Transporter 3

I really like Jason Statham (Frank Martin), his accent, his fighting, his charm. (No I don't want to date him) I loved Transporter One and Two. I thought it was a fresh type of action flick, with great fight and chase scenes, not to mention Statham's dry wit.

So of course I was excited when I saw they were making a third movie in the series. Unfortunately as most sequels do, it fell a bit short on the delivery. The plot was just so so and the lead girl (Natalya Rudakova) was a bit "scary." They tried to up the action ante by doing ridiculously impossible stunts and that just made it worse.

Still being a fan of the first two films, I had to see it and support the sequel. Hopefully they will call it a wrap and let Jason move on new projects. So I recommend checking out Transporter 3 at the rental place or Netflix it!

Twilight

I was afraid this film would be a bit too sappy. To be sure, there is a lot of mushiness to be found, but the story is strong, and the character's are interesting (if not a bit one dimensional).

Make no mistake though, this is not a scary or horror flick (what's the difference?). In fact, it almost lacks so much in action and suspense, I was afraid I would dose off and miss the epic climax.

I always like a new twist on the Vampire genre, so I was curious what this author, Stephenie Meyer brought to the table. (You knew it was based on a book right?) It's a tale about a "family" of vampires that move about the country over the years and they have come home to the always cloudy and rainy Washington state area. They are "good" vampires in that they only feed on animals, not humans. Although the temptation and desire is there.

So it's the same old story of Vampire boy meets Human girl and they fall in love. Will the rest of the family be happy? And whose feeding on the local town folk?

I talked to a fan that had read the book, (I haven't) and she said the film was a "pretty good" adaptation for a book to screen movie. I found that the human girl, Bella Swan, played by Kristen Stewart looked great for the part, but I hated the way she presented her character. She too has recently moved to Washington and is adjusting to her new life with her father. But all her lines were stuttered with confusion, uncertainty, starting and stopping in an annoying fashion. (um...like this blog!) It would have been okay for a scene or two, but she does it the whole movie. I blame the director for that. At some point, she should have evolved into a confident sure-of-herself girl, that finally accepts and knows what she wants.

Overall it was a decent movie, and you should check Twilight out especially if you are a fan of the book. Otherwise Netflix it one day on your XBOX 360!

Quantum of Solace

Bond. James Bond. Quantum of Solace continues the high octane adventures of James Bond (Daniel Craig) in Casino Royale. Betrayed by Vesper, the woman he loved, 007 fights the urge to make his latest mission personal. Pursuing his determination to uncover the truth, Bond and M (Judi Dench) interrogate Mr White (Jesper Christensen) who reveals the organization which blackmailed Vesper is far more complex and dangerous than anyone had imagined. Forensic intelligence links an Mi6 traitor to a bank account in Haiti where a case of mistaken identity introduces Bond to the beautiful but feisty Camille (Olga Kurylenko), a woman who has her own vendetta. Camille leads Bond straight to Dominic Greene (Mathieu Amalric), a business man and major force within the mysterious organization.


On a mission that leads him to Austria, Italy and South America, Bond discovers that Greene, conspiring to take total control of one of the world's most important natural resources, is forging a deal with the exiled General Medrano. Using his associates in the organization, and manipulating his powerful contacts within the CIA and the British government, Greene promises to overthrow the existing regime in a Latin American country, giving the General control of the country in exchange for a seemingly barren piece of land. In a minefield of treachery, murder and deceit, Bond allies with old friends in a battle to uncover the truth. As he gets closer to finding the man responsible for the betrayal of Vesper, 007 must keep one step ahead of the CIA, the terrorists and even M, to unravel Greene's sinister plan and stop his organization.


The critics will tell you the plot was thin, but I disagree. I thought is was as complex as every other Bond Film. This movie is action packed and won't disappoint. It's an excellent sequel to Casino Royale and I enjoyed every minute, leaving the theater wanting more!

Don't wait, get your Walther PPK, bow tie, and Aston Martin and drive unnecessarily fast to the theater to catch the latest 007 thriller, Quantum of Solace!!

Madagascar 2

Your favorite animals are back. (No not Jim Belushi) This time they escape from Madagascar with the help of the lovable and unstoppable penguins! Only to land a short distance away in Africa where Alex the lion is reunited with his family. There he must fight off the schemes of a conniving second lion that wants to dethrone his father. (Steal much from the Lion King?). Alex's father, Zuba is voiced by the late great Bernie Mac.

It was a great sequel, but they spent a lot of time in story exposition, character development, and sub plots like a love triangle with Melman and Gloria. I thought they should have had less of that and more of the laughs. There were just to many "serious" moments for a kids movie.

I mean sure through some stuff in there for the adults, but don't lose sight of your target audience. Other than that small criticism, the movie was a blast. King Louie (Sacha Baron Cohen) was hilarious as usual and the penguins need their own film!

Check out Madagascar II pronto "doll-face!"