The Ritual (Netflix Original 2017)

The Ritual (Netflix Original Movie)

If you do a gender swap, and settings transplant, and change the basic plot of Descent, then add in a dash of The Wicker Man, give a splash of Predator, and top it off with The Blair Witch Project, then you would have The Ritual. I liked this one. I would call this film overall "pretty decent." The acting was believable. The directing was quite good. And the script was not too shabby - I am not going to ruin the plot, I recommend not even watching the trailer. Don't expect a Citizen Kane, but it is no Feeling Minnesota. Heck, I would go as far as recommending it if the initial description caught your fancy.

Netflix, your track record is just good enough to keep me watching.

***Warning, I found the begininning particularly brutal.***

The Cloverfield Paradox (Netflix Original Movie 2018)

The Cloverfield Paradox

If Event Horizon had a one-night stand with Alien, and gave birth to a child that was raised by a pseudo-scientist, then you would have The Cloverfield Paradox. It was not a bad film. But it was a film that had a difficult time pegging exactly the tone and feel it wanted to convey. It at times felt like a drama, at times like soft sci-fi trying to be hard sci-fi, and then at times it might as well have been Army of Darkness... seriously. 

The pacing was not very good overall, but that is made up for for the most part by the acting and special effects. If you dazzle and entertain me, I can overlook issues with plot movement.

Some of the plot seemed to not know where it was going. It seems to have hints and revelations, and if you want to extrapolate some, you go right ahead. And those hints might or might not reveal some about the previous franchise films. Is the setting fleshed out? Well, no. Does it do a good enough job to set up the anthology style mutlifaceted multiverse that the movies are set in? Sure.

What would I say when someone asks if they should watch it? I would say: 1.) Just go with it. 2.) Don't take it too seriously. 3.) Don't expect too much, or too little. 4.) Have a few drinks. :-)

Not bad, and slightly above average, but just slightly. 6 paradoxes out of 10.

Black Lightning (2018) - CW TV - Episode One

Black Lightning (2018)

Black Lightning... 


So, I am a big fan of The Flash, and I like Legends of Tomorrow. And when I heard that the CW was going to be airing the new series Black Lightning, I thought, "Cool, another superhero show for the Arrowverse." I thought it would be similar in timbre and tone, and was lukewarm excited about it, but still was willing to give it a try.


Let me tell you, I was so wrong. This show was amazing. The first episode just floored me. The acting was really strong. The plot was gripping. The directing was great. Everything came together with perfect pacing and sets a great scene with music and the venues. This caliber of show I would except on Netflix or AMC, but not CW. Don't get me wrong, I love The Flash, I do, but this is just on another level. I can't say if the rest of the series will be as good as the first episode, but wow. I was cheering for the main character in a way I haven't since the first season of Daredevil. 

Really excited to watch some more! I highly recommend it. 9 lightning bolts out of 10.

Bright (Netflix Original Movie 2017)

Bright (Netflix Original Movie 2017)

The Good:

• I actually really enjoyed the tone of the world created in Bright. It is a decent blend of cop drama and fantasy. It does lean more heavily on the cop drama side. So, if you are looking for a true fantasy film, be warned, this is not it. 
• I could have put this with the above point, but I wanted to separate it a little. The background is something you only get a few little tastes of throughout the movie. Even if no one admits it, you could tell the creators would love to make this a wider story.
• The races felt pretty distinct and specific. They were not LotR races, but the stereotypes were definitely there and played off heavily. I liked differences 
• Chase movies, do you like them? If no, then skip this one. It is mostly about multiple groups chasing the mcguffin around. Notice I have this in the "good", it's because I enjoy those kinds of films generally.

The Bad:

• A lot of Will Smith's dialog was lacking. Really the dialog in general was mediocre at best.
• The plot was a bit simple, and mostly unexplained, and this usually does not bother me. I put this in the "bad" though because it could have been a rich element to utilize and draw in the viewer. I mean, I would have really enjoyed a little more depth to what was happening.
• Will Smith's family were pointless. On the flipside, he did do what a smart person would do BEFORE things get out of hand, he told them to get out of town.
• The Orc cop, Jakoby, had little background to him. Again, normally fine, but the audience has nothing to base their understanding of him on here.

