Feature Presentation--Vacation Viewing

So during my vacation I watched a lot of TV. Besides soccer and NFL and a couple of bowls, I saw several movies and a TV series.

Here we go . . .

Human Nature

After Watching Eternal Sunshine, I looked back through Kaufman’s Filmography and noticed that I had not seen Human Nature or Synecdoche, New York, movies I didn’t even know existed. I had really enjoyed Being John Malkovich and Adaptation, so I picked up Human Nature.

What a waste. Not a bad idea but really never hit the heights of his other films. Not exactly sure what was wrong with Tim Robbins. His acting and voice/accent were off and very distracting. Let’s face it, Patricia Arquette is eye candy (and there was a lot to eye) and not a very good or compelling actress. I don’t know anything about Rhys Ifans, but he was serviceable. Actually the best part of the movie was the red head (Miranda Otto). Hot and conniving, she really stole the show.

If you haven’t seen it, don’t.

Brotherhood of the Wolf

A French horror, sci-fi flick, which is a mixed bag. Pretty cool action scenes, beautiful actors, especially Monica Bellucci. How is Mark Dacascos not a leading man on some TV show? But the story is sort of convoluted. There is a beast on the prowl. Check. The King sends a naturalist and soldiers to hunt it down. Check. But there is a whole backstory of gypsies and revolution and a secret society and Papal spies. Just kinda winds along until it abruptly ends.

Worth seeing it once, if only for Monica.

Expendables

As bad as you think this can be, it’s worse that that. Literally this movie would have been better with no dialogue. Besides the actors having nothing to say, you can’t understand them anyways.

Absolute dreck.

Get Him to the Greek

I must be getting old. Maybe 15, 20 years ago, this would have been a movie that would be on constantly in the house, referred to, quoted, acted out. Now, not so much. Jonah Hill was not great. Clumsy, dorky, whiny. Didn’t really enjoy him. Russell Brand was pretty good. Completely outrageous, he had touching moments with “his son”. It was cool to see Elisabeth Moss in something besides Mad Men, but her character was very flimsy. The whole ride wasn’t that great, although the final scene on Storytellers was the highlight for me.

Take it or leave it.

Castle, Season 1

Really enjoyed this. Liked the angle of the show, liked the chemistry between the detective and writer, liked the clever murder scenes. A mixture of suspense, romance, actual emotion and decent story telling. Good to see Nathan Fillion find a home after several failed attempts after Firefly. Don’t know who Stana Katic is but really enjoyed her.

I would definitely recommend this.