THE ADJUSTMENT BUREAU -- (6)

THE ADJUSTMENT BUREAU is pretty much Adam and Eve + THE MATRIX.   There's a lot of stuff happening which talks about the idea of free will but then it's based on a Phillip K. Dick short story so that's only to be expected.   What kills me about stories like this is how they never just ASK THE WOMAN WHAT SHE THINKS.   I mean, the hero eventually gives her enough information (barely) and then offers her a choice while standing at the base of the Statue of Liberty (get it? Liberty? Choice? Free will? Get it? Was that subtle enough?) but if he had asked earlier it would have saved a lot of trouble and heartache.  Sure it wouldn't have been as dramatic an ending and we wouldn't have gotten pretty shots like the photo above but I can still wish for things.  Let's just call it an exercise of my free will.

SUPER 8 -- (8)

I loved this movie.  I wanted to be just like the fat kid (pictured here in the yellow jacket) who kept muttering "production values!" to himself.  The production value of the train wreck ALONE made it a spectacular film.  The fact that it's well written, has great costuming, great set dressing, beautiful cinematography, AND A MONSTER!!... there just isn't anything left to say.

J.J. Abrams already made STAR TREK, the greatest reboot since THE DARK KNIGHT, and then he gives us this?   He might be my new favorite guy.  Which means I might actually have to watch Lost.

::sigh:: And I've been avoiding it for so long....

Salvando al Soldado Pérez (SAVING PRIVATE PEREZ) -- (7)

He went for the low-key, quiet daytime look.

 This is possibly the silliest anti-war movie ever.   I liked it.  Let's face it, there isn't much funnier than watching pot-bellied grandpas in boots and polyester Sans-A-Belt slacks running through an Iraq war zone.   Well, maybe an sneak attack by an Indio Mexicano as he pops up out of a vat to tomato juice is funnier.  Or perhaps watching a drug lord bedeck himself with all the good taste and style of Ceasars Palace in it's heyday and drive around his Wild Kingdom estate in a golf cart while wearing nothing but a bathrobe and a Speedo made out of an Hermes scarf is best.  That was pretty funny.  But I am usually really amused by clothing so my judgement may be a bit off. 

"Our password, our battle cry will be.. TOMATE!"

Anyway, if you've never seen a novella, you won't understand how funny a lot of this stuff is.  And if you don't speak Spanish or like to read subtitles, then you'll miss a few of the jokes.  Not many jokes, but some of them. 

However, don't forget that when you are watching the bullets fly and the machismo posturing and the dramatic music that the Americans are the bad guys.   They just up and kill everyone in a terrifyingly clean and perfect way.  Drug lords are the GOOD GUYS in this movie.   Is it simplistic assessment of current political events? Yup.   Does it completely disregard the humanity and compassion of the troops fighting around the globe? Absolutely.  Is it hilarious? YES.

Really, those three questions can be asked of a lot of war movies these days.  Only SAVING PRIVATE PEREZ can answer all three in the affirmative.   Which is like saying "Yeah that guy is a murderous drug lord but he did rescue his POW brother from Iraq..."  Dubious morality but a funny film.