stoobushblog

This weekend's haul.

The Importance of Being Earnest: 2.75 Stars. Somewhat disappointing version of the Oscar Wilde Play. Great performances by Rupert Everett, Colin Firth, Judi Dench, and Reese Witherspoon, but the story was a bit too light (even by Oscar Wilde standards) and uneven to hold my interest. Also, it loses an extra quarter-star because of an egregious editing error.

Undercover Brother: 3 Stars. This great comedy will be a franchise-builder for (sometimes) funnyman Eddie Griffin. Lando Calrissian, er, Billy Dee Williams was hysterical as a brainwashed Colin Powell-like character. I'm just hoping that Dave Chapelle, whose work I really enjoy, is toned down for the sequel....his "Conspiracy Brother" was more than a bit grating.

The Sum of All Fears: 3.5 Stars. Easily the best Tom Clancy film since The Hunt for Red October, and it was all the more harrowing in this (pardon the cliche) Post 9/11 World. The shots of my hometown Baltimore going up in a nuclear blast were particularly disturbing, especially in how well done they were. Special kudos to Ben Affleck for showing us all that he can act, and to the casting folks for giving Liev Schrieber a chance to shine as uber-spy John Clark.