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)

Iron Man

When other superheros are defined by the humanity of their secret identity, Iron Man the superhero is the one who gives humanity to his secret identity. Without Iron Man, Tony Stark would be just another spoiled, uncaring rich prick. Iron Man is Starks way to redeem himself. Robert Downey Jr. does a remarkable job in giving Tony Starks a likable personality. Without question, Robert Downey is the superhero of this movie because he saves it from becoming super dull. This movie is filled with fantastic graphics and good thrills, but is made fun by the unique and eccentric performance of Robert Downey Jr. This movie reeks of garlic flavor and it gets 4 out 5 garlics.

A Darker Narnia

It cost me almost seventy bucks to see this movie. No kidding. That's what you get when you got a movie for kids and your the one treating all of them. So what do I get? Well Prince Caspian wasn't boring, but, for the money I thought it should have been a little more boring for an adult.

P.C. is supposed to be PG, (a children's movie), but is plenty violent. Part one didn't have as dark a tone, and I was surprised at the film's direction. The land of Narnia seemed like a place that a kid should stay away from, no matter how many friendly lions are living there. Maybe its just a sign of the times, like movie tickets costing so much. Still, an entertaining flick of fantasy, it gets three out of five garlics.

Who's the Iron Man?

Iron Man. The man of iron, not steel. Superman was never my favorite superhero when I was a kid, I was a Spiderman fan. Ironman was a hero that I knew existed, but besides his cool look, I didn't follow his story.

The movie however, was better than good. The reason? Robert Downey Jr. Yeah. What was Iron Man's real name? Tony Stark? Just a name that now means, Robert Downey Jr. His performance was what, heroic? He made the movie. He was the man, or, in this case, the Iron Man. It gets four out of five garlics

The Obvious Done Well Again

Sylvester Stallone goes back to basics with "Rocky Balboa," and taps into some of what made Rocky so great. The best thing about the movie was the dialogue, and it was both funny and emotional, keeping me involved with its charming self-depreciations. It was this quality of Stallone’s writing which allowed me to accept the over-the-top moments, even with the painful memory of his movie called “Over The Top,” still in my head. The writing won out though, even if the plot was a given.

I knew, much as I did in Rocky, that the underdog was going to prevail against impossible odds, but I was okay with that because the writing reflects a self-awareness of what it is all about. And so I went along for the ride. Stallone also did some of the best acting in his career in the film, and the scene in which he explains some of life’s truths to his son is well…a knockout (okay, now I’m doing the obvious too).

Overall I thought it was a very good film, best when it focused on the characters lives outside the ring. The fight inside the ring was not the fight I was most interested in, it was Rocky’s struggle to define himself that interested me. I think the same was true for the first Rocky. The only complaint I have though, really, is the ending. I just did not like the last shot of the film. Since Stallone wrote, directed, and starred in the movie, I guess that’s not too shabby for an old underdog trying to get us to root for him again. The amazing part is that he succeeds. I give "Rocky Balboa" three (and a half) out of five garlicks.