Bill's Blog

Sherlock Holmes

2010-01-21T16:45:00.003-05:00

Robert Downey Jr. has made quite a come back in recent years with his success in Ironman and now Sherlock Holmes. The film stars Robert Downey, Jr., Jude Law, Rachel McAdams, and Mark Strong. Directed by Guy Ritchie. Based on the characters created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

I was a little worried about this one with Guy Ritchie directing. He has made some interesting but bizarre movies in the past, like Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels, Snatch, and Rocknrolla. So I was afraid Holmes would be in that same weird spirit. But I was pleasantly surprised that it really turned out to be a clever action film with witty dialog as one would expect from the likes of Robert Downey and a true to the spirit Sherlock Holmes film. This was a great movie from start to finish and I highly recommend seeing these larger than life characters on the big screen.

I can only hope that with its success we will see one or two more sequels to this franchise! Grab your magnifying glass and don't miss a second of Sherlock Holmes!

Rating: ***** (5/5)

Avatar

2009-12-26T13:28:00.000-05:00

This is a very creative and visually spectaular film. I saw it on the IMAX 3D screen to get the "full" effect of this much hyped new film by James Cameron. I don't think you will miss much if you don't see it in 3D; just a few arrows popping off the screen at you, and some floaty jelly-fish thingys. But you won't be dissappointed if you see the IMAX version either.

The story is about the earthlings, sky people, traveling from their dying world to this new planet called Pandora which happens to be rich with a new energy source. Unfortunately, the indiginous people, the Navi are in the way. This eventually leads to a Star Wars-esque climatic battle at the end.

There was an underlying "green mother earth" theme and "we stole the indians land" comparison going on here, but they didn't shove it down your throat. The story, the acting, and the impressive visuals take center stage of this two and a half hour epic.

You definately want to see this on the big screen! So journey light years away to Pandora and check out AVATAR!

Armored

2009-12-20T12:46:00.000-05:00

Well this movie was a little short on dialog substance, but it made up for it in action and suspense. A very interesting premise with some interesting characters made for a good day at the movies. It could have been way over the top, but they kept things down to earth and it was a fun ride.

Columbus Short (Stomp the Yard) plays Ty Hackett, an ex-soldier working as a security guard on an armored truck. Ty is also raising his younger brother, Jimmy (Andre Kinney) after both of their parents passed away in the same year. The cause of their death is never really addressed but the effect is easy to see. The bank is hassling Ty for payments that is he struggling to make; Jimmy is missing school and Social Services is threatening to split the brothers up and put Jimmy in foster care.

Ty is looking for extra shifts at work but there just aren’t any to be had. That’s when his friend, co-worker, partner and godfather Mike Cochrone (Matt Dillon) comes to him with this plan to rob their own trucks. He and a handful of the guards – Quinn (Jean Reno), Baines (Laurence Fishburne), Palmer (Amaury Nolasco) and Dobbs (Skeet Ulrich), have decided to recreate an armored truck heist from 1988 where as Cochrone puts it, “There are no bad guys.”

But of course things don't go acorrding to plan and some of the "good guys" chose to become bad guys and total mayhem ensues.

If you miss this one during the holiday season then be sure to save it in your Netflix queue and check out Armored!

2012

2009-11-14T10:17:00.000-05:00

I should really max out as many credit cards as possible over the next two years seeing as how we are all not going to be here after December 21, 2012. (According to the Mayans) The new movie 2012 gives us a vivid picture of what the End of Days just might look like.

I love me a good disaster movie. I grew up watching Towering Inferno, Poseiden, Airport, etc. I am also a huge John Cusack fan. So put the two together and it's better than a Reese's cup. I had the same giddy feeling when I saw Knowing starring Nicholas Cage earlier this year. Both are great disaster films, but I think the scenes in Knowing were a little more impressive than 2012. The disaster sequences looked or felt more "real" in Knowing.

In 2012 the story opens in 2009, the earth's core is heating up thanks to massive solar flares, alarming an U.S. government geologist (Chiwetel Ejiofor). He informs the White House chief of staff (Oliver Platt), who rushes to inform the President (Danny Glover), who eventually confides the news to his beautiful daughter (Thandie Newton). Three years later, and a small time writer named Jackson Curtis (John Cusack) picks up his cute son and daughter (Liam James and Morgan Lily) at the home of his ex-wife (Amanda Peet) and her new boyfriend Gordon (Thomas McCarthy). Jackson takes the kids camping at Yellowstone, where he meets a useful mountaintop crazyman (Woody Harrelson) who predicts the end of days.

Then hair raising world ending disaster ensues. It is a non stop series of over the top near escapes as we follow Cusack and his family trying to escape certain doom. Will they make it?

These latest entries into the disaster genre up the ante. No longer is a disaster confined to a specific location or event like a Volcano eruption, a.k.a. Dante's Peak, now the whole planet is wiped out. What will Hollywood do in the future? Destroy the universe? Oh wait....there is no future. Live everyday like it is the last day. But hurry to the movies and check out 2012 before it's too late!

Zombieland

2009-10-05T21:15:00.001-04:00

Who doesn't love Zombies? Wholesale guilt free carnage on your fellow man that is trying to eat you right?
Zombieland is a horror-comedy. It's not as corny as say Sean of the Dead (which was also hilarious) or as ridiculous as the Scary Movie series. It lies somewhere in between and just sucks the marrow out of my funny bone!

A geek, who is labeled “Columbus” (Jesse Eisenburg) calls the world “Zombieland” after a supervirus turns most everyone into a zombie. “Columbus” finds an unlikely friend and total opposite of himself “Tallahassee” (Woody Harrelson) a good ole boy, and then the two of them encounter sisters “Witchita” (Emma Stone) and “Little Rock” (Abigail Breslin). The street smart girls are trying to get to Pacific Playland so they can have just a little moment of feeling like kids again.

We follow them along on their road trip as they learn to trust each and as they deal with the ever present zombies. There is a great cameo by one of the kings of comedy films. You'll have to see the flick to find out who. This was a fun popcorn worthy event, but don't take the kids, as zombies tend to eat them.

The hardest thing for me when the inevitable zombie apocalypse does indeed come, will be trying to hide how excited I will be! Check out Zombieland, a perfect Halloween movie!

Surrogates

2009-09-28T12:59:00.002-04:00

Surrogates is the new sci-fi thriller starring Bruce Willis who plays an FBI agent in a near future world where crime is low and almost everyone uses an android like replica of themselves to do the daily functions of life including their job. Real people lay around at home in an easy chair or their bed with a headset on, while their “surrogate” goes out into the real world. Things turn ugly when real people start being killed with a special weapon that attacks the surrogate’s neural system.

The story wasn’t bad, but I thought the premise of the film was the best part. Imagine reclining safely at home while a younger looking robot version of yourself travels about doing your job, grocery shopping, picking up the kids, etc.

Surrogates has decent character development, interesting characters, and a little forced drama, but with the interesting premise it is definitely worth checking out. Bruce’s young surrogate’s hair seems to channel the blonde hair cut from The Jackel (also a good movie!) but it was neat to see a young Bruce Willis back on the big screen. Lay back, put your headset on, and send your android to the theater to check out Surrogates!

Whiteout

2009-09-15T09:26:00.004-04:00

I love Kate Beckinsale. (Kind of a no-brainer huh?). Her Underworld films are awesome. So I was hyped to see her latest movie, Whiteout. From the trailer it looked like a suspenseful thrill ride. Unfortunately only about thirty minutes of the hour and forty-five minute film qualify as a thriller. The first fifteen minutes and the last fifteen minutes. The other hour and fifteen minutes of the script is filled with boring character exposition and hokey flashbacks. Not even old Tom Skerrit’s doctor character can warm up this cold story. His character’s seems rather bored himself in his scenes.

In addition, the cinematography is bland and uninteresting and plain flat. Almost like looking at the storyboards of a comic book. The editing is bad as well. Choppy and scene skipping to the point you never are sure where or when the scene is taking place. (sort of like this review!)

Well I have ripped the movie to pieces without even telling you, the dear reader, what the premise of the movie is. It takes place at a science base at the South Pole in Antarctica. A U.S. Marshal (Kate Beckinsale) is posted there as she attempts to hide from her past. We learn she is about to leave for the “winter” when a body is suddenly discovered on the ice. This begins a series of investigations and close calls with the killer.

It is a typical whodoneit murder mystery which you easily figure out before the reveal at the end. As you may have guessed, I recommend you catch Whiteout on cable when you are stuck inside this winter and no one to play Monopoly with.

Inglourious Basterds

2009-09-06T16:12:00.001-04:00

I was expecting a 1967 Dirty Dozen remake, but really that was only a part of the story. The other part was about a young Jewish girl whose family had been slaughtered by the Nazis.

The story begins in German-occupied France, where Shosanna Dreyfus (Mélanie Laurent) witnesses the execution of her family at the hand of Nazi Colonel Hans Landa (Christoph Waltz). Shosanna escapes and flees to Paris, where she forges a new identity as the owner and operator of a cinema.

Elsewhere in Europe, Lieutenant Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) organizes a group of Jewish soldiers to engage in targeted acts of retribution. Known to their enemy as "The Basterds," Raine's squad joins German actress and undercover agent Bridget Von Hammersmark (Diane Kruger) on a mission to take down the leaders of The Third Reich. The two stories are intertwined when they meet at Shosanna's theater where the German high command is coming to view the lastest German film.

The movie is rife with interesting characters and a decent, typical Quentin Tarantino story and bloodshed.
If you are a fan of his movies, then you won't be dissappointed. Check out Inglourious Basterds!

District 9

2009-08-29T10:20:00.007-04:00

With Peter Jackson and his Wingnut production company associated with this film, I was excited to see it.

The premise was not altogether new, but still it has been long enough that an "aliens-come-to-earth-to-live" theme is fresh enough for me. We begin twenty years after a massive alien space ship appears over Johannesburg South Africa. Inside the ship was found to be thousands of bug-like aliens we call Prawn. They were a destitute, malnourished lot.

So we took them in and made a place for them on the planet, a.k.a District 9. However after twenty years D9 has become a crime ridden slum and they must be moved as the people are fed up with the cat food loving aliens.

The movie begins very documentary like. With a camera man following the story of the person in charge of evicting and moving the aliens. I was sitting there for about twenty or thirty minutes of the movie asking myself what in the world I was watching. I wondered if the whole movie was going to be like this and add to that it was very gross. I am not very squeamish (he's lying) but there was a lot of uncomfortable nasty scenes during the first thirty minutes. But after that it ceased being a documentary and kicked into full movie mode.

It turned out to be an excellent ride after that. I loved the rest of the movie from then on! You finally start to care about the characters and their plight. The special effects were great, especially the alien weaponry which becomes the focus of the story line.

If you can push past the first part of the movie, then checking out District 9 is definitely worth it!

GI JOE: Rise of Cobra

2009-08-07T15:48:00.007-04:00

I grew up on the REAL GI JOE! The ones that were three times the size of the little plastic toys they pander in the Targets and Wally Worlds. The real ones have moveable joints in the wrists, knees, elbows, and even a fuzzy faced head that pops off! You can dress them up in dozens of uniforms, belts, hats, boots and even scuba gear. They carried a variety of weapons and equipment and drove huge vehicles like jeeps that pulled search lights, boats, and helicopters.

My younger friend says they were "barbie dolls for boys," and had no stories or enemies like the GI Joe's in the cartoons and comic books. Well maybe so, but I had a world of fun slapping a gun in their kung-fu grip and I made up some great stories on my own. They tossed grenades in the deserts of Africa, sailed the Pacific Ocean, and went on secret jungle missions every Saturday morning in my backyard.

Hollywood has finally brought that childhood magic to the big screen with GI JOE, The Rise of Cobra. I was afraid it would be a cheesy cartoon rendition of the animated series, especially with names like Rip Cord, Heavy Duty, and Gung Ho (Special cameo by Brendan Fraser). But I was pleasantly surprised!

The movie was far from corny. The story wasn't bad at all, they kept the one liners to a minimum, and the characters actually had depth to them! That's right, a popcorn action hero movie actually had character's you could really get into. They nicely transitioned the history and backgrounds of several major characters into the story with very little exposition.

The special effects were also top tier! They were jaw dropping gorgeous (not to mention a couple of the female leads). It was quite a thrill ride and a great way to end the summer block busters! It is a must see!

But remember it is PG-13 so don't take the little ones, there are several cringe-worthy death scenes! But everyone else will enjoy seeing your childhood favorites come to life. Jump in your humvee and check out GI JOE Rise of the Cobra.....Go Joe!!

Public Enemies

2009-07-18T10:02:00.002-04:00

I’m a huge Johnny Depp fan (who isn’t?). He always plays these ludicrous characters! His role as the Mad Hatter in the upcoming Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland adaptation is case in point. I guess it all started with Benny and Joon or was Edward Scissor Hands first? Either way, Netflix them if you haven’t seen his early work.

