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Reviews
Aftermath: Population Zero (2008)
I'm not sure if this is more "Green" propaganda or not.
There is no doubt, from the beginning of this "documentary" that there is a definite bias here. The film claims to be about man's impact on the world but it is really just a film about how man has damaged it, and despite our constant chaos, the Earth will thrive if it weren't for us. This was obviously written by a Green Freak and me, being a man who refuses to buy into the corporate and political lie that is the Green Movement, finds this film condescending, ugly, and unremarkable. It has hard to show an impact when the film continues to show recycled stock footage of the same forests and fields over and over. They overgrown landmarks of man look like late 90s video game graphics and the overall look of the film is just ugly. It tries to persuade its viewers into thinking it's a smart hypothetical by showing the chaos that will ensue immediately after man disappears. However, this is quickly drowned out by the narrator's condescending tone and downbeat morality. I hated this doc. It is certainly no Planet Earth.
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)
Wow. They didn't even try.
There are a lot of things wrong with this film. I know that the critics say crap like, "A must see!" and "The summer blockbuster you've been waiting for!" but I say, "Watch any one of the many Indiana Jones wannabes and you are likely to see a better picture." It's quite obvious Lucuss and Spewburg weren't sure who to market this to. In one scene Shai LeBouff (probably misspelled, but I don't care) is swinging through the jungle with monkeys and that is followed by a guy being sucked into a hole by ravenous ants (all very PG-13 of course). The film is tamer and weaker than any of the previous films, each of which had a good plot in which Indy must attain some artifact in order to save the world from the ones who want to control its power. Thus is the case here as well, but the plot lacks any Historical or cultural value and, instead, tries to hook audiences through cheap thrills like Indy narrowly surviving an Atomic Explosion.
All of the chases and action scenes in the movie are strictly by-the-book. There is not one original action scene in this entire film. Everything except the ending (which I won't spoil) was predictable. However, the "twist?" ending is so lame and stupid that it completely strips the Indiana Jones franchise of any credibility.
The saddest thing is is that Kingdom of the Crystal Skull turns out like just another Indiana Jones wannabe, with the added feature of actually HAVING Indiana Jones in it. To me it is no better than the Mummy movies, the Tomb Raider films, National Treasure, and (shutter) The Librarian: the Quest for the Spear. I recognize that some of those movies where "okay" but they do not measure up to what the are trying to emulate, and neither does Indy 4. Save your money. Buy the new DVD box set of the original Trilogy and enjoy cinematic greatness at home.
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005)
A Great Tie In
If you read the original books, then the Hitchhiker's Guide movie will make you smile in nostalgia. If you have not read the books, this movie, being closer to the books than almost any other move has ever been close to its original media, will make you want to read them.
The best part of the film is not so much the story but the cast. Mos Def shows the best of his acting skills as the always well-informed Ford Prefect and does a really good job. However, every cast member in the film is dwarfed by the outstanding performance of Sam Rockwell as Zaphod Beeblebrox. While he does not look exactly how the books describe him, he still portrays the 'character' of Zaphod very well. And since Sam Rockwell can steal the show from almost every actor (give or take a few... i.e. Anthony Hopkins) today, but his lines and psychotic personality in this film will be one thing you remember months after seeing it. Enjoy this one when it hits shelves, it is definitely a buyer.