Memento - Review

“Memento”

Rating: 4 out of 4 stars

Christopher Nolan’s “Memento” is an “Oh my God” movie. It’s so good I coined the term right after I watched the movie while thinking of a good way to describe it. What is an “Oh my God” movie? A great movie where, when the big twist happens, your jaw drops and you say “Oh my God!” or something to that effect.

I didn’t think I could get excited enough for Nolan’s upcoming “The Dark Knight,” but after seeing this movie I have somehow become even more anxious. I’m not going to beat around the bush – “Memento” is one of the two best thrillers I’ve seen, the other being “Se7en.” It’s a psychological thriller with a massive twist and a distinct filming style that sets it apart from other films of the genre. “Memento” tells the story of Leonard, a man who suffers from anterograde amnesia, a form of short-term memory loss. He was injured while fending off a man who was attacking his wife. Leonard cannot form new memories and forgets things after just a few minutes, although he can remember everything that happened before the incident. The central conflict concerns Leonard searching for the man who he thinks killed his wife. How can he do this with no ability to form new memories? Leonard writes himself copious notes, both on paper and tattooed to his body, to keep track of people he knows, places he’s been, and clues while hunting for the killer. This makes for an interesting movie in itself, but it’s the filming style that puts the icing on the cake. The movie is filmed in alternating 5-to-10 minute sequences in color followed by 1-minute or so black-and-white sequences. Here’s the kicker – while the black-and-white sequences, mainly featuring Leonard talking to someone on the phone, go chronologically forward, the colored sequences are filmed in backwards chronology. This essentially leaves the audience as clueless as Leonard as we try to piece together our own puzzle. If this all sounds confusing to you, don’t worry; I thought I would be extremely confused while watching but it turned out I followed the story just fine. The movie makes its way toward a “conclusion” which really happens at the chronological beginning with perfect pacing.

This is not a big-name cast at all but it doesn’t matter. Guy Pearce is perfectly cast and hauntingly good as Leonard in a very difficult role. I’m sure it’s not easy to portray a guy who can’t make new memories, but Pearce is just about perfect here. Carrie-Anne Moss and Joe Pantoliano give nice performances as Natalie and Teddy, respectively. Pantoliano in particular really shines as someone who appears to be Leonard’s friend…but is he really? (Oh, the suspense.) And Nolan is a revelation here in his first major film. “Memento” is similar to one of Nolan’s other films, “The Prestige,” in that once it ends you’ll undoubtedly want to watch it again. It’s a psychological thriller that takes an unconventional route toward its ending, but stands out among the best films of its genre. Don’t miss this one.

A few short things

Yanks/Twins tonight...Johnny Damon is red-hot, hitting .313 against lefties, and is not starting today so Shelley Duncan can play. *bangs head against wall*

Watched Memento last night...WOW. Incredible movie. Will write a review shortly but suffice it to say it's between that and Se7en for the best thriller I've ever seen.

Going to watch Rescue Dawn tonight. Here's hoping for another brilliant performance by Christian Bale.

Second-Guessing a Move that Worked Out

It's certainly not unusual for us New York sports fans to second-guess every wrong decision one of our teams makes. Second-guessing a right one is certainly different, but that's exactly what I'm about to do, so brace yourselves: I disagree with Joe Girardi for bringing in Mariano Rivera last night. That's right, disagree for bringing in the greatest closer of all-time! And here's why: he should have left in Joba Chamberlain for the following reasons:
a) Joba just finished a dominant 1-2-3 8th with 2 swinging strikeouts.
b) Mo threw 2 innings and 31 pitches the day beforehand.
c, and most importantly) Joba was scheduled to throw 50-55 pitches on his quest to become a starter. They finished the remaining 28 or so in the bullpen, but let's be honest: it's just not the same as an in-game experience! Yes, it was simulated, with Joba taking time in between pitches, the catcher giving the signals, etc, but it's just simply not the same. Joba should have stayed out there for the 9th and then finished up in the bullpen if necessary. Would Girardi have brought in Mo if there wasn't a day off today? My guess is that played a part in the decision. Either way it worked out with a scoreless ninth from Rivera but I disagreed and still disagree with the decision.

Just got back from Blockbuster where I am an official Rewards Zone member. Woo hoo. Anyway, I rented Christopher Nolan's "Memento" and the Christian Bale movie "Rescue Dawn" as I have been wanting to see both very badly for a long time. ...and wow, I just noticed the Nolan/Bale (Batman) connection there. And yes, I considered "I'm Not There" (Heath Ledger)...that would have been such a bizarre coincidence as if it isn't already.