So I was a little surprised to see him play a historical figure like John Dillinger in Public Enemies. He is a talented actor and can no doubt pull it off it’s just unusual to see him in a “normal” role. The movie follows the last days of the notorious bank robber who’s crime spree in 1933 captured the attention of the nation and the newly forming FBI. Christian Bale is also in the movie playing FBI agent Melvin Purvis who is charged with capturing Dillinger. His rather flat role and droll speech is in stark contrast to the flamboyant lifestyle of the charismatic bank robber who often jokes with the media after being captured.

It was fun watching the film’s story unfold and kept my attention despite a few scenes that dragged a bit. With all the summer block busters rolling by, you will probably miss this one, so catch Public Enemies on Netflix or your favorite movie rental place in the near future.

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

2009-07-18T09:54:00.002-04:00

Don’t get me wrong, I love the Harry Potter movies, but I don’t think this last one was the best. I get that it was supposed to be rather “dark” but that is not the issue I had with the film. There was just way too much high school romance going on with – one character loves this other character but they are seeing someone else – and the love potions and concoctions, etc. etc.

They could have cut all that out or lessened it, and it would have been much better in my mind. Finally I was a little disappointed with the ending. Apparently in the book there is a huge wizard battle at the end. We got none of that in the movie. Some are saying the film makers got lazy.

This was a “set-up” movie, much like Star Wars Empire Strikes Back. It leaves you wondering “What now?” I will tell you what now. For the final installment of the series, they plan on splitting the last book into two movies! Warner Brothers is certainly reluctant to end its Harry Potter cash cow. So Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part one will come in November 2010 and part two in July of 2011.

If you are fan, then of course you will enjoy seeing the characters on the big screen once again. This film will continue to be successful. Overall I enjoyed the film and loved the performance by Alan Rickman (Severus Snape). He is always fantastic. He draws his words out like a “buzzard pulling at entrails.”

So check out the latest Harry Potter and wear your shoes to bed if you sleep walk!

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

2009-07-09T09:46:00.004-04:00

More robots fighting, more Megan Fox, this super-sized sequel to Transformers is every adolescents dream! What’s not to love?

I enjoyed the film and if you liked the first one, then the sequel is must see material. But there were a couple of problems I had with the movie this go around.

First the language was a bit much. I’m no prude, but it would have been nice if Michael Bay had just made an exciting robot smashing action film and left out the bad language and sexual innuendos. There was a little of that in the first movie, but it wasn’t glaringly obvious like it is in the sequel. My ten year old is dying to see this one, and I can’t take him due to the fact that I don’t want him learning words that should not come out of a ten year olds mouth.

Nothing would have been taken away from the movie if the crassness had hit the cutting room floor. Secondly, Sam’s (I can’t spell his last name) parents were adorable in the first movie. The clueless but attentive parents added the perfect comedic balance to the seriousness (as much as a robot movie can be) of the situation.

In Revenge of the Fallen however, I thought they were way over-the-top. Almost to the point they were just annoying rather than funny. Fortunately John Turturro reprises his role and saves the day with several good laughs!

But those things aside, it was a fun ride seeing the transformers in action again. I wouldn’t be surprised if we will get a third movie. I am sure you already have, but if not, check out Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen!

The Taking of Pelham 123

2009-06-23T21:48:00.004-04:00

The Tony Scott remake of The Taking of Pelham 123 (1974) begs the question; Should Hollywood do remakes? I say YES! How else would I have ever got to see this gritty New York tale?

Pellam 123 got run over like a freight train by bigger summer movies on it’s opening weekend. This movie is a Hollywood re-make or upgrade to the 1974 film of the same name.

The modern version stars John Travolta and Denzel Washington. Travolta plays Ryder, a convict with a plan to trade hostages on a subway like commodities on the stock market. After taking the train over, he begins a rapport with a district train control center operator named Walter Garber played by Washington.

As Walter tries to learn as much as he can about Ryder, a few dark secrets are learned about Walter himself which adds some dimension to the characters. I thought the conversations were a little over the top between the two protagonists, but it was much better than the banter between Denzel and Clive Owen in Inside Man (sadly they are making Inside Man II).

The movie has a simple premise, a couple of mild action sequences, and really no other interesting character’s other than the mayor perhaps (James Gandolfini).

I enjoyed watching the plot unfold and knew it would “end badly” for one of the characters. But this was not a must see summer block buster by any means. I would recommend checking out Pellam 123 on Netflix!

Land of the Lost

2009-06-07T12:51:00.007-04:00

I grew up in the seventies watching the two seasons of the TV series, Land of the Lost. I was really hoping this movie would be a glorious reboot of that creative show. It wasn't

I mean I get that Will Ferrell is a comedian and he has his moments but I had hoped this wouldn't be another "Will Ferrell" flick. It was. Full of language, and sexual innuendo (this is no kid's film), and he even manages to offend Christians by making light of Jesus. (don't get me wrong, he did it in Talladega Nights and Christians do have a sense of humor, it was funny).

But overall I think the audience is getting over the tired Will Ferrell humor train. Box office sales were disappointing for LOTL on it's opening weekend, especially considering the film cost 100 million to make!

I'd definitely wait for the DVD rentals to check this one out if at all, cause soon it will be Lost in the Land of forgotten movies.

Terminator Salvation

2009-06-04T19:23:00.003-04:00

They're back!

Those pesky human killing machines have returned to the big screen. Not sure if this one could be called the best of the series, but I definitely enjoyed the movie! I am a big fan of the Terminator franchise and I am still bitter that FOX canceled Terminator: The Sarah Conner Chronicles.

This film is of course set farther into the future than the other movies and we finally get to see a grown up version of John Conner (Christian Bale). I will say the overall look of the film was awesome! Great action and excellent CG effects as one might expect.

The story was adequate but it flitted from character to character and the two main characters, John Conner and Markus battled for attention and so that resulted in weak character development for everyone. I really wanted the whole movie to be just about John Conner and his struggle to save mankind since the premise of the war against the machines is based on him. So I was a little disappointed in that regard. But there were pletny of throwbacks to the previous movies that were great.

Bottom line though, it was a great ride and I hope they make another one. So if you want to live, go check out Terminator Salvation before you are ..... Terminated.

Rest In Peace

2009-06-04T12:34:00.003-04:00

David Carradine

12/8/1936 - 06/04/2009

Angels and Demons

2009-05-18T20:52:00.003-04:00

Tom Hanks reprises his role as symbologist (how can i get that job?) Robert Langdon. This time the supreme church of Rome, the Vatican needs his help in solving the kidnapping of four cardinals. One of which may become the new pope.

It's a thrill ride of a movie that mixes a little bit of fact with a whole lot of fiction. Because of this the movie has had some controversy in religious circles. But we all know that kind of attention just makes people want to see it all the more.

Personally, it's just a fun film to watch and it is a well written thriller with a good plot twist. I think I mentioned in the Da Vinci Code, that Hank's character was rather bland and it's the same for this movie. He just kinda runs around Rome pointing and shouting "This way!"

But I think that is just the personality of the character he is playing, and therefore he makes an excellent professor. Check out the diabolical and angelic Angels and Demons!

Star Trek

2009-05-14T07:03:00.006-04:00

I was a huge Star Trek fan when I was a kid (and still am). So I was totally pumped up to see this new "reboot" of the franchise by J.J. Abrams. I was not disappointed! Just like they brought Spock back to life in the third movie with the original crew, Abrams has breathed new life into a favorite Sci-Fi universe.

This movie gives a fresh look at how the original Enterprise crew comes together. It is an action packed film with very little to complain about. Zarchary Quinto totally nails Spock! I was worried about having visions of Sylar from HEROES, but he does such a great job of channeling Spock, that I never even thought of his other show. His voice is not as deep as Nimoy's but that isn't really his fault.

Chris Pine does a decent job of subtly channeling Kirk, and some of his mannerisms. Unfortunately he has a couple of scenes that turn out to be a little "hokey." I'll blame the writers for that rather than the actor. For example he has an allergic reaction to some medicine that doctor McCoy gives him and is causes him to have "Fat Hands." Now I am sure the scene was meant to be funny and humorous (what's the difference?) But it just came across as silly to me and should have made the cutting floor.

I was surprised that Nimoy had such a major role in the movie. I thought perhaps just a cameo. But in the end I guess it was a good way to "pass the torch" over to the new crew. I loved the film and hope they make five or six with the new crew. All the other actors did a great job with their characters and each was given ample screen time to make their characters shine.

So if you have never been a Trekkie, now is the time to start people! Set phasers to kill, and drive at maximum warp speed to the local theater and check out the new Star Trek!!

Wolverine

2009-05-04T20:20:00.005-04:00

I never followed the X-Men comic series, but I understand they are good. I mean I guess so since they made three, well now four films based on them.

I have followed the movies, as I like super-hero films. (I grew up watching Shazam!).

Wolverine was another great flick, and on par with the other X-Men films if not a little toned down. Was it as good as Ironman or *gasp* The Dark Knight? Pa Shaw! (Does anyone still say that?) Of course it wasn't.

But if you are an X-Men faithful, or need a super-hero fix, then you won't be disappointed with Wolverine's Origin movie. It has a cast of colorful characters, a typical comic book story line, and ties the character in nicely with the other X-Films. Hugh Jackman is perfect for the part!

So slither, teleport, fly, or use whatever mutated mode of transportation you have and check out X-MEN ORIGINS: Wolverine!

Crank 2: High Voltage

2009-05-04T19:59:00.004-04:00

Yeah I saw it. So sue me. I love Jason Statham. And by "love" I mean a strictly platonic appreciation of his on screen presence. I first saw him in The Italian Job (2003) and thought he had potential.

So when I saw I had somehow missed Crank, in which he stars, I immediately ordered it on Netflix. It was an unusual film to say the least. Crank 2 is just as twisted and bizarre as the first one. In Crank, his character, Chev Chelios (I want to say Cheerios) is injected with some Oriental ninja poison that's going to kill him in an hour unless he keeps his adrenalin pumping.

He manages to stay alive and the sequel picks up where the first one left off. To the very second. In this continuation of the insanity, his prized heart (cause it withstands the poison) is stolen and replaced with an artificial one. But alas the battery pack only lasts for a little while and now he must keep shocking himself (see where the High Voltage comes in?) to stay alive as he tries to get his original blood pumping organ back.

This movie plays out like a video game, the main character never dies, just like a video game and this fact makes him so appealing as the invincible protagonist. Crank 2 never takes itself serious and neither should you. I only watch, like a car wreck you can't turn away from, to see what weirdness happens next.

This type of movie is not for the faint of heart (pun fully intended). I recommend Netflix, but watch Benjamin Button and Valkyrie first. In fact Netflix will probably be your only venue as I am sure it will be out of theaters by the time you read this. Cheers!

Fast and Furious 4

2009-04-12T20:58:00.003-04:00

Brian O'Conner (Paul Walker), now working for the FBI in LA, teams up with Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) to bring down a heroin importer by infiltrating his operation.

The actors reunite for yet another installment in the franchise that brings you fast cars, crime, hot girls, and car chases. Brian and Dominic are both gunning for a Mexican crime lord named Braga (John Ortiz) one wants justice and one wants revenge.

I thought this film was on par with the first one, meaning if you liked the first one then you will enjoy this one as well. It delivers on what you expect from this type of popcorn flick. There were a few contrived scenes but they were forgivable as the movie flowed well. It was a fun ride! (pun intended).

So jump in your 10 sec car, speed to the theater and check out Fast and Furious!

Knowing

2009-04-04T22:06:00.006-04:00

Most people either like or don't like Nicolas Cage. I fall in the generally-like category. I like his voice and onscreen quirks. Lately though I have noticed that they have trouble with his hair. They are always dying it jet black and the style (if you can call it that) looks horrible. Next and Bangkok Dangerous are just a couple of examples I can think of. It looks passable in this movie.

But enough about the main actor (and his hair), what about the movie, Knowing? The story or the premise deals with determination versus chaotic randomness. Does everything that happens in our world or the universe have meaning or a purpose? Or is it all just a cosmic accident that we are even here?

A scientist's son gets a strange piece of paper from his school's 50 year old time capsule. He notices that the numbers written on the paper correspond to tragic events that take place on earth. 9/11 for example. He frantically starts trying to figure out what events will take place next and he tries to stop them. Will he succeed?

I must say the special effects for the three disasters that happen are outstanding. They were jaw dropping and I think it's worth seeing this film on the big screen just for those stunning sequences! Really well done.

The story makes you think and wonder if and when all this stuff we call life on planet Earth might end, so I give it an extra star for making you ponder long after the credits have rolled.

So if you want an exciting film, that keeps you wondering to the every end (pardon the pun), and you like contemplating the meaning of life then definitely check out Knowing!

Race to Witch Mountain

2009-03-21T16:53:00.004-04:00

This re-imagining of the 1975 film, Escape to Witch Mountain is good clean Disney fun! It has the same flavor as the 1975 film and the 1978 follow up Return to Witch Mountain. Those films really inspired my imagination and it was nostalgic goodness to take my son to see the new film starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson (Jack Bruno), Anna Sophie Robb (Sarah), and Alexander Ludwig (Seth).

It's a simple story of two young aliens crashing on Earth to retrieve an experiment for their own dying planet. Our military coldly captures their space ship and hunts them down. Fortunately they hook up with a down and out taxi driver who gets caught up in their quest to save earth from invasion.

