The Not So Incredible Bruce Banner

To quote Kermit the frog, “It’s not easy being green”. Especially if your supposed to be incredible. Marvel comics and Hollywood tried to improve on their disappointing 2003 flick, with "The Incredible Hulk." They made the Hulk greener, meaner, and stronger. The special effects of the movie are really something to marvel at. Edward Norton, better know as Worm from the movie "Rounders", was cast as Bruce Banner. And Betty Ross is played by Liv Tyler,who has all the right looks but lacks screen presence. Maybe next time they can pay one of the CGI guy to digitally create chemistry between Betty and Bruce, since they become so good at doing everything else. Meanwhile the Military hires a Russian assassin, who turns out to have a Napoleon complex and ends up taking a serum that gives him the strength of the Hulk. Although I have to admit that the fight scene is pretty cool but it’s not worth the time that movie spends on trying to make Bruce interesting. You keep waiting for Bruce to say, “You wont like me when I’m angry!” Well Hulk you won’t like it when I’m bored. Chuy smash movie! 2 crushed garlic’s, to the jolly green giant on roids.

Wondering About The 24 Hours Before

25th hour is a curious movie. Spike Lee directed this visually beautiful but puzzling movie, and I was left to wonder, What are you saying Spike? That is not a question I would have thought to ask of a "Spike Lee joint." Usually, he is almost overly earnest in his message, and though I have questioned this over the years, I have respected his unique, direct style. "He Got Game," is one of my favorite films, and I thought "Clockers" has been underrated in filmology.

The subtitle of the film is "Can You Change Your Life In One Day?" and if that is the concept, then the answer is no. Though the dog is a symbol of the main character's goodness, he never seems to be in a crises of moral values, just a crises of how to survive prison. A morally ambiguous character of a not entirely underprivileged background, who doesn't seem to care that he chose to deal drugs in the first place, "What are you saying Spike?" The beautiful cinematography and good acting all around pull this one through, though it is not Spike's best work. It still has it's moments and it's (maybe) concern with out-of-proportion sentencing of drug related crime (maybe). What am I saying about the film? I'll leave you as Spike left me...to wonder. I give the film three out of five garlics.

Skating On Thin Ice

What do you get when you combine a ridiculous story about competing ice skaters who join to form the first male pair skating team, with two great comedic actors? Great ridiculous comedy of course. In "Blades of Glory," Will Ferrell and Jon Heder play off each other as if they've been doing it for years, and save a film which would otherwise be a lesson in stupidity. But we all know stupidity has its place in comedy, as long as it makes us laugh. And I couldn't help laughing as these two actors brought the stupid. Yes, the line between stupid and funny can be as thin as a blade, but Ferrell and Heder skate along that line expertly (all puns intended). I give the film three and a half out of five garlics.
(and a half)