Last year I set a goal of seeing 100 movies in the theater, and I reached that goal. I also wanted to write reviews and give ratings for all those movies on my blog as I saw them. That didn't really happen. So, this year I will change the way I write the blog. Instead of throwing up random movie reviews, I'll try to keep it a bit more structured. Every Friday I will post a preview post of the movie that I will be seeing over the weekend, and then on Tuesday I'll put up a review. Easy enough, let's get started.
Contraband
The preview leaves a little to be desired. It's the same premise as the Nicolas Cage Gone in Sixty Seconds. A career criminal leaves the business only to be pulled back in when a family member gets caught up with the wrong crowd. And what's with the duct taped masks? Wouldn't it be easier to just get some ski masks, and a hell of a lot less pain to take off? Also, can anybody tell me what accent Giovanni Ribisi is using? It sounds like a mix of creole, southern, and testicle squeezing.
The Director - Baltasar Kormákur - A filmmaker from Iceland. Seems like this is his first hollywood movie. Can't say I know much about him, but if this is any good I might check out some of his other movies. He also starred in the original Reykjavik-Rotterdam.
The Writer - Aaron Guzikowski - First time writer.
The Actors
Mark Wahlberg - Doesn't look like he breaks much of a sweat here. Typical action role where he gets so worked up that every line he says he sounds like he's out of breath.
Kate Beckinsale - Doesn't look like she is in it all that much. Probably just need an attractive female to put on the poster and make out with Marky Mark.
Ben Foster - Good actor, I hope he is in more than the preview shows.
Giovanni Ribisi - He looks god awful in this. Hope that I'm wrong, but I doubt it.
Early Reviews
So far on RottenTomatoes.com it is sitting at 25 positive and 28 negative.
Roger Ebert - ** - "Contraband" involves a lot of energy, but I'm getting tired of violent retreads of these heist elements.
http://www.rogerebert.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120111/REVIEWS/120119998/-1/RSS
Richard Roeper - A- - This is a first-rate action film with a great cast, a talented director and a strong script.
http://www.richardroeper.com/reviews/contraband.aspx
Michael Phillips - ** 1/2 - Wahlberg has the presence, the glower and the laconic line readings to guide us through a mess of pain, painlessly.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/movies/sc-mov-0111-contraband-20120112,0,4388609.column
Colin Covert - *** - It's like an exciting police procedural turned on its head.
http://www.startribune.com/entertainment/movies/137194693.html
I hope everyone likes the new format, and give me some feedback if you have any ideas on how I could make this blog better.
May the Force be with you,
CHUD
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