Movies galore!

This was quite the movie-filled weekend for me!

Saturday morning, I went to see Hellboy 2: The Golden Army and then Momma Mia!. Hellboy 2 was fun, but I don't know that it's story lived up to the original film. Visually, however, the movie was stunning. Del Toro has grown into his own, visually distinct style (anyone who has seen Pan's Labyrinth knows what I mean) and it is plainly evident again in Hellboy 2. I think the biggest disappointment for me came in Abe Sapien. First off, David Hyde Pierce did not reprise his role as the VO for Abe, and while Doug Jones (the actor who has played the physical role of Abe Sapien in the 2 films) did an admirable job, it just wasn't the same. And speaking of the physical aspect of Abe, Jones just didn't seem to have the constant, flowing motion that he used for Abe in the first film. His performance wasn't bad, it just didn't seem to mesh exactly with the first film.

Momma Mia! was predictably fun. Based on the Broadway musical, this big-screen version starred Amanda Seyfried, Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Stellan Skarsgård, Christine Baranski & Julie Walters. Overall, everyone did a great job, even if their singing was a bit off in some cases. (Pierce Brosnan singing? Not always a great choice.) If you ever have a chance to see the live show, I'd highly recommend it. While the movie was fun, there's something about seeing it live that makes it that much better!

On Sunday, my mom and I went to see The Dark Knight and all I have to say is, WOW! While some are saying that it didn't quite live up to its own hype, I have to disagree. The movie was amazing. And Heath Ledger's performance? He should be nominated, if not win, an Academy Award for his performance as the Joker. He was just so intense and crazy! It was a wonderful performance. I know there's so much going on around him because of his death, but really, he did an amazing performance. The story to the film was fantastic, too. It's so much more than a heroes vs villains movie; it is more a character-study on the lines that are blurred between good and evil. I recommend it highly!