SPEED RACER (2008)

MY RATING:  C+

RUN TIME:  135 min

MPAA RATING:  PG

MY REVIEW:  I'm currently on Kauai, an island with very limited movie venues.  Following the shutdown of the cinema in Kapaa, HI, I believe the Kukui Grove Cinema in Lihue, HI is the only theater remaining (I could be wrong).  This three auditorium cinema left me with one movie I had not yet seen, Speed Racer.  As the movie started I was horrified at the graphics.  I felt as though I was drowning in a neon-lit clown house.  Despite the nightmare that was the first five minutes of the movie, the movie progressed with a decent plot at a good pace.

THE GOOD:  I had the impression that the movie was going to be a hardcore racing film aimed mainly at the 10-year-old boy who brought his miniature racing car with him to the theater.  However, there was an excellent balance of racing and actual acting.  The film brought up real world problems to which I could relate.  These problems, corruption at the forefront, made the plot very interesting.  Don't get me wrong, there were some great racing scenes with some interesting special effects.  An all-star cast including John Goodman, Christina Ricci, Matthew Fox, and Susan Sarandon gave great performances.  Even Speed's (Emile Hirsch) younger brother, Young Speed (Nicholas Elia) and his trusty sidekick, a chimp, not only added some great comic relief, but gave outstanding performances. 

THE BAD:  As I mentioned before the introduction was graphically hideous.  The blending of reality and comic book graphics gave the movie an unique feel, but also made it seem like you were watching a screwed up version of Blue Clues with a splash of 80's decor.  The adult plot made it bearable, but the graphics made it hard to take seriously.  The graphics were great for little toddlers, but the plot was too complicated for their comprehension.

OVERALL:  Excellent acting and some good lessons.  The plot was pretty decent but the graphics threw me a little.  I was pleasantly surprised with the movie and the story it told, however, I wasn't expecting anything more than the screeching of tires and the crashing of cars.  Speed Racer is not a movie I would watch again.

THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: PRINCE CASPIAN (2008)

MY RATING: B+

RUN TIME: 144 min

MPAA RATING: PG


REVIEW: I should start off by saying that I have not read the book version of The Chronicles of Narnia of which this movie is based. I did watch the first movie, "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe," which preceded this movie. I thoroughly enjoyed the first movie and was looking foreword to this the second installment of the collection.


I find there is a delicate balance in producing a movie such as this, where you need to give the audience a movie with some closure and finality, but still leave it open enough to where the next movie can pick up without having to start all over. I believe this movie achieved that and though I was left with some concerns by the end I was able to leave the theatre with a "closed book." The story had been resolved and you weren't left with the story unfinished (such as the ridiculous ending of the "The Golden Compass").


THE GOOD:
Prince Caspian was my favorite throughout, not only because of his dangerously good looks, but there was some excellent acting on his part and he did an excellent job at characterizing his role. The remaining characters were also quiet convincing and you know your villain did a good job when you have that gut-wrenching hate for him, which I had throughout this movie. I wouldn't call the graphics out of this world, but they were good and convincing enough for me.


THE BAD:
Some parts of the movie were a bit too corny for me. Though I wasn't as flabbergasted as the obnoxious girls behind me who would let out grunts and laughs anytime there was some chivalry in the movie, I thought some of the saluting and grovelling was a bit much. As for the plot, I enjoyed most of it but it seemed *POSSIBLE SPOILER*(Skip to the next paragraph to avoid any potential spoiler) they had complicated the story so much, that it would be interesting to see how they would resolve it. But then they used the easy way out and let magic swoop in and save the day. A let down for me.


OVERALL:
A good-looking-- I mean, a good movie with some good acting and graphics. A little more creativity in the plot would've improved my view of the movie. However, I would watch it again.

WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS (2008)

"What Happens in Vegas" was not a movie that I was itching to see for a long time.  Preview wise, I didn't find it very appealing.  It takes a lot to make me laugh however, and the scene in the trailer where Cameron Diaz's character slides across the bar, falls off the end, then after a silent moment by spectators pops back up with a cheerful scream did give me a chuckle.  I went into the theatre prepared for a predictable chick-flick with not-quiet-laugh-out-loud comedy.

However, I was pleasantly surprised with the movie's simplicity and candor.  There isn't a million settings or characters of which to keep track.  A plot that I thought was too simple for a movie was developed into something with actual substance.  Ashton Kutcher and Cameron Diaz both have an energy which brightens the movie.  There are moments of rawness that, although makes the movie seem like it was shot in a single shoot, did make their characters really come alive.  You felt like you were really watching two people in their everyday life.  

Overall a good movie.  Not a movie I would watch twice, but I had not regrets after watching it once.  So-so comedy, I felt the more dramatic elements of the movie were much more entertaining than the comedy.  Good lessons and some fair acting.

MY RATING:  C+