Film Journal — 1/17/10
G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra
More absurd, and therefore more tolerable, than Bay’s “Transformers” films, “G.I. Joe” may set the record for most stuff packed into 105 minutes. This is not to say that it’s good, but it does need to be seen to be truly appreciated. “Joe’s” saving grace may actually be its script, which manages to make the action-figure characters palatable and even believable. The production design, similarly, required such a heroic effort to surmount the ridiculous premise and setting that it wins by not falling hopelessly short.
Final score: 2 out of 5
The Book of Eli
A post-apocalyptic western that takes itself a little too seriously, The Hughes Brothers’ film succeeds when it hues most closely to genre conventions. Uneven ideology sinks a crisp script and some fun cinematography. Read my full review at BloodyGoodHorror.com.
Final score: 2 out of 5
Dead & Buried
This film represented a hole in my horror catalog that I finally decided to fill based on a lot of online chatter after the death of screenwriter Dan O’Bannon this past December. Originally released in 1981, “Dead & Buried” stands out for me as a genre-rich exercise with more spirit and wit than some of its contemporaries. Particularly when considered as a contribution to the zombie sub-genre, “Dead & Buried” enters must-watch status for horror enthusiasts or Robert Englund completists.
Final score: 3 out of 5
