutely no point in existing given that it is completely unnecessary. Yes, he's a villain in the comic but in the movie context this seems illogical). Green Lantern is a decent super hero movie. It doesn't rank with the cream of the crop (the Nolan Batman films, Spiderman 1&2, X-Men 2) but neither is it terrible. If a sequel can get a better director, editor and composer, we could have a very good film next time around (assuming there is a next time). Recommended. (July 15/11).
Transformers: Dark of the Moon. Wow. Where do I begin with this one? Have you seen Transformers (2007) or Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)? If so, you've essentially seen this movie already. Director Michael Bay keeps with his standard formula for this one. A cosmic event relating to the Transformers occurs; Sam's life is full of him being a klutz/loser; Sam crosses paths with the Transformers; military junk that isn't that important to the overall story; Sam's colorful parents--oh, aren't they just too much? Tee-hee!; More military stuff and what is laughingly referred to as plot; big action scenes and explosions; the military come to save the day while the Transformers do some fighting around them; Optimus Prime kills whoever he's fighting and peace is restored. Sam gets the girl (who he technically already had anyway). The End! This time around, Rosie Huntington-Whitely replaces Megan Fox as the vapid sex object that Sam lusts after. Neither woman can act and neither is required to do so in these movies. One small problem is that the first two movies made out that Fox's Michaela was the absolute love of Sam's life (this is indicated by the annoying spinning camera in the second movie and also all the slow-mo shots of her looking concerned for Sam's well being). Now, suddenly, she "was mean" so she's long gone and he's got Carly. The plot is long, overcomplicated and just plain dumb (but what else is new?) The movie runs about two and a half hours and could probably very easily loose about forty five minutes of that. The whole building-falling-over action near the end with the humans was a waste of time, for example, as was a plot that some humans were collaborating with the Decepticons (why did they even need them?) Sam being forced to work for the Decepticons briefly was also pointless as was the whole guy-who-tells-him-what's-going-on-then-gets-killed thing. I did like Sentinel Prime's look in this movie but that's more a testament to the designers then anything else. Also, Alan Tudyk's inclusion made the movie slightly more palatable too (he has a knack for making any movie he's in instantly better). Frances McDormand's character was pointless and John Malkovich could've been used more (or cut all together, for all it mattered). The special effects were excellent but Bay's frenetic directing style make it difficult to know what the hell is going on most of the time (I also noticed, as did another fan, that Sentinel Prime's head is taken off by Megatron's attack and then later it's back in-place again). The Transformers characters in the movie are largely wasted too--Megatron and Starscream have little to do and Shockwave gets about five minutes screen time in total. Other then Optimus and Bumblebee, most of the Autobots might as well be generic no-names as well (but this is hardly a new complaint). Also, Optimus' line "Let's kill them all" seems a bit out of character for somebody who used to be considered a noble, heroic character (as does his callous regard for Cybertron's fate when it gets destroyed at the end. Sure, Earth is his adopted home but he's totally cast off Cybertron for it?) This movie makes me feel embarrassed to be a Transformers fan. Pass. (July 8/11).
X-Men: First Class. After the mediocre X3: The Last Stand and the even worse X-Men Origins: Wolverine I had sworn off seeing this movie all together. As luck would have it, I ended up seeing it anyway... surprisingly, First Class is an improvement over those previous two films. James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender inhabit the roles of Professor Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr ably enough. The movie mostly manages to fit in with the previous films (except that Emma Frost was in Wolverine and younger. Also, Moira was mentioned in passing at the end of X3 in her traditional scientist role). Still, a decent film overall... the younger Mystique is an enjoyable character as are the other mutants Xavier manages to recruit. I could have done without Xavier saying "groovy" a couple of times in the movie--but then how ever would we have known this movie happens in the Sixties? Erik/Magneto joins up with Charles but never really seems to be truly on-side with Xavier's philosophy (it might've been better if he'd been won over more then switched sides again at the end. As it was, I wasn't totally convinced). It's not a great movie but it is a decent one and worth checking out if you like superhero movies and/or the X-Men. Recommended. (June 18/11).
