The Invasion

The Invasion(of the Body Snatchers). This is the Nth version of a classic scary tale. It's been a movie a few times, each time with a slightly different take. I saw the original('53) one a long time ago but I can't remember it; I'm just going to review this one as a standalone movie. I was waiting for trivia to start(we got second place!), and the movie length seemed to work.

The movie opens with Nicole Kidman franticly looking for pills at a pharmacy, mumbling to herself and looking all crazy-like. Then we snap back to how this all started. The problem seemed to come from outer space, and begins to spread to people all over. Kidman's ex husband Tucker(Jeremy Northam) is good as 'changed', he could play that role without changing. Daniel Craig is good as Kidman's boyfriend, I first remember him from Layer Cake and I don't remember not liking him in a film. He's so much a better Bond than Pierce Brosnan.

The kids are creepy, the pace moves. It fits with the recent rash of outbreak movies, and holds up fairly well. I wouldn't pay to see it in the theaters, but I think it's worth watching on TV or maybe renting.

**I have a confession to make. Yesterday I reviewed the movie having watched all but the last 10 minutes. I was in a hurry, I'm sorry. the last 10 minutes are so ridiculous/horrible I have to withdraw my recommendations. Seriously. They were more in a rush to finish this picture than I was to review it yesterday, just shameful.

The Golden Compass

The Golden Compass. From the first preview, I wanted to see this movie. It's yet another movie based upon a fantasy trilogy, but it looked like it had some cool ideas, and polar bears fighting. Can't go wrong there right?

The movie opens up by giving us a bit too much information about things to come, but it ropes you in. Short and sweet credits, I'm ready for a ride. At first the star(another girl named Dakota) Lyra seems a bit annoying. She always looks angry, wearing a perpetual sneer. Eventually it changes to perpetual confidence. She is completely unflappable, which becomes endearing. Daniel Craig has a small role, but does well with it. I'm sure he'll play a larger part in the next two movies.

I'm not going to talk about the plot too much, but I liked it. Nicole Kidman is just alright, not shining. I think she can be a lot scarier. In each movie she is in, the "work" she's had done becomes more obvious and detracts from her more.

The movie is a lot of fun, good story, and a lot of good CGI which is extremely well integrated. I'd definitely recommend this movie. After I got home from the movie, I started poking around, and a lot of people really didn't like this movie. They are mostly in two camps : People who loved the book and thought it didn't compare, and religious nuts. I do want to read the book, so I can comment on that part later. Religious nuts tho, give it a break. It is soooooooo annoying, and you're winning neither friends nor converts by protesting movies and books.