Listening to some Black Sabbath right now...just bought Paranoid the other day. Apparently it's a classic album, but outside of Iron Man, Paranoid, and War Pigs I don't love it. I mean, the album has 8 songs, and with those 3 it doesn't take much more to become a classic, but maybe I just need to listen through a few more times.

LaTroy Hawkins is worthless

Not a good night for the Yankees last night...any time you blow not one but TWO four-run leads to the Orioles, take the lead again, and then blow it in the 11th, it's an embarassing loss. There's plenty of blame to go around here, from Derek Jeter who had a terrible game in every aspect of baseball, A-Rod who grounded into a big double play, Ian Kennedy, and the maddeningly inconsistent Ross Ohlendorf. But (shocker!) it's LaTroy Hawkins who did the same thing he's done countless times before with Chicago and Minnesota and others: BLOW THE GAME. Brought in to save a 9-8 game in the bottom of the 11th, Hawkins let up the following with one out:
- Melvin Mora single
- Aubrey Huff RBI double, then took 3rd on an ill-advised Jeter throw to the plate
- Intentional walk to Luke Scott
- Intentional walk to Kevin Millar (stupid idea by Girardi)
- With the bases loaded and one out, looking for a double play, HE HANGS THE FIRST PITCH to Alex Cintron who hits it over Bobby Abreu's head in right field for the game winner.

Girardi's thoughts:
"You're playing the percentages," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "You're talking about a guy who doesn't play every day. The other guys are everyday players. You're taking a chance that you'll get a ground ball and get a double play."
Percentages? You want percentages???? Cintron is now 5 for 5 lifetime against Hawkins and 7 for 14 this year. Small sample size? Yes...but why risk walking the slow-footed Millar, who pops out frequently, and giving Hawkins no margin for error? (As if he needs any.) Anyway, LaTroy's ERA now sits at a stellar 6.75 through 20 games. What a great signing that was. I don't care what it costs, Hawkins should be designated for assignment in favor of...anyone, really. He's no use to this team and can't pitch in a big spot.


Tonight, Andy Pettitte hopes to avoid a 3-game sweep for the Yanks, with Joba Chamberlain scheduled to throw about 55 pitches in his continuing journey toward being a starter. At least the Yankees are handling something right with their transition of Joba. Expect his first start to come sooner than later with Ian Kennedy now headed to the DL.

A History of Violence - Review

"A History of Violence"
Rating: 4 out of 4 stars

David Cronenberg's 2002 A History of Violence is one of the most fascinating movies I have ever watched. Viggo Mortensen stars as Tom Stall, a small-town dining owner who kills two armed robbers in self-defense. Stall becomes a local hero overnight; however his sudden celebrity draws the attention of mobsters claiming Stall as someone else. Is it a case of mistaken identity or is Stall really a different man than he claims to be? This sums up the central plot in the movie.

Let me get this out of the way: this is not a movie for kids. There's brutal graphic violence, there are rough sexual scenes...it certainly deserves its R rating, not that it should be a problem for 90% of the people here. However, Cronenberg has constructed a masterpiece here. The movie title not only deals with the (supposed) past of Stall, but with our country's obsession with violence as well. Is Stall really a hero for killing two men? Cronenberg poses this, and other questions which I can't give away unless I reveal more plot, for not only the characters in the movie themselves but for the audience.

As for the acting, it's beyond brilliant. I can't think of how the actors could have been cast better. Mortensen plays the lead role with perfection, while Maria Bello is excellent as his wife. William Hurt also impresses in a later part. However, to me the real star of this movie is Ed Harris, who plays lead mobster Carl Fogerty. Harris makes Fogerty as imposing a presence as possible, while doing it with a typical bad guy smile and charm. Although he doesn't get the screen time Mortensen does as the lead, Harris captivates with the time he is given. How he didn't get a nod for Best Supporting Actor is beyond me, but hey, that's the Oscars for you.

Bottom line: This was one of the most compelling movies I've ever watched and I highly recommend it. I could probably go on and go on but I won't, I'll leave that to you guys to see it if you haven't already.

3:10 To Yuma - Review

"3:10 To Yuma"
Rating: 4 out of 4 stars

"Twenty-two robberies. Over four hundred thousand dollars in losses. More in delays. The Southern Pacific will have Ben Wade convicted in a federal court. Hanged in public. An example made. And we will pay to make it happen."
"Y'all notice he didn't mention any of the lives I've taken."

