Bedtime Stories is an adventure comedy starring Adam Sandler as Skeeter Bronson, a hotel handyman whose life is changed forever when the bedtime stories he tells his niece and nephew start to mysteriously come true. When he tries to help his family by telling one outlandish tale after another, it's the kids' unexpected contributions that turn all of their lives upside down.
This is one of those movies where you essentially saw the movie by watching the trailer for it. There was nothing different or unexpected whatsoever. Its basically a watered down Adam Sandler movie so that younger kids can enjoy it. Stinka loved it and honestly that's all that really mattered to me while watching this. There were your usual, occasional laughs during the movie and it wasn't unbearable by any means. It was actually pretty watchable for adults, but this movie was blatantly made for the kids and they will definitely end up enjoying it.
I would recommend taking the kiddies to check this one out. You probably won't enjoy it nearly as much as they do but you can enjoy the smiles on their faces.
The Wrestler
Back in the late '80s, Randy "The Ram" Robinson (Mickey Rourke) was a headlining professional wrestler. Now, twenty years later, he ekes out a living performing for handfuls of diehard wrestling fans in high school gyms and community centers around New Jersey.Estranged from his daughter (Evan Rachel Wood) and unable to sustain any real relationships, Randy lives for the thrill of the show and the adoration of his fans. However, a heart attack forces him into retirement. As his sense of identity starts to slip away, he begins to evaluate the state of his life -- trying to reconnect with his daughter, and strikes up a blossoming romance with an aging stripper (Marisa Tomei). Yet all this cannot compare to the allure of the ring and passion for his art, which threatens to pull Randy "The Ram" back into his world of wrestling.
There's always one every year. Sadly, this was the one for me this year. The Wrestler is this year's winner of too much buzz ruining a movie for me. I know that Mickery Rourke's performance was great in this and the behind the scenes wrestling and has beens trying to hold on to past glory was awesome. Unfortunately, I found myself watching this movie wondering why everyone thought it was so great. I know that its my own fault and I hate it but it manages to happen to at least one movie every year. I actually named it the Mr. Holland's Opus effect years ago. I couldn't help wondering how Entertainment Weekly had this as their number one movie of the year the whole time watching it.
I'd still recommend people checking this out because Mickey Rourke's performance was really good but try to keep your expectations in check unlike me.
There's always one every year. Sadly, this was the one for me this year. The Wrestler is this year's winner of too much buzz ruining a movie for me. I know that Mickery Rourke's performance was great in this and the behind the scenes wrestling and has beens trying to hold on to past glory was awesome. Unfortunately, I found myself watching this movie wondering why everyone thought it was so great. I know that its my own fault and I hate it but it manages to happen to at least one movie every year. I actually named it the Mr. Holland's Opus effect years ago. I couldn't help wondering how Entertainment Weekly had this as their number one movie of the year the whole time watching it.
I'd still recommend people checking this out because Mickey Rourke's performance was really good but try to keep your expectations in check unlike me.
The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is adapted from the 1920s story by F. Scott Fitzgerald about a man who is born in his eighties and ages backwards: a man, like any of us, who is unable to stop time. We follow his story, set in New Orleans from the end of World War I in 1918, into the 21st century, following his journey that is as unusual as any man's life can be. Directed by David Fincher and starring Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett with Taraji P. Henson, Tilda Swinton, Jason Flemyng, Elias Koteas and Julia Ormond, "Benjamin Button," is a grand tale of a not-so-ordinary man and the people and places he discovers along the way, the loves he finds, the joys of life and the sadness of death, and what lasts beyond time.
This was one of those awesome story telling movies. Like a Forrest Gump type movie. The idea was great. The storytelling was awesome. The makeup is definitely going to win an oscar. The performances were top notch. The only thing that hurt this movie was its 3 hour running time. There were numerous points throughout that you felt the pacing fall "off" and that's pretty much an automatic sign that the movie could have easily been two and half hours. That's really the only knock though. Outside of that, it was a really great and entertaining movie.
I would strongly recommend people checking this bad boy out . . . . . if they have the three hours to spare. Its more than worth the time if you have it though.
This was one of those awesome story telling movies. Like a Forrest Gump type movie. The idea was great. The storytelling was awesome. The makeup is definitely going to win an oscar. The performances were top notch. The only thing that hurt this movie was its 3 hour running time. There were numerous points throughout that you felt the pacing fall "off" and that's pretty much an automatic sign that the movie could have easily been two and half hours. That's really the only knock though. Outside of that, it was a really great and entertaining movie.
I would strongly recommend people checking this bad boy out . . . . . if they have the three hours to spare. Its more than worth the time if you have it though.
The Spirit
Adapted from Will Eisner's comic book series, The Spirit is written for the screen and directed by Frank Miller. It is the story of a former rookie cop who returns mysteriously from the dead as The Spirit (Gabriel Macht) to fight crime from the shadows of Central City. His arch-enemy, The Octopus (Samuel L. Jackson) has a different mission: he's going to wipe out Spirit's beloved city as he pursues his own version of immortality. The Spirit tracks this cold-hearted killer from Central City's rundown warehouses, to the damp catacombs, to the windswept waterfront... all the while facing a bevy of women who either want to seduce, love or kill our masked crusader. Surrounding him at every turn are Ellen Dolan (Sarah Paulson), the whip-smart girl-next-door; Silken Floss (Scarlett Johansson), a punk secretary and frigid vixen; Plaster of Paris (Paz Vega), a murderous French nightclub dancer; Lorelei (Jaime King), a phantom siren; and Morgenstern (Stana Katic), a sexy young cop. Then of course, there's Sand Saref (Eva Mendes), the jewel thief with dangerous curves. She's the love of his life turned bad. Will he save her or will she kill him?
This movie was downright horrid. I couldn't even make it through the first twenty minutes without pulling the plug. For the record - it was 18 minutes. This movie was incredibly schlocky and over the top. I get that its based on a graphic novel and what not but this was just plain visually silly. The opening fight scene between The Spirit and The Octopus was what made me end up leaving. I hate to admit it but I think Samuel Jackson has reached the plateau of most annoying/hated actor in Hollywood. I wanted to throw my soda at him.
I wouldn't recommend this movie to anyone. Its a big piece of dung thrown up there on the screen and is a complete waste of your time . . . . . even the 19 minutes I watched.
This movie was downright horrid. I couldn't even make it through the first twenty minutes without pulling the plug. For the record - it was 18 minutes. This movie was incredibly schlocky and over the top. I get that its based on a graphic novel and what not but this was just plain visually silly. The opening fight scene between The Spirit and The Octopus was what made me end up leaving. I hate to admit it but I think Samuel Jackson has reached the plateau of most annoying/hated actor in Hollywood. I wanted to throw my soda at him.
I wouldn't recommend this movie to anyone. Its a big piece of dung thrown up there on the screen and is a complete waste of your time . . . . . even the 19 minutes I watched.
Revolutionary Road
Based on the celebrated novel by Richard Yates, director Sam Mendes' Revolutionary Road is the story of a young couple (Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet) trying to find fulfillment in an age of conformity. Trapped in a world of encoded convention, they dream without faith, as lies and self-deceptions build to explosive consequences.
This was one of the more powerful movies I've ever seen. It was done in such a way that it was an intense as a great horror or action blockbuster movie even though it was essentially a stream of fights between a couple. Honestly, this movie played out more like an off-broadway play than a movie. The chemistry between these two actors was amazing and I can't remember the last time that my eyes were that glued to the screen of such a "plain" movie. I can see them both getting nominated for their awesome performances and this should be in a dead heat with The Dark Knight for Best Score. Normally I would never acknowledge something like that but the random light piano playing really kept your nerves on end with the tension.
I strongly recommend everyone check this movie out. It is not a feel good movie by any means but is an incredibly powerful character drama that shouldn't be missed.
This was one of the more powerful movies I've ever seen. It was done in such a way that it was an intense as a great horror or action blockbuster movie even though it was essentially a stream of fights between a couple. Honestly, this movie played out more like an off-broadway play than a movie. The chemistry between these two actors was amazing and I can't remember the last time that my eyes were that glued to the screen of such a "plain" movie. I can see them both getting nominated for their awesome performances and this should be in a dead heat with The Dark Knight for Best Score. Normally I would never acknowledge something like that but the random light piano playing really kept your nerves on end with the tension.
I strongly recommend everyone check this movie out. It is not a feel good movie by any means but is an incredibly powerful character drama that shouldn't be missed.
Yes Man
Jim Carrey stars as Carl Allen, a guy whose life is going nowhere—the operative word being "no"—until he signs up for a self-help program based on one simple covenant: say yes to everything...and anything. Unleashing the power of "YES" begins to transform Carl's life in amazing and unexpected ways, getting him promoted at work and opening the door to a new romance. But his willingness to embrace every opportunity might just become too much of a good thing.
This was a pretty funny movie. It wasn't as funny as I had hoped. I was pulling for something in the ballpark of Liar Liar. This was full of good laughs but not hysterical. It actually turned out to be a really good date movie. Jim Carrey and Zoey Deschannel were really good together and his zaniness played off of her greatly.
I would recommend people checking this one out. Its not a must see but is a worthy watch because even though its not all out hysterical, the laughs were pretty good.
This was a pretty funny movie. It wasn't as funny as I had hoped. I was pulling for something in the ballpark of Liar Liar. This was full of good laughs but not hysterical. It actually turned out to be a really good date movie. Jim Carrey and Zoey Deschannel were really good together and his zaniness played off of her greatly.
I would recommend people checking this one out. Its not a must see but is a worthy watch because even though its not all out hysterical, the laughs were pretty good.
Slumdog Millionaire
Slumdog Millionaire is the story of Jamal Malik, an 18 year-old orphan from the slums of Mumbai, who is about to experience the biggest day of his life. With the whole nation watching, he is just one question away from winning a staggering 20 million rupees on India's "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?" But when the show breaks for the night, police arrest him on suspicion of cheating; how could a street kid know so much? Desperate to prove his innocence, Jamal tells the story of his life in the slum where he and his brother grew up, of their adventures together on the road, of vicious encounters with local gangs, and of Latika, the girl he loved and lost. Each chapter of his story reveals the key to the answer to one of the game show's questions.Intrigued by Jamal's story, the jaded Police Inspector begins to wonder what a young man with no apparent desire for riches is really doing on this game show?
This was a phenomenal movie. I never in a million years thought I would enjoy this movie as much as I did. The more great buzz I heard about it only made me doubt my possible enjoyment level of it that much more. However, it was worth all the hype. This could quite possibly win the Best Picture oscar. The storytelling was so well done with all the back and forth and how the parts of his past that explained his knowledge of questions during the game show was awesome. I was so fully enveloped in this movie and loved how it progressed and climaxed.
I couldn't possibly recommend this movie more. It really is a must see and is definitely one of the best movies to come out this year.
The Tale Of Despereaux
Once upon a time, in the faraway kingdom of Dor, there was magic in the air, raucous laughter aplenty and gallons of mouth-watering soup. But a terrible accident left the king broken-hearted, the princess filled with longing and the townsfolk despondent. All hope was lost in a land where sunlight disappeared and the world became dreary gray. Until Despereaux Tilling was born... A brave and virtuous mouse, Despereaux is simply too big for his small world. Though tiny, wheezy and saddled with comically oversized ears, Despereaux refuses to live a life of weakness and fear...believing he was destined to be celebrated in the tales of chivalry he so adores. When he's banished from his home for not following the rules that society expects of a mouse, Despereaux befriends fellow outcast Roscuro, a good-hearted rat who can't bear to look in the mirror and hopes to live far from the grim underground of his kind. While Despereaux begins his noble quest to rescue Pea--a princess who can't see beyond her distorted view of the world--his pal Roscuro receives a painful rejection from her highness that sets him on a course of self-destruction. Along their parallel adventures, the two encounter colorful characters from a serving girl who wishes to be a princess to the evil leader of the sewer rats, who plots revenge on humans from his fiefdom in the subterranean shadows he relishes but Roscuro can't abide. From the highest turrets of the glittering castle to the dankest dark of Dor's sewers, friendships will be tested as Despereaux and Roscuro embark upon a journey that will change the way they look at their world--and themselves--forever. In this tale of bravery, forgiveness and redemption, one tiny creature will teach a kingdom that it takes only a little light to show that what you look like doesn't equal what you are.
Was that plot summary long enough for you? Therein lies the problem with this movie. There was way too much going on and way too much information crammed in to your brain for a kids movie about a curious mouse. The other problem with this movie was that it wasn't just about Despereaux. I went to see this with two ten year olds and two six year olds. When I tell you that the difference for the five of us between when the movie was about Despereaux's tale and the movie was about one of the other three parralelling tales was like night and day. We loved Despereaux but couldn't care less about all the others. Despereaux was cute and entertaining (especially for kids) while the other tales were way too involved (and way over the kids heads). It wasn't necessarily a bad movie. It was just too much for a kids/family movie.
I wouldn't recommend anyone rushing to see this out with the kiddies. You're probably better off waiting to see if the other family fare is more entertaining.
Was that plot summary long enough for you? Therein lies the problem with this movie. There was way too much going on and way too much information crammed in to your brain for a kids movie about a curious mouse. The other problem with this movie was that it wasn't just about Despereaux. I went to see this with two ten year olds and two six year olds. When I tell you that the difference for the five of us between when the movie was about Despereaux's tale and the movie was about one of the other three parralelling tales was like night and day. We loved Despereaux but couldn't care less about all the others. Despereaux was cute and entertaining (especially for kids) while the other tales were way too involved (and way over the kids heads). It wasn't necessarily a bad movie. It was just too much for a kids/family movie.
I wouldn't recommend anyone rushing to see this out with the kiddies. You're probably better off waiting to see if the other family fare is more entertaining.
Frost/Nixon
For three years after being forced from office, Nixon remained silent. But in summer 1977, the steely, cunning former commander-in-chief agreed to sit for one all-inclusive interview to confront the questions of his time in office and the Watergate scandal that ended his presidency. Nixon surprised everyone in selecting Frost as his televised confessor, intending to easily outfox the breezy British showman and secure a place in the hearts and minds of Americans.Likewise, Frost's team harbored doubts about their boss' ability to hold his own. But as cameras rolled, a charged battle of wits resulted. Would Nixon evade questions of his role in one of the nation's greatest disgraces? Or would Frost confound critics and bravely demand accountability from the man who'd built a career out of stonewalling? Over the course of their encounter, each man would reveal his own insecurities, ego and reserves of dignity--ultimately setting aside posturing in a stunning display of unvarnished truth. Frost/Nixon not only re-creates the on-air interview, but the weeks of around-the-world, behind-the-scenes maneuvering between the two men and their camps as negotiations were struck, deals were made and secrets revealed...all leading to the moment when they would sit facing one another in the court of public opinion.
