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Reviews
From Justin to Kelly (2003)
surprisingly fun
Well, I must admit that I went to this movie, expecting a horrific bomb. I never watched "American Idol" and only knew Kelly Clarkson and Justin Guarini from their successful music careers. However, I decided to spend the $6 and give this film a shot. I figured, "I'm a teenager, even if it's lame, it'll still probably be geared to my demographic, and I might enjoy it."
Surprising, though, I found myself adoring the film. (It truly was "Grease on the beach," as my friend descrived it.) Of course, with its PG rating, it is geared toward younger audiences, as it should be. While the plot is very contrived, it's not completely outlandish. The ensemble cast was also a plus, as everyone gave believable performances.
In short, the music was poppy/fun, the setting (supposedly Florida) was beautiful, and the cast was adorable. It's a nice flick to catch on a summer day, but don't expect anything too serious from this one.
The Italian Job (2003)
A good suspense flick
My friends and I were lucky enough to see this film at a preview screening. It started off well but began to drag in the middle, leaving me to wonder if it would be a slow-mover like 2001's "The Score." The pace really picked at the end, though, erasing my earlier doubts.
Overall, the film is very cute; I liken it to a mixture of "The Score" and "Ocean's Eleven." I would definitely recommend it.
Daredevil (2003)
eh
"Daredevil" is full of pretty people and cool effects, but there's nothing really compelling about the story itself... It's just another formulaic action-superhero flick (i.e., the "Superman," "Batman," "Spiderman" series)...
The Backlot Murders (2002)
Who cares?
The movie was really just laughable. The only good part of it was the adorable Brian Gaskill, playing a bad boy (Dez), which is something he never does. If you like cheesy horror flicks with a lot of T&A, though, watch it. You'll enjoy it.
A Walk to Remember (2002)
Hollywood's attempt to recreate a fantastic book
The film "A Walk to Remember" was a decent attempt to recreate author Nicholas Sparks's book of the same name. However, this Hollywood adaptation changed several small aspects of the film, creating large discrepancies between the two that those who read the book first will most definitely notice.
The actors tried their best and did extremely well, considering the lackluster script they were handed. The director, Adam Shankman, took a leap of faith in moving to a project so serious, compared to some of his earlier work, like the comedy "The Wedding Planner."
Mandy Moore played the innocent to perfection. Shane West was a good 'bad boy' but a little stiff during the emotional parts of his character. Peter Coyote was an excellent Reverend Sullivan, although the shots of him were a bit strange at times. Darryl Hannah remained in the background as West's mother, but her appearance was quite strange, due to an obvious wig and collagen lip injections.
All in all, Shankman and his crew did their best to adapt a book set in the 1950's for a 2002 audience. I only wish they could have stayed truer to the actual novel...