The Art of War
Why do studios still allow Christian Duguay on their lots? He is probably the least able director, from a technical perspective, shooting mainstream films today. The Art of War is full of continuity errors, shots of Canadian logos in scenes set in New York City, and reflections of the crew in store windows. Neither the action nor the explosions are anything more than mediocre, and could someone please explain to me why two highly trained agents empty two magazines each at each other from six feet away and still miss? Maybe if you are really bored and half asleep, this movie will be entertaining. On the (small) plus side, Maury Chaykin is very good in his supporting role.
Space Cowboys
Ah yes. Space Cowboys—could you ask for a sillier name or a more unlikely premise? Probably not. The real surprise here is that they pull it off! This movie is enjoyable and entertaining without being a big old camp-fest, as unprobable as that sounds. Tommy Lee Jones, Donald Sutherland, Clint Eastwood, and James Garner play old-timer, ex-astronauts finally getting their shot at a mission. Of these four veteran actors, the first three do very well, and only Garner seems out of place and extraneous.
Ghost in the Shell
I’m not an anime fan, so I had to ask around a bit to find people with an opinion on this one. My sources told me this was pretty good futuristic sci-fi, which addresses serious existential questions regarding machine intellegence while showing a bit of action. The animation is good and incorporates CG sequences pretty well. Several American reviewers put it near the top of its genre. In my opinion, it’s a pretty stupid genre that gets too much made of it, but I’m willing to be educated, so I’ll see you there.
