Abracadabra!

Now for some stuff you may not care about, but which I feel the compelling need to share with you, anyway...

Sequels to both "Constantine" and "Inside Man" are in the works... Josh Holloway ('Sawyer' from TV's "Lost") is rumoured to be the chosen actor to play 'Gambit' in the next X-Men movie (hel-lo, dream casting!!!)... Steven Spielberg's favourite TV show is "Heroes" (it's possible that he read my blog and decided to check it out - you're welcome, Steve) ... and the moment you've all been waiting for since ohh, 1987... there's going to be a movie based on "Fraggle Rock"... I will leave you all to your celebratory Doozer-dancing for a moment...

(thank you, rogersvideo.ca for these vital updates)

There are many good movies, but only a few great ones. I have for you, a pair of each:

(Grrrrrreat) - "The Prestige" - this is the second collaboration between Christopher Nolan ("Memento" and "Batman Begins") and Christian Bale and the boys have once again proven trustworthy. A tale of feuding magicians, played by Bale and Hugh Jackman, it's engrossing, mysterious and thought-provoking. My friend and I had fun unraveling the puzzles at the end, on the drive home. In short, great mysteries on film have been noticeably absent in recent years, so this is a smart, shadowy, pleasant surprise.
****

(Good) - "Stranger Than Fiction" - a good film with great performances, especially from Dustin Hoffman, Emma Thompson (always effortless and a joy to watch) and the most wonderful, Maggie Gyllenhaal. Proving once again that she's so much more than just Jake's older sister, Ms. G steals every scene she's in. From "Secretary" to "World Trade Center", she continually impresses with her range and well, moxie. Girl's got spunk. That's all you need to know.
*** (but Maggie gets ****)

(Good) - "Deja Vu" - I trust Denzel Washington. Whether he's saving Dakota Fanning from kidnappers, protecting Julia Roberts from imminent danger, or bravely fighting unjust imprisonment, I know he will do THE RIGHT THING. It's in his eyes. Not because he's tall and handsome and could probably bench-press me, but because there's just something about this guy that says, "Don't worry - I won't let anything happen to you", and I believe him. So, when he's determined to get to the bottom of a horrible ferryboat explosion that took hundreds of innocent lives, I'm with him. It's also fun to see Jim Caviezel ("The Passion of the Christ") play a villain, because it allows me to turn to my friend in mock horror halfway through the film and ask, "Why is Jesus trying to shoot Denzel??"
***

(Great!) - "Casino Royale" - when Daniel Craig was chosen to be the next James Bond, many were disbelieving, if not outright opposed to the idea, not unlike the reaction to a little-known actor from down under, chosen to play Wolverine in "X-Men". Hugh Jackman's career turned out okay, don't you think? I for one, was delighted. Craig is quiet, intense and oh-so-skilled, and while the piercing blue eyes and cut physique don't hurt, his greatest feat in the film is bringing humanity to 007. While most of us are familiar with the car chases, disposable hotties and countless gadgets associated with Mr. Bond, we know little of his origins as a spy and this helps to fill in some gaps. Eva Green is sassy and lovely and Judi Dench as 'M', is her incomparable, tough-yet-classy self. This is gritty, dirty, real-man Bond action, with tailored suits and gorgeous locales. Note to self: move to Spain, learn to play poker and buy a red dress. Plus, I love watching the guy run. Straight Flush.
****