Weekend Rewind

Ahhh...thanks to being a semi state employee, I honored our nation's veterans at home on Friday, watching movies. Being a movie nut with two young children isn't easy. You can't just sit down and watch Sin City in prime time with a 5-year-old and a 3-year-old running around. I may be one of those liberals your social conservative friends warned you about, but I do draw the line somewhere.

Some JP thoughts and recommendations on the weekend features:

Kingdom of Heaven - (DVD) - Pretty good. I agree with Ebert's take. Interesting and well done historical flick with a strong cast (Liam Neeson, Jeremy Irons, Orlando Bloom and Edward Norton's voice) that had me seeking out sources to see how accurate the story was. JP recommends for a different view fo the Crusades...how zealots on both sides seek war between Christians and Muslims (the more things change, the more they stay the same).

Chicken Little - (saw at theater) - Well Alli and Lucas liked it. Though when pressed for her favorite part, Alli described a scene that was in the Curious George trailer before the movie. I thought it was OK. Certainly not on the same level of story and visuals as any Pixar film. Wait for it on DVD or cable.

Sin City - (DVD) - Too much style over substance. It looked really really cool. And there were many good moments. But the hype (Ebert gives it 4 stars; Slate's Edelstein gushes "I love it, I love it, I love it") had me feeling a bit let down. It seems to drag on and on...and the violence got to where it seemed a bit too much violence-for-the-sake-of-violence. Awesome cast (Elijah Wood as the serial killer was creeepy.) and some great lines and images but not a classic. I'd recommend it, though, for the style and use of color alone.

Kicking and Screaming (DVD) - About what I expected. Will Ferrell for the family. A pleasant but forgetable diversion.