The Movie Guy

Chronicle

2012-02-12T09:51:00.000-08:00

Chronicle is a movie that fits into the "found footage" genre which includes other movies like Paranormal Activity, Cloverfield, and The Blair Witch Project. The entire film is seen through the eyes of a teenager and his video camera. This movie is about three teenagers who find a mysterious underground object that appears to be a meteor or some kind of extra terrestrial object. After coming into contact with it, they soon develop powers of telekinesis that get stronger with time.

They go from being able to levitate legos and small items to be able to raise their own bodies and eventually fly. As their powers increase, so does the pressure put on the lead character, who happens to be an unhappy introvert. A series of embarrassments, bullying, abuse, and stress push him over the edge and his dark side comes out as he uses his power for revenge and goes out of control.

I liked this movie for a couple reasons. First it was nice to see relatively unknown actors and made it feel more like actual video footage than it would have been if it starred Daniel Radcliffe. I did think some of the excuses to be recording all the time and certain camera angles were pushing it, but I don't have any ideas on how that could have been done better.

Chronicle taught me some other lessons. First of all, if I am ever given this power, I will not waste it on a school assembly talent show. Second, it is better to be a philosophical dude who has studied the great minds and thinkers of civilization, than an unadapted cypher when you inherit superpowers.

This movie has some cool special effects despite having a very low budget feel to it. It also has a depressing feel to the movie, but I liked the twist it had for the overused superhero movies that have been so popular. I give it 7.7 stars.

Real Steel

2012-01-30T15:25:00.000-08:00

I'll be honest that I was biased against this movie before I ever saw it. After seeing the preview for Real Steel, I thought it looked like Transformers meets Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots or Rocky meets Wall-E. I didn't think I would really get into robots boxing each other so I took my time getting around to seeing this movie.

In Real Steel, Hugh Jackman continues the trend of making me feel like a girly man by showing off his huge vein covered biceps. Luckily he only took his shirt off once. He obviously has more discipline than Jason Strathan and Matthew McConaughey. I'm afraid I'm going to have to start watching more Woody Allen movies so I don't get an inferiority complex about my physique.

Anyway, this movie takes place in the near future and is about a deadbeat dad who is a washed up fighter who owes everyone money as a result of travelling around the country gambling on robot fights. He is friends with the chick from Lost and she is a single babe who hangs out in an empty boxing gym by herself. He finds out that his ex wife died and he is given custody of a son he has never met or had anything to do with. The father and son butt heads since they both have a lot of attitude, but they set out on the road together. They discover an old outdated robot in a junk yard that just happens to be able to beat up any other robot. The trio become successful as an underdog team and end up beating all of their opponents and are finally give the chance to fight Zeus, the worlds greatest fighting robot. (Did this script originate in Japan?). They become friends and it ends happily ever after.

I'll admit that Real Steel had some cool special effects. I liked how they were able to make a giant clunky robot dance. I thought Jackman, Lilly, and the kid had decent performances but I just had a hard time getting into it. Most people I've talked to liked it, but I can only give Real Steel 6.7 stars. Maybe it was just too much product placement.

Moneyball

2012-01-27T13:38:00.000-08:00

I recently saw Moneyball staring Brad Pitt. As a result of the movie's title and the main actor's name, I keep wanting to call it Money Pit, but that is an old Tom Hanks movie. Anyway, I'm glad I saw Moneyball because it is a good movie.

It is based on a true story about Billy Beane who is the manager of the Oakland A's and his struggle to build a winning baseball team and compete against professional clubs that had much more money and talent at their disposal.

Brad Pitt was great and all the performances were good, but I'm wondering why Robin Wright gets top billing with Pitt if she is only in the movie for a total of 2 minutes. Hats off to her agent. I liked Jonah Hill's performance, but I was really surprised with Phillip Seymour Hoffman. I didn't even recognize him for a few minutes as the fat, old coach. I like him in everything I've ever seen him in. It was also strange and kind of distracting seeing Chris Pratt in a serious role. I'm used to seeing him as an incompetent shoe shine boy in Parks and Recreation.

Moneyball is a well told story. It is kind of slow paced and is not over the top like many sports movies. I felt it was a motivating movie, but I felt kind of bad for Pitt's character. He came across as being tormented and just didn't ever seem satisfied or happy. I kind of wish it could have ended like an episode of CHIPS with a freeze frame of him smiling. I give Moneyball 7.9 stars, and by the way, it is much better than The Money Pit.

Addicting TV Shows

2012-01-22T19:35:00.000-08:00

I've been a little slow with movie reviews recently since I have been catching up on some TV shows. I don't have TV reception so I usually watch shows a year after they actually aired and end up seeing the entire season over a short amount of time as opposed to being strung along an episode at a time over the course of the year. I've done this with The Office, 30 Rock, Parks and Recreation, and Arrested Development.

Some shows are more intense than others and leave you hanging for the next episode. I've had a hard time just watching one episode of certain shows like 24, Burn Notice, Lost, and Battlestar Gallactica. I recently saw this clip from Portlandia which I could totally relate to.

When my wife were first married, we rented the mini series Lonesome Dove and decided to watch one episode of it before we went to bed. We couldn't stop and ended up finishing the whole thing at about 4 A.M. the next day.

I Love IMDB

2012-01-16T12:59:00.000-08:00

I think IMDB (Internet Movie Data Base) is the greatest website of all time. It has been my favorite website for close to 20 years. It is the ultimate authority when it comes to movie information. I can't tell you how many times I've pulled up the site to look up movie trivia or while disputing an actor's filmography with someone. By the way, I am almost always right when those disputes occur. (Yes I'm talking to those of you who think Ewen McGregor is the same person as Sam Worthington).

Someday I'd like to have a profile on IMDB. That would be the sign that I had finally arrived. I'm not talking about being listed as a lighting technician, sound man, or the guy who makes lunch for the stuntmen in a movie. I have never really aspired to be an actor, but I think it would be cool to be in some movies. I'd be fine starting out with some minor roles at first. Maybe I could be a villain's bodyguard or even just a cameo shot in a crowd of people like Hitchcock used to do in his movies.

There are many great movie websites on the Internet, but my favorite is still IMDB. I would write a poem or sing a song about how much I love it, but I don't have enough time since I need to start practicing on my acting skills so I can be in a movie someday.

Atlas Shrugged

2012-01-08T17:59:00.000-08:00

Years ago I noticed several people reading the book Atlas Shrugged. I was kind of impressed with those people when I saw that the book was as thick as a brick. Since I'm a lazy guy, I decided to wait for the movie to come out instead of reading the book. Last night I watched part 1 of Atlas Shrugged on DVD. I'm guessing it came to the theaters first, but I don't ever recall seeing it's stealth release.

I didn't know what to expect from this movie, but my wife told me the book was a story about free enterprise, government regulation, intervention, successful business owners disappearing, and secret plots. The movie takes place in 2013 but the book was written in 1957. It is classified as a mystery/drama/political thriller genre. I was looking forward to seeing this movie, but after viewing it, I felt something was missing.

At one point in the movie, the main characters travel around the country trying to solve a mystery while running their businesses despite government opposition. In once scene they travel to an empty car manufacturing plant. They then walk right up to a wall with a secret door and find a room containing a prototype of an engine the government didn't want produced. While they are standing in there in the dark they give several explanations to the viewers about what they've found. It reminded me of a scene from Scooby Doo. Zoinks! It made me think they were rushed for time and that maybe this project would have worked better as a TV mini series instead of 3 movies.

I'm sure there are many people who gave this movie poor reviews primarily because of it's political message, but it still could have been better. I hate to say this, but I'm guessing this is yet another case of the book being better than the movie. I give Atlas Shrugged Part 1 6.0 stars and that's coming from a small government, free enterprise guy who should have loved it. Who is John Galt?

Columbiana

2011-12-30T13:20:00.000-08:00

Columbiana is one of those movies that didn't get very good reviews, buy I still wanted to see it anyway. Maybe it was because it had Luc Beeson's name attached to it. Maybe it was because Zoe Saldana made such an impression on me as Uhura in Star Trek that I was willing to overlook the low rating. The movie started well and had promise, but I felt it failed to deliver.

Columbiana is about a young girl who's parents are killed by a drug lord. She escapes to the United States, grows up, and as as adult, she seeks revenge against him. I can feel empathy for a young girl who was subjected to seeing her family killed, but her parents were criminals and the relatives she later moved in with were murderers so it's hard to side with someone who has basically grown up to become a vigilante serial killer. I guess it helps if they are pretty.

I liked the idea behind this movie, but it just didn't work. I know there are many women who know how to handle themselves and could kick my trash, but I still have a hard time buying the fact that a 115 pound girl can beat up grown men. (yes, I'm also talking to you Salt and Hannah). It would have been easier to accept if Saldana had some muscle on her, but she is just a skeleton in this movie.

I felt a couple scenes were particularly ridiculous. One involved her uncle pulling out a gun and shooting a car and causing it to crash near a crowd of people. It was just an object lesson to teach her about different types of crime. They simply strolled away after with no questions asked, but as a result, she decided to stay in school so it must have been worth it.

The other incident was when a photo of half of her sleeping face made it to the police station's computer data base. Their computer was immediately able to match her ear and nose and come up with a 100% match and help them find her. The way the computer showed this process was just laughable.

I'm sure there are many younger guys who will enjoy this movie since it features a hot chick shooting guns and stuff blowing up, but I didn't have a very good time watching this movie. The main character is an unhappy, angry woman who is consumed with getting revenge. I only give Columbiana 5.5 stars which is kind of sad because I wanted to like it more.

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol

2011-12-28T07:25:00.000-08:00

Mission Impossible 4: Ghost Protocol continues the MI series as Ethan Hunt and his team are framed for bombing the Kremlin. They are disavowed and cut off from any support or funding from the government, but you'd never know it from all the equipment and gadgets they still have at their hands.

Tom Cruise is in top form for this movie and I think he has done a great job with the entire franchise. The supporting cast consists of Simon Pegg, Paula Patton, and Jeremy Renner. This installment didn't feature a memorable villain like Phillip Seymor Hoffman in MI3 but Hunt still had his hands full trying to prevent a nuclear bomb from going off . Ethan Hunt globe trots like James Bond in this movie and there are some exotic locations featured in the film.

Ghost Protocol is a very exciting, but I had a hard time with a few things in the movie. This is obviously not your Tom Clancy genre of spy movie. I know we are supposed to suspend our sense of reality for this kind of movie, but a couple things were pushing it.

I can handle tearing off masks and fake gadgets, but the holograph screen in the Kremlin and the floating magnetic suit were a little too much. I also think the whole concept of dismantling a bomb in the last few seconds before it detonates has been done so many times in so many movies, that I have become immune to the excitement that it may create for most people.

Despite these minor irritants, this movie was still very entertaining and had non stop action. It also features a staple of every Tom Cruise movie, which is him sprinting for his life. I don't think MI4 was quite as good as most people said it was, but despite my nitpicking, it is still a pretty fun movie and I give it 7.9 stars.

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

2011-12-20T22:31:00.000-08:00

Last week Sherlock Holmes 2 was released and I finally had a reason to go to the movies. I enjoyed the first movie and thought it had a unique style to it. The second instalment feels almost identical to the first when it comes to the cast, visual effects, and music, but the sequel was still original and very entertaining.

The second installment continues as Sherlock Holmes and Watson attempt to stop Professor Moriarty from secretly orchestrating a world war. I found it interesting that Sherlock Holmes comes across as being so cool, yet he is a paranoid conspiracy theorist who suffers from substance abuse.

I really like the style that Guy Ritchie has given to Sherlock Holmes. There is action, humor, and some cool slow motion cinematography. Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law give great performances.

The female characters in the movie weren't given the change to make very big contributions with their roles. Rachel McAdams is only in the film for a few minutes and Noomi Rapace was just a tag along. Some people might accuse the most recent Sherlock Holmes of resorting to Kung Fu and MMA more than he does to sleuthing, but I still thought A Game of Shadows was pretty good and I give it 7.5 stars.

My Movie Complaints

2011-12-14T11:30:00.000-08:00

I am very frustrated right now. I have some movie passes and I have time off work, but I don't care to see any of the movies that are currently in the theaters. When are some good movies going to be released? Below I have listed some of the movies that are currently in theaters and I really can't see myself watching any of them (even on video).

Jack and Jill- Shame on you Adam Sandler. You used to be funny. Your movies are getting worse with time. Have you been hanging out with M. Night Shayamalan? I won't be wasting my time on Sandler in drag.

Happy Feet Two- Why? Was there really a demand for a sequel? Would I ever watch this? No way!

Muppets- I like Frank Oz, but I have never been into muppets, not even as a little kid. I hear this movie is cute and fun and got great reviews, but it has no appeal to me.

Puss In Boots- Another animated movie that has good reviews, but I'm a grown man and if I'm going to see a movie, I don't want it to be a cartoon about a cat with a sexy Spanish voice.

Alvin and The Chipmunks- Chipwrecked- I'm afraid the catchy pun title to this movie is the only thing going for it. Three characters with high pitched voices for two hours? No thanks.

The Smurfs- Really? The Smurfs? Have I been transplanted to a parallel universe where the only movies you are allowed to watch are based on cartoon?

Arthur Christmas- This has good reviews. I have no idea what this is about, but it's ANOTHER dang cartoon!

New Years Eve- This looks like a total chick flick movie with a huge all star cast, but I have a feeling there are no stunts, action, or special effects in it.

I'm sorry to be so negative about these movies. I understand they may be cherished treasures to some people, but I am so ready for an action movie and I'm getting tired of waiting. Please bring on Mission Impossible 4!

Favorite Movie Composers

2011-12-07T15:32:00.000-08:00

Music is an important part of movies that is often overlooked. My wife is a violinist and occasionally plays recording sessions for movie scores. She has frequently commented about how incomplete a movie is until a composer adds the score to a film. Most horror movies would not be scary without the right kind of background music. Music makes a huge impact on the final cinematic product.

John Williams

I'd like to highlight some of my favorite movie composers. These artists improve the quality of movies and I also enjoy listening to their soundtracks. Some of my favorite composers are:

Thomas Newman-The Green Mile, Cinderella Man, Road to Perdition, Meet Joe Black.

James Horner-Braveheart, A Beautiful Mind, Titanic, Avatar, Troy, Sneakers, Star Trek.

John Williams- Star Wars, Jaws, Superman, Harry Potter, Indiana Jones, Jurassic Park.

Hans Zimmer- Gladiator, Inception, Sherlock Holmes, Pirates of The Caribbean, The Dark Knight.

John Barry-A bunch of James Bond movies, Dances with Wolves, Somewhere in Time, Out of Africa.

Randy Edleman-Shanghai Noon, While You Were Sleeping, Last of the Mohicans, Gettysburg.

Danny Elfman-The Simpsons, Beetlejuice, Batman, Good Will Hunting, The Simpsons.

Eric Serra-The Fifth Element, Golden Eye, Bandidas.

There are many other great composers missing from my list, but I really like the work of these guys and I can usually identify their styles and recognize their work while watching a movie. I'm grateful that I didn't live during the era of silent films that featured standard background organ music to all of the movies.

Contagion

2011-11-29T18:44:00.000-08:00

I recently saw Contagion and before the movie started, I noticed a guy in the row in front of me was wearing a medical mask. I don't know if he was sick, scared of germs, or maybe just getting into the mood and dressing up like people do for Star Wars or Harry Potter movies. After watching Contagion, I would have to describe it with the following words: gripping, frightening, disturbing, depressing, and thought provoking. This movie is about a new strain of virus that originates in China and spreads around the world causing a global outbreak.

This movie made me think about the far reaching affects of bio terrorism or some new disease if it were to were to spread around the world. With world travel as common as it is today, the world has become a smaller place and a pandemic could be a very likely scenario. The horrible disease featured in this movie did not scare me nearly as much as the social break down which was caused by rampant death and fear. Riots, looting, and life as we know it stopping was the scariest aspect of this movie for me.

I felt the ending was somewhat abrupt. I both like and dislike this movie because it left you asking many questions. I still am not sure what the message was or if it was some form of propaganda. I think people can read several messages into it, but the important thing is that Contagion got me thinking.