The acting was a little forced and I would liked to have seen better lines for the humorous parts but overall I enjoyed the ride! There were even cameo appearances of the original two space kids. Kim Richards (Tina the waitress) who played Tia Malone and Ike Eisenmann (Sheriff Antony) who played Tony Malone in the previous Witch Mountain movies)

So checkout Race to Witch Mountain with the kids before the real Star Trek hits the big screen in May!

Watchmen

2009-03-14T13:19:00.007-04:00

I had no prior relationship with Alan Moore’s graphical novel on which this movie is based. I was the run of the mill super hero fanboy of Superman, Batman, and Spiderman. (OK throw in Wonder Woman just to balance it out a little).

But make no mistake, Watchmen is anything but "run of the mill." It is an adult superhero film, with adult sex scenes, graphic violence, and adult language and themes. So don't take the kiddies to this one.

It is very dark almost to the point of depressing. Overall it was a compelling story with very interesting characters. Unfortunately I thought it lacked emotional depth. That may be debateable as the character's struggle with love, morality, and humanity itself. But I didn't find myself overly connecting with the character's just basically watching the story unfold.

Speaking of the story, it differs from most superhero flicks in that they don't battle some arch enemy or super villian, rather it is a "who done it" mystery and how they deal with it in the end.

I also thought the film lacked any humor at all. Would have loved the Comedian to have lived up to his name, rather he was the opposite, everything he did was far from funny. Maybe that's the point and the jokes' on me. The scenes in the prison had a few smiles, but each one was followed by a grimace.

From what I have heard, director Zack Synder has stayed true to the famous graphic novel and fans will no doubt enjoy seeing the character's brought to life. In fact the sets and special effects are quite impressive. The blue glowing Dr. Manhatten is a pleasure to watch.

Who watches the Watchmen? I do! Check out the Watchmen on the big screen!

The International

2009-02-16T16:07:00.003-05:00

I loved Clive Owen since I saw him play King Arthur in Arthur. However since then, he has been in some real stinkers (IMHO); Children of Men, Inside Man, and the gosh awful Shoot Em Up. However, he may have finally redeemed himself in The International. He plays a determined Interpol Agent trying to bring an International bank to justice that has killed anyone who gets in its way.

Owen’s character, Louis Salinger, is slightly over the top at times, but never got too annoying. He gets help from Naomi Watts (Eleanor Whitman). She helps balance his character out and their chemistry works fairly well.

The film’s plot doesn’t get overly convoluted but has enough twists and turns to keep it interesting. It’s kind of like a giant episode of Law and Order. There is also plenty of excitement as well. A fabulous shootout at the Guggenheim in New York! They must have recreated the museum on the set because they shoot that place literally to pieces.

This was a much better day at the movies than when I saw Taken and I recommend this film over it. So if you win the battle with your wife or girl friend on whether to see a “chick flick” (He’s Just Not That Into You) or a guy movie, then check out The International. If you lost that battle, then you have my condolences.

Taken

2009-02-16T15:37:00.002-05:00

I can’t say anything really bad about this movie, but it didn’t blow me away either.
It stars Liam Neeson (Bryan Mills) who is an ex-CIA operative, a “preventer” as he calls himself. He is very paranoid and distrustful of the world, and for good reason, he has seen a lot of bad things in his career. He tries to shield his daughter from them, but she rejects his over-protectiveness as absurd. She wants to go oversees with a friend and needs his permission to leave the country. He reluctantly gives in and his worst nightmare comes true when she is abducted.

The plot was fine, the acting was fine, and the cinematography was fine. This of course all adds up to a “flat-line.” The film had no real pulse. The plots had no twists and turns, the actors, especially Neeson’s character were all two-dimensional. Neeson lacks the suave and pithiness of James Bond, and the style and excitement (for lack of a better term) than Jason Bourne. Maybe the writers didn’t want to emulate those characters but that is what makes them memorable.

So if you find yourself at the movies wondering what intriguing film to see, check out The International over Taken. The International has a heartbeat compared to Taken. I recommend catching Taken when it’s available on Netflix! (Netflix really should share the love and give me a kickback, don’t ya think?)

PUSH

2009-02-12T23:25:00.004-05:00

WARNING! Do not go see this Heroes lame rip-off!

This movie was really bad! I get it. Heroes is a great show, so lets rip that off and make a movie. Sounds like a cool idea. But the story, the acting, the effects, all stunk! Little psychic girl Dakota Fanning? I didn't buy her character for a second.

The film was boring, the effects and "super powers" were "stupid powers."

I need to give this film a one star rating, but I guess I will give it two cause it wanted to be really cool and it was consistantly lame from start to finish.

Don't even Netflix this one folks (Now that is harsh). Netflix JUMPER (It was much more fun!) instead and push PUSH to the curb!

Underworld: Rise of the Lycans

2009-02-05T21:21:00.003-05:00

I wish I had had time to go back and watch the first two films again. Seeing Kate Beckinsale in leather again would certainly be worth it.

The new movie, Rise of the Lycans is a pre-quel sans Beckinsale. (Well that's not entirely true, but you'll have to see the movie to know what I mean.) Instead we get a Kate look-a-like, Rhona Mitra.

She plays Viktor's (Bill Nighy) Daughter Sonja. She falls in love with the head Lycan and it causes a war. It was standard Underworld fare, and I liked it as good as the other films.

Check it out!

Defiance

2009-01-31T15:48:00.003-05:00

This movie wasn't bad. But it wasn't really great either. Daniel Craig makes an excellent bond, but a Russia Jew? Not buying it. The film is about a province in Russia coming under German occupation. The Germans even enlist the Russians to help "hunt down" the Jews in the neighborhood.

Based on a true story, Tuvia Bielski (Craig) and his brothers take in Jewish refuges and hide them in the forest. There they build a camp and community to hide from the Germans and try to survive the harsh winter. There is lots of death in the beginning and lots of crying. Then they take the fight to the Germans. During all this the brothers fight with each other.

The film didn't flow very well and seemed a little disjointed. The best part of the movie was seeing all the World War II gun I use in the game Call of Duty: World at War!

It's defiantely worth renting the movie, especially if you are a WWII history buff. And it is a great story of survival and makes you wonder how you would react if you found yourself in the same situation. Would you be Defiant?

Gran Torino

2009-01-19T21:04:00.004-05:00

Best movie of 2009! I loved this film! Clint Eastwood is hilarious! It was not what I was expecting at all. Walt Kawalski (Eastwood) has recently lost his wife, but the film isn't about him adjusting to being alone. It's about him living in a changing world and letting go of his past (as a Koren War Vet) and finding peace.

It's a very heart warming film, but make no mistake, Clint still has his outlaw, Dirty Harry presence that kicks butt and takes names. I would never mess with Mr. Eastwood!

Don't let this one pass you by! Check out Gran Torino!

Happy New Year!