Overall: Here's the thing, this is a film for a fantasy lovers, but it is set in a gritty cop drama, that is difficult to pull off. Also, for those who love a good police drama, it is laden with odd fantasy elements that would be distracting. Does it work? Just barely. I liked it, but was it great, not really. And for the Shadowrun fans, it works as that, but without the hacker stuff. I would watch another film based in the universe for sure though. 5 orc teef outta 10.

Rough Night (2017)

Rough Night (2017)

The Good:

• I did laugh a few times during the movie. Ilana Glazer was really the standout in this regard. She probably has the best comic timing in the whole cast. The rest were fine, but just fine.
• There is eye candy for whatever you tastes are. Hunky males, attractive females... whatever you want.

The Bad:

• The characters were paper-thin, even for a comedy. I felt little to no emotional connection with any of them. A few minutes of the women in college, then a few short scenes of their personal lives, does not make me have emotional attachments to any of them.
• The plot was like mix between Bridesmaids and the Hangover, but not as interesting as either.
• Not as funny as you want it to be.

Overall: I have little to write about this feature. It was ok for a mindless watch, but I do recommend multi-tasking during it, so you don't feel like you wasted your time. I really liked a lot of the actors in this movie, but it just fell really short for me. Just barely 4 drinks toward the 10 possible. 

Black Mirror - Season One (TV Series 2011)

The National Anthem - So, this episode seems like it was a dare or something. Take something from bizarre from the headlines and make it even stranger, but make it a serious treatment of the subject matter. It works, I guess. It was not a bad episode, given the strangeness of the premise. The strategic moves and tactic decisions of the people involved make this episode work for what it does. Not bad, but not what I was wanting from the series... 6 pork rinds out of a bag of 10.

Fifteen Million Merits - This is more along what I was hoping for in the show. This story was a neat science fiction idea transformed through the filter the commercialism and "reality tv culture" of today into a critique of modern life. I really enjoyed the plot, the characters, and the movement in the episode. Daniel Kaluuya really shines in this one. His ability to play a range from "rat race zombie" to "passionate rebel" was extraordinary. Great show. 8 merits out of 10.

The Entire History of You - Great. Just great. Fantastic concept. Amazing plot to explore the ideas. Believable acting. This is what I was looking for in this series. I really would love to discuss the implications of the type of technology shown in this... bravo Black Mirror. 9 neurons out of 10.

Overall: 8 out of 10

Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017)

Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017)

The Good:

• Opening Space Battle: After being instantly afraid after the crawl that The Last Jedi was going to copy The Empire Strikes Back the way The Force Awakens copied A New Hope, I found the opening space battle overall a fun experience. I had two minor gripes with it, that I am going to say here because they are not detracting enough to be in the bad, but I think I should mention. One, Poe is without a doubt the greatest pilot the galaxy has ever seen. I don't know why this bothered me, but he began the battle alone and came out unscathed. I mean... it's fine. But two, I had no fear of the Dreadnaught. I understand it was big, but we had not seen it do anything. Just telling me to fear it does not make me fear it. But, having said all that, the space battle was well done and I felt the drama in the bomber was top-notch, especially considering the brevity of it.
• Rey and Ben: I could list them individually, but I include them together because the Rey/Ben/Jedi story line was just fantastic. I enjoyed both Rey and Ben in The Force Awakens, but they stepped up their game in this one. Their acting was perfect. Their fight scenes were well-executed and beautifully choreographed. I felt the connection, the conflict, and the drama between them was real. I could have watched 2 more hours of them. I even liked the reveal (true or not) that Rey's parentage was nothing special. And did I mention the fight scenes were phenomenal? They were. I'll mention it again.
• Luke: I enjoyed seeing Mark Hamill return in this iconic role. It was a nice extension of the character's story, even the frailty and weakness in the Ben backstory. The power and presence he brought a wonder gravity to his scenes.
• DJ: Benicio Del Toro was a grand scoundrel and I loved him. The "consistency" of the character's actions made happy. To have such a small role, his addition was great. I would have liked some more of him.
• Climax: The way Luke was utilized in the climax was unexpected, and cool, and really lent itself to a clear and honorable "passing of the torch". And though you thought he was going to die in the manner of Obi-Wan, he died like Yoda, which makes more sense seeing as how Yoda was his real master (Obi-Wan basically died like his master as well - different discussion). Beautiful send off for such a beloved character.
• Blended Tech: I liked that the technology was both new things and old things. It gave the universe a more "realistic" feel. 

