Tony Z's Movie Reviews

Drive (2011)

2012-01-13T01:00:00.002-06:00

Drive is the best movie of 2011. Hands down. This totally stylized and uber-violent film decides to use actions and emotions to lead the audience through the plot. A very gutsy move for a supposed action movie. It pays off.

The unnamed Driver (Ryan Gosling) is a stuntman by day and a rented getaway driver by night. He works his second job anonymously, never for the same client twice and allows them only five minutes of his time. One day, he meets his neighbor Irene (Carey Mulligan). They seem to hit it off, but Irene's husband, Standard, soon returns from prison and his past life quickly catches up with him. The Driver decides to help Standard pay off his debt by driving for him on a robbery. But the heist goes bad, and now the Driver must figure out who is trying to kill him. And for what. It all circles back to a Jewish mobster the Driver had met once at his garage. Bernie Rose (Albert Brooks), while covering his tracks, is ultimately the one the Driver is avoiding. But it's not an easy task. The Driver must find out information about Rose, while also trying to avoid him at the same time. All of this while attempting to keep Irene and her son out of harms way. Good luck.

I was just in awe when I watched this movie. The trailer really doesn't do it justice. While there are some car chases in the film, there really is very little driving. The title has two meanings. Gosling was fantastic in a subtle, yet brooding way. But Albert Brooks kicked it up a notch and gave an outstanding performance. Who would have guessed he'd play the badass mobster while Ron Perlman, aka Hellboy, plays the stereotypical neurotic Jew character. Director Nicolas Winding Refn also does a terrific job of keeping your attention throughout. The directing style is very influenced by the likes of Tarantino and Kubrick, while also referencing Taxi Driver and Bullitt. I cannot say enough good things about this movie. But be warned, while there isn't a whole lot of violence, the violence it has is pretty gruesome. Grade: A+

The Descendants (2011)

2012-01-05T05:01:00.002-06:00

Director Alexander Payne has always had a talent for combining comedy and drama in such films as Election, Sideways and About Schmidt. But Payne managed to outdo himself with The Descendants, which I consider to be his masterpiece.

Matt King (George Clooney) is a lawyer living in Honolulu with his family. He is also the sole person in charge of a family trust that controls thousands of acres of land on Kaua'i. Matt's always been a career man, putting his family on the backburner. His family moves to the forefront after Matt's wife is knocked into a coma following a boating accident. Now in charge of precocious 10-year-old Scottie and rebellious 17-year-old Alex (Shailene Woodley). Matt has never really connected with his daughters, but must force adult conversations onto Alex, who had a blowout with her mother shortly before being shipped to boarding school. Alex eventually tells Matt the reason for the fight was that her mother was having an affair. Already dealing with his wife's injuries, Matt must now face a question he may never get answered. On top of all that, the rest of Matt's extended family is trying to pull him in different directions on the land deal. There are decisions abound for a career decision-maker. Only now he doesn't know what to do.

George Clooney does a terrific job as a man torn between several possible outcomes. He excels in the scenes that need to delicately tiptoe between comedy and drama. Just as great was Shailene Woodley as the teenager thrust into the maternal role. Woodley deserves every accolade she gets for this movie because she managed to hold her own on-screen opposite Clooney. Every other actor added great performances that left me with the feeling that every single character had a reason to be there. I could just keep going about how great this movie was. From the way Alexander Payne keeps the story flowing at an enticing pace, to how the plot manages to balance several storylines without forgetting its core message. Watch this film because it may very well win Best Picture this year. Grade: A+

The Devil's Double (2011)

2012-01-05T02:32:00.003-06:00

Look at that badass poster. Shame the movie didn't live up to it. With all due respect to Dominic Cooper, who valiantly played dual roles in this, The Devil's Double just fell short, plain and simple.

Latif Yahia (Cooper) is an Iraqi soldier who is called off the battlefields of the Iran-Iraq War to become the new body double for Uday Hussein (also Cooper). It's not a role Latif is eager to play but reluctantly takes the job after some persuasion (i.e. torture). Latif undergoes various tests and procedures to make sure he resembles Uday as closely as possible. Once complete, Latif can now witness firsthand the life of a madman. Uday Hussein is a sex-crazed psychopath that will stop at nothing to get what he wants, even if that means leaving his desires dead on the side of the road. And Latif had better help in this manner because there's really no telling how Uday could react. As for official business, Latif does all of that. Uday is too powerful (i.e. lazy) to be seen in public giving official orders or commands. Eventually, one particular order is too much for Latif and his relationship with Uday unravels quickly.

Dominic Cooper really does do a good job playing both parts. It could have easily come off as stunt-casting, but managed to veer away from that pretty soon after the movie began. Unfortunately, the film itself just undid itself. The plot was too quick to really get connected to some of the characters and the graphics were a little choppy at parts. Plus, while you can tell it takes part around the Gulf War, the movie's timeline appears skewed a bit even though it's actually going in chronological order. I really wanted to like this, but it's just too flat. Grade: C

Warrior (2011)

2012-01-02T03:13:00.003-06:00

Cliches and predictability be damned, Warrior still manages to pack one hell of an emotional punch. This film is buoyed by great performances from all three of its leads.

Soldier Tommy Riordan (Tom Hardy) returns home from the Iraq War and finds his former drunk of a father Paddy (Nick Nolte). Tommy hates his father, but has no place else to stay. Tommy still blames Paddy for his mother's death. While working out at a local gym, Tommy steps into an MMA ring to make some extra cash and subsequently knocks out the gym's star fighter. Once that happens, he instantly becomes a YouTube sensation. Meanwhile, Paddy's other son Brendan Conlon (Joel Edgerton) is a high school teacher and former UFC fighter. Brendan is struggling financially and starts fighting on the side to earn some extra money. And Tommy hates Brendan, too. Both of those paths eventually lead to a unique NCAA-type MMA tournament called Sparta. Tommy needs his father to train him, while Brendan is forced to give up his teaching job in order to compete. The odds are completely stacked against the brothers, both in and outside the ring.

If you've seen the trailer for this movie, you've basically seen the whole thing. But as I mentioned earlier, the performances from Hardy, Edgerton and Nolte elevated Warrior to another level. Hard to explain, but it's true. Each one of them threw something else on the table to make a very common plotline feel fresher. I also really enjoyed seeing "All-American boy" Kurt Angle in a non-speaking role as a Russian fighter named Koba. This is one film that really needs to be seen in order for you to fully understand where I'm coming from. Tough to say whether this makes my Best of 2011 list, but it will be close. Grade: A-

Good Hair (2009)

2012-01-01T03:13:00.003-06:00

My interest in this movie wasn't so much about the history and culture behind the hair of African-Americans, but more so with Chris Rock. The topic of the movie, while somewhat appealing, is a little dull. But Rock's humor and direction helped this move along at an amusing rate.

According to Chris Rock, the idea for the documentary came about after his young daughter asked him, "How come I don't have good hair?" After that, Rock heads to find out what black people go through to style their hair, and more importantly, why they do it. Rock tackles the topics of identity, conformity, attitude and wealth when styling hair. His journey takes him to Atlanta, North Carolina and even India. The latter of which is where most of the world's human hair gets imported from. Rock interviewed several celebrities, including the Rev. Al Sharpton, Ice-T and Nia Long to see when they first started getting their hair styled and how they did it. But the core focus of Rock's documentary is the Bronner Bros. annual hair show in Atlanta. This event features a spectacular display of hair cutting that really needs to be seen to be believed.

Chris Rock is lucky he's a very funny man because without his often hysterical voiceovers, this documentary wouldn't be half the movie it is. That being said, the film chose to highlight certain scenes that perplexed me. They'd spend a lot more time than necessary discussing a certain topic. I thought they should've been out demonstrating what had been talked about, but that wasn't done often. The best parts of the movie involved either Dr. Maya Angelou being questioned about her hair or Rock's trip to India. While good and worthy of a recommendation, this documentary was far from great. Grade: B-

50/50 (2011)

2011-12-30T03:11:00.002-06:00

Seth Rogen has written a movie that completely makes up for the fact I sat through The Green Hornet. This was an honest and intimate portrayal of dealing with a disease that could stop anyone in their tracks.

Adam Learner (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is a 27-year-old journalist who works at a public radio station with his best friend Kyle (Rogen). Adam has a solid relationship with his girlfriend Rachael (Bryce Dallas Howard) and his family. One day after work, Adam heads to the doctor because of some chronic back pain. It's there that he learns he has a rare form of spinal cancer. Understandably, Adam doesn't believe the diagnosis at first, but then has the unenviable task of coming to grips with it. Rachael and Kyle seem to take the news well, at first, while Adam's mother (Anjelica Huston) isn't as accepting. In order to help deal with the disease, Learner is recommended to take counseling. His case is given to doctoral student Katie McCay (Anna Kendrick). The two of them soon form a bond over the fact they are new to their respective scenarios. Adam's cancer has a 50% survival rate, but he's hoping a good attitude can take him the rest of the way.

I had a great time watching this movie. It took such a devastating topic, one that affects practically every family, and gives looks at it from an emotional and hilarious point of view. Joseph Gordon-Levitt gives a terrific performance, per usual. Anna Kendrick and Seth Rogen also did great in their supporting roles. While at times this film felt like a Wes Anderson knockoff, the engaging plot and characters kept me from losing interest in the style of film making. This almost assuredly has a spot in my year-end Top Ten list. Grade: A-

Bridesmaids (2011)

2011-12-30T03:00:00.001-06:00

While this movie didn't totally live up to all the hype surrounding it, Bridesmaids was still a funny movie in the vain of most Judd Apatow flicks. Except this time the characters were girls.

Thirtysomething Annie (Kristin Wiig) is at a crossroads in her life. Her business has recently shut down, she has a menial service job, her roommates are utterly ridiculous and her relationship status is virtually nonexistent. To make matters worse, her best friend Lillian (Maya Rudolph) is getting married and she's asked Annie to be her maid of honor. Of course Annie excepts the offer, but she soon finds out she's in over her head. On top of all that, Annie has to deal with fellow bridesmaid Helen (Rose Byrne). Helen is Lillian's fiance's boss's wife, so naturally she wants to fit in. Helen is constantly trying to usurp Annie's maid of honor role and Annie is slowly but surely starting to crack under the pressure. Her mother, her quasi-boyfriend and the rest of the bridesmaids are no help. What Annie's going to do to get out of her rut is anyone's guess.

One element that did live up to the hype was Melissa McCarthy. She was absolutely hysterical as one of the other bridesmaids. While Ellie Kemper and Wendi McLendon-Covey did well in their roles, the only one who made me eagerly wait for her next line was McCarthy. All that said, there were still problems with this movie. I really could've done without the needlessly ridiculous British roommates and while I appreciate all of the improvisation, some of it dragged on for no reason other than to show the audience "Hey, they're comedians." I liked this movie, but definitely not enough to call it the best comedy of 2011 as most critics have noted. Grade: B+

J. Edgar (2011)

2011-12-26T04:51:00.004-06:00

Powerhouse performances can only take a film so far. Cheesy makeup and a disorienting storyline manage to drag this one down. Disappointment, thy name is J. Edgar.

J. Edgar Hoover (Leonardo DiCaprio) is the young, brash leader of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He's never really been on the front lines, but he makes sure the public believes he has. Hoover's life and career follows an unexpected path, but all of it seems to revolve around how his mother (Judi Dench) feels. He soon hires Helen Gandy (Naomi Watts) as his personal secretary and Clyde Tolson (Armie Hammer) as, basically, an assistant and confidant. In the midst of a congressional inquiry, Hoover takes on the now-infamous Lindbergh baby kidnapping. Hoover sees this as an opportunity for the FBI, but the case gets bungled early and a lack of resources ultimately does it in. The result of the Lindbergh case puts a damper on his relationships, both personally and professionally. He may never recover from them. Throw in clashes with presidents Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon, it's amazing Hoover's career lasted as long as it did.

While I thought the plot included several points in Hoover's life that I wanted to know about, it moved around in such a disjointed way that it was sometimes hard to follow, or even care about. DiCaprio was great as usual and Armie Hammer gave a stellar performance that may give the awards recognition he missed for The Social Network. But, again, watching the older Hoover and Tolson act through that terrible makeup and dark lighting was really difficult. It took me out of the movie completely. I can't recommend J. Edgar, but I'm not going to stop anyone from seeing this. Grade: C+

Contagion (2011)

2011-12-17T03:20:00.004-06:00

Sheer terror and utter chaos inside the mind of the average citizen. That's the central message of Contagion, which is one of the best films of 2011.

Day 2: Beth Emhoff (Gwyneth Paltrow) returns home from a business trip to Hong Kong with what seems like a nasty cold. When she collapses two days later, her husband Mitch (Matt Damon) rushes her to the hospital, where she dies almost instantly. This case quickly gets the attention of the federal government after similar cases are discovered around the globe. Dr. Ellis Cheever (Laurence Fishburne) and Dr. Erin Mears (Kate Winslet), both of the CDC, take different approaches to solving this mystery. Cheever at CDC headquarters and Mears in the field gathering data. As news of more and more deaths start to appear, blogger Alan Krumwiede (Jude Law) starts drudging up stories about the disease that are either half-truths or completely false. But his writings help further a worldwide panic that's set in. People start to look at homeopathic cures or any type of medication that could potentially cure them. No matter what the public does, it's no match for a disease that can't be traced.

I loved almost every aspect of this movie. As the disease spreads, the audience sees it from every angle. Publicly, privately, bureaucratically and online. You watch as the panic spreads day to day and month to month. Jude Law played smug-sonuvabitch to a T and Laurence Fishburne was great as a smart man who was clearly in over his head. Even those with smaller roles, including John Hawkes and Demetri Martin, did great in their parts. But the best storyline involved Matt Damon. As he and his daughter try and survive, you see how even small-town America is falling into anarchy. I could've done without Marion Cotillard's storyline, but it was so minor that I'll remember the movie around it. If you love thrillers, do yourself a favor and watch Contagion. This will definitely make my 2011 Top Ten list. Grade: A

Young Adult (2011)

2011-12-10T03:18:00.001-06:00

Dark comedies are some of my favorites movies, but this one got a little darker than it probably should have. On the other hand, the drama in Young Adult felt like it came from a real place. Fortunately, the good slightly outweighed the bad.

Mavis Gary (Charlize Theron) is a professional ghost writer. She helped author a once-popular series of teen literature that dealt with drama in a small town. On a whim, this 30-something decides to leave the bright lights of Minneapolis and head to her hometown in an attempt to get her high school sweetheart once again. Problem is, Buddy Slade (Patrick Wilson) is a happily married man. Mavis doesn't care. All she cares about is getting Buddy back. While back in town, she runs into another old classmate. Matt Freehauf (Patton Oswalt) now needs the help of a crutch after being savagely beaten while in high school. Both of them form this odd friendship that revolves around their past lives. Mavis can't shake the adolescence and downright bitchiness she had in high school, while Matt will forever be labeled as the town cripple. In the end, they can only go so far out of their comfort zone to get past their hangups.

Theron gives a great performance, but that's to be expected of her. The real star of the movie was Patton Oswalt. His subtle bravado and intensity shine through in certain scenes and it's really terrific to see. Patrick Wilson, who I'm normally not that fond of, does a good job at playing flabbergasted. My problems with the movie involved certain aspects of the plot. Certain scenes and certain characters just seemed contrived, or even unnecessary. But those didn't happen often enough to throw me off. Jason Reitman directs another good movie, but this one may be his most polarizing. Grade: B

The Help (2011)

2011-11-25T21:39:00.004-06:00

What a happy little film about Civil Rights-era racism. Maybe not how the filmmakers want the movie to be described, but it's not false. And much to my surprise, I enjoyed this The Help very much.

"Skeeter" Phelan (Emma Stone) has returned home to Jackson, Miss., after graduating college with big dreams of becoming a writer. In her return, Skeeter realizes her family has severed ties with her beloved childhood maid. As a progressive-minded woman, Skeeter pitches the idea of a book from the perspective of the help (GET IT). She asks maids Aibileen Clark (Viola Davis) and Minny Jackson (Octavia Spencer) for any kind of tales they may have that would be good enough to be published. The two black women are very skeptical at first, but circumstances arise that make them want to humiliate their employers. As the maids tell their stories to Skeeter, things are made more difficult when Hilly Holbrook (Bryce Dallas Howard) becomes suspicious of Jackson's and Clark's actions. If Holbrook's pissed now, just wait until the book is actually released.