2008-12-31T23:27:00.001-05:00

~~~Here's looking forward to a New Year at the Movies!~~~

The Spirit

2008-12-26T22:37:00.004-05:00

The Spirit is, pardon the pun, shot in the same "spirit" as SIN CITY was. Meaning blood is either bright red or stark white. It has the cheesy lines, the absurd over-the-top action, that defines this rather new style, or the Frank Miller style, just as you can spot a Tim Burton movie five miles away, Miller leaves his indelible and bloody thumbprint on his movies.

Well the film definitely accomplishes whatever it was that it set out to do, and knowing what I was in for, I was able to claim that I had an hour and a half of entertainment. (That's why we go to the movies right?)

There is no Oscar winning performances here, and no heart-felt or even a tree hugger message to walk away from this movie with. Perhaps that's the point. Maybe that's the point of comic books from which this film gets it source material. We buy it, we read its gritty frames, and we escaped into someone else's world for a few hours.

So if you want to escape this color filled existence and delve into some mindless black and white ogling of hot females and big guns, then by all means check out The Spirit.

YES man

2008-12-19T14:05:00.005-05:00

There's only one question to ask. Should you go see this movie? YES!

I usually pan comedies on the big screen, thinking that I don't need the theater to see a bunch of witty one liners. But for some reason (the smell of buttered pop corn) I decided to stroll over to the Riviera and check out Jim Carrey's latest pursuit of hilarity.(He's still got it!)

Karl (Jim Carrey) is recently divorced and down in the dumps as a result. He's clammed up and shut everyone and everything out of his life. Until an old friend invites him to a motivational seminar and he decides to give the program a try. Things immediately begin to turn around for him as he goes through life saying yes to every opportunity. He even finds a new love interest (Zooey Descchanel).

So I suppose this was really a romantic comedy hidden in the packaging of a comedy, cause I didn't pick up on that in the trailer. I know i'm going overboard here, but Carrey is really charming in this movie and the film exceeded my expectations. It does drag a little at the end but quickly rebounds for the candy coated happy ending we all know and love.

This was a fun ride and makes a great date movie! So don't be a NO man and check out YES man!

The Day The Earth Stood Still

2008-12-14T20:13:00.003-05:00

This is a remake of a classic that started the whole Sci-Fi genre along with Forbidden Planet (which they are also remaking). I was excited for this movie, because I have enjoyed sci-fi shows and films for years.

I don't remember the message of the original film, but this one carried a big green message about mother earth and what the parasites known as humans are doing to her. Aliens are ticked off that we are destroying the earth and they have come to eradicate us and save the planet which is only one of a handful capable of sustaining life in the universe.

Overall I enjoyed the movie. It had a solid story, nice effects, good actors. But I think it could have been so much more. In the end they must convince the alien to let the humans live, and I was disappointed how that developed. It could have been much more powerful , much more compelling. I also thought they went a little soft on showing the atrocities that humans are capable of. All they presented were clips of a few riots. Heck I see that in the news, and I barely notice it. Despite that, I liked the movie. I won't give it a 'must see' but check out The Day The Earth Stood Still when it's released on DVD!

Punisher: War Zone

2008-12-11T19:39:00.003-05:00

Fighting his one man war on the world of organized crime, ruthless vigilante-hero Frank Castle (Ray Stevenson) sets his sights on over-the-top mob boss Billy Russoti (Dominic West). After Russoti is left horribly disfigured by Castle, he sets out for vengeance under his new alias--Jigsaw. With the Police "Punisher Task Force" and the FBI unable to take Jigsaw in, Frank must stand up to the formidable army that Jigsaw has recruited before more of his evil deeds go unpunished.

This movie reminded me a little of the more campy Batman movies that came out, like the George Clooney Batman, with Arnold as Mr. Freeze. I think I liked the first Punisher Movie (Thomas Jane) a little better. This film truly was a Live Action Comic Book.

It was two hours of gratuitous and graphic violence (were talking heads exploding like melons, etc.) and over the top villians and a gun blasting, knife stabbing hero. Well if that's what turns your crank then you'll be richly rewarded. If it turns your stomach, then stay away from Punisher War Zone!

Transporter 3

2008-11-27T09:52:00.002-05:00

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

2008-11-21T15:57:00.003-05:00

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

2008-11-14T14:52:00.006-05:00

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

2008-11-14T14:38:00.004-05:00

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!"

Max Payne

2008-10-18T11:49:00.005-04:00

I was really looking forward to this film as soon as I saw the preview. I enjoyed playing the game Max Payne which the film is based on. It was an XBOX game about a detective whose family is killed over a new drug.

The film, just like the game is dark and gritty. We find Max Payne in the basement of the police station, working the desk of the cold case unit. After three years he is still looking for his wife's killer.

The story is good, the premise is fantastic. (Hey that's why they made a movie!) But I found the film was definitely lacking something. The writing and acting was sub-par. Mark Wahlberg was underwhelming. The scenes were disjointed and forced. I wanted to like the movie, I really wanted to be on board, but it fell a bit flat. I think Beau Bridges was miscast as well.

The sex scenes were not. Max Payne was not bad-a** enough, and the movie therefore was not up to par. I seem to be on a roll here for Netflix recommendations! I say pass on Max Payne for now.

City of Ember

2008-10-18T11:35:00.003-04:00

You are kinda just along for the ride on this movie. Based on a book (children's?) it's the tale of an underground city created by scientists during a nuclear holocaust taking place on the surface. They fill the city with babies and a few guardians that will grow up underground for generations over the next 200 years.

It's illegal for anyone to venture out into the darkness surrounding the city, but as the city's generator begins to fail, and food supplies dwindle, two young kids decide to find an exit from the City of Ember.

It's not a bad tale, and they try hard to create suspense, they try hard to develop the characters, but it was lacking overall in drawing me into the world that they have created. I was constantly aware that I was in a movie theater, just watching a story unfold. I never felt a part of it, never felt drawn in.

I enjoyed the performances by Tim Robbins, Martin Landau (I thought he was dead), and even Bill Murray as the mayor, but it wasn't enough for me to recommend rushing to the theater for this one. Check City of Ember out on video or Netflix!

Body of Lies

2008-10-12T17:55:00.004-04:00

If you like watching Russell Crowe take his kids to soccer and look over the top of his glasses for two hours, then you'll love Body of Lies. Actually it wasn't that bad. But they would have had a much better film without Crowe's character. Don't get me wrong, I have huge respect for Russell Crowe and he is an amazing actor. But I feel he was miscast for the part.

Dicaprio did a decent job, making me believe he is a hard core CIA field agent, he almost over sold it. But I thought he did a solid job. The film carries the message that the Iraq War was a bad idea, but it doesn't cram that message down your throat, it's more subtle.

The film seems to lose a little steam toward the end, but it picks back up for the grand finish. There's a little cross-cultureal love story thrown which we could have done without but they needed it for the big finish.

Overall the movie accomplished what it set out to do, but you'd be just as satisfied Netflixing this one at home, check out Body of Lies by putting it in your queue in a few months.

Eagle Eye

2008-10-04T10:31:00.003-04:00

Shia LaBeouf has been rolling out the hits lately; Transformers, Indy Jones Four, and now Eagle Eye.

Jerry (LaBeouf) and Rachel (Michelle Monaghan) are two strangers thrown together by a mysterious phone call from a woman they have never met. Threatening their lives and family, she pushes Jerry and Rachel into a series of increasingly dangerous situations, using the technology of everyday life to track and control their every move. (IMDB)

There's no Oscar material here, but the story and acting is solid enough. It never seems to drag and builds enough suspense to keep it interesting. It's slim pickens if you are movie goer coming off the summer blockbusters.

So if you're in the mood for a decent "popcorn" flick, then there is a Porsche Cayenne waiting for you outside. Get in and drive to the nearest theater. You have 15 minutes. Desertion is not an option.

Burn After Reading

2008-09-12T14:23:00.006-04:00

I was so excited to see this movie. I mean it's the insanity of the Coen Brothers! I loved Oh Brother Where Art Thou?

This film was a HUGE disappointment! After exactly one hour into the movie, I finally laughed. I was rolling on the floor in the first 3-5 minutes of Oh Brother and I never stopped. I think I only laughed out loud once during this entire weak sauce of a Coen Brother presentation.

It's about a CIA analyst quitting his job, meanwhile his wife and every other person in the movie is having an affair, a couple of not-to-bright fitness trainers find a CD they think has top secret info on it and try to turn it into money, meanwhile the CIA, and private eyes are watching everyone, and through a series of wrong place at the wrong time, and avid paranoia, the story unfolds.

It's not that the story wasn't interesting, or that the character's weren't colorful or not doing a terrific acting job. Heck Brad Pitt was awesome as usual; he played a moron perfectly. So what was wrong with this flick? It was not funny. Not at all. I would have put money on this one as the top comedy of 2008. But you would be much better off going to see Pineapple Express or Tropic Thunder.

At the End of Burn After Reading, the CIA director says, "What have we learned? Heck if I know! But let's not do it again." I hope the Coen Brothers have learned something as well and don't do this again! Catch it on cable one day peeps!

Bangkok Dangerous

2008-09-05T14:33:00.003-04:00

Did you see No Country for Old Men? I liked the movie till the ending. Why? Because it did not have the typical "Hollywood" ending that I was expecting, or wanting for that matter since I have been trained or brain-washed over the years to expect a happily ever after ending. Sure the film makers have the right to buck the trend and give us the unexpected, just so long as I can't tell they are doing it just for the sake of bucking the trend. Confused yet?

Well Bangkok Dangerous, starring Nicolas Cage as an assassin (Joe) has an ending that I didn't expect either. But was it a good movie? I'd have to say that I liked it. Except for Nic Cage's hair! What is up with that? It's like the make-up department doesn't know what to do with it. So they dye it jet black and leave it a stringy tangled mess. He had the exact same hair in NEXT, it is awful looking.

Okay, enough about the bad hair. In this film the assassin, Joe leads a lonely life (go figure). He starts thinking about retirement and finding someone special to spend his days with. He just has a few more kills and then he can be out for good. He has four simple rules he lives by, and trouble begins when he starts breaking them.

Overall the acting and actions scenes fall a little flat (like his hair), but the plot moves along well enough to keep you interested. No need to check out Bangkok Dangerous at the theater, I'd add it to your Netflix queue. Cheers!

Babylon AD

2008-08-30T09:54:00.006-04:00

I really wanted this movie to be great. The trailer of course got me excited for it. And while it wasn't a bad movie overall it still had its flaws.

Veteran-turned-mercenary Thoorop (Vin Diesel) takes the high-risk job of escorting a woman (Melanie Thierry) and her mentor (Michelle Yeoh) from Russia to America in a near post apocalyptic war-torn future. Little does he know that she is host to an organism that a cult wants to harvest in order to produce a genetically modified Messiah.

I will say that the settings were well done, you really get the feeling that Russia is in tatters from territorial fighting and corruption (art imitating life?), and the future gadgets, cars, and buildings were a nice touch to create a near-future atmosphere.

The film moves along pretty well with a balanced mix of action and exposition, but begins to unravel when they finally reach their destination and the plot becomes a little confusing and convoluted. (Note to Robert Downey Jr.: Don't go see this movie..you won't get it.)

Not much character development other than Thoorop (what a freakin name?) transforms from a hard-core mercenary to a... (well I can't say what he becomes that would spoil the movie) Let's just say he goes soft. And as for the girl he is protecting, we learn her life's story, but it had little effect on me and I did not care what happened to her character. I cared more about Michelle Yeoh's character than any of them.

I'm struggling between two stars (didn't like it) and three stars (liked it). I think I will lean towards liked it, just because I like Vin Diesel, and the settings were nice. But I would recommend Netflix or renting Babylon AD rather than spending your gas money going to the movies.

Deathrace

2008-08-22T16:21:00.004-04:00

A remake of the awesome classic 1975 movie Deathrace 2000 starring David Carradine. This time Jason Statham is the star. It's a simple, violent over the top film that does what it is supposed to. Make us cheer for more!

In the year 2012, in response to the collapsing American economy, shady corporations have taken over the prison system and reap huge profits by staging gladiatorial pay-per-view contests among the prisoners. They can win five races and be set free.

Their star racer, Frankenstein is killed after winning four races and the psychotic warden, an ice-queen named Hennessey (Joan Allen), decides to secretly replace him with Jensen Ames (Statham), a former race car driver, so she can keep her ratings up. She promises him freedom, but has no plans to let him escape.

So naturally with help from his "team" he makes his own plans and B-Movie mayhem explodes onto the screen. I loved this thrill ride remake! It's rated R so leave the kiddies at home and buckle up for car flippin fun. Check out Deathrace!

Star Wars: The Clone Wars

2008-08-16T11:17:00.005-04:00

This animated feature film was better than I expected. The action was furious, almost too much action! How many times can we see a droid sliced in half by a light saber? How many times can we see a Jedi use the force to retrieve a dropped saber and turn it on in the last second to block an incoming strike?

But you can't say the movie was boring. However I did not like the movie's premise. And by that I mean the mission Anakin and his new padawan are sent on. I won't spoil it but I thought the story was weak and a bit silly. Not Jar-Jar silly, but still...maybe I am getting to old for Star Wars. *gasp*

The animation was a bit "blocky" and a different style, but I didn't mind that. The soundtrack was the most surprising! I loved it. Even the familiar opening music seemed to have an edge to it and there were new beats and rhythms I have not heard in the previous films. I'll have to get the score.

Overall if you are a Star Wars fan boy, you'll go see this, and if the kids are dying to see it, then by all means pick up the plactic red/green/blue/purple light saber off the playroom floor and check out THE CLONE WARS!

PS- From what I hear, this is a pre-lude to a new animated series coming to Cartoon Network.

The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor

2008-08-02T21:02:00.004-04:00

This is the third installment of the Mummy series. Hey if it's making money why stop? Brendon Fraser reprises his roll as Rick O'Connell, but Rachel Weisz is AWOL. Instead Maria Bello replaces her as Evelyn "EV" O'Connell. They mix things up a bit this time around with the O'Connell's having a boring life and a grown up son, Alex O'Connel (Luke Ford).

