A Prophet / Un prophète (Jacques Audiard, 2009, France)

It's not that there's anything terrible about Jacques Audiard's mostly realist drama about a young Arab man's struggle to assert himself during his 6 years within the confines of a French prison. It's that there's not much that truly stands out as fresh or original about it, either. There's something generic about it. This is almost standard crime fare, from start to finish.

And, it's kind of a mess.

Whereas the film's pacing is certainly admirable (it wasn't too terrible sitting through its 2.5 hour run time), it's not exactly action packed. There are some tense moments, as when Malik carries out the execution of another prisoner (played by Hichem Yacoubi) to earn the protection of Corsican prison boss César Luciani.

The Guy Ritchie inspired transitions (each w/ a non-standardized textual stamp- a character name, a stretch of time, or simply a seemingly apropos turn of phrase- which doesn't necessarily have much to do w/the impending film sequences) seem like a cop out here, a replacement for more interesting or creative character introductions or plot elements with which writer/director Audiard and his cohorts could not be bothered.

The performances are pretty good, save for the terribly sentimental testicular demise of Ryad (Adel Bencherif), which is just silly.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013, Peter Jackson, USA)

I think there's something immediately off putting about the "soap opera effect" suffered by Jackson's 48fps 3D version of THE HOBBIT. The first installment is (aside from effects) an unappealing suck fest that never quite makes it beyond strange and occasionally wonderful pictures. At best, it seems like a mockery of itself.

I'm not gonna lie, though. I kinda loved :The Desolation of Smaug. Possibly the best installment in the director's adaptation of Tolkien's everything.

Jackson deftly mixes CGI and physical effects so you're occasionally uncertain which is which and everything ends up blending toward Henson-inspired magical territory, particularly after our party arrives at Lake-town. This effect is helped greatly by lavish exteriors and establishing shots that give way to stark, simplistic personal spaces.

There are certainly moments when the action goes on a bit longer than necessary, but Jackson often offers dazzling visuals in exchange for a little patience (See: The Amazing Revelation of Sauron). Evangeline Lilly performance is not terrible and gels w/ film and w/ other sometimes (c)amped up telenovela-style dramatics that the 48fps require. Fili is super cute, but too scarce. Also that bald one that looks like he might have some muscles on him. Walnut pillow is amazing. Thankfully Sméagol-Free.

Recommend.

Event Horizon (1997, Paul WS Anderson, USA)

I was only half certain you were crazy for loving this movie because I hadn't seen it since I was half my age, but this is just terrible. Amusing in that completely illogical, implausible, okay...entirely unbelievable Paul W.S. Anderson kind of way. Sam Neill is just terrible. Laurence Fishburne is just terrible. That one guy who I almost want to have sex w/ rounds out the cast. Ladies get crazy but half of them survive. Hellraiser + Prince of Darkness + someone's Event Horizon style backward time travel version of PS3's Dead Space. Hooray.