Movie Review Catch-Up - Part I

Well it has been far too long since my last blog and now that I’m back from my Vegas vacation, I don’t have any excuse for not posting something. I’ve only managed to watch 4 movies since returning from my trip last Friday. I know, I know…I have a lot of work to do in order to get my average back up. Have no fear! I shall not disappoint my multitude of fans who demand nothing less than my obsessive and near-psychotic devotion to movie-watching.

Going back through my diary of movies I’ve watched, I realize that I have seen 16 movies since my last blog about Sahara. How do I pick just one for today’s posting?

I don’t. That’s how.

So how about a recap to bring us up to speed? Here’s part 1 of the ‘Movie Review Catch-Up”:

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels – A Steve Martin classic. Ruprecht the Monkey Boy is comic genius. Martin and Caine join forces to con their way to riches and glory. This one is right up there with Planes, Trains, and Automobiles as one of the best comedies of my generation. Definitely a must-see movie. If you're not satisfied, just give me your address and I'll be sure to send you a cheque to make up for it. “To be with another woman, that is French. To be caught, that is American.”

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire – How do you possibly condense a 700+ page novel into a 2 ½ hour movie? The Lord of the Rings Trilogy is only a few hundred pages longer and it took over 10 hours of film to capture the epic nature of Tolkien’s fantastic world. The Goblet of Fire may not be as epic as Tolkien’s work, but there is certainly much more going on than the movie can possibly portray. I’m a fan of the novels and the movies are certainly entertaining, but Goblet of Fire falls short of anything incredible simply due to the fact that it cannot hope to compete with the books. A great film. But read the book.

Men of Honor – I love movies about the underdog. Cuba Gooding Jr. portrays the real life story of Carl Brashear, the first African-American and amputee to become a Master Diver in the US Navy. Robert De Niro is fantastic as the racist Master Chief in charge of training, or failing, Brashear. It’s an interesting and entertaining look at WWII diving (before SCUBA was in use) and features some notable performances by Gooding and De Niro. Worth a look. "If it is lost underwater, he finds it. If it's sunk, he brings it up. If it's in the way, he moves it."

Michael Buble – Caught in the Act – While not a feature film, per se, this live performance is worth seeing, and hearing. Michael Buble has a voice that effortlessly revives the classics of Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles and many more ‘standards’. He’s a natural entertainer and the music is just plain fun. There's even a suprise appearance by another famous young singer. I won't spoil it for you, but suffice it to say that Shauna probably bought this DVD more for her obsession with the guest star than for Michael Buble. Please pray for her.

Beyond the Sea – Kevin Spacey portrays the life of singer/songwriter Bobby Darin (Mack the Knife, Beyond the Sea). While giving a great acting performance, Spacey also manages to sing all the songs himself. The choreography is wonderfully entertaining, especially during 'Beyond the Sea' itself. If you liked De-Lovely, Walk the Line or Ray, chances are you’ll enjoy Beyond the Sea. Even if you're just a big Spacey fan, like me, you'll definitely want to see this one. "Memories are like moonbeams, we do with them what we will."

That should keep you satisfied for at least a day. I’ll be back tomorrow with Part II of the Movie Review Catch-Up.

What have you been watching?