The Bad:

• Flying Space Princess: Not going to lie, the scene with Leia flying through space almost ruined the movie for me. The scene was stupid... just pure stupid. It could have been a meaningful heroic death, but she was robbed of that. That makes me sad. And this scene made me angry in every way.
• Disappearing Army: When Rose and Finn were about to be tortured and then "explosion"! When they awoke, with no one around, it really baffled me. 
• The bits of humor: This detracted from the tonal feel of Star Wars to me. A little joke from a new character is fine, but repeatedly breaking the mood for the sake of humor just did not work for me. I was barely willing to accept it in Thor: Ragnorok, but this trend of "Whedon-ification" of cinema needs to end.
• Rose and Finn: This story just did nothing for me. I didn't think it added to the plot, or the drama, or even character development. Which leads me to...
• Captain Phasma: Still useless! Wow... so, useless.
• Snoke: They had built up this dude to be someone important from the past. Turns out, he was just a means-to-an-end. Seems to me using Snoke this way was a total waste of an opportunity. I mean, maybe it was meant to mirror Rey's backstory, I don't know. But where her's worked, the lack of Snoke information fell flat for me. What a let down.
• Salt Planet: Why didn't they send ships to this planet earlier to send out signals? Minor gripe.

Overall: I liked the movie. It was enjoyable, and though it did not feel like a central Star Wars film to me, it was fun. I would give it a 7 laser swords out of ten. I would not see it in the theater again, but glad I saw it in the theater for the first time.

Lord of Illusions (1995 - Collector's Edition) - Blu-ray

Lord of Illusions (Collector's Edition)

My wife got me the Lord of Illusion (Collector's Edition) for Xmas this year. This movie is one of my favorite guilty pleasures. The film constructs a near perfect world that mixes the two gritty genres of Horror and Film Noir, two of my favorite genres. It has very dark themes and the extra sex and violence in the Collector's Edition add even more to these elements - while the extra D'Amour scenes help flesh out his character. Some of the special effects are 90s for sure, but it is more than made up for by the cast of characters and plot.

Also for you fans of 90s RPGs, this film is a PERFECT theatrical portrayal of the White Wolf's World of Darkness Mages. The Puritan (Nix) is a quintessential example of the Nephandi. And the magic is "down to earth" example of what WW could look like. Love this movie. 

The Taking of Deborah Logan (2014)

The Taking of Deborah Logan

The Good:
The abstract connection drawn between possession and Alzheimer's is frightening because of the real world loss of self that happens with the disease and with caretakers. This, although executed for a horror movie, is an interesting theme.
The story was interesting and does take a turn from sad to more horror-oriented in a way that seems pretty fluid.
Deborah, Jill Larsen, was the driving force in the movie. She was creepy and sympathetic and believable.
Generally, the special effects were subtle, which worked for the film.

The Bad:
Some of the acting was not amazing - you find this a lot in the false documentary style films.
Parts of the movie, particularly the false documentary inside this false documentary felt fake.
Black snakes?

Overall: If you are looking for a good and interesting twist on the exorcism film, this one will fill your belly with some decent devilish pea soup. Give it a taste.

Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

Mad Max: Fury Road

The Good:
Are you looking for an action movie? Look no further! This film is serious, high octane (pun intended), speed-freak-style, crazy action from start to finish. I think it lets you take a few tense breaths here and there, but don't worry, you won't notice.
The scenery was perfect. Not only did this film capture the imagined dystopian future through the lens of the 1980s, it made it look cool... ok, not cool, but just weird enough to be disturbing, but not weird enough to be unbelievable.
I had heard that there were some strong female characters in the film, and there definitely were. I enjoyed the fact that even the damsels in distress were badass and being saved by another badass woman.
The music fit the film like driving glove.
The special effects, and practical effects, were great.
I like that Max was silent for most of the film.
The Warboy (Nicholas Hoult) with the women was an enjoyable character, I didn't like him at first, but he really grew on me. That is the mark of good acting, in my opinion.
On acting, Theron and Hardy were both quite good.
There was a strange, yet somehow believable, mythology constructed in it.

