All about movies today

I've seen a string of movies, let me tell you how I feel about them.

Juno - This is a reader/writer's movie. You know how when you finish the last page of some books, you just sit there all still with the book before breaking that final connection in order to return to reality? I had that 'hanging onto the book' feeling when Juno was over. I had seen it by myself, so I was having a nice solitary ride home. I was tempted to skip my driveway and drive around a little longer, but it was too snowy so I didn't.

Everything you've heard about the witty dialog is true, but unlike a funny Seinfeld type character, the characters in Juno had depth and therein lies the magic of this movie. Two hours is a short amount of time to reveal character, and to do it without obvious plot twists or soap boxy dialog to tell you who these people are -- it was so naturally revealing, again I say -- like characters in a good book.

Fools Gold -- Honestly, I wasn't expecting much more than a formula romance movie -- I was just going to look at the pretty people and to eat some popcorn and have a date with my husband. This movie had gotten really bad reviews, but maybe because my expectations were so low, I was pleasantly surprised. A few minutes into the film you get Malcom Jamal Warner as a thug from the world of an island owning gangsta rapper -- right there you know this movie is not trying to take itself seriously-- Theo is going to blow someones head off, right?. There's a dingy rich girl in the movie in order to provide a little commentary on the "stupid girl" epidemic. The rap star is ruthless and his henchmen are clumsy and were just kind of there now and again -- the bad guy aspect was clunky at best.

What exactly did I like? It wasn't a good romantic comedy, so much as it was like a really good episode of Three's Company. Not that I'm a big Three's Company fan, but if they amped up the budget for a special two parter, you'd get a couple of good laughs, and I did. I love Kate Hudson and there was one reaction scene of hers that had me laughing pretty hard. I was entertained and I think others would be too.

Bucket List -- Well, again, I didn't hate it. It was very predictable and it haphazardly tried to make a couple of points. I'm a little over Jack Nicholson playing Jack Nicholson. Maybe it's the wife in me, but I don't find "asshole" to be a charming quality, no matter how many times you tell me that is what makes Jack so lovable -- no, not really. I do enjoy the sarcastic delivery of funny lines just as much as the next girl, but again, just because it's funny, doesn't make it endearing -- he's just a fucker who doesn't give a shit that he's a fucker. And while that's all a personality match for many of his movies -- it seemed a little forced in this one (ooh, look at me, I'm a cranky old cancerous codger who's alienated everyone and so I will die alone, unless Morgan Freeman can get through to me in time for me to mend fences with my estranged daughter.)

As I type, I realize this is the antithesis of the character development in Juno. This is the crap that has become typical -- one clichéd conversation after another and we are to understand the depth of these people and give a hoot about what happens to them. Unfortunately, if we've seen enough movies, we know exactly what is going to happen to them before we buy our popcorn.

I didn't hate this movie while I was watching it, it was entertaining enough. It's more upon this reflection that the irritation is setting in. This movie could have been played by any set of elder actors -- the only reason it had any draw was because of Jack and Morgan -- serious, phone it in and pick up your check type of role for their kind of chops. I feel a little bad for parting with my money and rewarding that kind of "box office draw" tactic.

Why not feel that way about Fools Gold too? Because Fool's Gold wasn't trying to be profound -- it was a treasure hunt. I saw one review which compared it to Gilligan's Island -- they said it like that was a bad thing.

U2-3D-- COOL! Have you seen the new 3d stuff? I was introduced to it via Hannah Montana -- holy, leaping Jonas Brothers, Batman! It's not the green and blue paper glasses anymore. And it's way better than a rake handle coming at you here or there (Something I remember from a Friday the 13th 3D movie from a decade or two or so ago). This is way more view master 3D quality -- maybe even a little better because everyone is moving and nobody is a cartoon.

No.

Bono totally reached out and dried my tears at one point. He may have brushed my breast too, and I'm not completely sure, but I may be carrying his baby.

The new 3D stuff is like having the best seat in the house. If they turned up the volume, got the audience to participate, added the smells of hot bodies and pot, and sold t-shirts -- it would be just like being there.

A little side observation on live concert footage I've seen lately -- apparently, Buenos Ares is the place to record a live show. Rich has a Rush concert DVD that was recorded there and it has all the backstage banter about "Wow! Argentinians love rock and roll" type stuff. Apparently that's the place to be seen and feel appreciated because now here's U2 with an insanely large and amped up crowd, and I just saw it again with Snoop Dog on his show.

And that's all I've seen lately. Only one nominated movie in my rep. Everything just seemed so bloody this year -- I'm not in the mood for disturbing, so this is what you get from me.