But they keep the same formula as the previous films. Ancient mummy comes to life, tries to kill them, Insert comic relief by John Carnahan (John Hannah) and add a crazy pilot (Liam Cunningham) named Mad Dog Maguire. Luke Ford plays O'Connell's son pretty well but he is no Brendon Fraser. I liked Maria Bello better than Weisz for the Role of O'Connell's wife.

The film starts out as Alex O'Connell follows in his father's footsteps in discovering ancient trap filled tombs. Meanwhile back at home Mom and Dad are living a boring, dull life. And I don't know if it was intentional, but the first half of the movie was rather dull and boring as well. A far cry from the relentless action packed trailers that have filled the TV screen nightly for the past four months! Could they over-promote a movie anymore than this one? There is even an Olympic/China tie-in trailer.

Things don't get interesting until of course they awaken the mummy and the action finally begins. But as I said before, nothing new here. Jet Li as the Emperor was a nice choice but he was not as charismatic as the previous mummy, Imhotep played by Arnold Vosloo. They tried to add a new twist with a love interest for Alex O'Connell but it felt forced and you really didn't care for the character's too much.

But Overall, if you are a fan of the previous two mummys (well same mummy TWICE), then you'll have to see this one. This film seems to herald the end of the summer block busters. It has been a fabulous year for movies!

PS- You may not know or care, but a prequel film, The Scorpion King starring The Rock was created from the first Mummy movie. Well in the theater they showed a trailer for the prequel to the prequel if you can believe that! The Scorpion King 2 goes straight to DVD 8/19!

X-Files 2

2008-07-27T11:13:00.002-04:00

Mulder and Scully are together again in this decade-too-late second movie. And boy are they together! Were they able to recapture that fantastic chemistry they had back in the day?

Yes they did. It was just like watching an extended episode of the X-files. Loved it! Chris Carter decided to stay away from the alien-conspiracy theme from the series. Some people were disappointed by that, but not me. I could barely follow the convoluted plot line when I was watching the show, much less remember any of the details after so many years. I was worried about Billy Connolly's role as Father Joe, but he pulled it off well.

If you're a die hard X-Files fan, you've probably already grabbed your sunflower seeds and headed to the theater. If you've never seen the X-Files, you'll miss a few subtle throwbacks to the series, but the movie stands alone as a good murder-mystery thriller. So cue the eerie music and check out the latest X-Files!

Meet Dave

2008-07-27T09:25:00.002-04:00

I thought this movie would be silly, corny, goofy, and absurd. What I discovered was that i was right! It was silly, corny, goofy, and absurd. But you know what? It was fun to watch. I had a great time! I guess since I knew it was silly and that was the their goal, it was a success. I just sat back and enjoyed the ride.

There were plenty of laughs, the film was the right length, and kept my interest so I never felt bored. The website is surprisingly fun as well MeetDaveMovie.

So if your looking for a way to spend a few hours on a lazy Saturday or Sunday afternoon, check out Meet Dave!

The Dark Knight

2008-07-18T15:36:00.001-04:00

BEST BATMAN MOVIE EVER. (nuff said)

Hellboy II: Golden Army

2008-07-12T09:55:00.003-04:00

Hmmm. Hellboy 2. What can I say? More of the same? Maybe not. I think the characters seemed more developed, the story was good with interesting characters, monsters, and villains, and it was written and directed by Guillermo del Toro (Pan's Labyrinth).

So overall I'd have to say that this sequel bucks the trend (that most sequels suck) and was actually a decent continuation of the first film. I had fun watching it and I thought the visual effects were top shelf!

So if you are a Hellboy fan, or a "We made a movie out of this comic book" genre lover, then by all means, wake the baby and check out Hellboy II.

Hancock

2008-07-07T20:57:00.003-04:00

Obviously this was not your typical superhero movie. It comes with a couple of nice twists. One you already know, Hancock is an uncouth, rude, and belligerent superguy with anger issues. The other twist, is you'll have to see the movie to find out.

The film was not without it's problems, in my always correct opinion. The dialogue or really the fact that everyone in the movie happens to use the same curse word when referring to Hancock (that would be A-Hole), which also happens to be the word that triggers his anger, was annoying and distracted from the story I thought.

The other problem was the villains in the film. While I think they were mainly used as background to the true story, it was still weak. There is no super villain to fight against or even a natural suspenseful disaster that Hancock has to overcome as is typical in most super movies. But again this was not the typical "Save the Earth" film anyway. So I guess we couldn't expect that. But the few bad guys in it were pretty lame.

Despite those minor issues you couldn't help but like Hancock, just like his friend played by Jason Bateman, and even his wife (Charlize Theron) ends up liking him. but with Will Smith playing Hancock how could you not like his character?

So if you are looking for something a little different and a break from the typical super-hero movies that are rolling out this summer (Ironman, Hulk, Batdood, and Hellboy Deuce), then take a wobbly flight over to the theater and check out HANCOCK!

Wanted

2008-06-28T22:40:00.003-04:00

I did not have high expectations for this movie, even with the star power of Morgan Freeman (Sloan) and Angelina Jolie (Fox). It looked like it could really be silly and ridiculously over the top. And at times it certainly was, but it kept me along for the ride anyways. I was on board, and ready for a popcorn flick with plenty of stunts and cgi.

James McAvoy (Wesley Gibson) did a decent job and overall I enjoyed the film up until the big finish. That's where it went off the rails, literally. The end was so silly and over-the-top that I was sad for it. If they had just carried through and not gotten so crazy, it would have been a fun flick all the way, but this was a case where I hope the DVD has an alternate ending!

By the way, kudos to Trojan for their product placement, I am sure sales will sore, especially watermelon flavor. With Blockbusters still rolling out like WALL"E and THE DARK KNIGHT, I would catch Wanted on NetFlix or Cable!

Get Smart

2008-06-21T20:41:00.005-04:00

I watched this show religiously when I was a kid. As Star Trek was the beginning of my love for all things Sci-Fi, Get Smart was the beginning of my love for all things spy. From The Saint, to James Bond, to Bourne. I love a good spy flick. Of course Get Smart is all in it for laughs and you really can't compare him to Bond. (Or can you?) He gets cool cars, cool gadgets, and Agent 99.

I was afraid they would get "Will Farrell" stupid and over the top with Get Smart, but they did an excellent job of keeping everything on an even keel and things were funny enough to have your rolling in the floor and not rolling your eyes at the ceiling! Steve Carell does a great job with his role in The Office and he is no less superb here. And Anne Hathaway makes a feisty Agent 99. They surprisingly give the characters amazing depth for a comedy.

This re-make of the series was a fun ride and I can highly recommend it! Find the nearest phone booth and check out Get Smart!

The Incredible HULK

2008-06-19T20:13:00.002-04:00

Two Liv Tyler movies back to back. WooT! Well I am a week late with this review!! Sorry, been busy. Kid broke his arm and stuff :(

Let's just cut to the chase on this one shall we? THIS HULK was better than the last Hulk or the First hulk movie. (Even though I didn't think the first one was too bad.)

But having said that, it was still not as good as IRONMAN. So if you haven't seen Ironman, see it first! But if you are a marvel fan then you have already seen Ironman and by now Hulk. It is a must see for the superhero movie fan.

Norton did a good Bruce Banner. It was nice to see them give a nod to Bill Bixby at the start of the movie, and of course Stan Lee makes a customary appearance. (Maybe that Hulk Juice finally did him in!) And the surprise cameo at the end was cool, like the one at the end of Ironman. At least they didn't make you sit through the credits this time.

Hey go see this movie or .... HULK SMASH!!!!!

The Strangers

2008-05-31T11:01:00.003-04:00

The trailer seemed very intriguing and I was excited to see Liv Tyler (Kristen McKay) as the leading lady. The premise of the film was very similar to the 2007 film, Vacancy, that starred Kate Beckinsale and Luke Wilson. In both films the couple has relationship issues and they are trapped in a secluded area, and attacked by sadistic psychopaths.

However, The Strangers is just another slasher movie and brings nothing new to the genre. I hated the way the movie ended. I thought is was uncreative, unimaginative and disgusting. The movie uses old tricks to illicit the few scares and thrills that is does have.

There are several better movies out right now and more summer blockbusters coming, so save your movie bucks for those and pass on The Strangers!

Indiana Jones: KOTCS

2008-05-24T12:15:00.002-04:00

Spielberg and Lucas just couldn't leave those extraterrestrials out of it could they? Indy is back along with his old flame, Marrion (Karen Allen), and newcomer Henry Jones III (Shia Leboeuf).
Hey it's an Indy movie--It's got creepy tombs, crawling bugs, natives with blow darts, and long fight scenes with evil foreign powers. (And boy are the russkies pissed about it).

Cate Blanchett (Irina Spalko) plays the evil villian. She was more amusing than evil. But I loved seeing Indy in action one more time! Go check out Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull!

Speed Racer

2008-05-18T15:44:00.004-04:00

Hurtling down the track, careening around, over and through the competition, Speed Racer (Emile Hirsch) is a natural behind the wheel. Born to race cars, Speed is aggressive, instinctive and, most of all, fearless. His only real competition is the memory of the brother he idolized-the legendary Rex Racer - whose death in a race has left behind a legacy that Speed is driven to fulfill. Speed is loyal to the family racing business, led by his father, Pops Racer (John Goodman), the designer of Speed's thundering Mach 5. When Speed turns down a lucrative and tempting offer from Royalton Industries, he not only infuriates the company's maniacal owner but uncovers a terrible secret-some of the biggest races are being fixed by a handful of ruthless moguls who manipulate the top drivers to boost profits. If Speed won't drive for Royalton, Royalton will see to it that the Mach 5 never crosses another finish line. The only way for Speed to save his family's business and the sport he loves is to beat Royalton at his own game. With the support of his family and his loyal girlfriend, Trixie (Christina Ricci), Speed teams with his one-time rival-the mysterious Racer X (Matthew Fox) - to win the race that had taken his brother's life: the death-defying, cross-country rally known as The Crucible. Written by Warner Bros. Pictures

WHEW, that was a mouthful and that's why I didn't write it! I grew up watching Speed Racer, loved it. The live action film nearly mimics that anime cartoon, maybe they should have just done an animated feature film?

I was excited to take my kids to see this, and they were excited to see it. After all McDonald's was shoving Speed Racers cars down our throats through the Happy Meals and the boys begged for cereal boxes containing them. I was very disappointed while watching the movie that there were "Simpson-Like" jokes in the dialogue, along with adult words that you would never have heard on Saturday morning cartoons.

There's no way the kids could even begin to follow the convoluted plot lines, heck I had trouble myself. But maybe they didn't have to, as with the cartoon, we just wanted to see the races and cool cars. Overall the film matches the over the top style of the cartoon, and it was fun to see them brought to life, so if you are nostalgic about having the hots for Trixie, check out Speed Racer!

Narnia: Prince Caspian

2008-05-17T21:59:00.003-04:00

The four kings of Narnia are summoned back to the magical land after being home for a year. (Or 1000 years in Narnia) I thought this sequel was much less magical that the first. The characters, new and old were not as interesting as in the first one. Once again Narnia is threatened with a massive battle and the war drums beat, and armies are assembled and marched. Not nearly as dramatic as the first film, this second take had something missing.

The lion, Aslan (Liam Neeson) was not in the movie till the end and only played a small role which was disappointing. And Prince Caspian, the film's namesake did not do or say anything very interesting. He was just sort of there. I mean the film wasn't horrible, but definitely lacked the magic needed to bring it up to the level of the first film. It was almost like the film makers and actors made the movie as if is was a chore, something they just had to do and get it done. Rather than a labor of love, like Lord of the Rings.

I still recommend checking this out at the theater, just do a matinee. It's good to see a return to that magical place that is Narnia and I believe a third film is in the works, let's hope they do a better job next time!

Street Kings

2008-05-06T19:56:00.004-04:00

My friend asked me if I had seen this movie. I told him I had not even heard of it. Until recently, I finally saw a "First Look" on G4TV. So having nothing better to do one afternoon, I popped into the theater for a view. It was the middle of the week, but still I was the only one in the theater. If fact, I had to tell the manager to start the film, otherwise I'd still be sitting there. That shoulda told me something.

Tom Ludlow (Keanu Reeves) is a veteran LAPD cop who finds life difficult to navigate after the death of his wife. When evidence implicates him in the execution of a fellow officer, he is forced to go up against the cop culture he's been a part of his entire career, ultimately leading him to question the loyalties of everyone around him.

The movie was a little flat over all, just like Reeves character. They tried to build a little depth, with a tiny back story, you get snippets of later in the film. Even Forest Whitaker (Capt. Jack Wander) couldn't lift this Training Day wannabe. There is a scene where Tom Ludlow is assigned to the complaint department. I think the movie studio needs to open one!

Wait until this film has Departed the theaters and check out Street Kings along with Point Break during a future Keanu Reeves double feature weekend on cable!

Ironman

2008-05-03T16:38:00.006-04:00

If your reading this, you probably have already seen Ironman. It's the first summer blockbuster and I don't know anyone that is not rushing to the movies this opening weekend to see it. And if you're not then you probably don't care what I think about the film. (But I'll tell ya anyway)

I was a hugh Batman and Spiderman fan growing up. I collected everyone of those comics I could get my hands on. So I never really followed Ironman. Sure I'd see the comics on the stands. I was like, "Big Deal, a man in a robot suit! Who cares?" After seeing the movie, I wish I had at least picked up a few of the comics to see what he was all about.

I loved the movie! It's a must see at the theater! I am now an Ironman fan. At first I was a little leery of Robert Downy Jr. (Tony Stark/Ironman) playing the lead role. (Not as freaked out as I was when I learned Michael Keaton (Beetlejuice) was going to play my hero Batman) but Keaton did a great job and Robert Downy nailed the Tony Stark role. (At least in my superior opinion).

The movie follows a super rich and super smart inventor of the highest tech weapons on the planet. A bad guy even tells Tony Stark that once he has enough stark weapons, he will rule the world. Tony revels in selling his shock and awe weapons to the military and living a playboy life-style with the proceeds. Until one day his eyes are opened when his convoy is attacked and people are killed with his own weapons, plus he learns his company is selling weapons to both sides of the conflicts in the world.

So to fight this injustice, he literally has a change of heart and builds his greatest weapon ever; Ironman.

