Movie Challenge: 25th Hour

As you know, the Movie Challenge has begun! Unfortunately we are not as far along as I hoped we'd be at this point. We're still not even in the A's yet...just lingering in the numerical titles. Alas, the past couple weeks have been hectic, but hopefully we can start playing catch up!

Anywoo, in our movie challenge watching this past week we came across the film 25th Hour. Neither of us had seen it (even though it was Antoine's movie) but we had had several friends tell us how great it was, so I was looking forward to watching it. Hell, it's got Ed Norton in it...who doesn't like Ed Norton!? And I myself have a personal affinity for Mr. Barry Pepper...there's just something about him, I can't explain it! So, needless to say, unlike 8 Mile I was somewhat eager to see this one...until we started watching it! It started off okay...nothing stellar, but mildly interesting. Norton plays a drug dealer who gets busted by the DEA and is sentenced to seven years in prison. The movie recounts his last hours before he goes.


Here's the thing, the acting was fine...it was good! Norton was believable, Pepper played a slightly lovable douche, and Philip Seymour Hoffman and Rosario Dawson were good as well. But! Geez! Did that movie drag! I guess that's the point right, the anticipation, the build up to his imprisionment...but man oh man was that slow!? It's almost all conversation...and boring conversation at that! Now, there's nothing wrong with a slow movie, but when a movie is slow AND no real connection/emotion forms between you and the characters...what's the point? I feel like the really emotional, powerful moments were breezed over and neglected. I didn't give a crap for a single character, not even Monty (Norton's character) who's about to leave his life behind to go off to prison. Anna Paquin was annoying, as usual. There were a couple bits of camera work that I enjoyed, but that's about it. Antoine and I actually found ourselves checking (on the Playstation) just how much more of the movie we had left!

And here's the kicker...it has pretty great reviews on Rotten Tomato and imdb. And according to wikipedia, Richard Roeper and Roger Ebert (of no relation) put it on their "best films of the decade list". Really?! I was bored senseless! And it wasn't a matter of not getting it, I got it. I guess I just wasn't a fan. Well, at least one good thing came out of this...Antoine and I can now weed 25th Hour out of our collection (and 8 Mile, bleh!) to make room for something we actually enjoy!