I was really shocked when I learned how many negative reviews there were for this movie. I have to disagree with all the picky and unhappy critics. I haven't been so caught up in a movie for a long time. I give Contagion 8.1 stars.

Tower Heist

2011-11-24T11:50:00.001-08:00

Tower Heist is about a group of employees who work at a luxury high rise apartment building. One of their tenants who is a big shot Wall Street investor, ends up being arrested for fraud. He swindled his clients as well as the employees of the high rise since he was investing their pension fund. When it appears that he will end up going free and they will lose their retirement, several of the employees attempt to find a way to steal the money back from him.

Tower Heist is like a funnier version of Oceans Eleven. It's hard to bee too critical of this type of movie. I have seen better comedies and I've seen better heist movies, but it was still pretty good.

I liked Ben Stiller in this movie. He seemed more relatable and likable than he has been in other roles. I thought Alan Alda stole the show as the bad guy investment guru who had swindled them out of their money. Eddie Murphy plays a small town street crook who the group enlists to help them pull off the heist. It's nice to see him in a movie that isn't down right horrible for a change.

There's a lot of dirty language and crude humor in Tower Heist, which didn't really make it any funnier. Overall, I felt it was pretty entertaining and it had it's funny parts. It also has a nice soundtrack which doesn't hurt. I give Tower Heist 7.0 stars

My Favorite Directors

2011-11-16T15:05:00.001-08:00

I'd like to acknowledge some of my favorite directors who have consistently impressed me with their work. Making a list is a dangerous activity since some people get so upset if they disagree with you. I know there are some big names missing from my list, but I just want to name some of the directors who's work I have enjoyed over the years.

1. Stanley Kubrick- He was an amazing director but what really impresses me about him is that and was so successful directing such a wide variety of genres. Horror, science fiction, comedy, war movies, epic dramas, etc.

2. Alfred Hitchcock- Still the master of suspense. He made a lot of good stuff. I love his style and the fact that he has influenced so many other directors. There have been many copy cats, but there is still only one "Hitch".

3. Clint Eastwood- This actor turned director has really impressed me with his movie making skills. He has " gone ahead and made my day" with his work in the director's chair.

4. Christopher Nolan- I love his intense and serious style. I appreciate the cerebral, complicated nature of his movies. His movies make you think and that is rare these days.

5. Steven Spielberg- He is bigger than life. I especially like his earlier work. It seems he is attached to everything these days in one way or another.

6. David Lean- A master of many epic movies. He did with real masses of people, what can only be done with CGI today. I love his work.

7. Ridley Scott- He has produced some great action packed movies. I like his style.

8. Roman Polanski- I've really enjoyed his recent work, but I'm not a fan of his personal problems.

9. Werner Herzog- This guy is probably one of the most dedicated and extreme directors I can think of. I have a feeling I'd hate to be working on set or acting for him, but he makes some good movies.

10. James Cameron- Has put out plenty of big blockbuster hits and action movies.

11. Frank Capra- A master from the old school days of black and white feel good movies and dramas.

12. Joel and Ethan Coen- These brothers have made many movies featuring their trademark quirky characters. Their unique style has been applied to comedies and more serious movies.

13. Mel Gibson- He doesn't have as much experience in the director's chair as the others, but I have really enjoyed the movies he has directed. Mel has lost a ton of fans over the years, but I still think he has great director skills.

14. Ron Howard- Not all of his movies have been hits, but I still like his style and he has made enough good ones for me to add him to my list.

15. Tony Scott- His movies may not be academy award winning material, but I sure like many of the movies he has directed.

Honorable Mention: Wolfgang Peterson, Woody Allen, and M. Night Shyamalan- Even though M. Night has put out so much crap recently, I still like his style.

I know there are names like Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese, Tim Burton, Oliver Stone, Spike Lee, and many others who people will say are better directors than some of my choices. That may be true, be but what can I say? If you don't like my list, go make your own.

Pulling John

2011-11-10T06:30:00.000-08:00

Pulling John is a documentary about the world of professional arm wrestling. It features John Brzenk who is to arm wrestling what Michael Jordan is to basketball and Wayne Gretzsky is to hockey. I knew next to nothing about the sport and have never cared much about it, but I still found this documentary to be very entertaining. Arm Wrestling is obviously a sport of strength, but technique also plays a huge role since there are certainly bigger and stronger athletes who get owned by the some of the smaller pros.

Pulling John reviews the career of John Brzenk who has dominated the sport for over 20 years. As he gets older he struggles to decide if he should retire while he is still at the top of his game or continue to participate in tournaments.

This documentary shows the rise of two other dominant arm wrestlers: Alexy Voevoda from Russia and Travis Bagent from USA and shows how their goal is to be able to beat the respected champion and take over his title as the greatest arm wrestler in the world.

It was very entertaining to see the different personalities of these athletes. John is quiet and humble, Voevoda is intense and contemplative, and Bagent is brash and cocky. It's hard not to like any of the athletes in this movie. There is a lot of pride on the line to see who is the strongest athlete. My wife kept rolling her eyes and saying " Guys are so different from women" throughout the entire movie. I could tell she still liked it though.

This documentary kind of reminded me of The King of Kong as it introduces you to the competitive nature of those participating in a sport you didn't even know existed. I also found it quite informative and educational. I give pulling John 7.6 stars. It was a low budget documentary about an obscure sport, but I thought it was pretty cool and I really enjoyed it.

In Time

2011-11-04T10:42:00.000-07:00

I'm a sucker for any sort of futuristic movie about societies that are oppressed by "the man", who's citizens have to fight back against the system or escape imprisonment, so I have been looking forward to seeing In Time since I saw the trailer several months ago.

This movie is about a world where people barter with their time as opposed to money. Everyone has a digital clock on their arm that shows them how much time they have left before they die. They can earn, spend, or trade their time with each other. Most of the poor only have 24 hours on their clocks and frantically live day to day in order to survive. As someone who lives paycheck to paycheck and sometimes just tries to make it through another day financially, I could relate to their plight.

Justin Timberlake plays Will Salas who is given a century of additional life by a mysterious stranger. He then sets out on a mission against the corrupt powers that have kept him and the masses down for years. Along the way he encounters a rich girl who he kidnaps and they essentially become Bonnie and Clyde as they try to take the system down.

In time has some elements of Logan's Run and Gattaca. It was interesting to see so many young actors in this movie portraying people of all ages since the aging process stops at 25. I thought for being a science fiction movie, they would have better technology, but the cars were old models and people didn't even have cell phones.

The movie contrasts the poor in the ghettos who's clocks often run down to minutes versus the super wealthy who have thousands of years to live. There are some not so subtle political statements about class indifference in this movie. I didn't care for the insinuations that the wealthy are the reason why the poor suffer in real life, but I tried not to let any political messages ruin it for me.

I thought Justin Timberlake was good in this role except for the one scene when he tried introducing himself like James Bond. Cillian Murphy was great as the persistent time keeper (cop) who tries to track Salas down. He reminded me of Javert from Les Miserables because he is so relentless and obsessed with getting his man.

I give In Time 7.2 stars. It has it's problems, but I felt it was much better than the critics said it was. I thought the concept of exchanging time with money was enough to make the movie entertaining and thought provoking, despite it's weaknesses. Also, If I were Justin Timberlake I would have petitioned to re-name the movie "Just-In Time".

Another Year of Reviews Oct 26

2011-10-26T15:31:00.000-07:00

It has been three years since I started this blog so it's time to celebrate with my annual summary of movies and videos that I have reviewed over the past year.

I think it's helpful to see how these movies do when ranked in relation to each other. In case you missed it, here are my ranking for the movies I saw over the last 12 months

True Grit 9.0

Harry Potter part 2 8.5

Warrior 8.4

Limitless 8.2

Harry Potter part 1 8.0

Rise of the Planet of the Apes 7.9

The Next Three Days 7.8

Inside Job 7.8

Source Code 7.7

Ghost Writer 7.7

Hereafter 7.6

X-Men First Class 7.6
The Social Network 7.5
Fast 5 7.5
The Adjustment Bureau 7.4
Captain America 7.4
RED 7.4
Megamind 7.4
Unknown 7.3
Unstoppable 7.3
Get Low 7.3
Tron Legacy 7.2
Super 8 7.2
Hanna 7.2
Thor 7.2
Devil 7.1
Waiting for Superman 7.1
Killer 7.0
Sucker Punch 6.9

Of God and Men 6.9

Battle: Los Angeles 6.8

Pirates 4 6.8

Cowboys and Aliens 6.7

The Eagle 6.7

Fair Game 6.7

Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2 6.6

Voyage of the Dawn Treader 6.6

Armored 6.6

Priest 6.5

The Tourist 6.5
The Lovely Bones 6.5

I am Number 4 6.4

The Green Hornet 6.3

Ondine 6.3

Just Go With it 6.2

Grown Ups 5.9
Takers 5.9

Season of the Witch 5.8

The Bounty Hunter 5.8

Jonah Hex 5.4
Skyline 5.0

The Last Airbender 4.7

Some people may disagree with me on how I ranked some of these movies, but taking a stand and making hard judgement calls is all part of being an incredibly successful and sought after movie critic. Now that I have three years of experience, I am qualified for speaking engagements or at least coming to your child's birthday party dressed as a clown.

Priest

2011-10-22T18:37:00.000-07:00

I knew that Priest was going to be a bad movie, but for some reason, I still wanted to see it. It's kind of like when someone tells you to smell a gross couch cushion and you know better, but you still do it. Even though it was not very good, I was still entertained by it..

Priest is about a post apocalyptic society that is plagued by vampires. The church, which is the ruling authority, commissioned warrior priests (kind of like Jedi knights) who are gifted in martial arts and are able to kill the vampires. After years of war they believed they had been eradicated. The priests were then disbanded and no longer useful to society. Several years later, the vampire threat returns and one renegade priest played by Paul Bettany disobeys the church's command to remain in the city and he heads out to rescue his niece who was recently kidnapped by vampires.

The worst thing about this movie was the opening explanation that set the story up. It was an animated summary and was completely laughable. It looked more like Itchy and Scratchy than a serious movie. My kids came in during that part and were laughing uncontrollably because it was so funny.

The term vampire in this movie refers to eyeless CGI monsters that look more like aliens than people. Karl Urban plays an ex-priest who was infected by the queen vampire and as a result becomes a human vampire hybrid. He spends most of the movie dressed like he is trying to imitate Clint Eastwood in one of his spaghetti westerns.

Christopher Plummer has a convincing role as he plays the stubborn church leader who refuses to accept the fact that the vampires have returned. The movie never really explains his motivation for his stance which leaves you wondering if he was in alliance with the vampires. The ending is resolved by the good guys simply jumping off a speeding train full of vampires before it explodes.

The critics were right in giving this movie poor ratings, but despite the low marks, there was still some cool stuff in it and I have to admit that I enjoyed some aspects of it. I give it 6.5 generous stars.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes

2011-10-20T20:30:00.000-07:00

I finally got around to seeing Rise of the Planet of the Apes. I wasn't really expecting much from another remake, especially after Tim Burton's attempt, but this ended up being more of a prequel and it was surprisingly entertaining. I thought I knew what to expect after watching the trailer, but there was much more to this movie than I anticipated

The movie is about a scientist working on a drug to help Alzheimer patients. It is tested on apes and makes them more intelligent but ends up being deadly for humans. Over time, we see the main character grow from a baby ape to a full grown primate with human intelligence.

James Franco and John Lithgow are not my favorite actors, but I liked their performances in this movie. Andy Serkis has continued the trend of taking on roles that require him to hunch over in a motion capture suit like he did as King Kong and Gollum. He did a great job of playing Caesar, the main ape.

The special effects were amazing and CGI has sure gotten better over time. I remember how fake and boxy the animals looked in Jumanji, but I was impressed with the effects in this movie, but I was even more impressed with the emotions that the CGI characters were able to convey to the audience.

As usual, Brian Cox is a bad guy and speaking of soon to be type cast actors, Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy) is following in his footsteps. This installment pays homage to the original with several quotes and character names. For an unrealistic premise and far fetched story, this was still quite convincing and much better than I expected.

The biggest lesson I learned from watching this movie is that disobeying company protocol can result in the annihilation of the human race. (I will no longer check my e-mail during work). I give Rise of the Planet of the Apes 7.9 stars.

Re- Releasing Movies

2011-10-17T15:11:00.000-07:00

What's up with releasing a movie in the theaters that has already been on video for over 10 years? I can understand when George Lucas did it with the digitally enhanced Star Wars movies. It was kind of fun watching for the additional CGI features, but I just don't get the appeal for most other movies.

I recently noticed that The Lion King is in theaters again. I think it's because it is being released in 3D or maybe there is a new auto tuned version of Elton John's theme song for the movie. I don't know, but I just don't get the appeal of paying good money for a movie that you probably already own on video.

I can see how a cult classic might be an exception for fans to get together in a theater and watch it but I just don't think most people are willing to fork out new release money for an old movie. I have a feeling Disney knows something I don't and they are probably laughing all the way to the bank.

Besides The Lion King, I have also seen this happen for Toy Story and ET. It also appears that Ghostbusters is going to be re-released which means we will have to put up with another generation of kids using the lame "ghost busters" joke answer when people ask them who they are going to call.

Maybe some day they will re-release The Grapes of Wrath, Judgement at Nuremberg, and 12 Angry Men in 3D. If you want to take your kids to The Lion King it at the theater, then go ahead, but I will not pay full movie price for a movie in the theaters unless it is a "real" new release.

Is It Just Me...

2011-10-10T09:07:00.000-07:00

Is it just me, or does anyone else think Antonio Banderas kind of looks like a young Sean Connery in the poster for his new movie The Skin I Live In?

Season of the Witch

2011-10-06T15:15:00.000-07:00

Season of the Witch is about two nights played by Nicholas Cage and Ron Perlman who are fighting in the Crusades. They become disenchanted with the war after years of slaughtering their enemy and become deserters. They return to their homeland only to learn that the land is cursed with a plague. They are put in charge of escorting a witch (a young girl who they blame for the plague) to a church monastary where she will be given a trial and most likely killed.

I suffer from Nicholas Cage anxiety because I never know which Nicholas Cage would show up for a movie. This movie started off on a negative note for me as the two main characters joke like Gimli and Legolas about who will kill more enemies in battle. The dialogue was unbelievable and what I mean by that is that there was absolutely no credibility since they spoke as if it were a modern day movie. There is some suspense since we are not sure if the girl is really a witch or an innocent victim but it is not enough to carry the movie.

I started to doze off at the end of the movie and when I came to my senses I was surprised to see them fighting a giant CGI demon which didn't help the movie either. I give Season of the Witch 5.8 stars which I feel is generous. I liked the idea behind it and it could have been a suspenseful story, but it was not very convincing. If you want entertainment from the middle ages, I'd suggest Cadfael from the BBC. There may not be much action but you will at least have good acting, decent accents, a plot, and a more authentic feel for the that period.

Sucker Punch

2011-10-01T07:14:00.000-07:00

Sucker Punch is about a girl who's abusive stepfather commits her to an insane asylum. (Apparently an institution that only accepts beautiful young girls). Those running the asylum exploit the patients and have turned it into a night club/brothel. The main character, who is played by Emily Browning, plans to escape along with 4 other girls. The film goes back and forth between the mental institution and a parallel fantasy/sci- fi world as they undergo several missions in an attempt to escape their captors. Sucker Punch has elements of The Matrix, Wizard of Oz, Charlies Angels, and Scott Pilgrim vs.The World.

Once again I am really torn about a movie. There were things I liked and disliked. Let's start with the bad news first and finish up with the positive.

The Negative

I felt kind of awkward watching girls named Baby Doll, Sweet Pea, and Blondie wearing skimpy school girl uniforms.

There were too many dramatic poses each time the girls jumped and landed on the ground during the fight scenes ala Trinity.

Maybe I'm a little slow, but I couldn't figure out how much of the movie was supposed to be real, especially at the asylum vs. her imagination.

If you give someone a lobotomy with an ice pick and hammer, wouldn't there be some bleeding of the eyes or nose as a result?

