Public Enemies

Public Enemies

My opinion of Johnny Depp is a contradictory one. On the one hand, I can’t help but to enjoy the movies that feature him as the central star. I was thoroughly entertained by movies like Sleepy Hollow and Pirates of the Caribbean. On the other hand, there’s just something about Depp that bothers me and I can’t quite put my finger on it. It is with this pre-existing bias that I walked into the movie theatre to watch Public Enemies, a movie where Depp plays notorious 1930s bank robber John Dillinger.

Working alongside other bank robbers like Pretty Boy Floyd and Baby Face Nelson, Dillinger goes on to make a killing (no pun intended) holding up the financial institutions of the day and robbing them of every penny. The methodology is exact, precise, and remarkably effective. However, there are certainly risks to this unconventional choice of career and Depp’s character finds himself running from the law, getting arrested, and breaking out on more than one occasion.

The costume design and overall atmosphere of Public Enemies is very representative of the 1920s and 1930s, getting all of these wanted criminals to rob banks in well-tailored suits and vintage hats. You’re not a gentleman if you don’t have a nice hat, you see. I was hoping to get more bank robbing and less of the underdeveloped love affair. Also, while Depp did a fine job as Dillinger, I can’t really say the same about the excessively intense performance of Christian Bale as FBI agent Melvin Purvis. Why so serious, Christian?

In the end, Public Enemies was still a nice character piece for John Dillinger, but it failed to live up to my expectations.

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Star Trek

Star Trek

You might remember the Star Trek review that guest blogger Ray Ebersole posted in this space a few months back. I was told by many of the people who had watched the new Star Trek movie that it had more wide-reaching appeal that just to the Trekkies in the audience. Although I did become a fan of The Next Generation for a couple of years, I never really watched the original series with William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy.

For this reboot of the series, we see a guy that I normally know as Sylar play the perennial Vulcan and then there’s Harold from White Castle portraying the role of Sulu. Even so, it was easy to get past these pre-conceived notions and see a film that was jam-packed with action, clever dialogue, and good character development. The scenes where current Spock interacts with future Spock are particularly well done, giving a nod to the need for nostalgia while still looking ahead for the future of this franchise.

I wouldn’t say that the refreshed Star Trek movie boldly goes where no man has gone before, but it does go in a direction that could be entertaining and viable for years to come. Live long and prosper.

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Jaws 2

Jaws 2

When I was over visiting my friend some time ago, we started flipping through the channels on her television and came across a man on a boat being attacked by a giant shark. Although I probably did watch the original Jaws when I was younger, my memories of the film are vague at best. For the first while, I thought that I was indeed watching the original and not this lesser-recognized sequel.

In this 1978 sequel, Roy Schneider reprises his role as Police Chief Martin Brody in and around the resort of Amity Island. Some people get freaked out about the shark attacks, Brody gets incredibly paranoid about the whole situation, and the local developers (and government) want to cover up the risk in an effort to boost tourism and confidence in their resort. Well, let’s just say that the shark wasn’t involved in any of these discussions.

If you’re looking to enjoy some cheesy special effects from 30 years ago, capped with some cheesy one-liners between the teenagers and some highly predictable plot lines, take a chance on Jaws 2. Otherwise, you’re better enjoying yourself on a real resort island without animatronic sharks. It’s not exactly a whale of a time.

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