Labor Day Weekend 2008 Movies

We hope you had a wonderful Labor Day weekend 2008.
We spent the weekend at Flagler Beach but had several day trips to nearby locations including Palm Coast, St. Augustine, Ormond Beach and Jacksonville.
While we were in St. Augustine we decided to spend a rainy Saturday afternoon at the movies. We found a quaint little theater at The Ponce de Leon Mall; The Regal 6 Cinema.
Since we were more interested in timing and not content, we went to see Tropic Thunder.

At the Movies:

Tropic Thunder - Yeap. This is the movie that has been number one for the last three weekends. While it was mildly amusing it is NOT, #1 material.
The cast of comedic giants and cameos of Hollywood A-Lister's is not enough to save the script which is sophomoric at best. Farting jokes, sexual innuendos, and gratuitous gore were funny in high school. Perhaps that was the target audience.
Tropic Thunder starring Robert Downey Jr., Jack Black, Steve Coogan and Ben Stiller is about a group of Hollywood B-Lister's ( type casting perhaps???) making a big budget War movie who get caught up in a real war against a quasi-military heroine production cartel called the Dragons.
The premise then becomes that these actors now must ACT like soldiers to save their own lives.
While the premise is a good one, this movie took a more casual approach to the problem and got lost in the jungles of Viet Nam. (Filmed in Hawaii)

Robert Downey Jr. makes his debut as a surgically induced African American. Why not right?
Cameos by Nick Nolte, Tom Cruise, Matthew McConaughey, John Voight, Jason Bateman, Jennifer Love-Hewitt, Lance Bass, Alicia Silverstone, Tobey Maguire and Mickey Rooney add interest and texture to the movie but not enough to save it.
We hope and pray there is no sequel. We give Tropic Thunder........................2.5-Stars

On DVD -

In the Name of The King: A Dungeon Siege Tale -

A simple family man and farmer, named Farmer (Jason Statham) sets out to rescue his wife and avenge the deaths of his son and wife's family against a race of animal warriors called the Krugs.

The premise of the movie is simple. Perhaps to simple. The movie is predictable and we found ourselves fast forwarding through scenes that added no substance to the plot.
Also starring Ray Liotta, Burt Reynolds, Ron Pearlman and Leelee Sobieski the movie was obviously low budget and it showed in every way.
We always enjoy Jason Statham movies but we will pass on this one; probably his worse.
We give In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale...........................1.75-Stars

In Bruges -

A couple of hit men are sent to the peaceful historic city of Bruges to cool off and lay low, after their last hit in London goes awry. The interaction between the older and younger murderer is an interesting repartee of words and culture.
Starring Ralph Fiennes, Colin Farell and Brendan Gleeson, this dark comedy is brainy and thought provoking. Is there honor among murderers? Watch for yourself.
We liked In Bruges and we give it...............................................3.0-Stars

On Cable -

Derailed -

Starring Jennifer Aniston, Clive Owen and Vincent Cassel, this crime, action thriller is a story of blackmail and double cross. It is difficult to speak of the plot without giving the suspense away.
We saw this at the theater in 2005 and saw it again this weekend and it was still fresh and engaging. We liked Derailed and we give it....................................3.0-Stars

Thank you for visiting with us.
Please come back soon as we bring you another installment of Our 2-cents Worth at the Movies.