Friday, December 31, 2010

True Grit

TheDigitalDad strongly  urges you  to go see True Grit! This great western pulls you in to laugh, to  cry and to sigh with a tremendous do-over of the original that blurs the lines of good and evil really well in a film full of action and laughs presented with class, style, and flair. It is the best movie I've seen all year long. This is  another delightful work by Brothers Coen (Joel and Ethan), with   powerful  acting performances by Bridges, Damon,  Brolin, Pepper and the new young female come-upper (regrets -  don’t have her name at this posting) - all those appearing  in this movie give stellar performances! I have zero doubt that Jeff Bridges will receive a nomination as best male actor along  with the young lady who plays Mattie receiving a nomination as best female supporting actress and I won’t be surprised if the Coen Brothers do it again and earn a nomination for Best Picture this year if not take home  the Oscar for it with True Grit! There are a couple  scenes of explicit violence that  concerned parents might want to prescreen for their children 14 and under.

Saturday, December 11, 2010

Faster

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson just has presence.  The Digital-Dad,  being a little behind his updates entering the holidays wants to let you know “Faster” was a click above worthwhile action  entertainment. Probably  not for your children 14 and under and not for viewing with  Mom,  for the language  might upset her.   The Rock’s persona  continues to dominate and   fill the screen while pulling you into his quandary. That,  and the pristine, mint,   classic, excellent  hot rods and chase scenes,  the almost  40’s-like  film noir air,  the revengeful arrogance of the blatant executions -  most all  head shots  -   kept  me right in it,   fast paced as it intentionally  was. Score another success for The Rock.

The Tourist

If you loved REDS you’ll find  The Tourist as  another terrific  thriller with comic moments where you won’t be  able not to LOL and intimate moments when you’ll holler “ Oh go on man, go ahead!”.   Then the  end of the movie hits you like a 2 x4 in the back of the head. This was good entertainment!  Johnny Depp is superb and Angelina Jolie, so  blessed with sensual  beauty,   plays the perfect  role against Depp.  The Digital-Dad challenges you name a pair that  could be better cast as this duo. Not possible! Enjoy!

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Living Life

It is the peculiar nature of the world to go on spinning no matter what sort of heartbreak is happening.    ~ Secret Life of Bees

Saturday, November 27, 2010

Unstoppable

This is a superbly crafted film. I recommend this on the big screen for dramatic  and spectacular  affect. I would give 75 out of  100 points to this show. Once you are on board for this film it is very difficult to disembark and remove yourself from the excitement of the chase. Excellent cinematography,  and Denzel Washington again somehow pulls us into the human component  in the  storyline and entangles us in this adventure of man against machine.  Safe for all family. 

Harry Potter Deathly Hallows1

I don't see why  numerous other reviewer’s are  raving in this as  the best in the series. I do not agree. I would give it a 70 out of 100 points. I felt let down at the end. This installment is definitely more tied to the emotions of the characters than any other, that is undisputable but it seems enough  critics aren’t  talk about  that. There are not numerous  creepy scenes like some imply. I found nothing  “wickedly creepy” in this. Voldemort (sp?) robs Dumbledoor’s (sp?) grave?  Not scary. Should have  been! There is one rather startling scene,  and seeing where Harry’s parents died seemed down played where I would’ve preferred the story explore more background conflict there. I do not know if  this work reflects the book’s storyline well.  This installment  is  the equivalent of   “The Empire Strikes back in the Wizard’s World” to me.

The ending left me feeling hanging by a thread. It was just “there”.  Many adults left my  showing (large theater,  full crowd) griping about the chintzy ending. Seems to me this release was  commercialized to suck you back in to see the real final installment (more profit taking) at your expense. I would prefer one long showing of  the final installment  in the series  with a concessions break in the middle, which would've brought the theaters more profit as well.  Point is: I’m not  chomping at the bit to see part 2 while  I have been  excited about  seeing subsequent   films after seeing some  other installments in this series.

Personally, I wish someone had told me to wait and  buy this DVD and then watch it right before going to see part two in the theater for the sake of continuity.