Screenwriter: Jamie Linden
Director: McG (Charlie's Angels)
Actors: Matthew McConaughey (Reign of Fire), Matthew Fox (Smokin' Aces), David Strathairn (L.A. Confidential), Ian McShane (Death Race) and Kate Mara (Shooter)

Labels: David Strathairn, film, Ian McShane, Kate Mara, Matthew Fox, Matthew McConaughey, movie trailer, sports movie

After the football team is killed a plane crash the West Virginian Marshall University is devastated. The students of the university rally to have a team rebuilt. Following the wishes of the students, The college president, Don Dedman (David Strathairn) brings on quirky and hyperactive coach Jack Lengyel (Matthew McConaughey). Lengyel works to get a functional team together and struggles to keep them from breaking apart.

This is a traditional sports film and offers the expected highs and lows. Director McG plays up the right parts of the story to keep this a surprisingly light and enjoyable movie (considering the whole thing is built on the graves of dead students.) Strathairn act as the anchor to the movie. His moody performance grounds the glossy parts of the film that threaten to make this production a bit too affected. In contrast to Strathairn's solemn work is McConaughey. The best word I can come up with for McConaughey's performance is "hammy." He all but winks at the camera. His character is eccentric, to be sure, but his performance is too broad and it distracts from his scenes.

This is a good movie even with its healthy servings of sentimentality. This won't change any lives, but it will entertain and most people will probably be satisfied with it in the end.


Related Reviews:
Matthew McConaughey movies
13 Conversation About the Same Thing (2001)
Sahara (2005)


Other Critic's Reviews:
Celluloid Heroes
The Armchair Critic

Labels: David Strathairn, film, Jate Mara, Matthew Fox, Matthew McConaughey, movie review

If you enjoyed Bridge to Terabithia you'll probably like this.

I didn't like either.

This isn't a bad movie, but it's not a good one. The plot revolving around some two-dimensional kids who discover a secret magical book. Before too long mythological creatures show up and predictable plot complications ensue. It's not that I don't recommend this movie. It's that it doesn't give me a reason to recommend it.


Related Reviews:
Family movies
The Incredibles (2005)
Bambi (1942)


Other Critic's Reviews:
Creative Loafing
Cinema Dave

Labels: David Strathairn, film, Mary-Louise Parker, movie review, Nick Nolte

Looks like pretty run-of-the-mill stuff. Half of the images in this trailer are reminiscent of previous works. Even forgiving that, the old creaky house, the mysterious surrogate parent, the stiff ghosts, unbelieving parental figure...it's all been done before.

Maybe this will break away from the pack it's running with and being well written, but I doubt it. Check out the trailer below and make up your own mind.






Screenwriters: Craig Rosenberg (After the Sunset), Doug Miro (The Great Raid) and Carlo Bernard (The Great Raid)
Director: Thomas Guard and Charles Guard
Actors: Elizabeth Banks (Meet Bill), David Strathairn (Good Night and Good Luck), Arielle Kebbel (Forever Strong) and Emily Browning (Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events)

Labels: David Strathairn, Elizabeth Banks, Emily Browning, film, movie trailer

Matt Damon (The Good Shepherd) returns as Jason Bourne, an assassin, estranged from the government agency that created him. Once again, the government is trying to kill Bourne, and once again he does battle with a number of faceless assassins, all the time helping a kinda pretty damsel in distress who has been sucked into his little drama. The whole series is tedious stuff and Damon is simply a lame lead for an action film. Its casting like this that makes it possible for guys in their fifties and sixties (Harrison Ford, Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis) to continue to make action movies. Instead of priming a new generation of masculine actors, Hollywood seems content with pushing softies like Damon. We have to look the elderly actors to remind us of how men used to act before this generation of testes-free heroes took the stage. C'mon, Damon looks like he should be playing touch football with his old college pals down at the park rather than kicking the crap out of a bad guy and standing up for what's right.

Back to the film. If you've seen the previous movies, you've basically seen this one already. If you haven't seen the previous movies, there's still nothing new to warrant your attention. You've seen all of this before in one shape or another in other films. Even if you come to this movie wanting nothing more than to see some thrilling chases or gunfights you'll leave disappointed. Director Paul Greengrass (United 93) has delivered a wholly uninspired and ultimately needless addition to this franchise.




Related Review:
Matt Damon movies
The Bourne Supremacy (2004)
The Brothers Grimm (2005)


Other Critic's Review:
Reel.com
Celluloid Heroes

Labels: chase film, David Strathairn, film, Joan Allen, Julia Stiles, Matt Damon, movie review, spy

Labels: chase film, David Strathairn, film, Joan Allen, Julia Stiles, Matt Damon, movie review, spy