I really was surprised by how much I enjoyed this movie. I went into it thinking it would be a solid film, possibly leaning towards "chick flick" status, but it kept me interested the whole time. Viola Davis will get an Oscar nomination for her performance, and rightfully so, but also deserving are Octavia Spencer and Jessica Chastain. Every single scene those two women had together in the film could qualify as the best scene in the movie. While this movie may have been a little too cheery to deal with such topics, it's still a great film. It could very well grab a spot on my 2011 Top Ten list. Grade: A-

Red State (2011)

2011-11-24T04:13:00.004-06:00

Kevin Smith. Not a name synonymous with the horror/thriller/psycho genre but nevertheless, he gave it a go with Red State. Not a bad movie by any means, but he should stick to his comedies.

Travis, Jared and Billy Ray, three high schoolers in search of sex, borrow a car and travel out into the country to meet with a woman offering to them a night they won't soon forget. The teens arrive at a trailer and meet Sarah (Melissa Leo). She tells the boys to drink beer in order to get their treat, but the booze is spiked and the three of them pass out. When they come to, they realize they are at the mercy of Abin Cooper (Michael Parks) and his church of religious nuts. The revelers are prepared to sacrifice one of the boys when a local deputy disrupts the service. Once the law finds something amiss, all hell breaks loose and the boys are running for their lives while the local sheriff calls for help from the ATF. Agent Keenan (John Goodman) and his men quickly realize the situation is going to go from bad to worse if they don't take immediate action. But between the guns, the zealots and the law, what could possibly end up going right?

This movie had enough action and pretty solid dialogue to keep me interested, but the lack of plot really hurt some sections of the film. I loved the idea of a Westboro Baptist Church-type group being involved in a scheme like this, but some of the back stories and characters seemed thrown together just for the sake of having them. Kevin Smith is a talented writer/director, and he navigated the action scenes very well. On a scale of Smith movies though, I'd rank this probably right in the middle, between Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back and Jersey Girl. Smith fans should like this, but they may be the only ones. Grade: B-

POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold (2011)

2011-09-05T07:01:00.002-05:00

Morgan Spurlock has the ability to make immensely entertaining documentaries, and this one is no different. It was funny, insightful and chock full of greed. Where else but Hollywood?

Spurlock has an idea for a documentary film. One about product placement in movies. From indie films to blockbuster popcorn flicks, product placement is everywhere and Spurlock wants in on the action. He decides to make a doc about PP paid for by the companies themselves (hence the title). The hard part, of course, is finding that first sponsor who'd be willing to let their meetings on the subject of PP, as well as their company name, appear in a film by the guy who told people McDonald's makes you fat. But once that first domino (which I believe was Sheetz) falls, the rest follow suit. Companies start trying to outdo and outbid one another and eventually the target is the title. Obviously, POM Wonderful won that battle, but it was fun to watch.

Spurlock manages to intersperse the uniqueness and greed of product placement into a documentary that's easy for the viewer to follow. What else could you possibly ask for? If you've seen any of Spurlock's other works (Super Size Me, "30 Days") then you know how he works. It's very straightforward, yet also has an intensity that shines through at key moments. It's a shame this film didn't make the final cut of candidates for the Oscars. You will enjoy this. Grade: A-

Rango (2011)

2011-07-31T19:57:00.003-05:00

This movie should probably win the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. The attention to detail in the animation is outstanding. Compare the reptiles in this to the insects in A Bug's Life and you can see a vast difference in the detail. And yes, I know technology has gotten better since 1998.

When a pet chameleon who calls himself Rango (Johnny Depp) becomes accidentally stranded in the Mojave Desert, he has to use his "acting" skills to make sure he stays alive. After narrowly avoiding a hawk, he comes in contact with Beans (Isla Fisher). She takes Rango to her town of Dirt, which is an Old West community populated by desert animals. When the hawk returns and, by luck, Rango kills it, he is appointed sheriff by the mayor. The currency in the town is water, and the reserves are dangerously low. Beans convinces Rango to investigate the water shortage because she is skeptical of the mayor. After much investigation, Rango realizes the water shortage isn't really a problem, it's just been diverted away from the town. As he tries to figure out who could possibly want to keep water away from those who need it, Rattlesnake Jake returns to run amok and expose Rango for the fraud he is. So much for just trying to survive accidental abandonment.

As I said before, the attention to detail is the first thing you'll notice about this movie. Especially if you watch it on Blu-ray. Beyond that, this is a great western with a great western storyline. Newcomer comes to town, kills the enemy, becomes sheriff and must stop a greater evil. Countless westerns have started this way with worse results. The voice work was great. From Depp to Fisher to Ray Winstone to Abigail Breslin. The only problem I had with this movie was the fact that it's nearly two hours long. That's about 30 minutes more than an animated flick should be. Still great though. Grade: A-

Planet of the Apes (1968)

2011-07-29T19:55:00.002-05:00

Clearly I'm late to the party on this one, so let's just get that out of the way. Our tastes in movies are pretty varied, but my wife got me to watch this and I can't complain. Despite it's dated effects and makeup, this is still a great sci-fi movie.

Beginning in the faraway future of 2006, Taylor (Charlton Heston) and three other astronauts embark on a near-light speed mission that, because of a suspended animation malfunction, jettisons 1972 years into the future. One of the astronauts dies in transit, and the others are now wandering through a desert when they come across some odd looking creatures on horseback that capture or kill the men. Some time later, Taylor wakes up inside a cage and is confronted by a talking gorilla named Zira. In this future, humans are the animals and apes are the humans. Once Taylor is able to speak, he begins to convince Zira and her fiance Cornelius (Roddy McDowall) that he's not a threat to them and just wants to get home. The two of them help Taylor escape and they start to run. Knowing full-well the apes will be prosecuted if captured, they still decide to let Taylor continue on his own. But something isn't quite right.

Yes, I did see the 2001 remake with Mark Wahlberg before this, and NO I would not have given it a glowing review. Some people view movies from the 50s and 60s as inferior because they don't have today's graphics and technology, but this was revolutionary for its time. That's why people revere it, and that's why it's somewhat of a cult hit. It wouldn't have spawned so many sequels and remakes if moviegoers didn't want to see them. This movie's not for everyone, but if you go into it knowing you're not going to see stuff like computer animation, then you'll enjoy this flick. Grade: A-

Take Me Home Tonight (2011)

2011-07-20T00:59:00.003-05:00

So much hope for this movie flushed almost entirely down the toilet when I actually saw it. I think Topher Grace is hilarious and not getting enough work, but this just failed. On the bright side, great music.

Circa 1988, recent MIT graduate Matt Franklin (Grace) is stuck working at Suncoast Video because he doesn't know what he wants to do with his life. His best friend Barry (Dan Fogler) and his twin sister Wendy (Anna Faris) are also at life-crossroads, but with differing variations. Now that Matt's back in town, his infatuation with the popular girl from high school, Tori (Teresa Palmer), returns. He heads to a party held by Wendy's boyfriend to try and woo Tori with lies about working for Goldman Sachs. It works. The two begin to hang out and Franklin's lies continue to grow. Meanwhile, Barry is spiraling out of control after losing his job earlier in the day. He's snorting coke and partying out of control. Wendy gets proposed to by her boyfriend and can't figure out an answer. The problems just keep building and building until it erupts for all of them, but at different times. One final night of partying turns into a clusterf**k that only the 80s can deliver.

After all that jumbled mess of a plot, the humor was almost entirely lost. The funny parts that remained didn't come from the main cast, but from supporting roles by Chris Pratt, Demetri Martin and Michael Ian Black. Their characters were practically one-liner machines, especially Martin. But that wasn't enough to sustain a storyline that went nowhere and fast. The music and cultural references were great, despite the fact that the film's namesake song wasn't heard. I still think Topher Grace doesn't get enough work, but I can't recommend this. Grade: C-

Conan O'Brien Can't Stop (2011)

2011-07-18T00:58:00.002-05:00

Get ready to enter the hilarious, sometimes unnerving mind of late night talk show host Conan O'Brien. The title of this documentary says it all: Conan O'Brien just can't stop being who he is.

The film starts by explaining O'Brien's trek from "Late Night" to the fall of his stint on "The Tonight Show." Now, he and his crew is out of work and trying to figure out there next step. They decided since they can't appear on television, they'll do a live tour. The group wanted to set it up fast and roll through it as quickly as possible to avoid time lost with their families. In what seems like a short period of time, tour dates are set and tickets begin to sell out much faster than anticipated. When the tour begins, that's when O'Brien begins to lose it. He knows about the time away from his family, he explained it to them, but now he has to deal with the consequences. Will his voice give out? Will he snap and beat the holy hell out of Andy Richter? Will he just quit the tour? If you pay attention to the news, you know none of that happened. However, it's a fun ride to watch sitting shotgun.

The audience sees Conan at his absolute best and his absolute worst. As a fan of O'Brien's since his "Late Night" days, I know a lot of it was his self-deprecating humor. But to an audience unfamiliar with him, Conan comes off as a real jerk sometimes. Whether it's "beating" Jack McBrayer or talking about the downside of meeting new people, Conan hides nothing. That's what I loved about the film. I wish they spent more time showing Conan's connection the live audiences to prove it existed. Other than that, I can't say enough great things about this documentary. Grade: A-

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 (2011)

2011-07-16T20:18:00.004-05:00

What a terrific payoff to the Harry Potter movie franchise. I still say both parts of Deathly Hallows would've made a better film as a whole, but this still offered a lot for fans of the movies, books or both.

After Voldemort retrieves the Elder Wand the grave of Albus Dumbledore, Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) and the rest of the gang need to make their way back to Hogwarts to fight against an impending battle. Before they get there, they need to get into Bellatrix's vault to retrieve one of the final Horcruxes. They break in using their old mainstay, the invisibility cloak. After grabbing the Horcrux, it's time to help Hogwarts. When Snape flees, Professor McGonagall takes control of the situation and begins to fortify the school. She and the rest of those inside the school know the "shields" won't last for long, but it had to be done to prepare. After Neville's initial blockade against Voldemort's crew, the bridge begins to deteriorate and the fight is on. Harry vs Voldemort, The Weasleys vs Bellatrix, Harry/Ron vs Draco/unnamed bad kid, it's all there. The obvious question being: Who will survive?

Obviously, if you read the books, you know what happens. So I won't ruin it for those who haven't read the series. But this was an extremely satisfying ending to the Harry Potter saga. I had no interest in initially watching these movies, but I thank my wife for getting me into them years ago. Were there problems? Hell yes, but nothing that took you away from the central theme of the series. I recommend this movie greatly. While you don't have to watch the whole saga to enjoy this, you must at least watch Deathly Hallows Part 1. Grade: A

The Way Back (2010)

2011-07-14T08:00:00.002-05:00

This is an amazing true story about a group of men who traveled hundreds of miles by foot to escape a Russian Gulag during World War II. The movie on the other hand doesn't come across the same way.

A Polish POW named Janusz (Jim Sturgess) is sent to the camp for 20 years after his wife is forced to condemn him. Inside the Gulag, he meets an American named Mr. Smith (Ed Harris), a Russian criminal named Valka (Colin Farrell) and several others who tell Janusz he shouldn't expect to live those 20 years. Janusz decides he needs to get home to make sure his wife knows he bears no ill will over the forced confession. The group implement their escape plan during a massive snowstorm. Thus begins their journey through the Siberian wilderness. They know not all of them will make it, but they also know none of them will make it if they don't keep moving. The party reaches the Russian-Mongolian border and continues across the mountains until eventually reaching a more treacherous task, the desert. By now, some have died, others have turned back and the rest are unsure where to go from here.

This movie builds and builds to a big sentimental moment, and then payoff doesn't deliver. It's a terrific story of survival, determination and love, but the film just glosses over scenes that could've made it have a better impact. Sturgess, Harris and the rest of the cast give strong performances, and the cinematography is amazing, but most of it is wasted. I didn't hate the movie and I didn't love the movie, it just was. Grade: B-

The Lincoln Lawyer (2011)

2011-07-12T10:22:00.003-05:00

Brace yourselves: I'm about to give a positive review to a Matthew McConaughey movie. Correction, a Matthew McConaughey drama. I know, I'm as shocked as you are.

Defense attorney Mickey Haller (McConaughey) rolls around Los Angeles County arguing for common criminals who wouldn't get the time of day from other lawyers. His work was easy until he lands a case representing a Beverly Hills playboy named Louis Roulet (Ryan Phillippe). He is accused of practically beating a prostitute to death. Haller thinks Roulet is innocent and begins working on evidence with his investigator. They soon begin to notice holes in Roulet's story and start to dig a little deeper. The case soon begins to bear a striking resemblance to a case he had years earlier that sent a man to jail. But as they go further and further into the old case, Roulet starts becoming suspicious that his lawyer is working against him. He's a lot more dangerous than he looks, but he's still exuding innocence in this particular case. Now, Haller has to find a way around attorney-client privilege and protect himself from a case he no longer wants to take part in.

McConaughey was fine in this role. He's not really a good actor, but this role worked well for him. It was Phillippe that surprised me more. I've never really been a fan of his, but his character was a person I wouldn't want to cross in my life. The supporting cast of Marisa Tomei, William H. Macy and Frances Fisher were all terrific, yet they should have gotten more screen time. My one real gripe was the ending of the movie, which was satisfying but predictable. Fans of a good legal drama with a dash of crime thriller thrown in will like this movie. Grade: B+

RED (2010)

2011-07-04T01:00:00.006-05:00

I had a surprisingly fun time watching this movie. As a so-called geriatric spy movie, there was a lot of good action and humor to impress all moviegoers.

Frank Moses (Bruce Willis) is a former CIA agent who is living a quiet retired life. Whenever he feels lonely, he calls a pension customer service agent named Sarah (Mary-Louise Parker). When an agency hit squad tries to kill Frank, he travels to Sarah in order to protect her. Now the two of them are on the run and quickly realize someone in the CIA wants to terminate all the members of Frank's old black ops team. They track down Joe, Marvin and Victoria (Morgan Freeman, John Malkovich and Helen Mirren), and require their assistance in facing the killers. Thus begins a battle involving rouge agents, Russians, torpedoes, and the Vice President of the United States.

There really isn't a whole lot of plot to go around in this film. It's very simple and very easy to follow. But it's also a hell of a lot of fun. Bruce Willis basically played the same role he's played in other action flicks, but just a little more aware of his age. Helen Mirren was great as the killer with impeccable poise. The MVP of the movie was John Malkovich. He played a former agent with a screw loose, and it played right into his wheel house. Action fans will enjoy this, as will comedy fans. All are invited to watch. Grade: B+

She's Out of My League (2010)

2011-07-02T07:19:00.002-05:00

Jay Baruchel is not a leading man, I'm just going to throw that out there. Television? Sure, but not on film. That being said, this movie wasn't half bad.

Kirk Kettner (Baruchel) is a TSA agent at Pittsburgh's international airport along with his best friend Stainer (T.J. Miller). Kirk just broke up with his bitch of an ex-girlfriend, who still hangs out with his family because now she's dating a friend of Kirk's brother. One day, Molly (Alice Eve) leaves her iPhone at a security checkpoint. When she calls it, Kirk answers the cell and the two arrange to meet up. After that the pair start to date and things are going great. But Kirk is constantly asking himself how he's good enough for Molly. Kirk puts her up on a pedestal while subsequently knocking himself down the ladder. His family and friends aren't much help because they seem to agree that she's way too good looking for him. Kirk's a victim of his lack of self-esteem and it soon starts costing him. All of this is done with some funny consequences.

The movie is not made by Baruchel at all. It's a collective of Alice Eve, Krysten Ritter, Nate Torrence, Debra Jo Rupp and especially T.J. Miller that made this movie as funny as it was. This comedy was not without its problems though. For starters, the plot's been done to death, with this one being about the guy who wants the "more attractive" girl. I've seen a lot of the devices used in this done before, but the one-liners kept some moments fresh. A solid movie, nothing more nothing less. Grade: B-

Real Life (1979)

2011-06-30T04:58:00.001-05:00

In 1973, PBS aired what is widely considered to be the first reality television show, "An American Family." This is a satire of that miniseries.