The Positive

The visuals were incredible, and I'm not talking about the girls. Even if you hate this movie you will still be impressed with many of the visual effects. This movie was directed by Zack Snyder who is known for 300 and Watchmen so if you like his style, then you will probably be entertained.

I liked the dirty greenish tint and old 50's look the asylum had and really liked the scenes when they fought the World War 1 zombies.

I really liked the performance by Oscar Isaac as the bad guy. I also thought also did a great job as the villain in Robin Hood last year.

This movie probably appeals to teenage boys more than anyone since it includes, action, sci.-fi, fantasy, and features girls in skimpy outfits. As a result, I'm sure many will write this movie off as being superficial eye candy. I give Sucker Punch 6.9 stars which may be kind of high, but the special effects were amazing and I felt it was very original even though it may have borrowed some components of other movies. I predict it will have a much better reception on video and over time than it originally did in the theaters.

Pirates of the Caribean : The One With Mermaids

2011-09-27T19:37:00.000-07:00

I recently took my younger kids to see Kung Fu Panda 2, but apparently I don't know how to tell time and we were an hour late so we caught another sequel movie instead: Pirates of the Caribbean 4 (I don't remember the suffix to the title)

So what's new in the latest installment? Zombie sailors, Blackbeard, Penelope Cruz, mermaids, and the Fountain of Youth. I can't really complain about this movie. I got pretty much what I expected, another action adventure pirate movie featuring Jack Sparrow.

This movie was entertaining, but I felt it was missing something. I didn't think the newest villain was very intimidating or scary at all. Barbosa, Tom Hollander, and the Davey Jones Octopus guy were all much more convincing bad guys. I also had a hard time buying Penelope Cruz in her role, but I'm not even sure why.

The zombie guys were just for show and didn't really contribute to the story at all. All of these movies are starting to run together for me now and I am having a hard time differentiating them. I know that makes me sound like an old guy or at least apathetic. I don't want to get too picky with this movie. It is what it is and I think most people know what they are getting with the Pirates franchise.

I can't blame Johnny Depp for milking the series. I'd sign on for 10 installments if I were in his shoes. I give this fourth Pirates movie 6.8 stars. I still think the ride was better.

Warrior

2011-09-21T21:22:00.000-07:00

I'm a big fan of MMA so I was looking forward to seeing Warrior. This movie may appear to be about a mixed martial arts tournament, but it is really a drama about the strained relationship between two brothers and their father. I was pleased that this movie really delivered.

The acting was amazing. Nick Nolte has redeemed himself from any prior mugshot disgrace he brought on himself in his personal life. Ironically, he plays an alcoholic with an abusive past. His young family ran away from him 10 years prior. He later cleans up his life and stops drinking, but his sons still want nothing to do with him. It's heartbreaking to see him try so hard to be accepted and forgiven, but they refuse to open up to him.

I like inspirational sports movies, but I am usually disappointed by them so I didn't get my hopes up too much for Warrior. There were really only a few minor things that bothered me. 1) excessive shots of spectators cheering towards the end of the movie and 2) the fake premise that these two brothers with such little experience would make it into such a prestigious tournament on such short notice, 3) The abrupt conclusion. Aside from those little details, I loved it and can't complain.

The fighting is entertaining, but the tension between the family members was incredible. The acting was great. I didn't even recognize Tom Hardy in this movie. When I looked it up to see who the actor was for the younger brother, I was floored. He was one mean dude and looked like he had packed on a ton of muscle for the role. I am impressed with how versatile of an actor he is.

If you liked Forever Strong, Glory Road, Miracle, Rocky, The Rookie, Remember the Titans, Karate Kid, etc. then you will like Warrior. It 's a sports drama like those other movies, but it is even better.

If you are a woman who thinks you would be turned off by watching men beat each other up, you will probably still enjoy this movie. I give Warrior 8.4 stars and it is definitely one of the best movies I've seen this year.

Of Gods and Men

2011-09-20T06:30:00.000-07:00

My Dad introduced me to foreign films as a kid. He would regularly invite me to go to the international cinema or would bring home foreign videos to share with our family. As a result, I have seen my fair share of artsy foreign films and am fairly open minded to them. Recently the movie Of Gods and Men or "Des hommes et des dieux" if you prefer, was recommended to me on my Netflix account. I decided it was time for a little more culture since I've been watching so much Hollywood tripe lately.

This movie is about several Catholic monks serving in Algeria who chose to stay at their mission despite threats from Muslim extremists who were terrorizing the area. The film does a good job of showing how their concern for the locals and their commitment to serve helped them make the decision to stay instead of leaving as the government suggested they do for their own safety.

First of all, I have respect for this story since it is based on a true story, but it was very hard to watch since it was so slow. I don't mean it was slow, I mean it was S L O W. There were so many scenes that consisted of nothing but a camera slowly panning across the countryside or of men walking or working with no dialogue. The most exciting parts for me were when I recognized Michael Lonsdale from Moonraker and Lambert Wilson from The Matrix.

My younger kids came in my room while I was watching this film and they plopped down on the floor excited to see a video. They asked what it was and I told them it was Captain America. It was one of the best practical jokes I have ever done. They kept watching these long boring scenes with the actors speaking French for 15 minutes before they finally questioned me. I finally burst out laughing and most of them left the room at that point.

This is a good film, but I suggest you watch the trailer since it is more concise and actually does a good job of summing up the film in a few minutes as opposed to two hours. I give Of Gods and Men 6.9 stars, but beware, it is very slow.

Captain America

2011-09-14T20:04:00.000-07:00

I recently saw Captain America and I liked it. In a world where comic book and superhero movies are released every 4 hours, I felt this one was better than most. I will now share a detailed summary and some of my insights about the film.

I liked the vintage 40's feel this movie had. It kind of reminded me of The Rocketeer which starred Jennifer Connelly. I later realized that both of these films were directed by Joe Johnston. Speaking of the Rocketeer, did you know that Melora Hardin who plays Jan in the Office was the lady singing in the night club scene in the Rocketeer? I've been watching old episodes of The Office lately and had forgotten how funny they are. I don't know what to think with Steve Carrell leaving. He's has had a few good movies, but I thought Dinner For Schmucks was lame.

Anyway, back to Captain America. Hugo Weaving plays Red Skull and he does a good job as the villain, but I will always see him as Agent Smith even if he has a red prosthetic face or long Elf hair. Speaking of Lord of the Rings, I'm excited to see the Hobbit prequel when it finally gets made. Guillermo Del Torro was assigned to direct it at one point but he backed out. It would have been interesting to see his stylized touch applied to Tolkien. One of the scariest characters Del Torro introduced was the white monster who has eyes on his hands from Pan's Labyrinth.

When ever I hear that movie title, it reminds me of Labyrinth staring David Bowie and Jennifer Connelly. Well it looks like I have come full circle to Jennifer Connelly again with my random thoughts so I guess it's time to end my comprehensive review of Captain America.

I give Captain America 7.4 stars. It was pretty good.

"The Book Was Better"

2011-09-12T14:37:00.000-07:00

When speaking about movies, I frequently hear people say "the book was so much better than the movie". Although this may be true in most cases, I think it is usually a fair assumption that the book is always better than the movie so it doesn't really need to be said. In other words "No Doy!"

I've heard people say this about The Davinci Code, Angels and Demons, Harry Potter, Inkheart, and The Sum of All Fears just to name just a few. I'm sure I will also hear this when The Hunger Games and Atlas Shrugged are released.

If you find yourself ready to tell someone that a movie was not as good as the book, you may want to hold your tongue. Making such cruel and reckless statements not only hurts the feelings of everyone who was involved in the making of the film, but it also shows that you have a superiority complex since you think the way you imagined it in your mind is much better than how the director and movie producers were able to.

I am usually able to avoid this situation altogether because I don't read books for entertainment. I am ashamed to admit that the last book I read for entertainment was probably The Grapes of Wrath back in high school. By the way, Henry Fonda was great, but Steinbeck's book was better than the movie. See how that makes me come across so snooty?

Please stop saying this. It is not fair to compare books to movies. It also makes me sad when I hear this statement since it reminds me of yet another book I was too lazy to read. By the way, if you can recall any movies that you think were actually better than the book, I'd be interested to know which ones they were.

Cowboys and Aliens

2011-09-04T11:08:00.000-07:00

I recently saw Cowboys and Aliens and am unsure if I really liked it or not. I still have mixed feelings about it. I admire the fact that the movie tried to mix two genres that have no business being together. Aside from Westworld and one of the Back to the Future movies, I am not aware of anyone mixing Westerns with Science Fiction. Jon Favreau does so with this movie and risks either failing or finding a new combination that works like peanut butter and chocolate. Unfortunately, this movie is not a Reece's peanut butter cup.

I liked the Western aspect of the movie and actually would have been fine just watching a western with the cast. Daniel Craig plays an outlaw of very few words who wakes up in the dessert and doesn't know who he is or how he got there. He has a large metallic bracelet/shackle on his wrist and doesn't know what it is until the town is attacked by spaceships and it is activated and he is able to use it as a weapon.

Harrison Ford plays a crusty old cattle rancher who pretty much runs the territory. Olivia Wilde is a mysterious woman who's role is not revealed until late into the movie. They join forces and form a posse with Craig and other townspeople in an attempt to fight against the aliens who have been abducting their family members.

There are many unanswered questions in this movie but even worse, I had a hard time buying the cowboys defeating so many CGI alien monsters with such advanced technology and weaponry. The concept behind this movie was risky, but it had some potential. I can't really put my finger on what turned me off, but I think it would have been much better if they left the aliens out and that is coming from someone who loves alien movies. I give Cowboys and Aliens 6.7 stars. Wait for it to come out on video.

Harry Potter 7 Part 2

2011-08-26T09:50:00.000-07:00

I've previously mentioned that I never read the Harry Potter books and I wasn't a fan of the series when it first started and featured cute little kids at Hogwarts. Midway through the series I started to enjoy the movies more and I think the last several installments have been great. This is probably due to the fact that they have become more dark and evil so I relate to them better now.

I really liked the quality of the this last movie. The special effects were amazing. Many movies have great special effects and big budgets, but are still totally lacking in substance, but this movie was all around very good. After watching movies, I usually come away with a list of a few things I wished they would have done different or that they could have done better, but I didn't find myself making my usual list this time.

I don't want to give too much away since there are many twists and deaths of certain characters but I will say that Bruce Willis dies in the opening scene and didn't realize he was a ghost until the end of the movie. Actually I would imagine that most people who follow the series have read the books so spilling the beans about the plot is probably no surprise to most viewers since it's already been out over a month.

For those of you who might be criticizing me for reviewing movies so late after they are released, I would encourage you to take me up on my offer on the side bar. I'm still not having any luck with any theaters inviting me to the special early showings for film critics...yet.

I give the final Harry Potter installment 8.5 stars which on my rating scale is pretty darn good.

Just Go With It

2011-08-22T17:15:00.000-07:00

I think it is appropriate that I review Just Go With It right after my prior post about embarrassing content in movies. My parents were not in the room with me during this movie, but my wife was and there was plenty of crude humor. What's up with Adam Sandler? He can be a very funny guy at times, but so frequently he reverts to the same old potty humor and gags. I'm a guy and can handle some crude humor, but his stuff has become so predictable over the years.

Just Go With It is about a plastic surgeon who is a bachelor and he regularly picks up women by wearing a fake wedding ring and pretending to be in a marriage that has fallen apart. I have no idea why that approach would work. I think the real ringer is when he mentions that he is a plastic surgeon.

Anyway, he finally meets the girl of his dreams and decides to settle down but before they can get married, she wants to meet his ex wife and family. Sandler enlists the help of his office manager played by Jennifer Aniston. She pretends to be his nagging and spoiled wife and they try to put on a show in order to show that their marriage is beyond help in order to convince his new girlfriend that they are ready to move on.

Two words that come to mind are illogical an absurd. What guy is going to go on a vacation to Hawaii with his supposed wife he is divorcing and kids and bring along the new woman he is leaving them for? They all pal around Hawaii together like they are a big happy family. What girl would be excited about marrying a guy who is constantly ripping on his wife in front of her? Sandler spends more money than the Prince of Dubai during this movie in an effort to cover his tracks. His sidekick friend in this movie was pathetic and not funny at all, but at least I didn't have to see the usual Rob Schneider cameo.

There were a couple scenes that made me laugh, but overall I felt this movie was totally fake and very predictable. So I give it 6.2 stars. If you want to see a better Sandler movie, watch the Wedding Singer or Happy Gilmore.

The Parental Video Curse

2011-08-15T07:27:00.000-07:00

I was recently reminiscing with a friend about watching videos as a kid and I had some funny memories. Many times while watching a video, whenever a part with swearing, sex, or nudity would come on, a parent would always come walking in the room. These were not bad movies we watched either, this would happen regardless of what they were rated. You could rent some rated G Disney movie and Pollyanna would start doing some inappropriate nasty dance as soon as a parent came in the room. (Not that she ever did that and not that I ever watched Pollyanna).

On one occasion I was at a friends house with several others watching a murder mystery which was very entertaining. My friend's Dad came in and sat down and within 15 seconds of that time there was a major shift in the direction and content of the movie and it got extremely uncomfortable. I just remember a minute later the TV was turned off and our video party was over. I walked home in a daze wondering what had happened and where that scene came from. I now know that it was just the parental video curse.

When I was a teenager, my brother in law rented Conan the Barbarian and left it at our house. I didn't even think about the rating and I started watching it with my friend. We didn't get too far into it when my Dad came downstairs and sat down. Conan had just killed some guys in a competition and his slave masters brought a lady wearing a leather bikini to his cage to reward him. My spidey senses kicked in and I knew where this might lead so I said "I just remember I am supposed to draw a basketball for my art class" and I hurried out of the room. I left my friend with my Dad and came back about 10 minutes later. When I returned, my friend was red faced. He was embarrassed and is still angry with me to this day. My Dad suggested we turn the movie off. I never did see how it ended but I'm still glad I took my "homework break" when I did.

Another thing I have noticed over the years is how you forget so much about a movie you saw a long time ago. Many times I have told someone how much I enjoyed a certain movie I saw when I was younger so I recommend it to them or rent it for myself and later find myself saying "I don't ever remember that scene" or "I had no idea they swore so much in this", or "I promise this was rated PG".

So I just want to give a heads up to all the young people out there and let them know next time you are planning a video (DVD) party go to IMDB or Screenit first for content details because it is guaranteed that if there is any questionable content in the video you are watching that your parents will walk in the room at the very most uncomfortable moment.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Roderick Rules

2011-08-08T14:06:00.000-07:00

I don't usually get into kids movies, but since my kids have been talking about Roderick Rules for a while, I recently decided to rent it. Actually it was more of a rent to own transaction. I'm on a six month payment plan. Just kidding, I just thought it sounded strange that a famous movie critic like myself would have to rent a movie. I will try to focus and get back on topic now.

Roderick Rules is a sequel to Diary of a Wimpy Kid which is a popular short book series. This movie is about Greg and his mean older brother Roderick and their struggles as they try to get along with each other. All of the characters from the original movie returned for this installment so it is pretty much a clean continuation of the first movie. I think I may have actually enjoyed this movie a little more than the first one.

I had a good time watching Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2 with my kids and despite its shortcomings, I still give it 6.6 stars. It was pretty funny and I actually had some pretty good laughs during it.

The Eagle

2011-08-01T12:38:00.000-07:00

The Eagle is a movie about a young Roman centurion who attempts to find out what happened to the lost legion his Father led to battle 20 years ago. No one in his father's expedition was ever heard from and the emblem of the golden Eagle was also lost which brought dishonor to his family.

Marcus Aquila takes command of a new post in Britain and and after being wounded in battle, he is eventually discharged from duty. He then decides to solve the mystery behind his father's disappearance with only the help of his newly acquired slave.

Channing Tatum, Jamie Bell, and Donald Sutherland star in this movie. Their performances were alright, but I was only mildly entertained with this movie so I had a hard time really getting into it.

I'm no history expert, but I thought it was strange that the Celts in Britain looked like Native American Indians complete with Mohawks and war paint. There was also a battle scene early in the movie that reminded me of a classic Cowboys and Indians scene with the Romans defended their fort from a night attack.

