Screening Log

This new site feature is a collective effort to summarize our viewing habits. Occasionally, you will find titles here that are coming to a theater near you, in addition to films viewed on television, and even films viewed in piecemeal. The screening log is archived each month; to view past entries select a month in the menu below.


May 2006 activity

Total Log Entries: 54

Total Comments: 16


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The Da Vinci Code / USA / 2006

Expecting an unmitigated disaster as prophesized by many national critics, I was instead beguiled by its intricate and absorbing storyline, great acting, and realistic action. Though I’m one of the few to have never read Dan Brown’s novel (and I stress the word novel), I feel that Ron Howard does a good job of keeping the viewer engaged; whether it’s through gothic flashbacks, constant in-your-face motifs, or plot twists, he weaves a puzzle that makes you forget about Tom Hanks’ hair.

Like many other book-to-movie adaptations, though, the plot is crammed into a digestable 149 minutes, an all-too-frequent tragedy in contemporary movies. This film is, of course, far from being a milestone or masterpiece, but so far this year the movie studios haven’t offered much in terms of enthralling cinema. Controversy aside, I enjoyed the break from the other, more disappointing season films.

by Adam Balz | Source: 35MM Print
20 May 2006 7:25 PM | Comments (1)


Comments / 1 total / Submit Comment

  1. Robert Humanick / 22 May 2006 / 3:20 PM

    It didn’t entertain me, and nor did it make it’s subject matter food worthy for thought (I’ll return to The Last Temptation of Christ or, hell, even Dogma for that quality). And when Ron Howard lit up the two triangles in the Star of David to AGAIN remind the viewer of their importance – after a chin-stroking Tom Hanks profoundly states “the two triangles!” (where was the intended “a-ha!”?), no less – I wanted to jump at the screen and tear it down. Surely, not atrocious, but I feel no need to ever see it again (maybe Ian McKellen’s scenes, as he was the only one who played up the slight camp of the material to any extent). This was one movie where I preferred the previews to the feature.

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