Documentary filmmaker Albert Brooks (as himself) wants to turn the cameras on an ordinary American family that has no ties to Hollywood or the film industry. He chooses the Yeager clan from Phoenix, Arizona. Led by Warren and Jeannette (Charles Grodin and Frances Lee McCain), the family starts with simple interactions with the crew before quickly realizing they're in over their heads. The family is always aware of where the cameras are and are careful of what they say in front of them. The pressure soon starts to boil over. At his veterinary practice, Warren commits a fatal mistake. The death of a family member has a negative impact on Jeannette. All the while, Albert, the cameramen and the scientists studying the family are constantly hanging around, not allowing the Yeagers to lead the normal life they wanted to. Luckily for them, it blows up in the studio's face.

I love this mockumentary more for what it correctly predicted about the future of reality TV than the actual film itself. Everything from the digital filmmaking to media obsession to the get-rich-quick lifestyle to staged incidents, Albert Brooks accurately predicts what is to come in the future of television. The movie itself strays a bit from the central focus and drags at parts, but it had plenty of tongue-in-cheek hilarity to make up for what it lacked. Watch this and you'll realize what I'm talking about. Grade: A-

Inside Job (2010)

2011-06-28T03:29:00.002-05:00

Now, I don't claim to know a lot about business, but this documentary plainly stated the financial inequities that led to the economic collapse in 2008 so even I could understand.

After several questionable and eyebrow-raising loans within the regulatory and subprime lending industries, the world suffered a catastrophic collapse which sent millions of Americans into the unemployment office. For almost a decade, the political movement toward deregulation and the complex derivatives market made way for a systematic risk taken by many in the financial sector. However, when they kept borrowing and borrowing, the bubble eventually burst and led to one of the biggest Wall Street sell-offs in history. Several analysts, politicians, journalists and academics interviewed for this film had various takes on the situation that all pointed in the same direction. The problem being once the culprit was found, very little was done to make sure it never happens again. Even those interviewed who had a hand in those troubling decisions couldn't explain how to avoid similar calamity.

I worked in a newsroom at this time and couldn't wrap my head around a lot of the subject matter. Mostly, I was just thankful to have a job. But now I have a better knowledge of the situation that still lingers three years later. Many valid points were made during the shoot, and even some discrepancies showed up during the interviews. I loved hearing the director ask the questions at times because he pulled no punches. One problem to me, and it could have only been the copy I watched, was that Matt Damon's narration sounded like it was recorded in a tunnel. Regardless, this film deserved the Oscar and is a very informative documentary. Grade: A

HappyThankYouMorePlease (2011)

2011-06-27T21:09:00.002-05:00

Remember Garden State? Well, Josh Radnor does. He managed to write, direct and act in a movie that has the same vibe.

Seven people whose lives intersect in New York City try to make their way through life. Each of them isn't succeeding as they'd hoped. Sam (Radnor) is a struggling writer who had his latest attempt rejected by a publisher. His best friend Annie (Malin Akerman) has Alopecia and both is and isn't afraid for it to be seen. Sam is also caring for a young boy who became separated from his foster family on the subway. Meanwhile, his cousin Mary Catherine (Zoe Kazan) and her boyfriend Charlie (Pablo Schreiber) are stuck in a New York/Los Angeles debate that could have negative ramifications on their relationship. These five individuals are the core of a group that wants to stay as close as possible without totally interfering in each others' lives. But every time something good happens for one of them, multiple seemingly bad things follow. Maybe they're just kidding themselves.

This movie was good, but could have been a lot better. Each actor had great moments that were counteracted by some bad ones. The dialogue seemed very stilted and often lazy at times. The best character, hands down, was Sam #2 played by Tony Hale. He had equal parts strength and depth that made him very enjoyable to watch. I liked this probably more than most, but this won't make any top ten lists. Grade: B-

Battle: Los Angeles (2011)

2011-06-22T02:17:00.004-05:00

This is a war movie masquerading as an alien flick, and not a good movie at that. Yet another example of a trailer promising action that delivers on nothing.

In August 2011, several "meteors" begin falling to earth. People begin flock to the oceans to see the spectacle, but they soon learn these are no ordinary space rocks. Aliens rise from the water, march onto shore and open fire at anything in their paths. Time to bring in the Marines. Led by Sgt. Michael Nantz (Aaron Eckhart), a group of 15ish soldiers wander the streets of Santa Monica for citizens before the entire area is bombed off the map. The outer-world beings are very crafty, using human technology to track the Marines and work to terminate them. Nantz and his crew think they're one step ahead of the aliens, but it could be vice-versa. One thing's for sure, Nantz and the rest of the U.S. Marine Corps aren't backing down without a fight.

This movie is a sad combination of Independence Day, Saving Private Ryan, Avatar, War of the Worlds and Signs. Every plot point and every bit of dialogue seem to be taken directly from those films or other generic war films. I can't say much about the acting, because there really wasn't any. The one thing I liked, and this goes for all alien movies, is that they never stated where the aliens came from. We learn the why, the what and a little of the how, but not the where. Still, the movie just wasn't good. Look elsewhere. Grade: D+

The Tillman Story (2010)

2011-06-12T21:07:00.005-05:00

Pat Tillman was a great man, there's no bones about it but, at least according to this film, his legacy will never be completely told. This movie tries to share as much as it can.

Tillman was a standout football player at Arizona State University who was drafted into the NFL by the Arizona Cardinals. The California native received many accolades during his playing career. However, after the 9/11 attacks, Pat and his brother Kevin joined the Army to serve their country in bringing those responsible for the attacks to justice. While doing recognizance work in Afghanistan in 2004, Pat Tillman was killed in action. Initially determined by military officials to be an insurgent ambush, the Army eventually concluded that Tillman had died by friendly fire. That's when all hell broke loose. Pat's family did not accept that as a valid excuse for the coverup. Tillman's mother and father began an arduous journey to determine the truth and, more importantly, get government leaders to admit fault. Easier said than done.

As with all documentaries, The Tillman Story had a clear agenda it was trying to bring to light. But it worked very well here. The facts are stated in black and white and it's up to the viewer to take away what they can. The slight problem I had with this film is it didn't tell me a lot more than what I already knew. It's a commonly held belief the feds covered up the circumstances surrounding Tillman's death, but other than that, only the scenes actually in Afghanistan were new to me. I haven't seen all of last year's Oscar nominated documentaries, but this probably could have made the cut. Grade: B+

Tron: Legacy (2010)

2011-06-09T02:53:00.004-05:00

Cards on the table, I have never seen the original Tron but I was told it wasn't entirely necessary. I'm glad because this movie was solid as is.

Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges) has been missing since 1989, leaving behind his young son and a multimillion dollar technology company. More than 20 years later, Sam Flynn (Garrett Hedlund) is out of his element and still affected by his father's disappearance. One day, he gets a page from his father's old arcade. When he investigates, he's subsequently sucked into the Grid the elder Flynn used to visit. It is there that Sam runs into Clu (also Bridges), a rogue Kevin Flynn-lookalike created by Flynn as a way to help the Grid become perfect. After being saved from Clu, Sam finally sees his dad after two decades. Kevin has been trapped in the Grid since 1989 by Clu, who has since led a "coup" to seize control. Kevin, Sam and Quorra (Olivia Wilde) must now find a way to escape the Grid without letting Clu reach the outside world. Such a move would be disastrous.

My star rating may be a bit high for the somewhat hollow plot, but the graphics and feel of the movie were pretty cool. I'm not a fan of 3D movies, but I think this was an ideal project for the technology. Also, the graphics used to make Bridges look 20-some years younger were really impressive. The mouth didn't exactly sync up, but the rest worked well. Garrett Hedlund did a great job recapturing his role as 2005's new "It" actor, and Jeff Bridges basically played The Dude trapped in an alternate universe. A solid movie with great graphics...nothing more, nothing less. Grade: B

Blow Out (1981)

2011-06-07T02:52:00.004-05:00

I have been hearing about this movie forever and it was finally available on Netflix. I can understand now what all the hullabaloo was about this is...it's quite good.

Jack Terry (John Travolta) is a B movie sound technician who just flies by the seat of his pants and doesn't take his work seriously. One night while recording natural sounds on a bridge, he sees a car fly into the water. Terry dives into the water and saves a woman trapped in the backseat. While at the hospital, a man tells Jack to forget everything that happened. The deceased driver of the car was a political bigwig and presidential hopeful. Jack wasn't sure what he was shutting up about, but he does until he finds something shocking. Jack determines the crash was no accident, and now all he has to do is figure out the how and why. While this is going on, a serial killer is on the loose who may or may not be working in conjunction with the cover-up. Jack and the woman are now in an unwitting fight for their lives.

Despite it's very 80s style and music, Brian De Palma directed a great psychological thriller that keeps you guessing. Maybe I should've picked up on the ending sooner, but the pace of the film really helps the audience stay in the moment. I'd read a lot of reviews talking about the ending being lackluster. Without giving anything away, I can understand the argument but I thought the film wrapped up precisely as it should. I love a good thriller, and this is one for moviegoers like me. Grade: A-

Cedar Rapids (2011)

2011-06-02T08:06:00.004-05:00

Ed Helms in a leading role doesn't exactly sound enticing, but he really pulled it off here. He was equal parts goofy, inept, sheltered and hilarious.

Naive insurance agent Tim Lippe (Helms) works for a small agency that has won the prestigious "Two Diamonds Award" three straight years at the annual conference in Cedar Rapids. When the company's top agent tragically dies (albeit in a hilarious manner), Lippe is thrust into the role and heads down for the event. This manboy has never been on a plane let alone to a "big" city like Cedar Rapids. He quickly finds he's out of his element. Lippe meets up with some other conventioneers including Dean Ziegler (John C. Reilly). Big Z is the partier of the group. He's the one Lippe's boss told him to avoid. Of course, that wasn't going to happen. On this one trip, Lippe gets beat up, laid, extorted and completely inebriated. All in good fun.

Helms really owned the movie. It was his to control and he never let up. I was very impressed because the trailer for this movie and the reviews just didn't add up. Helms, Reilly and the rest of the supporting cast worked real well together. The biggest surprise was Anne Heche. I've hated her in everything she's done, but she was funny and a great counterbalance in this. I haven't seen much this year, but this could rank as one of the best comedies released. Most should enjoy this movie. Grade: B+

Faster (2010)

2011-05-30T04:28:00.004-05:00

This is just a generic revenge flick, but it was great to see The Rock move away from those crappy Disney family movies.

When Driver (Dwayne Johnson) is released from prison, he doesn't hesitate once and immediately sprints into action. For a decade, Driver has been stewing in the joint just waiting for his chance to get revenge on those who wronged him. Driver was sent to prison after being set up with a bank heist, during which his brother was brutally killed by those who set him up. Now that he's out, no one can stop him. On his trail are a grizzled, junkie cop named Humpheries (Billy Bob Thornton) and a straight-laced officer named Cicero (Carla Gugino). The two of them, working side-by-side but not by choice, quickly figure out who Driver is going to target next and how he's going to do the deed. They're going to do what they can to stop him, or maybe they'll just stand to the side and watch the carnage. Either way, Driver isn't going down without a fight.

There was nothing great about this movie at all. A simple plot that could've been no longer one sheet of paper, and a villain that you see coming a mile away. That being said, revenge movies are fun. You know what you're getting when you walk in, and that's what you will have seen when you walk out. The Rock just needs to stick with action or action/comedy movies. Those are his bread and butter. Fans of revenge films will like this, otherwise stay away. Grade: C

Fast Five (2011)

2011-05-30T01:00:00.003-05:00

Believe it or not, this really is the best movie of a Fast and the Furious franchise. I was surprised that I enjoyed it as much as I did.

After Brian O'Conner (Paul Walker) and his crew break Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) out of jail, they go on the lam. They wind up in Rio and quickly get a job boosting cars from a train. Of course, the cars aren't as they seem and the crew gets on the bad side of a major crime lord. Meanwhile, US authorities including Agent Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson), are fresh on O'Conner and Toretto's tail. So, the gang decides to play both sides against each other, while at the same time pull off an Ocean's Eleven style heist to take the kingpin's money. They're going to need help, so they enlist the services of their cohorts from the other Fast movies. It may be working, it may not. Then again, maybe that's the point.

"The Rock" was such a boost to this film. With Diesel and Walker having a wooden-acting staring contest throughout, throwing a dose of charisma in there helped immensely. The plot was not perfect, not at all, but it was solid and a hell of a lot of fun. Hopefully, this is the end of the crew's capering because the filmmakers should stop on a high note. Surprisingly, I recommend this movie. Grade: B

The Green Hornet (2011)

2011-05-29T23:00:00.004-05:00

Ugh. I don't really have much else to say about this. Let's just get into it.

Britt Reid (Seth Rogen) is the playboy son of a powerful newspaper publisher who does nothing but throw wild parties. When his father suddenly dies, Britt takes control of The Daily Sentinel. Britt also fires all the staff of the mansion except for his maid and Kato (Jay Chou). Kato was the elder Reid's friend/mechanic. Turns out, Kato is also a very skilled martial artist. After a drunken night of thievery, they decide to become superheroes. With Kato's fighting techniques and Britt's money, the two can design and build whatever they need to take down the bad guys, the kingpin Chudnofsky (Christoph Waltz). As the Green Hornet and his sidekick start to wage a war on Chudnofsky, they realize it's becoming to much for them to handle. They may be out of their element.

I can't really go into much more detail because, frankly, I don't want to. The movie was colossal disappointment considering the trailer looked so good. Credit where credit is due, some of the fight scenes and choreography were cool, but that's all. And poor Michel Gondry. The director just keeps going downhill since Eternal Sunshine. Don't be surprised if this reigns supreme as the worst movie of 2011. Avoid this flick like the friggin' plague. Grade: D+

Love & Other Drugs (2010)

2011-05-29T15:38:00.000-05:00

Just a massive disappointment, even within itself. The movie started out so well and then took a nosedive in the second half that sent it careening out of control. But hey, at least part of it took place in Chicago.

Set in 1996, Jamie (Jake Gyllenhaal) is a womanizing ne'er-do-well who can't seem to figure out a career path. When his parents find out he's been fired, his wealthy brother (Josh Gad) offers him a job as a pharmaceutical sales rep. Jamie reluctantly agrees and begins working for Pfizer, selling Zoloft and other drugs. While talking to a doctor, Jamie meets Maggie (Anne Hathaway), who is suffering from the early stages of Parkinson's. Maggie is a loner who doesn't like to hold down relationships for longer than when the sex goes bad. Of course, this is right up Jamie's alley and the two eventually strike up a dalliance. In the midst of their tryst, Jamie scores the big gig and starts repping Pfizer's new wonder-drug Viagra. The little blue pill blows up and Jamie is living the good life. Only now, he wants to take Maggie with him and she refuses. From then on, Jamie's got to work real hard to prove he's worth her time.

Did you catch that? The little tweak of the story towards the middle about their relationship turning is just dull. I swear I've seen it done better in kids movies. The storyline was what dragged this movie down because the performances weren't that bad. Especially Josh Gad, who got some great one-liners in as the comic relief of the film. I cannot recommend this overrated movie unless you plan on turning it off halfway through. Grade: C-

Top 10 of 2010

2011-05-28T23:11:00.006-05:00

Well, after several unsuccessful attempts to complete a video Best Of... like I did last year, I decided to just write my Top 10 of 2010 list. Since we're 6 months into 2011, I've had plenty of time to catch up on 2010 releases I missed. I've also included my Bottom 5 of the year as well. Here we go:

Top 10:

Honorable mentions: 127 Hours, The Ghost Writer, The Other Guys

10. Exit Through the Gift Shop - What a cool-ass movie. The may-or-may-not-be directed by Banksy movie takes you through the eyes of an aspiring street artist who subsequently proves how easy it could be to become one.

9. Toy Story 3 - It's Pixar. Whatever movie they put out is almost guaranteed to make top ten lists. What I liked about this was the somewhat dark tone it takes about halfway through. Not many kids cartoons have the huevos to do that.

8. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World - This is a basically a video game put on screen. I'm not talking about a video game movie like Mortal Kombat, I'm saying this could literally be a kick-ass video game if put out.

7. Buried - As awesome as 127 Hours was, this movie felt more intense and much more harrowing. Ryan Reynolds played scared to perfection.

