movies!

I watched two movies this week, and they weren't very good at all. I couldn't help but think back to Joel's recent Forum post (re: the rash of 'mediocritude' breaking out all over the entertainment industry) as these ridiculous films were bashing themselves into my eyeballs. I'm sure most of you have seen "Crank" (and I'll get to that one in a second) but how many of you have seen "Pathfinder"? Yeah, not many.

As you may have suspected, the premise here is simple: Indians (feather) versus Vikings (axe). As far as I could tell (because I honestly couldn't keep watching and had to fast forward...and then turn off) it never got more complicated than that. There was very limited dialogue, and the visual narrative was nowhere near strong enough to compensate. It seemed to relish its own discombobulation. It seemed like every shot was just an excuse to use some x-treme angle and a spotlight behind a fog machine. It did hve Vikings, though. Which is cool. And they finally looked like they always have in my mind. All together, I'd rate it as Fourth From the Bottom on my Worst Movies List.

"Crank" was something else entirely.  I admit to laughing a few times. I also admit to still be thinking about some scenes, 'cause they were pretty silly, and wondering how Jason Statham can actually do these movies with any dignity at all. I'd probably watch it again someday, and I'm likely to see the sequel. When it comes out on video. It felt like a rave at a frat house, on St. Patrick's Day, on the face of the sun. I was uncomfortable for the whole movie. "Crank" made me think of "Shoot 'Em Up" briefly. It was pretty fun watching Statham run across LA screaming at, and then punching, anything that got in his way.

And I watched the trailer for "Where The Wild Things Are". It looks fantastic. 

You guys see anything good, lately?