I've been sick since Sunday, so I've been checking out a bunch of movies on Netflix's online service and here are some quickie reviews for them:
Open Water: We'll begin with the one I actually rented first. 2004 was such an amazing summer of movies that something was bound to slip through the cracks and this just happened to be it. Billed as Jaws meets The Blair Witch Project, this is a short film based on true events about a married couple who accidentally get left behind by their boat while scuba diving. The majority of the film then focuses on these two trapped in the middle of shark-infested waters. It's a cool concept with lousy execution. The film looks as if it has the production value of skin flick on Cinemax. Also, the two lead actors aren't likeable in the least, so you're just hoping that the sharks eat them. Finally, I just did not feel the thrills and chills it set out to achieve. Perhaps watching this in the middle of the afternoon in my living room isn't the right setting to enjoy this type of film, so with the right setting this may be better than I'm giving it credit. But from my perspective, this one's a dud. Rating: **
Armed and Dangerous: I have seen this film before, but you can never go wrong with a John Candy movie in my opinion. This one involves him and Eugene Levy who recently lost their jobs and decide to become security guards. They discover that the union overseeing their company is corrupt (I know, shocking, right?) and they try to take them down. The film also features a young Meg Ryan in her first film. The film doesn't reinvent the wheel, but has its share of laughs. This is the film equivalent of comfort food. Rating: ***
My Kid Could Paint That: An interesting documentary from last year that could have been so much more. It deals with a 4 year old girl who is supposedly a modern art prodigy. Her work generated mainstream buzz until a 60 Minutes piece implied that she didn't really create the paintings. The film is rich with possible topics including how does one define art, showbiz moms and dads, the evils of hype and others. Unfortunately, the director is such a wuss he doesn't really probe at any of these issues. It's one thing to not take a side on the issue, but it's another to simply provide a superficial look at the subject. The film is worth a look because it will provoke a lot of debate amongst those who have seen it, but in terms of quality filmmaking, this movie is lacking. Rating: ***
Get Smart: Bruce and Lloyd Out of Control: This was the spinoff to the new Get Smart movie that came out this summer. This one focuses solely on the two gadget techs (Masi Oka and Nate Torrence). While it could have been a neat idea, the thing just screams cash grab. The plot is paper thin and the jokes are mostly obvious. I can't criticize it too much since it's just a straight to DVD release and doesn't try to pretend it's any better than it is. And it does seem like most of the people involved had fun doing this. I especially liked seeing Masi Oka and Jayma Mays on screen together again (They played Hiro and Charlie from Season 1 of Heroes). Still, this is only worth a look if you really enjoyed the new Get Smart movie and want to see more of these characters. Rating: **
The Comedians of Comedy: Live at the El Rey: I've talked about this group before, but in case you don't know, this group of stand-ups include Patton Oswalt, Brian Posehn, and Maria Bamford. This was a documentary made specifically for Netflix I believe which showcases one of their particular shows. If you've seen their act before, there's no real reason to see this as there's nothing new here. If you haven't, I wouldn't necessary recommend this either. Go watch one of their other specials. You get a more behind the scenes look at their humor plus it'll likely feature the hilarious Zach Galifinakis who is glaringly absent on this show. Bottom line, the comedy is funny but there are better representations of their work out there. Rating: ***
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