Now that the election is over, and while we are still learning how our money is being spent in ways we never considered (thank you Paulson), the need for a distraction is eminent. This holiday season, as unemployment rises and stock market hopes fall, we all need to get away. Escaping to a vacation that we all can afford. A good movie.
The big question though is if Hollywood has anything to offer us. In recent years the obsession of Hollywood in electing a liberal a President as possible consumed the silver screen. Millions of dollars and huge amounts of time were wasted on political statements that were poorly written, and wouldn’t be worth watching if they were on broadcast television with American Idol and Dancing with the Stars on before and afterwards.
To put it bluntly, if you’ve seen more than 3 movies in a theater this year you wasted money and left thinking that you were once smarter than after the movie experience. But can Christmas bring us all what we have been wishing for, entertainment?
Well the answer is yes and no. There are a couple of movies that might compel you to leave the comfort of your own home. Of course these movies are surrounded by crap that you are probably seeing trailers for right now.
Let’s start with what may be worth your groceries for a day or 2.
Seven Pounds
Will Smith is on a roll (like he stopped). You watch this trailer and you get a couple of thoughts. Why is he doing this? What is the secret? Will this be uplifting? I don’t know the answers but I am very sure of the ability of this actor to make it worth the time for find out. This movie will make money, but more importantly it will entertain you. It will let you share an emotional response with everyone in the theater, and that’s why we see movies.
Transporter 3
Jason Statham tends to always deliver. He is the man of action films these days, and with good reason. His characters tend to be intelligent, the plots tend to make some kind of sense, and the action is not filled with CGI or stunt doubles. Generally the more sequels you have the worse the movies get, but the Transporter series has done well to date. This should easily be worth the price of admission, because he can drive!
Valkyrie
Tom Cruise has finally gotten this movie ready for theaters. I mentioned this earlier when this was planned for the summer. I’m looking forward to the film. But I must admit that with reflection, and seeing additional trailers I have one problem. Cruise. He seems to boyishly happy and young to be a Nazi Colonel that is going to try to kill Hitler. While it’s a true story, I would expect the look of the real schemers to be a tad bit grim. But I will see if all the brightness in the film hinders or benefits the plot.
My Name is Bruce
Ok, I admit I am a Bruce Campbell fan. I just love his movies (and television shows most don’t recall). He is funny. So this film sending up his celebrity and still focusing on what made him famous is spot on. The trailer got me chuckling. Will I see it, yep. Will it win an Oscar, nope. Will it be entertaining? More likely than not. Bruce Campbell may not be Will Smith (on many levels) but one thing they both do well is pick movies that they can excel in. Now where is that boomstick?
Underworld: Rise of the Lycans
I thought this movie had been made a while ago (like Vin Diesel’s Chronicles of Riddick – which supposedly has the 3rd film done years ago) so I’m not surprised it’s coming out. The first film was well worth the price of admission. The second not as much. But redemption seems at hand. This 3rd film is more of a prequel though. And a good thing too, because I really wanted to see more of the Lycan-Vampire war. Mythical creatures, medieval setting, swords, warfare on massive scale. Yep this should be good. And I like the lead actors too! Bonus.
Not Easily Broken
Morris Chestnut is definitely the go to guy in Black films. He has done very well in taking roles that are uplifting, and afrocentric. This is another of those films. I like this personally because, besides the quality acting and plot, it is an example that being African American does not mean being in a pigeonhole of stereotypes the media loves to display us as. This will actually be out in January 2009 (in time for the inauguration – how interesting), so thankfully it will give the Black community a choice besides seeing Notorious – which I do not recommend.
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