I've spent some time the last few weeks watching movies. My reviews:

Worth Multiple Viewings

Primer – Wow. I’ve watched it four times, and I’m still in awe. Plot: Some engineers working in a garage invent a machine with revolutionary properties that can make them rich beyond the dreams of avarice – presenting them with problems and ethical dilemmas no human has ever had to deal with before. This independent film was made on a budget of $7000, by some friends that had never made a movie before, and there’s a certain clumsiness to the shots, a roughness around the edges, that highlights the brilliance of the plot rather than detracts from it. The last third of the movie is virtually incomprehensible on the first viewing – but that’s part of the charm. It demands that you make the connections yourself, rather than having a character explain it all to you.

Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith – Despite clumsy dialogue and plot holes, this film recaptures the Star Wars “magic” in a way the previous two prequels didn’t. This is the film we’ve all been waiting for since Return of the Jedi, and it’s worth it.

Worth a Single Viewing

House of Flying Daggers – Clichéd love triangle. Made bearable by the wuxia.

Kingdom of Heaven – I could tell they were getting stuff wrong historically (the Atomic Fusion Catapults give it away), and the theology was a mish-mash of liberal Protestantism and Hollywood New Age, but the story itself is moderately worthwhile.

Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy – If you think you might read the books, read them first. If you doubt you’ll ever get around to it, this is a worthwhile adaptation. The casting is great.

Blade: Trinity – A good action flick; as good or better than the previous two. I liked the new characters.

Not Really Worth Viewing

Appleseed – A beautiful anime. Not particularly interesting, otherwise. Actually, it was about as good as House of Flying Daggers. Not sure why that one made “worth a single viewing” and this one didn’t.