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) returns for a fourth outing in this action packed tale to find the fabled Fountain of Youth. Gone this time are the characters of Will Turner and Elisabeth Swann (since their storyline was resolved in the previous film), which forces Jack to be the only real protagonist to support the film. Penelope Cruz joins the cast as Angelica Malon, a former lover of Jack's and the pirate Blackbeard's (Ian McShane) daughter. As a story, the movie is decent and even good as a sequel to the first film (Curse of the Black Pearl). After the everything-but-the-kitchen-sink mentality of the middle two movies, however, this one feels a bit light on both story and relevance (the third movie made it seem like all of the pirates and even the British shipping empire were imperiled. This story seems like it doesn't really matter who, if anybody, gets to the fountain). The two main story threads here are Jack's story and a sub-plot about a priest and a mermaid he falls in love with. The other movies felt like more was going-on all the time, even if it was just comic high jinks with the two soldiers, the two pirates or something the bad guys were doing. This may be due to the change in directors between films (the first three movies were by Gore Verbinski and this one was directed by Rob Marshall). Still, On Stranger Tides> is a decent film in its own right and worth checking out if you're a fan. Recommended.
Thor. The latest in a long line of Marvel Comics turned movies, Thor is easily one of the better ones. While one would expect the special effects to be top notch (they are), it also works on a story level. The story was co-written by J. Michael Straczynski and follows a simple but effective plot as Thor must learn responsibility and self sacrifice in order to aid his quest to become worthy one day of taking his father's throne. All of the acting is excellent as well. Chris Hemsworth is instantly charming and likable as the title character and Tom Hiddleston's Loki is creepy and cold as the main villain. Also, Anthony Hopkins' Odin is intriguing and grandiose as the King of Asgard and their father. Like every other Marvel movie, this one also has a scene at the very end of the credits so be sure to stay tuned for that. Don't miss one of this year's better superhero flicks! Recommended. (May 7/11).
Hanna. A teenage girl named Hanna (Saoirse Ronan) is raised by her father in the forest near the Arctic Circle. She is trained relentlessly to hunt, to fight and kill, how to think on her feet at all times. One day her father Erik (Eric Bana) shows her a signal device and tells her she can activate it whenever she feels ready. It will bring Marissa Viegler (Cate Blanchett) to them. Marissa is a CIA Agent and their enemy, responsible for killing Hanna's mother years earlier. Erik leaves while Hanna remains behind on-purpose so she can accomplish the task she has trained for so long--to kill Marissa! But she soon finds her task was not as easy as she was lead to believe and she will be forced to survive out in the wilds of the real world, in a place she is naive to and that is naive to her. Hanna is a well acted action movie by Director Joe Wright that doesn't concern itself with the cliches so many other action flicks do. We get a real sense of Hanna as a character, young and lost in a world she is unprepared for. She has been trained as a soldier, trained to kill or be killed and doesn't know how to fit in with normal people. In a metaphorical sense it could be seen as a coming of age tale, where she is thrust into a whole new world and has to learn to deal with new concepts and ideas. We are left to wonder if Hanna is a sweet lost girl struggling to belong--or if that is a natural disguise to hide a relentless killing machine. Cate Blanchett brings an inhumanity to her character Marissa, making her unsympathetic and efficient in her demeanor. Eric Bana's Erik is sympathetic to Hanna but a bit two-dimensional, existing mostly to move the plot along more then anything else. The film is also served by an unconventional music score created by The Chemical Brothers--a fitting addition to an unconventional movie. Hanna is intriguing, exciting and a breath of fresh air in a stale genre. A must see. Recommended. (April 11/11).