The Western has been perhaps the most underused genre of recent film. The days of John Wayne and Clint Eastwood are long gone, and not many people seem to want to try and recreate them. Well, thank goodness for James Mangold, whose remake of the 1957 film 3:10 To Yuma is every bit as good as the old Westerns I've seen. It's not your classic Wild West shoot-em-up at every corner movie; make no mistake, there's gunfire in this movie and lots of it, but it's much more than that.

It's tough to go wrong when your two lead actors are Russell Crowe and Christian Bale, and both are excellent here. Crowe is Ben Wade, a notorious outlaw, whose gang loots an armored stagecoach, only to have Bale's rancher Dan Evans come across the mess. Problem here: Wade used Evans' cattle as a blockade for the raid. But no harm done, and the two men ride off their separate ways. However, Evans stumbles across a few railroad men and reveals to them Wade caused the raid, and they head to Bixbee where they arrest him. The goal now: to get Wade on the 3:10 prison train to Yuma in two days. A few men take up the cause, including Evans, who agrees to help in order to gain some much-needed money for his deprived family. However, the gang is closely followed by Wade's band of outlaws, and as the journey continues the stage is set for one final showdown. That's all the plot you'll get out of here.

The most fascinating thing about this movie isn't about the fights and the gunfire and the shoot-em-up pageantry, it's the characters themselves. Wade is a bad man and he knows it, but there's a certain charm about him as well. He seems to be a no-good badass, but paired with the honest, faithful Evans, the two begin to form an interesting dynamic. Calling it a "bond" would be a stretch but the relationship between the two men is vital to the story. It's ironic, because Crowe is facing off against the same type of character he portrays so accurately with Richie Roberts in American Gangster. The comparisons to Roberts there and Evans here are definitely not a stretch. While these two steal the spotlight, credit must be given to the rest of the excellent cast. No big names are here besides the two leads and Peter Fonda, but the acting is superb. In particular, Ben Foster shines as Wade's cocky second-in-command Charlie Prince, and 15-year-old Logan Lerman is very convincing as Evans' son.

The bottom line here; 3:10 To Yuma is not a movie you want to miss. The Western is definitely not dead, and this is a damn good movie that ranks up there with No Country for Old Men and There Will Be Blood among the best films of 2007. Don't miss it.

21 - Review

"21"
Rating: 1.5 out of 4 stars

Card-playing flicks normally don't do well at the box office, so it was a bit of a surprise to see "21" rake in over $23 million in its first weekend. After seeing this movie, I'm more than a bit surprised. The movie is not particularly terrible, but it's just not good. It's not as entertaining as I expected and just mediocre all around.
"21" is the semi-true-story of Ben Campbell, a student at MIT who's planning to go to Harvard Med. Campbell's actually not a real person, but he's the film representation of Jeff Ma, who's Asian, not English, unlike Jim Sturgess who plays Campbell. Ma is the subject of the book "Bringing Down The House" which he movie is loosely, and I emphasize LOOSELY, based off. Campbell's gotta find a way to pay for Harvard Med and voila!, he gets inducted into a 5-student team that plays blackjack on weekends, headed by Kevin Spacey. Now, I know it's a film, but if the game is as simple as the team makes it seem, I don't know why everyone in the world isn't able to play blackjack. It just seems mind-numbingly simple. Anyway, when Spacey starts talking about how it's not illegal, you KNOW the gang is headed for trouble. Lawrence Fishburne is here, mailing this one in all the way to the bank, as a casino security guard who holds an old vendetta of his own. Campbell has to control his double life as an MIT student by week, Vegas high roller by weekend. This should seem more fascinating to me, but it never really caught my attention in the film.
The script and dialogue of "21" are weak and often predictable. The supposed comic relief from Ben's friends is never really that funny. Not that it's the fault of the actors, but of a bad script. It seems like somebody said "let's make a blackjack movie!" and banged it out in ten minutes. Yes, the story is based off true life, but some of the film is so implausible you know the movie's gone Hollywood. And the ending? Don't even get me STARTED on this ridiculous ending. I just couldn't believe my eyes when...well, I guess I shouldn't spoil it, but the ending sucks anyway.
As for the acting, Sturgess is passable as Ben Campbell. He's not great, but he plays the character fairly well. Kate Bosworth and Kevin Spacey are solid, but Lawrence Fishburne never really impresses me. It's a decent job by the cast and not their fault the movie sucks. Another thing to complain about here...you'd think a Vegas movie would be visually impressive, right? Somebody tell the creators of "21" to watch Ocean's 13, another recent flick, if you wanna know how to film the city. The card scenes with their rapid fire dealing, Jack of Spades CLOSE UPS, and quick tossing out of chips got irritating after a while.
Bottom line: Don't gamble your 10 bucks away by wasting your time on "21." If you're that interested, just wait until it comes out on DVD and rent it.

