By Jared Curtis jared@dmcityview.com
‘G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra’
Directed by Stephen Sommers
Rated PG-13, 118 minutes
There was a time growing up when I obsessed over G.I. Joe. Being an only child, I had to use my imagination a lot more and normally played with my collection of action figures and vehicles from the time I got home from school until the time I went to bed. I say this because the adventures and battles my G.I. Joes fought were a million times more creative then the crap filmgoers will witness in “G.I. JOE: The Rise of Cobra.” Just like “Transformers,” this film is filled with so many action-packed explosions, the story is an afterthought. That’s not the only problem — the casting is awful, especially the comic relief courtesy of Marlon Wayans. “G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra” sucks and “knowing is half the battle.” CV
‘Apocalypse Now’
Directed by Francis Ford Coppola
1979, Rated R, 153 minutes
If you want to see a great movie about a group of soldiers, check out one of the American Film Institute’s 100 Greatest Movies of All Time (No. 28). “Apocalypse Now” is a haunting tale of a group of soldiers, led by Capt. Willard (Martin Sheen), who head down the Nung River to find Col. Kurtz (Marlon Brando), who has become insane with power deep in the jungle. Although highly decorated, Kurtz is wanted for murder, and it’s Williard’s job to find him and “terminate with extreme prejudice.” Although the film could be considered lengthy, it’s worth viewing because of three performances — Brando is completely off his rocker; Dennis Hopper is a crazy photojournalist; and Robert Duvall, who as Lt. Col. Bill Kilgore delivers the iconic line, “I love the smell of napalm in the morning.” “Apocalypse Now” changed the war genre forever and is one of the best. CV