6. The Town - Remember when Ben Affleck was just an act-when-he-wanted-to actor? Thanks to this, I'm starting to forget that and think of him as a great director. He knows how to turn a simple story into complex tale of family and trust.

5. True Grit - See, you make remakes of films that weren't terrific the first time around and make them great. The Coen brothers usually do no wrong and True Grit is their best outing in years. Also, how good was Hailee Steinfeld in her FIRST MOVIE ROLE?

4. The Social Network - I think this made practically all Top Ten lists that I've seen, and rightfully so. The fact that a movie about a website could keep me intrigued is amazing. Bonus points because it's Aaron Sorkin.

3. Animal Kingdom - I hadn't even heard of this movie until some of the acting started to get Oscar buzz and, boy, am I glad I watched it. The characters and the story were both so deep and rich.

2. Inception - How long is too long to stay in awe of that hallway fight scene? The graphics, the cinematography and the directing were just phenomenal. Also, the story didn't get nearly enough credit come awards season.

1. Black Swan - Simply put, Darren Aronofsky knows how to direct a film. He takes this movie about ballet and makes it such a deep and twisting thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. And Vincent Cassel deserved an Oscar nod over Mark Ruffalo.

Bottom 5:

Dishonorable mentions: Love & Other Drugs, The Expendables, From Paris With Love

5. The Kids Are All Right - There are worse movies that came out last year, but this made the list because of all the unnecessary hype it got. The acting was OK, but none of the characters stood out or were even likable.

4. Salt - The plot of this movie somehow managed to be both completely predictable and utterly incomprehensible. Salt tries so hard to be Jason Bourne that it's just sad at points.

3. Get Him to the Greek - What a disappointment. I think Russell Brand is hilarious and Jonah Hill is funny enough, but neither did anything. Also, it's weird that Hill played a different character from Forgetting Sarah Marshall, while Brand played the same one.

2. 44 Inch Chest - One guy's wife has an affair and he gets a group of friends together to beat up the male mistress. That's it. It's a 25 minutes movie dragged on for more than an hour and a half. Just plain boring.

1. Cop Out - The biggest problem with this movie is that Kevin Smith directed a flick that he didn't write. Also, the plot sucked...big time.

There you go. Here's to 2011 being a better all-around year for movies. Cheers.

Due Date (2010)

2011-04-16T15:37:00.004-05:00

A basic road trip movie made by a director (Todd Phillips) who has a lot of experience making road trip movies. But this one was better than most because of the great performances by the two leads.

Peter (Robert Downey Jr.) is an uptight yuppie who arrives at the airport to make it home in time for his wife to give birth. He's casually making his way in when Ethan (Zach Galifianakis) runs into him...literally. Once they both are kicked off the plane for making "terrorist" threats, they have to embark on a car ride from Atlanta to L.A. in order to make it for the childbirth. Along the way, shit goes down. Car accidents, Western Union beatdowns, an appearance from Ray, and a dog. And Ethan just can get on Peter's good side. Every time he tries, it just doesn't work out. It eventually doesn't become a question of when they'll make it to California, but if they can even stay alive.

Zach Galifianakis is almost always funny, and Robert Downey Jr. is a great actor. These two actors together had a great rapport, but it wasn't a complete match. They definitely had their moments though. Ethan's going to L.A. to get on "Two and a Half Men," and his obsession is hilarious. He even has a superfan website that, yes, actually exists. RDJ's best quality in this is his ability to keep such a straight face in the midst of shenanigans. A good movie that's funnier than you think. Grade: B+

Hot Tub Time Machine (2010)

2011-04-09T15:35:00.005-05:00

This was a very deep, spiritual movie that had many cosmic undertones to make it a cinematic masterpiece...I can barely write that without laughing. The title says about all you need to know about this flick.

Adam and Nick (John Cusack and Craig Robinson) come rushing to the side of their friend Lou (Rob Corddry) when the hospital thinks he attempted suicide. In an effort to make him feel better, they decide to head back to the ski resort that was party central in 1986. Tagging along is Adam's nephew Jacob (Clark Duke). When the four of them arrive, the town is a rundown mess that no one visits now. Low and behold, they get drunk and into a hot tub that (TAH DAH) sends them back in time. Now, they need to do everything exactly as they did in '86 in order not to disrupt what happens in the future. That means; one night stands, drugs, fights, drinking, musical performances, arm-detachments, etc. Can this foursome of destruction get everything done correctly and in time to make it back to the future?

Funny performances all around with a plot that you'd suspect from a movie named Hot Tub Time Machine. Craig Robinson was the MVP of the film. He had the best story and did the most with it. Props for the bits with Chevy Chase, Crispin Glover and 80s movie bad guy William Zabka. Not the best comedy of 2010, but solidly humorous and genuinely ridiculous. Go into this with a blank slate. Grade: B

Unstoppable (2010)

2011-04-02T03:53:00.003-05:00

This is your basic action movie, but it had enough to keep my interest, and it was better than Tony Scott's last film The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3. It captured my interest throughout.

Frank Barnes and Will Colson (Denzel Washington and Chris Pine) have set out to move line of train cars from one end of the track to another. Also, they don't really care for each other. Barnes is a career railman, while Colson took the job as something to do. While they're on the trek, another train carrying cars full of hazardous materials is barreling down the tracks straight toward them. Bigger problem: No one's at the helm of the runaway train. The first step is to make sure they can get out of the way before the cars run straight into them. When the plan becomes a disaster effort, Barnes and Colson decide to take matters into their own hands and track the sucker down. They need to make sure they do it before the train reaches an impossible turn in a densely populated area. Game on.

Again, this was a basic, but very enjoyable action flick. There was enough suspense and intensity to keep me glued to the screen the whole time. Speaking of time, it was also the right length. Any longer or shorter would have detrimentally hurt the film. The biggest problem I have, and it was noticeable, was the amount of moving panoramic shots. I understand they're used to build suspense, but they just made me dizzy. Also, they're unnecessary while people are just talking. That being said, most action fans should enjoy this. Grade: B

Megamind (2010)

2011-03-31T08:01:00.005-05:00

A very funny comedy. I probably would've given this an Oscar nomination over How to Train Your Dragon. The quick wit was there for adults, and there's enough pop and flash for the kiddies.

Megamind (Will Ferrell) had a rough childhood after being sent to Earth when his planet explodes. Unfortunately for him, the same thing happens to Metro Man (Brad Pitt). Thus, a lifelong feud was born. Along with Minion (David Cross), Megamind comes up with another plan to try and stop Metro Man. He kidnaps Roxanne Ritchie (Tina Fey) for the umpteenth time and, what's that, he wins. Metro Man is defeated. Well, now what. His life starts to go on without meaning. He no longer has a battle. So, he needs to create one. But while that's going on, he's starting to fall for Roxanne. Maybe there's more to life than blowing ish up and running a muck. Let's just see if Roxanne has the same feelings toward him as he for her.

I found myself laughing a lot during this movie. The voice acting was very well done, especially between Ferrell and Cross. Honestly, I could have closed my eyes while they had a conversation and just pictured the two of them riffing. The movie probably could have been longer and the plot was relatively basic, but I had fun. One of the shining stars in a surprisingly dull year in animated film. Grade: B+

Nowhere Boy (2010)

2011-03-28T00:20:00.005-05:00

Aaron Johnson is a star in the making. Since I watched this in America, this comes fresh off the heels of his great turn in Kick-Ass. Now, he's a teenage John Lennon discovering the world of rock 'n roll.

John Lennon (Johnson) is a troubled youth growing up in the ever-changing times of the mid-1950s. He's grown up in the care of his Aunt Mimi (Kristin Scott Thomas) after his mother decided to walk out of his life when he was a boy. But a recent death in the family makes John want to find Julia Lennon (Anne-Marie Duff). As it turns out, she might be pretty cool. Julia teaches John about rock 'n roll and what exactly it means (sex). Lennon decides to start his first rock band called The Quarrymen. As the band starts to actually get good, his life begins to change dramatically again, and I'm not talking about him meeting George Harrison and Paul McCartney for the first time.

Aaron Johnson was terrific as Lennon. As much as I love movies, and try to find out about them, I had no idea he was British in real life. He hid it so well in Kick-Ass. Duff and Thomas were great as Lennon's influences. I may go so far as to say any of them could have gotten an Oscar nod. The movie didn't delve into the music as much as I would've liked, but the relationships developed made it worthwhile. Grade: B+

Jackass 3 (2010)

2011-03-11T20:18:00.005-06:00

Was Jackass 3 the same old stuff just shot in 3D, and therefore better looking on Blu-Ray? Yes. Still funny? You bet. Nothing's ever going to top the first movie, but this was still good.

Based on the TV show, this is a movie about roughly 14 people whose plane crashed on a mysterious island that may or may not have supernatural.....wait, wrong show. This is about 9 idiots who are trying to top the pranks and stunts they did in the first two movies. Some are not for the squeamish, including the Toy Train Eruption, Sweat Suit Cocktail and Lamborghini Tooth Pull. All the favorites are there pulling them off. Johnny Knoxville, Chris Pontius, Steve-O, Wee Man, etc. And yes, April and Phil are backed as victims of a hilarious prank at the hands of Bam Margera. Not much else to explain.

Can't explain the plot too well because this isn't a stereotypical movie, but it is a stereotypical Jackass film. It doesn't really add any more or less to the "franchise." Personally, I enjoy the physical stunts as opposed to the gross-out ones because I'd actually consider doing some of the physical ones myself. My favorites were the Roller-skate Buffalo, Midgets in a Barfight and Duck Hunting. I'm not sure how many of these will go down among the best the crew has done, but it's still a fun movie. Grade: B

Blog Awards

2011-03-05T04:34:00.003-06:00

My lovely wife has passed two blog awards on to me, as you'll notice on the right. With the "Stylish Blog" one, I need to give five random facts about myself. Here we go:

I did shot put and discus in high school
I played cello for a year and it bored me to tears
My wife thought I ditched her on our first date because I couldn't find an ATM
I don't care what anyone says, I'm bored by "The Wire"
I was on Wheel of Fortune.

That's my facts. Visit my wife's blog at La Georgia Paperie

Oscar Picks 2011

2011-02-27T17:44:00.004-06:00

Now's the time. Here are my picks for the major categories at the 83rd annual Academy Awards.

Best Picture:
My pick: Black Swan
Probable winner: The King's Speech

Best Director:
Winner: David Fincher - The Social Network

Best Actor:
Winner: Colin Firth - The King's Speech

Best Actress:
Winner: Natalie Portman - Black Swan

Best Supporting Actor:
Winner: Christian Bale - The Fighter

Best Supporting Actress:
My Pick: Hailee Steinfeld - True Grit
Probable winner: Melissa Leo - The Fighter

Best Original Screenplay:
Winner: Inception

Best Adapted Screenplay:
Winner: The Social Network

Best Animated Feature:
Winner: Toy Story 3

Best Documentary:
My pick: Exit Through the Gift Shop
Probable winner: Inside Job

Best Original Score (This was really hard to choose):
My pick: Inception
Probable winner: The Social Network

Best Original Song:
My pick: Toy Story 3
Probable winner: 127 Hours

There you go, without getting into many of the technical prizes. However, I think Inception will take a lot of those. Most of my picks are straightforward and if they don't win, it'll be a surprise. My picks, take them as you will. I hope I'm right.

The 2011 Best Picture Nominees

2011-02-27T05:31:00.006-06:00

Now that I've seen all 10 Best Picture nominees for the 83rd annual Academy Awards, I feel I can rank them based on how I liked the list. Here we go:

Top 5

Bottom 5

Now, these are not my Top 10 of 2010, that is yet to come. Also, I will put up the rest of my Oscar picks shortly before the ceremony airs. Enjoy my list and enjoy the show.

The King's Speech (2010)

2011-02-27T02:30:00.000-06:00

Rounding out my viewing of the top Best Picture nominees, this movie was pretty good. I know it's the frontrunner, but I wouldn't put it at the top of my list. Had some flaws, but still quite enjoyable.

Prince Albert, the Duke of York, the future King George VI (Colin Firth), has just an awful time speaking. He's had a terrible stammer since he was a small child and can't command a room like a public figure should. After every doctor fails, his wife (Helena Bonham Carter) goes to take Albert to see a speech therapist named Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush). Following some initially hesitation, Albert sees Lionel's methods start to work. There's a method to his madness. After his father dies, and his brother abdicates the throne, King George VI takes control of the monarch. Not long after, Britain enters into war with Nazi Germany. This is the time the country needs its leader more than ever. The citizens under the power of the king need to hear from his majesty to make sure that their country won't fall of Hitler. George VI may not be that ruler.

The performances were terrific, and I can see why Colin Firth is the favorite to win Best Actor. Also, if Christian Bale didn't kill it The Fighter, then Geoffrey Rush would easily win Best Supporting Actor. Now, there are two main criticisms of this movie that I'll address. 1) That it's historically inaccurate. Honestly, I don't care. They're making a movie not a documentary. 2) That it looks like an HBO or BBC movie and not a film. This one I do agree with to an extent. While getting Oscar-worthy performances out of the actors, the directing was so uninspired that it did really feel like I was watching it on HBO. Tom Hooper does not deserve Best Director. However, the acting really put this over the top for me. Grade: A-

Remember When...Photo Series

2011-02-21T19:17:00.006-06:00

I have decided to participate in my wife's photo series, so here is my entry for:

The theme of my Remember When... is booze! All of the pictures have liquor infused in them somehow. Here we go:

This is a picture taken in 2006 at a winery I visited while in Italy. As some of you may know, I won the trip on Wheel of Fortune the year before and this was one of the stops along the way. The others are mostly Aussies, seeing as the tour company originated in Australia. The best part may have been the drunk dog at the place.

Just look at all the booze in this picture. This was taken at when me and Lindsey spent NYE together in 2008. We decided to keep it low-key at her house, but went all out on the drinks. Notice the killer mustache. It was all about the Peach Andre, if I say so myself.

This is one of the best pictures we have ever taken together, and it just happened to be at a White Sox game. It's actually in a frame on our bookcase. This was part of an outing with some former co-workers of mine back in 2009. A lot of the beer was included in the ticket price, so let's just say we had a good time.

This is one of my best memories and pictures about our wedding festivities. We went to her dad's house after the ceremony for a small lunch. He had prepared bottles Dom Perignon and Lindsey tried to open one. Needless to say, I feared for my life. It eventually was opened with no harm done.

There you go. Go to LaGeorgiaPaperie.com to sign your blog up and participate. She did a great job on the idea and the blog as a whole. Enjoy.

Black Swan (2010)

2011-02-14T05:48:00.002-06:00

Hands down, the best movie of 2010. Darren Aronofsky has made another masterful movie and continues to just overwhelm the audience with his rich character development and outstanding storytelling.

Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman) is a career ballerina at a nameless, yet famed ballet. She has been working very hard and a very long time, but has always been just a backup dancer. When the director announces that "Swan Lake" will be the next program, Nina wants that lead role. The director decides to go against tradition and make one dance play both the black and white swan. When Nina gets the lead, she starts obsessing about every little move she makes. It doesn't help that the company has just hired dancer named Lily (Mila Kunis), who looks a lot like Nina. It's driving her mad. The director is trying to get her open up and get looser in performance. Lily is also trying to get her to unwind a bit. Her mother switches between overbearing to nurturing to psycho very quickly and sporadically. With all that going on in her life, something has to give in Nina's world. Or, will it all go by the wayside and her life will turn into a disaster.

Just terrific. Natalie Portman will win the Oscar. If she doesn't, it's a crime. Her descent into madness and obsession is amazing. The audience has no idea what is going on in her head and neither does her character. Mila Kunis and Barbara Hershey were also great in the movie and could have easily been thrown into the Oscar race. This was just my type of movie all-around. A bit of a thriller that messes with your mind. Awesome. Grade: A+

The Fighter (2010)

2011-02-11T17:15:00.003-06:00

I have had a screener for this sitting on my shelf for nearly three months and I finally got around to watching it. Well worth that wait. Christian Bale absolutely deserves an Oscar this year.