This was an exceptionally well done movie. The direction was great. The script was well written. The performances were phenomenal. I definitely see Frank Langhella getting nominated for a best actor oscar. The supporting roles of Sam Rockwell and Oliver Platt were awesome. I'm not, nor will I ever be, a history/government buff. However, this movie completely sucked me in to wanting to learn more. The build up between Frost and Nixon was better than most boxing heavyweight fights. It was done so well that you are literally sitting on the edge of your seat for the final day of their interviews even though you know fully well how its going to turn out.
I fully recommend everyone checking this movie out. Its an excellent movie and is probably one of the best ones to come out this year.
This was an exceptionally well done movie. The direction was great. The script was well written. The performances were phenomenal. I definitely see Frank Langhella getting nominated for a best actor oscar. The supporting roles of Sam Rockwell and Oliver Platt were awesome. I'm not, nor will I ever be, a history/government buff. However, this movie completely sucked me in to wanting to learn more. The build up between Frost and Nixon was better than most boxing heavyweight fights. It was done so well that you are literally sitting on the edge of your seat for the final day of their interviews even though you know fully well how its going to turn out.
I fully recommend everyone checking this movie out. Its an excellent movie and is probably one of the best ones to come out this year.
Seven Pounds
Will Smith reunites with the directors and producers of The Pursuit of Happyness for the emotional drama Seven Pounds. In the film, Smith plays Ben Thomas, an IRS agent with a fateful secret who embarks on an extraordinary journey of redemption by forever changing the lives of seven strangers.
The movie studio was being so quiet about what this movie was about that it actually started to get annoying. Now having seen the movie, I understand because I still can't really tell you what its about. Apparantly, Ben Thomas has a lot of guilt about an accident in his past and finds it necessary to go to massive extremes seeking atonement. I found myself getting more and more frustrated as this movie went on because I couldn't tell for the life of me where it was going. To be completely honest, had Will Smith not been in this movie I would have thrown in the towel about half way through. However, since I am one of the millions across this land that are totally fascinated by Will Smith I toughed it out. I mean lets be honest here people, Will Smith (along with probably only Tom Hanks) is so beyond watchable that they could film him taking a dump for two hours and we'd all drop 10 bucks to watch it. Anywho, getting back to the movie - they push the whole mysterious angle way too much that by the time the payoff comes its not enough to truly satisfy the viewer.
I wouldn't really recommend this movie. Its not that its horrible or anything. It just doesn't really payoff enough in the end.
The movie studio was being so quiet about what this movie was about that it actually started to get annoying. Now having seen the movie, I understand because I still can't really tell you what its about. Apparantly, Ben Thomas has a lot of guilt about an accident in his past and finds it necessary to go to massive extremes seeking atonement. I found myself getting more and more frustrated as this movie went on because I couldn't tell for the life of me where it was going. To be completely honest, had Will Smith not been in this movie I would have thrown in the towel about half way through. However, since I am one of the millions across this land that are totally fascinated by Will Smith I toughed it out. I mean lets be honest here people, Will Smith (along with probably only Tom Hanks) is so beyond watchable that they could film him taking a dump for two hours and we'd all drop 10 bucks to watch it. Anywho, getting back to the movie - they push the whole mysterious angle way too much that by the time the payoff comes its not enough to truly satisfy the viewer.
I wouldn't really recommend this movie. Its not that its horrible or anything. It just doesn't really payoff enough in the end.
Gran Torino
Clint Eastwood stars in Gran Torino. Eastwood plays retired auto worker Walt Kowalski, an iron-willed veteran living in a changing world, who is forced by his immigrant neighbors to confront his own long-held prejudices. The people he once called his neighbors have all moved or passed away, replaced by Hmong immigrants, from Southeast Asia, he despises. Resentful of virtually everything and everyone he sees, Walt is just waiting out the rest of his life...until the night his teenage neighbor Thao tries to steal his prized '72 Gran Torino, under pressure from Hmong gang-bangers. But Walt stands in the way of both the heist and the gang, making him the reluctant hero of the neighborhood--especially to Thao's mother and older sister, Sue, who insist that Thao work for Walt as a way to make amends. Though he initially wants nothing to do with these people, Walt eventually gives in and puts the boy to work, setting into motion an unlikely friendship that will change both their lives.
This movie is easily one of the best movies to come out in 2008. I can't believe how much I was sucked in to this movie right from the start. Clint Eastwood plays the greatest "old school" old man role I've ever seen. His remarks and anger are equal parts powerful and hysterical to the viewer. Watching him warm up to what he once hated more than anything was amazing. This movie made me appreciate and respect WW's father more than I already did and it speaks volumes on how detached our generation and more importantly the generation after ours (the kids) are in today's world. Its remarkable what a difference a generation can make. This movie was nothing short of phenomenal.
I don't just recommend that everyone check this out . . . . . it gets the Must See stamp, people. Get out there and check this one out.
This movie is easily one of the best movies to come out in 2008. I can't believe how much I was sucked in to this movie right from the start. Clint Eastwood plays the greatest "old school" old man role I've ever seen. His remarks and anger are equal parts powerful and hysterical to the viewer. Watching him warm up to what he once hated more than anything was amazing. This movie made me appreciate and respect WW's father more than I already did and it speaks volumes on how detached our generation and more importantly the generation after ours (the kids) are in today's world. Its remarkable what a difference a generation can make. This movie was nothing short of phenomenal.
I don't just recommend that everyone check this out . . . . . it gets the Must See stamp, people. Get out there and check this one out.
Milk
Milk charts the last eight years of Harvey Milk's life. While living in New York City, he turns 40. Looking for more purpose, Milk and his lover Scott Smith (James Franco) relocate to San Francisco, where they found a small business, Castro Camera, in the heart of a working-class neighborhood. With his beloved Castro neighborhood and beautiful city empowering him, Milk surprises Scott and himself by becoming an outspoken agent for change.With vitalizing support from Scott and from new friends like young activist Cleve Jones (Emile Hirsch), Milk plunges headfirst into the choppy waters of politics. Bolstering his public profile with humor, Milk's actions speak even louder than his gift-of-gab words. When Milk is elected supervisor for the newly zoned District 5, he tries to coordinate his efforts with those of another newly elected supervisor, Dan White (Josh Brolin). But as White and Milk's political agendas increasingly diverge, their personal destinies tragically converge. Milk's platform was and is one of hope – a hero's legacy that resonates in the here and now.
This movie was full of excellent acting performances. This is that type of movie where you could see 3 or 4 actors getting nominated for best supporting actor along with the obvious nomination that Sean Penn should get. He was excellent as Harvey Milk. The movie started off a little bit too gay. Sean Penn and James Franco pretty much just start going at it. Right off the bat I was wondering what the heck I had signed on for. However, it settled down and really got you interested in the evolution of Milk's rise in politics. New people were introduced very fluidly and the movie was very well done as a whole.
I strongly recommend that everyone check this one out. Just push through the first ten minutes or so and you will truly enjoy this powerful character drama.
This movie was full of excellent acting performances. This is that type of movie where you could see 3 or 4 actors getting nominated for best supporting actor along with the obvious nomination that Sean Penn should get. He was excellent as Harvey Milk. The movie started off a little bit too gay. Sean Penn and James Franco pretty much just start going at it. Right off the bat I was wondering what the heck I had signed on for. However, it settled down and really got you interested in the evolution of Milk's rise in politics. New people were introduced very fluidly and the movie was very well done as a whole.
I strongly recommend that everyone check this one out. Just push through the first ten minutes or so and you will truly enjoy this powerful character drama.
Nothing Like The Holidays
It's Christmastime and the far-flung members of the Rodriguez family are converging at their parents' home in Chicago to celebrate the season and rejoice in their youngest brother's safe return from combat overseas. For Jesse (Freddy Rodriguez), coming home has rekindled feelings for an old flame, although she can't seem to forgive him for leaving. His older sister Roxanna, a struggling actress, has been chasing her Hollywood dreams for years with little to show for it. And much to the dismay of their mother Anna (Elizabeth Peña), eldest brother Mauricio (John Leguizamo) brings home a high-powered executive wife (Debra Messing) who would rather raise capital than a child.In the course of one eventful week, traditions will be celebrated, secrets revealed and major life decisions made. It all begins when Anna announces to her children she is divorcing their father Eduardo (Alfred Molina). The shock waves from this familial upheaval prompt Roxanna, Mauricio and Jesse, each in their own way, to reevaluate the past and rethink the future. But when the Rodriguezes learn that one of their own is facing a true crisis, they instinctively pull together: Old resentments are forgotten, familial bonds are re-affirmed and the healing power of laughter works its magic as the family discovers they are much stronger than they ever realized.
This movie is literally like This Christmas for latinos. Its the same song and dance with the numerous children and their issues coming home for the holidays and everything magically works out because of the Christmas holiday. The only problem is that while This Christmas had a hook that made you care about the characters, Nothing Like The Holidays did not. Every cliche is pushed to the max and you find yourself bored watching it.
I wouldn't really recommend anyone checking this out. Its not even that good of a simple holiday movie to be honest.
This movie is literally like This Christmas for latinos. Its the same song and dance with the numerous children and their issues coming home for the holidays and everything magically works out because of the Christmas holiday. The only problem is that while This Christmas had a hook that made you care about the characters, Nothing Like The Holidays did not. Every cliche is pushed to the max and you find yourself bored watching it.
I wouldn't really recommend anyone checking this out. Its not even that good of a simple holiday movie to be honest.
The Day The Earth Stood Still
The Day the Earth Stood Still is a reinvention of the 1951 classic. Keanu Reeves portrays Klaatu, an alien whose arrival on our planet triggers a global upheaval. As governments and scientists race to unravel the mystery behind the visitor's appearance, a woman (Jennifer Connelly) and her young stepson get caught up in his mission – and come to understand the ramifications of his being a self-described "friend to the Earth."
This movie was pretty much poop. It had all the potential in the world . . . . . at least from a visual effects standpoint but ended up totally missing the boat. These were the kind of visual effects you would find on a NBC miniseries. Add in the fact that there really is no emotional hook whatsoever along with the always atrocious Keanu Reeves, there really isn't much to write home about regarding this one. Even the big robot guy with the laser eye that could have been so awesome comes across as just plain silly. Daryl Hannah looked more intimidating in Attack Of The 50 Foot Woman than the robot did in this.
I wouldn't really recommend this movie to anyone. It would even be a tough sell for rental.
This movie was pretty much poop. It had all the potential in the world . . . . . at least from a visual effects standpoint but ended up totally missing the boat. These were the kind of visual effects you would find on a NBC miniseries. Add in the fact that there really is no emotional hook whatsoever along with the always atrocious Keanu Reeves, there really isn't much to write home about regarding this one. Even the big robot guy with the laser eye that could have been so awesome comes across as just plain silly. Daryl Hannah looked more intimidating in Attack Of The 50 Foot Woman than the robot did in this.
I wouldn't really recommend this movie to anyone. It would even be a tough sell for rental.
Punisher: War Zone
Waging his one-man war on the world of organized crime, ruthless vigilante-hero Frank Castle sets his sights on overeager mob boss Billy Russoti. After Russoti is left horribly disfigured by Castle, he sets out for vengeance under his new alias: Jigsaw. With the "Punisher Task Force" hot on his trail 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.
Why is it so hard to make a good Punisher movie!?! I was a huge fan of the Punisher comic book series and couldn't wait for them to put him on this big screen. Granted, this attempt isn't as bad as the original Dolph Lundren one from years back but it makes the last attempt with Thomas Jane as the Punisher look like a phenomenal movie by comparison. This movie just decided to up the gore in terms of the Punisher's attacks and the corniness of Jigsaw was beyond atrocious. I couldn't even make it through the whole movie. I pulled the plug when Jigsaw's brother started throwing himself in to mirrors to cheer up Jigsaw because he didn't like the way he looked in them. Seriously. That happened. Go back and read that again and ask yourself if you should ever see this.
I wouldn't recommend this movie to my worst enemy. Its a downright piece of steaming dung and is an insult to Punisher fans.
Why is it so hard to make a good Punisher movie!?! I was a huge fan of the Punisher comic book series and couldn't wait for them to put him on this big screen. Granted, this attempt isn't as bad as the original Dolph Lundren one from years back but it makes the last attempt with Thomas Jane as the Punisher look like a phenomenal movie by comparison. This movie just decided to up the gore in terms of the Punisher's attacks and the corniness of Jigsaw was beyond atrocious. I couldn't even make it through the whole movie. I pulled the plug when Jigsaw's brother started throwing himself in to mirrors to cheer up Jigsaw because he didn't like the way he looked in them. Seriously. That happened. Go back and read that again and ask yourself if you should ever see this.
I wouldn't recommend this movie to my worst enemy. Its a downright piece of steaming dung and is an insult to Punisher fans.
Delgo
Delgo takes place in the magical land of Jhamora, which is divided between two cultures - the Nohrin, winged masters of the skies, and the Lockni, who harness the mystical powers of the land.
I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that most people have never even heard of this movie. I don't know why studios bother putting movies like this out there just for the sake of doing so. The thing that was really disappointing is that this movie had a really great voice cast and pretty good fantasy world storyline. Unfortunately, the animation was total garbage and it made you feel like you were watching a direct to DVD kids movie . . . . . that kids really wouldn't like either because of the above their heads, differing cultures story.
I wouldn't really recommend anyone checking this out. Not that you even really know it existed to begin with.
I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that most people have never even heard of this movie. I don't know why studios bother putting movies like this out there just for the sake of doing so. The thing that was really disappointing is that this movie had a really great voice cast and pretty good fantasy world storyline. Unfortunately, the animation was total garbage and it made you feel like you were watching a direct to DVD kids movie . . . . . that kids really wouldn't like either because of the above their heads, differing cultures story.
I wouldn't really recommend anyone checking this out. Not that you even really know it existed to begin with.
