Dear John (2010, U.S.)

It's getting harder and harder for me to review movies based on Nicholas Sparks books, because I really find all his recent books (after about 1998) to be underwhelming. This book was one of my least favorite, but I think they did a pretty good job adapting it for the screen. They made the war part of the film more accessible and the feelings of the soldier more apparent.

You couldn't have cast two better people as John and Savannah. Channing Tatum is the actor to play the modern soldier. (See Stop-Loss, G.I. Joe, etc.) And I really like Amanda Seyfriend, which made her un-empathetic character less horrific, at least for me personally.

I'm not sure how true to the book it was. For instance, I don't remember John's father being such a strong character. He was a great addition to the story. I also don't remember the twists at the ending, though they could have been there. Said twists took a sappy romance and turned it into extreme melodrama. I think I'm over that phase of my life, because I was underwhelmed.

Rating: 3.0

G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009, U.S,)

And I cannot believe I'm saying this, but I really liked this movie. Really. I like a good action movie when it's done well, and this was. It actually had a plot (*gasp*), cool technology that seemed feasible, awesome action sequences (military/gun type and martial arts/hand to hand style), decent acting, funny one-liners... and major eye candy. Channing Tatum has never really been my type of guy, but every time I see him in a military movie, I forget all about that! Ha ha.

The concept of an evil genius taking over the world by creating armies of men whose brains he controlled with nanotechnology and by using nanos to create weapons of mass destruction... wow. It sounds ridiculous when I type it, but the fact that the movie was so convincing on such ridiculous ideas is what made it good.

Seriously, I never thought I'd say it, but if you want a good mindless (and yet somehow thoughtful) action movie, look no further than G.I. Joe. From the ending, I'd say they intended to have a sequel. I hope they do!

Rating: 4.0