Friday August 19th movies

This weekend's offerings are:

Red Eye: C3, E3, A3, M-3/+0, TN, Go See It: NO

Wes Craven is a well known director. He made Nightmare on Elm Street. And a whole bunch of other really mediocre horror films. His name makes me shudder at the amount of cliched unoriginality that will appear in his film. He doesn't do anything badly, he just doesn't do anything new or interesting. In a genre that depends so much on surprise, the only thing that surprises me is how often so many movies rely on cliche and do all the things that have come before. Wes Craven is the absolute antithesis of an exception to this rule. So every category gets the average score. Unimpressive.

The 40-Year-Old Virgin: C2, E4, A1, M-3/+0, TY, Go See It: NO

The title gives away all the jokes that were written for this movie, and the idea has been done before - but as a joke within a larger context, never as the whole concept itself. So in a way it's original, but in a way I think it's a bad idea to try and stretch this one joke over the whole movie. Plus it looks like he's magically going to end up with someone by the end of the movie. The difference between giving away all the jokes that were written, and giving away all the funny moments, is Steve Carell. He has an unerring ability to make you laugh. He provides all the talent and entertainment in this movie, unfortunately without redeeming it. Find him in a solid supporting role or a solid cameo, and he's golden. He might even make a great star...just not this time.

Valiant: C3, E4, A2, M-0/+0, TN, Go See It: NO

The word "Disney" is one I generally try to avoid. They have a machine-like ability to crank out the right combination of feel-good underdog success action, humorous characters and situations, and big-budget eye-popping visuals. Still it feels a bit mass-produced. I guess you have to expect that. If your family sees all the Disney movies, definitely don't miss this one. If you're like me and you've hated Disney's recent faire unless it was CG, you'll still like this one. Um but it's a kid's movie that parents will also enjoy. Not one to take a date to, or watch with the guys, or buy to put on your collector's shelf. It really only works in the context of small children. Small children don't read my blog, but maybe people with small children do.

Supercross: C2, E3, A1, M-1/+1, TN, Go See It: NO

What is it about athletics that seems to be such a difficult subject for movies to get right? Is it that they are so intensely real and basic to the nature of humanity that they are impossible to fake convincingly? Is it that they seem so superficially entertaining on their own that Hollywood assumes they can just throw some sports in a pot and a good time will come out? Do they not research the realities of the sport enough to give the recreation any underlying substance? There is just no way that this movie is going to be a good time, because it is a sports movie. Some sports movies have been good, and when they are they are incredible. But this one has all the earmarks of a mediocre, predictable waste of my time.

Slow movie weekend, folks...I was in surgery when Wedding Crashers came out, I'm gonna go find that this weekend. But tonight I'm watching FOOTBALL. Real football.