I didn't really see many movies in 2006, so I thought I'd get 2007 off to a quick start to see if I can get my total back to pre-2006 numbers. <---- yes, I am that nerdy.

Speaking of nerdy, I think I may employ a different reviewing method for each movie. One of the reasons why I don't review more movies is because I find movie reviews boring to write. So I think I'll try something different for each movie to see if I can find a reviewing style that interests me creatively.

in no particular order or ranking:

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The Departed

If this movie were a restaurant, it'd be:

Fuddruckers. Overall, it was pretty tasty, but I know that I've had better tasting burgers. Like a good burger, it was nice and bloody, yet there was very little seasoning. You'd think that a movie directed by Mr. Raging Taxi Driver, starring Jack from "Titanic," Will Hunting, Marky Mark, President Bartlet, the Joker, and Mr. Brass Balls would be the best tasting burger of all time,yet I left the movie theater feeling a little unsatisfied.

If this movie were a different movie, it'd be:

"Donnie Brasco," which in my opinion, did the cop losing himself in the seedy mob underworld a lot better than "The Departed."

If this movie were a band, it'd be:

"The Rolling Stones." In typical Scorsese fashion, he used "Gimme Shelter" as his song of choice. But not only did we get it once, we get it twice, neither of which really brought out that bad ass feeling the song brought out of "Casino."

Most surprising thing about this movie:

That it was just "okay." The ending was a bit surprising and sudden. The ending really brought down my enjoyment of the movie.

If this movie were a politician, it'd be:

Ted Kennedy. Full of good lines, drunk off of cheap Irish beer, from Baahston, and red faced.

Closing thoughts:

I liked the movie enough to give it a solid B rating, but B ratings aren't what I expect from a Master Filmmaker. I wonder what a second viewing would do for my opinion of the movie.

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Dreamgirls

I came to a realization about the movie industry while I watched the previews for "Dreamgirls," that confirmed some suspicions I had about the state of Hollywood. Due to a number of factors, including better television, downloading, and economic factors such as high gas prices and astronomical ticket prices, the movie industry has really found itself in a similar state as the music industry, in that they both have found that the biggest purchaser of movie tickets are people above the age of 40. Or 35. I don't really know the exact number, but every single one of the previews we saw before "Dreamgirls" were of the "Diane Keaton/John Travolta finding love and empowerment in their middle age" variety.

When did Diane Keaton become the go-to mom for movies. I miss the days of the Diane Keaton from "The Godfather" and "Annie Hall." Damn you "Father of the Bride" parts one and two. Damn you to hell. You turned the hippest actress of all time into a "Stepford Wife." I also point a lot of blame to Hollywood for refusing to write a decent movie starring a woman above the age of 29. Where have all the Debra Wingers gone? Long time passing...

As for the movie itself, I have to say that it was a lot better than I thought it was going to be. I hate to make this comparison, but since every movie critic and their mother has already done so, I have to say that it's no "Chicago." "Chicago" really took me a new place, while also keeping itself grounded in the old-Hollywood musical style.

"Dreamgirls" tried to fit into a similar mold, yet I don't know that they pulled it off. For one, "Dreamgirls" really tried to advance the storyline through the lyrics of the music and the music alone. It seemed like every other minute, the singers were breaking out in song, almost in an operatic type of way. While this method worked in "Chicago," the songs in "Dreamgirls" weren't quite good enough to be able to pull this off.

I think a major part of this was due to the music in "Chicago" taking place in Roxie's head. So it made sense that the movie would go from the bleak greys of a jail cell to the vibrant colors of a latin sounding dance. In "Dreamgirls," I sometimes had to remind myself to listen to the lyrics.

This may be one of my issues actually. I'm generally not a lyrics person. I love great lyrics and think that a song can't be truly great if it doesn't have good lyrics, but I'm much more of a "sound" guy. I love good lyrics, but I *love* a great melody. So if a movies going to try and advance the story almost exclusively through song, than the songs really have to be out of this world.

That being said, the songs in "Dreamgirls" ranged anywhere from good to balls-out great. Jennifer Hudson really nailed the hell out of her showstopper "And I am Telling You, I'm Not Leaving." To be fair in the comparison, the singers in "Dreamgirls" make the singers in "Chicago" look like a bunch of amateurs. Seriously, it's almost like comparing a great high school musical theater group to the singers they have in Broadway. The "Dreamgirls" singers are *that* good.

But as great as all of the musical performances are (and I do mean all, from Jamie Foxx to Beyonce to Jennifer Hudson) I'm really on the fence about whether any of them, with the exception of Eddie Murphy deserve Oscar buzz. But that's a post for a different day...ummm...today actually, since the Academy Award noms got released this morning.

Eddie Murphy really stole the show in the movie. His talent in undeniable. The man has to be one of the all-time great comedic actors, certainly right up there with Peter Sellers and anyone from the Monty Python troupe.

It was nice to see Jamie Foxx play a villain. He really nailed it. But honestly, that isn't surprising. In a few short years, Jamie Foxx has entered the conversation of "one of the greats of his generation."

Beyonce was...well, she was Beyonce. It must suck that Jennifer Hudson is stealing all of her acting and singing thunder. I bet she's crying big elephant tears into her napkins, which I'm assuming are made out hundred dollar bills since you literally cannot turn on a pop-radio station without hearing a Beyonce song.

But yeah, I really dug the movie, which kind of surprised me. I really didn't have high expectations for the movie. But beyond those tempered expectations, the movie is really enjoyable and entertaining.

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that's all for now. I'll write the rest in a different post on a different day...and yes, using a different reviewing technique. Once I'm done with these, I'd really prefer your feedback about which style you thought worked the best. I have an idea, but I want to see what you think.

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namaste