summer movies: the beginning

here's a quick look at what we've seen since memorial day...

• cars: co and i went last friday night, fingers crossed. and though my overall feelings are as mixed as the reviews, one thing's certain: this is the most amazing-LOOKING movie i've ever seen... i literally can't believe that these stunning natural landscapes, and breathtaking car races, and the way water splashes and dust flies, and dozens of other small details, were created in a computer. astonishing.

unfortunately, the storytelling--jokes, characters, narrative drive--doesn't keep up with the technology. i mean, it was entertaining enough, and we definitely laughed out loud a few times, and it was kind of touching in the end, but we agreed that it was all just a little too pat: nothing new, very safe, very mechanical. and even though all the recognizable voices do a nice job of humanizing things, there's just something not terribly appealing about a world where there's no animals, no people... just vehicles. i loved co's comment, as we were walking out: "imagine the environment there! they'd have such bad global warming!"

• an inconvenient truth: speaking of which, as al SO-wish-he-weren't-robbed gore makes clear in this intelligent, lively, devastating, witty (yes, witty), inspiring lecture cum movie, there is almost zero controversy within the scientific community about the facts and horrific effects of global warming. in the media, in corporate boardrooms, in political circles that get money from organizations who like to keep things the way they are, yes, there are lots of people who are willing to try to confuse the issue. if YOU want clarity, there's no excuse not to see this movie, and even less of an excuse not to change your behavior afterwards.


• x-men iii: if you're a fan of the first two, you've probably aready gone. sorry. if you're a fence-sitter, may i suggest seeing something else. i mean, there are several really fun well-choreographed fight scenes here, and a number of cool mutant effects, but the awe and the intimacy and the individual growing pains that characterized the previous chapters are gone, and i became absolutely disengaged each time the action stopped.

• the da vinci code: do i really need to weigh in on this one? given the terrible reviews, my expectactions were looooooow, and so was surprised to find myself: 1. getting caught up in the unraveling of the puzzle (yes i had read the book, but years ago, and didn't really remember a thing); 2. enjoying watching tom hanks, though i wished he wasn't so damn dour--you're on the adventure of a lifetime, dude! have some freakin fun!--and especially ian mckellen; 3. thinking, yup, if i'm here watching this, it is totally summertime.