Author: crunchonthis

The Good: This is not a bad premise for a film.  In fact, the first half of the film is the funniest best first half of a Sandler comedy film I’ve seen in a decade.  While the bits are way over the top, you can’t help but laugh at this unique super-hero-like character.

I would really like to see what they could have done with an R rating.  After all, they had to keep it way too clean in order to reach PG-13, and an R could have brought the quality up while not having an effect on audience numbers.

The Bad: Once the story is set up, and the premise is through with it’s introduction, the film falls flat from lack of what to do next.  In fact it almost feels like Sandler and gang improvised everything (badly) once they passed the half-way point.  To make matters worse, Mariah Carey steps in for a cameo to prove to us why we hated Glitter so very much.  While I did enjoy the Dave Matthews cameo quite a bit, I found the tale was dead by the time he made his appearance.

The Good: Overall, the story is excellent and the characters stick to their guns.  If you liked the series, expect to like the movie.  The script is full of wit, laughter, and heartache and the actors all turn in solid performances. 

I was surprised at how well the men came off.  Men weren’t always the bad guys in the show, but they didn’t come off so perfect as this either.  The few flaws in the men were excused as being brought on by the crazy women.  More on that next. 

The Bad: While I basically like the characters, I can’t stand their self-absorbed, materialistic, irrational ways.  And because I can’t understand them, I can’t appreciate them enough to really enjoy them.  Sure their antics make me laugh, but I spent much of the film wanting to slap some sense into them.  I actually felt sorry for Big, even though he stood Carrie up at the wedding.  In fact, the only empathy I felt was for the poor men that had to put up with these ridiculous girls. 

I will chalk some of this up to this being a big-time chick flick.  I am not the target audience here and I am ok with that.  I’m not saying that men won’t enjoy this and if given the choice between seeing this or most other chick flicks, I would go with this one easily. 

The Summary: Although the girls tend to annoy me a bit, they stay true to their characters and should give their target audience exactly what they came for.

The Good: Disney has done a remarkable job of making this film look great (of course it helps to have Peter Jackson’s Weta Workshop on your side).  The melding of computer animation with live action and lush landscapes makes this a memorable film at least.

I also really enjoyed the last hour of this two-and-a-half hour long film very much.  The battle sequences trump that which was seen in the first Narnia flick in both scope and realism.

As for the acting, Ben Barnes was a perfect Prince Caspian (maybe a little too good-looking – but I’ll forgive him) and Peter Dinklage was equally strong as the dwarf Trumpkin.  As a side note – if you liked Dinklage here – check out his indie hit The Station Agent – he might be a little person, but he’s one of the biggest talents in Hollywood. 

There is some word going around that due to the violent nature of the film, that it might be too much for young children.  That depends on the parent.  There is no bad language, sex, nudity (even the female centaurs have shirts on), and while there is lots of violence, blood is almost non-existent.  I would have rather had it a little bloodier, but with young kids being the target audience, I can understand that artistic decision. 

The Bad: I found much of the action revolving around the four siblings to be a little annoying.  I loved the action with Caspian and crew, but the four returning characters only added storyline, not excitement.  Most of their dialogue was stale and their acting seemed more whiny at times than decisive.

I would have also liked the editing tightened up a bit.  Much of the second act drags senselessly.

The Summary: Breathtaking visuals and a strong new cast make Caspian an excellent sophomore Narnia pic. 

The Good: Even more so than the first flick, this new chapter is one of the most shocking comedies I have seen.  I thought the Apatow bunch was raunchy, but these guys take the cake. 

Some of the humor is intelligent and the audience covered up much of the dialogue with their laughing out loud.  It helps that  Cho, Penn, and NPH are all very likable, and that the writing is extremely over-the-top. 

In a summer where stoner movies attempt to make a comeback (Pineapple Express and The Whackness are soon to hit theaters as well), this is a worthy addition to the genre, and should leave the other pics with big shoes to fill. 

The Bad: As you would expect, this is a silly, silly film filled with sitcom-like plot points that inorganically get you from one scene to the next.  If you want a more intelligent dirty comedy, turn to Forgetting Sarah Marshall, which contains a much better written story with far more convincing performances.  But if Doogie Howser and dime bags are more your thing, then this film will most likely hit the spot.