The Bad:
I would have liked just a little more background, but that is just the curious side of me.
I did not find Theron's prosthetic arm realistic, I don't know why.
Some of the things that the people were wearing I was convinced would cause them to have instant heat stroke.
Some of the decisions made were suspect, but they caused the plot to advance. So, I suppose I can forgive them.

Overall: I would give it at least 8 gallons of gasoline and one solid explosion! I would watch it again!

The Lazarus Effect (2015)

The Lazarus Effect (2015)

The Good:
The cast was decent, all playing their roles well and believably, for the most part.
The actual concept behind the movie was not terrible.
The first third or so of the film develops pretty solidly. There is a precursor story to the "main" story with a dog that is much more interesting than the main plot.
Olivia Wild is easy on the eyes.

The Bad:
The last two thirds of the movie moved too quickly. I understand that there is a finite amount of time in an 83 minute movie, but had the film been say 2 hours, it could have been infinitely better. The major portion of the film seems to happen in like 3 hours... had it taken place over a few days, it might have been more engaging.
The music... blah.
Too much use of a "jump scare" throughout.
Boring and kind of dumb deaths.
The end. Then the later end.

Overall: It was as if Flatliners decided that it should try to be Carrie, then it failed miserably. I'll give it 5 pints of blood out of 10.

Quick Thought: "The Renfield Theory" for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

So, early today I came up with a way for me to find Jesse Eisienberg's portrayal of Lex Luthor more palatable. I think that if viewed as a "Renfield"-style of character in a larger story arc, this Luthor is much more understandable. His actions, mannerisms, philosophy, and even dialog create a vivid echo of Dracula's thrall from Bram Stoker.

His short, jerky actions mimic that of psychiatric patient in an asylum. Short babblings that lead nowhere, his super jumpiness, and the odd Jolly Rancher incident, all say "crazy". His movements recall more of Brad Pitt in 12 Monkeys than any other Lex Luthor from the past.

The philosophy that he explains and extols when referring to the painting on his wall, sound like the way Renfield refers to his master, glorious and dark.

And his dialog, ESPECIALLY his last portion of dialog, sounds like it was taken directly from Dracula.

Then there was this:

So, yeah.

Though I don't like him as Luthor.... as Renfield, he was pretty damn good.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)

The Good:- First and foremost, Gal Gadot stole the show in ever scene she was in. She was a commanding presence whether as the poised Diana Prince or the Amazonian warrior Wonder Woman. She was delightful. I cannot wait for her solo film!
- Ben Affleck as Bruce Wayne was pretty good. I believe him as Bruce. Batman... meh.
- The cinematography was beautiful. It told the story better than the plot itself (see below).
- Jeremy Irons was wonderful. He made a smart, and on-point Alfred who you wanted to have your back.
- The nods to both The Dark Knight Returns and The Death of Superman story arcs from the comics were appreciated.

The Bad: - Jesse Eisenberg's portrayal of the Joker was spot-on. It came off somewhere in-between the strange, clownish insanity of Nicholson and the odd, weirdo vibe of Heath Ledger, even down to the hair. But his portrayal of Lex Luthor was awful. The smart, confident, in-control genius of Lex is lost. I am not a stickler for staying the same, but this departure is ridiculous and add nothing to the plot. Eisenberg's portrayal is single worst Lex ever.
- I mentioned plot above. The incoherent plot must be a hallmark of Snyder's film-making. I thought it worked in some of his earlier films, but the lack of a story-driven, or character-driven, plot was noticeable.
- The music was not good. I thought the "rocking" feel of the big fight scene was terrible.
- It was too long. Much of it could have been cut out.
- The dream sequences were subpar. The foreshadowing was heavy-handed and not at all subtle in the way Marvel eased one into the grand plotting of the huge arc.
- The fan service appearances of the other heroes were uninspiring. And the appearance of Flash in the armor just looked really bad. Give me the TV Flash any day of the week!