This is the true story of two boxers, Mickey Ward and Dicky Eklund (Mark Wahlberg and Bale). Mickey is a fighter that's up-and-coming, but also on a bit of a cold streak. His record is about even and can't seem to get the career he wants back. His half-brother Dicky once fought Sugar Ray Leonard, but now lives the life of a crackhead in a rough part of Massachusetts. Dicky is also his brother's trainer, but completely unreliable. When Mickey meets Charlene (Amy Adams), she forces him to make a decision about his brother. Mickey's family/business team is not pleased, but they can't argue that it's leading to wins. However, Mickey may not be able to leave his family behind, especially when Dicky realizes he has a problem. Where is Mickey going to take his advice from if he can't make his own decisions.

Mark Wahlberg was serviceable in this role. As with most of his work, the best acting surrounds him. Christian Bale received his first ever (shocking as it is) Oscar nomination for this role and he absolutely nailed it. There isn't enough positive praise I can give him for this. And, while Amy Adams did great, Melissa Leo just killed as the mother. Right now, she's a front-runner to win. My only real gripe with the film, and it was annoying, was the ending. Without going into detail, it's been done before and I was hoping for better. Grade: A-

How to Train Your Dragon (2010)

2011-02-10T21:32:00.004-06:00

What a fun movie that I feel may be more enjoyable if you're an adult. The details in the plot were something I loved about the flick, but kids may have been lost in them. Still, they probably were just enthralled with the action.

Hiccup (Jay Baruchel) can't do anything right in his town of vikings. He's so small and rail-thin that he isn't able to help the rest of his village out whenever they are attacked by dragons, which happens pretty often. The fact that he isn't a big, bad viking disappoints his father, Stoick (Gerard Butler). By pure chance, he happens to capture a Night Fury dragon. Problem is, he can't bring himself to kill the beast. While tending to the Fury he's injured, he's trying to convince his friends and boss (Craig Ferguson) that he really is becoming a killing-machine. How long can a charade like that actually go on? Or better yet, will the animal tear everyone to shreds once Hiccup fixes its wing?

It's a very simple plot but it takes a few liberties with it. What I was very happy about with this movie was the pacing of it. Normally, kids animated movies rush through the plot when moving from point to point. This film took its time to get where it was going and I appreciated it. The main downfall, Baruchel. I think he's a funny actor, but voice-acting is not his strong suit. In the end, a pretty good movie deserving of an Oscar nod. Grade: B+

Winter's Bone (2010)

2011-02-08T05:34:00.004-06:00

Seeing how I used to live in Missouri, I consider myself a bit of an expert on meth. Not really, but it was nice to see a movie filmed in the state. This was a very gritty movie that felt real.

Ree Dolly (Jennifer Lawrence) is 17-years-old and she is in charge of her family. Her two younger siblings are too young to fend for themselves, her father is a drug-maker who may or may not be dead and her mother was driven crazy by the things her husband had done. One day, police notify her that her father is wanted for a court date and needs to show up. If he doesn't, the family will lose their house because he put it up as collateral for bail. When he doesn't show, a bail collector says they have one week to find him, dead or alive. Ree starts wondering through the seedy meth underbelly of Missouri to try and find her father. Along the way, she is helped by her uncle Teardrop (John Hawkes). They try to talk their way to the top of the heap in meth dealing to see looking for answers. Between the threats and the beatings and the guns, Ree will not be deterred in her quest to save the family house.

I liked this movie. I was surprised by how real it felt, despite it dragging a bit at parts. Jennifer Lawrence was great in her role, but the real star of the movie was John Hawkes. He was absolutely fantastic, making Teardrop one person you would never want to cross in your life. The use of real Missouri-folk as actors helped give the film a sense of realism. It won't win Best Picture, and maybe it was a stretch for it to be nominated, but it says a lot about the state of indie films that this can get a nod. I enjoyed this, but if you're not interested in movies that don't have much action, this may not be for you. Grade: B

The Kids Are All Right (2010)

2011-02-06T01:55:00.004-06:00

This is the perfect embodiment of a movie that was good, but way overrated for its own good. I don't see how this is so loved or how Mark Ruffalo got an Oscar nod for it.

Jules and Nic (Julianne Moore and Annette Bening) are two normal, everyday lesbians who have two high school aged kids via a sperm donor. Nic is the breadwinner of the two, working as a doctor. Jules is the free spirit trying to figure out the perfect start-up business. She feels unappreciated by her wife and just wants her approval. While they're dealing with their own problems, the two kids decide to get in contact with their donor, Paul (Mark Ruffalo). Paul agrees and the two parties really start to hit it off. A little too much with Jules as the two start an affair together. She just appreciates someone who appreciates her, and he just seems to think he turned a lesbian straight. They may not be able to reel it in and stop the sex before Nic and the kids find out.

It wasn't a bad movie, it was good. But it was not nearly as good as I thought it was going to be. Bening was great, and definitely deserves her nomination. Moore was fine, but I thought she was out-acted by Mia Wasikowska, who played her daughter. Ruffalo, oh boy. I like Mark Ruffalo as an actor, but the fact he beat out Andrew Garfield's performance in The Social Network with this just upsets me. Watch it, but don't believe the hype. Grade: B

127 Hours (2010)

2011-02-03T05:20:00.004-06:00

The more I think about this movie, the more I like it. It was a great story of grit and determination. James Franco is one of the best younger actors in film today. And THAT scene isn't as terrible as had been reported.

Based on a true story: Aron Ralston (Franco) is an avid climber and adventurer who just loves to go out and create new nature challenges for himself everyday. Often times, he sacrifices his relationships, especially with his family, to do so. One day, he takes to a canyon he'd climbed through before to see if he could do it again. This time, a rock he takes footing on dislodges and the two start falling down the crevasse and Ralston's arm becomes wedged between the canyon wall and the boulder. He's stuck. He relentlessly tries to free himself by trying to shove, lift and chisel away at the thing. All come to no avail. Thus begins the longest five days of his life. He tries to rationalize the situation, but as time progresses, he starts to hallucinate. Also, his food and water supply are beginning to run out. He's got one option and it's not to die.

Franco was great and since it's been talked about to death, and it's a true story, I think I can say everyone knows Aron cuts off his arm to live. The scene was graphic, but so beautifully shot that it implies just as much as it shows. I cringed, but I was nowhere near passing out like some people did in theaters. There is so much will-power that's clearly visible in the performance that I just keep watching the last 20 minutes over and over again. A must watch film that's worthy of a Best Picture nomination. Grade: A-

Dinner For Schmucks (2010)

2011-02-01T10:54:00.004-06:00

It's funny how one actor as funny as Steve Carell can have so many okay-to-good movies come out in one year. Date Night, Despicable Me and now Dinner For Schmucks. I will say that this was right in the middle of the pack.

Tim (Paul Rudd) works as a mid-level employee who thinks he's finally got an idea to put him one floor up and with the hot shots. He manages to impress his boss, but not enough to immediately promote him. First, he invites Tim to a monthly dinner all the executives have where the goal is to bring the stupidest person they can find. Tim reluctantly agrees, but isn't sure where to find an "idiot." Then, he hits Barry (Carell) with his car. He finds Barry to be the perfect person to bring to the party. Soon enough, he realizes that Barry, while dimwitted and a bit slow, is a well-intentioned person with a lot of heart. Will Tim be able to go through with the dinner now?

I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. It wasn't great by any means, but it was a solid comedy with great supporting hilarity from Zach Galfianakis and Jemaine Clement. Carell was basically playing a dumber version of Michael Scott from "The Office," but it still managed to feel original enough to not get lost in that. I recommend it, but don't expect genius level comedy. Grade: B-

Kick-Ass (2010)

2011-01-31T19:56:00.001-06:00

What a fun movie. It's very violent and incredibly profane, so let's just get that out of the way. It's a very fresh take on the superhero genre and I just had a blast watching Nicolas Cage doing his best Adam West-Batman imitation.

Dave (Aaron Johnson) is a normal high-schooler who goes through life getting ignored by girls. He loves comics and visits the comic book store with his friends almost everyday. After getting mugged one too many times, he decides to take matters into his owns hands. He becomes his own superhero: Kick-Ass. The first is the worst. He nearly gets killed trying to stop some thugs from breaking into a car. When he gets out of the hospital, he needs to get serious about fighting crime. He starts training and eventually creates a cult following for himself online. Copycats like Red Mist (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) start coming out of the woodwork. When things get too real for Kick-Ass, that's when Big Daddy and Hit Girl (Nicolas Cage and Chloe Moretz) coming in guns a-blazin...literally. The main goal is to take down the crime syndicate that runs the town and keeps the citizens in fear. The superheroes can either come together to stop crime, or get too entangled in each others' lives to do any good.

All the actors did a great job in their roles with the standouts being Chloe Moretz and Mark Strong as the main mobster, Frank D'Amico. Strong is good in anything he does, but Moretz takes the cake. Your jaw will hit the floor by what words come out of her mouth. Don't worry, it fits her character. The plot for the movie was a mix of originality and same-old crap you've seen before. The good outweighed the bad, but not enough to make it a top tier movie. I still had a hell of a good time. Grade: B+

Animal Kingdom (2010)

2011-01-28T16:53:00.003-06:00

This was a terrific movie and one that flew way under the radar this awards season. Jacki Weaver did manage to get a rightfully deserved Oscar nomination, but the movie itself should have been nominated for something as well.

After his mother dies, J (James Frecheville) goes to live with his uncles and grandmother, Janine (Jacki Weaver). J's uncles are not in line with the law. Pope, Craig and Darrin (Ben Mendelsohn, Sullivan Stapleton, Luke Ford) are criminals. Pope is the one most wanted by the police in Australia. He is constantly on the run and rarely stays in the same place for long periods of time. Craig is a paranoid coke-head who is obsessed with not getting caught by the cops. He is terrified of prison. Darrin is the youngest and only two years older than J. They were best friends growing up. Ever since J moved in with the family, things have been starting to deteriorate, through no real fault of his. One by one, Leckie (Guy Pearce) and the rest of the detectives start going after members of the family with the ultimate goal being to finally get charges to stick on Pope. In the end though, mother always knows best.

This movie was amazing. I cannot say enough good things about it. My only problem with it was that we never really got a glimpse at their previous crimes. I know it's not part of the story, but it's just something I would have liked to see. All the performances were great, but all the praise of Jacki Weaver is well-deserved. She owns every scene she's in and you truly believe she loves her boys no matter what they do. Absolutely go out and see this. Grade: A

Green Zone (2010)

2011-01-23T16:11:00.002-06:00

This movie did not fully capitalize on its great premise. This is the first real warzone movie about the Iraq war and it dealt with WMDs. It had all the elements to be a great movie but it just fell a bit short.

Army Officer Roy Miller (Matt Damon) is the head of one of the units assigned to execute search and seizures of locations that have been identified as warehouses or factories for weapons of mass destruction. However, this is the 3rd place that's come up empty. Increasingly frustrated that his men may be killed on a wild goose chase, Miller tries to get some answers. First, from his commanding officers. Nothing. Then, from Clark Poundstone (Greg Kinnear). He is an intelligence officer from Washington who is the go-between for all of the intel, whether it's from sources or from either country's government. He gives Miller the run-around, too. When CIA agent Martin Brown (Brendan Gleeson) gets to him, Miller starts listening. Brown believes Miller's claim of bad intel and wants to help him. But things start getting too deep and now Miller needs to make sure that he gets the information he needs while also making it out alive.

This film just really failed to grasp its plot. I loved the idea of the movie when I first heard about it and I was disappointed when it did not live up to expectations. It had some redeeming qualities though. The action was good and Damon was great in his role, as usual. However, the action led to nothing and so did the rest of the movie. Meandering back and forth didn't help much either. I cannot recommend this movie but I've definitely seen worse this year. Grade: C+

Machete (2010)

2011-01-17T05:47:00.004-06:00

This was incredibly violent, cheesy, disturbing and downright cool. Robert Rodriguez set out to turn the fake Grindhouse trailer into the epitome of a B movie. And he succeeded.

Machete (Danny Trejo) is a former Mexican Federale, and was the only uncorruptable one on the force. His final confrontation with drug lord Torrez (Steven Seagal) on the Mexican side of the border leads to Machete's wife's gruesome death. Three years later, Machete is a day-laborer and is recruited to assassinate Texan Senator and staunch advocate for harsh immigration reform, John McLaughlin (Robert DeNiro). When that goes awry, Machete is on the run. Not only is he running from McLaughlin's people, but he's running from an I.C.E. agent (Jessica Alba), the cops, the man who set him up on the assassination attempt and Torrez. To say Machete has a well thought out plan is so far off base. His only plan is to kill as many people as possible to make sure that his name is cleared and he can finally have closure on his wife's murder. Oh, and Machete don't text.

This was so over-the-top that you can't help but love it. Purposely poorly written and outlandish acting helped make this one of the more fun movies of the year. It's EXTREMELY violent and sexual so be prepared for that. Hell, he uses a guy's intestines as a bungie cord while the intestines' owner is still connected to them. This movie marks the first appearance of Steven Seagal as a full out bad guy, and there was no better choice. Everyone played their part well and with the right amount of cheese. And yes, even Lindsay Lohan was good in her role. Enjoy this movie but prepare for gore. Grade: B+

Salt (2010)

2011-01-16T05:46:00.003-06:00

The action was there, but the plot was ridiculous and predictable. However, Angelina Jolie is a bonafide action star and Liev Schreiber deserves more work because this proves he can do anything.

Evelyn Salt (Jolie) is a CIA agent who goes between undercover field work and interrogative desk duty. Her partner, Ted Winter (Schreiber), has been by her side ever since their first day together. Their unity all comes crashing down when a Russian terrorist is interrogated and names Salt as a working spy for Russia. She freaks out and needs to find her husband for fear of what they've done to him. But the CIA and Central Intelligence officer Peabody (Chiwetel Ejiofor) can't let her leave without proper questioning. Of course, she's a CIA agent, so she easily escapes the custody of a hundred or so more CIA agents. She begins her life on the run and must constantly elude every available agency in the Washington area while trying to bring an assassination attempt to whoever will listen. The question is: Who is she trying to tell? Or maybe there's a better question: Who's the actual target?

I'm not Angelina Jolie's biggest fan, but I think she is very well suited for action movies. She clearly has the ability to hold her own in the action movie world. But the inconsistent flashbacks and ludicrously hard to fully comprehend plot made this just an average action flick at best. Liev Schreiber is an underrated actor and never gets the credit he deserves, no matter the role. This is more proof of that. There's some good, popcorn-style action but I can't recommend this movie. Grade: C+

Please Give (2010)

2011-01-15T07:09:00.004-06:00

I really liked the writing in this movie, and I think Catherine Keener is a terrific actress, but my problem with this movie is that there really isn't one likable character to hold my interest.

Kate and Alex (Keener and Oliver Platt) own an upscale furniture resale shop where they get all of their vintage pieces from the family of recently deceased elderly people. They get a pretty penny for them, too. At the same time, they know their aging neighbor is on her way out, life-wise, so they are starting to think of what they are going to do when they buy her place after she dies. Both of those things cause Kate to feel a tremendous amount of guilt and she tries to counteract that by giving money/food to homeless people or volunteering wherever she can. Neither of those things always go so well for her. On top of all that, their daughter is a spoiled brat who doesn't understand that $200 or $30 jeans look the same, Alex begins to have an affair with one of the old neighbor's granddaughters (Amanda Peet), and rival boutiques are starting to poach her shop. You know Kate's breakdown is going to come sooner or later, it's just a matter of how she handles it when it does.

The movie was so well written that I can't say I didn't like it, and the performances were very good in it. My problem was that every character was either a bitch or a complete slave to their lack of self esteem that it was really off-putting at times. The story was well-rounded and there was closure for a lot of the characters at the end, but I'm just curious if they learned anything when it was all said and done. I wanted to like this more than I did, but it's nothing more than just a "good movie." Grade: B-

Four Lions (2010)

2011-01-14T10:47:00.001-06:00

This was a very smart and ambitious dark comedy, and I do love a good dark comedy. I just wish this had been a little funnier. I really enjoyed the film's subversive wit, though.

Omar and Barry (Riz Ahmed and Nigel Lindsay) are two would-be suicide bombers who can't seem to get on the right page with their targets. They consistently bicker and argue about the members of the group, the real meaning behind their sacrifice and how exactly they are going to make and employ their bombs. The five members of their group are not always the brightest or most understanding so Omar has to bring them back down to earth when they want to act out and brandish their guns in public. A few of them travel to Pakistan to get some real training within a terrorist training camp and, let's just say that doesn't go so well for them. When they get back, they have their target. Now, let's see if they can survive their own amateurism long enough to blow themselves up at the London Marathon.

