My 2009 Movie Odyssey - Part VI

The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957)
While the ending was a little weird, the effects were very well done and the scene in which a cat tries to eat him is surprisingly tense.

Howard the Duck (1986)
Howard’s wisecracks, Tim Robbins’ “scientist,” the hokey bad guy, and the whole plot were supposed to be funny, but the “humor” fell flatter than a pancake after being visited by a steam roller.

Notting Hill (1999)
I found it surprisingly funny and engaging, though the end seemed a little contrived, and like most romantic comedies, it forgot it was a comedy for the last third of the film.

Panic Room (2002)
This is a fun claustrophobic thriller with some wonderfully inventive camera work/effects.

The Hustler (1961)
Paul Newman’s quest to be the best pool player is riveting, but his scenes with his love interest failed to make any sort of connection.

Coming up next: two anatomical movies and two numerical ones.

My 2009 Movie Odyssey - Part V

The Thing (1982)
This film exists solely to see a gross monster eat people and get destroyed in a myriad of gruesome ways.

Spielberg on Spielberg (2007)
A must-see for fans of Steven Spielberg, this documentary features an hour and a half of Spielberg talking about his movies.

Persepolis (2007)
While visually interesting, the story loses steam two-thirds of the way through as the main character is unable to feel at home in either Europe or her native Iran.

The Reader (2008)
I would say I liked it better when they called it Sophie’s Choice, but I wasn’t terribly fond of Sophie’s Choice either.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)
It was funnier, happier, more engaging, and had much more truth to it when they called it Forrest Gump.

Coming up next: a classic sci-fi flick and a classic stinker.