Comments for Mecandes' Humble Abode http://mecandes.poverellomedia.com All hope abandon, ye who enter here. Mon, 01 Jun 2009 14:28:23 +0000 hourly 1 Comment on Up by Kalanna http://mecandes.poverellomedia.com/blog/film-and-video/movie-review/up/#comment-8 Kalanna Mon, 01 Jun 2009 14:28:23 +0000 http://mecandes.poverellomedia.com/?p=415#comment-8 I certainly cried more in the theater at this Pixar more than any of the others. "Thanks for the adventure." Totally agree about the back story. It might have been a better ride for the kids without the long introduction. I loved it all the same though and really appreciate the reminder, in our aging population, that the elderly are just like the rest of us: not to be forgotten big bags of emotional needy goo. My only beef is that I am so very tired of absent and/or divorced parents being a motivational tool for characterizations of children. Children chase dreams just to chase dreams, you know! I certainly cried more in the theater at this Pixar more than any of the others. “Thanks for the adventure.”

Totally agree about the back story. It might have been a better ride for the kids without the long introduction. I loved it all the same though and really appreciate the reminder, in our aging population, that the elderly are just like the rest of us: not to be forgotten big bags of emotional needy goo.

My only beef is that I am so very tired of absent and/or divorced parents being a motivational tool for characterizations of children. Children chase dreams just to chase dreams, you know!

]]> Comment on Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull by Chris Norris http://mecandes.poverellomedia.com/blog/film-and-video/movie-review/indiana-jones-and-the-kingdom-of-the-crystal-skull/#comment-7 Chris Norris Sun, 26 Apr 2009 13:34:11 +0000 http://mecandes.poverellomedia.com/?p=199#comment-7 Watched this last night. Have to admit, I went in with REALLY low expectations, based on all the negative fanboy reviews over the last few months, but I was pleasantly surprised. I loved it. Right up there with 1 and 3, actually. Ford has obviously aged, and to see him in the Indy garb was a geeky delight. Excellent seeing Marion Ravenwood again, and Cate Blanchett is a friggin chameleon; she can play damn near anything or anybody. She was a lot of fun as the villain. I even was impressed with Shia LeBeauf. I'm not a fan of his, but his character grew on me. The heavy use of CGI not normally seen in the Indy flicks was a bit distracting, but overall, it worked. I loved this movie. 4 stars outta 5 Watched this last night.

Have to admit, I went in with REALLY low expectations, based on all the negative fanboy reviews over the last few months, but I was pleasantly surprised.

I loved it. Right up there with 1 and 3, actually.
Ford has obviously aged, and to see him in the Indy garb was a geeky delight.
Excellent seeing Marion Ravenwood again, and Cate Blanchett is a friggin chameleon; she can play damn near anything or anybody. She was a lot of fun as the villain.

I even was impressed with Shia LeBeauf. I’m not a fan of his, but his character grew on me.

The heavy use of CGI not normally seen in the Indy flicks was a bit distracting, but overall, it worked.

I loved this movie.

4 stars outta 5

]]> Comment on Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor by Mecandes http://mecandes.poverellomedia.com/blog/film-and-video/movie-review/the-mummy-tomb-of-the-dragon-emperor/#comment-4 Mecandes Sat, 28 Mar 2009 10:31:11 +0000 http://www.flixster.com/movie/the-mummy-tomb-of-the-dragon-emperor-the-mummy-3#comment-4 You're right; though I'm not sure I'd say the originals set the bar particularly high. ;) You’re right; though I’m not sure I’d say the originals set the bar particularly high. ;)

]]> Comment on On the Edge: The Spectacular Rise and Fall of Commodore by Mecandes’ Humble Abode » Blog Archive » I adored my 64, my Commodore 64 http://mecandes.poverellomedia.com/blog/literature/book-review/on-the-edge-the-spectacular-rise-and-fall-of-commodore/#comment-3 Mecandes’ Humble Abode » Blog Archive » I adored my 64, my Commodore 64 Sat, 28 Mar 2009 09:41:26 +0000 http://Review23052831#comment-3 [...] of this is on my mind a lot lately because I just finished reading On the Edge: The Spectacular Rise and Fall of Commodore, which came highly recommended by a friend. It was a gripping page-turner for me — and if you [...] [...] of this is on my mind a lot lately because I just finished reading On the Edge: The Spectacular Rise and Fall of Commodore, which came highly recommended by a friend. It was a gripping page-turner for me — and if you [...]

]]> Comment on Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor by Chris Norris http://mecandes.poverellomedia.com/blog/film-and-video/movie-review/the-mummy-tomb-of-the-dragon-emperor/#comment-2 Chris Norris Sun, 22 Mar 2009 11:44:33 +0000 http://www.flixster.com/movie/the-mummy-tomb-of-the-dragon-emperor-the-mummy-3#comment-2 This was one of the many sequels last year that DID NOT live up to the standards set by the originals. Right off the top, the lack of Rachael Weisz is painfully obvious, when her character is reading a book to a bunch of 1940's desperate housewives, and she looks RIGHT INTO THE CAMERA, and refers to the character in the book as being a "different person"....painful. Brendan Fraser seems complacent in just about any movie he's in these days, and let's be honest: he's kinda scraping the bottom of the barrel lately, so I imagine when producers approached him with another venture into "Mummy" territory, he jumped on it like stink on a monkey The SFX look dated; almost like they were done in 1997. Quite possibly one of the worst acted performances (by all parties) in recent memory. I believe the term, "phoned it in" comes to mind. All in all- I was incredibly disappointed with this installment, given how much I liked the first two installments. Heck- this was worse than "The Scorpion King"....and I love The Rock, so.... Yeah. Stay away. Rent like, "Zack and Miri" instead. This was one of the many sequels last year that DID NOT live up to the standards set by the originals.

Right off the top, the lack of Rachael Weisz is painfully obvious, when her character is reading a book to a bunch of 1940′s desperate housewives, and she looks RIGHT INTO THE CAMERA, and refers to the character in the book as being a “different person”….painful.

Brendan Fraser seems complacent in just about any movie he’s in these days, and let’s be honest: he’s kinda scraping the bottom of the barrel lately, so I imagine when producers approached him with another venture into “Mummy” territory, he jumped on it like stink on a monkey

The SFX look dated; almost like they were done in 1997.

Quite possibly one of the worst acted performances (by all parties) in recent memory.
I believe the term, “phoned it in” comes to mind.

All in all- I was incredibly disappointed with this installment, given how much I liked the first two installments. Heck- this was worse than “The Scorpion King”….and I love The Rock, so….

Yeah. Stay away. Rent like, “Zack and Miri” instead.

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