Sucker Punch

I wanted so badly to like this.  I've really enjoyed Zack Snyder's aesthetic in the past.  I've even overlooked the various deficiencies in 300 and Watchmen because I liked the way his stuff looked.  This one falls so flat.  Before I get into all that, let me just say that there are some positive things to talk about here.  Sucker Punch is really interesting visually.  The effects are impressive.  The ladies are lovely.  The concept has potential.

I recognize the appeal of scantily-clad young women fighting, but I need them to be scantily-clad and fighting with a clear purpose.  Sucker Punch's fatal flaw is the fact the audience is never given a chance to settle into any of the stories.  If you compare this structure to a similar "alternate world" structure like Inception, the biggest difference is that the different levels in Inception are persistent and interactive.  In Sucker Punch, each vignette exists almost independently of the others.  This ultimately leaves the story feeling disjointed.

It's not all doom and gloom... impressive CGI vistas, hot girls, violence, dragons... these things are fun to watch, but only if you don't care about the plot.  I'd say this film disappointed me.  I went in with reasonable (I thought) expectations for a coherent, engaging plot, and Sucker Punch just didn't deliver.  Her visuals are a first-round knockout, but her story hits like a wet noodle.

Sorry, but I need a good story.

Paul

I don't really know where to start.  I've seen tons of films that I haven't taken the time to write about.  I thought it would be easiest to start with the one that most appealed to my nerdy side.

Paul is fantastic.  It references so many of the movies that I love.  I'm going to try to avoid too many spoilers, but suffice to say that if you've ever seen one of the iconic sci-fi flicks of the past 50 years (and loved them), there's something in Paul for you.  Sadly, if the film suffers from anything, it's probably that it will be mostly inaccessible to a generation of viewers unfamiliar with cantina bands, nukes from orbit, and work from "top men."  There are no sparkly vampires here.

Good news, though!  If any of those references made you giggle with glee or wipe away a nostalgic tear, I strongly recommend that you check this flick out.  Maybe it's because I went at an off time and had the theater to myself, but it felt like this movie was made just for me.  I was "in."  I got all the jokes.  I had a good time laughing at myself for knowing all the jokes.  And it doesn't hurt that I really like the writing of Simon Pegg.  Pretty much everything in his catalog.

Seth Rogen was the obvious get for the voice of the stoner alien.  Simon Pegg and Nick Frost made perfect sense as the nerdy hetero-lifemates.  Kristin Wiig (who has suddenly made me REALLY excited for Bridesmaids), Jane Lynch, and Jason Bateman (remind me again why Arrested Development was cancelled...) were surprising and delightful.  There is one cameo in particular that pays off in the climax.  I don't want to ruin it, but I'm pretty sure the concession stand heard me laughing.

All in all, this flick delivered more than I'd hoped for.  If you're a sci-fi nut, this is a movie that will make you feel good about your taste.  If I were you, I'd give it a watch.

Tomorrow:  Sucker Punch