February 2007

Ghost Rider

  • Title: Ghost Rider
  • IMDB: link

ghost-rider-posterThe thought that kept going through my mind during Ghost Rider was – huh? The film is a schizophrenic mess which at times appears to be a legitimate Hollywood film and then seconds later makes you think you’re watching some apathetic junior high kid’s film project.

Without a coherent tone, the film flounders through lousy acting, crummy directing, and dreadful writing.  Two of these three failures can be laid at the feet of writer/director Mark Steven Johnson (Daredevil, Simon Birch).  I don’t want to say the writing was awful (too easy), so instead let’s just say Johnson’s writing style makes the dialogue of George Lucas sound like Shakespeare.

And his directorial decisions, from casting to final cut are simply dreadful.  Add to that some of the worst acting by an ensemble since Ed Wood made his last film and you’ve got the making of one huge train wreck.  But hey, at least the guy on the bike looks cool.  That’s something, right?

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Bridge to Terabithia

  • Title: Bridge to Terabithia
  • IMDb: link

I wasn’t sure what to expect going in to see Bridge to Terabithia.  The film is being marketed as an imaginary fantasy tale much like Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (which I hated to no end, see how much here).  But that’s not really what the film is, thank God.  It’s a simple tale about the importance of your first best friend and how children often use the power of their imagination to comfort themselves against a world that can often be cruel. If you are looking for a special effects feast for the eyes than this isn’t your film, but if you just want a film about kids being kids you could do worse than give this one a shot.

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