Escape Plan

THE PITCH

WORTH

$$1/2

THE VIEWING

"If I don't get out, I will kill you."

Escape Plan was cute.  I don’t want to say ‘typical’ Sylvester Stallone movie because to me a typical Sly Stone movie is a tad bit better than Escape Plan… “Bullet to the Head”, for instance or “The Specialist”... both were very good, typical… Sylvester Stallone type flicks.

    Maybe it was the acting from the rest of the B level cast, including but certainly not limited to Curtis Jackson, otherwise know as 50cent.   Objectively, maybe his acting wasn't as bad as I think it is because I can’t separate the rapper from the actor but then again that should fall on the casting director and not me right? Perhaps it was the predictability besides all the MacGyver situations that Stallone's character get’s out of, you pretty much know how this is going to end.  Whatever the case, the popcorn was warm and the pop was cold (without the ice)... I enjoyed myself.

    Escape Plan is worth watching ONLY after everything else is scratched off your “must see” list… and maybe a few off the  “want to see” list.

letter grade: C-

The Hobbit

THE PITCH

WORTH
$$$$$

THE VIEWING

" Home is now behind you. The world is ahead. "

"Why Bilbo Baggins? Perhaps it is because I am afraid and he gives me courage! "   

One of the greatest adventure franchises has begun... again. Fan or not, you will be thoroughly entertained and treated to a remarkable journey... again. After my convictions were put to rest and the afterglow of a feast of a story devoured, one must contemplate if this is as good as it gets when it comes to the 'adventure' genre.  A topic that will be discussed later in this blog and amongst you and your movie aficionados I'm sure. 
    I won't give a synopsis, you have IMDB for that.  Instead I want to acknowledge how rare it is that newer movies/films can stand the test of time.  Not only did Peter Jackson create his own 'Star Wars' but he managed to make the proverbial barrier  between fan-geek and ordinary movie guy/girl translucent to transparent.  No matter who you are, unless you are PETA and the accusations about animal cruelty are true, there is something to love and take with you while walking towards the exits and away from the credits.

   I believe my chief concern leading up to opening night was action.  From the trailers, I assumed this might be the more explanatory feature of the three.  It was, but with all the 'necessary' action I can stands.  Not too much, and not a tease, everything meant something in this first episode and I loved every minute of it.  Three hours?  I didn't feel it. 

    In my Top 15 Best Top 15 Best Movies Ever Made list I gave the nod to Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom in the adventure category for a plethora of reasons.  While I don't feel the need to revisit that decision yet, I'm anticipating that I will.  If  The Hobbit is just a taste of what's to come, I shutter to think the impact it will have on everyone's top anything list for now on.

More than worth it! ...think: your doing yourself a disservice if you don't watch it.

letter grade: A+


Updated 12/19/12:  Went and viewed the Hobbit in HFR. I liked it after I got used to it 20 minutes in but for this type of film I felt the conventional frame rate works better.  For a tale like this you don't really want it looking like actors on a set [think:Collateral (2004)
but much clearer].  You would like the final product to look like a film.  
Apparently James Cameron intends to use the technology in the upcoming Avatar films... should be interesting.