Iron Man - Review

“Iron Man”
3.5 stars out of 4

“They say the best weapon is the one you never have to fire,” Tony Stark bemuses at the beginning of Iron Man. “I prefer the weapon you only have to fire once.” Rest assured that the Iron Man series will be firing more than once, as this superhero saga is one of the best to date in the genre, as well as the first real blockbuster of 2008. With new installments for Batman, Hellboy, and the Hulk, Iron Man gives a touch of originality to superhero movie this summer; not that those movies won’t be good, but it makes Iron Man all the more appealing.
The movie is helmed by an unlikely duo – Robert Downey Jr. and Jon Favreau. And make no mistake – this is Downey’s movie from start to finish. From now on, I will look at Robert Downey Jr. and think “Tony Stark.” It’s as good a performance as it gets in superhero movies, with a character different from any we’ve ever seen. Stark is a billionaire weapons designer, playboy, and scotch-loving mogul who takes a trip to Afghanistan to show off his new “Jericho missile,” when his convoy is ambushed by terrorists. He’s taken captive by terrorists and ordered to build them a missile. Instead, with the help of a doctor (Shaun Toub), Stark decides to – guess what? – build his Iron Man suit, Version 1.0. Once he returns home, Tony decides to disband the weapons manufacturing department of Stark Industries, a move that doesn’t go over too well with second-in-command Obadiah Stane (Jeff Bridges). That’s all the plot you’ll get out of here.
The other part of that duo is Favreau. Let’s face it – I was a little skeptical when I heard that the director of Iron Man was going to be the guy who did Elf and Zathura, not exactly action movies. So how was this guy gonna film an action movie? That problem is resolved easily – Iron Man is not an action movie. That’s not to say there isn’t action, because there definitely is, but it’s not just thrown around randomly and gratuitously – the action is used to advance the plot, and more specifically, to advance the character of Stark. Favreau and his team of screenwriters make sure this movie focuses on the origin of Iron Man, rather than focusing on him running around fighting a bunch of bad guys. It’s more about the "man” than the "iron,” which is essentially why the movie succeeds.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t point out the other nice acting jobs in this film. I never expected Jeff Bridges to be the villain in a superhero movie, but hey, he does a very nice job as Stane. Bridges doesn’t have to yell and scream and overact here and he doesn’t, keeping fairly low-key until he’s ready to combat Tony for the climactic battle. Gwyneth Paltrow is also excellent as Pepper Potts, Tony’s do-it-all secretary, and her chemistry with Downey Jr. is one of the absolute best things in this film. It’s not exactly a romantic relationship, but it works perfectly and piques interest for the future of these two in upcoming films. The fourth big-name actor here is Terence Howard as Lt. Col. James “Rhodey” Rhodes, Tony’s best friend and a high-ranking military official. Howard’s not bad, but too often he’s given nothing more to do than be bossed around by Tony. (MINOR SPOILER: His “Next time, baby” line when he finally sees Tony’s Iron Man suit gives the impression that he won’t be bossed around in Iron Man 2.) While we’re on the subject of negatives, the climactic battle scene is a bit of a letdown, and I found myself wondering what exactly happened. But this problem is quickly fixed by an excellent ending scene at Stark’s press conference, followed by an awesome bit after the credits. Indiana Jones, The Dark Knight, and every other summer blockbuster, this is your warning: Iron Man sets the bar for the summer season, and it’s going to be a tough one to beat.

