Okay, I saw V for Vendetta. I was really looking forward to the film and frankly I am a bit too biased to give it a fair review. I am biased because I absolutely love Natalie Portman – I could watch her sort coins for three hours and be entertained. I am also biased because the movie points out a pet issue of mine – the abuse of power.

That said… it is not a very good film. The storyline is caught in that icky place between trying to be a campy comic book film and a deeply nuanced social commentary. Because it cannot decide on a goal, it fails at both. The logic jumps made by the characters are simply a way to move the story forward despite being completely illogical at times.

Was it fun to watch despite this? Uh yeah – remember Natalie Portman is in it (although if ever there was a non-role, this is it for her.) Is it visually interesting? Sure. It is a great film – not even close.

RATING 5 out of 10

Conventional wisdom tells you to run from sequels… well, unless it is a sequel to an animated film like Toy Story. Conventional wisdom wins out with Ice Age 2. Now, before you think I am just not a fan of the franchise, let me say that I found the original Ice Age a very enjoyable film. This new one – not so much.

Dave said it best when he pointed out to me that the first one had two levels of humor – the 3rd grade stuff and the adult stuff. The silliness and hijinx of the characters was visually funny as well. In IA2 The Meltdown, all of the adult stuff is gone or comes much later in the movie. (I have to admit that I quit watching after about 20 minutes… I just couldn’t bear it anymore.)

The kiddy humor is intact, but it is not slapstick comedy or even good jokes, it is silly faces on creatures and quite possibly the worst writing I have seen in years. The writing team of Peter Gaulke and Gerry Swallow are the masterminds behind that classic of comedy – Black Knight (and thats the good stuff.) These guys suck too much to be called bad.

It doesn’t matter how many high-profile, talented actors voice the words. When the words suck – the film sucks… and this one does.

RATING 3 out of 10