Like I said earlier, this was a very smart comedy. Lots of totally inappropriate jokes that were absolutely hilarious. My kind of jokes. They just weren't there throughout and that was kind of disappointing. I do appreciate this comedy for what it is, but I do feel it was intentionally made to be provocative, so that knocked it off a bit. In the end, I liked this movie, but not as much as I would have wanted. Grade: B

Buried (2010)

2011-01-12T14:35:00.002-06:00

This movie has an absolutely terrifying premise and its execution is equally as terrifying. You felt like you were along side Ryan Reynolds inside that coffin the whole time...because you were.

Paul Conroy (Reynolds) is an American contractor working in Iraq in the midst of America's war with the country. One day, he wakes up (regains consciousness) inside a coffin at an unknown distance underground. All he has are a cell phone with the language set to Arabic, a lighter, glowstick, flask and flashlight. He must not be far below the surface as he is able to get a limited cell signal and begins dialing whatever he can. His wife, his company, a friend of his wife who he's apparently not fond of. No one answers. He finally gets through to someone: His captor. The man on the other end of the phone demands millions from the American government, or else he will be left there to die. Soon after, a hostage finder who works secretly with the USA, starts to look for him. So now, Paul has a difficult choice: Listen to the man trying to find him or the one who may just keep him buried in the ground.

I was completely spellbound at how Rodrigo Cortes was able to keep my attention inside an enclosed space on one actor for 90 minutes. They managed to give Reynolds' character a complete backstory through all of the phone calls he is able to make. His pain felt real and, while I'm not claustrophobic, I may be after watching this. The edge of my seat is completely worn out after watching it. This is one of the best movies I've seen this year. Grade: A

The Expendables (2010)

2011-01-11T14:35:00.007-06:00

This was pure blood-lust fun wrapped up in an awesomely bad movie that no regular should enjoy. Yet, I'd probably watch it again if it was on TV.

Barney Ross and Lee Christmas (Sylvester Stallone and Jason Statham) are the leaders of a groups of mercenaries who take on the hardest jobs possible and always have the best outcomes. Things get tricky after one of their group, Gunner (Dolph Lundgren), starts acting apart from the group and is banned. After that, they are one man down and now have a new mission. They are recruited through the CIA to head to a small island nation in the Caribbean to try and kill the ruthless military leader who has taken control. Eventually, they realize the military general is not the one they should be going after, it's the rogue CIA operative who has gone into business for himself in this illegal game. They are reserved in their thoughts about the mission, but take it to help the people of the country. How will they ever get out?

This movie has all the badass action stars you can think of...and Randy Couture, who can't act worth a damn. It's a bloodbath throughout the whole thing, and that part's kind of fun. When they actually try to through meaningless love angles and loyalty plot lines in, I don't care. I was surprised as well as happy to see Terry Crews in this because I think the man is hilarious. To watch this, you need a complete blank slate and expect nothing more than action. Grade: C

Despicable Me (2010)

2011-01-08T16:53:00.005-06:00

This movie was a lot better than I thought it was going to be, but it was just a good flick. It's a perfect family movie with some great voice work and yet, it falls a bit short for the adults.

Gru (Steve Carell) was once a great super villain. His work, while good, is often expensive and with little payoff to the people who bankroll his evil endeavors. After an up-and-coming super villain named Vector (Jason Segel) gains international acclaim by stealing the Great Pyramid, and the bankroller has decided to back him, Gru has to thwart Vector's new found success by stealing his newly acquired shrink ray. After many failed attempts by Gru, three orphans selling cookies manage to get into Vector's house. What's an evil villain to do? Why, adopt the orphans, of course. He sees them as a means to an ends in getting back the notoriety he once had. However, as time wears on, he finds himself becoming more and more attached to them. Will his evil handywork then begin to suffer as a result of his newly formed feelings?

I really like the idea of an anti-hero hero in kids movie like this but, as an adult, I thought the story was way too fast moving and I have no idea how any of the orphans or Gru became so attached so fast. The audience should be able to feel it as well, and I didn't. That being said, this is a great kids movie. Kids will love Gru's Minions and their nonsensical chattering and I did enjoy the action in the movie. Don't expect anything great, but I do say see it. Grade: B

The Ghost Writer (2010)

2011-01-06T04:37:00.005-06:00

This movie was slow, methodical, and it still packs one hell of a punch at the end. No matter how much action, thrillers are my favorite genre of movie and this one did not disappoint.

Ewan McGregor is the nameless Ghost for the former British Prime Minister Adam Lang (Pierce Brosnan). The reason he is brought in is to finish writing Lang's memoirs after the first ghost writer's lifeless body mysteriously washes up on a beach. Now, the new Ghost has his doubts about taking such a project because Lang is an internationally hated figure. He is close to being prosecuted for torture against terror suspects by the International Criminal Court. An enigmatic man who, theoretically, has means of disposing of you and making it look like an accident. However, all of that may not be true. As the Ghost looks more into his past, he becomes more convinced that someone else may be pulling Lang's strings, and has been for years. As deep as the political plot is, could it possibly go any deeper?

Ewan McGregor is terrific as the writer who doesn't really want the job. There is a constant sense of fear he has. Whether it's fear the editors will not like his work or fear for his life. Pierce Brosnan also gives a great performance. He is sharp and fiery in his delivery and actions causing the audience to get scared along with McGregor. The film loses a couple points with me because of Kim Cattrall. While her performance wasn't awful, giving her a British accent was not a good choice. Thankfully, it doesn't ruin this movie. If you love thrillers, absolutely you should give this one a shot. Grade: A-

Exit Through the Gift Shop (2010)

2010-12-30T16:32:00.003-06:00

I am, by no means, an art connoisseur, but this movie seemed really intriguing to me because I've seen these street art images and I wanted to know more about them. I'm glad I picked this documentary because it was great.

Thierry Guetta is a French immigrant who has lived in Los Angeles for the latter half of his life. He is married with three kids and had a successful clothing boutique. Always attached to his hand was a video camera. While on a family trip, he found out his cousin was street artist Invader. Guetta was immediately taken with the movement and began to follow the artists he was introduced to with cameras. Going back and forth between Paris and La for years, Thierry needed to meet the most elusive of street artists: Banksy. One lucky happenstance later, they were traveling around LA together with Banksy believing he was shooting a documentary. At the time, the footage was just being stored in a box. After Banksy realizes this, he suggests that Thierry go out and make his own art. Little did he know, he was creating a monster.

Not a film about Banksy, but a film by Banksy about Mr. Brainwash, Thierry Guetta. This film is as much about the street art world as it is about the ease of spreading commercialism and creating artists out of nobodies. It takes a shot at the notion of celebrity and what it really takes to be an artist. Guetta clearly ruffled some feathers and, whether you like his art or not, his road to artistry is a story unique enough to be shared, and I'm glad it was. I only wish there was more. Enjoy. Grade: A-

Get Low (2010)

2010-12-25T10:09:00.002-06:00

Oscar season tends to bring out the best in movies that are not as good as the performances in them. This movie is again the case with a great performance by Robert Duvall but a slow moving film, to say the least.

Circa 1930, Felix Bush (Duvall) is a hermit. He lives in a house on 20 some acres in the far end of town. He's the type of person children heard stories of as being a monster. The type of person who has a reputation and does nothing to help clear it. After hearing an elderly man in town died, he realizes he must not have that much time left either. He asks the cash strapped funeral director Frank Quinn (Bill Murray) to help him throw a live funeral, so he could hear the stories people had to tell of him. To up the ante, he is also going to raffle off his land during the proceeding. However, when the sister of the woman he used to love shows up, he realizes that this is the time to get a horrible secret of his chest. And he needs her and the whole town to hear it and perhaps change their perception of the crazy old coot who lives in the woods.

Robert Duvall was terrific. Just the speech he gives towards the end alone is Oscar worthy, though I know he may not even get nominated. Bill Murray and Lucas Black were good as the funeral workers who must put up with him. What hurts the actors chances is the slow and almost dull pace of the movie. Not every movie needs to be consistently moving, but there needs to be something gripping you during those down times. This movie did not have that. See it for the performances, but don't expect a whole lot else. Grade: B-

The Town (2010)

2010-12-25T09:15:00.001-06:00

What guy doesn't love a good heist movie? Even better when it's a great heist movie, like the exciting, yet poorly titled The Town. This movie just adds to Ben Affleck directing resume.

Doug MacRay (Affleck) is part of the Not F--king Around Crew, a group of criminals in Boston's Charlestown neighborhood who specialize in bank robberies and armored car heists. His best friend is Jem (Jeremy Renner) and he is the out-of-control member of the group. The one who keeps his emotions on his sleeve. After a bank robbery where the alarm is triggered, the group takes the bank manager (Rebecca Hall) as a precaution in case the cops show up. After they let her go, it's Doug's job to follow her and see if she's talked to the FBI. While doing that, Doug strikes up a relationship with her and soon starts to fall in love. It's at that point when he realizes that she has talked to the feds. He's battling his feelings from both sides, while also trying to get out Charlestown and out of the bank robbing business. But it's not that easy. He's going to have to work his way out.

This movie proves that when Ben Affleck is really trying, he's not that bad of an actor. This also continues to follow on the steps of Gone Baby Gone and prove he is a terrific director. While I'll always hold a candle for Gone, I really liked this movie. It's tough to tolerate the Boston accent, but it really felt authentic. Also helping was Jeremy Renner, who is continuing his hot streak of great acting roles. I think he's assured a Best Supporting Actor nod for this. Go see it. Grade: A

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010)

2010-12-25T08:00:00.000-06:00

I had a friggin' blast watching this movies. It's a video game/comic geek's dream. Fast-talking, high-flying with unbelievable effects. Just fun times.

Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera) is a very poor bass player for Sex Bob-Omb. They have a hard time getting gigs and making any real money. Scott is also coming off a rough break up and begins dating a high-schooler named Knives. Before long though, he sees the literal girl of his dreams in Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead). He basically stalks her until she finally agrees to "hang out" with him, leaving Knives in a lurch. Before they've really even started dating, Scott is greeted by Ramona's 1st Evil Ex-Boyfriend. After defeating him, Scott comes find he has 6 other Evil Exes (including Brandon Routh and Jason Schwartzman) to beat before Ramona is all his. The Exes continue to get harder and harder and now he's trying to decide whether it's even worth it at all.

This movie was fun as hell. Be prepared for fast moving action and dialogue that keeps coming and coming. There are also plenty of video game references to go around. You do need to escape reality a bit because they are living in this video game world where people glide around and burst into coins as they die. That being said, the dialogue was a bit weak at times, but that's to be expected from a comic book movie. Cera was perfect for this role but the MVP of this movie was Kieran Culkin as Scott's gay roommate Wallace. Every time he said something I was laughing. Go see this if you want just a great time. Grade: A-

True Grit (2010)

2010-12-13T17:14:00.002-06:00

This movie was terrific. It was classic Coen Brothers. Every character was very well developed and, yup you guessed it, authentically gritty. But really, can Jeff Bridges do no wrong?

Fourteen year old Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld) is on a mission to avenge the death of her father by the coward Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin). Since she's a child, she sets out to find help and comes across Rooster Cogburn (Bridges). Cogburn is a fat, drunk, one-eyed Marshall who has a seedy reputation but always tends to get his man...dead or alive. After finally agreeing to Mattie's terms, Texas Ranger La Boeuf (Matt Damon) also joins the manhunt for Chaney. The ranger and Rooster are at odds from the start and Ross is stuck in the middle trying to be the adult of the situation. As they get closer to Chaney, the path gets more treacherous and they take a sneakier approach. But Chaney's now teamed up with a gang of criminals. How are three people going to be able to outsmart that band of misfits? Can they?

Like I said, Jeff Bridges can practically do no wrong. He was terrific in this and I bet is up for another Oscar nod. Damon and Brolin were there usual great selves but I was most impressed by 13 year old Steinfeld. The way she kept her own against all of those seasoned veterans was amazing. She is a sure bet for a nomination. I highly recommend this. Grade: A

Get Him to The Greek (2010)

2010-12-06T14:38:00.002-06:00

To put it lightly, this movie was a total disappointment. I love Russell Brand's style of comedy and I don't mind Jonah Hill's, but this just was an unfunny mess.

Ten years after rocker Aldous Snow (Brand) and his band Infant Sorrow rocked The Greek club in LA, he is a solo artist who just produced the "Worst Single of the Decade." Many feel he's lost his edge. Aaron Green (Hill) is a low level talent scout at Pinnacle Records, under the tutelage of Sergio Roma (Sean Combs). He convinces Sergio that an Infant Sorrow reunion show at The Greek is a good idea and so Pinnacle sends him to London to get Aldous out of his binging ways long enough to return to LA. What follows is a mess of run-ins, debacles, drug-mulings and misplaced tomfoolery. The question soon stops being "When," but rather "If?"

While it had some fleeting comedy, the bulk of the movie was such a drag. Brand's usual quick witted sense of humor was lost in a road trip movie. Combs was surprisingly good in his role. He had had smaller roles in other movies (Monster's Ball), but this seemed to fit him. The supporting cast was non-existent despite being the talented Rose Byrne and Elisabeth Moss. All in all, don't see this. Don't waste you're time. Watch the genius that is Forgetting Sarah Marshall again and forget this mess. Grade: C-.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I (2010)

2010-12-04T14:36:00.003-06:00

I liked this movie, but I was not thoroughly impressed. I was hoping it would build on the Half Blood Prince, which I thought was the 2nd best of the franchise. It was great to see how dark and subversive the actors can get for a "kids" book.

As Lord Voldemort is gaining power, he is going to use any means necessary to obtain and kill his nemesis, Harry Potter. This means that Harry and his friends must go into hiding. The Dursleys abandon Harry and Hermoine makes it so her parents have no memory of her ever existing. Let the life on the run begin. With the Death Eaters closing in and surrounding the group, the main three decide to run off on their own, disapparating from place to place in an effort to destroy all of the remaining Horcrux. But the effects of the horcrux are beginning to take hold of Harry, Ron and Hermoine. Jealousy and betrayal begin to rear their ugly heads and now they must weather to battle within themselves, as well as surviving a life on the run. All of this is will come to a head in Part II.

Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint have made such strides as actors since this series began that they were more than capable of putting this movie on their shoulders and, with this movie, the standout was Grint. He went through a range of emotions that was both frightening and impressive at the same time. It helped because for long stretches of this, I was bored. The actions and intensity of certain parts made up for it, and I know it's building towards a sequel, but it was still no fun for parts. That being said, I am excited for the conclusion of the franchise. I do recommend this, but heed my previous warnings.

Toy Story 3 (2010)

2010-11-22T04:51:00.001-06:00

I'm actually really upset with myself for not seeing this in the theaters. I loved this movie. It was great to see the characters again and it was great to see that they stuck true to the story line. It's been 10 years since the last movie so it's been 10 years for them, too.

Andy is all grown up and getting prepared to head off to college. The things he is leaving behind aren't ready for that kind of separation. Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz (Tim Allen) and the rest of the toys need to get ready for life without Andy. Through some of the usual miscommunication and hi-jinks that occur in movies, the toys are donated to a daycare center where they meet Lotso the teddy bear. The toys are excited until they find out they were mislead by Lotso and put into the toddler section of the daycare where they were abused beyond belief. While Buzz tries to negotiate, Lotso's goons take care of him and turn him against his friends. Woody is their only hope of salvation so they can maybe get back to see Andy again before he leaves for good.

This movie had a lot of comedy and a ton of heart. To go with the heart, this was one of the darker animated movies I've seen. There were a lot of heavy moments for the characters in the movie. I won't go into detail, but just be prepared. Back to the humor, Michael Keaton as Ken killed it in this flick. Him and Barbie were fantastic and provided a lot of the comic relief. I highly recommend this movie and I fully expect it to be nominated for Best Picture.

MacGruber (2010)

2010-11-10T16:46:00.003-06:00

There used to be a big stigma with SNL skit based movies being, well, terrible. For the most part, that statement is true. Think of Superstar, The Ladies Man, and It's Pat. This movie isn't quite that bad, but it's not great.