Overall: It falls well below the bar set by the Marvel cinematic universe... but, I am willing to follow them on the journey, especially if Darkseid is the destination. Like I said, I would give it a 5.5.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

The Good:
The special effects were great. Cool explosions, neat aerial combat.
Finn, Rey and Poe were all nice groundwork for a new round of heroes.
I most enjoyed the parallels between this film and A New Hope.
Nostalgia.
I liked the return to the more straight-forward lightsaber combat. It was very refreshing to this after years of high-flying-kung-fu fighting with lightsabers.
Chewbacca.

The Bad:
The plot was mediocre. Seemed a little too much like the original three for me. The Resistance IS the Rebellion. The First Order IS the Empire. Even the dichotomies within the bad guys and the good guys seemed all-too-familiar. And they blew up the Death Star AGAIN?!?!? I mean Starkiller Base.
It seemed broad-casted too much and "less real" when the big character died.
No one character really grabbed me (even though a few were nice starts to a character arc).

Overall: I would give the newest Star Wars a 7 X-Wings dog-fighting out of 10. Fun, but not great.

Daredevil (TV/Netflix 2015)

     Something that is different and wonderful--that is the way I would describe the Netflix's original series Daredevil. If you are looking for "fast-paced, high-octane action" with witty quips and a host of flying superheroes and repulsor rays, wait for Avengers 2 and skip this series. If, on the other hand, what you would like to see is the subtle development of a "more down-to-earth" hero with a great cast, set in the gritty noir background of the Marvel cinematic universe, this is it!

     I was a little skeptical going into the series, Netflix has produced some good and not-so-good series so far. As the story builds and the character's backgrounds and motivations are revealed, the series really captures your attention. Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock/Daredevil is great, with just the correct amount of cocky mixed with the unsure. Deborah Ann Woll, Rosario Dawson, and Elden Henson are all wonderful as more than just secondary characters, but as full characters in their own right. Vincent D'Onofrio is not just strong and powerful as Kingpin, but believable. Also, Toby Leonard Moore as Wesley was very good, and Vondie Curtis-Hall as Ben Urich deserves a very special nod as he often steals the show when on screen.

     This should be a welcome change and thoughtful breath of fresh air to fans of the comic. And it is an enjoyable experience to anyone wanting a neo-noir series that is engaging and cool. I would recommend this for sure, and I am looking forward to the other Marvel Netflix originals.

Saw V (2008)

Saw V

I thought for a bit that this installment of the series was going to be better than the last. I was wrong. They are getting more and more predictable and less and less interesting. I keep watching them because I think, maybe, just maybe they will eventually do something interesting... nope. And now, they have even managed to remove the element of twisted "justice". Stop making these films. This is a Feeling Minnesota.

Religulous (2008)

"If you belonged to a political party or a social club that was tied to as much bigotry, misogyny, homophobia, violence, and sheer ignorance as religion is, you'd resign in protest."

"Religion is dangerous because it allows human beings who don't have all the answers to think that they do."

"The only appropriate attitude for man to have about the big questions is not the arrogant certitude that is the hallmark of religion, but doubt. Doubt is humble, and that's what man needs to be considering that human history is just a litany of getting shit dead wrong."

This film is beautiful. Great soundtrack. Funny, thought-provoking, and a pleasure to watch. Thank you Bill Maher, for saying what all the rational people of the world think.

Taken (2008)

Taken

The Good:
I loved the action in this film and some part of you will definitely allow you to believe even the unbelievable in the film. The motivation of a father trying to get his daughter back is strong enough to overlook some minor problem.
The acting is good.
The plot progression is good.
The tense feel of the film is quite good.
The camera work is well-done.

The Bad:
Ok, there was nothing particularly unpredictable in the movie.

Overall: I really enjoyed this film, Ransom with a bad attitude. There isn't much to give away about it either. Watch the preview below, if you think you would enjoy the movie you will, if you think it doesn't look that great, then you won't like it. It is what I have longed to see in a kidnapping film... though honestly, I think t has been done before.

Saw IV (2007)

Saw IV

The Good:
Hmmm... nope.

The Bad:
The plot.
The acting.
The idea.
Wow, predictable.