The film had a lot of humor mixed in with it, which was just the right amount, no over the top love stories aka Spiderman. (Hey I'm not knocking Mary Jane!), and plenty of robot action.

I liked that they took the time to show the testing and development process Tony went through to create Ironman in this formative first film. That's right folks, stay tuned to the end after the credits to see a peek of what's coming in Ironman 2. Plus maybe catch a cameo appearance of Tony Stark in the upcoming Incredible Hulk sequel.

Jeff Bridges (Obadiah Stane) plays Tony Stark's mentor, and father figure. He had a very different look! I liked it. And Gwyneth Paltrow (Pepper Potts) is his assistant/love interest. So if you like the super hero movies, heck if you don't like super hero movies, go check out Ironman!

The Forbidden Kingdom

2008-04-19T14:08:00.005-04:00

Jackie Chan (Lu Yan) and Jet Li (Monkey King/Silent Monk) team up for this exciting Kung-Fu movie. (now Fu doesn't stand for that). Hey who doesn't like a good Kung-Fu movie?? I was a little worried at first. The Story and premise was starting out like the Karate Kid Movies. At least Michael Angarano (Jason Tripitikas) wasn't played by Shia LaBeouf. Although Angarano reminded me of Shia, but thankfully a "toned down" version.

The movie is about an American teenager who gets to live his dream and become a great Kung-Fu warrior. He is obsessed with Hong Kong cinema and kung-fu classics, he finds a magical staff in a Chinatown pawnshop: the legendary stick weapon of the Chinese sage and warrior, the Monkey King. With the lost weapon in hand, the teenager finds himself traveling back to ancient China to join a crew of Kung-Fu warriors from martial arts lore on a dangerous quest to free the imprisoned Monkey King.

If you love Kung-Fu fight scenes like I do, then hop over to your local theater and check out The Forbidden Kingdom!

21

2008-04-04T15:33:00.004-04:00

This was a fun movie! The characters were interesting, although the main character, Jim Sturgess who plays Ben Campbell, the card counting genius tended to nearly mumble and stumble through his lines. I mean I get that he is this shy, nerdy, MIT geek and his social skills are somewhat lacking, but I was sitting there saying to my self; "Self...I could play this role better than him!"

Not that he did a bad job, in fact it was outstanding, I just wish that I could have been there. You definitely get caught up in the excitement, the glitz, and the thrill that is Vegas. Of course Kevin Spacey was excellent as usual in his role as the ring leader of the card counting posse. Kate Bosworth plays the love interest, Jill.

So cash your chips in for a chicken dinner and check out 21.

The Bank Job

2008-03-29T13:25:00.002-04:00

In September 1971, thieves tunneled into the vault of a bank in London's Baker Street and looted safe deposit boxes of cash and jewelry worth over three million pounds. None of it was recovered. Nobody was ever arrested. The robbery made headlines for a few days and then disappeared - the government ordered a press gag. This film reveals what was hidden for the first time. The story involves murder, corruption and a sex scandal with links to the Royal Family - a story in which the thieves were the most innocent people involved.

Martine (Saffron Burrows) offers Terry (Jason Statham), owner of a local chop-shop, a lead on a foolproof bank hit on London's Baker Street. She targets a roomful of safe deposit boxes worth millions in cash and jewelry. But Terry and his crew don't realize the boxes also contain a treasure trove of dirty secrets - secrets that will thrust them into a deadly web of corruption and illicit scandal.

I thought the premise of this film would be rather simple, but it soon became hard to follow who was who. Who were the good cops? Who were the corrupt cops? Who were the M5 or M6? It's a twisted tale with many blokes involved, but none the less I really enjoyed the film! It's a great bank heist flick and best of all based on a true story. Check out The Bank Job!

HAPPY EASTER!!!

2008-03-22T22:07:00.001-04:00

Doomsday

2008-03-15T10:56:00.006-04:00

Maybe it was my low expectations, but this movie turned out to be...not so bad! I had fun watching it. The acting wasn't so bad, and it had a post-apocalyptic theme much like the Mel Gibson's Mad Max and Road Warrior films. There was also a splash of Escape from New York.

In fact, I wonder if the main protagonist Katherine Sinclair's (Emma Cleasby), loss of her eye was a nod to Kurt Russell's Snake Pliskin. At least everyone in the movie didn't keep saying, "I heard you were dead!" Sinclair's only tick was that she regularly bummed a cigarette.

The movie starts out with a super "Reaper" virus killing thousands of people around Glasgow. So they build a steel wall and separate Great Britain in half, leaving everyone north of the wall to die. But several survive the virus and create their own societies. One of them led by Kane (Malcolm McDowell).

Several years later the virus breaks out again and they send in Sinclair to find a survivor in the original containment zone. She leads a team of commandos and they battle with the cannibalistic warriors that live there. They only have 48 hours. Emma Cleasby reminds me a lot of Kate Beckinsale and her Underworld character, Selene.

So if you are a fan of the Road Warrior movies, post-apocalyptic films, or human barbeque, then by all means dye your hair purple and check out Doomsday!

10,000 B.C.

2008-03-08T15:00:00.005-05:00

Well it has Mammoth's, Sabre Tooth Tigers, and a sloth for a script, but it's not Ice Age III, it's 10k BC. I thought the costumes were fabulous and the sets were epic. The story and plot were a little weak but over all it was a fun film. There were some intense scenes.

Director Roland Emmerich ("Independence Day," "The Day After Tomorrow") brings us an tall tale about an age old story. Boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy chases girl, boy get girl!

In a remote mountain tribe, a young hunter named D'Leh (Steven Strait) has found his heart's passion - the beautiful Evolet (Camilla Belle). But when a band of slavers raid his village and kidnap Evolet. D'Leh leads a small group of hunters to pursue the evil men through jungles and across deserts. As they venture out to strange lands for the first time, the group finds there are other tribes that have suffered a similar fate as their own. So they join forces.

They brave the elements and man eating dodo birds (this was so stolen from Ice Age!) to follow Evolet to the end of the Earth by following a star in the sky. At their heroic journey's end, they uncover a massive civilization that worships a god. Here they make a stand against the tyrannical god who has brutally enslaved their own.

The film was fun, but I'd try and catch a matinee. Check out 10,000 BC!

Vantage Point

2008-03-01T10:26:00.005-05:00

For an hour and a half we see the same scene replayed over and over but each time from a different...Vantage Point. About the second to last time they rewind the scene to play it again I was thinking to myself--"If they rewind this one more time, I will be over it." I was ready for the film to move forward. With each replay, we get more and more pieces of the puzzle till it all comes together in the end.

Was this gimmicky style interesting enough to hold my attention? To get me involved in the story and the characters? Well Like I said, about one more time and I would have been frustrated. But as it was, the story was easy to follow. It was a simple plot and unfolded nicely so that you didn't have to think to hard. In fact the script was almost too tidy. They throw in a little twist here and there but again, easy to keep up with.

The film stars, Dennis Quiad as secret service agent, Thomas Barnes, Matthew Fox as agent Kent Taylor, Sigourney Weaver as a news producer, Forrest Whitaker as a tourist, and William Hurt as the president. The President is in Spain for a summit against global terror. (And surprise, the terrorists are there too!) But before he can say a word, he is shot on stage. That event is replayed over and over based on about seven or eight different people's perspective.

I thought it was an interesting idea, but some people will find the "rewind" annoying while others will be teased and engrossed while waiting to see where it will all lead. The actors did a good job, although there was no room for getting to deep. They each had their single motivation and followed it to the end. They try to add a little depth, the tourist has family issues, the secret service guy has taken a bullet for the president before and is just coming back on the job, the Spanish cop (Eduardo Noriega) is worried about his brother, and the news producer is dealing with ornery reporters and camera men.

Overall it was a good story, with a very intense ending! If you don't mind the replaying of the opening scene and find it alluring, then you will enjoy this movie. So check the batteries in your cam corder and check out Vantage Point!

Lindsay Lohan

2008-02-20T21:22:00.003-05:00

"Are you not entertained?!?"

-Maximus (Russell Crowe, Gladiator) speaking to the

crowd watching the gladiator spectacle.

Jumper

2008-02-16T15:21:00.007-05:00

I liked everything about this movie, I liked the concept, the story, the characters, the special effects and the cinematography. I liked everything...everything except the dialog. It was very weak.

The film stars Hayden Christensen (David Rice) Anakin Skywalker from Star Wars, Rachel Bilson (Millie), and Samuel Jackson (Roland). The story involves a boy learning that he has a special power to "teleport" himself anywhere that he has seen before. (Cool huh? I wish I could teleport to Baskin Robbins for a chocolate shake and then back to the TV room in time to catch the next episode of LOST.)

But unfortunately, his fun and games come to an end when he learns that there is a religious sect that calls themselves Paladins. They hunt down and kill Jumpers, because they feel they are an abomination and all turn into bad people. (What? Come on, would Hayden Christensen turn into someone evil? No way!)

David Rice gets his girl friend, Millie involved in the battle and he also finds another Jumper to reluctantly help him fight the Paladins. There is also a small sub-plot involving his mother who left him when he was five.

As I mentioned, this was a pretty good story, and didn't have many problems with it other than the character dialog was sub-par.

So if you're looking for a night of light entertainment, Jump over to the theater and check out Jumper!

Fool's Gold

2008-02-09T11:56:00.000-05:00

A fool and his money are soon parted. Was that the case when I purchased a ticket to Fool's Gold? My honest answer is...Maybe. I mean on one hand it's Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson, the cute and funny couple from How to Lose A Guy in 10 Days. Could they recapture the chemistry for this movie? They try and succeed mostly, but overall the film never really takes off. At first I was onboard, hoping McConaughey would channel his character from Sahara and it would be an entertaining and exciting adventure. But at several points in the movie, I lose interest. Even with a supporting powerhouse actor like Donald Sutherland (Nigel Honeycutt), he didn't bring his "A" game as a dottering old rich man.

Benjamin (McConaughey) and Tess (Hudson) Finnegan are married treasure hunters on the brink of divorce, but they can stay together if they find one last famous treasure that they have been searching for the past few years.

They are out of money, but find an friend in Nigel Honeycutt and his pop tart daughter. The film tries to build a backstory with Nigel and his daughter's tenuous relationship. Meanwhile a rapper/gangster (Kevin Hart) provides the suspense and comic relief as he races to find or take the hidden treasure from the Finnegan's.

The movie had it's fun moment's but I have to recommend you check out Fool's Gold on cable some lazy Sunday or Saturday afternoon!

Rambo

2008-01-26T11:33:00.000-05:00

If the first John Rambo movie was titled FIRST BLOOD, then this latest installment should have been called MORE BLOOD (and gore). Good grief, this was the opening scene of Saving Private Ryan the whole freaking movie.

I have always loved the Rambo series. A story about a man who is trained to survive and kill whenever he is pushed. He has to come to terms with who he is and what he is. In this (final?) film he comes full circle.

We find our sullen hero catching snakes in Burma for the local deadly cobra snake show. John Rambo hates his life, his job, his boss, and the world. He cares for nothing and no one. Until a group of missionaries shows up and wants him to take them up the river to deliver medicine and aide to an embattled tribe of people who are being ruthlessly attacked by the thuggish military.

Rambo tells them he will not help them and they should go home. (Ahhh the reluctant hero bit). But one of the missionaries, Sarah Miller (Julie Benz), is persistent and keeps coming back to challenge Rambo and his pessimistic view of the world. Of course she quickly convinces him to take the job and the non-stop killing begins.

Rambo still kicks butt with a bow, and carries a big knife, but I really missed his clever jungle tactics, and his surprise attacks on the enemy. In this movie, he joins forces with a group of mercenaries and everyone, good and bad use guns and bombs, and sometimes pigs to rain violent, gory, and bloody death on each other. Don't get me wrong, I love a good shoot out, but this was ....pardon the pun... overkill.

All in all it was a decent story, with a bit of over the top acting, and way to much killing. But if you are a RAMBO fan and can handle the senseless violence, then by all means strap on your head band and check out RAMBO!

Heath Ledger April 4, 1979 - January 22, 2008

2008-01-22T20:51:00.000-05:00

NEW YORK (CNN) -- Actor Heath Ledger was found dead Tuesday of a possible drug overdose in a Lower Manhattan apartment, the New York Police Department said.

I first saw Heath in A Knights Tale - A whimsical medieval fantasy. I am looking forward to his role as the Joker in The Dark Knight. (If they got all the shots they needed). Godspeed Heath.

Cloverfield

2008-01-20T17:45:00.000-05:00

We have seen this viewpoint before. The Blair Witch Project brought us an interesting vantage point from the lens of a handheld camera. It gave us a fresh perspective to the horror genre and it also gave many people something else; nausea. It doesn't bother me at all, but several people can't stand the constant shaking and swinging motion of the handheld camera.

So if the Blair Witch Project, and Bourne Supremacy and Ultimatum gave you motion sickness, you'll probably want to stay away from Cloverfield. That said, this was a very fun and intense movie. A thrill ride as the non stop action constantly comes at you.

The movie begins and ends with Rob (Michael Stahl-David) and Beth (Odette Yustman) filming each other on their cam-corder. The first is a "Good Day" at Coney Island, this memory is slowly erased as Lily (Jessica Lucas) is throwing a going-away party for Rob, her boyfriend's brother, and Rob's friend, Hud (T.J. Miller), is coerced into documenting the event on Rob's camera.

The party is interupted as the building suddenly shakes. They go to the roof for a look and see a massive explosion rock New York's harbor. From that moment chaos and panic ensues bringing back memories of September 11th. Rob, Jason (Mike Vogel), Lily, Hud and party guest Marlena (Lizzy Caplan ) set out together to rescue a trapped Beth while the city is attacked by some unknown monster.

I was impressed by the acting abilities of these unknown actors. They delivered their lines so naturally, and the comments by Hud, who is behind the camera most of the movie were hilarious. This film has already set a box office record, so you don't need me to tell you to go check out Cloverfield!!

In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale

2008-01-12T20:17:00.000-05:00

John Rhys-Davies (Gimli) is in this movie, but it's no Lord of the Rings. It does have an all-star cast though. Action Hero, Jason Statham, Burt Reynolds as the King (he's no Sean Connery), Leelee Sobeski, she's no stranger to wielding swords having played Joan of Arc in 1999. (She's put on a few pounds since then as well), Ron Perlman, most famous as Vincent in the TV series, Beauty and the Beast, also makes a great Hellboy, finally Ray Liotta rounds out the B+ list as the arch villain. Sure he makes a great bad guy... in a mob movie.