I also found it distracting that the actors spoke with American accents and used modern day language. It wouldn't have surprised me to hear words like Dude and awesome coming from some of the Romans.

The Eagle was alright. It 's not bad, it's just no Gladiator. I give it 6.7 stars for being somewhat entertaining.

X-Men: 1st Class

2011-07-29T10:55:00.000-07:00

I recently saw a behind the scenes documentary about the Cuban missile crisis. It was very informative and much more entertaining than what I learned about this event in high school. I liked the X-Men First Class prequel for the following reasons:

1) I thought the casting of the young Dr. Xavier and Magneto was well done. I could see those actors turning into Patrick Stewart and Ian McClellan down the road.

2) I really liked the first part of the movie about Eric seeking revenge against the evil Nazi doctor.

3) The cold war/retro backdrop to the movie was a nice change.

4) This 5th X-Men movie got me thinking about which mutant superpowers I'd like to have. Teleporting, healing, and flying would be nice, but I think I'd be content with the ability to read people's thoughts and have mind control over them like Dr. Xavier. I probably wouldn't abuse that power that much.

I didn't care for all the teen mutants with insignificant roles in the movie, especially the dragonfly winged chick and the sonic screamer kid. (Sorry comic book nerds, I don't remember their names) It also didn't make sense how easily Mystique abandoned Charles at the end of the movie.

I also felt that this movie started very strong but lost steam as it moved on. Even so, I give X-Men First Class 7.6 stars since it was pretty good for a prequel.

Super 8

2011-07-24T11:08:00.000-07:00

Super 8 has been on my "to see" list for a while and I finally got around to seeing it last night. This is a movie about a group of teenagers who make their own low budget movies with a Super 8 camera. While working on one of their productions, they witness a train crash and soon realize that an alien escaped from the train and is roaming their town. They are forced to keep a low profile from the Air Force officials who are investigating the wreck and trying to cover up the incident.

This movie takes place in the late 70's and has an authentic feel to it much like the prior movie I reviewed. I really liked the performance of the young kids who were cast in this movie. I found their teenage camaraderie to be very entertaining, but they could hardly make it through a scene without heavy swearing. I liked the story of them making movies even more than I did the actually movie. I also found it interesting that there was really only one female character with more than two lines in this movie.

This movie was directed by J.J. Abrams and has a very Spielberg-esque feel to it. It features elements of movies like Close Encounters and ET, but this alien was not as cute and doesn't like Reece's pieces. I felt that the movie paid too much homage to prior Spielberg films. There was once scene where I was totally expecting a bicycle to start flying in the moonlight.

The biggest problem I had with Super 8 was how the movie resolved itself. I felt like I had dozed off and missed a couple scenes as the final scene showed the alien leaving earth and returning home in his spaceship he had repaired with car engines and microwaves.

There are some big plot holes and some distracting inaccuracies like a pickup truck driving head on into a speeding 20 car train and demolishing it while leaving the truck only half destroyed and the driver alive. Despite hard to ignore details like this, I still enjoyed Super 8 and give it 7.2 stars.

The Lovely Bones

2011-07-22T07:36:00.000-07:00

I rented The Lovely Bones over two weeks ago, but I've had a hard time bringing myself to watch it since I knew it was about a girl who is murdered by a serial killer. It didn't sound like a pick me up movie, but I was curious to see it since it was directed by Peter Jackson and I wanted to know if there would be any Orcs or Hobbits in it.

This movie is entertaining, but it is almost like there are two separate movies. There is the story about the girl's abduction, murder, and how it impacts her family. Then there is also the part about her being in a transition state where she roams the earth trying to bring her killer to justice and comfort her family. The scenes that feature the girl in a limbo state between heaven and earth were weird and reminded me of What Dreams May Come. They were just too busy with special effects and CGI.

This movies takes place in the 70's and has an authentic feel too it. So much so, that it made me wish all the characters would take showers and get haircuts.

There were a few scenes that really bothered me. First, what was up with the scene at the end where dead Susie finally gets to kiss her boyfriend via the weird girl? It was kind of like the scene in Ghost with Demi Moore and Whoopi Goldberg.

Second, was I hallucinating, or did I really see a short comical music video montage featuring the grandma (Susan Sarandon) attempting to do housework while making messes? I felt like I was watching an episode of the Brady Bunch when it showed her trying to do laundry with suds all over the room. It just didn't seem like it should have been included in a serious movie like this.

The casting was very interesting. I have never seen Stanley Tucci in a role like this before and he was super creepy and did a good job as the killer. I struggled with accepting Mark Wahlberg as the dad in this film, but his performance was still good. Overall, I can't say I really enjoyed this movie and I'm not sure if it was because of how the movie was made or just because of the subject matter, but I give it 6.5 stars.

More Movies I'm Probably Not Going to See

2011-07-10T16:33:00.000-07:00

It's time for another installment of Movies I'm not going to see. I know we are not supposed to judge a book by it's cover or a movie by it's trailer, but I can tell you right now that I am not going to be seeing any of the following movies:

Arthur- I hated the first one with Dudley Moore and can't imagine myself watching a remake, regardless of how talented the cast may be.

Cars 2- Some animated movies really bug me. I couldn't stand what little I saw of Cars the first time. I'm not really sure why, but it reminds me of a two hour Chevron commercial.

Real Steel- I like Hugh Jackman but this looks like someone tried merging the movies Transformers and Warrior. I don't think I can handle watching Robots fight each other in a ring.

Mr. Poppers Penguins- Jim Carrey can be a funny guy but I don't think his humor is best used with a supporting cast of CGI penguins.

Happy Feet Two- I saw part of the first one as a captive viewer while I was donating plasma. It gave me an anxiety attack. I'm so happy they decided to make a sequel.

I saw the March of Penguins documentary a couple years ago. I shouldn't have to watch another penguin movie for another ten years. I know I've been wrong before when it comes to judging movies, but I'm going to trust my spidey senses on these films.

The Dilemma

2011-07-06T20:49:00.000-07:00

I recently rented The Dilemma which stars Vince Vaughn, Kevin James, Jennifer Connelly, and Winona Ryder. This movie is about two best friends who work together in the auto industry. They get a big break and begin working together on the most important and stressful project of their careers. During this time, Vaughn discovers that Jame's wife is cheating on him. The movie is about how he deals with it and how it affects his relationship with his best friend and his relationship with his own fiance.

First of all, when I see Vaughn and James paired in a movie I am expecting a full blown comedy, but this was a drama with some occasional humorous overtones. How would you feel if you rented a drama starring Anthony Hopkins and Judi Dench and then find out it's actually a comedy? I'm not a big Vaughn fan, but I thought he did a great job of portraying a conflicted and concerned friend. I really bought the close relationship between the two of them.

This movie is directed by Ron Howard. It is not very fast paced and takes a while to get going. I was kind of mad once I realized this movie featured some seriously stressful relationship issues because I just wanted to watch something funny before I went to bed. Instead I got a Bromance that was pretty stressful to watch. I give The Dilemma it 6.4 stars. It's not the best, and it's not that funny, but Vaughn gives a solid performance.

Fast Five

2011-07-01T07:18:00.000-07:00

I am not a fan of the Fast and Furious movie series. I think pimping up cars and drag racing is a joke. I also think glamorizing criminal activity is dumb, but I was actually surprised at how much better this movie was than I thought it would be.

This installment takes place in Rio. The main characters are and trying to hide from the law and keep a low profile, but they get involved in a job that goes bad and 3 DEA agents are killed. As a result, an elite special forces squad led by Dwayne Johnson is sent down to Brazil to capture them. They attempt to steal 100 million dollars from a drug lord who caused their problem, but he also controls the corrupt police force. They have to deal with the local criminals and the U.S. agents who are both trying to kill them.

The stunts were amazing, but I thought it was funny how no civilians were killed or injured during over two hours of car chases, severe wrecks, and shoot outs. I was also surprised to see a bus full of prisoners roll ten times and become demolished, yet nobody was ejected or killed. Despite being totally fake on so many levels, somehow there is a more realistic feel to this than many other action/heist movies.

Here are some questions I have after watching this movie:

*What the heck did The Rock do to get legs where his arms should be?
*Why are there are no ugly women in this movie? Homely women need some affirmative action if they are going to get any screen time in these movies.
*Is mission in-freaking-sanity a real word?
*Why do I suddenly have the urge to shave my head and wear a wife beater shirt?

I think the thing I liked the most about this was the action and stunts. It has been a long time since I saw a movie that was this action packed. If you are looking for an exciting movie with a lot of flash, then I recommend Fast Five. It's kind of like a violent Oceans Eleven. I give it 7.5 stars because it's better than what you might expect.

The Green Hornet

2011-06-26T16:44:00.000-07:00

I wasn't expecting much after I saw the preview for The Green Hornet, which is why I waited for it to come out on video before watching it. I had seen clips of the original TV show when I was a kid and new Bruce Lee starred in the series, but wasn't too familiar with the story line.

Seth Rogan plays Britt Reid, who is a spoiled rich kid who does nothing with his life. When his father dies, he inherits his media empire and decides to make a difference in the world. He and his side kick Kato played by Jay Chou, begin fighting crime as anonymous vigilanties at night. Reid creates the identity of the Green Hornet and is pretty narcissistic in his attempt to promote his alter ego's popularity through his newspaper.

Reid is kind of like Iron Man or Batman in that he has unlimited financial resources and gadgets to help him fight crime. He is an unlikely guy to be a superhero. Kato is the only competent member of the duo, but I had a problem with him having the power to stop time when he fights the bad guys. What's up with that?

This movie was a little better than I expected. It doesn't take itself too seriously and there is enough humor in it to keep it entertaining. Without the humor, The Green Hornet would have been horrible. Despite being fake and campy, I still give it a generous 6.3 stars.

Hanna

2011-06-18T22:20:00.000-07:00

After seeing the trailer for Hanna, I figured it was a movie about a teenage girl who had been raised from birth to be an assassin. I still had many unanswered questions about the plot, so I was looking forward to seeing this to get all the details behind the story.

Hanna takes place in Europe so there is a different feel to it. Several things about it reminded me of the Bourne movies and Identity. This movie is directed by Joe Wright who also directed the Soloist and Pride and Prejudice. I was surprised that he is so versatile when it comes to the genres of his movies.

Why is Tom Hollander always a bad guy?

There were many times during the movie when I kept asking myself "what the heck?" and was curious to get more information about how the story was going to unfold. Hanna features a techno soundtrack by The Chemical Brothers and between the music and the cinematography, it comes across more artsy than most spy/action movies. I'm sure there is a large segment of viewers who won't care for this movie at all because it is so different.

There is quite a bit of violence and some really weird and freaky characters featured in this movie. It also has several plot holes and some inconsistencies, but I still give Hanna 7.2 stars.

3D Is So Overrated!

2011-06-13T17:06:00.000-07:00

I just don't get the 3D movie craze. I thought it was a gimmick back in the 50's when it was popular, but technology has brought 3D movies back with a vengeance. I'm really surprised at how many movies are going with this trend.

Some movies are better 3D candidates than others. I saw Avatar at a 3D IMAX theater and I thought it was pretty cool, but I just think too many movies are trying to use it. I knew things were out of control when The King's Speech came out in 3D. Okay, maybe I'm exaggerating but I still think it's over done.

I feel insulted when a movie throws in special effects specifically for the purposes of having something shoot out of the screen at the viewer. It reminds me of Dr. Tongue's 3D movies on Monster Chiller Horror Theater on SCTV.

Sorry for being such a party pooper, but I think 3D is over rated and over priced. I think I'll stick with my view master for those occasions when I need to experience cool 3D effects.

Megamind

2011-06-08T11:59:00.000-07:00

I'm not usually a fan of animated features, but I decided to give Megamind a shot. It is about two children from different planets who are sent to earth when their civilizations were destroyed. One was sent to an ideal home and became the super hero Metro Man. The other grew up among criminals and became the villain Megamind.

The movie features the battle between the these two as well as another character named Titan who wants to be the most powerful person in Metro City. What makes Megamind enjoyable is the fact that he is so human and flawed (even though he is technically an alien.)

This movie is pretty entertaining for a cartoon. It features the voice talents of Will Ferrell, Brad Pitt, Tina Fey, and David Cross. Several scenes made me laugh and I haven't enjoyed an animated film this much since The Incredibles. I give Megamind 7.4 stars.

The Tourist

2011-05-31T06:41:00.000-07:00

The Tourist was promoted as an action, drama, romance, but after watching it, I came away thinking this movie was an excuse for Angelina Jolie to walk around exotic locations in Europe in slow motion in designer gowns. If you are into fashion, makeup, modeling, or glamor shots, then this movie may be appealing to you.

Johny Depp seemed like he had been sedated for his role in this movie. Unlike his amped up personality as Jack Sparrow, he now has all the excitement of a mashed potato sandwich on white bread. I'm not blaming him, I know that was what the role called for, but it's kind of hard to see him so sluggish and reserved.

Be prepared for lots of this.

And even more of this.

I'm not really complaining about all the glamor in this movie. It's tasteful and not slutty which is a nice change for Hollywood, but it takes more than pretty faces to make a movie (I hope you heard that Christopher Walken and Steve Buscemi). I also had higher expectations for this movie since Paul Bettany, Rufus Sewell, and Timothy Dalton all have supporting roles. Despite the talented cast and a surprise ending, I can only give The Tourist 6.5 stars.

Thor

2011-05-27T04:12:00.000-07:00

To be honest, I've never been into comic books so accepting a superhero who's weapon is a magic hammer was an up hill battle for me. Thor was directed by Kenneth Branagh which surprised me but he actually did a good job of mixing modern day earth with the mythical world of Asgard in the same movie. Despite the superhero aspect and special effects, it had some elements of a Shakespeare drama.

Chris Hemsworth gave a good performance as Thor who is banished to Earth by his father for his pride and arrogance. I had previously only seen him in Star Trek where he played George Kirk. I really liked Tom Hiddleston's performance as Thor's brother, Loki the trickster god.

Natalie Portman seemed wasted in her role. Anyone could have played her character so it was kind of beneath her abilities. At least she didn't look like a little boy like she did in Mr.Magorium's Wonder Emporium. As usual Anthony Hopkins gave a great performance as Odin and reminds us why he is referred to as "Sir" Anthony Hopkins.

I give Thor 7.2 stars despite having a hard time with the whole Norse mythology superhero concept. It could have been higher if it weren't for the giant fire breathing robot that somehow made it's way into this movie.

Voyage of the Dawn Treader

2011-05-20T12:11:00.000-07:00

I feel kind of guilty reviewing Voyage of the Dawn Treader since I did not give it my full attention. I watched this video with many distractions in the background, like game two of the Thunder and Mavericks series. I still got a feel for it and am willing to share some insights with you about the third installment of Narnia Movies.

I read the Narnia books when I was young, but I can't remember a thing about any of them now except LWW- (that's hip movie critic lingo for The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe). As a result, I can't complain about this movie not following the book. I know C.S. Lewis is a genius and uses all kinds of symbolism, but I was too tired to search for meaning while I watched this.

The biggest impression this movie made on me was that it was geared towards kids. Wasn't the mouthy rat with a sword the same character as Puss 'N Boots in Shrek minus the accent? I noticed there were some inconsistencies with the special effects. Some of them were great while others were only mediocre.

The cousin in this named Eustace is the most obnoxious kid I have ever seen in a movie and I'm talking Jar Jar Binks level of get on your nerves.

I give Voyage of the Dawn Treader 6.6 stars. I'm sure kids will enjoy it. I'm sorry for the half hearted review. I guess it's time to see a new release movie in the theater that I can get excited about.

Inside Job

2011-05-16T16:39:00.000-07:00

Inside job is a documentary about Wall streets practices which brought about the 2008 stock market crash and financial crisis. This movie is narrated by Matt Damon and does a good job of explaining how lack of regulation in the banking, investing, real estate, insurance, and other industries brought about the recession.

