Review Day

There are no major spoilers in these reviews.

Safety Not Guaranteed (R):
This is a light, understated comedy starring the actress from Parks and Recreation, Audrey Plaza. It tells the tale of local reporters investigating a man who thinks he can time travel, and is an indie film (in the sense that it cuts in as many random shots of the landscape as it does the protagonists). Its parts are better than its whole, but I got a few chuckles out of it.

Final Grade: B-

Culture Vultures by Orson:
I enjoyed Orson's CD, Bright Idea, a surprising amount. This one feels a little more homogenous without any standout hits. Good for background music.

Final Grade: B-

Chuck, Season Four:
I'm still surprised by how well Chuck has managed to sustain without irrevocably running a character or plotline into the ground. The shape of this season helps, with two shorter half-season arcs rather than an interminable grind full of filler episodes. I greatly enjoyed the guest appearances by Timothy Dalton, although Linda Hamilton really didn't bring anything to the table.

Final Grade: B+

Life of Pi (PG):
We saw this in the theatre after a delicious dinner of pork and egg noodles at A Taste of Burma. Rebecca really enjoyed the book, and I knew nothing about it because reading is for people without video games. The movie started strongly and kept me enthralled for about the first 2/3rds. After that, it catapulted across the fine line between embellished survival story to unbelievable allegory. The structure of the final scenes also completely deflated the tension and good will built throughout the movie. I don't know how they could have done the ending any better, but I know what I don't like.

Final Grade: C