Phantom Vows Safe Journey
Thanks phantom. Most ghosts wouldn’t be concerned with traffic safety in the afterlife, undaunted by invisibility and incorporeality. This weekend’s movies would benefit from such kindness. Instead it’s a coin flip parade of amazingly average sequels, prequels, and adaptations beginning with a Journey 2 The Mysterious Island (Rotten Tomatoes – Metacritic).
“The movie flies by pleasantly, and is then instantly forgettable. Perhaps Jules Verne can explain the science of that.” Lisa Schwarzbaum Entertainment Weekly
Assuming the memory loss was intentional, this movie can erase people’s minds!
“The 3-D setpieces are the film’s sole raison d’être, but Mysterious Island doles them out stingily, and its exotic setting registers as a poor man’s Pandora.” Nathan Rabin AV Club
Given Cameron’s usual budget, every digital world is a poor man’s Pandora. The only person who can afford his big dreams is ol’ George, who began his space opera (in cinematic continuity) with Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace (Rotten Tomatoes – Metacritic).
“The under-utilised 3D adds little to this prequel, which only serves as a sore reminder of the brilliance of the original films.” Jarrod Walker FILMINK (Australia)
Episode One exists to make episodes 4-6 better? So, it’s an example of what not to do?
“George Lucas does it his way in the pallid Phantom Menace. Even cultists will wish he’d hired a director and some writers.” SlateDavid Edelstein
“The special effects are some of the most dazzling and amazing ever seen on the big screen. In addition, the acting is excellent.” Mac Verstandig rec.arts.movies.reviews
Be honest with yourself, did you wonder if the last line was sarcastic? I read the acting praise and LOLed. Actually I didn’t. I LOL. I didn’t Laugh Out Louded.
“The Empire strikes out.” Washington Post Rita Kempley
“Let the killjoys squawk. Lucas has proved he has the Naboos to pull it off again. And again. And again.” USA Today Susan Wloszczyna
Speaking as a life-long Star Wars fan, I can say with certainty that George Lucas is not the Energizer Bunny of grabbing life by the Naboos. For geeks everywhere, that’s The Vow (Rotten Tomatoes – Metacritic).
“So it turns out that perhaps the most awesome thing ever to happen to sappy… romantic flicks is brain damage. It makes sense! These movies are already brain-dead 95 percent of time anyway…” MaryAnn Johanson Flick Filosopher
If brain damage is good for romance, don’t tell the true believers. Come Valentine’s Day, they’ll be looking for a Safe House (Rotten Tomatoes – Metacritic)
It’s amazing if you haven’t seen the movies it copies. If you have?
“Safe House does altogether too good a job establishing Washington as a seemingly unbeatable adversary: He brings so much gravity to his role that Reynolds seems hopelessly overmatched.” The A.V. Club Nathan Rabin