Lara Croft: Tomb Raider

Late on a Saturday night. I was just looking for some mindless entertainment…and boy did I find it. I don’t know if this flick was meant to be in 3D, but Angelina Jolie’s character certainly was: 3D x 2, to be precise. Lara’s enhanced physique is so prevalent throughout the show that it is almost like a running—and occasionally bouncing and bobbing—joke, which is ironic since one of the key missing elements of this movie is actual humor, as in humor that is a) intentional and b) something you would actually laugh at. Further conceptual follies are found in the story’s half-assed attempts at being vaguely scientific, via some humbug about a planetary alignment, not to mention various other plot missteps. Even the raw action sequences come across as bland and not particularly inventive (a real black mark considering this film was made contemporaneously with the Matrix trilogy). If I had to point to some good aspects of this work, I suppose I could say that Jolie’s performance is decent, and she gets acceptable support from a pre-Bond Daniel Craig, plus the story does provide a bare minimum of entertainment despite its many flaws. Still, you can’t be too generous towards a dunce work like this one. Instead of pulling things out of a tomb, a better idea would probably be to bury this flick in one, and leave it there for a bad long time. 

Mission: Impossible

I missed out on this one for some 27 years. That seems...highly improbable. Especially considering how prominent this film and its sequels became. In truth, the old TV show came across (to me, at least) as not particularly fertile ground for growing a whole film franchise, and in this first entry in what became a series, it doesn't always look that promising. As a stand alone piece, this is mostly entertaining work, with some decent action sequences, though hardly knock-your-socks-off stuff. Perhaps that’s the product of watching this flick so many years after its first arrival; action filmdom has largely--in every sense of the word--moved on to bigger and better things since the mid ‘90s.  The story here is relatively straightforward, unlike many a spy movie; perhaps that is a key to how this film and its sequels have had such broad appeal. Then again, Tom Cruise's charisma contributes tremendously to that success, too. His inherent confidence--the key trait that he brings to his every role--shines through throughout the proceedings, giving the viewer the sense that he’s being guided all the way through by the surest of leaders. You never really doubt that the hero is going to come out on top, whatever obstacles are placed in his way, and thus the climax and conclusion prove satisfying. Ultimately, it’s not the greatest thing ever, but it’s a good way to kill a couple of idle hours, and sometimes that’s what watching a movie is all about. 

The General

Director John Boorman's crime drama raises a bunch of questions. Most pertinent: Why should we care? What is it about the titular "General"--Irish ultra-thief Martin Cahill--that makes him compelling enough to deserve the celluloid treatment? Because he was clever? So are a lot of people who don't steal. Because he was a family man? SFW, as they say; lots of people have kids, including many of those from whom Cahill stole. Some half-baked socioeconomic ideology? That's a poor excuse, given that so many others from the same background stay on the other side of the law. This film is yet another example that crime is not in and of itself endlessly fascinating. It has its moments, but the subject ultimately fails to engage all but the most devoted fans of the genre.

Holes

A movie that tries to cover an awful lot of ground. It seems at first like it's bound to fail, but the threads of this artfully constructed story come together in the end for a nice payoff. There's a disquieting note that runs just below the surface--a flicker on the bullshit meter regarding how a young man really would react to such injustice--but it remains buried deep enough that it doesn't spoil the fun. Definitely worth a look.

Enemy Of The State

Surprisingly good. Lots of fun, and perhaps the first movie where Will Smith really made a case for himself as a true movie star.