Four Christmases
When upscale, happily unmarried San Francisco couple Kate and Brad find themselves socked in by fog on Christmas morning, their exotic vacation plans morph into the family-centric holiday they had, until now, gleefully avoided. Out of obligation—and unable to escape—they trudge to not one, not two, but four relative-choked festivities, increasingly mortified to find childhood fears raised, adolescent wounds reopened... and their very future together uncertain. As Brad counts the hours to when he can get away from their parents, step-parents, siblings and an assortment of nieces and nephews, Kate is starting to hear the ticking of a different kind of clock. And by the end of the day, she is beginning to wonder if their crazy families' choices are not so crazy after all.
Vince Vaughn has always killed me. He really has the best sarcasm delivery ever. This movie was no different. He had me laughing out loud numerous times and the couple finding out embarrassing things about each other through their families was great too. The only problem I had with this movie was that while it was hysterical for the first hour - it really hit a wall when it decided to get all serious and what not. I realized then that I was just enjoying the laughs and not the movie as a whole because once the laughs stopped I wasn't as in to the characters.
I'd still recommend that people go and check this one out. Its good laughs for the holiday season.
Vince Vaughn has always killed me. He really has the best sarcasm delivery ever. This movie was no different. He had me laughing out loud numerous times and the couple finding out embarrassing things about each other through their families was great too. The only problem I had with this movie was that while it was hysterical for the first hour - it really hit a wall when it decided to get all serious and what not. I realized then that I was just enjoying the laughs and not the movie as a whole because once the laughs stopped I wasn't as in to the characters.
I'd still recommend that people go and check this one out. Its good laughs for the holiday season.
Changeling
Los Angeles, 1928: On a Saturday morning in a working-class suburb, Christine said goodbye to her son, Walter, and left for work. When she came home, she discovered he had vanished. A fruitless search ensues, and months later, a boy claiming to be the nine-year-old is returned. Dazed by the swirl of cops, reporters and her conflicted emotions, Christine allows him to stay overnight. But in her heart, she knows he is not Walter. As she pushes authorities to keep looking, she learns that in Prohibition-era L.A., women don't challenge the system and live to tell their story. Slandered as delusional and unfit, Christine finds an ally in activist Reverend Briegleb (Malkovich), who helps her fight the city to look for her missing boy. Based on the actual incident that rocked California's legal system, Changeling tells the shocking tale of a mother's quest to find her son, and those who won't stop until they silence her.
This was a really good movie. Very disturbing at points, but I can't really get in to that without giving away major points of the movie. I really can't do too many of my rants about this at all without giving it away. That really stinks. I had some really good ones. Anywho, the only real knock I can make against this movie is that I thought it was going to end more times than The Fellowship Of The Ring. The whole thing about "I want my real son" that was in the preview was pretty much wrapped up halfway through the movie. She then went after the cops. But it didn't end after that. She then went after the mental institution. But it didn't end after that. There was a whole other court part that I can't really go in to. But it still didn't end after that. All the while, I couldn't stop wondering what was going on with the "fake" son and what his real parents must have been going through wondering where he was. There . . . . I fit in a rant and feel a little better.
Even with the ranting, I would still recommend this movie. Its a really good drama that keeps your attention through the multiple possible endings.
This was a really good movie. Very disturbing at points, but I can't really get in to that without giving away major points of the movie. I really can't do too many of my rants about this at all without giving it away. That really stinks. I had some really good ones. Anywho, the only real knock I can make against this movie is that I thought it was going to end more times than The Fellowship Of The Ring. The whole thing about "I want my real son" that was in the preview was pretty much wrapped up halfway through the movie. She then went after the cops. But it didn't end after that. She then went after the mental institution. But it didn't end after that. There was a whole other court part that I can't really go in to. But it still didn't end after that. All the while, I couldn't stop wondering what was going on with the "fake" son and what his real parents must have been going through wondering where he was. There . . . . I fit in a rant and feel a little better.
Even with the ranting, I would still recommend this movie. Its a really good drama that keeps your attention through the multiple possible endings.
Twilight
Twilight is a modern-day love story between a teenage girl and a vampire. Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) has always been a little bit different, never caring about fitting in with the trendy girls at her Phoenix high school. When her mother re-marries and sends Bella to live with her father in the rainy little town of Forks, Washington, she doesn't expect much of anything to change. Then she meets Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson), a boy unlike any she's ever met. Edward is a vampire, but he doesn't have fangs and his family is unique in that they choose not to drink human blood. Intelligent and witty, Edward sees straight into Bella's soul. Soon, they are swept up in a passionate, thrilling and unorthodox romance. To Edward, Bella is what he has waited 90 years for – a soul mate. But the closer they get, the more Edward must struggle to resist the primal pull of her scent, which could send him into an uncontrollable frenzy. But what will Edward & Bella do when a clan of new vampires – James (Cam Gigandet), Laurent (Edi Gathegi) and Victoria (Rachelle Lefevre) – come to town and threaten to disrupt their way of life?
I've read all the books in this Twilight series and tried to temper my excitement for this movie. Its basically a movie made for teenage girls and their romance loving mothers. It was made by a small movie studio with a tiny budget by modern day standards. There was only so good that the movie could really be. It definitely didn't help that with the book series being finished and dying to see the end game portion of it play out on screen, you now have to watch the beginning of it all and deal with the dragging parts that you forgot about. That all being said - the movie met pretty much all of my expectations dead on. It was watchable but definitely dragged at parts. The acting was pretty dull and reading the book was definitely a necessary prerequisite to being able to enjoy the movie. I definitely think that the following movies will be a 1000 times better than this one, but taking this movie for what it really is and NOT the blockbuster that it was advertised as being makes it a better than average watch.
I'd recommend this movie to people who read the book. Then again, would anyone who read the book not see this movie? If you haven't read the book - try to see it with someone who has so they can point things out as it goes on and you aren't stuck wondering what all the hype was about.
I've read all the books in this Twilight series and tried to temper my excitement for this movie. Its basically a movie made for teenage girls and their romance loving mothers. It was made by a small movie studio with a tiny budget by modern day standards. There was only so good that the movie could really be. It definitely didn't help that with the book series being finished and dying to see the end game portion of it play out on screen, you now have to watch the beginning of it all and deal with the dragging parts that you forgot about. That all being said - the movie met pretty much all of my expectations dead on. It was watchable but definitely dragged at parts. The acting was pretty dull and reading the book was definitely a necessary prerequisite to being able to enjoy the movie. I definitely think that the following movies will be a 1000 times better than this one, but taking this movie for what it really is and NOT the blockbuster that it was advertised as being makes it a better than average watch.
I'd recommend this movie to people who read the book. Then again, would anyone who read the book not see this movie? If you haven't read the book - try to see it with someone who has so they can point things out as it goes on and you aren't stuck wondering what all the hype was about.
Quantum Of Solace
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 Camille (Olga Kurylenko), a woman who has her own vendetta. Camille leads Bond straight to Dominic Greene (Mathieu Amalric), a ruthless 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 (Joaquin Cosio). Using his associates in the organisation, 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.
I loved this movie. I was always a fan of Bond movies, but always found them to be more on the campy side regarding the action scenes. Not any more. This movie had some of the best (and most real looking) action scenes ever. The best part of this movie was its pacing. The only knock that I could make against Casino Royale was that it dragged tremendously at many points. This movie took right off at the beginning with an amazing car chase and didn't let off the gas at all. Dainel Craig, and his awesome gritty/rididness, further cemented himself as the second best Bond to Sean Connery. His chemistry with Judi Dench as the only person who has faith in him were great.
I couldn't possibly recommend this movie more if I tried. It is awesome and is a must see for anyone looking for a great ride and adrenaline in a movie.
I loved this movie. I was always a fan of Bond movies, but always found them to be more on the campy side regarding the action scenes. Not any more. This movie had some of the best (and most real looking) action scenes ever. The best part of this movie was its pacing. The only knock that I could make against Casino Royale was that it dragged tremendously at many points. This movie took right off at the beginning with an amazing car chase and didn't let off the gas at all. Dainel Craig, and his awesome gritty/rididness, further cemented himself as the second best Bond to Sean Connery. His chemistry with Judi Dench as the only person who has faith in him were great.
I couldn't possibly recommend this movie more if I tried. It is awesome and is a must see for anyone looking for a great ride and adrenaline in a movie.
Soul Men
Superstars Samuel L. Jackson and Bernie Mac are "Soul Men" - the hilarious story of Louis (Samuel L. Jackson) and Floyd (Bernie Mac), a popular singing duo back in the day, who went their separate ways and never spoke again. When the death of their former group leader (John Legend) reunites them and sends them driving cross country for a tribute concert at the legendary Apollo Theatre, they will have only five days to bury the hatchet on a twenty-year-old grudge.
This movie was absolutely horrid. Seriously. I tried as hard as possible to tough it out because this is Bernie Mac's last piece of work. I've always found him funny and figured that I would at least laugh a couple of times during this movie. After the first 30 minutes and NO laughs whatsoever, the plug was pulled on this giant turd because my face was actually starting to hurt from holding the total disgusted look for so long. Its an absolute shame that this is the last thing that Bernie Mac will ever be in.
Stay away from this movie forever. Don't even waste the hour and a half of your life when its on cable. Its truly that bad.
This movie was absolutely horrid. Seriously. I tried as hard as possible to tough it out because this is Bernie Mac's last piece of work. I've always found him funny and figured that I would at least laugh a couple of times during this movie. After the first 30 minutes and NO laughs whatsoever, the plug was pulled on this giant turd because my face was actually starting to hurt from holding the total disgusted look for so long. Its an absolute shame that this is the last thing that Bernie Mac will ever be in.
Stay away from this movie forever. Don't even waste the hour and a half of your life when its on cable. Its truly that bad.
Bolt
From Walt Disney Pictures comes an animated comedy adventure featuring a super-dog named Bolt (voice of John Travolta), whose days are filled with danger and intrigue—at least until the cameras stop rolling. When the star of a hit TV show is accidentally shipped from his Hollywood soundstage to New York City, he begins his biggest adventure yet—a cross-country journey through the real world to get back to his owner and co-star, Penny (voice of Miley Cyrus). Armed only with the delusions that all his amazing feats and powers are real, and the help of two unlikely traveling companions—a jaded, abandoned housecat named Mittens (voice of Susie Essman) and a TV-obsessed hamster named Rhino (voice of Mark Walton)—Bolt discovers he doesn't need superpowers to be a hero.
This was a very enjoyable animated Disney movie. I saw it in Digital 3d and to be completely honest, I couldn't really see how the regular version would be any different. There were no added bonuses to it being in digital 3d except for showing some extra depth during chase scenes. I'm sure that the movie would be just as great in its regular version. The story was cute and very quickly explained so the movie doesn't really drag at all. The voices were great, especially the cat and the hamster. The hamster provided all of the laughs and really stole the show.
I'd fully recommending everyone check this out. Its a fun movie and a must see for anyone with kids.
This was a very enjoyable animated Disney movie. I saw it in Digital 3d and to be completely honest, I couldn't really see how the regular version would be any different. There were no added bonuses to it being in digital 3d except for showing some extra depth during chase scenes. I'm sure that the movie would be just as great in its regular version. The story was cute and very quickly explained so the movie doesn't really drag at all. The voices were great, especially the cat and the hamster. The hamster provided all of the laughs and really stole the show.
I'd fully recommending everyone check this out. Its a fun movie and a must see for anyone with kids.
Pride And Glory
A gritty and emotional portrait of the New York City Police Department, the film follows a multi-generational police family whose moral code is tested when one of two sons on the force investigates an incendiary case involving his older brother and brother-in-law. The case forces the family to choose between their loyalties to one another and their loyalties to the department.
This is another one of those movies that is basically just a two hour special episode of a really good cop show like The Shield. It was very entertaining and watchable. It had good textbook performances by Edward Norton, Colin Farrel and Jon Voight. It just seemed to be lacking that oh my god adrenaline kick throughout the movie. There were numerous parts that got you to be watching open mouthed, but then it would dull down a bit and lose that awesome dialed in feeling.
I would still recommend people checking this out. Its definitely an entertaining movie, but they could have put more effort in to driving that adrenaline home.
This is another one of those movies that is basically just a two hour special episode of a really good cop show like The Shield. It was very entertaining and watchable. It had good textbook performances by Edward Norton, Colin Farrel and Jon Voight. It just seemed to be lacking that oh my god adrenaline kick throughout the movie. There were numerous parts that got you to be watching open mouthed, but then it would dull down a bit and lose that awesome dialed in feeling.
I would still recommend people checking this out. Its definitely an entertaining movie, but they could have put more effort in to driving that adrenaline home.
House
On a deserted back road in Alabama, Jack and Stephanie find themselves driving fast and running late. Their world suddenly changes when a strange accident leaves them stranded with no car, no cell phone coverage, and no help in sight. They have no choice except to continue on foot. As darkness approaches, they round a bend and see a small sign at the top of a long gravel driveway: The Wayside Inn.The exhausted couple stands in front of an inviting house, complete with gated stone wall, ancient oak trees, and a note welcoming weary travelers. Inside they find another couple with an equally troubling story about a similar accident. It seems that backwoods pranksters have made their day miserable. Still, they are safe...Or so they think.
I still can't for the life of me figure out why this movie was made at all - much less for the big screen. This would have been an incredibly lame made for tv movie. Its a horror movie with no real scares, no real gore, and no point whatsoever.
I wouldn't never recommend this movie to anyone. Its total poop and is a lock to show up on the ten worst of the year.
I still can't for the life of me figure out why this movie was made at all - much less for the big screen. This would have been an incredibly lame made for tv movie. Its a horror movie with no real scares, no real gore, and no point whatsoever.
I wouldn't never recommend this movie to anyone. Its total poop and is a lock to show up on the ten worst of the year.
Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
All the loveable characters are back - Alex the lion, Marty the zebra, Melman the giraffe and Gloria the hippo, King Julien, Maurice and the penguins - in Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa. Left marooned on the distant shores of Madagascar, the New Yorkers have hatched a plan so crazy it just might work. With military precision, the penguins have repaired an old crashed plane - sort of. Once aloft, this unlikely crew stays airborne just enough to make it to the wildest place of all - the vast plains of Africa itself - where our zoo-raised crew encounter species of their own kind for the very first time. While discovering their roots, they quickly realize the difference between the concrete jungle and the heart of Africa. Despite long-lost relatives, romantic rivals and scheming hunters, Africa seems like a "crack-a-lackin" great place... but is it better than their Central Park home?
