Mr. Brooks (2007)

Mr. Brooks

The Good:
I enjoyed the exchanges between William Hurt and Kevin Costner and the physical mimicry very cool too.
I liked the meticulous nature of this serial killer.

The Bad:
Dane Cook was awful.
The "action" scenes were terribly directed and put together.
I had the plot figured out by the first third of the movie.

Overall: It is kind of ok for a Sunday afternoon watch or something (odd to say about a movie about a serial killer I know). It seemed leisurely and slow-paced. Blah... I was underwhelmed.

Sunshine (2007)

Sunshine

The Good:
It does an amazing job of making the setting seem real.
The film ask a number of interesting moral questions.
The special effects were awesome.
The odd spiritual, mystic almost, side of the film very much appealed to me.
I loved the score.

The Bad:
A few of the scenes were lifted straight out of other movies.
The last quarter of the film took an odd direction.
The acting ranged from pretty darn good to not-so-darn-good.
Some of the science was... strange.

Overall: I really enjoyed the movie. It was a good motion picture, I wish I could have seen it on the big screen. It reminds me of 2001: A Space Odyssey in many ways and takes a few cues from Solaris. A good space drama.

Lust, Caution (2007)

Lust, Caution

The Good:
This is a period piece that has a perfect feel for its era.
The story and drama take place as much in the silence and movement of the characters as in the dialog.
Mixing simplicity and innocence with a world of cruelty and complexity made for an intriguing tale.
Great direction, great acting.
The feeling of uncertainty that Ang Lee creates in the movie is wonderful.

The Bad:
It was long and felt long at times.
Is that all you need for an NC-17 rating, jesus, we are prudes.

Overall: A very strong and engaging drama, full of politics and human suffering on many levels. Ang Lee is a fantastic director and this film is well-worth seeing.

Iron Man (2008)

Iron Man

The Good:
First of all, I thought they really did the character of Tony Stark/Ironman justice.
The updated origin was great as was the look and feel of both Stark Industries and the armor.
Great theme.
Very much a character peice. The plot was propelled by the evolution of Tony Stark and the changes taking place in him.
The CG was perfect.
Bits of humor and just the right amount of Stark hubris.
The little nods to fans were awesome, from Rhodes to the "Ten Rings", I just kept smiling.

The Bad:
Some of it was predictable - way predictable.
Every time I saw Jeff Bridges I thought, "I'll take a White Russian." Must have been the facial hair.

Overall: A great comic book movie, on par with X-men or Spider-Man. Heck, a great movie in general. Two thumbs way up. I might see it again in the theater.