Reviews

Anyone who loved the first one will definetly love this one also. Of course the plot is irrelevant and inconceivable, but isn't that the point of Elle Woods? Reese Witherspoon shines almost as bright as her gorgeous outfits. Much like her last role in "Sweet Home Alabama" the movie rides 100% on her presence and like-ability (and oh what a presence it is!). Though LB 2 does not pick up any particular moral or meaning such as LG1 did, the movie is more plot driven than ambitious. Now we can sit back, and anxiously await Legally Blonde 3.

Rating: C+

Amidst the regular summer tentpoles that were released in 2003 this film was like a diamond in the rough. Action blockbuster or sequel Seabiscuit is not. Artistic and beautifully pieced together it is.

I can't express how refreshing it is to see an uplifting movie about perseverance and beating the odds, while leaving out all the fluff. There are no "Remember The Titans" like moments when the main entire cast embraces and cry together. However, there is a very subtle, sentimental bond between a man and a horse, which is much harder to pull off than one between two humans. Though at times a bit choppy with a loose end or two, this movie is a string of superb acting, a marvelous storyline and a history lesson all wrapped up in one.

Rating: B+

I would have given this an B+ if they had cut about 30 min's from the middle of the movie. PotC has its faults, numerous ones if you care to dig deep, but it is by far one of the most entertaining movies of the summer 2003.

Johnny Depp does a superb job as Jack Sparrow. The character showcases his versatility in one of the most refreshing characters I have seen in a long time. And newcomer Keira Knightly shines onscreen in her role as Elizabeth. It seems as if Orlando Bloom was may have been left in the dust in this film by his dashing costars. His acting was rather one dimensional, and suspiciously similar to his character of Legolas in "The Lord of the Rings". But who's paying attention to his acting, anyways? Overall, this pirate movie is non stop laughs, action and adventure. Savvy?

Rating: B

I am almost ashamed to say I awaited seeing this 'literature turned comic turned movie' movie. I am, however, even more ashamed to see what a mess was made out of a story with much potential. The "League" is made up of 7 literary characters, each with their own subplots, backstories and "inner demons" to conquer. Many of the subplots had potential, like the father/son like relationship between Quartermaine and Sawyer, the past relationship between Gray and Harker, and the dueling personalities of Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde. Unfortunetly the film did not have much time to explore these plots due to the overabundance of characters. If they chose to make a franchise out of this film (which I pray they don't) I have one word for them; downsizing.

Rating: D

Whoever said this movie "runs rings around The Ring" has a thing or to two to learn about an effective horror movie. Darnkess Falls will make you jump, but it is filled with cheap scares, and no substantially scary moments, psychologically or visually. The plot is weak and the ghost looks like your dad in a Halloween mask and a blanket trying to scare you when you were younger. Not to mention that the special effects are an embarassment to todays technology. Maybe they had a small budget, but there is no excuse for passing off a C movie (its not even a B flick) as an A one.

The surprising thing about this dissapointing film is that I quit enjoyed the extras on the Dvd. There is a behind the scenes, deleted scenes and three trailers. My favorite of the extras is "The Story of Matilda Dixon". It is about 20mins and tells the tale of the real story behind this movie. I much rather would have seen a movie about her life then this horror flick.

Rating: D+

With choppy moments and a few drawn out pauses at the beginning, The Return of the King is not a perfect film, but it is nothing short of a brilliant and entertaining film. And I will admit, I had to see this film twice before making an overall evaluation of it.

King loses the pacing and flow that the first and most notably the second film had. What stops it from living up to its predecessor, The Two Towers, is climax. That film built up slowly, but surely, to its epic battle sequence, and finished it off beautifully. This film zips from scene to scene and rushes into not one, but two battle sequences without much of a breather in between. The film also lacks a beautiful, triumphant moment, such as when Gandalf led the Rohirrim down the hill to defeat Saruman's band of orcs in TTT.

Yes, the film has faults, but the film makes up for it in many ways. This film had more elements of suspense and was creepier than any horror film I have seen in ages. The giant spider scene, which had to be one of my favorite parts, was thoroughly eerie, and definetly not for the squimish!

And despite its many endings, which could have been tied up a bit neater, the film ended on just the right note. It is an ending that would give even the most emotionally detached person the sniffles. 8/10

"Kate & Leopold" is not a top quality film, but has some seriously funny and entertaining moments. Most of those were delivered from Breckin Meyer, who plays Kate's brother. For example, the part when he keeps talking in the background and nobody is listening to him. I also enjoyed when he said "we have a saying in our household 'shake and bake the chicken'" or something of that sort.

The best part of this movie by far is Hugh Jackman. Not only is he devastatingly dashing and handsome, but his performance shows off his acting chops quite well. However, he and Meg Ryan had little on screen chemistry.

If you like silly romantic comedies, or if you just like Hugh Jackman, I would advise you to check out this film. You also shouldn't expect much plot wise. The script lacks continuity and has a few plot holes and many inconceivable ideas (well, so do most films, but others do a better job of making you believe it).

**1/2

Its great to see a movie about female athletes to show that girls in sports should be taken seriously. Other than that, there is little in this film that should be taken seriously. Even for the Disney channel this movie had amazingly bad acting. I felt like I was watching a high school play at some points.