I think I actually enjoyed this movei more than the original one. I think what made it so good was that they took the smaller and funnier characters from the first one and made their roles bigger. The penguins have a much bigger part. So do the monkeys. The best move they made was incorporating the old lady that kicks the lion's ass in the first one in to this movie and juicing up her part. The only knock I'll make against this movie is that a little too much time was spent on Alex the lion when he's pretty much the least entertaining character out of all of them. Outside of that - this movie is great fun for kids as well as the adults that take them to see it.
I definitely recommend everyone checking this bad boy out. Its worth the time, money and smiles on the kids faces.
I think I actually enjoyed this movei more than the original one. I think what made it so good was that they took the smaller and funnier characters from the first one and made their roles bigger. The penguins have a much bigger part. So do the monkeys. The best move they made was incorporating the old lady that kicks the lion's ass in the first one in to this movie and juicing up her part. The only knock I'll make against this movie is that a little too much time was spent on Alex the lion when he's pretty much the least entertaining character out of all of them. Outside of that - this movie is great fun for kids as well as the adults that take them to see it.
I definitely recommend everyone checking this bad boy out. Its worth the time, money and smiles on the kids faces.
Role Models
Paul Rudd and Seann William Scott star in Role Models as Danny and Wheeler, two salesmen who trash a company truck on an energy drink-fueled bender. Upon their arrest, the court gives them a choice: do hard time or spend 150 service hours with a mentorship program. If they can just make it through probation without getting thrown in jail, the world's worst role models will prove that, sometimes, it takes a village idiot to raise a child.
I thought this movie was beyond hysterical. This is one of the best character comedies to come out in a long time. Stifler played his usual self. Paul Rudd continues to impress me. McLovin was probably the best actor in the whole movie and the little kid that played Ronnie had me belly laughing the whole time. The movie is of course totally formula and you know everything that's going to happen the whole time but you still find yourself laughing uncontrollably at the one-liners and gags. The way that the four of them were dressed at the end of this movie had tears rolling down my face I was laughing so hard.
I couldn't possibly recommend this movie more if I tried. Its a much welcomed laugh fest out in theaters.
I thought this movie was beyond hysterical. This is one of the best character comedies to come out in a long time. Stifler played his usual self. Paul Rudd continues to impress me. McLovin was probably the best actor in the whole movie and the little kid that played Ronnie had me belly laughing the whole time. The movie is of course totally formula and you know everything that's going to happen the whole time but you still find yourself laughing uncontrollably at the one-liners and gags. The way that the four of them were dressed at the end of this movie had tears rolling down my face I was laughing so hard.
I couldn't possibly recommend this movie more if I tried. Its a much welcomed laugh fest out in theaters.
Zack And Miri Make A Porno
Lifelong friends and roommates Zack (Seth Rogen) and Miri (Elizabeth Banks) are facing hard times and a mountain of debt. When the electricity and plumbing get cut off, they seize upon the idea of making a homegrown porno movie for some quick cash, enlisting the help of their friends. The two vow that having sex will not ruin their friendship. But as filming begins, what started out as a business proposition between friends turns into something much more.
This movie could have been so much funnier and so much more heartwarming at the end if they didn't have to push the sex envelope so far. I really hate when movies do that. Especially movies like this that could have been such quality without it. My favorite sex comedies are the ones that talk about it and imply it but once you actually see it happening so much of the humor is lost. You can't laugh at thinking about it when you are more shocked that its taking place right in front of you. The movie wasn't horrible. It had some pretty big laughs and great characters (especially the guy that plays Daryl on The Office). I don't know if its looking through things with parenting eyes or what, but I get really turned off when movies go so over the top with pushing the limit like this.
I would recommend that anyone who really wanted to see this based on the preview go and check it out. Anyone who was on the fence about it - do not see it.
This movie could have been so much funnier and so much more heartwarming at the end if they didn't have to push the sex envelope so far. I really hate when movies do that. Especially movies like this that could have been such quality without it. My favorite sex comedies are the ones that talk about it and imply it but once you actually see it happening so much of the humor is lost. You can't laugh at thinking about it when you are more shocked that its taking place right in front of you. The movie wasn't horrible. It had some pretty big laughs and great characters (especially the guy that plays Daryl on The Office). I don't know if its looking through things with parenting eyes or what, but I get really turned off when movies go so over the top with pushing the limit like this.
I would recommend that anyone who really wanted to see this based on the preview go and check it out. Anyone who was on the fence about it - do not see it.
The Secret Life Of Bees
The Secret Life of Bees, based on the New York Times best selling novel and set in South Carolina in 1964, is the moving tale of Lily Owens (Fanning) a 14 year-old girl who is haunted by the memory of her late mother (Burton). To escape her lonely life and troubled relationship with her father (Bettany), Lily flees with Rosaleen (Hudson), her caregiver and only friend, to a South Carolina town that holds the secret to her mother's past. Taken in by the intelligent and independent Boatwright sisters (Latifah, Okonedo and Keys), Lily finds solace in their mesmerizing world of beekeeping.
This is one of those movies that I know was a good movie - especially if you like those heart string character dramas, but I just wasn't that in to it. The performances were very diverse and well done for character drama standards. Dakota Fanning continues to impress and I still get such a kick out of seeing how far Queen Latifah has come from being all gangsta rap back and the day. It wasn't a bad movie at all, but I just found myself very bored with it and wanting it to end so I could move on to something else.
I'd still recommend that anyone who was really interested in seeing this go check it out. It just wasn't really my kind of movie I guess.
This is one of those movies that I know was a good movie - especially if you like those heart string character dramas, but I just wasn't that in to it. The performances were very diverse and well done for character drama standards. Dakota Fanning continues to impress and I still get such a kick out of seeing how far Queen Latifah has come from being all gangsta rap back and the day. It wasn't a bad movie at all, but I just found myself very bored with it and wanting it to end so I could move on to something else.
I'd still recommend that anyone who was really interested in seeing this go check it out. It just wasn't really my kind of movie I guess.
RockNRolla
When a Russian mobster orchestrates a crooked land deal, millions of dollars are up for grabs, and all of London's criminal underworld wants in on the action. Everyone from a dangerous crime lord to a sexy accountant, a corrupt politician and down-on-their-luck petty thieves conspire, collude and collide with one another in an effort to get rich quick.
There were a lot of really great characters in this movie. It was a massive collection of quirky gangsters. Unfortunately, the movie was too choppy and all over the place for me to really enjoy it as much as I wanted to. There was really no reason at all for this movie to be two hours long. The crazy back and forth really took a lot away from the movie as a whole even though parts of it were awesome and the characters really kept your interests piqued. While its a decent watch, its not really on par with Guy Ritchie's other great movies.
I'd lukewarmly recommend this movie to people. Its not really worth a trip to theaters but might make a decent rental.
There were a lot of really great characters in this movie. It was a massive collection of quirky gangsters. Unfortunately, the movie was too choppy and all over the place for me to really enjoy it as much as I wanted to. There was really no reason at all for this movie to be two hours long. The crazy back and forth really took a lot away from the movie as a whole even though parts of it were awesome and the characters really kept your interests piqued. While its a decent watch, its not really on par with Guy Ritchie's other great movies.
I'd lukewarmly recommend this movie to people. Its not really worth a trip to theaters but might make a decent rental.
Saw V
In the fifth installment of the "Saw" franchise, Hoffman is seemingly the last person alive to carry on the Jigsaw legacy. But when his secret is threatened, Hoffman must go on the hunt to eliminate all loose ends.
Holy disappointment, Saw franchise!!! What the hell was the deal with this giant turd. I don't want to sound like the biggest Saw franchise fan. The movies are so disgustingly gory and the writers have to have psychopath files in some behavioral analysis unit at the FBI. However, the ups and downs of the scripts and the story line tie ups at the end of the previous 4 Saw movies were awesome. This one not only toned down on the gore, but it also had the most predictable ending. In all of the other four Saw movies, you have that "Oooooohhhh" moment at the end as it all plays out just before the credits hit. I had this one figured out twenty minutes in to the movie. I kept thinking that it was too obvious and there would be a big swerve. When it played out just the way that we saw it going - I was totally disappointed.
I wouldn't recommend anyone checking this one out. It was a big pile of disappointing poop. This one is by far and away the worst movie of the franchise.
Holy disappointment, Saw franchise!!! What the hell was the deal with this giant turd. I don't want to sound like the biggest Saw franchise fan. The movies are so disgustingly gory and the writers have to have psychopath files in some behavioral analysis unit at the FBI. However, the ups and downs of the scripts and the story line tie ups at the end of the previous 4 Saw movies were awesome. This one not only toned down on the gore, but it also had the most predictable ending. In all of the other four Saw movies, you have that "Oooooohhhh" moment at the end as it all plays out just before the credits hit. I had this one figured out twenty minutes in to the movie. I kept thinking that it was too obvious and there would be a big swerve. When it played out just the way that we saw it going - I was totally disappointed.
I wouldn't recommend anyone checking this one out. It was a big pile of disappointing poop. This one is by far and away the worst movie of the franchise.
High School Musical 3: Senior Year
Haven't seen it.
Won't be seeing it.
You are all on your own.
Alright . . . . . so I ended up having to see it. Its one of those parental sacrifices that have to be made that I will be reminding Stinka about for the next 40 - 50 years. The movie was silly and stupid, but the kids loved it and the time that I had with WW and our friend was hysterical because of us making fun of the movie the whole time. Not really much of a review but I really didn't watch the movie that much even though I was there.
I'd recommend anyone with kids taking them to see this. Its like some sort of crack that they will hate you forever if you don't take them to see it. I wish you the best of luck.
Won't be seeing it.
You are all on your own.
Alright . . . . . so I ended up having to see it. Its one of those parental sacrifices that have to be made that I will be reminding Stinka about for the next 40 - 50 years. The movie was silly and stupid, but the kids loved it and the time that I had with WW and our friend was hysterical because of us making fun of the movie the whole time. Not really much of a review but I really didn't watch the movie that much even though I was there.
I'd recommend anyone with kids taking them to see this. Its like some sort of crack that they will hate you forever if you don't take them to see it. I wish you the best of luck.
Quarantine
Television reporter Angela Vidal (Jennifer Carpenter) and her cameraman (Steve Harris) are assigned to spend the night shift with a Los Angeles Fire Station. After a routine 911 call takes them to a small apartment building, they find police officers already on the scene in response to blood curdling screams coming from one of the apartment units. They soon learn that a woman living in the building has been infected by something unknown. After a few of the residents are viciously attacked, they try to escape with the news crew in tow, only to find that the CDC has quarantined the building. Phones, internet, televisions and cell phone access have been cut-off, and officials are not relaying information to those locked inside. When the quarantine is finally lifted, the only evidence of what took place is the news crew's videotape.
This movie would have been scary as all hell if it wasn't for the home video style of filming in it. The first 20 minutes of the movie were a total waste. We didn't need to see the reporter giggling with the firefighters and what not for that long. Just get to the contaminated house already. They also tried to build some sort of suspense as to what the disease was (SPOILER ALERT - some kind of an advanced string of rabies . . . . I think) and you don't really need to know. Its basically like a zombie movie in a quarantined house. Its a decent watch once you take out all of the above nonsense, but its scare potential is very limited because of the shaky camera work. The other thing I still can't get over is that (SPOILER ALERT), the main marketing scene that is all over the posters and commercials is the final scene of the movie. Why in the blue hell would they do that?
I'd recommend this movie to big horror fans. Just don't have your expectations too high. The movie is definitely watchable but could have been SO much better.
This movie would have been scary as all hell if it wasn't for the home video style of filming in it. The first 20 minutes of the movie were a total waste. We didn't need to see the reporter giggling with the firefighters and what not for that long. Just get to the contaminated house already. They also tried to build some sort of suspense as to what the disease was (SPOILER ALERT - some kind of an advanced string of rabies . . . . I think) and you don't really need to know. Its basically like a zombie movie in a quarantined house. Its a decent watch once you take out all of the above nonsense, but its scare potential is very limited because of the shaky camera work. The other thing I still can't get over is that (SPOILER ALERT), the main marketing scene that is all over the posters and commercials is the final scene of the movie. Why in the blue hell would they do that?
I'd recommend this movie to big horror fans. Just don't have your expectations too high. The movie is definitely watchable but could have been SO much better.
W.
Whether you love him or hate him, there is no question that George W. Bush is one of the most controversial public figures in recent memory. In an unprecedented undertaking, acclaimed director Oliver Stone is bringing the life of our 43rd President to the big screen as only he can. W. takes viewers through Bush's eventful life -- his struggles and triumphs, how he found both his wife and his faith, and of course the critical days leading up to Bush's decision to invade Iraq. W. stars Josh Brolin as George W. Bush, Elizabeth Banks as Laura Bush, James Cromwell as George Herbert Walker Bush, Ellen Burstyn as Barbara Bush, Thandie Newton as Condoleezza Rice, Jeffrey Wright as Colin Powell, Scott Glenn as Donald Rumsfeld, and Ioan Gruffud as Tony Blair.
This movie was insanely all over the place. It jumped back and forth constantly and pretty much destroyed the movie by doing so. Its a shame because the performances are excellent, especially Josh Brolin a W, James Cromwell as Poppy Bush and Thandie Newton as Condoleezza Rice. The great peformances were totally wasted by the ridiculous timeline explosion of the movie and Oliver Stone's need to portray W as a whiny kid with daddy issues. He didn't need to remind us about this every 7 minutes. We all totally get it already.
I wouldn't really recommend this movie to anyone. All it really does is annoy you with the jumping around and make you madder at the way things are in our country right now regardless of how accurate the movie is.
This movie was insanely all over the place. It jumped back and forth constantly and pretty much destroyed the movie by doing so. Its a shame because the performances are excellent, especially Josh Brolin a W, James Cromwell as Poppy Bush and Thandie Newton as Condoleezza Rice. The great peformances were totally wasted by the ridiculous timeline explosion of the movie and Oliver Stone's need to portray W as a whiny kid with daddy issues. He didn't need to remind us about this every 7 minutes. We all totally get it already.
I wouldn't really recommend this movie to anyone. All it really does is annoy you with the jumping around and make you madder at the way things are in our country right now regardless of how accurate the movie is.
Body Of Lies
Roger Ferris (Leonardo DiCaprio) is the best man U.S. Intelligence has on the ground, in places where human life is worth no more than the information it can get you. In operations that take him around the globe, Ferris' next breath often depends on the voice at the other end of a secure phone line--CIA veteran Ed Hoffman (Russell Crowe). Strategizing from a laptop in the suburbs, Hoffman is on the trail of an emerging terrorist leader who has orchestrated a campaign of bombings while eluding the most sophisticated intelligence network in the world. To lure the terrorist out into the open, Ferris will have to penetrate his murky world, but the closer Ferris gets to the target, the more he discovers that trust is both a dangerous commodity and the only one that will get him out alive.
