Seven Reviews for Seven Movies

So I'm way behind in movie reviews. So far behind, in fact, that there's no hope of catching up if I don't summarize my opinions of each in one paragraph or less.

And now, without further ado, in order of preference...

No Country for Old Men (2007)
As a fan of Coen Brothers films, I'm well-accustomed to their dark sense of humor. Even still, I couldn't for the life of me imagine what they'd do with the very serious, very dramatic book by Cormac McCarthy. And while there is a (very subdued) sense of humor to this film, it's delivered in traditional Coen Brothers style without sacrificing the nature of the book. The end result: a decent storyline with a little too much gore and some inconsistencies that didn't quite add up... and yet, it's an altogether compelling film that captures the goings-on of the creepiest villain since Hannibal Lectar. FINAL GRADE: A-

Juno (2007)
This movie is funny and touching — even if the lead character's precocious demeanor isn't entirely believable. Ellen Page stars as Juno MacGuff, a two-smart-by-half high school junior impregnated by her best friend — a boy who's smitten with her, even if she refuses to acknowledge the same. Unable to follow through with an abortion, Juno scours the classifieds for couples looking to adopt. An altogether lovely story that'll make you laugh — and think twice about love, family and relationships. Think of it as this year's Little Miss Sunshine... with a soundtrack you'll want to download the moment you get home. FINAL GRADE: A-

Kite Runner (2007)
I saw this one by chance when my preferred film (The Savages) was sold out. What a pleasant surprise — light-hearted in some scenes and all-out traumatizing in others, this film chronicles the life of a Afghani boy whose father brought him to America after the Soviet invasion. Said boy grows up to become a writer still grappling with his past — a battle that culminates in a return to his home-country just weeks before September 11. FINAL GRADE: A-

I Am Legend (2007)
I enjoyed about the first 2/3 of this movie. It was, up until a point, well-written and fairly compelling. But then the storyline completely falls apart in an attempt to tack a "happy" ending onto an unhappy film about humans infected with a rabies-like virus that virtually kills and/or infects everyone on the planet. Deus ex machina is put to despicable use here, and I walked away thinking a decent film had been ruined by its final 25 minutes. However you look at it, though, Will Smith's performance is pretty dern impressive. FINAL GRADE: C+

Strings (2004)
This is a fairly serious war-time drama wherein the people are entirely played by puppets, in which case I had a difficult taking it seriously because — I'm sorry to say — comedic scenes from Team America (a far more sarcastic/humorous "puppet" movie from the creators of South Park) kept popping into my head. Still, the film itself was interesting and rife with metaphor — though sometimes a bit overdone. FINAL GRADE: C+

This Film is Not Yet Rated (2006)
Critics loved this documentary. I didn't. I mean, director Kirby Dick makes a compelling point insofar as the MPAA — which decides which films get which ratings — is clearly unjustly influenced by big name production companies. But beyond that, he didn't really make me care about the issue at hand. FINAL GRADE: C-

Hairspray (2007)
I seldom fall asleep while watching movies, but I certainly did in this one. To be fair, I've never been fond of musicals, but with all the hoopla surrounding this one, I'd hoped it be an exception. It wasn't. FINAL GRADE: D