Last Week's Movie Roundup

So Terminator: Salvation started last week and of course we had to go. I'm a HUGE Terminator fan. I saw number 3 for my birthday the year that it was released, and immediately upon leaving, turned to comment to my friends that they just had to make another. At that point, we'd still never seen any of the actual war with the machines--with the exception of the flashbacks. I have to say that I was immensely pleased with this latest installment. Sam Worthington was excellent as was Anton Yelchin as a young Kyle Reese. In fact, their parts of the story were the best parts. I was a little upset that so much had been given away in the trailers, though. I mean it's freaking Terminator! You can't tell me that you need to give away half of the movie (including what could have been a very effective introduction of the whole human/machine hybrid) in order to get people to see it. So, see it. It's fab! But, unfortunately, a lot of the film is shown in the trailers. 

In my rental queue from last week was Grudge 3. I like that they at least took the time to tie this in with the other films. I don't like the fact that they've decided to turn this into a franchise. I mean seriously, they can just drag this thing out, with no real resolution, into eternity. And, it's the kind of movie that I only really watch when I have nothing else to watch instead. It begins with the kid who survives in number 2 trying to explain what happens. Course no one believes him and the spirit is now haunting (and killing) in the apartment building. 

Kind of like Screamers:The Hunting. This is my WTF movie of the week. I mean, what in the HELL are they doing making a sequel to Screamers anyway? I guess I need to read the original Philip K. Dick story to see how closely the first film follows. I mean, is there any basis at all for the second film? It begins with a distress call from the mining planet, now supposed to be uninhabited thanks to the screamers.  And, like there wasn't enough going on, the planet is supposed to be hit by some storm that will basically kill anyone else left there. It was cheesy as all get out. There really was nothing all that redeeming about it at all. Very predictable. I think I'll stick with Peter Weller and the original all by its lonesome and forget I ever saw this one. 

Finally, in the trippy, arty, foreign category, I saw Eden Log. This is a movie that I think is about a utopian biosphere community gone wrong. I think. I really didn't get it. I can't say one way or another whether it was any good because I DIDN'T GET IT!

Am now working my way through season 1 of Supernatural, on dvd. Not much new out on dvd this week except a straight-to-video apocalyptic thriller with Cuba Gooding, Jr. I'm hoping it's really good. The preview is interesting. Drag Me To Hell and Up both start on Friday and I'm sure I'll see at least one of them. We'll see what else comes in in the meantime.