I kind of ended up disappointed by this movie. It wasn't that it was bad. It was actually a really good movie, but I think I let my expectations get too high and I was wanting something more. The movie told its story very well but it was missing that huge hook that I was expecting where I wouldn't be able to look away or think about anything else while the movie was on. DiCaprio continues to impress. He's come a long way from being some sort of a powder puff to a powerful actor. I think that Crowe was really only in this for name value because he didn't bring much to the character at all and wasn't even in most of the movie.
I would recommend people checking this movie out. Its not a must see by any means but is a pretty good CIA type movie.
Max Payne
Maverick cop Max Payne (Wahlberg) is hell-bent on revenge against those responsible for the brutal murder of his family and partner. His obsessive investigation takes him on a nightmarish journey into a dark underworld. As the mystery deepens, Max is forced to battle enemies beyond the natural world and face an unthinkable betrayal.
This movie was just a big giant turd. I never played the video game so I don't know how accurate it was to the game and can't really comment on the movie along those lines. Regardless of how closely it modeled the game - it was still poop. The movie was so beyond blah for an action movie. All of the "acting" in this movie was atrocious. The worst part of it all is that this is yet another actor who has seemingly fallen in love with slow motion action scenes. When done well - they can add to a scene. They weren't remotely done well in this movie. At one point - I think it took Mark Wahlberg 20 minutes to shoot a guy bending over backwards with a shotgun. It was by far and away the most annoying shooting I've ever witnessed.
This movie is total crap and shouldn't be seen by anyone. Seriously, people . . . . . do yourself the favor of avoiding this movie. Forever!!!
This movie was just a big giant turd. I never played the video game so I don't know how accurate it was to the game and can't really comment on the movie along those lines. Regardless of how closely it modeled the game - it was still poop. The movie was so beyond blah for an action movie. All of the "acting" in this movie was atrocious. The worst part of it all is that this is yet another actor who has seemingly fallen in love with slow motion action scenes. When done well - they can add to a scene. They weren't remotely done well in this movie. At one point - I think it took Mark Wahlberg 20 minutes to shoot a guy bending over backwards with a shotgun. It was by far and away the most annoying shooting I've ever witnessed.
This movie is total crap and shouldn't be seen by anyone. Seriously, people . . . . . do yourself the favor of avoiding this movie. Forever!!!
The Express
Based on a true story, The Express follows the extraordinary life of college football hero Ernie Davis (Rob Brown), the first African-American to win the Heisman Trophy. His fight for equality and respect forever changed the face of American sports, and his story continues to inspire new generations. Raised in poverty in Pennsylvania coal-mining country, Davis hurdled social and economic obstacles to become one of the greatest running backs in college football history. Under the guidance of legendary Syracuse coach Ben Schwartzwalder (Dennis Quaid), he became a hero who superseded Jim Brown's achievements and set records that stand to this day. Decorated veteran Schwartzwalder was a Southerner with a single vision of a national championship and hardened ideas about how the world worked. But though he and Davis clashed mightily, he taught the player everything he knew about football, just as Davis helped him learn the true meaning of victory. As the growing civil rights movement divided the country in the '60s, Davis became a symbol for achievement that transcended race. Refusing to flinch from others' prejudices, he achieved all his goals—until he faced a challenge that would make most men crumble. He joined the ranks of black pioneers by teaching a generation tolerance, inspiring a movement that smashed barriers on and off the field.
This was a great sports movie. I am a huge sucker for sports movies. There is just something about them that always seem to get me caught up in the moment and very heavily invested on seeing what happens to the player or team. This movie was even better because it went way behind the textbook underdog storyline. They managed to do a great job addressing the racial tension during the time period of the movie and Dennis Quaid perfomance of walking the line of what was best for the team and his player during that time was awesome. This movie also went way beyond the "winning the game" portion of the typical sports movie and really made you care about Ernie Davis as he succumbed to leukemia. It was incredibly sad but excellently portrayed.
I would recommend people checking this movie out. Its very well done and more than worth your time and money.
This was a great sports movie. I am a huge sucker for sports movies. There is just something about them that always seem to get me caught up in the moment and very heavily invested on seeing what happens to the player or team. This movie was even better because it went way behind the textbook underdog storyline. They managed to do a great job addressing the racial tension during the time period of the movie and Dennis Quaid perfomance of walking the line of what was best for the team and his player during that time was awesome. This movie also went way beyond the "winning the game" portion of the typical sports movie and really made you care about Ernie Davis as he succumbed to leukemia. It was incredibly sad but excellently portrayed.
I would recommend people checking this movie out. Its very well done and more than worth your time and money.
City Of Ember
For generations, the people of the City of Ember have flourished in an amazing world of glittering lights. But Ember's once powerful generator is failing... and the great lamps that illuminate the city are starting to flicker. Now, two teenagers in a race against time, must search Ember for clues that will unlock the ancient mystery of the city's existence, and help the citizens escape before the lights go out forever.
I'm usually a huge fan of fantasy world movies like this. The Dark Crystal is one of my favorite movies of all time. If you've never seen it - you shouldn't be watching anything else until you do. Unfortunately, City Of Ember fell pretty flat. It wasn't horrible - it was actually quite watchable. I just wish that they would have put a little more umph in to the movie. It lacked that inspirational heart that fantasy movies like this thrive on. I found myself not fully invested in the two main characters and their venture of trying to save Ember. These movies are also very dependent on the main villain and although I have always been a HUGE Bill Murray fan, he was completely miscast in this movie and never really got the chance to make his villainous role memorable in any way.
I wouldn't really recommend anyone rushing to check this out. Its watchable but not great and can totally wait for rental.
I'm usually a huge fan of fantasy world movies like this. The Dark Crystal is one of my favorite movies of all time. If you've never seen it - you shouldn't be watching anything else until you do. Unfortunately, City Of Ember fell pretty flat. It wasn't horrible - it was actually quite watchable. I just wish that they would have put a little more umph in to the movie. It lacked that inspirational heart that fantasy movies like this thrive on. I found myself not fully invested in the two main characters and their venture of trying to save Ember. These movies are also very dependent on the main villain and although I have always been a HUGE Bill Murray fan, he was completely miscast in this movie and never really got the chance to make his villainous role memorable in any way.
I wouldn't really recommend anyone rushing to check this out. Its watchable but not great and can totally wait for rental.
Beverly Hills Chihuahua
Chloe (voice of Drew Barrymore), a diamond-clad, bootie wearing Beverly Hills Chihuahua enjoys her luxurious lifestyle so much, she hardly notices Papi (voice of George Lopez), a tough looking Chihuahua who happens to be head-over-paws for the pampered pooch. But when Chloe gets lost in the rough streets of Mexico with only a street-wise German Shepherd (voice of Andy Garcia) to help her find her way home, Papi heads south of the border -- joining forces with a motley crew: two humans (Piper Perabo, Manolo Cardona), a sly rat (voice of Cheech Marin) and a nervous iguana (voice of Paul Rodriguez) – to rescue his true love.
This was an excellent kids movie. There are few movies that your kids would enjoy more than this bad boy. Unfortunately, its not as entertaining for the adults taking the kids. Don't get me wrong. There are definitely numerous big laughs, but there is nothing in this movie that you didn't already chuckle at in the trailer. However, these movies are in no way made for us, people. Its made for the kids and it definitely reaches its target audience perfectly. On a totally unrelated side note - how with the US economy being so bad does this movie making 30 million dollars on its opening weekend? Seriously?
I completely recommend this movie for anyone with kids. They will fully enjoy it and it will make it worth your time watching them laugh regardless of what you think of the movie.
Choke
Choke is a dark comedy about mothers and sons, sexual compulsion, and the sordid underbelly of Colonial theme parks. Victor Mancini (Rockwell), a sex-addicted med-school dropout, who keeps his increasingly deranged mother, Ida (Huston), in an expensive private medical hospital by working days as a historical reenactor at a Colonial Williamsburg theme park. At night Victor runs a scam by deliberately choking in upscale restaurants to form parasitic relationships with the wealthy patrons who "save" him. When, in a rare lucid movement, Ida reveals that she has withheld the shocking truth of his father’s identity, Victor enlists the aid of his best friend, Denny (Henke) and his mother's beautiful attending physician, Dr. Paige Marshall (Macdonald), to solve the mystery before the truth of his possibly divine parentage is lost forever.
This move was based on a book by the guy that wrote Fight Club, Chuck Palahniuck. I have read all of his books and they are honestly some of the most deranged and twisted stuff I've ever read. Its the type of stuff that gets so down and dirty at times that you really don't know why you are reading but it somehow hooks you. Of all his books, I would say that this one was middle of the pack overall and I figured that turning it in to a movie would be pretty crazy. It was. I only gave this movie the 30 minute treatment to see if I should even bother paying the $5 to rent it when it comes out. I probably won't and will just wait for cable. The portion of the movie that I watched was very scattered and basically just a series of ridiculous sexual escapades that seem so unrealistic to me that it ends up being rather pointless.
I wouldn't really recommend people checking this movie out. Its not even really in theaters, but I would just wait for cable even when this comes out on video.
This move was based on a book by the guy that wrote Fight Club, Chuck Palahniuck. I have read all of his books and they are honestly some of the most deranged and twisted stuff I've ever read. Its the type of stuff that gets so down and dirty at times that you really don't know why you are reading but it somehow hooks you. Of all his books, I would say that this one was middle of the pack overall and I figured that turning it in to a movie would be pretty crazy. It was. I only gave this movie the 30 minute treatment to see if I should even bother paying the $5 to rent it when it comes out. I probably won't and will just wait for cable. The portion of the movie that I watched was very scattered and basically just a series of ridiculous sexual escapades that seem so unrealistic to me that it ends up being rather pointless.
I wouldn't really recommend people checking this movie out. Its not even really in theaters, but I would just wait for cable even when this comes out on video.
Nights In Rodanthe
Adrienne Willis (Diane Lane), a woman with her life in chaos, retreats to the tiny coastal town of Rodanthe, in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, to tend to a friend's inn for the weekend. Here she hopes to find the tranquility she so desperately needs to rethink the conflicts surrounding her—a wayward husband who has asked to come home, and a teenaged daughter who resents her every decision. Almost as soon as Adrienne gets to Rodanthe, a major storm is forecast and Dr. Paul Flanner (Richard Gere) arrives. The only guest at the inn, Flanner is not on a weekend escape but rather is there to face his own crisis of conscience. Now, with the storm closing in, the two turn to each other for comfort and, in one magical weekend, set in motion a life-changing romance that will resonate throughout the rest of their lives.
This movie is exactly what you expected from the preview. Its a way over dramatic sobfest that any woman looking for a good cry will love. Unfortunately, I am not a woman - nor do I look for good cries so I wasn't that in to the movie. I can usually find these types of movies somewhat enjoyable as long as their is at least a legit connection between the romantic leads. I enjoyed The Notebook. I enjoyed A Walk To Remember. I enjoyed Return To Me. Why am I openly admitting these things? Anywho, I was able to enjoy these movies because the leads had a great chemistry and that made the overdramatic dead weight more bearable. Unfortunately, I wasn't really feeling that with Richard Gere and Diane Lane. Honestly, the best part of this movie was that it was filmed near my future brother in law's house so I saw many sights near his house that I was familiar with and my future niece is actually an extra in the movie and you can see her running around Richard Gere in the opening ferry scene. That stuff rocked. The rest of the movie . . . . . not so much.
I wouldn't really recommend this movie too much. I'm sure that most women will like it but its not even a good date movie. Its really over the top and extremely sad.
This movie is exactly what you expected from the preview. Its a way over dramatic sobfest that any woman looking for a good cry will love. Unfortunately, I am not a woman - nor do I look for good cries so I wasn't that in to the movie. I can usually find these types of movies somewhat enjoyable as long as their is at least a legit connection between the romantic leads. I enjoyed The Notebook. I enjoyed A Walk To Remember. I enjoyed Return To Me. Why am I openly admitting these things? Anywho, I was able to enjoy these movies because the leads had a great chemistry and that made the overdramatic dead weight more bearable. Unfortunately, I wasn't really feeling that with Richard Gere and Diane Lane. Honestly, the best part of this movie was that it was filmed near my future brother in law's house so I saw many sights near his house that I was familiar with and my future niece is actually an extra in the movie and you can see her running around Richard Gere in the opening ferry scene. That stuff rocked. The rest of the movie . . . . . not so much.
I wouldn't really recommend this movie too much. I'm sure that most women will like it but its not even a good date movie. Its really over the top and extremely sad.
Eagle Eye
Eagle Eye is a race-against-time thriller starring Shia LaBeouf, Michelle Monaghan, Rosario Dawson, Anthony Mackie and Billy Bob Thornton. Jerry Shaw (LaBeouf) and Rachel Holloman (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. As the situation escalates, these two ordinary people become the country's most wanted fugitives, who must work together to discover what is really happening – and more importantly, why.
Before going to see this movie, you have to be willing to let go of your brain and any sense of reality. As long as you do that - this movie is straight up action and entertainment. If you don't do that - you will be finding it overly silly and ridiculous. I let go of my brain and enjoyed the ride very much. I kind of have a man crush on Shia LaBeouf. I see him ascending to the same level of Tom Hanks and Will Smith in terms of actors that I would watch in anything. He's was just as witty and sarcastic with his dialogue delivery in this as he was in his prior efforts. The action was awesome. Honestly, this could have easily been a summer movie and I'm not sure why the movie studio passed on the additional 50 million this movie would have made with a mid-August release, but its a welcome early fall popcorn movie amongst the usual overflow of serious movies.
I recommend that everyone check this movie out. Its a fun and entertaining roller coaster ride.
Before going to see this movie, you have to be willing to let go of your brain and any sense of reality. As long as you do that - this movie is straight up action and entertainment. If you don't do that - you will be finding it overly silly and ridiculous. I let go of my brain and enjoyed the ride very much. I kind of have a man crush on Shia LaBeouf. I see him ascending to the same level of Tom Hanks and Will Smith in terms of actors that I would watch in anything. He's was just as witty and sarcastic with his dialogue delivery in this as he was in his prior efforts. The action was awesome. Honestly, this could have easily been a summer movie and I'm not sure why the movie studio passed on the additional 50 million this movie would have made with a mid-August release, but its a welcome early fall popcorn movie amongst the usual overflow of serious movies.
