"Vegetable plants, pizza plants... it's good to be home!"

Wall-E
Andrew Stanton, 2008

Pixar's films are always visually stunning, and Wall-E was no exception. However, the visuals were not enough to save the movie for me. I felt the movie dragged on much too long in introductions before any sort of conflict was introduced. Later on, it seemed to me the film didn't know what it wanted to be about. There was the love story between EVE and Wall-E, the cautionary commentary on laziness and technological dependence as well as the conflict between AUTO and the captain. All of these had the potential to cohabit the plot harmoniously, but it seemed like none of them stood out as the primary subject.
Relationships with subordinate characters didn't gel for me. While M-O was entertaining enough, the immediate impression Wall-E and EVE left upon anyone they came in contact with seemed too automatic.
The movie wasn't bad by any means. The little girl sitting in front of me at the theater really seemed to enjoyed it. I just think Pixar is getting shining reviews by default due to their reputation.

"She caught the wrong second of a two-second story. "

Cashback
Sean Ellis, 2006

I don't know what to write for films like this. I enjoyed it. Check it out.

Image Courtesy of soberingconclusion.com.

"I'm Sorry!"

Wanted
Timur Bekmambetov, 2008

Really entertaining flick. Started out like a Fight Club/ Office Space amalgam with a really stupid cross-high-rise jump that made me worry about the rest of the movie. Luckily, it adopted a better visual style that made the outlandish things that happened believable enough. I can't stress that "enough" enough. In a movie where a car vaults over a line of police, lands on the side of a bus and drives away as the bus slams onto its side, you shouldn't expect anything to be truly believable.
In the end, the movie was really entertaining, but nothing life altering or poignant. However, there were rat bombs. What else do you need from a summer flick?

Image Courtesy of Yahoo.

"FIJI. You can't get any further away before you start coming back. "

The Truman Show
Peter Weir, 1998

Liked it. Thought for a while it stood as a good allegory for those out of step and how society can trap those who want most desperately to get out. Managed to stay light hearted, but I feel conflicted about the last line in the movie.

"Don't Make Me...Hungry. You Wouldn't Like Me When I'm Hungry"

The Incredible Hulk
Louis Leterrier, 2008

There were a few chase scenes early on that didn't do it for me in the least, and despite really liking Edward Norton, I didn't really care about his character. Tim Roth's character likewise didn't really do it for me until late in the movie. It took about an hour for me to start enjoying the flick. I couldn't help but laugh at the image of the classic romantic beach scene when the Hulk and Abomination started running toward each other upon the beginning of their final battle. Anyway....it was an okay movie, but I didn't think it was all that great.

Image Courtesy of The LA Times.

Bono? You want them to get Bono?

Shooter
Antoine Fuqua, 2007

I tend to like conspiracy movies, so I enjoyed this one. The cinematography was impressive with high contrast, high saturation land- and cityscapes. Just the right balance of smart action with plot development. I gotta admit though, the setup didn't do it for me. Getting asked to plan a presidential assassination to the finest detail in order to foil an alleged attempt? That's gotta rub anyone, even with the most intense sense of patriotic duty, the wrong way. It doesn't hurt that the female lead is cute though.

Image Courtesy of alt film guide.

Dun,Dun, Dun Dun Dun, Duna Duna Duna Dun Dun, Dun Dun

Iron Man
Jon Favreau, 2008

This one was great. Robert Downey Jr. did a great job portraying the vanity of a playboy turned humanist with the only slip ups coming with the necessary cornbally lines. There was a good amount of excitement from early on, but this hurt the final showdown as it did not stand out against the rest of the movie and made it seem anti-climactic. The film did a great job of taking the audience along as Stark discovers himself as Iron Man and works out the kinks in his new superhero-dom. Thanks to Brunsie for seeing this movie a third time so I could see it.