Movies

Star Trek
Okay, I admit that I enjoyed this flick. My dad was really gung-ho about seeing it, in IMAX no less. It was a good, fun movie that treated the existing canon with some reverence while being unafraid of putting it’s own spin things. I’ve discovered that casual viewers liked it much more than the fans. There were definitely parts of the plot that made no sense to the point of insulting my intelligence. And maybe that’s the biggest crime against the fans, who were always drawn to the brainier aspects of the shows.

Wolverine
My cousin was really gung-ho about seeing it, and I wish I could go back in time to punch him in the face for it. Insanely stupid, and saddening to know that it was a blockbuster hit. Sigh.

Frost/Nixon
Wow. I started it with a friend who basically apologized in advance, saying it was probably going to be slow and boring. Yet I found it to be a great, interesting story, with superb acting. I’ve always had a soft spot for History and really got into the story. It showed Nixon in a new light for me, and reaffirmed my belief that politicians, no matter how slimy they seem, are often very charismatic and charming people when seen up close.

Man on Wire
Like Frost/Nixon, what could’ve been a relatively straight-forward and dull account of an event, was expertly portrayed. There was tension and suspense (sorry no tight-rope walking puns intended) to the manner in which the film unfolded.

Up
Even in a tight financial situation, I couldn’t pass up seeing a Pixar movie. As usual they not only deliver, but manage to amaze me with emotional storytelling. The actual plot and action portions didn’t exactly impress me but the sheer amount of emotion that Pixar managed to invoke within me caught me by surprise.

Manhattan/Annie Hall
I finally finally saw these Woody Allen movies and have to say that I missed out by not seeing them years ago. I enjoyed Annie Hall more, particularly Diane Keaton’s luminous performance. I feel primed to see Whatever Works now, but am worried that the criticism of Woody Allen’s filmmaking decline will be much more noticeable to me after seeing these two great films.