A few quick notes and links from my flurry of catching up:
I can’t believe it. After all of the buzz, the hype, the excitement, I’ve seen The Bourne Ultimatum, and I’m really, really disappointed. It’s the least of the three… basically 112 minutes of action, with a plot thread that introduces absolutely ZERO new ideas to the series. Don’t get me wrong… the action is slick and exhilarating. And it’s still the best sequel of the summer. But the storytellers have utterly failed to take Bourne into new territory. I agree with Matt Damon’s own assessment on Jay Leno the other night: It’s “The Bourne Redundancy.” The only character who gets something interesting to do here is Nicky Parsons (Julia Stiles). And I’d like to see a spin-off series about what happens to her now. She’s all set up to inherit the wind a la Run Lola Run. I’m giving it a B+, but the others were better.
Here’s Peter T. Chattaway’s review.
A new animated film will bridge the gap between Christopher Nolan’s Batman movies.
Brett McCracken has just finished reading the new Harry Potter. And now he’s tossing in his two cents on the whole “Christians and Harry Potter” debate. But his thoughts are worth a lot more than two cents to me. Meanwhile, CT has another perspective: The Gospel According to J.K. Rowling.
Wim Wenders has written a poem in memory of Michelangelo Antonioni.
Scott Derrickson is talking about G.K. Chesterton.
Somebody’s cooked up a wacky Bjork video and won a contest. (Thanks to Stuart Blessman.)
It’s an old link, but worth reading now that the movie is here: Danny Boyle is exhausted by the “spiritual” experience of Sunshine.
Andy Whitman has just found his first five-star album of 2007.
Which present-day filmmakers will be remembered as masters in decades to come? PopMatters has some very good guesses.
Who are the oldest filmmakers making new movies today? Movie City Indie knows.
Lauren Winner rates her top five books about sex.
Okay, I was with Mark Kermode (Sunshine story) right up until the very end, when, in his five star sci-fi pics, he lists Event Horizon, which is quite possibly the worst sci-fi movies I’ve ever had the displeasure of seeing. And I have seen a lot of stinkers in my time. It was an Alan Smithee film, without Alan Smithee’s name attached. Even Alan Smithee wouldn’t be linked to it, it was that bad.
re: Bourne
Yeah, I actually like the Bourne films in the order that they were released. (1-2-3)
I completely agree about the latest Bourne flick, except that I’d give it a C. Maybe my expectations were too high, but the complete lack of plot and character development made me wish I had stayed home and finished my laundry.
“Really, really disappointed” merits a B+? If only my Spanish teacher were that forgiving.
If you pay attention (or rewatch Bourne 2), you’ll notice that about 80% of Ultimatum actually takes place during Supremacy. Ultimatum begins when Bourne leaves Russia, and the two films meet again when Bourne calls Pamela Landy. The conversation at the end of Supremacy is the smae time/space conversation in Ultimatum. A “nested” sequel, as it were. It may be not be the best of the three, but its single minded focus of being a non-stop cat and mouse thriller that actually thrills makes it terrific entertainment, and the only one of the three that I’ve seen in the theater twice.