I recommend that everyone check this movie out. Its a fun and entertaining roller coaster ride.
Lakeview Terrace
In Lakeview Terrace, a young couple (Patrick Wilson and Kerry Washington) has just moved into their California dream home when they become the target of their next-door neighbor, who disapproves of their interracial relationship. A stern, single father, this tightly wound LAPD officer (Samuel L. Jackson) has appointed himself the watchdog of the neighborhood. His nightly foot patrols and overly watchful eyes bring comfort to some, but he becomes increasingly harassing to the newlyweds. These persistent intrusions into their lives ultimately turn tragic when the couple decides to fight back.
This movie was just plain stupid. I totally get neighbors squabbling and what not, but this was beyond over the top and a completely pointless movie. When will Samuel Jackson stop making such pieces of crap? At no point - did you not know what was going to happen in this "suspense" movie, hence . . . . no suspense. At no point are you able to be afraid of scary cop next door guy. I actually found myself laughing - A LOT - at this movie even though it was in no way supposed to be funny.
I wouldn't recommend this movie to anyone. Not in theaters. Not on rental. This pile of dung would even be a tough sell on cable.
This movie was just plain stupid. I totally get neighbors squabbling and what not, but this was beyond over the top and a completely pointless movie. When will Samuel Jackson stop making such pieces of crap? At no point - did you not know what was going to happen in this "suspense" movie, hence . . . . no suspense. At no point are you able to be afraid of scary cop next door guy. I actually found myself laughing - A LOT - at this movie even though it was in no way supposed to be funny.
I wouldn't recommend this movie to anyone. Not in theaters. Not on rental. This pile of dung would even be a tough sell on cable.
Ghost Town
In the comedy Ghost Town, Bertram Pincus (Ricky Gervais) is a man whose people skills leave much to be desired. When Pincus dies unexpectedly, but is miraculously revived after seven minutes, he wakes up to discover that he now has the annoying ability to see ghosts. Even worse, they all want something from him, particularly Frank Herlihy (Greg Kinnear), who pesters him into breaking up the impending marriage of his widow Gwen (Téa Leoni).
I really enjoyed this movie, even though it went in to the blatant heart string pulling realm and was very predictable. Ricky Gervais was so spot on as a miserable loner. His facial expressions of disgust and under his breath zingers were perfectly delivered. He also might be one of the funniest loners trying to hit on a girl ever. His ineptitude to flirt with Tea Leoni was hysterical. Besides the obvious laughs - this movie definitely hit you with something that makes you think about the whole death process with the ghosts "unfinished business". I don't really want to give it away to anyone who might want to see this movie. Its not like a big Sixth Sense type of swerve but it definitely makes you open your eyes and rethink some things about your life outside of the movie.
I fully recommend people checking this movie out. It is good laughs with a bunch of very touching moments and more than worth your time.
I really enjoyed this movie, even though it went in to the blatant heart string pulling realm and was very predictable. Ricky Gervais was so spot on as a miserable loner. His facial expressions of disgust and under his breath zingers were perfectly delivered. He also might be one of the funniest loners trying to hit on a girl ever. His ineptitude to flirt with Tea Leoni was hysterical. Besides the obvious laughs - this movie definitely hit you with something that makes you think about the whole death process with the ghosts "unfinished business". I don't really want to give it away to anyone who might want to see this movie. Its not like a big Sixth Sense type of swerve but it definitely makes you open your eyes and rethink some things about your life outside of the movie.
I fully recommend people checking this movie out. It is good laughs with a bunch of very touching moments and more than worth your time.
Igor
In a land of mad scientists and diabolical inventions, what do you do when you're born with a hunch on your back? You become an Igor. A hilarious twist on the classic monster movie, Igor tells the story of one Igor who's sick of being a lowly lab assistant with a Yes Master's degree and dreams of becoming a scientist. When his cruel master kicks the bucket a week before the annual Evil Science Fair, Igor finally gets his chance. With the help of two of his experimental creations - Brain, a brain in a jar who's a little light on brains, and Scamper, a cynical bunny brought back from being road kill, Igor embarks on building the most evil invention of all time, a huge, ferocious monster. Unfortunately, instead of turning out evil, the monster turns out as Eva, a giant aspiring actress who wouldn't hurt a fly. Just when the load on his back can't get any heavier, Igor and his band of monstrous misfits uncover an evil plot that threatens their world. Now, they must fight to save it and prove that heroes come in all shapes and sizes.
I really enjoyed this movie. I wasn't quite sure what to think because low profile animated movies tend to fall on the crap pile and the animation in this one definitely looked pretty quirky (those pointy Madonna boobs on the bad female?). However, the voice talents of John Cusack, Ricky Gervais, Steve Buscemi and Sean Hayes really carried this movie through any rough spots that I had expected. Sean Hayes as Brian/Brain especially had me laughing out loud numerous times. I also really liked that the movie didn't drag at all. It was a simple premise and quickly moved along at a 1 hour 25 minutes length.
I'd fully recommend this movie to everyone. Its a very enjoyable animated movie that the adults can like just as much (if not more) than the kids.
I really enjoyed this movie. I wasn't quite sure what to think because low profile animated movies tend to fall on the crap pile and the animation in this one definitely looked pretty quirky (those pointy Madonna boobs on the bad female?). However, the voice talents of John Cusack, Ricky Gervais, Steve Buscemi and Sean Hayes really carried this movie through any rough spots that I had expected. Sean Hayes as Brian/Brain especially had me laughing out loud numerous times. I also really liked that the movie didn't drag at all. It was a simple premise and quickly moved along at a 1 hour 25 minutes length.
I'd fully recommend this movie to everyone. Its a very enjoyable animated movie that the adults can like just as much (if not more) than the kids.
The Women
AKA . . . . Sex & The City decaf
Didn't see it.
Won't ever be seeing it.
You are on your own.
Didn't see it.
Won't ever be seeing it.
You are on your own.
Righteous Kill
A pair of veteran New York City police detectives (Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino) are on the trail of a vigilante serial killer. After 30 years as partners in the pressure cooker environment of the NYPD, highly decorated Detectives David Fisk and Thomas Cowan should be ready for retirement, but aren't. Before they can hang up their badges, they are called in to investigate the murder of a notorious pimp, which appears to have ties to a case they solved years before. Like the original murder, the victim is a suspected criminal whose body is found accompanied by a four line poem justifying the killing. When additional crimes take place, it becomes clear the detectives are looking for a serial killer, one who targets criminals that have fallen through the cracks of the judicial system. His mission is to do what the cops can't do on their own--take the culprits off the streets for good.
It would pretty much be impossible for me to not enjoy a movie with Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro in it. They played off each other exceptionally well. I thoroughly enjoyed the first hour and a half of this movie even though it was so beyond predictable where it was going. The movie kind of fell flat at the end though because apparantly the filmmakers thought that they had duped all of us and needed to completely drag out the end by explaining everything. The whole theater knew two minutes in to the movie how it was going to turn out, yet the script included a play by play replay. It would be like at the end of The Sixth Sense if they decided to spend twenty minutes going over how Bruce Willis was one of the dead people that the kid was seeing. It kind of ruins the holy $hit moment that makes the movie so good . . . . . and there wasn't even that kind of moment at the end of Righteous Kill yet they still found it necessary to talk about the swerve ending for twenty minutes. There - the rant is out of my system. Sorry about that. Even with all the negativity that I spewed towards this movie - I still actually found myself enjoying it.
I don't know whether to recommend this or not. I enjoyed it because like I said before - its Pacino and DeNiro, but it does pull up pretty lame.
Burn After Reading
A dark spy-comedy starring the likes of George Clooney, Frances McDormand, Brad Pitt, Tilda Swinton and John Malkovich from Academy Award winners Joel and Ethan Coen. An ousted CIA official's memoir accidentally falls into the hands of two unwise gym employees intent on exploiting their find.
I can't remember the last time that I watched a movie getting more and more frustrated at where it was going yet magically walking out of the theater cracking up and loving it. Its really hard to review the absolute joy of this movie without giving the whole thing away. Its a very quirky comedy with great over the top performances (especially by Brad Pitt) and it really just keeps going with no heads up to where it could possibly end up whatsoever. However, when the movie does culminate with two high up government officials having a conversation - it is one of the funniest scenes I've ever seen. They manage to completely mock the viewers as well as our crazy government and is exceptionally written.
This is a hard movie to recommend. I ended up truly enjoying it, but its not simple straight up laughs. It also takes a lot of patience to get to the huge payoff at the end. I would like to recommend it just because I liked it but it really depends on your kind of humor.
I can't remember the last time that I watched a movie getting more and more frustrated at where it was going yet magically walking out of the theater cracking up and loving it. Its really hard to review the absolute joy of this movie without giving the whole thing away. Its a very quirky comedy with great over the top performances (especially by Brad Pitt) and it really just keeps going with no heads up to where it could possibly end up whatsoever. However, when the movie does culminate with two high up government officials having a conversation - it is one of the funniest scenes I've ever seen. They manage to completely mock the viewers as well as our crazy government and is exceptionally written.
This is a hard movie to recommend. I ended up truly enjoying it, but its not simple straight up laughs. It also takes a lot of patience to get to the huge payoff at the end. I would like to recommend it just because I liked it but it really depends on your kind of humor.
Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Two young American women, Vicky (Rebecca Hall) and Cristina (Scarlett Johansson) come to Barcelona for a summer holiday. Vicky is sensible and engaged to be married; Cristina is emotionally and sexually adventurous. In Barcelona, they're drawn into a series of unconventional romantic entanglements with Juan Antonio (Javier Bardem), a charismatic painter, who is still involved with his tempestuous ex-wife Maria Elena (Penelope Cruz).
For the record - I am not a big fan of Woddy Allen at all. I love his old school silly comedies, but find myself mostly bored with his recent string of character dramas. This movie was no different. As I stated in a prior posting, I decided to give this movie a twenty minute shot to see if I should bother renting the movie when it comes out to watch the rest of it. I will most definitely not be doing that. I fell asleep. I was so bored that I nodded off fifteen minutes in to this movie. Its essentially a character drama about how someone with a Spanish accent can easily get women to sleep with him.
I wouldn't recommend is movie to anyone. Although to be fair - I am not one of those Woody Allen junkies. I'm sure that those of you that are will love this movie but I fell asleep easier watching this than if I would have taken sleeping pills.
For the record - I am not a big fan of Woddy Allen at all. I love his old school silly comedies, but find myself mostly bored with his recent string of character dramas. This movie was no different. As I stated in a prior posting, I decided to give this movie a twenty minute shot to see if I should bother renting the movie when it comes out to watch the rest of it. I will most definitely not be doing that. I fell asleep. I was so bored that I nodded off fifteen minutes in to this movie. Its essentially a character drama about how someone with a Spanish accent can easily get women to sleep with him.
I wouldn't recommend is movie to anyone. Although to be fair - I am not one of those Woody Allen junkies. I'm sure that those of you that are will love this movie but I fell asleep easier watching this than if I would have taken sleeping pills.
Hamlet 2
Steve Coogan portrays Dana Marschz. Dana is a failed actor-turned-high school drama teacher. Shortchanged in the talent department, Dana still harbors ambitions and passions. At work, that is; his personal life, with his dissatisfied wife Brie (Keener) and their boarder Gary (Arquette), leaves much to be desired. At Tucson, AZ's West Mesa High School, Dana sees himself as an inspirational teacher. After much perspiration, he conceives a sequel to Shakespeare's "Hamlet" – a musical-theater extravaganza that will disdain both political correctness and dramatic credibility. Rallying and rousing his class, Dana casts a wider net by recruiting transfer students for key roles. With rehearsals underway, objections from school officials and the community are soon raised, but Dana will not be denied his freedom of artistic expression. Dana gets unexpected support from ACLU attorney Cricket Feldstein (Poehler) and his favorite actress, Elisabeth Shue. Above all else, he fervently believes that his opus must be staged, and nothing can break his optimistic spirit.
Now is the time of year where it is soooooooooooooooo quiet at the movie theater that you start going insane if you don't find something to do. So what I've decided to do is give those movies that not even I would bother seeing in theaters a twenty minute window to capture my attention enough to make me want to bother renting this movie to see the rest of it in a couple of months. This was my initial test and it failed miserably. I was sitting there twenty minutes in to the movie having not the slightest clue why this movie was ever made. So, I threw in the towel and started finding other things to do when I remembered that I was told to specifically watch the musical at the end. So, I went and watched the last 1/2 hour of the movie and to be completely honest - that part was actually pretty funny. It was so over the top that you had no choice but to laugh at it. This also coincided with when Amy Poehler showed up in the movie. She is as funny as she always is and helped the movie end well. Unfortunately, the rest of the movie is pretty much crapola.
I wouldn't really recommend this movie to anyone. The musical finale is really funny, but there's no reason to pay and watch the rest of the movie just to get there. This is totally a wait for cable movie.
Now is the time of year where it is soooooooooooooooo quiet at the movie theater that you start going insane if you don't find something to do. So what I've decided to do is give those movies that not even I would bother seeing in theaters a twenty minute window to capture my attention enough to make me want to bother renting this movie to see the rest of it in a couple of months. This was my initial test and it failed miserably. I was sitting there twenty minutes in to the movie having not the slightest clue why this movie was ever made. So, I threw in the towel and started finding other things to do when I remembered that I was told to specifically watch the musical at the end. So, I went and watched the last 1/2 hour of the movie and to be completely honest - that part was actually pretty funny. It was so over the top that you had no choice but to laugh at it. This also coincided with when Amy Poehler showed up in the movie. She is as funny as she always is and helped the movie end well. Unfortunately, the rest of the movie is pretty much crapola.
I wouldn't really recommend this movie to anyone. The musical finale is really funny, but there's no reason to pay and watch the rest of the movie just to get there. This is totally a wait for cable movie.