It is very frustrating to see what some of these guys got away with. If a pick pocket steals $50, he will go to jail, but the slime balls featured in this documentary run businesses into the ground because their greed and dishonesty, which in turn affects other industries and causes a global depression. Instead of getting fired or going to jail, they get paid millions of dollars in tax free severance packages and bonuses and are appointed to presidential cabinets.

There are many scenes where financial "experts" and academic geniuses are being interviewed and questioned about their actions. It's amusing to see them stammer and stutter and avoid questions and flat out lie. This movie shows how corrupt our government is and how special interests and big money can influence our nations leaders regardless of what party is in power. I give Inside Job 7.8 stars. I highly recommend it, but you may walk away angry and frustrated.

If I Could Cast a Movie

2011-05-13T10:20:00.000-07:00

If I could cast a movie I would probably still employ the same type cast actors we've been watching for years, but I'd put them in different roles for a change. We've been too conditioned over the years when we see the same actors in the same roles. This way we could really find out who can act.

No more mafia role for you!

Mafia guy-Robin Williams, Will Ferrel, Jim Carrey, or Steve Carell

The Good guy/hero- Christopher Walken, Christopher Lee, or Malcolm Mcdowell

The Villain-Harrison Ford, Bruce Willis, Tom Hanks, or Matt Damon

The Scientist-The Rock, Jason Stratham, Sylvester Stalone, or Vin Diesel

Comedy Relief Role-Anthony Hopkins, Robert Duvall, or Jack Nicholson

The President- Joe Pesci, Vincent Pastore, Al Pacino, or Ray Liota.

I'd probably let the key grip and lighting technician direct the the movie and make Steven Spielberg hold the boom mike during filming.

Waiting For Superman

2011-05-04T14:01:00.000-07:00

I recently watched Waiting for Superman, which is a documentary that addresses the problems in the public education system in America. It shows how many public schools are failing and how some parents attempt to get their kids into better public schools, charter schools, or private schools in order to get them a better education. Since there is an enrollment cap at the better schools, they end up having lotteries to determine the lucky few who will be able to attend them.

I believe teachers deserve to be rewarded better for the important service they provide, but it should be based on the results they get and not because of tenure. We should reward teachers like we do every other profession and pay the good ones more and pay the bad ones less. This movie highlighted the resistance that education reformers encountered from the teacher's unions when they attempted to remove bad teachers and reward outstanding ones.

On a side note, I'd like to challenge any film maker out there to make a documentary without including black and white footage from 50's movies or old newsreel footage. It 's starting to get old.

After watching this film, I came away feeling bad for kids in inner cities who have such horrible schools, but it also helped me realize that if someone wants a good education, it is really up to the individual and their parents more than it is the school boundaries they live in. That may sound like a cold hearted message for little kids, but it's a matter of one's desire to learn combined with taking the responsibility for one's education.

It looks like I just solved our nation's education problems. You are welcome. I give Waiting for Superman 7.1 stars.

Skyline

2011-04-30T19:16:00.000-07:00

I had been told how bad Skyline was, but I ignored the warnings and rented it anyway. I'm actually kind of glad that I did since I can now add Skyline and Battle of Los Angeles to my rival movie list. They both came out at the same time and are about aliens attacking Los Angeles.

I didn't really care about any of the characters in this movie. There is no character development and they all appear to be pretty shallow. They are also pretty stupid. The aliens are attacking outside so they decide to leave the penthouse were they are hiding and make their way to the marina so they can escape on a boat since they have a hunch they won't be attacked if they are on water? The must have seen Signs.

One distraction I had with this movie was that I kept waiting for a guitar strum or dream beat when Donald Faison would deliver his lines since I've been conditioned from watching Scrubs, but it never happened. I was also a little confused about the aliens. They looked like the sentinels in The Matrix but also had the traditional space ships, as well as giant dinosaurs looking monsters.

Skyline has good special effects and is a combination of Independence Day, War of the Worlds, and Cloverfield, but it's not as good as any of them. I guess the critics were right. I try not to jump on the bashing band wagon since I frequently enjoy movies that others didn't care for, but I can only give Skyline 5.0 stars. At least it made Battle Los Angeles look way better than I originally thought it was.

I Am Number Four

2011-04-25T18:26:00.000-07:00

I recently saw I Am Number Four and can best summarize it as "Twilight for boys".

It had the same feel to it as Percy Jackson and left you with a bubble gum after taste. The movie is obviously geared towards a younger audience, but I still think the story had potential. It's about a young man from another planet who is hiding out on earth as his enemies are trying to track him down and kill him.

There were several things in this movie that bothered me.

1) Why do high school students always have to be played by people over 20?

2) His girlfriend is an avid photographer yet she uses an old school camera with film but is somehow able to upload the photos she takes with it onto the Internet shortly after taking the pictures.

3) The main character just happens to move next door to a kid who's dad is an alien expert who new about his planet's existence.

4) The bad guys were a little bit overdone. Big scary bald guys with tattoos, red eyes, and trench coats. I guess that helps the really stupid people in the audience differentiate between the good guys and the villains.

5) The tough chick #6 was trying way too hard to be cool.

Cool girls don't look at explosions!

I Am Number Four is your standard teen movie. The special effects were good but there was plenty of cheesy dialogue and plot holes. I give this 6.4 stars.

Devil

2011-04-21T19:44:00.000-07:00

M. Knight Shyamalan has been on a downward trend for a while. I almost wrote him off after I saw The Last Airbender, so I had very low expectations for Devil when I heard it was written and produced by him.

I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised and thought this movie was actually quite entertaining. Devil is a suspenseful movie about 5 people who are trapped in an elevator together and one by one they are killed by supernatural forces.

This movie is a decent horror/mystery and it keeps you guessing. It has the usual plot twists and surprising developments you might expect from M. Knight. I give Devil 7.1 stars since I'm pleased he appears to be on an upswing again.

Source Code

2011-04-16T09:03:00.000-07:00

Source Code is a science fiction movie that makes you think and stretches your mind kind of like The Matrix or Inception. Jake Gyllenhaal plays Captain Colter Stevens, a man who wakes up on a train where he has assumed the identity of someone else. He tries to figure out what is happening to him, but after 8 minutes, a bomb on the train explodes and kills everyone on board. He then wakes up in a chamber and is questioned about the events. He is disoriented and confused as he is continually sent back for 8 minute increments to try and find the bomber and change history.

This movie reminded me of Vantage Point since it kept replaying the same event over and over with different details or scenarios playing out each time. It also had a similar story line to Deja Vu. I love time travel movies, but Source Code claims to not use time travel, but some other complicated bogus explanation of how one can change the past. I'm not a quantum physics expert so I had to accept their explanation even thought I'm pretty sure this is not a true story.

I thought it was a little disturbing how the commanding officers were so detached for people who are trying to assist Gyllenhaal with his mission. It becomes apparent later into the movie why they are withholding so much information from him. Jeffrey Wright plays an awkward, uncaring scientist and was particularly unlikeable.

I liked Source Code, but like many science fiction movies that stretch your brain, it also leaves unanswered questions. For instance, what happened to the poor dude who's identity Gyllenhaal had assumed? Maybe we will see what happened to him if there is a sequel. I give it 7.7 stars.

Hereafter

2011-04-14T19:10:00.000-07:00

Hereafter features three stories that revolve around the topic of death and life after death. The first involves a French survivor of a tsunami who has a near death experience. The second is about a young British school boy who loses his twin brother. The third features Matt Damon who plays an American with psychic abilities. These three stories take place in different countries but they are all woven together and eventually they meet one another in London for the culmination of the movie.

Hereafter is a slow paced drama but there are a couple disturbing action sequences involving a tsunami and a subway bombing. This movie deals with the afterlife and how death affects people, but it is still quite vague and doesn't preach any particular doctrine or give any concrete answers to the audience.

Damon gives a great performance of a psychic who is afflicted with a gift to communicate with the dead which he refers to as a curse. I appreciated the fact that he isn't mysterious or mystical. He doesn't hold a seance and it's not creepy, it's just an average guy who is straight forward and business like as he relays messages from the dead to their loved ones.

The saddest part of this movie was the story about a young boy who loses his twin brother. It was gut wrenching to see how depressing and lonely this boy's life was with no family support as he searched for a way to try and get his brother back. I'm glad this movie addressed the charlatan aspect of mediums who prey on desperate and vulnerable victims. I've heard some of them on the radio over the years and have just rolled my eyes at how blatantly predatory and clueless they are.

I really liked this movie. I can't remember the last time I was not impressed with a Clint Eastwood film. This was not a huge hit at the box office and it has its critics, but I really enjoyed it. I give it 7.6 stars despite an abrupt ending.

Armored

2011-04-10T11:14:00.000-07:00

This week I saw two Matt Dillon movies. Both of them came out around the same time, have one word titles, and involved robbing armored cars. They were also both only mediocre.

Armored is about several armored truck employees who decide to steal 42 million dollars rather than deliver it. Their plan meets resistance when their newest coworker decides not to go along after someone is shot during the heist. As a result, he locks himself in the bulletproof vehicle while his partners try to break in and kill him before the banks realize their shipments are late.

This movie felt like it could have been a made for TV movie and it couldn't have been more than an hour and half long. I liked Dillon in this role more than I did in Takers and it helped to have Jean Reno and Laurence Fishburne playing corrupt security guards. Armored is a guy movie. In fact there is only one female character in the entire movie.

This was not a life changing movie. It was pretty fake, but I still enjoyed it enough to give it 6.6 stars.

Takers

2011-04-07T17:07:00.000-07:00

I recently saw Takers on DVD, and I wasn't too impressed. Takers is about a group of bank robbers and their attempt to pull a heist. Matt Dillon plays the cop who is trying to capture them. This movie was a mix of The Italian Job and GQ Magazine. Every character is a young, cocky, good looking guy who parades around in fancy clothes most of the movie. It made me laugh how hard they tried to make these crooks look so glamorous.

I'm all for action, suspense, and cops and robber movies, but here are a several things I didn't like about this movie.

1. The first action scene culminated with the most blatant and textbook example of "Cool guys don't look at explosions".
2. Hayden Christensen pretending to play Jazz piano during one of the scenes.
3. Hayden Christensen beating up 3 tough street smart gangsters by himself.
4. Hayden Christensen wearing that stupid hat the entire movie.
5. The serious dramatic music when Hayden Christensen dies.
6. When two of the characters are back stabbed by one of their partners they vow vengeance on him, but then do a Butch Cassidy and charge the cops who have them surrounded. How does a suicidal move like that help them get revenge on their betrayer?
7. The classic 3 gun draw and stand off at the end of the movie.

This movie had some potential, but it ultimately disappointed. It really bothered me how hard these guys were trying to act cool. By the way, I'm not a Hayden hater. I was OK with him as Anakin Skywalker and I liked him in Jumper, but accepting him as a tough thug in this movie was asking too much. I give it 5.9 Stars. It would have been higher if it weren't for that hat!

Fair Game

2011-04-05T14:53:00.000-07:00

I recently saw Fair Game and I have to confess that I had a hard time getting into this movie. I'm not sure why, but it didn't really capture my attention. Maybe I was expecting Naomi Watts to be more like Angelina Jolie in Salt. Perhaps I'm not mature enough to enjoy a drama unless it features special effects and action.

To be fair, I probably shouldn't put much blame on the movie. I may have been tired or in a bad mood, but I felt kind of bored while I was watching it, then all of a sudden it was over. Maybe I was concerned about what kind of political message the movie makers were trying to send. I don't know what my problem was but I sure felt like I missed something when I read everyones glowing reviews.

Fair Game is based on actual events and I give it 6.7 stars. One thing I appreciate about this movie is that Naomi Watts actually looks like Valerie Plame. Good job to the casting and make up department. I will try to be more vigilant for my next review.

Limitless

2011-04-02T11:12:00.000-07:00

I recently saw Limitless and I really enjoyed it. Limitless is about a ~~loser~~ struggling writer who is introduced to a drug call NZT that helps you access 100% of your brain power. By taking the drug he is able to organize and clean his life up and make some amazing changes. He multiplies his money, talents, and intellect in a very short amount of time but soon finds out that there are dangerous side effects associated with the drug. If that wasn't enough of a problem, there are also people who are trying to kill him for it.

I have mixed feelings about the subject matter since the movie kind of glorifies drug use, but it also addresses drug abuse, and dependence. Since NZT is a fictional drug, it didn't hit home as hard as it would if the featured drug was one that currently plagues society.

There were scenes when I felt Cooper was almost being transformed into a superhero just from taking the pill similar to how Popeye was empowered by eating Spinach. This movie features drama, action, suspense, and science fiction.

All of the performances were good and I really liked Bradley Cooper in this. He did a great job of portraying a wide range of emotions during the ups and downs he went through as a result of using the drug. I also liked the visual effects. They were subtle, but very effective.

This is one of the better movies I have seen in a long time. It was original and entertaining and it was better than what I was expecting from the trailer. I give it 8.2 stars.

Get Low

2011-03-29T07:04:00.000-07:00

Get Low is a movie that didn't get much attention while it was in the theater. I had not even heard of it until it was recently released to video. It stars Robert Duvall as a mean old hermit who lives on the outskirts of a small Tennessee town during the 1930s. He gets the idea to plan his funeral and have a giant funeral party for himself while he is still alive. Since the town hates and fears him, he entices them to attend by having a raffle to win his property after he dies.

Duvall enlists the help of Bill Murry, who plays the local funeral home director along with Lucas Black who plays his assistant. Together they help plan the event. I was expecting more of a comedy, but this movie is not a knee slapper. Get Low has a few funny scenes and some dry humor that makes you smile, but it is definitely a drama, not a comedy. This movie slowly reveals the mysterious details behind the hermit until we finally understand what happened 40 years ago in his life that caused him to live a life of self imposed exile.

The acting was top notch. Bill Cobbs and Sissy Spacek also have good performances. The pace is kind of slow, but overall it is a nice production. I give Get Low 7.3 stars mostly because I think Duvall is such a great actor.

My Favorite Actors

2011-03-20T14:00:00.000-07:00

Over the years I've seen many movies and have enjoyed many fine performances from a variety of actors. Below I've made a list where I have ranked my top 20 favorite actors.

Russell Crow *
Robert Duvall
Charleton Heston
Liam Neeson
Harrison Ford
Mel Gibson *
Paul Giamatti
Denzel Washington
Bruce Willis
Tom Cruise *
Tom Hanks
Matt Damon
Robin Williams*
Anthony Hopkins
Sean Connery
Samuel Jackson
Christian Bale*
Jeff Bridges
Pierce Brosnan
Sean Penn*

* This list is only for their work as an actor. I am not factoring in off screen activities such as drunken outbursts, abusive behavior, physical altercations, obnoxious/hyper real life personality, religious or political rants, or just being an idiot in real life.

In case you are concerned that I have ignored the fairer sex, I will soon be releasing my list of favorite actresses which I'm sure will need fewer disclaimer asterisks.

Battle: Los Angeles

2011-03-14T12:50:00.000-07:00

I recently saw Battle Los Angeles and I have mixed feelings about this movie. The action and special effects were the main reason I went and I'm pretty sure that's why most people will want to see it. It has a similar storyline to War of the Worlds and Independence day so that's nothing original, but I did like the aspect of showing the invasion from the point of view of a marine platoon.

What bothered me even more than some cheesy dialogue was the drawn out emotional aspect of the film. I liked Aaron Eckhart's performance, but I was kind of shaking my head during some of the dramatic scenes. Some scenes reminded me of Bill Pullman giving his speech in Independence Day complete with the Jerry Brookheimer feel with flags waving in slow motion in the background accompanied by dramatic music. It was a little overkill.

I'm also getting tired of Michelle Rodriguez type cast in the same role. She always plays some tough as nails chick in everything and I'd like to see a new face sometime or at least make her wear a dress and be in a Victorian era BBC film once for every 5 action movies she does.

The aliens rocked. You don't really get a good look at them since they are usually dressed in armor, but their ships and technology were pretty cool and there were a few times I felt like I was watching a horror or zombie movie instead of just a science fiction movie. I guess that's what happens when you let the director of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre direct this film.

I know this movie has it's weak spots, but I still give it 6.8 stars due to the intense battle scenes and great special effects.

