Meat at the Movies: Two Cheers for Originality

Three new movies hit the theaters this weekend. The first released this past Wednesday, 'The November Man' and then on Friday 'As Above/So Below' and 'The Congress' open. It is defiantly a weekend to see a movie, though most of these don't have most original ideas.

Starting with the action-thriller 'The November Man' starring Pierce Brosnan, a man many of us know as James Bond. This movie falls into a well-known story, an ex-CIA agent is dragged back into the business for one last mission. I can't help but see this as James Bond coming out of retirement to dish out one more wave of ass kicking. As far as an action movie, critics say it just okay and unoriginal, however Brosnan remembers how to play the role and easily slips back into his famous spy role.

Next, the horror movie, 'As Above/So Below.' Let's quickly look at this, most of the reviews on this movie use the word 'decent.' Once again, nothing real original, an archeologist looks for a hidden treasure, in this case, the Philosopher's Stone. It's rumored to be in the catacombs under Paris and as it turns out, a huge burial ground isn't the best place to keep something that grants eternal life.

Lastly 'The Congress,' a movie that seems all over the place. It's a Sci-Fi/fantasy/fictional/biography/partially animated kind of thing...I'm not really sure. Some critics are saying that this movie looses its focus and I can understand why. It follows Robin Wright who plays herself 20 years after she became famous for her role as the Princess in 'The Princess Bride.' That part is the real, that actually happened, but then it turns for the weird. She sells her digital likeness to a studio to use her in whatever way they want while she gets paid well and can care for her son. After this she gets super famous but when her 20 year contract is up she takes part in "The Congress" and joins this new future of cinema. I think this one will have to be watched a few times to fully understand it, but hey, Jon Hamm, Harvey Keitel and Paul Giamatti are in it, so why not?

Check out the trailers below, and as always until next week, we'll MEAT at the movies!

*NOTE DON'T WATCH THIS ONE IF YOU ARE NOT A FAN OF HORROR*