Fly Me To The Moon 3D
The year is 1969 and like everyone else in the world, Nat (Trevor Gagnon) and his pals IQ (Philip Daniel Bolden) and Scooter (David Gore) are abuzz over the upcoming launch of the first manned mission to the moon. Inspired by his Grandpa's (Christopher Lloyd) oft-told tale of hiding aboard Amelia Earhart's plane during her famed solo cross-Atlantic flight, Nat hatches a secret plan for the three young flies to stow away on the Apollo 11 rocket.Thinking the trip will be over in a matter of minutes, the fly boys—and their earthbound families—are shocked to learn they will be in space for closer to a week. When a N.A.S.A. Ground Control official catches sight of the three winged stowaways, he instructs the astronauts to store them in a test tube for later study. But after an electrical short causes the ship’s engine to malfunction, the three intrepid insects manage to escape from their glass mini-brig just in time to discover the wiring problem and fix it.After a difficult lunar landing, Nat tags along with Neil Armstrong on his legendary moon walk. Although the flies face a few more close calls, the mission appears to be a success. At least until Grandpa’s old flame Nadia (Nicolette Sheridan) arrives from Russia to warn him that her government, angry over losing the space race, has dispatched fly-spy Yegor (Tim Curry) to Cape Canaveral to sabotage the computer flight plans. With the Apollo hurtling toward Earth, it falls to Nat’s family to save the mission—and the trio of brave flies—from disaster.
This movie was decent. It was definitely more for younger kids though. The story seemed like a kid friendly NASA tour movie. It could have easily been 1/2 hour long. What really saved the movie for me was the animation. It was awesome. The 3d effects were pretty cool as well. I wasn't sure what to think since this movie was barely advertised and didn't really get released wide. I couldn't figure out why they would do that for a movie with the whole 3d thing going on. I figured it was going to outright suck. But it was watchable.
I would lukewarmly recommend people seeing this . . . . . especially those with younger kids. However, I'm pretty sure it will be out of theaters within the next week or so and I'm usually not a big fan of 3d movies on dvd.
This movie was decent. It was definitely more for younger kids though. The story seemed like a kid friendly NASA tour movie. It could have easily been 1/2 hour long. What really saved the movie for me was the animation. It was awesome. The 3d effects were pretty cool as well. I wasn't sure what to think since this movie was barely advertised and didn't really get released wide. I couldn't figure out why they would do that for a movie with the whole 3d thing going on. I figured it was going to outright suck. But it was watchable.
I would lukewarmly recommend people seeing this . . . . . especially those with younger kids. However, I'm pretty sure it will be out of theaters within the next week or so and I'm usually not a big fan of 3d movies on dvd.
College
A new outrageous comedy, College is the story of three high school seniors (Drake Bell, Andrew Caldwell and Kevin Covais) who visit a local college campus as prospective freshman anticipating the best weekend of their lives. Once there, the rowdiest fraternity on campus (featuring Nick Zano, Gary Owen and Zach Cregger) decides to recruit the boys as pledges, subjecting them to endless humiliations, in return for granting them access to the no-holds-barred college party scene. But once the boys catch the eye of some of the older sorority girls (Haley Bennett, Camille Mana and Natalie Walker), the threatened Frat-boys increase the pre-frosh humiliation and blackmail them by threatening to expose their age. The boys decide to fight back, retaliating with a major revenge scheme that lands them on top.
I watched exactly four minutes of this movie and made the decision that I will NEVER be watching the remaining 86 minutes of it. The only reason that I bothered watching the 4 minutes is because I had exactly that amount of time to kill between stringing up movies in the projection booth. Yes - I can watch this thing for free and will under no circumstances do so. In the four minutes I watched - I saw really lame textbook "college movie" acting, projectile vomit all over a windshield, and a random three way happening on a mattress in the middle of the lawn in front of a building in the background while two of the characters were having a conversation. Seriously. Any time that a movie has to rely on the most over the top sight gags that have absolutely nothing to do with what you are actually supposed to be watching - they simply should have never bothered making the movie at all.
I would never recommend this movie to anyone. Crap like this is makes me hate being a movie addict.
I watched exactly four minutes of this movie and made the decision that I will NEVER be watching the remaining 86 minutes of it. The only reason that I bothered watching the 4 minutes is because I had exactly that amount of time to kill between stringing up movies in the projection booth. Yes - I can watch this thing for free and will under no circumstances do so. In the four minutes I watched - I saw really lame textbook "college movie" acting, projectile vomit all over a windshield, and a random three way happening on a mattress in the middle of the lawn in front of a building in the background while two of the characters were having a conversation. Seriously. Any time that a movie has to rely on the most over the top sight gags that have absolutely nothing to do with what you are actually supposed to be watching - they simply should have never bothered making the movie at all.
I would never recommend this movie to anyone. Crap like this is makes me hate being a movie addict.
Disaster Movie
Disaster Movie follows the comic misadventures of a group of twenty-somethings during one fateful night as they try to make their way to safety while every known natural disaster and catastrophic event - asteroids, twisters, earthquakes, the works – hits the city and their path as they try to solve a series of mysteries to end the rampant destruction. Taking aim at everything and everyone, from Indiana Jones and Iron Man to Amy Winehouse and High School Musical, Disaster Movie lampoons the blockbuster movie, pop culture icons and public figures along the way.
I admit that I have a problem. Anyone reading this is going to think why in the blue hell would he have even bothered to go see that. Please understand that I am a registered movie junkie who pretty much sees any movie that makes it to theaters. If I miss them, I make sure to see them as soon as they come out on video. Its also all free. In the last 10 years I've paid for maybe 6 movies. No cost + admitted addiction = seeing movies like Disaster Movie no matter how atrocious the preview makes them look. Now that I've gotten that out there, this movie was surprisingly not as tough to sit through as I expected. Granted, I had lower than the bottom of the barrel expectations for this movie so I'm sure that swayed my opinion of it a bit. It is definitely a horrible movie as are all of these overdone spoof movies. One every 3 or 4 years would be good. 3 - 4 a year is just plain out of control. But this one made me laugh out loud a couple of times. The spoofs on High School Musical, Enchanted, Step Up, and Alvin & The Chipmunks all had me going.
Even though I laughed quite a bit more than I thought I would - I can't bring myself to actually recommend this movie to anyone. It was a really bad movie, but if you tend to like spoof movies - this is one of the better ones by comparison to the recent releases. Thats really not saying much though.
I admit that I have a problem. Anyone reading this is going to think why in the blue hell would he have even bothered to go see that. Please understand that I am a registered movie junkie who pretty much sees any movie that makes it to theaters. If I miss them, I make sure to see them as soon as they come out on video. Its also all free. In the last 10 years I've paid for maybe 6 movies. No cost + admitted addiction = seeing movies like Disaster Movie no matter how atrocious the preview makes them look. Now that I've gotten that out there, this movie was surprisingly not as tough to sit through as I expected. Granted, I had lower than the bottom of the barrel expectations for this movie so I'm sure that swayed my opinion of it a bit. It is definitely a horrible movie as are all of these overdone spoof movies. One every 3 or 4 years would be good. 3 - 4 a year is just plain out of control. But this one made me laugh out loud a couple of times. The spoofs on High School Musical, Enchanted, Step Up, and Alvin & The Chipmunks all had me going.
Even though I laughed quite a bit more than I thought I would - I can't bring myself to actually recommend this movie to anyone. It was a really bad movie, but if you tend to like spoof movies - this is one of the better ones by comparison to the recent releases. Thats really not saying much though.
Babylon A.D.
It is the not-too-distant future. Thousands of satellites scan, observe and monitor our every move. Much of the planet is a war zone; the rest, a collection of wretched way stations, teeming megalopolises, and vast wastelands punctuated by areas left radioactive from nuclear meltdowns. It is a world made for hardened warriors, one of whom, a mercenary known only as Toorop (Vin Diesel), lives by a simple survivor's code: kill... or be killed. His latest assignment has him smuggling a young woman named Aurora from a convent in Kazakhstan to New York City. Toorop, his new young charge Aurora (Melanie Thierry) and Aurora's guardian Sister Rebeka (Michelle Yeoh) embark on a 6,000 mile journey that takes them from Eastern Europe, through a refugee camp in "New Russia," across the Bering Straight in a pilfered submarine, then through the frozen tundra of Alaska and Canada, and finally to New York. Facing obstacles at every turn, Toorop, the killer for hire, is tested like never before, in ways he could never have imagined - as he comes to understand that he is the custodian of the only hope for the future of mankind. For the first time in his life, Toorop has to make a choice: to make a difference or walk away and save himself. Too bad it came on the day he died.
This could have easily been a very good sci-fi movie. Unfortunately, it was done totally half-assed and ended up being a big pile of poop. The movie started off great. Sure, there was bound to be horrible acting throughout but they did a good job of setting up the future world and what not. The transporting of the girl started off great with mystery about what the special girl was, tension between the three parties in the group and action scenes sprinkled in. It all fell apart when the three of them were in a tent after a snowmobile scene and they were suddenly all good friends. I could tell at that point that there was a massive amount of footage edited out of the movie and it would probably be a bumpy ride for the rest of the film. Sure enough - it was. I'm going to guess that this was probably a 2 hour and 20 minute movie that the studio wanted cut down to 1 1/2 hours and the director totally screwed the pooch by randomly editing and making the movie from that point about as close to unbearable as it could have gotten.
I wouldn't recommend this movie to anyone. It was really really bad. It probably would have been bad regardless of editing, but the editing made it a steaming pile of dung.
This could have easily been a very good sci-fi movie. Unfortunately, it was done totally half-assed and ended up being a big pile of poop. The movie started off great. Sure, there was bound to be horrible acting throughout but they did a good job of setting up the future world and what not. The transporting of the girl started off great with mystery about what the special girl was, tension between the three parties in the group and action scenes sprinkled in. It all fell apart when the three of them were in a tent after a snowmobile scene and they were suddenly all good friends. I could tell at that point that there was a massive amount of footage edited out of the movie and it would probably be a bumpy ride for the rest of the film. Sure enough - it was. I'm going to guess that this was probably a 2 hour and 20 minute movie that the studio wanted cut down to 1 1/2 hours and the director totally screwed the pooch by randomly editing and making the movie from that point about as close to unbearable as it could have gotten.
I wouldn't recommend this movie to anyone. It was really really bad. It probably would have been bad regardless of editing, but the editing made it a steaming pile of dung.
Traitor
Don Cheadle and Guy Pearce star in Traitor, a taut international thriller set against a jigsaw puzzle of covert counter-espionage operations.
You can tell by the above summary and the fact that you've probably never seen anything about this movie that it wasn't really marketed too much. That is truly a shame because this was a phenomenal movie. This is one of the better political action thrillers without the word Bourne in the title I've ever seen. Don Cheadle and Guy Pearce were their usual awesome selves. The thing that made this movie so awesome is that it felt so beyond real. It didn't feel like you were watching a movie. That's also the scary part. As you are watching this movie and completely enjoying the suspense of it - there is that part of your brain that is freaking out because all of these things are currently happening all around us. This movie made me even more paranoid than I usually am about getting on any planes, buses or trains.
I fully recommend everyone checking this one out. It is by far and away the best end of summer release and the only non-holdover movie worth venturing out to see.
You can tell by the above summary and the fact that you've probably never seen anything about this movie that it wasn't really marketed too much. That is truly a shame because this was a phenomenal movie. This is one of the better political action thrillers without the word Bourne in the title I've ever seen. Don Cheadle and Guy Pearce were their usual awesome selves. The thing that made this movie so awesome is that it felt so beyond real. It didn't feel like you were watching a movie. That's also the scary part. As you are watching this movie and completely enjoying the suspense of it - there is that part of your brain that is freaking out because all of these things are currently happening all around us. This movie made me even more paranoid than I usually am about getting on any planes, buses or trains.
I fully recommend everyone checking this one out. It is by far and away the best end of summer release and the only non-holdover movie worth venturing out to see.
The House Bunny
Shelley is living a carefree life until a rival gets her tossed out of the Playboy Mansion. With nowhere to go, fate delivers her to the sorority girls from Zeta Alpha Zeta. Unless they can sign a new pledge class, the seven socially clueless women will lose their house to the scheming girls of Phi Iota Mu. In order to accomplish their goal, they need Shelley to teach them the ways of makeup and men; at the same time, Shelley needs some of what the Zetas have – a sense of individuality. The combination leads all the girls to learn how to stop pretending and start being themselves.
This was a textbook end of the summer comedy. The type of movie that they make just to sort of throw out there for the girlies who are tired of all the non stop action at theaters and make a couple million dollars in the process. This movie wasn't necessarily bad, but it wasn't all that good either. The part that really saved it for me was watching Anna Farris interact with the misfit sorority girls. There were a couple of times where I was belly laughing. However, once she had them all transformed - it went back to being nowhere near as funny.
I wouldn't really recommend people checking this out in theaters because it really would be a waste of time. I'd would just wait until its available for rental.
This was a textbook end of the summer comedy. The type of movie that they make just to sort of throw out there for the girlies who are tired of all the non stop action at theaters and make a couple million dollars in the process. This movie wasn't necessarily bad, but it wasn't all that good either. The part that really saved it for me was watching Anna Farris interact with the misfit sorority girls. There were a couple of times where I was belly laughing. However, once she had them all transformed - it went back to being nowhere near as funny.
I wouldn't really recommend people checking this out in theaters because it really would be a waste of time. I'd would just wait until its available for rental.
Death Race
Three-time speedway champion Jensen Ames (Statham) is an expert at survival in the harsh landscape that has become our country. Just as he thinks he has turned his life around, the ex-con is framed for a gruesome murder he didn't commit. Forced to don the mask of the mythical driver Frankenstein -- a crowd favorite who seems impossible to kill -- Ames is given an easy choice by Terminal Island's warden (Joan Allen): suit up or rot away in a cell. His face hidden by a metallic mask, one convict will be put through an insane three-day challenge. Ames must survive a gauntlet of the most vicious criminals in the country's toughest prison to claim the prize of freedom. Driving a monster car outfitted with machine guns, flamethrowers and grenade launchers, one desperate man will destroy anything in his path to win the most twisted spectator sport on Earth.
If it were physically possible to bottle testosterone, pour it on to movie film and run it through a projector - I'm pretty sure it would turn out looking exactly like this. Seriously. This movie is a textbook, old school 80s action movie. Total badass characters, start to finish action, no story development, pretty much no script, female navigators sprinkled in for no reason whatsoever, and the good guy beating the bad guy as violently as possible. All of that being said - I really liked the movie because I really liked these kinds of movies (think Stallone's and Schwartzenegger's early movies) from back in the day. It is by no means a good movie in terms of quality. I just found myself thoroughly enjoying it. Jason Statham plays pretty much the same character he does in every movie. I have always enjoyed watching Ian McShane talk since Deadwood started on HBO a couple of years back. Can't for the life of me figure out why Joan Allen decided to be in this, but she was entertaining as the bitchy warden. The only real problem I had with the movie was that for all of the tough guys in the race and the prison, Joan Allen's number one prison guard was the dorkiest looking bad guy I've ever seen in a role like that. I found myself getting annoyed every time I saw him.