MacGruber (Will Forte) was the best the United States military ever trained. An explosives expert with the skills necessary to rip out a man's throat. But that was 10 years ago. Now, he's the military's only hope against international super terrorist Dieter van Cunth (Val Kilmer), the same man who killed MacGruber fiance during their wedding. He assembles a team which includes his old friend Vicki St. Elmo (Kristen Wiig) and Dixon Piper (Ryan Phillippe), the current best the military's got. Cunth has hijacked the X-5 Missile and is threatening to detonate it in Washington DC during the State of the Union. MacGruber and his team now need stop him before it's too late, but can MacGruber overcome his past demons to make sure this does not become his one defining failure.

I didn't hate this movie, but it was not nearly as funny as I expected it to be. Forte was great at committing to his character, but I was expecting more of his SNL routine to shine through. What was surprising was how good Phillippe was at playing the straight guy to the ridiculousness that Forte and Wiig portrayed around him. There is a fair amount of gross out humor, so be prepared for that,m but I can't recommend this movie unless you are a real MacGruber fan.

Iron Man 2 (2010)

2010-11-03T13:07:00.002-05:00

Was this as good as the first one? Absolutely not. But I still had fun watching this. Robert Downey, Jr. is great as Tony Stark, no matter how good or bad the movie.

Now that the world knows that Tony Stark is the Iron Man, they know to avoid him. However, even with international crime down by a substantial margin, Congress calls Mr. Stark in for a subcommittee hearing to try and get him to turn over the iron man suit to the US Army. Tony refuses saying that the technology for people other than himself to make a suit similar is still years away. In Russia, Ivan Vanko (Mickey Rourke) sees the hearing and decides he needs to get revenge on Stark because Vanko's and Tony's fathers worked together before a rift was created. In 6 months time, Vanko creates a machine crudely similar to the Iron Man and gets into an epic battle with Tony in Monacco. After seeing this, Congress demands the suit and gives the contract to make more to Stark's rival Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell). After that, Tony goes into a tailspin and doesn't know what to do. One thing is for sure, he needs to stop Hammer from completing his project. But now that he's gone off the deep end, can he hold it together long enough to stop him.

This was a fun movie. The substance was there for a great sequel, but it was not executed as well as it should have been. Everything moved so fast from Point A to B to C in what seemed like no time. It was visually pleasing though. As for Rourke, his Russian accent was OK. There were times I believed it, and other times it seemed forced. Sam Rockwell, Scarlett Johansson and Don Cheadle were all great additions to the cast, but my favorite may have been Garry Shandling as the Senator who had it out for Stark. All in all, fun but not as good as the first.

Wall Street (1987)

2010-10-27T16:54:00.001-05:00

I know, I know. I should have watched this movie years ago. I didn't, so deal with it. That being said, I was still not disappointed. The fast talking and fast moving world of the 1980s never looked so...good?

Bud Fox (Charlie Sheen) is a young, upstart stockbroker who is just trying to make a buck for his clients and spread the best information to make them the most money. Subtext: He's not very good at it. Bud feels that the one person who can help him get the tips/money/notoriety that he deserves is Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas). Gekko is the king of "don't call it insider" insider trading. Gekko is the man who has a plan to make the the rich get richer, and Bud wants in on the ground floor. After Bud gives Gekko a tip that sort of pans out, Gordon takes him under his wing to make him a Wall Street superpower. Bud gets the money, gets the notoriety, gets the girl (Daryl Hannah). However, one things leads to another and Bud causes a series of events that may result in his father (real life dad Martin Sheen) losing his job after 20+ years. How is Bud going to right his wrong? Better question: Will Gordon let him?

What ever happened to Charlie Sheen acting THIS good in a movie? Or anything for that matter. Either way, this was Michael Douglas' film. He empowered every single frame he was on the screen. Gordon Gekko was not a good man, and Douglas made sure that you knew that. Oliver Stone managed to weave his way from one point to the next so seamlessly. It's a shame his more recent movies haven't been able to capture that as well as this film. I know a lot of you have seen this, but maybe this will spark interest to watch it again.

Waiting For "Superman" (2010)

2010-10-25T17:58:00.002-05:00

If you've ever listened to any sort of political ad or debate over the last 20+ years, then you know that politicians and voters believe something is wrong with our education system. This movie takes a look at how much/little people are doing about the problem.

The movie follows five families, 4 of them in the lower class homes but all of them struggling in school. Some are single parents, others are newly laid off, and some just want the best help they can get for their children to be better educated. However, the problem doesn't seem to lie with the parents or the schools, but with the teachers and, more specifically, the teachers unions (dum dum DUMMMMM). While some of the students act like nothing is wrong, all of them are aware that money is the issue that's keeping them from the best education they can have, in one way or another. An ambitious superintendent in the Washington DC school system and a Harlem-based educator are some of the people trying to spearhead particular issues in their respective cities. The movie culminates with all 5 kids having to go in a lottery for their education.

That last sequence, with the lottery drawings, is exciting and heartbreaking at the same time. These kids clearly want to learn and only a certain few are going to be able to based on a bingo ball, index card, raffle ticket, etc. The movie is nothing new about how bad the schools are, but it does show it in a different way. This movie shows the problems and offers solutions, but I'm not quite sure if anything said in this movie will be treated as demonstrated. It was a great documentary and I strongly recommend it to all.

From Paris With Love (2010)

2010-10-20T17:56:00.004-05:00

A good movie this was not, but I did have a mild amount of fun during the action scenes. John Travolta has the distinct ability to not pick out great plots for his movies, but he does have fun with them.

James (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) is a top aide to the US Ambassador in France but he's also trying to become a CIA operative at the same time. He lives with his fiance in Paris while trying to balance the job he has with the job he is passionate about getting. One day, the call comes to meet his new partner, Charlie (Travolta). Charlie is not the picture of CIA class. His clothes are as grungy as his crime fighting style. With both James and Charlie trying to adjust to each other and figure out if they can possibly work together, a problem keeps rearing its ugly head: Cocaine. The laws against drugs in France help lead the two towards a bigger problem and now they have to see if they can stop an assassination attempt. Maybe this is the thing that brings them together.

Like I said, the action was fun. It had some very unique and very intense action scenes that managed to use over-the-top violence with a balance of realistic fight scenes. Other than that, there was not a whole lot to offer. The plot was simple and been done to death. It's got some fun parts, but I can't really recommend this.

The Social Network (2010)

2010-10-06T10:49:00.003-05:00

I went into this movie expecting a great movie and I got that and then some. This is not the "Facebook Movie." This is the movie about how this spy, nervous computer geek got revenge in the most fiscal way.

Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) just got dumped by his girlfriend. She knows he's smart and capable of doing whatever he can to get rich, but he's also a socially-inept ass. As a result, Mark enlists the help of friend Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield) to make facemash.com, a site dedicated to choosing which Harvard female was more attractive than the one next to her. After that erupts over campus, he's a sensation. He then gets the idea for a social network website that puts all the college experience online...or did he take the idea from the Winklevoss twins who hired Zuckerberg to build a similar site. As TheFacebook.com expands, Zuckerberg is feeling the heat. Napster co-founder Sean Parker (Justin Timberlake) helps Mark build up the a franchise and subsequently pushes Saverin out. Exactly how many friends will Mark have left?

As good as this movie was, nothing stood out more than the performance of Jesse Eisenberg. He managed to nail the character and kept him moving at the same Aaron Sorkin pace. That means, he kept talking and talking and talking until there was nothing left to discuss. Him and Andrew Garfield are both deserving of Oscar consideration. Director David Fincher as well. He managed to make a movie about computer nerds exciting. Also, kudos for the most exhilarating rowing (I'm sorry, crew) race in the history of film. Go see this movie.

Easy A (2010)

2010-09-18T08:36:00.002-05:00

I was pleasantly surprised by this movie. Basically, the same effect was had on me when I first saw Mean Girls. The trailer made this movie look like another generic teenage high school movie. Far from it.

Olive (Emma Stone) is your average high school loner. She's not one of the cool kids. She's not an outcast. She's just there and she likes it that way. However, when she tells of a sexual encounter that never happened, rumor spreads quickly and she's the school's resident tramp. How can she use this to her advantage? She sees this as an opportunity she can't pass up to make her high school days seem less trivial. But when things start to swirl out of control, the school's Christian brigade led by Marianne (Amanda Bynes) feels it's their duty to make sure Olive doesn't go to Hell. Nobody knows she is making this all up and when she starts to tell people, will they believe her?

Stone was fantastic in this. A little hard to believe that she would be the loner with her sense of humor and style, but she pulls it off. The best lines of the movie went to her parents though, played by Stanley Tucci and Patricia Clarkson. Basically, they play the coolest and most understanding parents ever. I recommend this movie because it will exceed any expectations you have.

Date Night (2010)

2010-09-08T19:51:00.002-05:00

If this had been any other lead actors, this movie would have failed miserably. However, Tina Fey and Steve Carell were just funny enough to save this from being a complete wreck.

Phil and Claire Foster (Carell and Fey) are just your normal workaday couple who live in suburban New Jersey. Every Friday night, the babysitter comes over and the parents go on a their date night. One week, after seeing their friend's marriage crumble, they stir things up a bit and go to the swanky new restaurant in Manhattan. When they can't get a table, they steal someone's reservation. When two thugs accost them about something they've stolen, the Fosters now realize they probably shouldn't have taken the Tripplehorns spot. After evading the thugs, the couple are now running for their lives in a city they barely visit outside of work. They're going to need help, but don't know where to turn. Personally, I'd consider that to be a good date.

As I mentioned, Carell and Fey save this movie. I'd like to think they knew the script wasn't that strong because there were a lot of improvised scenes in the movie and those tended to be very funny. The supporting cast did what they could. Mark Wahlberg, Taraji Henson, Common, Leighton Meester and Ray Liotta (who seems to be in everything lately) all try their best with their characters. I can't totally recommend this, but fans of the comedians will get a kick out of this.

The Other Guys (2010)

2010-08-08T18:49:00.002-05:00

I thought this was going to be good, but I didn't expect it to be this great. I haven't laughed this hard at a Will Ferrell movie in a long time. I'd say it belongs in the Top 3 of Ferrell movies.

Highsmith and Danson (Samuel L Jackson and Dwayne Johnson) are the best cops on the force. They always get there man and they never let anything stand in their way. Gamble and Hoitz (Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg) are the other cops. The ones who investigate lighter crimes from their desks. When a bigshot investor gets behind on his contractual payments, Hoitz and Gamble are called. They realize that this may go deeper than they could have expected, which isn't to Gamble's liking. Hoitz wants to get on the streets whereas Gamble is more than fine staying behind the desk. As the hole keeps getting deeper and deeper, they find that they are now the bad-asses on the force and need to get the job done at all costs.

I laughed so hard at this movie, almost from beginning to end. The supporting cast was just as funny as Ferrell was. Even Michael Keaton as the captain of their particular precinct. He may or may not be a TLC fan, it's uncertain. I highly recommend this. Watch it as soon as possible.

Cop Out (2010)

2010-08-04T18:48:00.001-05:00

There were a lot of problems with this movie. First, the script was just not good enough for a supposed "buddy cop" movie. Second, who decided to let Kevin Smith direct a movie he didn't write. Mistake!

Jimmy Monroe and Paul Hodges (Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan) are a veteran pair of cops who have been partners for over 7 years. Their cases go a little haywire and they let druglord slip through the cracks. Wallowing from that, Jimmy also needs to pay for his daughter's wedding and decides to sell his most prized baseball card. This card should net him somewhere around $80,000. Just randomly, a couple of no-goodniks rob the card some and take Jimmy's prized possession. Now, they have to find this card so his daughter's wedding can take place the way she wants. As it just so happens, the card soon comes into the hands of the very kingpin they've been trying to catch for years. How exactly can they get it back?

No need to read it again. That hokey plot is almost all there is to this movie. I wasn't expecting a lot from this movie, but I was expecting Tracy Morgan to be a bad choice. Admittedly, I was wrong about that. Morgan was funny and somewhat believable as a cop. The movie suffered because it's such a weak story. I can't recommend this, even for Kevin Smith fans.

Inception (2010)

2010-07-29T09:34:00.003-05:00

Holy cow. This lived up to all the hype that I had put on it based on the trailer. The acting was superb, the story was terrific, and the action was unbelievable. The most fun I've had watching a movie in a long, long time.

Cobb and Arthur (Leonardo DiCaprio and Joseph Gordon-Levitt) specialize in a very unique form of security/thievery. They do so by invading their subject's mind. However, Cobb has something else on his mind and that's seeing his kids again. Through a serious of events, Cobb is a wanted man in the United States. He decides to take one last job from a wealthy international businessman (Ken Watanabe) in order to get his past crimes erased and so he can see his children. The job he is intended to do is not as easy as it seems. Without getting into too much detail, because it will being to ruin the movie, I will say that things on this job go out of control. The main question is: Will Cobb see his youngsters ever again?

At it's core, this is a very basic action movie plot. Guy needs to do one more job to get out of the biz. It's where the story goes with that plot that I absolutely loved. All of the cast were terrific, but Gordon-Levitt and Tom Hardy really commanded the screen and took over when they were needed. I got bothered by one person leaving the theater early when I went so I will say this: Don't NOT leave/miss this movie. Watch it in theaters if you can, Blu-Ray if you wait. It's well worth it.

Alice In Wonderland (2010)

2010-07-28T09:33:00.001-05:00

I was told you love this or hate it and yet I'm caught right down the middle. I really liked some parts of this, while others I didn't. Tim Burton just seemed a shade off his game on this one.

At age 20, Alice (Mia Wasikowska) is set to be engaged to her beau. Problem being, she doesn't want that. It's at that point when she notices an oddly familiar rabbit in a waistcoat. She follows him to a tree and, you guessed it, down a rabbit hole. While down in Wonderland (it's actually Underland, apparently I've misunderstood), she does not believe the sight of it. A talking dormouse, flowers with faces on them and the Bandersnatch that almost kills her...it's all too much to be real. When she meets the Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp), it's definitely got to be a dream. As her journey progresses, things start to seem familiar to her...as if she'd visited this place before but that couldn't be possible. Once she meets the Red Queen (Helena Bonham Carter), that's when it starts getting real.

I was very intrigued by the idea of Alice returning to Wonderland and this not being and exact copy of the 1950s animated movie. I mean it has the Cheshire Cat and the Tweedles, but there are many differences. The thing that threw me out of it was that it was clearly made with 3-D in mind. Tim Burton's got the talent to make a movie and have 3-D follow him, not the other way around. At least Avatar gave you the feeling of a movie first. The other thing, this is NOT appropriate for young kids. How it got to be PG, I have no idea. Still, I do recommend it, but my mind may change on later viewings.

Invictus (2009)

2010-07-02T09:32:00.001-05:00

Clint Eastwood can direct a movie and there is no debate about that. While this was a good movie, it was definitely one of Eastwood's weaker efforts. Not for lack of trying though.

The film begins in South Africa circa 1994. Nelson Mandela (Morgan Freeman) was released from prison after 27 years for opposing the country's segregationist rules of Apartheid and, between 1990-1994, Mandela develops a following and is elected president of South Africa. The country is still racially divided though. The evidence of this is country's rugby team the Springboks, led by Francois Pienaar (Matt Damon), and for now, they suck. But Mandela has hope that they will pull together and unite the country when they host the 1995 Rugby World Cup. Oddsmakers had the Springboks as a good chance to make it out of the first round, but that was it. Since it's a true story, nothing should be ruined for the viewer. For one tournament, the country can forget their troubles.

The "not for lack of trying" that I was talking about was the acting. Great performances from both of the leads which, not surprisingly, led to Oscar nods for Damon and Freeman. The problem with this was that I didn't feel the story was portrayed as inspirational as it clearly was intended. I say watch this, but don't expect the same work you saw from Eastwood in Mystic River, Unforgiven, or even Changeling. It just won't add up.

The Kid Stays in the Picture (2002)

2010-06-18T14:57:00.001-05:00

Yes, I am aware that most documentaries are one-sided, but none have ever told a single side of a story like this movie. It was still very entertaining.

