The Amazing Spider-Man (2012, U.S.)

Oh, how sad I was to find this movie so run-of-the-mill. I had heard such great things about it and I'm a huge fan of Andrew Garfield, but alas, it just felt like every other super hero movie, really.

I'm not sure what it was. The cast was great: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, and Rhys Ifans usually stand out to me. Sally Field and Martin Sheen were really great as Peter's aunt and uncle. I enjoyed the focus on the science aspect. The action scenes were good. So why did it seem to fall flat?

The only thing I can think of is that I was not convinced by "The Lizard." His initial transition was good, but then he just seemed to fall on the corny side as far a supervillains go. So that's really all I can come up with. It was good, but it didn't blow me away. Another victim of hype.

Rating: 3.5

A Mighty Heart (2007, U.S.)

I had wanted to see this when it came out but never got around to it. I have to say that I was pretty disappointed. In fact, I don't have much more to say than that. The filming was completely disjointed, which is what I guess they were going for. However, it didn't work at all.

The film is a true story about a journalist kidnapped by terrorists in Pakistan, and his pregnant wife's frantic search for him. It could have been a very moving film because of the subject matter, but several factors worked against it. First, the disjointedness. Second, the focus on police procedure rather than the emotional toll. Third, they tried to convey the feeling of waiting, but instead of the frantic, helpless feeling they should have presented, all they managed was boredom.

I also thought the script was quite weak, which contributed to the problems I just mentioned. A pregnant woman is searching for her kidnapped husband, but the human emotion is almost completely lacking. It is unclear why Mariane Pearl has "a mighty heart," because her limited dialogue didn't give Jolie anything to work with to create the emotion this situation should create. However, Jolie is of course the one bright spot in this film. When she receives news of her husband's murder, her reaction is powerful. That woman can act, and she can save almost any movie.

Although I haven't read it myself, I think I can safely say that reading Mariane Pearl's book might be a better use of your time.

Rating: 2.5

Slumdog Millionaire (2008, UK)

I didn't know anything about this movie other than the fact that everyone was talking about it, it was nominated for tons of Oscars, and Stefanie insisted that I see it. As usual, I did what Stefanie said. Unlike her last disastrous suggestion (Montenegro), I loved it.

Everything about it was great. The cinematography was beautiful. The acting, especially that of the very young children, was convincing. The story was always moving and sometimes funny. The score was okay, but I really don't think it was Academy Award-worthy. (It was just average music by an Indian composer, and I can only assume that it won because it was "different.")

I love character-driven films, and this definitely falls in that category; it follows the same three children from the time the main character is about 5 until he's 18. The use of flashback (another technique I love) is employed in a fascinating manner. The "present" shows Jamal in a jail being interrogated about how he could know all the answers to the questions in the Indian Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, which he is one question away from winning; he is suspected of cheating. Flashbacks show Jamal answering questions on the show. Flashbacks from there show events from Jamal's childhood where he learned the answers to these questions.

I also love the complexity of the "aboutness." On one level, it's a coming of age story. It's also a rags-to-riches story. It's also about the relationship between brothers. It's about the reality of life in Mumbai and its slums. And it's also a love story.

Words to describe this one: complex, beautiful, heart-wrenching, stunning, unique.

Rating: 5.0