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dianemarie123
Reviews
Monk: Mr. Monk and the End: Part 2 (2009)
A big disappointment--possible spoiler
I, on the other hand, have to agree with Shaver Dave. The finale of Monk packs an emotional wallop without a doubt. There were some very sweet and touching moments, and I was sniffling and teary-eyed all the way through it. But, afterward when I had time to think about it, I really felt let down--not only the details brought up before, but why all the fuss in the first place? Even 25 years ago (and I'm in my fifties, I was around back then), I don't think an extramarital affair would have ended a state-level judge's career. Sure, there'd be an embarrassing press conference but that would be the end of it. And Trudy was married to a cop. Leaving alone the plot hole that first she was parked there to pick up medication and now all of a sudden she's there to meet the judge, if she thinks somebody's stalking her and threatening to kill her, what's she going to do--ask her husband to have the guy picked up (or at least follow her to the meeting), or leave this touching videotape saying, "Oh, by the way, let me explain why I was murdered?" Oh, and by the way, how many of us still own VCR's?
To be honest though, didn't the last couple years of Monk seem like the writers were struggling for plot ideas anyway? I think it's going to go down in television history with MASH as having lasted a few seasons too long.
The Dark Knight (2008)
Too much of everything
There were just too many subplots, too much violence, and it was at least a half hour too long. They should have taken some of the time they spent planning CGI effects and used it to seal some of the plot holes:
1. A witness pulls a gun out while he's on the witness stand? Excuse me?? This is some mythic land where the courthouses don't have metal detectors?
2. There's a terrorist threat against a hospital, so they evacuate every patient--*except* the one who's been in all the papers.
3. The police are transporting a high-profile prisoner, with dozens of vehicles escorting him and SWAT teams all over the place--but one trailer truck starts chasing them and they're all helpless.
4. The silliest thing of all--Batman's constant whispering. It's supposed to make him sound menacing, but he just sounds like he has laryngitis. It's like the old Superman TV show where people magically have no idea who he is as long as he keeps his glasses on.
I know I'm way in the minority on this one, but I have to say this was the ugliest, stupidest movie I've ever seen. I would have walked out if I weren't trapped at the end of an aisle. You couldn't pay me enough to sit through it again.
The Notebook (2004)
Manipulative drivel
I'm as much of a sucker for a good chick flick as any other woman, but this is just ridiculous! It's the cinematic equivalent of eating one of those big plastic bags of cotton candy all by yourself...it might sound good, but you'll feel kind of nauseated after.
It alternates between a pretty young couple yelling at each other and then groping each other, and their future selves in a Twilight Zone nursing home furnished right out of Crate & Barrel where all the female patients always have freshly applied lipstick. Almost all the plot points are telegraphed in about the first 10 minutes (except for that supremely stupid ending...they died happily ever after, just because they wanted to).
A few observations: Why is she so surprised her mother hid the letters? Isn't that something a protective mother would do in those days? Didn't she know how to write? And considering they've been married for oh, about 50 or 60 years in the nursing home scenes, why do none of their children look over 30? Did she serve a long stint in a convent at some point?
Murder in a Small Town (1999)
Pretty good (one minor spoiler)
I'd wanted to see this since it first came out, but never had a chance since today. Gene Wilder turns in a nice, low-key performance, and there are several interesting character roles, especially Frances Conroy as the "invalid" widow. The scenes between Gene Wilder and the actress who plays his daughter are heartwarming. The '30's atmosphere is fairly realistic, with cars, costumes, and references to suffering Jews in Europe.
I wouldn't say this is a masterpiece (I figured out who the killer was about halfway through), but it was a pleasant way to spend a Sunday morning.