"Tucker Looks Back at the Movies of 2002 & Blogs About Them! ”

Well here are the movies that I saw in 2002..ones off this list like the Harry Potter sequel and Lord of the Rings sequel I didn’t bother to see since I never saw the originals. They are in sort of order of releases some I rented others I saw in theaters. I am going to give them a rating. I am most likely going to do this in at least two parts. . This post may seem longer than most….but read it anyway!
½ Star = BRUTAL
*=Awful
*1/2= bad
**= it was OKAY
**1/2= good
***1/2= really good
****= AWESOME MUST SEE OF THE YEAR


Frailty: **
Uneven, but engaging tale of demons! The film is basically about two brothers who had a dark past. Their father thought they were a family chosen to slay demons. Was he out of his GORDE or his the last in the line of defense between good and evil? Now that the kids are grown up is it time to follow in their dads footsteps? The movie was the first film Bill Paxton directed. If you like creepy tales its worth a rental because it will keep you guessing. Certainly a step above some recent attempts in the genre

National Lampoon’s Van Wilder * * ½

Some jokes work some jokes fail miserably. The guy who plays Van Wilder has good comic timing and plays the role well. Van is a cool guy who helps out dorks instead of picking on them like in most college comedies. The movie should have tried too hard at times, and should have keep with the witty dialogue instead of resorting to dog seaman jokes that resulted in many people leaving the theater.Although the huge testacies jokes worked. Since Van is such a cool character its certainly hard to HATE this film. Good one to sit around with some beers and buddies. Good eye candy too.


Spiderman **

The movie is loyal to the original comics that started the series. But watching the film I realized what cheap clone Spiderman is of Superman. Even parts of the film seemed airlifted from Richard Donner’s superior Epic Superman: The Movie. Such as scenes when his father figure gave him advice before dying, being a misfit in high school, having to chose between saving innocent people and his loved ones, the hero going from a small town to a big city, and working for a newspaper.

The first act of the film is good which is important to make the second act work in a film like this. Unfortunately, the movie seemingly derails and becomes too campy. Why the heck does Green Goblin have a beef with him anyway? At least Lex Luthor had a reason in the film, when he figured Superman was on to his restate scam (it a lot cooler than it sounds), and I know that Superman had some major plot holes..but come on. I know it’s a comic book movie but….

The main problem was Spiderman was simply a horribly done CGI, and I felt like I was watching a playstation game not a movie. I don’t recall Spiderman changing form and size as much as he did while navigating against obviously fake backgrounds. I don't hate movies just on effects, cause I can watch movies with dated effects either. However Tobey McCguire didn't really even play Spiderman that much. Again Superman looked bad in some scenes flying against a map painting ..but this was bad. Why do we keep insisting that we master this form of special effects. Give me models and puppets in day.

Some cool explosions and feel good heroism, and I guess we are supposed to be impressed when Macy Gray shows up in cameo role. If you want to see any Spiderman movie see this one, cause the sequels are likely to be campier and crappier. Spiderman’s love interest is a shallow bitch.


Panic Room ***

Well executed thriller that has to make you care about the characters and has to be well-acted the film succeeds in both efforts so that’s why the movie works. The movie’s basic plot has a mother and um..either son or daughter I don’t forget I just couldn’t tell are locked in a room designed to keep out the bad guys.

They don’t resort to home alone tactics, but there are actually a few laughs generated by the dreamy (who said that?) Jared Leto (or is it Ledo?). I don’t want to say too much about the movie though cause I saw it a long time ago and don’t want give anything away. Certainly a movie most people can agree on so if you look to rent something with a person who you usually don’t agree on films with…its neutral enough for most people to have a happy blockbuster night.

Insomnia: **

A well directed, occasionally slow thriller about a man tracking a killer in an artic town. One of the people that I saw this with said it was one of the worst movies they ever saw. I have to disagree with that statement! Not that I am going to hang the poster of the film on my wall anytime soon but its worth seeing at least once.

The movie is well directed with some good sequences, like Al Pacino jumping on ice chunks after the over acting Robin Williams was certainly one of the better chases scenes of the year. However most of the film doesn’t really stay with you. To be honest I don’t even remember why Robin Williams killed anyone for if he even did. I am pretty sure Hilary Swank was in it.

I don’t usually gripe when movies are too long, cause I think that’s a lame thing to say about movies. However it could have used some trimming especially scenes that were repetitive that’s what they make the deleted scenes on DVDs for.

Mr Deeds *

I saw this movie after happy hour with some friends; needless to say the first half of the movie was a lot funnier. Maybe Sandler can’t pull off mindless whackiness off anymore like he did in the mid 90’s. with The stupid but Billy Madison or the overrated but popular Happy Gilmor.

The film could have been better if it would just sit back and tell the story without sidetracking for supposed comic sequences that seem out of place and for the most part are not funny. Even Sandler films regulars embarrass themselves. Good comedy could have just been done by playing the movie straight like Big Daddy kinda did.

Sandler plays a bit more bright waterboy, but making him borderline retarded doesn’t seem necessary. Since they are handed the fish out of water bit thanks to the plot. Sandler is all cartoonish than we are supposed to care about his broken heart. Some actresses just shouldn’t do comedy and Ryder is just awful. The film also manages to waste the talents of Peter Gallagher who is underrated and certainly has better comic abilities than what you see here.

Mr. Deeds made money, but Sandler better find a new bit. I wanted REALLY wanted to see Punch Drunk Love, because Sandler is supposed to be really good in his first serious role. But I never got around to seeing the flipping thing.

MIB II *

The pug is funny. The movie is dumb. The plot swaps Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith’s roles comically from the first one. Jones who shows up late in this oddly short film has to be re trained by Smith. So basically the two actors get paid millions to stare at a blue screen. The plot in the first one was remotely intresting this plot just sucks.

This movie’s only purpose is to put faces on Taco Bell cups. But if you do see it…try not to laugh at the pug singing along to “Who Let the Dogs Out?” just try!

This film made my brain hurt. Thank God (sorry drew) it only takes a lasts about 80 minutes or less before the credits roll and we hear the new Will Smith song. NOD YOUR HEAD!

Signs *****

Its freshly out on DVD so go rent it, although you missed out on a good theater experience! The movie is heartwarming, funny, thrilling (me and several friends hearts were literally pounding), dramatic, and just flat out fun!

Everything in this film works, except that random army guy. Almost perfectly directed and acted. Mel Gibson plays the role well, and I enjoyed the spiritual undertones of the film. The movie proves the age old old point that most the time its what you DON’T see that makes a film like this effective. But since computers out there have the ability of doing cool animation (not believable live action mind you) will be subjected to more CGI mania next year I am sure.

This movie was one of the few that I have recalled to live up to its hype. Although I think the makers are disappointed, that no one started a trend wearing the hats in the film.

More movies to come…also look for a COMCAST update, the story of the year, and various other current events to be pondered.