Jacksonville Progress
JACKSONVILLE — Editor’s note: A Jacksonville resident has been reviewing movies for friends for several years and has offered to share his thoughts with Daily Progress readers. His reviews come in personal letters to his nicknamed friend, Spud Nut. Our reviewer is Tater Tot, so consequently, the movies get ratings based on potatoes.
Spud Nut,
Legion (rated R, 100 minutes) might be consider an update of Puritan preacher Jonathan Edward’s sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” Heaven intends to purge and exterminate wayward mankind by loosening demons and death angels on mortals below. Only Archangel Michael, Paul Bettany, battles to save a few righteous souls through the delivery of a baby who is the hope of the world. Forget about orthodox beliefs, Hollywood is just using religion to set up a supernatural apocalyptic battle that plays like Night of the Living Dead. Dennis Quaid, Tyrese Gibson, Paul Dutton, and Lucas Black try to fight off the attacking hordes from their lonely line of defense at the desert truck stop of Paradise Falls. Bodies fall, friendlies die, and the final ending is quite perilous. Try not to get caught up in the pop theology, and let the action carry you through the story as is meant to do. You’ll surely get two potatoes worth of entertainment from this enjoyable scare piece, which is more than I can say about other films of this genre that I’ve seen lately. Next?
Leap Year (rated PG, 97 minutes) is not as good at comedy as it is romance. That may be because Amy Adams is too likeable for physical funny stuff like Sandra Bullock can do. Matthew Goode, who looks a bit like Jeremy Irons, gets the girl by being contentious. The storyline’s sexual tension builds until the inevitable happens; the couple discovers they are in love. Whether you enjoy the predictable plot direction or not, the beautiful landscapes of Ireland will capture your heart. The scenery makes you want to tour the Dingle peninsula every February 29th when women are allowed to propose to men. The Celtic cultural influence makes even uptight, compulsive people learn to relax and go with the flow, so this movie says. You’ll leave the theater with a smile, remembering the setting more than the script. Was there ever a feature more deserving of a two Irish potato rating? Now pass the corn beef and cabbage, Paddy, me boy.
Tater Tot
