Second week in, and I’m already running late for this weeks Cut, Print, Preview. The weekly article where I take a cold hard look at the films being released into Australian cinemas. This week we take a look at Eagle Eye, The House Bunny and Journey to the Center of the Earth.
It’s brutal, it’s biased and you’re guaranteed to learn next to nothing insightful about the films in question.
But you’ve got IMDB for that…
Eagle Eye
Action/Thriller
Wide Release
LeBeouf doing what he does best…running from things.
Here’s an interesting test clearly done to see if Shia LeBeouf can carry a big name action film. I often hear that you either hate or you love LeBouf in that Tom Cruise sort of way. But I’m indifferent; he was annoying in Indiana Jones, but likeable enough in Disturbia and Transformers. I do get the feeling that, in a leading role, he’s going to lean towards annoying. Nevertheless, this film looks like it could be a bit of fun. Mysterious phone calls, fugitives on the run and the terrifying possibilities of technology…we’ve been here before, but there’s still enough juice in this scenario to entertain. After reviewing the woeful Mirrors, and the brilliant, but emotionally taxing Transsiberian this week, i think a bit of mindless fun is in order.
My thoughts: If LeBeouf can prove he’s capable at being a leading man, we’re going to be struggling to pronounce his damn name for many years to come.
Journey to the Center of the Earth
Action/Adventure/Family
Wide Release
A mine cart chase… now that’s a novel idea.
After The Mummy 3, I’m a bit put off Brendan Fraser. Especially when the terms “action/adventure” translated into “absolute/trite” last time. Nevertheless, this film looks like it will be one the whole family can see. It will have a predictable plot (given it’s an adaption of Jules Verne’s classic novel), cheesy dialogue and action sequences that are heavy on CGI. But hopefully, unlike the Mummy 3, it won’t try and pretend to be anything otherwise. Apparently it’s also available in Imax 3-D, which is an added gimmick that will have your kids teething at the bit to experience.
My thoughts: If you purposely choose to see this over Wall-E, then i’d personally question your parenting ability. If you’ve seen Wall-E, and you’re kids still won’t shut up, then it probably wouldn’t hurt.
The House Bunny
Comedy
Amazing cinematography.
Fred Wolf; you sly dog, you. You’ve taken scantily clad females with feather dusters, giving the men every reason to go, and managed to place them in a feature length film with what I will assume has a plot, something that women can latch to. It’s a win/win situation…up until the film gets labeled as a comedy. I’m not jumping to conclusions, but as soon as you add comedic expectations to soft-core pornography you seem, to me, to be over extending your reach. That and there is only so many pink accessories I can handle till I feel like ripping off the heads of Barbie dolls.
My thoughts: If it’s really funny, it could very well be the greatest film ever made. But that’s like saying if Hitler wasn’t such an evil bastard, he might have been a nice guy. In the end, you could probably recreate this cinematic experience by placing some (water)melons next to a chihuahua in a tutu…
And if you thought i couldn’t use “chihuahua in a tutu” to end Cut Print Previewed two weeks in a row, eat that.
Follow the author Anders Wotzke on Twitter.