Discoveries

I saw Terminator Salvation on Friday with some of the Hardys, and I must admit I was pleasantly surprised. I had read reviews that cast it in an unfriendly light, but I feel it deserved better ratings than what it was given. I thought the acting was great - Christian Bale is always great and Anton Yelchin has quickly become one of my new favorites since Star Trek. I thought the special effects were awesome, which is a major part of any Terminator movie. I have only seen the first two Terminators (edited versions) and I loved both of them. I found this new one a fun take on a familiar story line. However, it did have its flaws. There was not enough heart in it, though you can tell they tried. I never felt that Marcus Wright was truly torn between his human and machine parts. His conflict needed to be more predominant for us to really feel for him. The story feels a little recycled and predictable, but mixed up just enough to make it entertaining. I found it much more enjoyable than I expected.

Today I saw Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian. I really liked it, though it was not better than the first one. I loved the first one and this was a fun continuation, but if they do another I think they should make it a bit more innovative story wise - it was plenty innovative on the special effects side. I loved Amy Adams as Amelia Earhart and Hank Azaria as Kahmunrah. They were by far the best parts. Adams continues to please me with her ability to nail a part, and I have always been a fan of the very funny, very talented Azaria. They were fine additions to the already great cast. I felt this installment was a bit more juvenile than the first, more for kids, but still very fun and entertaining. They did very well hitting the proper beats in the film - they obviously knew which parts were most meaningful thematically and made them keenly felt. My favorite visual effect was probably the black and white characters placed in a color world. The lighting and contrast was perfect and I was in awe the entire time. But Amy Adams by far trumps as my favorite part of the movie.

My newest discovery is Stephen Sondheim's musical comedy Company, about a man who is the only single person among his group of friends and examines their marriages to decide whether or not he should pursue ending his bachelorhood as well. The music is fabulous, as it always is coming from Sondheim, and story is understated yet powerful. I grabbed the DVD of this play off of the library shelf, thinking it might be an interesting diversion. Indeed it was, and I highly recommend it. Raul Esparza stars in it and does a wonderful job. The supporting cast is similarly wonderful and talented. My favorite songs are Company, Being Alive, Barcelona, and Marry Me A Little.