Hail to the Victors

It's been a pretty terrible year for Syracuse sports. The football team was a dismal 2-10. The basketball team limped its way to an injury-plagued NIT appearance. So expectations weren't terribly high for the lacrosse team coming off a 5-8 year. That all changed pretty quickly when the team found itself in the #1 spot about halfway through the season. The Orange entered the NCAA tournament as the #3 overall seed and advanced to the Final Four with a 20-3 drubbing of Canisius and an 11-9 comeback against Notre Dame. A five-goal comeback against Virginia led to a 12-11 double-OT win and today the 'Cuse defeated Johns Hopkins 13-10 for the NCAA Championship. It's an amazing way to cap off what had been a terrible year for SU sports. Mike Leveille was fairly quiet today with only the 13th and final goal. But give the senior a ton of credit; he was consistently the best player in this team and one of the top 3 players in the nation. I'm not a lacrosse expert - but it's not hard to realize the impact this guy had on Syracuse. But what sticks out for me is that watching this championship game there was no one player who stood out for SU. It was the definition of a total team effort. Paul Rabil scored 6 goals for Johns Hopkins and dominated offensively - but the rest of his team didn't step up. Nobody had more than 3 for the Orange but seemingly every player on the field contributed. What's next for the Cuse? Leveille, Steve Brooks, Dan Hardy and a bunch of others have all played their last game. But look for the likes of Joel White, Jovan Miller, Steve Keogh and some talented underclassmen to step up and keep SU in the top 5, if not 10 times. The key to next season will have to be goalie John Galloway. Yes, they won, but Galloway wasn't great today. He didn't make any difficult saves, only a few easy ones, while the Orange put many more shots on goal than the Blue Jays. But all indications are that Galloway will be a stud. We can only hope if the Orange want to add title #11. But for now it's good to be king.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - Review

“Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull”
2.5 out of 4 stars

I would love to tell you that “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” is a fantastic entry to one of the most beloved film series in movie history. I would love to tell you it comes close to “Raiders of the Lost Ark” and “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade,” or even the different but under-appreciated “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.” And I would love to tell you that “Crystal Skull” goes out with a bang and leaves Indy fans with a glow of happiness in their hearts after a 19-year layoff. But I can’t. This doesn’t mean “Crystal Skull” is a bad movie – it’s simply not memorable like the three before it, while suffering from many flaws.

Before I critique this film, I want to answer the top question on seemingly everyone’s mind: does a 65-year old Harrison Ford still have what it takes to play Indiana Jones? The answer is a resounding yes! Ford is as relaxed and confident as ever here in his fourth go-round as the titular archaeologist; whip in his hand, fear of snakes in his mind, and fedora in…er, on his head. There are two or three jokes about Indy’s age but it’s not overkilled, which I was afraid of going into the film. Ford’s his usual ass-kicking self and doesn’t miss a beat 19 years since the not-actually-Last Crusade.

Unfortunately for Indy, Ford’s the only one of the franchise’s “Big Three” who hasn’t missed a beat. Yes, I’m talking to you, Steven Spielberg and George Lucas. “Crystal Skull” suffers from a multitude of problems and never quite makes the jump from entertaining/good to great. You want the movie to go out with a bang, but instead it ends with a bizarre and confusing experience, an unnecessary CGI-laden set piece, and some remarkably cheesy fluff that seems out of character with the Indy movies. It’s a shame too, because the first half of this movie is awesome. A few wonderful action sequences done the old-fashioned way (with more stunts than CGI), a memorable escape from Indiana in a familiar warehouse, and some great lines mark a fantastic opening. (When asked by a Russian general for his last words, Indy responds “I like Ike.”) The movie opens up with a bang, quite literally, when Indy stumbles across a weapons testing site. After the mayhem of the first 20 minutes or so, Dr. Jones heads home to find out that his former colleague Harold Oxley (John Hurt) has gone missing in search of the mythical crystal skull, and naturally, guess who’s going to save him? Indy picks up a brand-new sidekick in motorcycle greaser Mutt Williams (Shia LeBeouf), a partner of dubious allegiance in George “Mac” McHale (Ray Winstone), and old flame Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen). The film is sent in 1957, which means exit Nazis, enter Soviets. The villains are led by Irena Spalko (the ever-versatile Cate Blanchett), who seems to be madly obsessed with obtaining objects with magical psychic powers. If any of this sounds familiar, just replace the names of the characters with older ones and “magical psychic powers” with “a magical religious object.” Still, give Spielberg and Lucas credit; they know that the first three Indy movies were brilliant, and rehashing aspects from those movies works here. Nineteen years since “Last Crusade”, it doesn’t feel tired, because it still works. There are nods to the first three movies all over the place here, and even a mention of a film that was planned but never made (Indiana Jones and the Saucer Men from Mars – seriously, Google it).