The Adjustment Bureau

2011-03-07T12:31:00.000-08:00

The Adjustment Bureau encompasses several genres. It starts out as a political drama but then quickly becomes a romance. It then turns into a thriller laced with science fiction.

Matt Damon plays David Norris who is a New York politician who is campaigning for the Senate. He meets a free spirited young woman (Emily Blunt) who he falls in love with. Shortly after meeting her, a group of mysterious men who work for the Adjustment Bureau do all they can to keep the two of them from ever seeing each other again.

This is an original movie that makes you think about fate, choice, freedom, and destiny. It's also a love story. I am usually cynical of people who fall madly in love with each other after spending only 5 minutes together since they really don't know each other, but the performances by Damon and Blunt were pretty convincing.

The bureau members who are always monitoring people behind the scenes reminded me of the concept used in City of Angels. I didn't care for their retro style clothing and hats, but I'm sure someone in the wardrobe department had fun with this movie.

The Adjustment Bureau is subtle and mysterious. It doesn't rely heavily on special effects and it leaves some unanswered questions. It never really explained if those working for the bureau were aliens, angels, or something else. I give it 7.4 stars. I think any women who like Matt Damon (probably all women) will like this movie since it has more romance to it than your average sci-fi flick.

The Lost World: Jurassic Park 2

2011-03-03T20:35:00.000-08:00

I am not going to review Jurassic Park 2 since it's so old, but I just have to share a couple comments about it. Today I was literally forced to watch this movie. I was donating plasma and they were showing The Lost World on the screen across from me so I couldn't get up and leave or change the channel.

The Lost World actually has some pretty cool effects in it, but there was one particular scene that just made me shake my head in disgust. At one point in the movie, Julianne Moore and a young girl she was with were trying to escape from some Velociraptors that just broke into the building the were in. The women climbed up into a loft to avoid them. While up near the rafters, the girl who just happened to be a gymnast noticed some uneven bars hanging from the ceiling. She proceeded to do a gymnastics routine about 20 feet above the floor but instead of doing a dismount, she kicked one of the dinosaurs out of the window. What the crap?

It reminded me the scene in Gymkata when Kurt Thomas just happens to come across a stone pommel horse and then proceeds to perform a gymnastics routine while he beats up hundreds of villagers who are trying to kill him. In case you have not seen this gem, I have included the clip for you.

I can handle a gymnastics routine that is forced into a movie as long as it doesn't take itself too seriously. Andy Samberg's Dance scene in Hot Rod which made fun of Footloose was great because it was funny, but beating up a dinosaur during your uneven bars performance? Come on! How did Spielberg let that scene stay in the movie?

The Social Network

2011-02-28T09:38:00.000-08:00

The Social Network is a true story about a young computer nerd who invents Facebook and becomes a billionaire.I'll admit that I'm jealous any time I hear a story about some college student who starts up a project in their spare time and then ends up being a multi-billionaire several years later. How can they do that when I can't even get 35 followers on this blog?

I appreciated the fact that this movie featured the obstacles and conflict that Zucherman encountered while developing Facebook. I think the destroyed friendships and legal battles were insightful. Jesse Eisenberg did a great job of portraying Mark Zuckerberg. He was intelligent yet cocky, obnoxious, and awkward, which is kind of ironic since he ended up creating the world' largest social network. I still feel kind of indifferent towards him since he came across as being kind of empty like he didn't have a soul. It's hard to root for a character you don't really care about.

I wasn't expecting special effects in this movie, but I learned that the Winklevoss twins were both played by the same actor. A stand in was used as one twin and then the face of Armie Hammer was digitally added over him. I couldn't tell the difference and was impressed with the technology. We've come along way since the Brady Bunch episode when Peter Brady met his identical twin at school.

I give this movie 7.5 stars. The Social Network may have been good, but I'm really looking forward to a movie about Wikipedia since I'm sure it will have more action and stunts in it.

Unknown

2011-02-25T07:57:00.000-08:00

Unknown stars Liam Neeson and it's about a scientist who travels to Berlin with his wife to attend a research conference. Upon his arrival he is involved in an auto accident and sustains a head injury. He wakes up from a coma 4 days later and when he finally tracks his wife down, she claims not to know who he is and there is another man who has taken his identity who claims to be him. He trys to figure out why this is happening to him and struggles with the idea that he just might be going crazy.

Diane Kruger plays a taxi cab driver who helps him as he reconstructs the past events in order to figure out what is happening to him. My least favorite part of the movie was January Jones who plays his wife. Besides having a ridiculous name, her performance was flat and emotionless. I felt like she was a robot from West World that wondered off the set and into this movie.

There were several details that I had a hard time believing, but some major twists and surprises compensated for that. SPOILER ALERT: I don't want to give the ending away, but imagine The Bourne Identity with an older lead and some major revelations at the end of the movie ala The Sixth Sense. (No, he's not a ghost.)

Some people were critical of this movie because they said it had unrealistic details. If it were claiming to be a documentary I'd be more worried about such details, but since it's a mystery/thriller, I give it 7.3 stars for being an entertaining movie.

PS- I've heard some people compare this movie to Taken. I can see why since they both star Neeson, take place in Europe, have one name titles, and have nearly identical posters, but Unknown is more of a mystery thriller and does not have as much action and violence as Taken.

James Bond Withdrawal

2011-02-21T08:43:00.000-08:00

Lately I've felt something has been missing from my life. It wasn't until this week that I realized what it was. It has been two years since Quantum of Solace came out and I am having a fix for a new James Bond movie. Unfortunately, I will have to wait until November of 2012 for Bond 23 to come out and I'm starting to get the shakes.

MGM studios had some financial problems which slowed down the production of the next film. If money was a problem, they could have contacted me and I would have taken over the role for a fraction of what they will be paying Daniel Craig.

The last I heard, Daniel Craig and Judi Dench were the only two actors who had signed on for the new installment. I've only heard rumors about who the Bond girls will be, but I hate speculating about rumors. It appears Javier Bardem was offered the role as the villain.

I was skeptical when Craig took over the role, but I've really enjoyed his style. I know some of the old school Bond fans prefer the witty, clever style (ala Roger Moore) who relied more on gadgets and intellect and seldom got his hands dirty, but I think many younger people like the physicality and unrefined nature of the latest Bond.

The Bond movies are the longest running and most successful movie series in movie history (yes, even more than the Martin Lawrence's Big Momma movies.) 007 first came to the big screen back in 1962! I've seen them all multiple times, but the first one I saw in the theater was Moonraker back in 1979. I'm used to seeing a new installment every 2-3 years so it's hard for me to wait until November of 2012 for the next one.

When Bond 23 is released, you can expect to see me in line on opening night dressed in my tuxedo. If Star Wars and Harry Potter fans can dress up, then why can't I?

Actor Trivia Quiz

2011-02-13T14:05:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since I had a movie or actor trivia quiz and since the Academy Awards are approaching, I thought it would be appropriate to do a new one. Feel free to let me know how many questions you got right in the comments section.

1.What actor has received the most academy awards?

-Tom Hanks

-Spencer Tracy

-Jack Nicholson

-Dustin Hoffman

Match the actor with one of the first jobs they had

2. Brad Pitt a. worked in a circus

3. Pierce Brosnan b. dancer

4. Jennifer Lopez c. moved refrigerators

5. Jennifer Aniston d. waitress

6. Which one of the following has never been on the X-files?

-Jack Black

-Lily Tomlin

-Peter Boyle

-Betty White

-Luke Wilson

7. Which of the following actors is the oldest?

-Robert Duvall

-Judi Dench

-Morgan Freeman

-William Shatner

-Peter O'Toole

8. Which actor did NOT drop out of high school?

-Russell Crowe

-Jennifer Garner

-Jim Carey

-Demi Moore

9. Which actor did NOT change their birth name?

-Nicholas Cage

-Tom Cruise

-Chris Rock

-Kirk Douglas

10. What role have Jeff Bridges, Kevin Spacey, Keanu Reeves, Natasha Henstridge, and Vincent D'Onofrio all had in common?

Answers: 1-Jack Nicholson, 2-C, 3-A, 4-B, 5-D, 6-Betty White, 7- William Shatner, 8-Jennifer Garner, 9-Chris Rock, 10- They have all played aliens.

Ghost Writer

2011-02-08T08:30:00.000-08:00

I didn't have any idea what Ghost Writer was about so it was nice to see a movie with no pre-conceived notions or expectations since that seldom happens. This film is about a retired prime minister of Britain played by Pierce Brosnan who is in the process of writing his memoirs. A man hired to assist him with the project dies and he is replaced by a new ghost writer played by Ewen McGregor. He is taken to a secured resort on the Eastern Coast and begins the process of working on the memoirs.

As he works on them, an international scandal involving the minister develops which makes the process more difficult. He eventually comes across several clues which cause him to suspect that his predecessor was murdered. As he continues to piece things together and uncover past relationships, he begins to fear for his life. This is not an action movie, but rather a mystery/thriller. It has a Hitchcock-like feel to several scenes, which I miss seeing these days.

The acting was great and the cast was a very interesting mix. I was shocked to see Jim Belushi and Kim Cattrall in this movie, but they were better then I expected they'd be. It wasn't until the end of the movie that I realized it was a Roman Polanski film. I've enjoyed most everything I've seen of his since his movies seem so realistic.

Ghost Writer is not a perfect movie, but it has many good elements. The biggest distraction I had with the movie was that I kept thinking Ewan McGregor looked like Jason Bateman. I really liked this movie because it was an original story and I found it very thought provoking and entertaining. I give it 7.7 stars.

The Last Airbender

2011-02-03T20:27:00.000-08:00

I heard that The Last Airbender was bad, but I decided to rent it anyway since I've been known to like movies that others didn't care for. This movie was adapted from the cartoon series Avatar and was written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan. Talk about your downward trend. This guy was one of the most promising directors when he started his career. I loved his first 3 or 4 movies, but he has been on a downward slide ever since then.

This movie is a fantasy film about a world where people are divided into 4 kingdoms of air, earth, water, and fire. There is an Avatar (bald kid with tattoos on his head) who has the power to join all the kingdoms and bring peace to the earth, but those in the fire kingdom wage a battle against him and try to stop him... blah blah blah.

After watching The Last Airbender for a few minutes, I realized that it was a kids movie. The acting was flat and emotionless.The dialogue and robotic acting was the most painful part of the movie. Some of the special effects were cool, but they just can't compensate for a bad movie.

I give The Last Airbender 4.7 stars and it's only that high because there were some previews I was able to watch at the beginning of the DVD.

Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows: Part 1

2011-01-27T20:17:00.000-08:00

It has been 10 years since since the first Harry Potter movie came out and now The Deathly Hallows is the 7th installment in the series. I'm not really a Harry Potter fan. I've never read the books and I didn't care too much for the first few movies since they were about little kids attending a school to learn magic. However, as the characters have matured and the series has progressed, I find myself liking each movie more.

I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed HP7. The series has gotten much more serious and much less cute. The more recent movies are much darker and scarier. The movie begins as all the evil characters have joined forces in an attempt to kill Harry. He ends up on the run with his two sidekicks. They are forced to hide in isolation as they continue their quest to find the horcruxes they need to destroy Lord Voldemort.

Their surroundings are dismal and this movie had a much more serious feel to it than the others. I was surprised at the level of violence, gore, and adult content in this movie. I had heard people complain that this installment was too slow and that the trio of kids spent most of their time hiding in a tent talking. I welcomed some of the slower scenes and thought they provided some balance for all the action scenes. There is still plenty of action and the special effects are great as usual.

This has been my favorite Harry Potter movie so far and I give it 8.0 stars. I'm actually looking forward to part two.

Ondine

2011-01-25T08:13:00.000-08:00

Last night as I was going to bed, my wife turned on an instant play feature from Netflix. We have been watching old X-files reruns for the last couple months. As the intro scene started, it showed a fisherman pull in his nets only to discover he had picked up a body of a woman. He was getting ready to radio the authorities when he saw the woman moving in the net. He helped her out and resuscitated her. As he headed back to shore to get her help, she told him she was fine and didn't want anyone to see her.

I was intrigued with the opening scene but I had never seen one last this long. I recognized Collin Farrel but was shocked to see that he could look so mature back in the mid 90's. After an additional 5 minutes of viewing and not seeing any aliens, Moulder or Scully, I finally realized I was not watching the X files, but Ondine. I must be getting old.

I watched the rest of the movie before falling asleep because I am due for a review, but I have to admit this is not a movie I was super excited about. I had seen some ads for it, but could never bring myself to putting it in my queue. Apparently my wife was able to.

I've decided to give my brief summary of the movie with the following keywords. Nice Irish accents, Collin Farrell with long hair, depressing fishing environment, mermaid-like lady (is she really a mythical water creature or just a lady?), A handicapped daughter, and a bad guy come to find the woman. It was a low budget production and had a drab feel to it and was a little slow. The colors were dark and depressing. It was the complete opposite of the ramped up bright colors you see on CSI Miami.

So there you have it in a nutshell. I give it 6.3 stars. It would have been lower, but I 'm giving it a break for the opening scene since I thought it was the X-files for the first 15 minutes.

Movies I Probably Won't See

2011-01-13T22:03:00.000-08:00

We live in a time when there are so many movies that you just can't see them all. Judging from some of the trailers I've seen, that's a good thing. Sometimes a movie just gives off a bad vibe and doesn't make a connection with a potential viewer. That is the case with the following movies that I'm pretty sure I won't be seeing.

The Sorcerers Apprentice-I was worried that this Nicholas Cage/Disney combination was going to be another National Treasure with long hair. I actually rented it but didn't end up getting through it, but I was right. It was directed by Jon Turtletaub who did National Treasure.

Country Strong- Gwyneth Paltrow playing a country singer kind of blows my mind. That's like Larry the Cable Guy playing James Bond. I'll be impressed if she can pull it off. The movie looks like it could be good, but I'm just not a country fan. I also don't want to watch Tim McGraw's beard.

Tangled- I'll bet it's a cute feel good animated movie with plenty of inside adult jokes for the parents, but I just don't see myself going to it. I have too many "real" movies to see first even if it is a good movie.

Rio- A cartoon about birds. I just don't care enough about cartoon birds in Brazil to watch this. It doesn't make any difference how many talented actors are doing the voice work for it. It also worries me when the trailer says "from the creators of...." as they try to ride on the success of other movies.

The Green Hornet and The Green Lantern. I usually love superhero movies, but neither of these green features look very interesting to me. I think Thor is one of the lamer super heroes, but that movie looks much better then these two.

Little Fockers- I really liked Meet the Parents. I heard the sequel sucked and now they decided to come out with another one? Did they really need to turn this into a trilogy?

Will this still be funny a third time?

I don't intend to see any of these movies because they just don't appeal to me. I could be wrong and if I do end up seeing any of these and they are good, I will be the first to admit it with an official review.

True Grit

2011-01-06T18:58:00.000-08:00

Last year I watched the original version of True Grit starring John Wayne and thought it was okay, but I wasn't too impressed. I've been looking forward to see how Jeff Bridges portrays Rooster Cogburn in this remake. After watching his performance, I have to admit that I was very impressed. True Grit is an amazing movie and one of the best I have seen in years.

The Coen Brothers adaption has their trademark style to it. There are ten times as many goofy and quirky characters in this movie that in Napolean Dynomite. All of the characters are very intriguing and entertaining. The acting was great and I also appreciated the dialogue too.

Bridges did an amazing job of portraying the crusty old Ranger. Damon was also great and I hardly recognized him in his role. I loved the banter between the two lawmen throughout the movie. There are some great quotes in this movie and I was surprised at how much humor there was for such a serious plot. Hailee Steinfeld plays the young girl who hires Cogburn to track down her father's murderer and bring him to justice. She personified "true grit" more than any other character. She was the main reason I liked this version so much more than the original.

The only two minor hangups I had with this movie was the encounter with the "bear dentist" who spoke like he was tripping on LSD and the abrupt ending. Aside from that, I was mesmerized during every scene and have not seen such an entertaining movie in a long time.

