Bourne again? Sure, why not.
This fifth dip into the well-worn well of super-soldier “Jason Bourne” has nothing going for it if not brand identity. Like Bond and Marvel and “Star Trek,” you go into a “Bourne” film knowing just what you will get – a predictable exercise in adrenaline.
“Jason Bourne” marks the return of Matt Damon in the role he originated in a trilogy of films, the last two directed by Paul Greengrass, who brought the visual immediacy of his documentary background to the screen.
If national TV viewership for the political conventions foreshadow November’s presidential election results, it will be a tight race with a Democratic win within the margin of error.
But local viewership ratings suggest more of a horse race.
Final ratings for Thursday night’s speech by Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton are yet to be figured in the mix, so ratings for this week’s Democratic National Convention are not final.
These numbers reflect the audience on ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, MSNBC and CNN. Ratings for FOX were predictably higher during the RNC. MSNBC ratings were higher during the DNC.
On June 1, 1983 Democrats reeling from the popularity of first term Republican president Ronald Reagan, decided to hold a fundraising telethon.
Had the 1984 presidential election hung on the “humorless and chintzy 17-hour” affair Reagan would have been guaranteed the second term that he ended up winnings anyway, I wrote in the Milwaukee Sentinel at the time.
If hosts Mary Tyler Moore, Paul Newman and Jack Lemmon made a movie together with profits going to the Democratic National Committee “that would have been worth watching,” I wrote.
Visually, dramatically, structurally and comically the “Ghostbusters” reboot is a likable mess.
It moves in fits and starts while recycling the premise of the 1984 film and its only original idea is to reverse the gender of the characters. This gives it an opportunity to explore the comic concept and interactions from the other end of the telescope, but which it does not do often enough to sustain it.
The result leaves the characters – a brainy Kristin Wiig, feisty Leslie Jones, straight man Melissa McCarthy and twitchy Kate McKinnon – stranded and armed with nothing but their proton packs. Chris Hemsworth’s dumb beefcake receptionist – whose glasses have no lenses – is as deep as this role reversal gets.
The Dudek Abides will hold its second annual DVD blowout Friday and Saturday – July 15 and 16 – from 8 until 4 p.m.
It’s like a rummage sale for movies.
Categories include Hollywood, indie, documentaries, foreign language and Asian, family, TV, box sets, stand up comedy, concert films, and others that defy genre.
Many are priced as low as $1, most of them are unopened.
This year featuring a huge selection of movie books, some rare. Also, CDs, comics, vinyl and collectibles. Free items with purchase.