Book, then movie... excellent.
IMAX!

Movie: Watchmen
Review: 4 bill-stars (out of 5)... excellent!
Website: www.imdb.com/title/tt0409459 and

There's Mr. Manhattan over there. Big naked blue guy. Very weird. But very fun.

So, I liked the movie better than the book, but that's almost unfair:
  • IMAX is like having a cocktail and turning the volume up at a rock concert... of course it's better.
  • I thought the acting in Watchmen was truly outstanding, especially Rorschach (more below).
  • The direction was great and the movie is visually very interesting.
  • There was pretty good music throughout, and ending with Mozart's "Requiem" shaking the walls of the IMAX was, um, awesome.
I understand why the book made its choices and the movie made its. The book is more surreal than the movie... especially the ending... and the long dream-like sequences in the book are gone. I don't understand why the movie is more political than the book... or maybe I do.

Anyway, the worst thing about the movie is the lull in the middle. It's a 2 1/2 hour deal. With about 30-45 minutes left, they kick it into gear and off we go. Off we go to a boffo ending.

One of my favorite performances was the over-the-top Rorschach. The actor was remotely (like way, way, lizard brain remotely) familiar. His name is Jackie Earle Haley. Here he is today as Rorschach and 33 years ago (click on these bad boys to make them bigger):
...

Yeah, the "bad" kid who was a really good player on the "Bad News Bears", Kelly on the right, is the same guy, 33 years later, playing Rorschach. He's a year older than I am.

The kid in the middle of the "Bad News Bears" picture is Ogilvie. I've had a few people say that I looked like him back in the day, when I had that style of glasses. I guess.

Anyway, good book and excellent movie... different and good.
Let me steal a fun QOTD from the book/movie and get out of here.

QOTD
"You people don't understand.
I'm not locked in here with you, you're locked in here with me!"
- Rorschach in prison
smile... yow, bill

PS - Mini-burgers at Buffalo Wild Wings after the movie with Moz... 4 bill-stars. He he.

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