But ah, the disappointment comes right around the halfway mark for “Crystal Skull.” The second half of the film, which finds the gang running around the jungles of Peru, feels like “National Treasure” with a sci-fi spin. Oxley’s seemingly lost his mind due to the effects of the skull, so he just starts babbling out random clues, and of course they’re right. The second half of the movie doesn’t take any time to slow down and explain things, but rather lets the action sequences unfold…and unfold…and unfold. There are some good bits here – a swordfight involving Mutt and Irena between moving cars, Indy firing a bazooka, and the annual Indiana Jones creepy crawlers, which may be the creepiest, crawliest ones yet. But for every good part, there’s something so utterly ridiculous it feels out of place in even an Indiana Jones movie. Perhaps the most absurd – LeBeouf’s Mutt swinging through the forest canopy on vines while surrounded by monkeys. Is this Tarzan or Indiana Jones? The action sequences here are drawn-out and CGI-driven. Spielberg insisted the picture didn’t feature much CGI – perhaps he fell asleep after watching an hour of the final cut.

Now that I’ve given Spielberg his responsibility for the mediocrity of the second half, it’s time to look at you, Mr. George Lucas. It’s Lucas who came up with the idea of exploring the crystal skulls as a plot device in the same way as the Ark of the Covenant or the Holy Grail, but the skulls don’t measure up at all. The psychic power of the skull is talked about it but never really explained clearly. It causes Oxley to go temporarily insane, talks to Indiana, attracts magnetic objects, and clears a path when creepy crawlers get in the way. If this doesn’t make any sense to you, then join the club. When the skull is finally returned to its resting place, the accompanying events make no sense whatsoever except to show off some big powerful CGI. Lucas and screenwriter David Koepp are settling for a mediocre sci-fi script that leaves the following question in my head – after 19 years, this is the best they could come up with? It’s a weak storyline that ultimately dooms the film from being memorable, while throwing in tons of gratuitous action to try and make you not realize all this.

One more reason “Crystal Skull” falls below the first three entries in the franchise is the supporting cast. To my surprise, Shia LeBeouf is actually very good here as Mutt. His youthful arrogance plays off with Jones’ older, wiser, yet continually badass self. John Hurt is also perfectly cast as Oxley – it’s not easy to play a guy who’s gone insane for most of the movie. On the other hand, Ray Winstone tries his hardest, but his Mac is just an uninspiring character. Despite switching allegiances multiple times, or so it seems, Mac never really clicks as a useful part of the story. And I hate to say this, but the filmmakers managed to mess with Marion. Karen Allen’s young Ravenwood was perhaps the best sidekick Indy ever had, with an inspiring performance as Indy’s love me-hate me girl in “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” but in “Crystal Skull,” it seems like Marion’s back for the purpose of…being back. Her time on screen is uninspiring and underused. This isn’t Allen’s fault, but once again the product of a weak script. And Cate Blanchett gives her villainous Spalko a weird Russian accent that sorta works, but there's really not much of a connection between her and Indy. The relationships between Indy and the villains, from Rene Belloq in "Raiders" to Elsa Schneider in "Last Crusade," were part of what made the films memorable. And there's also nobody here quite as memorable as Raiders-era Marion or Sean Connery’s Henry Jones Sr. from the Last Crusade, and in fact nobody’s even close.

So what’s the verdict? Everyone should see this movie under my logic; you should see it if you’re an Indiana Jones fan, and everyone should be an Indiana Jones fan. It’s easy to forget the excellent first half of “Crystal Skull” under the weight of a worn-out and increasingly bizarre finish. But despite its many flaws, it’s absolutely a fun ride. And when the shadow of a man appears on the side of a car, and that man picks up his fedora and puts it on, you just can’t help but smile.



Edit: I was way too nice on this film early on. It probably is more of a 2 star deal or so. But I didn't want to fall into the trip of liking it just because it was Indiana Jones, and I did. I'm not gonna give it 0 stars like Chris Mercaldo says though. =P

Welcome to the Blog!

Hello all,

My name's Kevin Brown, I'm going to be a sophomore at Syracuse University, and I decided to start a blog today. I've been thinking about it for a while, so I'm gonna give it a shot and see what happens here. Most likely you will see two things in this blog:
a) my thoughts about sports, specifically the NY Yankees
b) my movie reviews

Those are two of my biggest passions, and I plan on exploring them as much as I can. So without further adieu, here comes the first review! (Rhyme not intentional)