film – Page 3 – Hello Curns

Matt Damon is Jason Bourne

The Bourne Identity delivers an action-packed thrill, featuring a surprising turn from Matt Damon.

I saw a pumped-up Matt Damon on The Bourne Identity last weekend. Sadly, I am a sucker for this kind of action movie. They have little point but tell a tale that absorbs you for 90 minutes and gives you an all-action thrill for some of that time. What more do you want from a cinema-going experience?

My Review: Who would that thought Matt Damon could, convincingly, play the international agent? Yet a beefed-up Matt holds his own in the world of blockbuster espionage – that’s a world of martial art acrobatics and high-speed car chases down back alleyways (and flights of stairs). Franka Potente manages to keep the role of Marie convincing when many would have just walked away from Jason Bourne (Damon) at their first meeting. It’s a Friday night, action-packed, spy-game blockbuster (with a twist of amnesia) and, unfortunately, nothing more.

Half-Hearted Bollywood

You know when you don’t go to the cinema for, what seems like, an age and then you suddenly go quite a lot? No, well, I do this on-off thing with cinema quite a lot. Yesterday, following on from my Men In Black II experience, I went to see The Guru at The Clapham Picture House (which, if you live in this part of the world, probably ranks as one of the better cinemas and it’s not part of an overly large chain – although there are more of them then you would imagine).

The people I was with, loved it. They laughed (a lot). Many people in the cinema was laughing too. I smiled occasionally and there was the odd laugh but on the whole I was pretty quiet. So, to validate my lack of enthusiasm for the film (which seems to be generally well received) I got as far as The Guardian’s film site (which, I am sure was Film Unlimited at one point). Peter Bradshaw reassures me with,

There’s no bite or edge to this movie, though; it’s goofy, soft-centred romcom slush, with some very half-hearted Bollywood pastiche

and

… these moments don’t really justify the admission price [Full Review].

Now, I am using the web to reinforce my own opinions. This can’t be a good thing.

Not Hilarious or Surprising

Strange, zany, generally amusing and very likeable without actually being all that hilarious or surprising, Men In Black II relies heavily on familiarity with and affection for the original. Fans of that film, who are simply content with more of the same, shouldn’t be dismayed or too seriously disappointed by a pleasantly insane bit of nonsense. [Empire Online]

This review tells almost all about my night last night. I went to UCI Sutton to see Men In Black II. I had enjoyed the first in a wash-over-me kind of way. Interest wanes at twenty minutes.

Scooby Thoughts

Despite differing opinions, “Scooby Doo” is successful in entertaining

Scooby Doo Movie Poster, 2002 — Scooby Doo Movie, 2002

Looking back, I do have to say Scooby Doo was a great film. If one of the goals of cinema is to entertain then this was a successful film. If another of the goals of cinema is to provide escapism then, again, this was a successful film. I believe I am the only person I know who thinks this. That, of course, makes me right and everybody else wrong (kind of).