Transformers (2007)

[Movie 241 / Day 256]


Deep in space, an intergalactic civil war has been fought for thousands of years between the Autobots and evil Decepticons over the source of their power, the Cube. This all-powerful Cube has been hidden on Earth for hundreds of years and the alien robots are coming to get it back.

Unknown to him, Sam Witwicky owns the only known map of the Cube's location - a pair of glasses that belonged to his great-great-grandfather, an explorer that stumbled across the frozen leader of the Decepticons (Megatron) while exploring the arctic circle. When he accidently initiated some of Megatron's systems, a code was imprinted on his glasses. Now, both the Autobots and the Decepticons are trying to track Sam down in order to find the Cube.

It's a good fun action movie; clearly a Michael Bay movie although that's not necessarily a bad thing. The plot, although fairly straightforward, nonetheless has many threads that all need tying up; hence the long run-time. The visual effects, while very well done, are presented in such a way that it's actually quite difficult to tell what's happening at times; especially in the later fights between some of the robots - there are lots of tight shots of the action, which makes it tricky to ascertain which metal bits belong to which giant robot. Lots of the sound effects reference the original cartoon series too, which is a nice touch.

The acting is pretty good overall; Megan Fox puts in one of the worst performances in the movie, but I guess her acting chops aren't the reason she was there. As in the sequel, John Turturro's Agent Simmons steals the show, consistantly getting the funniest lines.

As big budget actioners go, it's very well done. Just don't expect a cerebral experience.

My rating: 7.2 / 10
IMDB rating: 7.4 / 10
Running time: 144 mins
IMDB link

Mr Deeds (2002)

[Movie 205 / Day 218]


A comic reworking of the 1950s classic Mr Deeds Goes To Town, Adam Sandler plays Deeds, a ordinary man that runs a pizza parlour in small town America. His great-uncle (that he didn't even know existed) dies and leaves him a $40 billion fortune.

The film is spent with Deeds falling in love with an undercover reporter while the head of the company he has just inherited schemes to remove him from the picture.

It's a fairly average comedy, lifted mainly by the usual Happy Madison cameo of Steve Buscemi as Crazy Eyes and by John Turturro playing the incredibly sneaky sneaky butler. If you like Adam Sandler though, there's a fair chance you'll like this.

My rating: 5.9 / 10
IMDB rating: 5.5 / 10
Running time: 96 mins
IMDB link

The Taking of Pelham 123 (2009)

[Movie 196 / Day 210]


Another Hollywood remake, Pelham 123 is the story of a gang (led by Ryder, manically played by Travolta) who hold a subway train to ransom, while the guy in the control room, Garber (Denzel Washington), tries to talk him down from killing hostages.

It's not a bad movie, a fairly average actioner; the problem is the trailer. It literally gives away every plot point in the movie and as such, removes all tension. Whoever was responsible for that should be fired as it ruins the movie. You just don't really care about any given situation in the movie as the trailer has already spoilt how it's going to turn out. Amazing.

My rating: 6.0 / 10
IMDB rating: 6.9 / 10
Running time: 121 mins
IMDB link

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)

[Movie 165 / Day 177]


More of the same from Michael Bay. In the second Transformers installment, Sam (LaBeouf) is off to college, leaving Mikaela (Fox) working in a chopper shop with her dad. The Autobots are now working with a US government task force to protect Earth from the Decepticons.

Before long, it becomes clear that the Decepticons are going to invade Earth in a big way.

Still too many close-ups on robots transforming, meaning you can't really tell what's happening - even with extra slo-mo, which does help, it's confusing at times. Some of the CGI is TERRIBLE too, one shot in particular was very jarring and just shouldn't have been used.

The film really changes tone when John Turturro's character, Agent Simmons, makes an appearance. Suddenly the comedy really ramps up, which is no bad thing.

Overall, if you liked the first one, you'll like this. It's much too long however; 2.5 hours is really pushing it. Still, I suppose it means we (and by we, I mean heterosexual men and homosexual women) get to ogle Megan Fox for longer.

My rating: 7.0 / 10
IMDB rating: 6.9 / 10
Running time: 150 mins
IMDB link

Barton Fink (1991)

[Movie 136 / Day 134]


I like the Coen brothers. I like John Goodman. I like John Turturro. Yet I found Barton Fink to be oddly unsatisfying. I'm not sure why. I didn't like the ambiguity of the ending much. The story also seemed to unfold too slowly and left too many unanswered questions.

Having said that, I always seem to dislike Coen brothers movies on the first watch (with the exceptions of O Brother and Burn After Reading). Maybe on the second go round I'll love it.

My rating: 6.1 / 10
IMDB rating: 7.7 / 10
Running time: 116 mins
IMDB link

You Don't Mess With The Zohan (2008)

[Movie 60 / Day 37]


Adam Sandler is an Israeli counter-terrorist blokey that gives up his life of fighting terrorists in order to pursue his dream of becoming a hair stylist in New York.

Not Sandlers funniest movie, although there are a couple of genuinely amusing scenes. The accents are attrocious at times though. Quite a few cameos too.

My rating: 5.5 / 10
IMDB rating: 5.7 / 10
Running time: 113 mins
IMDB link