This movie is based on the PC game; Dungeon Siege. I played the game but I mostly remember the red-headed female warrior on the cover of the game box. Why wasn't she in the movie? The story is about a farmer, who every one calls..."Farmer" (rolls eyes). He is a hardworking man with a loving wife (Claire Forlani) and son. One day the wife and son are off to market in a nearby town. That's the day the Krug attack. What are the Krug? Basically men in rubber monster suits that were likely borrowed from the set of The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. Normally mindless beasts, the Krug have been organized and given weapons by the evil wizard Gallian (Liotta) who has them under his control. Meanwhile the king's nephew (Matthew Lilliard) is trying to usurp his throne. Farmer joins the kings forces to take on the Krug and rescue his wife.

I know I've been slamming this film pretty hard and if you are not a die hard fan of the fantasy genre, then you won't see this film. But overall I enjoyed the movie well enough for a matinee. It wasn't so bad that I found myself wishing I was at home watching Oprah. The acting was a little forced at first, but they seemed to come into their roles later in the film. And it's always fun watching Statham kick butt in his fight scenes.

If you have found yourself having withdrawals, since the Lord of the Rings, and need a fix till Peter Jackson produces The Hobbit, or you played the Dungeon Siege game and want to see that world come to life then check out a film with possibly the record for longest title; In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale.

Charlie Wilson's War

2008-01-05T11:08:00.000-05:00

Holy Cow this movie was fabulous! (In my humble opinion). Even more so because it is based on a true story. It is a political drama about a Texas congressman's covert fund raising to support Afghanistan's war against the soviets in the late eighties.

I give it a four stars must see for the well told story of the war, the no-holds-barred depiction of the main character's lives, and the spot-on acting of Tom Hanks (Charlie Wilson), Julie Roberts (Joanne Herring), and Philip Seymour Hoffman as CIA agent Gust Avrakotos. They played their roles with fervor and the characters had great depth to them. THAT is how you develop characters Hollywood! Kudos to the writers Aaron Sorkin (screen play), George Crile (book) and director Mike Nichols!

The movie hops from scene to scene following Charlie Wilson's life, starting with a club rife with strippers and hot tubs, to his office in Washington, to social parties, to Afghanistan, to meetings abroad, and back to his office. Normally that would make me crazy, but it was so well edited that you don't really get distracted by it. The transitions are smooth and keep the story moving merrily along.

The most chilling scene in the whole film comes at the end of the movie (I don't want you to miss it). They are at a party celebrating Russia's withdrawal from Afghanistan and Gust, the CIA agent takes Charlie outside on the balcony to talk to him. Basically he says to Charlie that, "Yes all the people are cheering that this is a good thing, but....we'll see." This is clear foreshadowing of 9/11 and at that moment you hear the roar of a jet plane engine passing overhead. I still get chills just writing about it. No horror film has ever elicited such goose flesh on myself as that scene.

If there is anything bad that I could say about the film (and I'm not) it's that the whole story just flows so smoothly. There is no major crisis or hardship that jeopardizes the characters and their goals. Oh they try, when Charlie's lifestyle is scrutinized by the justice department, but it is never a real threat and Charlie just blows it off. Nor are their any suspenseful moments that lead to a dramatic victory. I guess what I am saying is that for a drama....there was very little drama. But I enjoyed the story and the characters so much; I didn't really care.

I found it slightly ironic that Hanks plays a character named Wilson. Go on....think about it. Remember Castaway? WILSON!!! Foreshadowing? I know it's a stretch, so shut up! ;)
And go check out Charlie Wilson's War!

Aliens Vs Predator - Requiem

2008-01-01T20:54:00.000-05:00

I LOVE the Aliens and Predator franchises! So when I heard they were creating the first Aliens vs Predator movie, I was as thrilled as Rosie at a HoHo convention. I was totally on board and couldn't wait to see it. Maybe I was as over hyped as a Hilton, but the movie was a huge let down!

Sure it had its moments, but overall I was disappointed. I think they tried to make too much out of it and they tinkered with Alien doctrine. In addition, I wanted Aliens running through the city streets! The first AVP takes place in the isolated arctic.

So I was skeptical when I saw the trailer for Requiem, here we go again (and here goes my money) I thought. But at least this time I do get my Aliens running through the streets! I have to say this film was a bit better than the first AVP, however I was taken aback by a few choices the writer made. Maybe I am getting old, but I feel there are a few images/scenes that Hollywood should shy away from. For example, in the opening scene of POTC - At World's End, they don't show a young boy get hanged, but Disney IMPLIES that he does indeed swing from a noose. Likewise in AVP-R we have a young boy and his father out hunting together when they are assaulted by the spider-like "face-huggers" (Have you hugged an Alien today?)

Subsequently as we all know, face-huggers beget... that's right, "chest-poppers". Now that's something I didn't need to see happen to a young boy! Why couldn't it have been two adult hunting buddies? I know, I know spoilersville, but it doesn't take two plus two to figure out what was going to happen to them, and I may be sparring some of you the horror! Wait! Isn't that why we go to these type movies in the first place? There's another part later in the film that deals with pregnant ladies, I'll spare the belly-popping details (oops-too late!), but I didn't care for that either. (I am getting too old).

So what about the rest of the film? Well it was mediocre. I mean the fight scenes between the predator and the aliens was pretty good, but the acting was sub-par. There was no Arnold to save the day, and while Reiko Aylesworth, (Kelly) did her best Sigourny Weaver impression, it still fell a little flat.

If you are a huge fan of the Predator and Aliens franchise, then by all means, check out AVP-R, otherwise go see National Treasure and catch AVP-R on cable or rental! Cheers!

NT: Book of Secrets

2007-12-30T14:07:00.000-05:00

This movie rocks! If you liked the first National Treasure then you'll like this one as well. Yes, the critics will tell you that some of the acting and lines are a little forced, and that it's the same formula as the first movie, (but if it anit broke why fix it?), but who cares what dumb critics think, only MY opinion matters, I'm the only one that you come to for movie reviews right?

Right. Well in this film, Benjamin Gates has to defend his family honor, as his great great grandfather is accused of helping plot the assassination of Lincoln. Ed Harris plays the villain, Jeb Wilkenson who coerces Ben Gates into locating a lost city of gold. I think the film is confused as to whether we should loath this villain or not (at least I was). But it all comes out in the wash at the end.

Like the previous film, watching it makes me feel really stupid. Like maybe I should have paid more attention in U.S. History class rather than shooting spit wads at Johnny. These movies make history...exciting!

If you are seeking a treasure of a movie over the holidays, then check out National Treasure 2: The Book of Secrets!

Mer-ee Kris-muhs

2007-12-25T15:58:00.000-05:00

Mer·ry Pronunciation[mer-ee]
–adjective, mer·ri·er, mer·ri·est.

1. joyous in disposition or spirit.

Christ·mas Pronunciation[kris-muhs]
–noun

1. the annual festival of the Christian church commemorating the birth of Jesus.

I AM LEGEND

2007-12-24T21:12:00.000-05:00

An excellent film, albeit a bit depressing at times. You can't stop Will Smith, he continues to be prolific on the screen in a variety of movies over the past few years.

Legend is about the near extinction of the Human Race. A virus has turned everyone, except Robert Neville, a military scientist, into zombies that hide in the dark. Colonel Neville and his dog Sam seem to be immune to the virus and he is determined to find a cure and restore humanity to its earth polluting, religious and political infighting, and genocidal glory. (Thanks Will!).

This film reminds me a lot of Tom Hanks' Castaway. Will spends several years alone and begins to fantasize and talk to manikins. The transformation of Manhattan to an overgrown deserted ruin is very impressive on the big screen. It makes me go "How'd they do that?"

This is a great film based on a great book. Check out I AM LEGEND! But only during the day, please!

EVEL KNIEVEL

2007-12-01T17:31:00.000-05:00

Robert Craig "Evel" Knievel

October 17, 1938 - November 30, 2007

Goodbye my friend! Gods Speed!

He was a childhood hero of mine.

Hitman

2007-11-22T09:36:00.000-05:00

It was driving me crazy. Timothy Olyphant, who plays Agent 47 in the movie based on the video game, Hitman; I had seen him in something else but could not remember what it was. I wracked my brains the whole movie, but could not pull it out. Thank goodness for the Internet Movie Database (IMDB). Timothy Olyphant played one of the main characters in the HBO original series Deadwood. He played the part of Seth Bullock.

So now that that’s out of the way, what did I think of the movie? Well I never played the game Hitman, but its premise sounded interesting. A group of young orphans raised by a super secret organization to be world class assassins that travel all over the world taking out warlords, weapons dealers, and political figures, all for a price.

The assassins aren’t given names as they are raised, just a number and a bar code tattooed on the back of their bald heads. (I wonder if they will ring up as a can of vegetable soup at the market?)

The movie doesn’t go into detail about their upbringing other than a series of flashes of children in class, learning martial arts, and of course wielding guns. It starts out easy enough with Agent 47 receiving jobs via his talking laptop and carrying out assassinations. Then he gets a job to wipe out the Russian president. Everything goes well, but suddenly there are reports that the president survived the assassination with just a scratch. We know he was really killed so their must be a double. At this point the plot becomes increasingly convoluted and confusing with a series of twists that I just could not follow. People come out of the woodwork to kill Agent 47, including an Interpol agent who has been tracking him for three years, to the Russian FSB, and several of his fellow assassins from his own organization.

He also hooks up with a female named Nika, who seems to know about the cover up of the president’s death. They develop a love-hate relationship which is also confusing because he spurns her advances. It never says, but I suppose it has something to do with “a warrior distracted is a dead warrior.”

Despite the confusing plot, I found myself enjoying the film none-the-less. It of course has the obligatory assassinations, and plenty of fighting and shooting. I also like the character of Agent 47 even if it was a bit two dimensional. Timothy Oylphant (what a last name!) always brings a certain intensity to the roles he plays, and that comes across very well on screen. So if you are a fan of the game HITMAN, a Timothy Olyphant fan, and don’t mind a mind-boggling plot, then pack your heat and head to the theater to check out Hitman!

Beowulf

2007-11-16T14:14:00.000-05:00

I did a paper in college on Beowulf. His story is one of my favorite pieces of literature. In my paper, titled, "The Defense of Grendel", I showed how it was really King Hrothgar, his people, and Beowulf that were the true monsters of the land. I got an 'A'.

And that is what I give this movie as well an 'A'. It was fun to see this epic tale brought to life on the big screen!! The computer animation was superb, and visually stunning. But it looks so real I have to wonder why they didn't just film it live action, and CGI the monsters like the Lord of the Rings.

This is a great movie and if you have any interest in this genre, it is a must see. And even though there were a couple of times I thought I was watching Shrek and expected to see the Ginger-Bread man or Puss-in-Boots, don't load up the kids for this one. Despite being computer generated it is plenty gory and the script is rife with sexual innuendo. Otherwise Check out Hollywood's latest hero, Beowulf!

Lions for Lambs

2007-11-10T10:43:00.000-05:00

A professor and his student, a reporter and a senator, and two soldiers, all performing on three separate stages; a university campus, Washington D.C., and a battlefield in Afghanistan, in the new movie Lions for Lambs.

If nothing else this movie presents the issues the whole world is thinking about everyday and like the websites asks; What do you stand for? Are you apathetic or will you do something to help make a difference?

As I left the theater I was emotionally moved by the three pronged assault to my sensibilities. The thoughts, the emotions, and the re-examination of my beliefs. But as the Hollywood glitz and the dazzling performances, by Streep, Cruise, and Redford wore off, I began to wonder if I had just been exposed to the screen writers own form of propaganda. In the movie Meryl Streep’s character, reporter Janine Roth decides Senator Jasper Irving's story he is pushing on her is pure ‘propaganda’ and is using her to grease the skids for his eventual bid for the White House.

Now I wonder if the film itself is not just a big work of propaganda itself disguised as a geo-political thriller. It’s nothing more than a liberal public service ad. I won’t ruin the ending for you, but how it ends is not the typical triumphant, everybody lives happily ever after, ending that you would expect.

I don’t have a racist bone in my body, but it is no coincidence that the two soldiers are Black and Hispanic, again shoving the immigration, and social issues that our great country is currently dealing with in my face. The film asks; How long will our country remain great? We must have a “win” at all costs, claims Tom Cruise’s character.

Despite this, the film at least makes you think. It makes you look in the proverbial mirror and
ask—What do I stand for? Will I play the XBOX 360 all day while Rome burns or will I get off my ass and make a difference, and for that I applaud the film.

Bottom line is, if you want to go out for a fun night on the town and escape the realities of life for a couple of hours, don’t go see Lions for Lambs. But if you want to have everything you stand for challenged, if you want a film that stirs you heart and makes you think hard about the current direction of your life and our world then you must check out Lions for Lambs. Think about it!

Elizabeth: The Golden Age

2007-10-19T16:07:00.000-04:00

The trailer for this movie was quite riveting (aren't they all?), and thus I was compelled to see this period piece. As a bonus of course is the stunning Cate Blanchett reprising her role as queen from an 1998 Elizabeth. Along with with the indelible Geoffrey Rush again playing Sir Francis Walsingham. Finally Clive Owen adds a bit of roguish dash as the explorer Sir Walter Raleigh.

This film is about the time when Queen Elizabeth, the virgin queen, fought off the Spanish armada and saved England and protestants everywhere. The movie plays as a series of scenes strung together by an overbearing musical score, rather than a flowing story. Still some of the scenes are well done, some are interesting, and others droll. Despite the enrapturing performance by Blanchett, it's not enough to give this one a "must see." But definitely rent it when it comes to DVD.

There is a love triangle between Sir Walter Raleigh, the queen, and a court lady-in-waiting known as Bess (Abbie Cornish). There are plenty of political intrigues, involving the king of Spain and the house-arrested queen Mary of Scotland. And the CGI ship battle was adequate.

I must also say that the costumes, especially the queen's , were stunning. If you like historical pieces (albeit slightly skewed) check out Elizabeth: The Golden Age.

Cell Phone Fun

2007-10-17T15:13:00.000-04:00

Downtown Spook

Resident Evil: Extinction

2007-10-08T17:08:00.000-04:00

A hot chick kicking lots of undead butt, what's not to like about the third installment of the Resident Evil series? Milla Jovovich returns as Alice, the beautiful uber genetically altered female.

