The List! 1/15/10

This is a softball week for your loyal crew here at Punch Drunk Critics International. Both John and myself have already seen both major releases due out this week, and you can hear us discuss The Book of Eli on the next episode of our show. So with little to do but watch Netflix all week, I'm taking suggestions from the audience. Anybody got any movies I might not have seen that you want to hear us discuss on the show or write a review on? Send any suggestions to punchdrunkcritics@yahoo.com. If I get enough responses, I might select one person to receive a prize of some sort. Something movie related I'm sure.

Sibling directors, The Hughes Brothers, haven't made a film in years but they came back together for this post-apocalyptic Western featuring Denzel Washington as a lone traveller on a mysterious quest. Personally, I think I've come down with a case of post-apocalypse fatigue, but The Book of Eli is a film people will have a good time with, and will talk about it's twisty finale. You can check out my review of it here.

Alice Sebold's famed novel about loss and the afterlife gets a special effects kickstart thanks to director Peter Jackson(The Lord of the Rings trilogy). It remains to be seen if fans of the book will adapt to what is clearly a trimmed down, cliff notes version of a much larger story. For me, I felt like the film was overly depressing and unfulfilling. I think my partner in crime John mostly agrees. You can read his early review of the film here.

On my list last week, but scuttled until tonight is Crazy Heart, a film that seems to be winning heaps of praise for it's star, the under appreciated Jeff Bridges. He stars as a hard luck country singer named Bad Blake, who's life has been as tough as the songs he sings. While the things I've heard about the story are mixed, I have no doubt that Bridges nails the role. He's one of the few actors who can combine tough guy machismo with revealing vulnerability. This one seems perfect for him.

If there's time...

Another holdover from last week, I have to admit my enthusiasm for Terry Giliam's latest mind trip has sunk to the point where I might avoid it altogether. Nothing to do with it being Heath Ledger's final performance. It has more to do with the seemingly non-existent plot, which involves circus freaks and immortals who can change their faces. Color me disinterested.

No...no...a thousand times no!!

Taking a hard look at Jackie Chan's filmography, I've come to the conclusion that homie's resume is incredibly shaky. Some will say he's earned junk like this film after years of brutal stuntwork, but I disagree. Nobody has the right to impose George Lopez and Billy Ray Cyrus on us all in one completely generic romper room-level film. I'll watch even pedestrian stuff like The Forbidden Kingdom a thousand times over watching this junk even once. Avoid.