Night at the Museum

In a Nutshell: It was just there. Not good, not bad, just eh.

Quick Plot: In order to pay his rent and keep seeing his son, a man takes a job as night watchman at the Natural History Museum, which takes on a life of its own (quite literally) after dark.

In Detail: I don't really have a lot to say about this one. We're not big Ben Stiller fans to start with, though this was a straighter roll for him than average (probably because he had to keep it PG). The main reason we saw this one at all is because we are looking for a good movie to take Luke to his summer. Up didn't really pan out for him, and I'm afraid Ice Age 3 isn't going to be worth seeing (the second one certainly wasn't). Several people had suggested this one as a possibility (the sequel is currently showing), but we wanted to check it out first. There were a few objectionable things (the monkey peeing for absolutely no reason; I *hate* that kind of thing), but overall, I just found it blah. We barely smiled, we never laughed. It was sweet, but that's not enough for me. I can't find any reason not to recommend it, but I can't find any reason to recommend it either. ::shrug::

Will I Buy It? No.

Next

In a Nutshell: A good no-brainer type film. I like Nic Cage in this type of roll, I like Julianne Moore, and it is based on a Phillip K. Dick story. Makes you think a little, but don't think too much or you won't have any fun!

Quick Plot: Cris Johnson can see about 2 minutes into the future, and the government is "requesting" his help in finding a nuclear bomb that has been smuggled onto US soil. Cris is only interested in finding "her," the only thing he has been able to see farther away than 2 minutes.

In Detail: A nice popcorn flick, mostly forgettable after you walk out of the theater. Still, it was a perfectly pleasant diversion for an afternoon after the spring drought at the movies. Certainly was the most promising thing out at the time! And we really did enjoy it. Just don't over-think it. The plot holes are huge, and even the logic starts to unravel if you try and use your brain too much. Just hop on and enjoy the ride. Nicolas Cage excels at these straight but slightly off-beat characters, and Julianne Moore is her usual serious but excellent self (but if she's going to continue being in action movies, the woman has *got* to learn how to run! LOL). For Jessica Biel, who has recently stated that she wants to be taken more seriously in Hollywood, this is a step in the right direction (certainly better than "I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry"!), but she needs rolls with more meat and less, er, flesh (no, no nudity, just a lot of looking at her and not much doing on her part).

Will I Buy It? Probably not. We have other movies of this type (including others by Phillip K. Dick) that we prefer. This was not a stand out in any aspect. Worth catching on television or DVD, but don't go out of your way.

National Treasure

In a Nutshell: Quite good Jerry Bruckheimer fare. All of his usual style and flair, with the added incentive of a mystery to solve. Check your brain at the door and just enjoy this fun popcorn flick.

Quick Plot: The Gates family has been following the trail of the mythical Free Mason treasure the US founding fathers hid more than two centuries ago, much to the amusement of the scholarly community. But when someone else plans to find it and keep it for himself, Ben Gates and team decide to beat them to the punch.

In Detail: I really liked this movie. About par for the course as far as Jerry Bruckheimer films go (not as good as Pirates, way better than King Arthur), which is just fine. I am quite a fan of his films, generally speaking. I liked that this one had the mystery aspect to it. Definitely reminiscent of The Goonies(for all you children of the 80s), but with less language! LOL A perfectly fun brainless film, with some great one liners. Would do fine on the small screen if you want to wait, but definitely worth seeing, even in the theater if you're an action junkie. Great fun!

Will I Buy It? I'm leaning towards yes. I won't run right out to buy it when it comes out, but if I happen to find it for under $15, I'd probably pick it up.