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(2008) Forgetting Sarah Marshall

Forgetting Sarah Marshall isn't exactly standard fare for the Apatow gang, but at the same time it is. Jason Segel both wrote and stars in this romantic comedy, with an emphasis on comedy. He shows his love for all things muppets in this movie, at one point even performing the opening theme song to The Muppet Show. He also shows his musical prowess by performing more than once on the piano and singing. Mila Kunis, the girl that you probably know as the annoying one from That '70s Show, is all grown up and has turned out to be an exceptional actress, not to mention very sexy. Kristen Bell flexes her comedic muscles as she did so often on Veronica Mars. The movie is everything you have come to expect from an Apatow production and even more. Toward the end of the movie we get to see Peter Bretter's dream of a Rock Opera about Dracula and eternal love come to life, using puppets made by the Jim Henson company no less. This has scored Segel a spot writing the script for the next Muppet movie, which he admits has been a dream of his. All in all this movie made for a very satisfying viewing experience, even the second time around only a few months after seeing it in the cinema.

Overall I would give this movie a B+ Here's hoping that Apatow's gang keeps bringing us funny, witty comedy for years to come.

(2007) Atonement

So I finally managed to get around to watching Atonement. I must say it is not what I was expecting, of course I hadn't read anything about the story beforehand so I shouldn't have really expected anything. It was certainly a different experience for me as far as romance stories go. Initially after the first 20 minutes or so I actually turned it off and decided I would return to it later because I was rather bored with it. This was one of only a very few times that I have done such a thing, being bored with a movie is just not normal for me. Part of it may have been that I was having difficulty acclimating myself to the British accents of the characters. The first part of the movie is mostly shown from the viewpoint of Briony Tallis, and I came in to the movie expecting it to be about Keira Knightley's character Cecilila. After I managed to get settled into the movie it was a fairly enjoyable experience. I'm not here to give away plot details, but I think maybe the best scene of the movie was the long steady cam roaming shot of the soldiers on the beach after Robbie and his two mates arrive there. It was visually stunning to see the sheer scope of the British army all packed onto one beach. To be honest I didn't understand the point to this movie until the last 10 minutes or so. Once I arrived at the end of the movie everything was tied together in a neat little bow and I realized what it had all been for.

Overall I would have to give the movie a B-

(2008) The X-Files: I Want To Believe

I just got home from seeing The X-Files: I Want To Believe. It was somewhat disappointing, which I actually expected. Chris Carter has said all along that this movie would have very little to do with the over-arching storyline of the series, which is a disappointment. Toward the end of the series there was fan outcry that the alien plotlines were too dominant, when the series ended many fans claimed this was why. I was on the opposite side of the fence, I felt that the main plot was so much more interesting than the earlier season's 'Freak Of The Week' episodes. This movie felt largely that way, like an earlier episode of the show, with very few ties to the actual show other than the characters of Mulder and Scully. I feel like they wanted to make it friendly to people who never watched the show, there were very few references to the main story arc. Don't get me wrong, it was awesome to see Mulder and Scully together again, working on a case. I would have much rather had a lore filled movie than this. I get the feeling that fans are now going to say "this movie didn't have anything to do with the storyline of the show" and will be disappointed at this fact. The same fans that cried about the plotline when the show was in it's later years, begging for a return to the freak of the week mentality of the earlier seasons. As I was leaving the theater I heard one guy saying to his friends "I actually thought that was a horrible movie, it didn't have anything to do with the show." I think a large part of the failure of this movie will be the fact that it was released only 1 week after The Dark Knight, which was bound to be more popular.

Over all I would have to give the movie a C rating, it just didn't feel right. Here's hoping that if they go ahead with another movie they will return to the main plot at least a little bit.

Introductions

OK, here's the deal. I've been a fan of movies since I can remember. Whether watching at home or going out to the cinema, I enjoy movies. I don't claim to know anything about the technical or artistic aspects of making a movie. I am simply here to give my opinion on movies, new and old, good and bad. Some of you may have found me through my personal blog, others may have just stumbled upon this blog in your search for movies to see. Regardless of how you discovered me, enjoy your time spent reading.

AlanRay