These films remind me of the Underworld series starring Kate Beckinsale, they need to catch up with the Resident Jones' and make a third Underworld, this formula seems to work. Unlike Milla's last kick-butt movie, Ultra Violet. (Can't remember why it was such a stinker but it was)

Extinction fast forwards a few years, with Alice out on her own hiding from the Umbrella corporation's satellites. In fact they believe her dead. The "T" virus has spread globally and only a hand full of humans remain. As my friends at GirlsOnFilm put it; "It's Mad Max meets Zombies."

Alice catches up with this rag-tag fleet of humans in the desert being led by Claire Redfield (Ali Larter-HEROES) and helps them fight off a few thousand undead crows. After helping them escape extinction, she returns to the Umbrella hive where she has a big boss battle with the evil scientist behind the zombie creating virus. The final battle wasn't as over the top as in Resident Evil: Apocalypse, but it seemed to lack something. Even so, I liked it!

If you are a fan of the Resident Evil games, the previous two films, or just have a passion for zombies in general--the be sure to check out Resident Evil: Extinction at the movies before it is well....extinct.

The Kingdom

2007-09-29T10:27:00.000-04:00

Jamie Foxx has grown on me ever since Collateral. He star's in Peter Berg's geopolitical thriller, The Kingdom, as a "never take no for an answer" FBI agent that leads an FBI investigation on foreign soil, Saudi Arabia a land with over 5000 princes.

Ronald Fleury (Foxx) leads his team into Saudi Arabia to find the culprits behind a terrorist attack on a compound housing American employees and their families. The team has only five days to investigate, and a U.S. diplomat played by the always energetic Jeremy Piven would rather they just do a photo op and leave on the next flight out. But the team didn't fly all that way to go on a safari.

The team is made up of an explosives expert (Chris Cooper), an intelligence analyst (Jason Bateman) and a forensics whiz (Jennifer Garner). Agent Fleury convinces the local Saudi prince to let his team do their job and find those responsible for the attack.

While the chemistry between these powerful actors may be a tad forced, the actors deliver solid performances, Chris Cooper just coming off of his excellent lead role in Breach (another great geopolitical thriller), brings balance to the team. Jason Bateman, provides the comic relief in the film and zings out his one-liners perfectly. Jennifer Garner a.k.a Alias is right at home as an FBI agent who can hold her own against the terrorists.

This film has a great story set against the back drop of terrorism, and plays out like an episode of CSI or NCIS. It drags a little in the middle, but builds momentum in the end with ambushes, gun battles, (how many RPGs can you dodge?), and careening car chases that takes "thriller" to a new level, not to mention the suspense. Well done Berg!

I'll never understand how killing a 100 or even 3000 (e.g. 9/11) will somehow further the religious goals of a group of sick-twisted people, or how it brings glory to Allah. I was never great at math, but even I can see that it does not add up. The Kingdom starts out showing us a timeline of terrorist acts leading up to 9/11. Have these acts accomplished their goal? What is the goal? A holy war? Not happening. Change U.S. Policy? Only in that we now spend billions to hunt you down. Paralyze the world with fear? Just the opposite, we have become apathetic to suicide bombings. We were all horrified September 11, 2001, but now when we read in the news fifty killed in a market by a suicide bomber, we yawn and turn to the sports page to become outraged at an NFL player killing dogs. (hey, I'm outraged too!)

So my message to terrorists: Come up with something new! Killing people isn't working. You're boring me! Think outside the bomb; Hire the ad agency that does Bud commercials if you want to get people's attention.

Okay, sorry for the rant folks, go check out The Kingdom, it has a great story and a killer cast!

The Brave One

2007-09-21T22:23:00.000-04:00

Jodie Foster plays Erica Bain, the host of a public radio talk show called “Street Walk” that takes a nostalgic and happy-go-lucky view of New York City. But after her fiance, David (Naveen Andrews) is brutally killed, her radio show changes and becomes darker, and so does she.

At first she is afraid to go back out onto the streets that she once loved to roam during the day recording sounds of the city for her show. But after she buys a gun, she soon has the fortitude to roam the streets at night. She becomes a stranger to herself, a killer that has always been lurking just beneath the surface. She has a series of run ins with bad people and takes out her revenge on them. Driven by grief, she is surprised that her hands don't shake after the killings.

A homicide detective named Sean Mercer (Terrence Howard), who happens to be a fan of her show and saw her recovering at the hospital after she and her fiance were attacked, takes on the case of the vigilante. He slowly puts the pieces together as he follows the clues to the mystery vigilante who is "doing his job." But will he have the dedication to bring her to justice?

I really liked this movie! Who wouldn't love watching a "civilized" educated woman turn into a prowling, gun toting huntress vigilante. She was probably anti-gun before the assault. Every one's anti-gun until they or their loved ones are brutally attacked and violated by the animals on our streets that have no respect for human life. I don't suggest everyone run out and buy a gun to shoot every creep that looks at them wrong. But when the slavering wolf stalks you, be ready.

There's not much I can find wrong with this movie. It has a great story, awesome acting, interesting characters, and an ending, I could not predict. Well I might have chose a different title, The Brave One doesn't fit perfectly for me. I might have called it, The Stranger. Check out this dark tale of street justice!

3:10 to Yuma

2007-09-14T16:45:00.000-04:00

I like a good western and 3:10 doesn't disappoint. This western has a decent twist, it departs from the hero standing tall and wearing a white hat. The hero in this movie, Dan Evans played by Christain Bale has a limp from missing part of his leg, is down on his luck and is unable to take on a few local bullies trying to run his family off his land, to the shame of his oldest son. The bad guy, outlaw Ben Wade played by Russell Crowe isn't all that bad. Well...okay he is, but you end up wanting to like him anyways.

The movie is about a group of men trying to get Wade to a train station so he can face justice at the end of a noose. The group is short handed and Dan Evans voluteers to help them because he needs the money to get out of debt. Of course Wade's gang is hot on their heels intent on freeing their "boss."

Over the course of the journey we learn backstory of the two main charaters. I liked how it wasn't just blurted out all at once and shoved down our throats like some films do, but is presented in bits and pieces along the way, even to the climatic ending. The chemistry between Evans and his son was a nice sub plot and added to the story.

This film is a remake of the 1957 film of the same name making it the second redenition of Elmore Leonard's short story.

Russel Crowe may be a jerk in real life, aka throwing phones at hotel staff, but that man can act! Even if you don't like westerns, this is a great film with an excellent story. Saddle up and catch that 3:10 train to Yuma!

Title of new 'Indiana Jones' revealed

2007-09-10T20:48:00.000-04:00

NEW YORK (AP) -- The title of the new "Indiana Jones" movie, directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Harrison Ford, has been revealed.

The "Jones" cast: Shia LaBeouf, Steven Spielberg, Karen Allen (seated), Ray Winstone and Harrison Ford.

"Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" will be in theaters May 22, 2008.

The title of the long-awaited fourth installment of the adventure series was announced by Shia LaBeouf, who co-stars with Ford in the film, at the MTV Video Music Awards in Las Vegas on Sunday.
The new Indy adventure, which is set in the 1950s, also stars Cate Blanchett, Ray Winstone, John Hurt, Jim Broadbent and Karen Allen.
Sean Connery, who played dad to Ford's globe-trotting archaeologist in 1989's "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade," will not reprise the role in the new movie.

The series began in 1981 with "Raiders of the Lost Ark," followed by "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" in 1984.
In promotional photos, the 65-year-old Ford appears fit as ever.
"I have to say, he looks amazing," Kathleen Kennedy, the film's co-executive producer, along with George Lucas, told The Associated Press in July. "He looks fantastic in the outfit."

Shoot 'Em Up!

2007-09-07T16:02:00.000-04:00

This film had Smoking Aces II written all over it. Did that stop me from going? Nope. Hey I am a Clive Owen fan for some reason. Maybe it's his piercing stare or his eclectic accent, but I decided to give him a shot. (Don't pardon the pun). See he has recently made a couple of real stinkers (IMHO). Namely Inside Man and Children of Men. I didn't really care for those two films at all. But could Clive really be in a third bomb?

I'm afraid so. Sure I get that the movie is an over the top spoof of hero action flicks, but I at least want to be entertained. Sin City was entertaining! (Clive's in that one too BTW). This film was an abysmally silly waste of celluloid.

It starts out with Mr. Smith (Owen) sitting on a bench at the bus stop minding his business and eating a rather large carrot. "What's Up Doc?" immediately hopped into my head and yes he actually says the line later in this live action cartoon of a film. A pregnant woman in distress comes limping by the bus stop followed by a killer with a gun. Mr. Smith rolls his eyes (along with me) and the gun shooting starts and never stops till the credits roll for this aptly named strait to DVD film. Stay home folks, the summer movies are over, and watch the new shows rolling out this fall. Heroes is back with season II and I am looking forward to checking out the Bionic Woman September 26th!

Cell Phone Fun

2007-09-05T21:32:00.000-04:00

Halloween

2007-08-31T16:43:00.000-04:00

"Happy Halloween Ladies!" Wait a minute, it's the end of August!?! Wanting to break the mold, Dimension Films released Rob Zombie's remake of Halloween on Memorial Day Weekend; traditionally a low theater attendance day.

The 1978 version of the film, sometimes referred to as John Carpenter's Halloween, starring scream queen Jamie Lee Curtis scared the honking bezonkers outta me. I was curious if the modern remake would come as close. Of course I was 13 at the time of the first movie. I liked Zombie's fresh take on the film. Rather than focusing solely on the character of Laurie Strode, like the first film, we get to see the life of Michael as a boy growing up and some of the social factors that led to his evil nature. No surprises here, a boy growing up in an unstable home, being made fun of at school because he is a little overweight, and so he takes his anger out on his pets and ultimately his family.

I was glad they kept Carpenter's original score in the new film. A lot of remakes toss the original soundtracks for new ones. Overall I enjoyed the remake, but I found that I didn't bond with Laurie Strode played by Scout Taylor Compton like I did in the first movie. I was desperately pulling for Jamie Lee Curtis in the 1978 version (who wouldn't?), but the new girl didn't endear herself to me as much. Maybe cause half the film was focused on the early life of Michael Myers.

I enjoyed seeing Malcom McDowell play Dr. Loomis. He seemed to really take ownership of the role and played it well. He had to go through fifteen years of aging. Carve up some fun and check out the new HALLOWEEN!

So what's the answer?

2007-08-29T11:40:00.000-04:00

"most of us live out our lives hiding who we really are, and what we're stuggling with, and keep all of those things deep below the surface. because we don't want other people to know who we really are. so we suffer in silence in our - loneliness, our unhappy marriages, our strained relationships with family members, or try to drown them out thru drugs, alcohol, sex, or just the frenzy of never slowing down. and in our hatred of ourselves we live in our private little prison. and we ALL do it."

-Kal Busman

WAR

2007-08-24T15:30:00.000-04:00

Jason Statham (Agent Crawford) and Jet Li (Rogue) star in this movie about the two famous Asian crime syndicates, the Japanese Yakuza and the Chinese Triads, fighting a war in San Fransisco started by an Asian hit man known as Rogue and two FBI agents are caught in the middle.

I was expecting a movie with a lot of fighting and senseless killing. And that is exactly what I got. But what I was not expecting was a clever and surprising plot twist at the end. But that's also what I got for my $5.75 as I hid from the sweltering 97 degree weather outside.

This movie has plenty of gang shoot outs, sprinkled with a little sword fighting (want more than that? Watch KILL BILL), a decent car chase, a little skin flash, and so-so acting. But I went along for the ride as they say and I had a good time. Jet Li has toned it down a bit since I first saw him in Lethal Weapon 4 in 1998, but he still has class if not style.

I have also enjoyed watching Jason Statham's career progress since The Italian Job, to the Transporter movies, to Crank. So if you are a Jet Li or Jason Statham fan, or if you belong to the Triads or Yakuza (hey go support the team), then check out WAR!

The Invasion

2007-08-17T14:39:00.000-04:00

World Peace. No more war, no more killing, no rape, no murder. A perfect, peaceful existence between mankind. Like a grove of Aspen trees. It can happen. All we need is an alien spore from space to infect everyone on the planet and we will all become docile, emotionless, creatures living in harmony. Notice I didn't say humans.

Take away the war, the strife, the struggle to define who we are and the choices we make, then we are no longer human. I suppose that's the message in the second re-make of Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956 and 1978). The 1978 version, starring Donald Sutherland scarred the toast out of me! But the only thing I can remember from it, was a scene where Donald Sutherland is a health inspector and he goes in to the kitchen of a fancy restaurant and picks up a small brown thing off the floor. He shows it to the cook and says, "It's a rat turd!" the chef shakes his head and says, "No sir! It's a caper! (caper berry)" "Rat Turd!" "Caper!" Then Sutherland says, "Then eat it." The chef refuses. LOL!

This version reminds me of the one season TV show called Invasion where a space virus lands in the water and a storm spreads it everywhere. The people change and become something else. In this film starring Nicole Kidman as Carol Bennell and Daniel Craig as Ben Driscoll the space shuttle has a bad re-entry and showers debris all over the United States. It's burnt parts carrying a resilient space spore.

It's not long before Carol Bennell notices things are askew, starting with her ex husband Tucker Kaufman (Jeremy Northman and the name Kaufman is a nod to the 1978 director). People start claiming their spouses are not who they married. (How is that not normal??), then the pets start attacking the not normal people, and finally World Peace breaks out!! (Could they shove that message down my throat some more?)

As things move along Bennell and Driscoll, her "love interest" (but she just wants to be "friends", Girls-- guys LOVE it when you lay that line on them!), try to avoid getting caught by the body snatchers, and try to stay awake. Apparently the virus takes you over when you dream (mostly about world peace). Just drink lots of Mountain Dew (product placement!).

I thought the actors were fabulous in this film. Everyone played an excellent role! The story was interesting and suspenseful enough to keep me going. There were only a couple of things that bugged (pardon the pun) me about the movie, like shoving the whole "Aren't we humans (Americans?) despicable, violent, and evil?" message repeatedly in my face. But overall I enjoyed the film. It's a great matinee, so check it out and STAY AWAKE!!!

On a side note: Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig team up again in December for a fantastical tale called The Golden Compass. So I'll be checking that out for ya!