a sundry of sunday reviews

Continuing in a long-held tradition of one other post, I'm making an effort to cover a broader range of reviews with far fewer words. I, mercifully, will not write them in poetic meter.

Kick-Ass

Mathew Vaughn's adaptation of a comic book series, about non-super heroes trying to be super, is a largely successful romp that instantly reminds you of Sam Raimi's original Spiderman. It is an origin story that is told with wide-eyed optimism and comedic brilliance. The titular character is an affable dude in exactly the way Peter Parker would have been had he never been bitten by the spider, but tried to be a hero anyway. As his hero act spins out of his control, he meets up with real a group of other would-be crime fighters including the pint-sized assassin, Hit Girl. Despite the movie's title, it is Hit Girl that is the star of the show. She is the 100-calorie snack pack proportioned version of Kill Bill's Beatrix Kiddo, and has just as little mercy as the larger version. And McLovin is back, playing another version of McLovin, which is always good in my book. It's a very fun night at the movies, and is the popcorn movie to see before the big summer movies hit.

The National - High Violet

While not as poetic as their previous effort, Boxer, High Violet is a worthy follow-up that expands on everything you either love, or hate, about The National. Singer Matt Berringer doesn't seem to get excited about much. Like, ever. But there is something about the songwriting, combined with his dispassionate drone, that just works. High Violet is a collection of songs that delve into the morose with a detachment concession to the realities of life, while not being terribly effected by it. It is the soundtrack to hipster apathy. All that being said, once the album gets its hooks into you, it will be stuck in your head incessantly. And the melodies are beautiful enough to make the possession a pleasant one, even if the voices in your head are mopey. 

The Lovely Bones

Directed by Peter Jackson, this film is a remarkably heart-warming tale, told from the perspective of a murdered fourteen year-old girl. She struggles with the limitations of the afterlife as she tries to maintain a presence in the physical world long enough to help her family find closure. Highly recommended if you are in the proper mood, but prepare for paranoia if you have children.

The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus

If you are expecting anything other than the top-of-his-game Terry Gilliam madness, look elsewhere. If you enjoy a visually stunning fairy-tale told in as comprehensible a fashion as Gilliam has pulled off to date, then give it a go. Your imagination will thank you, if not your logic. Oh, and Tom Waits is the Devil. If that last bit doesn't make you want to see it, nothing will.

 Super Street Fighter 4

Expanding the already impressive roster of SF4 to 35, this update does something unheard of for a fighter these days: All fighters are unlocked from the beginning. Capcom, thank you for not making me beat the game with every character without losing a round just to unlock Akuma. Outside of that piece of mercy, the game plays incredibly well. It is everything you might love about Street Fighter perfected.

Splinter Cell: Conviction

This game is probably the best in this series of super-spy games to make you actually feel like a super-spy. You move from shadow to shadow with quickness and purpose. And when you spring into action, you are a lethally efficient tool of aggressive diplomacy. And the main character, who looks like Brett Favre, is voiced by Micheal Ironside, which gives it a certain...gravitas.