501 Queen E

The Mummy 3: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (2008)

AeonFlux (2005)

The Last Samauri (2003)

Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995)

Four films in two days is...too much. I think I'm done for a good long while.
The second and the fourth were pretty weird but just about what I expected. Aeon Flux impressed me with the set design. I'm amazed by how many times the futuristic dystopia can be re-invented. Bruce Willis' hint of a New York accent impressed me ever so slightly in Die Hard with a Vengeance. Also, I definitely approved of him rebutting Sammy J's constant racial remarks. Let's avoid the pendulum swing, shall we?

The first one was....probably not worth busting my hump to see the first available show for. In fact, I liked Journey to the Centre of the Earth better, as far as Brendan-Fraser-2008 films go. It reminded me of Rush Hour 3 (2007) a little bit, where in it was mostly refried leftovers of the first and second in the series. Mmmmm I feel a bit ripped off. I was very sad to see that Rachel Weiss wasn't in this flick. As ridiculous as I thought her character was before, she added something great and I missed her. For some strange reason I always think Fraser is older than he is but he's not even 39 yet. In this vein, I should say I'm somewhat impressed with his action-star-ness. The story didn't grip me like it did in the first one. I think I've seen it.. well a minimum of three times and maybe up to five times and I could probably watch it tomorrow. It enraptures me, somehow. It was intricate and mystery-solvish and, really, this third one more than once overtly told us that the plot would be the same. A "here we go again," kind of promise, if you will. Blech. I don't need to pay money for a re-hashing, I don't.
Ahem. The Last Samauri impressed me. I've heard good things about it and, even though it goes against my better judgement, I am a fan of Tom Cruise films. I don't actually think I've seen very many of his but I don't remember ever disliking any of thems. Interview with the Vampire (1994), Rain Man (1998), Jerry McGuire (1996), Mission Impossible (1996), Collateral (2004)...that's all I can think of right now...but I liked them all - admittedly to varying degrees.
Anyways, I didn't expect this would happen but when the flick was over, I had a silent time. Impactful movies make me lapse into silence for anywhere from 10 to 60 minutes. I am OK with this. Friends who go see flicks with me sometimes aren't. Here I would like to say, "I should work on that," but I'm not yet convinced that I need to. Ack...another story for une autre journee.
I stared through to the back of the television set while the credits rolled, and even after the DVD was stopped and the tele turned off. My friends started moving about (also not talking but not for the same reason as I - they weren't talking because I was making them uncomfortable), turning the lights on, cleaning up dishes, etc. I knew I had to get up SOME time but I was really puzzled by when I was sitting like that. I was like this after I am Legend (2007) - who knows why? Well, I guess it just gave me much to think about AND - oh and; I've never thought of this - I was very emotionally wrapped up in what was going on. Honestly? There was a moment in the film (while some peeps were practicing swordsmanship in a field) where I had to re-enter the frame of mind which understood that I was watching a dramatic presentation. This does happen to me every now and again but NEVER with a film that has a well-known actor in it. If I am familiar enough with their body of work, I forever see them as a composite of all their former characters -- unless they can have a real break-out character. Tom Cruise and the director, Edward Zwick, tricked me. I approve. I don't wanna dice up and analyze the plot or anything because I feel that would be almost insulting or desecrating to something. Maybe I will only say that I recommend people watch it OR that I now get it, since probably everyone has already seen it, given that the thing is five years old.
I was very happy to see that the film didn't do what I thought it would, based on the title. I was expecting something much more rudely Western-minded. I am relieved.

Mm, I guess I've also seen Minority Report (2002), Legend (1985), The Outsiders (1983), A Few Good Men (1992) and of course Mission: Impossible II (2000) and III (2006) if you want to count those. That's sick. I am good friends with imdb. Done.