I would fully recommend this movie to anyone who loves straight up action movies. If you aren't one of those people, I wouldn't touch this bad boy with a ten foot pole.
If it were physically possible to bottle testosterone, pour it on to movie film and run it through a projector - I'm pretty sure it would turn out looking exactly like this. Seriously. This movie is a textbook, old school 80s action movie. Total badass characters, start to finish action, no story development, pretty much no script, female navigators sprinkled in for no reason whatsoever, and the good guy beating the bad guy as violently as possible. All of that being said - I really liked the movie because I really liked these kinds of movies (think Stallone's and Schwartzenegger's early movies) from back in the day. It is by no means a good movie in terms of quality. I just found myself thoroughly enjoying it. Jason Statham plays pretty much the same character he does in every movie. I have always enjoyed watching Ian McShane talk since Deadwood started on HBO a couple of years back. Can't for the life of me figure out why Joan Allen decided to be in this, but she was entertaining as the bitchy warden. The only real problem I had with the movie was that for all of the tough guys in the race and the prison, Joan Allen's number one prison guard was the dorkiest looking bad guy I've ever seen in a role like that. I found myself getting annoyed every time I saw him.
I would fully recommend this movie to anyone who loves straight up action movies. If you aren't one of those people, I wouldn't touch this bad boy with a ten foot pole.
The Rocker
The Rocker tells the story of a failed, over-the-hill drummer who gets a second chance at fame. Robert "Fish" Fishman is the extremely dedicated and astoundingly passionate drummer for the eighties hair band Vesuvius who is living the rock 'n' roll dream until he is unceremoniously kicked out of the group. Unfortunately for Fish, this happens right before Vesuvius becomes one of the biggest bands in the world. Fish is then forced to get a 'real' job and abandon his dream until an unlikely opportunity arises. Twenty years after getting booted out of the band he helped create, just when Fish has finally given up hope, all of his wildest fantasies come true.
I am a huge fan of Raiin Wilson from The Office. The character of Dwight that he plays is one of the best, if not the number one, character on television. If you aren't watching - you REALLY should be. I was somewhat excited about this movie even though it looked so stupid from the trailers just because I wanted to see what he could do without the rest of the awesome Office cast around him. I didn't have super high expectations because the movie did look absolutely absurd. However, I ended up being pleasantly surprised. This was by no means a good movie. Its actually a pretty bad one. That being said - I enjoyed it. It was totally formula and ridiculous but I found myself rooting for Fish and his new band to make it big. There was some big laughs and I found Fish's insane amount of sweating hilarious because I have the same problem. This is probably what you could call a guilty pleasure movie.
Even though I liked the movie - I can't say that I would all out recommend it to everyone. If you are looking for some laughs and don't have high expectations - go and check it out. Honesty, you'd probably be better off waiting for rental though.
I am a huge fan of Raiin Wilson from The Office. The character of Dwight that he plays is one of the best, if not the number one, character on television. If you aren't watching - you REALLY should be. I was somewhat excited about this movie even though it looked so stupid from the trailers just because I wanted to see what he could do without the rest of the awesome Office cast around him. I didn't have super high expectations because the movie did look absolutely absurd. However, I ended up being pleasantly surprised. This was by no means a good movie. Its actually a pretty bad one. That being said - I enjoyed it. It was totally formula and ridiculous but I found myself rooting for Fish and his new band to make it big. There was some big laughs and I found Fish's insane amount of sweating hilarious because I have the same problem. This is probably what you could call a guilty pleasure movie.
Even though I liked the movie - I can't say that I would all out recommend it to everyone. If you are looking for some laughs and don't have high expectations - go and check it out. Honesty, you'd probably be better off waiting for rental though.
Mirrors
Ben Carson (Kiefer Sutherland) has seen better days. It's been nearly a year since the volatile detective was suspended from the NYPD for fatally shooting another undercover officer, an accident that not only cost him his job, but fueled the alcoholism and anger that has alienated his wife and kids and left him crashing on his sister's couch in Queens. Desperate to pull his life together and reconnect with his family, Carson takes a job as a night watchman at the burned-out ruins of the Mayflower department store. What once was a symbol of prosperity and grandeur now sits decaying in the darkness like a rotting ghost ship, destroyed by a massive fire that devoured numerous innocent lives. As Carson patrols the eerie, charred remains of the store, he begins to notice something sinister about the ornate mirrors that adorn the Mayflower walls. Reflected in the gigantic shimmering glass are horrific images that stun Carson. Beyond projecting gruesome images of the past, the mirrors appear to be manipulating reality as well. When Carson sees his own reflection being tortured, he suffers the physical effects of his fractured visions. Suddenly the troubled ex-cop finds himself battling his personal demons and the ones that have hijacked his reflection, tormenting him with convulsions, spontaneous bleeding and near suffocation.
This is another one of the Japanese horror remakes like The Ring, The Grudge, One Missed Call and Shutter. This is one of the crappier ones. Its crappier for a couple of reasons. First of all - it has a legitimate actor in Jack Bauer . . . . uh, I mean Kiefer Sutherland. You would expect something more based on higher caliber of actors. You don't get it. Secondly, the good Japanese horror movies tend to rely on those shock moments to scare the crap out of you. This one doesn't really have to much of that. Instead, they dial up the gore level 20 notches and there really is no need for that kind of gross out crap. Finally, there are the just plain silly storyline moments. If you are a night watchmen who has to portray this broken down place every hour and something totally insane happens on the initial walk through do you investigate further or do you get the hell out of there and never return? Yeah - going back again and again and again is just plain silly. Secondly, whats the deal with being able to pull people through the reflection of layer of water on a hard wood floor? Its not a pool in the middle of the hallway. There still is a floor underneath that puddle, right? That's just plain dumb.
Needless to say, I was not a big fan of this movie at all. I really wouldn't recommend anyone checking this out. Even the die hard horror fans could go ahead and wait for it to come out on video.
This is another one of the Japanese horror remakes like The Ring, The Grudge, One Missed Call and Shutter. This is one of the crappier ones. Its crappier for a couple of reasons. First of all - it has a legitimate actor in Jack Bauer . . . . uh, I mean Kiefer Sutherland. You would expect something more based on higher caliber of actors. You don't get it. Secondly, the good Japanese horror movies tend to rely on those shock moments to scare the crap out of you. This one doesn't really have to much of that. Instead, they dial up the gore level 20 notches and there really is no need for that kind of gross out crap. Finally, there are the just plain silly storyline moments. If you are a night watchmen who has to portray this broken down place every hour and something totally insane happens on the initial walk through do you investigate further or do you get the hell out of there and never return? Yeah - going back again and again and again is just plain silly. Secondly, whats the deal with being able to pull people through the reflection of layer of water on a hard wood floor? Its not a pool in the middle of the hallway. There still is a floor underneath that puddle, right? That's just plain dumb.
Needless to say, I was not a big fan of this movie at all. I really wouldn't recommend anyone checking this out. Even the die hard horror fans could go ahead and wait for it to come out on video.
Star Wars: The Clone Wars
As the Clone Wars sweep through the galaxy, the heroic Jedi Knights struggle to maintain order and restore peace. More and more systems are falling prey to the forces of the dark side as the Galactic Republic slips further and further under the sway of the Separatists and their never-ending droid army. Anakin Skywalker and his Padawan learner Ahsoka Tano find themselves on a mission with far-reaching consequences, one that brings them face-to-face with crime lord Jabba the Hutt. But Count Dooku and his sinister agents, including the nefarious Asajj Ventress, will stop at nothing to ensure that Anakin and Ahsoka fail at their quest. Meanwhile, on the front lines of the Clone Wars, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Master Yoda lead the massive clone army in a valiant effort to resist the forces of the dark side.
Star Wars has been like a religion to me for most of my life. Star Wars, Empire Strikes Back and Return Of The Jedi have always been and will always be my three favortie movies of all time. To this day - I will still stop whatever I'm doing if I happen to catch any of them as I'm flipping through the channels. I couldn't wait to see the three prequels and believe it or not I left each one of them absolutely loving them . . . . . . warts and all. It wasn't until it came to repeated viewings of the prequels that I realized how poopish they really were. Regardless, I wasn't willing to write off the genius that was George Lucas. I know that his legacy was dented but I was still proud to call myself a die hard fan. Then I saw this gigantic turd. Star Wars: The Clone Wars is obviously a kids movie with it being animated and what not. Essentially its a saturday morning cartoon. The first problem is that its basically a saturday morning cartoon . . . . . . . for girls. The new character that they introduce, Anakin's female padawan, is basically the central character of the movie and is so beyond annoying that those who hated Jar Jar might end up putting him on par with Darth Maul in terms of coolness compared to her. The second problem is that their mission is to protect Jabba's "huttling" that they keep referring to as Stinky. I'm not joking. It was absurd. The third and biggest problem was the introduction of Jabba's uncle Zero - who is portrayed as flamboyantly gay. Again - not kidding. I just sort of sat there with my mouth wide open and the what the hell look on my face. This movie was totally horrible and George Lucas should honestly be ashamed of himself for associating the unequivocable greatness that is the original Star Wars trilogy with this crapola.
I woulnd't recommend anyone seeing this. Little kids will absolutely love it but it is just downright painful for those of us who grew up with the REAL Star Wars to sit through.
Star Wars has been like a religion to me for most of my life. Star Wars, Empire Strikes Back and Return Of The Jedi have always been and will always be my three favortie movies of all time. To this day - I will still stop whatever I'm doing if I happen to catch any of them as I'm flipping through the channels. I couldn't wait to see the three prequels and believe it or not I left each one of them absolutely loving them . . . . . . warts and all. It wasn't until it came to repeated viewings of the prequels that I realized how poopish they really were. Regardless, I wasn't willing to write off the genius that was George Lucas. I know that his legacy was dented but I was still proud to call myself a die hard fan. Then I saw this gigantic turd. Star Wars: The Clone Wars is obviously a kids movie with it being animated and what not. Essentially its a saturday morning cartoon. The first problem is that its basically a saturday morning cartoon . . . . . . . for girls. The new character that they introduce, Anakin's female padawan, is basically the central character of the movie and is so beyond annoying that those who hated Jar Jar might end up putting him on par with Darth Maul in terms of coolness compared to her. The second problem is that their mission is to protect Jabba's "huttling" that they keep referring to as Stinky. I'm not joking. It was absurd. The third and biggest problem was the introduction of Jabba's uncle Zero - who is portrayed as flamboyantly gay. Again - not kidding. I just sort of sat there with my mouth wide open and the what the hell look on my face. This movie was totally horrible and George Lucas should honestly be ashamed of himself for associating the unequivocable greatness that is the original Star Wars trilogy with this crapola.
I woulnd't recommend anyone seeing this. Little kids will absolutely love it but it is just downright painful for those of us who grew up with the REAL Star Wars to sit through.
Tropic Thunder
Ben Stiller, Jack Black and Robert Downey Jr. lead an ensemble cast in Tropic Thunder, an action comedy about a group of self-absorbed actors who set out to make the most expensive war film. After ballooning costs force the studio to cancel the movie, the frustrated director refuses to stop shooting, leading his cast into the jungles of Southeast Asia, where they encounter real bad guys.
I can't believe how funny this movie was. I was beyond shocked. I thought at best it would be somewhat funny, but I was laughing out loud for most of this movie. Robert Downey Jr. was beyond awesome and I can't stress enough how happy I am to see him back in the mainstream. I haven't seen an actor return from the dead like he has this summer since John Travolta with Pulp Fiction. Jack Black played really well off of everyone else and Ben Stiller was a lot funnier than he usually is. The absolute best part of this movie was Tom Cruise. Yes that's right. Tom Cruise. He is in this movie and plays an obnoxious, bald, hairy, film producer. It is possibly the best career movie I've ever witnessed in my entire life. He was by far and away the best and funniest part of this movie. This movie might have the best credit sequence I've ever seen.
I fully recommend that everyone check this one out. In terms of comedies, I give this the must see stamp.
I can't believe how funny this movie was. I was beyond shocked. I thought at best it would be somewhat funny, but I was laughing out loud for most of this movie. Robert Downey Jr. was beyond awesome and I can't stress enough how happy I am to see him back in the mainstream. I haven't seen an actor return from the dead like he has this summer since John Travolta with Pulp Fiction. Jack Black played really well off of everyone else and Ben Stiller was a lot funnier than he usually is. The absolute best part of this movie was Tom Cruise. Yes that's right. Tom Cruise. He is in this movie and plays an obnoxious, bald, hairy, film producer. It is possibly the best career movie I've ever witnessed in my entire life. He was by far and away the best and funniest part of this movie. This movie might have the best credit sequence I've ever seen.
I fully recommend that everyone check this one out. In terms of comedies, I give this the must see stamp.
Swing Vote
Swing Vote follows the story of Bud Johnson (Kevin Costner), an apathetic, beer-slinging, lovable loser, who is coasting through a life that has passed him by. The one bright spot is his precocious, over-achieving twelve-year-old daughter Molly. She takes care of both of them, until one mischievous moment on Election Day, when she accidentally sets off a chain of events which culminates in the election coming down to one vote... her dad's.
This movie was a really well done satire on the whole electoral process here in the United States. Ironically, the whole underlying thing about Bud (and the vast majority of our nations population) not caring enough about voting ultimately makes you end up not really caring about this movie. Even though it was actually a pretty good movie and there were decent performances by all (except Costner who was his usual awful self), I found myself just kind of wanting it to end the whole time. Again - not because it was bad but more because I was bored and totally knew how it was going to end before even walking in to the theater.
I would recommend this movie for rental but not in theaters. It does end up being a pretty decent feel good movie, but takes too long to get there and drags a lot along the way.
This movie was a really well done satire on the whole electoral process here in the United States. Ironically, the whole underlying thing about Bud (and the vast majority of our nations population) not caring enough about voting ultimately makes you end up not really caring about this movie. Even though it was actually a pretty good movie and there were decent performances by all (except Costner who was his usual awful self), I found myself just kind of wanting it to end the whole time. Again - not because it was bad but more because I was bored and totally knew how it was going to end before even walking in to the theater.
I would recommend this movie for rental but not in theaters. It does end up being a pretty decent feel good movie, but takes too long to get there and drags a lot along the way.
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