Limitless. A story about a down-on-his-luck writer who stumbles onto a fantastic pill that can help somebody utilize one hundred percent of their brain's capacity (instead of only ten/whatever it is percent). The protagonist Eddie Morra (Bradley Cooper) is struggling to write his novel. He's a slacker and dirt poor. Even his girlfriend Lindy (Abbie Cornish) has given up on him. She tells him as much and on his way back home he encounters his ex-brother in-law who is a drug dealer. He sympathizes with Eddie's writer's block and suggests a solution: a small transparent pill that helps you think clearer and faster. Eddie is skeptical at first but figures he has nothing else to lose. Almost immediately he can see the world in a way he's never seen before: Everything is faster, clearer, brighter (as cleverly reflected in the cinematography as well). Soon, Eddie has completely written his novel in four days and stuns his Editor with how clever it is. The pill wears off and he goes to find more from his friend. He finds his ex-brother in-law is dead, the apartment tossed. After looking for a while he realizes where the hiding place is and obtains a large supply of the wonder drug...Eddie makes a bunch of money online and quickly gains influence. We discover he can learn languages and other information very quickly as well as remember every scrap of information he's ever encountered. But all ends up not well. A loan shark causes trouble for him as does a mysterious man who seems to be everywhere he is. A well made movie with good acting, good cinematography and an intriguing storyline. However, there are some story issues. Eddie states that he has a "four point IQ" early in the film yet he doesn't consider dealing with the loan shark until the bitter end nor does he look into finding out precisely where the miracle drug came from and ensuring his supply. If I were that smart, those would be my first two priorities and then I'd worry about the money and fame. (I guess there would be less conflict in the story then but it does lead one to wonder why he doesn't concern himself with these obvious issues). Otherwise, a good movie overall and worth checking out. Recommended.
Paul. The latest movie starring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, Paul involves two British fanboys that travel to the San Diego Comic Con before embarking on a sightseeing journey of America (and all the UFO sighting spots). Due to blind luck, they encounter a real life alien who calls himself Paul (cgi with Seth Rogen's voice). He's been here for decades and needs to summon his people so he can return home safely before the Government recapture him. They decide to help him and the hi-jinks ensue! It's a pretty good comedy overall, full of likable characters and entertaining situations (plus lots of sly geek references for those who are watching closely). This one's a bit more Americanized then their previous efforts (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz) but that's okay. Definitely Recommended! (Mar. 14/11. I saw an early preview).
True Grit. A story following a fourteen year old girl named Mattie Ross as she hires a U.S. Marshall named Rooster Cogburn to hunt down the man that killed her father. Mattie (as played by Hailee Steinfeld) is the centerpiece of the story with everything being from her point of view. She's a real spitfire, confronting adults as equals and never back down when she wants something done. Rooster (Jeff Bridges) plays his part well, as a character with questionable personal habits, a drunk and a stone cold killer when he needs to be. Together, along with Texas Ranger LaBoeuf (Matt Damon), the characters go on a series of adventures as they work toward trying to hunt down the man who killed her father, Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin). The story is well written with rich characters, humor and heart. My only real complaint is that the epilogue was a bit of downer after the rest of it... without getting into specifics, it was a little bit too grounded in reality to suite me. Worth watching if you like well written westerns or even just good stories in general. Recommended.
Tron Legacy. After twenty eight years, Tron finally gets a sequel. And what a sequel! The visual spectacle that is this movie was incredible. It really lived up to that aspect... The actual story was much better then expected too (I'd heard conflicting things before seeing it but was pleasantly surprised by the movie's coherence). There are places where the movie could explain itself a bit better--the synthetic life that evolved inside the system was intriguing but they failed to explain exactly how the ISOs existence could help benefit humanity. Other things, like Sam Flynn (Garrett Hedlund) bleeding inside the computer when he's injured or Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges) aging while inside a digital environment get ignored completely. I had figured out the deal with Rinzler before they revealed it (yay me!) Olivia Wilde plays Quorra with a wide-eyed innocence in the story which I rather enjoyed. I think the 3D was a waste though--after Avatar, I expect more bang from my buck and this just didn't deliver on that. I saw the 3D effects and thought "so what" which is never a good reaction. I loved the new light cycle grid in the movie (they need to figure out how to do that in a video game!) I wasn't entirely happy about the passing the torch aspect of the story--that kind of thing always annoys me in stories (it reminds me of reality too much). Definitely Recommended!
Previous years archives...
