This and the next post are catch-up reviews, so don't think that I just saw four movies in the last couple days. I saw "The Adjustment Bureau about two weeks ago, but I still wanted to write about it today. Let me throw in the little fact that Jess and I have also watched the three "Bourne" movies and the three "Oceans" movies since I saw "The Bureau" so that will color my review as well. Matt Damon is a convincing young senator in this his most recent film. There were definitely allusions to President Obama's rise to power, which makes the film seem realistic and current. As you most likely already know from the trailers, Damon's character learns that there is a group of behind-the-scene workers, tasked with the keeping all humanity on their predetermined path. Damon's senator doesn't like that he can't be with the girl he loves, and decides to fight this control over his life. Of course the film is meant to spark questions about Free Will versus Predestination. The is an interesting question buried within this screenplay; is the daily struggle with choices that people have part of the plan? Unfortunately the movie is content to present these ideas merely as motivation for the plot and the action that takes place. There's no concern over how certain decisions may effect others, rather the Damon character seems bent on going after what he wants. His motivation borders on obsession, ultimately he is very selfish. This movie misses two important points: One, if you're really destined to do (or not do) something it is not physically possible to avoid that fate, the overseeing guardians in this movie barely have any real influence. Secondly, great men and women throughout history were those willing to sacrifice personal pleasure and comforts for a higher purpose. The people who made this movie should watch "Braveheart" and "12 Monkeys", then they might have a basic understanding on what would make a good movie...
It's been over two weeks since I began the review above, which means that my initial impression of these movies have faded and this review is bound to be affected by that fact. Yet surprisingly my memories of "Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2" a quite favorable. My kids all like the Wimpy Kids books and enjoy watching the first movie on DVD. I think the best way for me to judge this kind of movie is by recalling how much it made me laugh. I found it to be very funny, and as is often the case was laughing more than anyone else in the theater. I think that I have mentioned it before, but please humor me and hear my theory on movie theater etiquette once more. I think that it is wrong, I mean morally wrong to talk during a movie. I will go see a movie by myself first if I think there is any chance that the person I go with will need explanations at any point during the movie. Even then, my most common response is, "Hold on, they'll explain it in a moment" or "I can't tell you if I don't know". Secondly, if you get up and leave the moment the credits start rolling; what's wrong with you? Do you walk away from someone the moment they've fulfilled your use for them or do you politely take your leave like a civilized human being. When the sermon's over do you crumple up you bulletin, throw it on the floor and noisily exit while the remainder of the service continues? Finally, I laugh when something is funny. All those artists, the writer, the director, the actor and the editor have all worked hard to make something funny. Am I supposed to sit there straight faced like I'm being interrogated by the FBI? Know, it's more than just my right to laugh, I am compelled by my humanity to laugh when something is funny. Hey I just paid $9.50 to be entertained, if I didn't want to laugh I could have stayed home and watched television... Oh yeah, "Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2" was funny and I laughed.
