Pirates of the Carribean: Dead Man's Chest

Overall Rating: # # # # + (4 1/2 Buckets o' Popcorn)
Merlin's Grade: # # # # + (4 1/2 Buckets o' Popcorn)
Michele's Grade: (? Buckets o' Popcorn)
Comments:
(Merlin) This movie was great fun. More (mis)adventures of Captain Jack Sparrow et all. Another wonderfully flamboyant performance by Depp, as well as incredibly cool and sometimes horrifying effects. Some pretty scary/almost gory scenes for a "kids' movie". Bill Nighy (as Davey Jones) is fast becoming one of my absolute favorites with his wonderfully quirky portrayals and his incredible voice (he was also "Viktor" in the Underworld movies). His performace as Davey Jones is inspired. Wonderfully evil, (especially with the cthulhu-like looks they gave him) yet also his moments of heartache/suffering are especially poignant.

(Michele)

Superman Returns

Overall Rating: # # # # (4 Buckets o' Popcorn)
Merlin's Grade: # # # # (4 Buckets o' Popcorn)
Michele's Grade: (? Buckets o' Popcorn)

Comments:
(Merlin) I have to say I was pleasantly suprised by this film. I wasn't quite sure what to expect... continuation of the older movies, completely ignore the old movies, go in a completely different direction, etc. They did a great job of having the flavor and feel of the older movies, but with the awesome effects of today. Interesting plotline, picking up after Superman has been mysteriously gone for 5 years. Kevin Spacey does a great job as Lex, really reminicent of the incredible performance of Gene Hackman. An appearance by James Marsden (who played Cyclops in the X-Men movies) as Lois' new husband was a bit jarring at first (A Marvel character in a DC movie?? *lol*) but his preformance is great and an interesting plot twist being the "competition" for Superman. Not an enviable position to be in.

(Michele)