This is one of the few movies I have seen where I didn't find myself criticizing the movie for hard to believe effects or story line. It is very graphic and has a very realistic feel to it. I give True Grit 9.0 well deserved stars.

Jonah Hex

2011-01-01T19:34:00.000-08:00

There seems to be no shortage of DC Comics characters I have never heard of that have movies made about them. I can now add Jonah Hex to the list. Jonah Hex had a sort of Wild Wild West feel to it with modern technology and contraptions that were toned down for the mid 1800's.

This movie takes place just after the Civil War. Jonah Hex is a confederate soldier and his commanding officer turns on him and kills his wife and family, then disfigures him and leaves him for dead. Hex is healed by Indians and then becomes a bounty hunter until he learns that the man who killed his family is still alive. He then sets out for revenge.

The casting for this movie felt strange. Josh Brolin played Jonah Hex, but there was not much to his character. He's just an angry half dead dude out for revenge, Megan Fox plays his prostitute friend. John Malkovich is type cast as the usual crazy villain and Will Arnet seemed miscast in this movie as a Union army commander.

Jonah Hex is pretty violent and features a heavy metal soundtrack. That combination along with Megan Fox makes me think it is targeted to teenage boys. The movie is not very memorable and I don't imagine anyone would be impressed with it, unless they had a role in the movie. I give it 5.4 stars.

RED

2010-12-29T08:32:00.000-08:00

I was slow to getting around to seeing Red but finally did so. I'm not sure what took me so long. Who wouldn't want to see a movie starring Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, John Malkovich, and Helen Mirren? The casting in this movie was great. Red stands for retired extremely dangerous. It is about several retired CIA agents who find themselves on a government hit list. They try to find out who is trying to kill them and why, and then they end up working together to fight back.

I liked this movie because it had lots of action but I liked it even more because it didn't take itself too seriously. There are plenty of fake moments, but I found those scenes to be more palatable since they were delivered in a light hearted tone. This movie was actually quite funny and I found myself laughing during several scenes.

Red reminded me of some other recent movies. It had a similar similar story line to The Expendables, The A-Team, and Killers. It also featured the theme of "old people" whooping on the younger generation which was kind of fun.

I give Red 7.4 stars for being a fun action movie.

Tron Legacy

2010-12-24T11:46:00.000-08:00

Tron Legacy is a sequel to the 1982 original. It continues the story of Kevin Flynn, played by Jeff Bridges, as he is trapped in a computer world. Flynn created a program named CLU to help him manage the virtual world, but it turns against him and keeps him captive. Flynn's son comes to rescue him after he's been missing for years. I was looking forward to the Matrix-like concept behind Tron Legacy, but I have mixed feelings about this movie.

The Pros- Jeff Bridges is kind of like a mellowed out hippie zen master in this movie as opposed to a tech-nerd. Bridges has been great in everything I've ever seen him in and can't seem to do wrong lately. Olivia Wilde plays Fynn's helper Quorra. She has the naive mentality of a child like Robot, but her looks make up for it. This movie is visually entertaining and has some really cool special effects.

The Cons- I didn't like Sam Flynn who was played by Garrett Hedlund. He seemed like a rebellious, spoiled punk so I had a hard time rooting for him. They used CGI to make a younger version of Bridges to play the villain. It was kind of cool, yet looked creepy and lifeless at the same time, like all the characters in the Polar Express. Also for some reason during the movie, I kept having subliminal flashbacks of Scare Crow and Mrs. King.

You may hear some people belly ache about how the plot was weak, but most people aren't going to see it for the plot. I went to see Tron for the visual effects and I think it delivered in that area. I give Tron Legacy 7.2 stars. Now if you will excuse me, I need to go velcro a frisbee on the back of my shirt.

Yogi Bear

2010-12-20T15:02:00.000-08:00

I'm not going to review Yogi Bear. I just wanted to make an official statement that there is no way I am ever going to watch this "movie". Was it really necessary to make a movie about Yogi Bear just because there was a cartoon about him years ago? I haven't seen or heard any reviews or even seen the trailer, but my spidey senses tell me that the stink-o-meter is off the charts with this one. I may end up eating my words when it wins 5 academy awards, but I doubt it. Why am I able to jump to such conclusions and judge a movie before I even see it? Because I'm smarter than the average critic.

The Next Three Days

2010-12-16T16:00:00.000-08:00

The Next Three Days is one of those movies that got released with little publicity. It stars Russell Crowe as a man who's wife played by Elizabeth Banks is imprisoned for murder. He feels she was innocent but there is too much evidence against her to prove otherwise. After a rejected appeal, his wife becomes suicidal in prison and in desperation, he finally gives up on the legal system and decides the only course of action is for him to break her out of prison.

Once he makes this decision, he finds himself in an awkward position as he makes plans for her escape. He is a college professor and is very naive when it comes to criminal activity. Since he is not street wise, he suffers several setbacks, but persistently continues to study and prepare until he can wait no longer to put his plan into action.

I liked this movie for several reasons. First, it has a realistic feel to it, Second, the main character deals with multiple setbacks as opposed to an ideal prison break you might expect from an Oceans 11 type of movie. Another reason I liked it is because I once had to break my wife out of prison and I could totally relate to the storyline.

Crowe's performance is not quite on the same level as Cinderella Man or A Beautiful Mind, but it is still very good. I'm really surprised this film hasn't done better at the box office or received better reviews. I give The Next Three Days 7.8 stars for being a very intense and suspenseful movie.

Grown Ups

2010-12-08T16:12:00.000-08:00

I have mixed feelings about Adam Sandler movies. Some of the funnier ones include Happy Gilmore, Billy Madison, The Water Boy, and The Wedding Singer. Most of his other movies have some funny scenes that make you laugh, but they are not that great as a whole. Grown ups fits in with the majority of his movies in that it has some funny parts, yet it's only mediocre.

One thing that bothered me about this movie were the details behind the story line. A group of boys who were on the same basketball team as ten year olds come together as adults with their families 30 years later to attend the funeral of their old coach. They react to his passing like he was their father. I'm not expecting alot from the plot or storyline, but I felt that was just a lazy excuse to get the cast together and I didn't buy it.

Grown ups reminded me of an old Saturday Night Live reunion that they invited David James to. A total of 7 characters in the movie have been on SNL, so I expected it to be funnier than it was. There are the usual crude jokes and humor that you might expect along with the obligatory weird character cameo by Steve Buscemi.

I give it 5.9 generous stars. I wanted it to be better, but it was a lazy and sloppy effort when it had so much more potential with such a talented cast. I'm just glad Adam Sandler doesn't critique me at my job.

Killers

2010-12-02T07:17:00.000-08:00

I heard this movie got some pretty unenthusiastic reviews so I waited for it to come out on DVD before I watched it, but it was actually much better than I expected. Killers is about a spy/hit man, played by Ashton Kutcher, who falls in love with a woman (Katherine Heigl) while he's on a mission in France.

He forsakes his career to marry her and decides to settle down in the states and begins to live a "regular" life. Several years later his past catches up with him and he discovers that there is a price on his head. He and his wife are forced to protect themselves as they are on the run from multiple assassins who keep coming out of the woodwork.

I am not a huge fan of Ashton Kutcher or Katherine Heigl, but I enjoyed them both in this movie and thought they had better chemistry than the leading couples in many other movies. I also found myself laughing quite a bit during this movie.

Killers is an enjoyable romantic action comedy that doesn't take itself too seriously. Some parts reminded me of Mr. and Mrs. Smith. One of the best performances was from Tom Selleck. I really liked him and Catherine O'Hara as the in laws. Killers has it's flaws, but it's definitely worth a watch on DVD and is not nearly as bad as other reviews say it was. I give Killers 7.0 stars.

Unstoppable

2010-11-25T10:55:00.000-08:00

I've previously expressed how I feel about movies that are based on true events, so I had some concerns about seeing Unstoppable. This movie is about an out of control train carrying hazardous materials. The train company and law enforcement try to figure out how to stop the unmanned train before it reaches heavily populated areas.

I liked Unstoppable since it has a more realistic feel to it than most action movies. I also thought the movie did a good job with most of the technical details. There were certainly some embellishments and liberties taken with the story, but that is expected with Hollywood.

The best part of the movie would have to be Denzel Washington. He plays a veteran engineer who tries to stop the runaway train. Chris Pine was good in his role as an inexperienced conductor. I liked the rest of the cast, especially Ethan Suplee as an incompetent train yard employee.

Unstoppable is directed by Tony Scott who is known for exciting action movies like Enemy of the State, Man on Fire, Top Gun, Crimson Tide, Spy Game, and Deja Vu. This is the fifth movie he has directed starring Denzel Washington.

I give it 7.3 stars and thought it was pretty solid. It had action, drama, and suspense. The biggest problem I had with the movie is that is seamed like it ended quickly. I would have like to have seen more. Maybe they can make a sequel where the train breaks out of the train yard and goes on another rampage and they have to call the heroes back to stop it.

The Best and Worst of Batman

2010-11-17T10:55:00.000-08:00

I like Batman. He's a more realistic type of superhero I think most guys can relate to. If fact, if I had enough money, I'm pretty sure I would be Batman. I recently read that Christopher Nolan is scheduled to direct the Dark Knight Rises in 2012 and most of the cast members are returning.

This news got me thinking about the prior Batman movies and I thought I'd rank my favorite actors to play Batman along with the best and worst villains. When ranking actors who have played the role of Bruce Wayne, I am only considering the six most recent movies, so Adam West and any older actors are out of the running.

The Best Batmen
1. Christian Bale- (The Dark Knight and Batman Begins)
2. Michael Keaton- (Batman and Batman Returns) I never expected Mr. Mom to be a superhero, but I thought he did a good job.
3. Val Kilmer- (Batman Forever)
4. George Clooney- (Batman and Robin)

The Best Villains
1. The Joker played by Heath Ledger was by far the best villain.
2. The Joker by Jack Nicholson was considered top notch prior to Ledger's performance.
3. The Riddler- Jim Carrey was perfect for a hyper Riddler. Too bad the movie was so lame.

4. The Scarecrow-Cillian Murphy gives a creepy smug performance. I wish we saw more of him.

5. Two Face- Aaron Eckhart

The Worst Villains

1. The Penguin- Danny Devito. What was up with that?

2. Mr. Freeze- Arnold Schwarzenneger

3. Two Face-Tommy Lee Jones

4. Catwoman- Michelle Pfeiffer

5. Poison Ivy- Uma Thurman

I know that comic book fans will not be happy with my selections since my choices are so limited, but I'm only addressing those in movies at this time. This is a movie blog, not a comic book blog.

Conflicting Movie Reviews

2010-11-13T17:04:00.000-08:00

I have been wanting to get out and see a movie all week. I was hoping to see Skyline this weekend, but when I saw that Rotten Tomatoes had given it an 11% approval rating, I decided it will have to wait. You'll have to hear my review on that movie later. As a consolation, I thought I'd like to address the topic of conflicting movie reviews.

I am always amused when I hear a friend or movie critic bash a movie and warn everyone about how horrible it is, only to hear another person heap praises on it and tell me that it's a masterpiece. I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but I'm also sure there are some rigged reviews out there too. We've all seen horrible movies that went straight to video that are endorsed with rave reviews by some unknown critic who calls it "non stop laughs from start to end" or saying that it "delivers" even though it might be the worst movie ever. I guess I shouldn't be too critical because if someone paid me enough, I might be willing to endorse movies like Baby Genius, Glitter, and Daddy Day Camp too.

Sometimes you see a movie that is not very good but there might be a few scenes that make it worth watching. Some examples of this include Hot Rod. It was a dumb movie, but had 4 or 5 scenes that were funny enough to still have me recommend it to my friends (immature guys.) Mystery Men is another example of a movie that was not so great, yet it is one of my favorite movies because it has more great movie quotes that any other movie.

I guess the debate about what constitutes a good movie just adds more drama and excitement to the entertainment industry. That was one thing that was always entertaining about watching Siskel and Ebert argue with each other.

The Bounty Hunter

2010-11-05T09:11:00.000-07:00

I recently saw The Bounty Hunter on DVD. I was afraid it was only going to be a mediocre movie and I was right. Gerard Butler and Jennifer Aniston star as a recently divorced couple.

She is a reporter and he is a bounty hunter. They split on bad terms so when he sees his ex wife has a warrant out for her arrest for skipping bail, he's more than happy to take her in. He basically kidnaps her, but before he can take her to jail, the mob and crooked cops come after them because Aniston has been snooping around and has uncovered some information about a fake suicide and police corruption . The two of them have to join forces to survive and during the process they fall in love again. Oops, I forgot to give a spoiler warning.

It's not that the movie was particularly bad, but it just seemed like an average romantic comedy. It just wasn't very romantic or very funny. I snickered a couple times at some jokes and a few parts, but it wasn't that great. I didn't really buy those two as being a couple either. Maybe I was just distracted at how much I thought Gerard Butler looked like Russell Crowe. I give it 5.8 stars.

Scariest Movie Moments

2010-10-29T14:06:00.000-07:00

There have been many scary movies over the years. I'll be the first to admit that I'm a wimp and don't like being scared. I like suspense and surprises, but I don't care for movies that get in your mind and freak you out long after you watch them. I don't think movies about serial killers, chainsaw wielding psychopaths, or monsters are that scary, but I do get spooked with the more subtle stuff like ghosts.

The first movie I remember being scared of was Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. I saw it in the theater with my parents when I was a little kid. They ended up taking me out to the lobby. I'm not sure if it was the Oompa Loompas, watching kids get picked off, or Gene Wilder's hair, but something was just wrong and scary about that movie.

Here is a list of horror movies that scared me. Since I don't really care for the genre, I have not seen very many so my list is limited.

Psycho- A classic. The concept behind this movie has been copied quite a bit since then.

The Ring- I never thought a little girl could scare me so bad.
The Exorcist- I've only seen parts. I usually flip the channel when Linda Blair's head starts spinning.
The Shining- All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.
Nosferatu-The original from 1922 and Klaus Kinsky's 1979 version.
Salems Lot-Several things about this TV movie freaked me out.
Poltergeist- I've never looked at clowns the same after seeing this movie.
Nightmare on Elm Street-Scary premise, but I can't vouch for any sequels.
Alien(s)- One of the few " monster" movies I think is scary.
What Lies Beneath-Harrison Ford is not supposed to be a bad guy!
The 6th Sense-My wife's family all slept in their living room after watching it because they were too afraid to sleep in separate bedrooms.
The Others-Not that scary, or original, but I liked it.
Diabolique-Suspenseful foreign film. The original 1955 French version.
Invasion of the Body Snatchers- Both the 1956 original and the 1978 remake.
The Haunting in Connecticut-Makes you want to get a detailed history of a home before you buy one.

What are some movies that have kept you from wanting to go down in the fruit cellar at night?

2 Year Anniversary

2010-10-26T07:06:00.000-07:00

Today is the two year anniversary of the Movie Guy. As is the tradition, I'd like to celebrate by summarizing the movies I have reviewed over the last year. This way you can see them at a glance and how they compare to each other. I have been accused of being a harsh critic, so I'd like to refer you to my rating guide on the side bar to better appreciate the ratings listed below.

Inception 9.0
Food Inc. 8.1

Avatar 8.0

Robin Hood 7.7
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World 7.6

The A-Team 7.6

Invictus 7.6
The Blind Side 7.5
Sherlock Holmes 7.4
The Other Guys 7.4
Nacho Libre 7.3
Dr. Parnassus 7.2
Surrogates 7.2
Prince of Persia 7.1
Iron Man 2 7.1
Knight and Day 7.0
Salt 6.9
Killer at Large 6.9
Karate Kid 6.7
Alice in Wonderland 6.7
Extraordinary Measures 6.5
The Losers 6.5
Gentlemen Broncos 6.4
2012 6.4
The Losers 6.5
Duplicity 6.6
The Losers 6.5
The Invention of Lying 6.4

Legend of the Guardians 6.3 *

Percy Jackson 6.2

Diary of a Wimpy Kid 6.1

The Brothers Bloom 6.1

Clash of the Titans 6.0

GI Joe 5.9

All About Steve 5.8

12 Rounds 5.8

The Spy Next Door 5.1

F-Force 5.0

An American Carol 4.9

* Did not actually see it. I judged it by the trailer. (But I did a post on it)

Extraordinary Measures

2010-10-10T19:08:00.000-07:00

I really don't want to write a review, but it's time for an update after my last lame post, so here goes. A couple months I saw Extraordinary Measures on DVD. The movie is based on a true story of a man played by Brendan Fraser who basically quits his job and works full time to find a cure for his daughter's deadly disease.