Super-producer Robert Evans has lived the life that kids dream about when they are young. Be very, very business-savvy, become famous and have your pick of the girls. Evans narrates the movie himself, even imitating the voices of the other people he's talking about. His stories start with his disastrous turn as an actor in the 1950s and 60s...the only reason he got the gigs were because of his looks. He then focused on making movies and proceeded to buy the fledgling Paramount pictures and produce hits like Love Story, The Godfather, and Chinatown. Power struggles ensue and the 80s hit him with a jolt after he's busted for drugs. Evans is very open and honest about his long and successful life.

As much fun as I had watching this movie, I feel I maybe would have appreciated someone else talking about the Evans lifestyle. I know that's not what he or director Brett Morgen were going for, but I'm just saying. This movie was very good and any movie fan will like this look at a producer's life.

Avatar (2009)

2010-06-17T07:52:00.001-05:00

I will say this right off the bat, the 4 stars for this movie are, for the most part, strictly based on how beautiful it looked. James Cameron knows how to direct a movie. Writing one, that may be another story.

Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) is an ex-Marine who has lost the complete use of his legs. He finds out his brother had worked on the Avatar project with a group of mercenaries, and Jake is subsequently asked to fill his shoes. The point of the project is to disguise various participants as the Na'vi, the native inhabitants of Pandora, in order to retrieve the unobtainable precious mineral Unobtainum (GET IT?!). While on Pandora, Jake meets Neytiri (Zoe Saldana), a warrior who is the King and Queen's daughter. As Jake and Neytiri slowly fall for each other, Jake is finding his allegiances torn between this new land and the people who paid him to use the Na'vi into giving up the mineral. Who should he trust? Who can trust him? One thing is for certain, Jake needs to save his own hide before anything else.

Picture Dances with Wolves, but much prettier...and minus Kevin Costner's ass. That's the basic plot of this movie. It's simplistic, singularly focused and full of political undertones. Maybe if Cameron had spent less time on the technology for the movie, he could have spent more time on the plot. That being said, the movie looked gorgeous. And the fight scenes were phenomenal. I have to recommend it based on those credentials.

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009)

2010-06-06T12:08:00.001-05:00

While this is proof that Heath Ledger's potential was immense, the movie as a whole was hit and miss.

The ageless Doctor Parnassus (Christopher Plummer) and his traveling band of mystical misfits, which includes his own daughter, take their show across England to try and make some money. Drunkards and roustabouts always tried to hassle the workers, but one wrong step and they traveled into the Imaginarium, where your dreams and nightmares come true. After one show, they travel by a bridge and noticed Tony (Ledger) hanging from the scaffolding. They pull him up and resuscitate him. Tony then joins the group and has a way with women in getting their money. As the show moves on, they begin to suspect that Tony is not who he says he is. Can they trust him, or is he just in this to further his own goals?

Terry Gilliam must do a big batch of acid before he writes a script because the movie just illuminates the eye. Unfortunately, the same can't be said about the plot of the movie. It meanders from point A to point B and gets the viewer lost along the way. After Ledger's death, Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell stepped in to finish the role. That part was written in wonderfully. Watch this for the imagery and the very good performances, not the story.

Mystery Team (2009)

2010-06-04T09:31:00.001-05:00

The boys from "Derrick Comedy" made a movie. It's basically just a longer version of all of the internet shorts they've done in the past, and just as funny. I was laughing almost the whole time.

Jason, Duncan and Charlie (the "Derrick" guys) are three high school seniors who have never grown out of their adolescence. They are still trying to solve menial mysteries posed by kids half their age. That is, until a little girl asks the Team to find out who killed her parents. The mystery gets deeper and deeper and the Team continues to get out of their element, but still manage to collect all of the right clues. However, they are unaware of the consequences of their actions. They might have gotten themselves in way too deep.

I'll forgive the last 20-25 meandering minutes or so that seemed to get away from the heart of the movie, because I expected that from a movie like this. It's got some humor that may not be for all audiences, but it worked for me. Some smart and witty, some gross-out and sophmoric. Either way, I had fun.

My Blue Heaven (1990)

2010-05-31T10:48:00.005-05:00

How can this movie fail? Steve Martin is my favorite comedian and Rick Moranis is...funny. But, oh my god, did this fail. Massively. Hardly funny and horribly 90s.

Martin plays Vinnie Antonelli, a mob informant who is currently in the Witness Protection Program and has been relocated to the suburbs of San Diego. Moranis is FBI Agent Barney Coopersmith, the agent put in charge of Vinnie's case. As Vinnie constantly starts to blow his cover, the FBI is getting more and more frustrated. After a trip to the court hearing in New York, the mobsters catch up with Vinnie. Now, they know he's been relocated and they are going to catch him.

Short description because I just can't really talk about this movie anymore. It was so bad. Steve Martin was just so unfunny and Moranis just played a schlub, per usual. The directing was awful, the physical and spoken humor was not there. Don't ever watch this.

44 Inch Chest (2010)

2010-05-18T14:44:00.001-05:00

A prime example of a movie looking so good in the trailer and then being so bad as a film. The one redeeming factor was Ray Winstone, the only actor who seemed to be trying. In the end, the movie told me nothing.

Colin (Winstone) is a wreck after his wife says she's leaving him for a younger man after 15+ years of marriage. When his friends arrive to comfort him, they find his house a total disaster and him unable to move from the ground. Meredith, Archie (Ian McShane and Tom Wilkinson) and the rest decide to teach the bloke a lesson in humility. He should know better than to bed another man's wife. They kidnap him from the restaurant he waits tables for, drag him to an undisclosed location and throw him into a chest for safe keeping. After some poking and prodding at the waiter's ego, they let him out. It's then that Colin wants some time with him alone. That may not be a good idea.

Like I said, nothing happened in this. There was no pressing issue in the plot, there was no redeeming message at the end of the movie and, in the end, none of these characters are likeable...even Colin. Winstone did such a good job at trying to stable this movie that his performance really saved a lot of this. Other than that, no thanks.

2012 (2009)

2010-05-10T14:40:00.001-05:00

Not quite sure where to begin with this. I knew what I was getting into when I sat down to watch this, but I'm just a sucker for cheesy disaster flicks...and this one ranks right up there in cheesiness. On the plus side, the graphics were very cool.

Jackson and Kate Curtis (John Cusack and Amanda Peet) are separated or divorced, probably divorced although they never say. While Kate seems to be moving on with a new boyfriend, Jackson is just struggling with life as a starving writer. While their seemingly normal life is going on, geologist Adrian Helmsley (Chiwetel Ejiofor) has discovered the Earth's core temperature is rising and it's only a matter of time before the crust begins to erode. In 2012, that day has come. Helmsley is trying to figure out where and when the disaster is going to hit. Jackson needs to get Kate and his kids out of harm's way and fast. How long can they possibly outrun it? I mean, it is the end of the world.

I'm not going to say I wasted 2 and a half hours of my life on this movie. I'm going to say that only 1 hour and 45 minutes were a waste, the rest was some mild fun. Overacting and green screens and nonsensical dialogue aside, the actors did the best with what they have. Ejiofor is a terrific actor and had an admirable performance. The rest, not so much. I'm not recommending this, unless you really have the time to spare.

Sherlock Holmes (2009)

2010-05-09T12:07:00.001-05:00

Fun, action-packed, British...those are some of the words that can describe this latest Sherlock Holmes foray. In the end, there may not have been a whole lot of substance to it, but it was still a fun time.

Holmes (Robert Downey, Jr.) is a bit of an eccentric while also being a genius in the process. He has the ability to see 5 moves ahead of any foe that gets in his way. While chasing after Lord Blackwood (terrific character actor Mark Strong), who uses the black arts to "sacrifice" his victims, Holmes and Dr. Watson (Jude Law) use their intellect and wit to get passed anyone who stands in there way. After initially capturing Blackwood, the dark Lord escapes his hanging and is now terrorizing the British government and citizens all over again. Now, Holmes is the one who is a few steps behind and needs to play catch-up before Blackwood proceeds to kill all of Parliament.

Guy Ritchie's directing style seemed to get lost at times in this movie, but that was to be expected. My one problem with this movie is that I wish there was more focus on the detective work Holmes and Watson do as opposed to the fighting and chase scenes. Not to say that those were bad, quite the opposite actually, but if they would have gone just a bit into how they got from here to there to get the bad guys, it would have been better for me. Still a fun ride.

Pirate Radio (2009)

2010-04-25T13:29:00.001-05:00

I still like the British title, The Boat That Rocked, better but this still was a very funny movie. It had the characters and music to keep me interested all the way through. Phillip Seymour Hoffman doesn't hurt its chances either.

The ship called Radio Rock is captained by Quentin (Bill Nighy). The DJs include The Count (Hoffman), Dr. Dave (Nick Forst) and "Nut" (Rhys Darby). The story follows Quentin's godson Carl as he joins the ship and is subsequently overcome with a sense of release that has kept him hunkered down in his home on land. While all of the debauchery is going down on board, in the British government, officials are trying to find out how to shut them down. As they get closer and closer, the Radio Rockers are one step ahead of them every time. Can they continue to outrun the force of the British government? They're sure as hell going to try.

The cast is outstanding and they bring their A game throughout the entire flick. From Nighy to Frost to Rhys Ifans to Darby, everyone brought unique characteristics to their portrayal and you could relate to a little bit of each. The ending knocked off a few points for me, but it wasn't necessarily bad, just not what I expected. Watch and enjoy.

The Men Who Stare at Goats (2009)

2010-04-25T02:35:00.001-05:00

While this movie had its funny moments, the plot was just kind of boring in the end. I was just sort of taken along for the ride and ended up with no place to go.

Bob (Ewan McGregor) is a small town journalist who's determined to be the best at his job to show his wife, who just left him, that he can. He pretends to enlist as a reporter embedded in the Middle East, only to find Lyn (George Clooney). As time goes on, Bob realizes Lyn is part of a secret government initiative called the New Earth Army, a group that attempts to become "psychic spies." (Note: Before you think this is far-fetched, this movie is based on actual events) As Lyn and Bob begin to detail the storied past of the New Earth Army, they must try to avoid Lyn's enemy Larry (Kevin Spacey). Larry has never bought into Lyn's theory of of spying, so he begins to find out ways of taking him down, beginning in the 80s. What follows is a somewhat elementary attempt to stop him.

This movie wasn't awful, but it just didn't have a whole lot to keep me interested in the end. The biggest bright spot of this movie was Jeff Bridges. It was basically "What if The Dude joined the Army and somehow made it to the rank of corporal?" And it was hilarious. While the other actors definitely tried, this movie ultimately fell flat due to the plot. Enjoy it if you must, but I can't recommend it.

The Slammin' Salmon (2009)

2010-04-17T13:31:00.003-05:00

Not Broken Lizard's funniest outing, but definitely had the best plot for any of their movies. The jokes aren't as spitfire as Super Troopers or as nonsensical as Club Dredd, but they are still there if you like their other films.

Former boxer Cleon "Slammin'" Salmon (Michael Clarke Duncan) opens the Slammin' Salmon restaurant in Miami to try and make it the newest swanky hotspot. The Broken Lizard crew make up the waitstaff along with Cobie Smulders and April Bowlby (both of "How I Met Your Mother" fame). One is the floor manager, one is a faux-playboy, one is an ex-actor, one is sprung on the job last minute, and one is Nuts...literally, that's his name. All of the waitstaff is trying to get a take of $20,000 in one night, but for reasons of which they are unaware.

The reason this has a better plot than the rest, I feel, is because Kevin Heffernan ("Farva" from Super Troopers) is behind the camera his time and not Jay Chandrasekhar, who has directed all the groups previous films. The almost consistently low-brow humor is still there, with some slapstick thrown in. It may upset some, but that's there style of humor and they're staying in their wheelhouse. Good movie, but don't go in expecting top notch stuff.

In The Loop (2009)

2010-04-15T14:37:00.001-05:00

This was one of the better political satires I've seen in a long time. Not quite sure if it was worthy of an Oscar nomination, but still very good and very funny.

I'll try to condense the plot as much as possible since there are a lot of stories going on at once. Simon Foster (Tom Hollander) is a high ranking official in the British government, who is also a bit of a buffoon when it comes to keeping his mouth shut. Privately, the US and England are looking into invading a Middle Eastern country, but no decision has been made. Foster publicly states the war is "unforeseeable," which starts a firestorm. That statement turns Foster and his colleagues into hapless pawns by the US State Department and a war hungry general (James Gandolfini).

Based on a Britcom, this is a very biting satire and one that's consistently pushing out one-liners that are not only funny, but actually keep moving the plot along. While everyone was good, the standout was Peter Capaldi as Malcom Tucker, the foul-mouthed political spin man. Hard to tell if he's ever actually solved a problem or just yelled at them all. A little slow moving at first, but really picks up and gets better as time runs on.

Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)

2010-04-04T13:15:00.001-05:00

This movie, despite being animated, had as many Wes Anderson-isms as The Royal Tennenbaums or Life Aquatic. All of which helps this movie turn a great kids book into a great movie that can be enjoyed by kids and adults.

Mr. and Mrs. Fox (George Clooney and Meryl Streep) are former thieves who decide that since she is pregnant, they need a new line of work. Mr. Fox becomes a successful newspaper writer and is looking for a new home. They find the perfect place that just happens to be across the way from three mean and ruthless farmers named Boggis, Bunce and Bean. Mr. Fox gets the idea for one last heist. The heist goes well, but the farmers realize where the critter lives and tracks it down. The ensuing chaos causes the Fox family and others animals to move deep underground until the whole thing dies down. Now, Fox needs to make amends for his reckless decision by taking down the farmers who attacked them. Time for a Danny Ocean-type spectacle.

The cast list was huge, as per usual with Wes Anderson. Clooney, Streep, Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, Jason Schwartzman, Willem Dafoe, and Adrian Brody to mention a few. They all are recognizable but also bring their A game to this movie. Stop-motion flicks always amaze me in the dedication to the craft at hand. I know these movies must take a long time to make and this film is no exception. I thoroughly enjoyed this, so you should, too.

48 Hrs. (1982)

2010-03-21T14:06:00.001-05:00

One of the earliest film inceptions of the buddy cop genre, this is arguably the best of its kind. It's funny, it's got action and it's got a good plot...even for an 80s movie.

Det. Jack Cates (Nick Nolte) is as hard-assed as they come. He is having trouble with his lady, his job seems to be getting worse and worse as the days go by, and two other cops just got shot while he was the look out. Nobody thinks he does a good job, but he's determined to catch the guys who did this to those cops. He enlists the help of Reggie Hammond (Eddie Murphy), a convict who has previous ties with the men who shot the cops. He gets him out of jail for 48 hours (get it!) to find the criminals. Constantly tiptoeing the lines of racism, Cates treats Hammond like a ragdoll throughout most of the movie. Will they be able to catch the criminals before Reggie needs to make his way back to the slammer, or will their constant bickering get in the way of the work that needs to be done?

I know I kind of missed the boat on this movie and I should have watched it a long time ago, but I just got around to it now...so there. It brings me back to a simpler time when Eddie Murphy made great movies and Nick Nolte was...sane. In recent years, the buddy cop category has been beaten to death with the cliches created in this movie. Thing is, this movie did it better than the rest. There would be no Rush Hour without this movie. I had a good time watching it.

The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard (2009)

2010-03-20T13:05:00.002-05:00

There was only one part of this movie that consistently made me laugh and that was Craig Robinson. Other than that, this movie was just a fustercluck of bad jokes and an even worse story.

Don "The Goods" Ready (Jeremy Piven) is a gun-for-hire in the car dealership world. He has the ability to move any car to anybody within any amount of time. He's that good. His services are required at Selleck Motors in Temecula, California. The rest of his team (Ving Rhames, Kathryn Hahn, and David Koechner) come along for what seems to be an easy weekend. Selleck needs the cars sold or the dealership will be sold. Within two days time, Ready is able to get his team and the existing Selleck employees excited and prepared for the 3 days work ahead of them, complete with giveaways, markups, a DJ (Robinson), and a celebrity appearance by American Idol runner-up Bo Bice's brother Eric. THE Eric Bice. However, Selleck's daughter, Ivy, is the one that catches Don's attention, and that could have some troubling consequences.

Like I said, it's a bad plot that's been done before with better jokes and better results. Craig Robinson was great because he played DJ Request...who absolutely will not take requests. (Example: he is asked to play something uplifting like "We Are Family" and turns on a song called "Dead Puppies") He would go into these solider-like trances when a song is requested and I loved those parts. The rest of this movie is something I want to forget.