THE SOPRANOS: SEASON 5 - This is such a great show. The characters are entertaining and engaging. Yet, just when you get too close to them, the writers remind you that these are dangerous people. They are flawed and troubled, but they are also very likeable and interesting. Jenny and I are going to be a little sad when we complete the series after Season 6. As I've been saying here since we started watching season 1, I hope everyone checks out this series at sometime or another. You won't be disappointed.
THE GOLDEN COMPASS - What do you get when you mix THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA, with LORD OF THE RINGS, with HARRY POTTER? You get a gumbo of fantasy junk that doesn't make any sense. Welcome to THE GOLDEN COMPASS, a child driven fantasy based on the popular children's novels. I wish I could tell you what this is about, but I can't. Oh yes...I watched it. I just don't get it. There's a girl who can read a compass that tells the truth behind any lie, there's an angry polar bear who is a prince in exile, there's some stolen children, magical dust, a "Hogwarts-like" school, giant floating blimps, lots of talking animals, you name it. Nicole Kidman is the bad guy...I know that. I'm just not sure what her intent is. We even get appearances by Ian McKellen and Christopher Lee (both from LORD OF THE RINGS.) I heard at the time of the film's release that the books had an "anti-Christian" agenda behind them. However, in the film version I can't find any agenda...good or bad. It was an hour and a half into this movie and I told Jenny, "I have no idea what this is about." I guess I just didn't get it. And based on the film's earnings, lots of others didn't get it either. The film ends by leaving a big set up for further films, but I doubt we'll ever see them made.
EDMOND - William H. Macy stars as EDMOND...a man having a very bad day. Based on David Mamet's stageplay (he also wrote this screenplay) Edmond decides to break up with his wife and begin a new life for himself. He begins with a wild night on the town...which gets him up close and personal with the seedy side of New York City...and gets him in a whole heap of trouble. I heard some positive reviews about this one, but again I didn't care for this one in the end. Macy's character starts off troubled, and eventually ends up troubled. I can't find the story here. What's the angle exactly? I don't know how this film compares to the stageplay, but the story in the film version suffers from many holes. It's a shame too. Macy gives a usual strong performance here.
JUMPER - I'm not sure if I should even admit I watched this but I did. What's even more significant is I was almost liking it at times. JUMPER is about a group of people who "jump" through wormholes in time and space...thus "jumping" from one location to another in a flash. As the jumpers "jump," there is also a covert group of people bent on stopping them once and for all. The story actually entertained me for the first half hour, and I found it actually worth watching early on. But as I expected toward the end the plotline fell apart and became laughable. I kind of liken this movie to the first HIGHLANDER movie. No matter how inplausible a storyline may be, with a little explanation an audience will believe almost anything. Here however we never get the much needed explanation...not even the slightest. So all in all this one just doesn't work.
THE TEN - This is a collection of 10 short comedy skits all pertaining to the 10 Commandments. The best way I can describe this one is it's the INDEPENDENT FILM CHANNEL'S (IFC) equivalent to the slapstick 80's comedy AMAZON WOMEN ON THE MOON. I'm not sure that's a compliment or criticism, but that's what it is. There are a few laughs early on here, but not enough to warrant a recommendation. I heard several positive reviews about this one so I was surprised by the outcome. I was expecting a better movie.
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