Fraser ends up recruiting a grumpy old scientist (Harrison Ford) to help with the research needed to find a cure. They then face the task of getting corporate backing to fund their work. The movie portrays the many challenges they face as they race against the clock to find a cure.

It is an inspiring story and was pretty good, but I had a hard time getting into it. Ford's character is demanding, rude and abrasive to everyone he works with and is definitely not as likable as characters he has played in the past. Brendan Fraser was better in this than he has been in some of his recent crappy kids movies like Inkheart, Journey to the Center of the Earth, and Furry Vengence.

I give Extraordinary Measures 6.5 stars mostly because the subject matter is about finding a cure to a disease for dying kids and I would feel guilty if I gave it a lower score.

Got Movies?

2010-10-02T10:30:00.000-07:00

We are at the time of year where all of the big summer blockbusters have come and gone. As I have been checking out what is playing in the theaters, I realized I really don't care to see anything that is currently showing. This is sad since I love going to movies, but I just haven't been very excited to see any particular movie since Inception.

Sometimes I see a movie trailer and I say to myself "There is no way I'm ever going to watch that!" This recently happened when I saw a preview for "Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole". This appears to be a movie about owls. WARNING: I am about to be very judgmental and closed minded.

The first problem I have is the title of the movie. Are you sure you don't want to add a 3rd title to your movie while you are at it? I'm guessing this movie is based on a book. It appears to have the voice work of a talented cast. It probably has a good message and it appears to have good reviews, but it is about owls and I'm just not feeling the connection. Without seeing this movie, I am giving it a 6.3rating.

That is the first time I have reviewed a movie that I haven't even seen. Please forgive me for being an unfair jerk and judging a ~~book by it's cover~~ movie by its trailer. I will be more fair on my next review. Usually at the end of the year, several good movies are released in an attempt to qualify for the Oscars. I am looking forward to that time.

Salt

2010-09-15T16:03:00.000-07:00

I am really torn and undecided about this movie. I am a guy who loves action and espionage movies. I understand Hollywood does not have a reputation for being realistic so I try to cut them some slack for all the "fake" things in movies, but I lost count of how many times I kept saying to myself "yeah right" during this movie.

Evelyn Salt is played by Angelina Jolie and she probably weighs 115-120 pounds, yet she beats the crap out of every man she comes in contact with. These aren't just your average guys, they are security personnel, policemen, special ops, and secret servicemen! Now I know there are some women out there who have lethal skills who could kick a man's trash, but that's just not the case with a skinny twig throwing men around twice her size.

Then there is the issue of jumping off of overpasses onto speeding trucks, not just once but several times. Inertia and the laws of physics apparently don't apply to her. I wouldn't be so critical if Salt was a superhero movie, but she is just a lethal double agent.

I was hoping for a more realistic feel after the opening scene showed her face bloodied up and bruised while detained and tortured in North Korea during a flash back, but I was let down. Despite non stop action involving dangerous stunts and her body taking a beating the entire movie she never got hurt. She only sustained a bloody nose and a cut by the end of the movie.

There were obvious Bourne Identity, Mission Impossible, MacGyver, and James Bond themes in the movie. As much as I liked the action, I really had a hard time buying Jolie as a wrecking ball of destruction. I was also surprised with all the blatant Russian stereotypes which you might have expected during the cold war era, but not today. Then there was the scene when she drove a car remote control from the back seat via taser shocks to the unconscious driver. It didn't surprise me when the president activated some nuclear war heads and the obligatory female computer voice began a long countdown.

Salt is entertaining and has some good qualities and overall I think I liked it alright, but at the same time it is hard to accept. I like Jolie and Liev Schreiber, but I think this movie asks too much from the viewer. Ask not what the viewer can do for your movie, but ask what the movie can do for the viewers. I give it 6.9 Stars.

Driving off an overpass with no seat belt.
She holds onto the seat to avoid injury.

Bazooka made from a chair, cleaning
supplies, and a fire extinguisher. MacGyver?

M. Night's Curse

2010-09-10T17:07:00.000-07:00

No explanation needed. This is funny because it is so true, and that's coming from a a big M. Night Shyamalan fan! I can't get this to show the whole screen, so double click on it to go to YouTube and get the full picture.

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

2010-09-06T08:42:00.000-07:00

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is based on a comic book. I had never heard about it before so it was all new to me. Experiencing this movie is a mix between watching a a video game and reading a comic book. It is funny, original, and very creative. Michael Cera and the rest of the cast are great in this movie.

As much as I liked this, I have to admit it may not be for everyone. Beware if you are annoyed by silly sound effects and visuals the entire movie. (It is literally like watching a video game.) I saw two older ladies come in the theater and sit down just as it started. They only lasted 20 minutes. It is definitely geared to a younger audience. There was also some content in the movie I didn't care for.

There is a little bit of everything in this movie. I features martial arts, action, comedy, music, and a love story. It is silly and doesn't take itself too seriously. My favorite scene involved a duel between Scott and one of the ex-boyfriends who had super powers from being a vegan. I give Scott Pilgrim 8.0 stars for being different, entertaining and a refreshing change from what you usually get at the movies. I've never seen anything like it.

Prince of Persia

2010-08-29T08:59:00.000-07:00

I finally saw Prince of Persia yesterday and I was pleasantly surprised. I thought it was pretty entertaining. It was much better than Clash of the Titans which was another action, adventure, fantasy movie that came out around the same time. When I first saw the trailer for Prince of Persia, I was expecting a middle eastern version of pirates of the Caribbean, but it was actually pretty good.

I thought it was strange that the Persians had British accents and were so good at Parkour. I guess with most of the actors being British, it makes sense to have them all speak with the same accent. The movie was somewhat unique (aside from the fact that it is based on a video game). There were several plot twists which kept it from being too predictable. I also appreciated some of the comedic references like the small business owner played by Alfred Molina who doesn't want to pay taxes and believes in conspiracy theories.

Gyllenhall and Arterton worked well together and I thought the entire cast did a good job. The CGI effects were a little over the top, but overall I give it 7.1 stars because I went to it to escape reality and to be entertained and it delivered.

Alice in Wonderland

2010-08-26T21:45:00.000-07:00

I recently watched Alice in Wonderland on DVD and fell asleep several times during it. I can't blame that on the movie since I was dead tired and it was late at night. I thought it was pretty entertaining and I liked what I remember about it but I do have a bit of a gripe for the special club of Tim Burton, Danny Elfman, and Johnny Depp.

They have an alliance like Steven Spielberg and John Williams, but they have also added actors to their special group. Maybe they should start wearing members only jackets since their movies obviously feature an elite closed group. I have listed some of the movies that all three of them have worked on and have put a star next to the ones that also feature Helena Bonham Carter.

Edward Scissors Hands
Sleepy Hollow
The Corpse Bride
Charlie and The Chocolate Factory *
Sweeney Todd *
Alice in Wonderland *

I think everyone in that group is great and I admire their work, but holy cow Tim Burton! Please give some other actors and composers a shot. We get the fact that you like working with the same people. Sorry about the gripe. I give Alice in Wonderland 6.7 stars.

The Other Guys

2010-08-25T14:55:00.000-07:00

For our anniversary I took my wife to the movies. There were 3 shows playing at the same time, so I showed her the trailers for Inception, Salt, and The Other Guys and told her to pick one. I was shocked when she picked the third one.

Will Ferrell is a funny guy, but we have all seen our fair share of mediocre to lame movies he has been in recently. I didn't have high expectations, but it was actually better than I expected.

There were many scenes in The Other Guys that made me laugh. One scene that comes to mind was totally idiot as Ferrell and Wahlberg theorize about Tuna fish attacking a pride of lions, but it killed me. Will Ferrell is much funnier in this than he has been in many of his other recent movies and has redeemed himself from recent movies like Land of the Lost.

Mark Wahlberg plays his angry partner and Eva Mendes his wife. This movie contains the usual crude humor and language you'd expect in a PG-13 movie, but it could have been worse. I give it 7.4 stars for making me laugh so much.

12 Rounds and The Losers

2010-08-21T16:37:00.000-07:00

Unless a movie is really good or really bad, I may not take the effort to do a full review. Occasionally I will address multiple movies in the same post if they are only mediocre. Since I am combining 12 Rounds with the Losers, you can probably guess that they weren't that great.

I first saw the premise for 12 Rounds on a Starsky and Hutch episode during the late 70's. The movie was also kind of like Speed because a crazed mad man was forcing the hero to run around town the entire movie. I wanted to like it more, but it was totally fake. I have a hard time taking John Cena seriously, but he can obvious act since he's had a successful career with professional wrestling. There were just too many close ups of his tennis shoes as he put the pedal to the metal in the driving scenes. I give it 5.8 stars.

The Losers was kind of like the rival movie for the A-team this year. A group of military special ops are betrayed and try to clear their name and get revenge. The Losers was not as nearly as fun as the A-Team. Its comic book style was kind of unique and it had some good scenes. The best part of the movie was the villain who was played by Jason Patrick. I give it 6.5 stars.

The Karate Kid

2010-08-15T19:18:00.000-07:00

I always enjoy a story involving a kid standing up to bullies and I love Jackie Chan so I was looking forward to seeing The Karate Kid remake when it came to the dollar theater. I think anyone who has seen the original knew what to expect. The biggest difference is that this version takes place in China and Kung Fu is the martial art discipline on display.

This movie has some problems, but I was surprised at some of the comments and reviews and how they said it could not compare to the original as if the Pat Morita version was The Godfather. I was also surprised how many Jaden and entire Smith family haters there are out there. I didn't think he's a great actor, but he is just a kid. I'm sure all the people who think he is a bad actor have kids who could do a much better job than him. Not! I also didn't think his character was as nearly as obnoxious as Ralph Machio was in the original.

The movie has quite a bit of scenery in China which provided a new look. I'm critical of movies that are filmed near famous landmarks yet there are no extras or tourists in the movie. It seemed fake to have Smith and Chan training alone at the Great Wall of China or the Forbidden City The movie also seemed long, especially if you see it with little kids. Finally, the final tournament obviously used wire work or CGI and felt more like a video game than a martial arts tournament.

The best part of the movie was Jackie Chan. He only had one fight scene, but it was nice to see him in a more serious role for a change. This movie is obviously aimed at a younger audience and I imagine most kids will enjoy it. I give it 6.7 stars.

Movie Star Egos

2010-08-08T09:25:00.000-07:00

I appreciate the art of acting and could probably never do it to save my life. I think it is interesting how many of the geeky kids in high school drama productions eventually develop into famous movie stars. I appreciate their talents, but it's obvious that our society gives too much attention to movie stars. As a result, many gifted actors have developed huge egos over time. We've all heard stories of Lindsay Lohan not showing up for filming on time and making directors and cast members wait for her, but I thought I'd focus on more accomplished actors who's eccentric behavior and pride have turned off many of their fans over time.

My intention is not to make a list of movie stars and their faults with this post. It honestly hurts for me to write this post because I really admire the work of each of the actors below. I'm sure it doesn't help their cause when these guys constantly have paparazzi in their face provoking them and every detail of their personal life is documented and criticized by the public. I guess that's the price you pay for being famous.

Marlon Brando is know for being one of the greatest actors of all time, but after experiencing success he became a demanding prima donna. He was known for demanding large payouts for his later movie rolls. In some cases his contract stated that he not be required to read the script prior to shooting and then he would show up out of shape.

Steve McQueen was the highest paid movie star in the mid 70's. I guess that will play with your ego because he was known for fighting with directors and producers and for arguing about who would get top billing for the movies he acted in. He turned down a starring role in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, since he and Paul Newman locked horns over which actor would get top billing.

I really like Russell Crowe as an actor, but we've all seen reports of him losing his temper. He has been in several heated arguments and altercations over the years. I think he is one of today's better actors, but I would be scared to hang out with him in real life.

Mel Gibson gained fame with movies like Mad Max, Lethal Weapon, and The Patriot. I think his directing skills are even better than his acting as you can see in Braveheart, The Passion of the Christ, and Apocalypto, but Gibson has been losing fans at a rapid rate over the last 5 years due to his drinking problems, anti-semitic remarks and his more recent sexist remarks towards women.

Christian Bale is another one of my favorite actors and I was saddened to hear about his Terminator Salvation Tirade when he lost his cool and went off on the lighting engineer because he moved and distracted him during filming. There are also reports of him assaulting his Mom and sister last year which didn't help his reputation either.

On a lighter note, few people can deliver a dramatic line like William Shatner. He is very entertaining, but also has a reputation for not enjoying criticism. There is a line in Mystery Men where Mr. Furious says "don't correct me, it sickens me". This was attributed to a quote Shatner made on the set of Star Trek.

I love most everything these guys have done. It kills me when I hear negative news about them. When I become a famous movie star, I will be totally cool to everyone and directors and other actors will line up to work with me. I will have tons of fans and they will love me. I will be way cooler than anyone else in Hollywood because I don't have a big ego.

Knight and Day: Actor Trademarks

2010-07-23T14:49:00.000-07:00

I recently saw Knight and Day and am not going to give you a real review here, but I will give you my rating. I had heard from several people how good it was and others told me how disappointing it was. I guess they were both right. It could have been better, but I still enjoyed it. I really like Tom Cruise despite all of his critics. I give Knight and Day a 7.0 rating. While watching the movie I was reminded yet again of a Tom Cruise trademark that I have noticed in nearly every movie he has been in.

I first noticed this trend about fifteen years ago. At first I thought it was a coincidence or a random occurrence, but now I know it is an absolute given. If you see a Tom Cruise movie, you can expect a scene where he runs as fast as he can. If you don't believe me just check out The Outsiders, The Firm, Mission Impossible 1, 2, and 3, Far and Away, War of the Worlds, Collateral, Minority Report, Vanilla Sky, and Knight and Day, just to name a few. I was looking for proof of this and thanks to Youtube, you can see for yourself.

Cruise is not the only actor guilty of having a signature move. For Matthew McConaughey, it involves taking off his shirt. McConaughey's contract must state that he gets to take his shirt off in his movies within the first 10 minutes. I once pointed this out to others while watching Sahara and true to form, his shirt came off before the opening credits were even over. Evidence of this can be seen in Fools Gold, EDtv, Reign of Fire, Failure to Launch, Sahara, and How to loose a guy in 10 days.

I'm really surprised that he kept his shirt on in Amistad. I'm guessing he must have pushed Spielberg for some reason to go shirtless during one of the court scenes. McConaughey may be the king of taking his shirt off but he has some close competition with Hugh Jackman, Jason Stratham, and Bradley Cooper close on his tail.

Inception

2010-07-18T08:25:00.000-07:00

Inception was one of the few movies that I was really looking forward to seeing this year. It is directed by Christopher Nolan who also directed The Dark Knight. I really liked the Dark Knight but didn't care to watch it a second time since it was so dark, however, I would love to see Inception again and will probably have to in order to fully appreciate it. The last time I remember saying that after watching a movie was after viewing The Prestige which was also a Christopher Nolan film.

This movie features all the action and visual effects that you could ask for, but it also has a complicated and intricate plot. If you are a person who gets confused easily with movies then Inception may be a challenge for you due to it's length and complexity, but I thought it was refreshing and intellectually stimulating. I'm sure Inception will make a killing at the box office due to repeat viewers (and since it is so entertaining.)

Inception is much like the Matrix in that it deals with perception, reality, altered states, and dreams. Despite some basic similarities, it is a very original film with several surprise twists. The musical score by Hans Zimmer is great as usual. The entire cast, many of which you will recognize from prior Nolan films, gave excellent performances. This is definitely the best movie I have seen in years. The only fault I could find was my pet peeve of close range machine gun fire throughout the movie that never seems to do any damage. I give it 9.0 stars