Reviews

I loved how they worked the Japanese Navy into the movie. If only they could've worked in a few Navy personnel from Vietnam and the Middle East in, fighting a common enemy to save planet earth. I would've been even more thrilled. Battleship was full of great action, and some might even believe that a World War II museum ship could be brought back into action on a moments notice, as if they held live ammunition on-board a decommissioned ship, used as a museum for tourist. The CGI effects were great, compatible with and possibly even better than the Transformer series of movies. The storyline in Battleship was maybe a little more plausible, and most definitely more exciting. It was interesting how they equated the aliens with our earlier 'New World' explorer's, and pretty much on the mark with how they terminated their resistance. Of course things would've looked much different now, had the Mayan's, Axtec's, Inca's, and natives of the America's accomplished what earth's forces did in this movie. But then, it was a movie, an enjoyable and entertaining one, definitely not a documentary by any stretch of the imagination. Maybe, one day a movie will be created where America, Japan, and the Middle East navy's are fighting a common enemy. We don't have to wait for reptilian aliens to attack, as what happened in Battleship. How about just joining forces in a planetary fight against ignorance and hatred.

Arbitrage did a decent job of setting up the characters, and progressing through all the scenario's, until the end when it leaves you feel like you've been left hanging. I get it, the reasons why everyone did what they did, and said what they said (i.e. wife, new owner, daughter, etc.) but the movie somehow left me with a feeling of incompleteness. I would've rather the cop had barged into the awards dinner, with all his peers there. and placed handcuffs on the main character, placing him under arrest as he stood at the podium. accepting his award. Sure, it could've left us wondering what evidence was uncovered, or manufactured, but if I'm going to be left hanging, I'd rather be left hanging there. Some of the things he was involved in and overcame, were plausible, but as a whole, not so much. If you like 'far fetched' plots, you will enjoy watching Arbitrage, at least until the last few minutes of the movie, which is anti climactic. Surely, we're not suppose to believe he signed the legal document his wife sprung on him, essentially submitting to her blackmail. After all the things he was previously able to wiggle out of, he couldn't somehow wiggle out of that? Or, maybe we are expected to believe it was his wife who he succumbed to, in the end. In that case, he would not, could not, be the 'all powerful' which the movie attempts to personify. Obviously, the writers wanted him to somehow be cut down, but I would've preferred the handcuff disgrace, rather than what we are expected to believe his wife had accomplished. Maybe his being arrested would've given the perception that he didn't sign it, and to the contrary, he wasn't arrested, so we can assume he did sign it. I guess we can assume his wife didn't know that he had taken care of both of their children, in the deal. I'm not sure just what we are expected to assume. When Sarandon was kissed on the forehead by Gere as he stood up to accept his award, her expression was all we were given, and it gave little indication of who capitulated. All I'm saying is to be prepared for a let down. Sorry, but this movie was incomplete for me. Too bad, because the acting wasn't bad.