Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter Is One Rushed Movie

I have a job where I listen to audio books for several hours a day, but for some reason I can never get through all the ones I want to listen to. Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter is one of those books I have always wanted to get to but never got around to it yet (I am currently on the Game Of Thrones Books). So this review is not based on the book at all. That being said, it felt like they rushed the story by at least 30 minutes. I hit the bathroom once but yet I felt like I missed a ton of stuff. I know I didn't miss much then because I used the RunPee app and didn't run to pee until they said "How many more boys will have to die before you believe me". My wife says that almost nothing happened then either. So why do I feel like I missed so damn much? The reason is that most movies are an hour and 30 minutes. There is a reason for this. Studies have shown that most Americans can't pay attention to anything for any longer. So unless the story is some well respected for decades stuff like Lord Of The Rings, they force it into as close to those times as they can. Then when the movie fails because it isn't amazing, the studio suits pat themselves on the back for not putting any more into it.  The movie isn't bad really. In fact if a super extended directors edit is released I will buy it on pre-order the second they are willing to take my money. This movie is good for what it is. It just isn't as great as I hear the book is.

One of the things that is great about this movie is that although it is bloody as hell, it doesn't get in the way of the story. I hate those movies where the movie is trying so hard to be gory that they forget the story. This movie has a great balance between being bloody as hell, but without it being goofy or annoying. The acting was solid and I have zero complaints there either. The overall look of the film is perfect with it's dark doom and gloom "Film noir" vibe going. I'm glad I saw it in 2-d instead of 3-d because I don't think that would have really added anything. Other than feeling like the stoy was rushed too much, this was actually a really great movie. I think what bugs me so much is that it is so close to greatness and if the bean counters didn't force the movie makers into squishing the movie down so far this thing could have been legend. This thing could have been a masterpiece.

So should you watch this in the theater? Yes, but if you go in knowing that the story will feel a bit rushed it may not bug you as much as it bugged me.

Cowboys And Aliens Is The Best Movie Of The Summer!

So it takes more and more to get my wife and myself out to the movies anymore. With all the re-makes, re-boots, and recycled crap I just do not care anymore. I have entirely given up on the Comedy genre. Thankfully however, there are some good movies coming out that mix comedy and tragedy in a way that separates them from the standard drivel we movie fans are normally served. I do have to make it very clear though that this is not a comedy by any means. When they first started promoting it, they had people laughing. Thankfully they quickly did a re-edit of the preview to more accurately portray what the movie is about. I would never have guessed that someone could balance a cowboy movie with an alien invasion movie as well as they have here. Jon Favreau did an amazing job I must say. I know he has some very passionate fans, but most of his stuff is crap. Maybe with the Iron Man movies he has figured out his style and with this movie he has perfected it? We shall see, but I cannot recommend this movie enough.

What made this movie so great? It wasn't just that the story (originally from a comic book of the same name) was so well written. Sure the balance of comedy and tragedy has become a major obsession of mine, but there is more to it than that. The acting was top notch. Daniel Craig was the first Bond that didn't put me to sleep (seriously, I fell asleep every time I tried to watch a Bond film until he came along). He has time and again made movies I loved. I have no clue what it is about him that is so great though. There is no special quality that I can pick out. Maybe he just picks great projects? I can't say for sure. I can't say what it is about Olivia Wilde I liked either to be honest. Maybe I was thinking with a lower part of my anatomy when I was impressed with her? Harrison Ford however I have something to say. At first you are lead to believe that he is going to be one of the bad guys and should die off early. But over the course of the movie he becomes this entirely different person. It is the evolution of this character that really stands out to me. As great as Harrison Ford is however, he alone is not what makes the acting in this movie so damn great. It is the supporting cast that does an absolutely amazing job. Sam Rockwell as Doc was that book learning type that seemed almost afraid of his own shadow. Sam Rockwell played the part so well that it leads me to believe this may be a big part of who he is in real life as well. Paul Dano made sure you hated him at the beginning, but not at the end. I could go on and on with this because I will be looking to find out what everyone of the supporting cast members do in the future.

Ever notice how the aliens, dragons, and other evil creatures in movies are rarely seen because once you do see them it kind of ruins the movie for you? Well, the aliens are done very well and it helps sell the movie to the viewer. They are also original enough that you don't immediately wonder if they borrowed the CGI from a previous movie and just altered it a little. The entire movie balances so many things so well part of me hopes for a sequel. Then I remember all the times that a sequel has ruined the original and I go back to wishing for more great original movies like Cowboys And Aliens. Seriously, go see this now! It is one of the few times this summer that a movie is worth the price of the ticket.