The Film Basement

Sorcerer’s Apprentice (**1/2) The million dollar FX almost make up for the $50 script.

Inception (****) Might want to bring your thinking cap… actually, bring a whole wardrobe.

Twilight Eclipse (***) Team Edward, definitely.

Predators – *** (out of 4). I’d go higher, but I need time to get comfortable with Adrian Brody being a legitimate Action Star, let alone having a six-pack.

Two movies opened this weekend – Grown Ups and Knight and Day. The “success” of Grown Ups is the kind of thing I don’t understand, and honestly I don’t WANT to. I guess it’s just a sad reality and inescapable pitfall of living in “Wal-Merica”.

The “failure” of a movie like Knight and Day though – which I’m giving 3 1/2 out of 4 stars to – is simply inexplicable to me. I guess I can understand the Box Office failure to some degree – bad marketing, Tom Cruise spoiled reputation courtesy of his Scientology BS, etc… But the critical drubbing just makes no sense to me. It really feels as if the critics are reviewing Cruise’s personal problems and not the movie. I don’t care for Cruise personally, nor am I huge Cameron Diaz fan either – but none of that should matter in a movie review. “The Play’s The Thing,” and this one was good.

Director James Mangold handles the action sequences better than the last 3 Bond movies combined. The effects are sometimes obvious but on the whole well done. And Cruise is giving it 110% which really sells it.

One possible problem for people is that to some degree the film is making fun of itself and it’s genre. There’s irony and sarcasm going on that might be going over people’s heads… maybe? But really I can’t explain people’s dislike.

For now Knight and Day might serve as Cruise’s Downfall, but time will tell which one is the superior film.
***1/2