Punisher: War Zone (2008)

Punisher: War Zone

Ray Stevenson takes on the roles as The Punisher, but I really didn't like him nearly as much as Thomas Jane in that role. With a couple of decent exception, also the support cast is a lot weaker.

The Punisher faces more Gotham-esque villains this time, but without the style and charisma Batman have to face. As the first time around bullets fly, blood is shed with light heart and it lacks the style and flavor to pull it off with success.

Scores points on brutality, but lacks the emotional luggage to make us care either way.

Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)

Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace

After three quite successful movies in the franchise, Lucas drops the ball. It's getting way out of hand, the CGI is more often than not annoying and the story is another step down the ladder. What in earlier editions were somewhat funny odd side characters, are now degraded to laughable choices in the wrong way.

The enjoyable part is Natalie Portman. Whoever decided to cast her made sure I stick around to the end.

Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

Terminator 2: Judgment Day

Arnold is once again back as a terminator, and as the last time his lack of acting skills makes him perfect for the cyborg role. James Cameron both in the chair and behind one of the pens, and this time he came pretty close to perfect the genre.

As in the original The Terminator, Cameron blends CGI, action and suspense with a well told story covering the theme of time travel and future cybernetics all mixed in well. Twenty years later, and this movie still hold up in an ever changing CGI-world. That's quite an achievement, and one none should underestimate.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010)

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1

This is the first Harry Potter-movie I watch after reading the book in question, and as such my viewpoint will be a lot more blurred by my knowledge than earlier. Still. Dividing the book in two movies have helped making sure they can stay fairly accurate to the book, and as a result this is so far the best of the movie-franchise. It does obviously not tell you much as the earlier movies without exception have gone wrong on so many important choices they've opened a great opportunity to remake this later into the story it should be.

The part of the final chapter of Harry Potter told in this movie, isn't very action packed. There's more drama and subtle darkness than in the second half, and that might be the reason Yates never manage to make it as good as he should be able to. Screenwriter/adapter Steve Kloves in on my hate-mail list, so I'll not offer much on him this time around. He's managed to stay closer to the material with the added runtime of splitting it into two movies, but he still screws up a little to often.

Watson and Grint proves again far superior Radcliffe in acting skills, but what else is new. Radcliffe have been the weak link for a very long time. A lot of good support acting.

Good enough I'll eagerly anticipate the final chapter with more action, which suits Yates better, but I still more than ever look forward to free up Emma Watson to take on other parts when it's done.

The Terminator (1984)

The Terminator

The beginning of a franchise. The story of man versus machine is interesting enough, the plot is both deep enough to be satisfying and far fetched enough to add some elements to the movie. If we add the happy 80's in retrospect, this is about as good as a 80's movie could be within this genre.

It's not as enchanting a ride as I remember the sequel, but it stands well on its own feet. Schwarzenegger works as the killer cyborg, Michael Biehn does well as the guardian angel and Linda Hamilton is perfectly 80's as Sarah Connor.

Old school Sci-Fi/Action that still works really well.

Serenity (2005)

Serenity

This review is based upon the fact I'm a huge fan of the TV-show Firefly, and my ability to rate this movie on its own is nonexistent.

Firefly was sadly canceled in its first season, but this movie got to make a closure to several of the questions the fans of the show asked themselves. It's not perfect, even for those familiar with the storylines, but it does at least reward the fans with some inside jokes and character based behavior.

The arch mystery of River Tams faith is the important part of the movie, and the part we were looking forward to enjoy slowly in the show. I wish I could have enjoyed it the way it was supposed to be, but Whedon has done quite well taking it to the big screen for a final Serenity-reunion three years after the show got canceled.

A must see for any Firefly fan, but not mind-blowing in many ways.

Wallace & Gromit in The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005)

Wallace & Gromit in The Curse of the Were-Rabbit

I truly enjoyed the first three half hour movies, were the latter two was nothing short of excellent. Taking Wallace and Gromit into a feature film length causes some problems. Firstly the story have to be built a different way, and Park lose out on his touch stretching it 85 minutes.

It's still a lot of interesting small details throughout, the humor works and the interactions between the two main characters stays interesting and true to their priors. Still some of the charm is lost as they go on, and I still prefer the half hour productions.