Monthly Archives: November 2008

As Unintelligible as its Title: Quantum of Solace

November 27, 2008
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Overall Rating: C-
Filmmaking/Artistic: C-
MPAA Rating: PG-13

Overview

Daniel Craig as James Bond and Judi Dench as M succeed despite the pretty bad movie going on around them.  Herky-jerky editing makes even the action sequences almost unwatchable, and the plot is almost unintelligible, even for a Bond film.

Full Review

Your Movie Monkey was quite a fan of the first installment of the James Bond series starring Daniel Craig, Casino Royale.  In fact, he finds this current Bond actor to be the most, um, believable.  (OK, they are all completely unrealistic and quite un-believable, but Mr. Craig certainly is the most believable as the character.  Not quite as smarmy as Sean Connery (although Sean Connery was able to say the four-syllable word “Moneypenny” with three and a half syllables in a way that was quite distinctive, something like “MON-uh-PEN-uh”); not near as old as Roger Moore; not so Shakespearean as Timothy Dalton; and clearly more believable as an action star than the prim-but-amusing-and-likeable Pierce Brosnan.

When discussing the new Bond with various folks, you invariably get anyone over 50 saying something like “no one will ever be Bond except Connery” (with one noted exception from a colleague in my office who I believe is over 50 but who [rightly, IYMMHO] claims that Mr. Craig is the best).  However, Your Movie Monkey has found that younger folks have taken to this new, more detached Bond.  When recalling Casino Royale, most guys seem to say something like “great movie, liked the poker”.  Women, on the other hand, seem to have their eyes go slightly out of focus as they reminisce about a speedo-clad Bond walking around in the surf; luckily, only a few have actually drooled.

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Third Time’s a Smarm: High School Musical 3

November 24, 2008
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Overall Rating: C+
Filmmaking/Artistic: C-
MPAA Rating: G

Overview

More of the same… better than HSM2 but not as good as HSM1.  A very, very long movie that could have benefitted from some editing.  Still, an upbeat, positive movie for kids, with two leads who only share a kiss.  Hurray for not growing up to fast.

Full review

Your Movie Monkey is one of those middle-aged dads who has been dragged into the High School Musical franchise by his charming daughters, Drama and Queen.  In the first installment, Your Movie Monkey was beyond impressed with this made-for-TV Disney production, because it was like Grease (if Grease were cleaned up) had essentially positive values, catchy songs, decent (if not terribly original) messages, depicted inter-racial friendships without alluding to the fact that they were inter-racial, and, perhaps most importantly, found a young actor who could some how pull off a realistic basketball star who was conflicted about his inner desire to croon show tunes.  As would be expected, the franchise had enough material for about 1.15 movies, and has now made 3 installments due to their success, so they are losing quite a bit of steam.  But, to make sense of #3, one must begin at the beginning, with the back story.

In part 1, we start at some kind of resort/dude ranch during Christmas vacation, where high school junior Troy communicates with his dad through their basketball relationship, and his mom encourages him to go to the kids party to celebrate New Year’s Eve.  There he meets Gabriella, who communicates through reading a book in the corner.  (Hollywood code: She’s smart!)  During a karaoke sing, Troy is handed the microphone at the middle of an unknown song, shrugs his shoulders, and sings like he’s been doing it since he was 3.  Gabriella chimes in and they sing well together, never missing a beat or a handoff, and they bring down the house, but go off sad to never see each other again.

Well, until the next scene, where she’s the new kid in his high school in the hot bed of theatre arts, Albequeque.   Read more »

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