Overall: I have never been a big fan of this series. The first film was semi-original, if unbelievable and stupid. The second film was a little better than the first(aside from the acting). This one is just plain bad (I give this film 2 Fargos). And I don't care to remember the other films enough for it to be interesting. Why do I keep watching these films?!?! Who am I kidding... I like the punishment. ;-)

Return to House on Haunted Hill (2007)

Return to House on Haunted Hill

The Good:
A number of gorgeous actresses in the film, nice followup in that respect to the original.
I like Andrew Lee Potts as an actor (see Primeval).
The plot was an interesting attempt to continue the story while adding new elements.

The Bad:
While it was an interesting attempt at a sequel, the "new" story was not so innovative.
The motivations were paper-thin.
Story itself was lackluster and very predictable.
Not scary.
Non-creative deaths.

Overall: Meh... skip it unless you just "have to see it" or you feel compelled to complete series in horror.

Babylon A.D. (2008)

Babylon A.D.

The Good:
Vin Diesel is definitely a guilty pleasure of mine. He is not a super actor, but he is our generation's Arnold, or John Wayne... you gotta love a straight-up action flick!
Interesting concept.
A believable futuristic world, I liked the setting a lot.

The Bad:
The story was a great skeleton, but not a fully realized tale.
My ability to suspend disbelief was "challenged" in a few places.
Not a big fan of the soundtrack in general.

Overall: It is no Children of Men as far as a future film is concerned, and it is not a Chronicles of Riddick as far as a Vin Desel film is concerned, but it is a decent action movie. Don't expect much more.

Dead Space: Downfall (2008)

Dead Space: Downfall

The Good:
The story got going pretty fast and though not all that original, it was fun and fast-paced.
Animated zombies!
Interesting soundtrack.

The Bad:
It was a bit predictable.
Some of the aspects of the plot were left pretty vague.
I didn't really feel or identify with any of the characters.
Inconsistent zombie ability.

Overall: Not a terrible animated zombie flick, still no City of Rott, though the genre is slightly different. I enjoyed it, but it is an anime film to be honest.

*Just discovered it was a prequel to a video game... makes more sense now... well, not really, but reasons for some things are more understandable now.*

Hamlet 2 (2008)

Hamlet 2

Non-traditional Pope review:

I don't know exactly how to describe this film. It is definitely a wonderful farce or perhaps a "parody of a tragedy". More heart and humor than a High School High and still carrying a good message... basically. I laughed aloud multiple times. Were there parts that were ridiculous? Of course. Was it predictable? Absolutely. Did that diminish the film? Not at all. It was fun and light and delivered exactly what I was hoping for in this kind of a film. A good movie, not great, but jolly good. :-) "Rock me sexy Jesus!"

The Strangers (2008)

The Strangers

The Good:
The cinematography was pretty good.
The acting was alright.
The soundtrack added to the film.

The Bad:
Loud expected "bangs" to startle the viewer, along with a lot of outside of the characters' POV shots to 'heighten' suspense - neither worked.
The lack of motivation and intelligence on both sides was astounding.
Predictable.
Became less and less creepy by trying to be more and more creepy.

Overall: I wasn't into it, then I was, then I realized my orginal instinct was right. Watch Vacancy instead - similar concept, better execution.

The Mutant Chronicles (2008)

The Mutant Chronicles

It has been a while seen I have watched this - I usually try to review a film shortly after viewing it, this one slipped my mind. I liked it ok, but honestly, it was like watching a really good cut-scene from a video game for 2 hours. Neat, stylized, decent acting, overtones of a specific branch of fantasy/sci-fi that is little explored, but I kept thinking, "When do I pick the controller back up?"

Starship Troopers 3: Marauder (2008)

Starship Troopers 3: Marauder

The Good:
The newsreel simulations are entertaining.
Um... brief nudity?
I like the movie poster alright.

The Bad:
The plot.
The sets.
The acting.
You get the point.

Overall: Even Jolene Blalock could not save the film. Better than Starship Troopers 2: Hero of the Federation... but that ain't saying much.

Twilight (2008)

Twilight

The Good:
There was a few minutes of action that was directed/edited decently.
I liked the acting of the guy who played Carlisile and the girl who played Alice, and I thought that the film could have used a little more screen time for the guy playing Jacob.
Pretty good soundtrack.

The Bad:
The narration was completely unnecessary, most of it was portrayed in the acting and did not need to be spoon-fed to me.
The pacing - super slow.
I know it is drama, but I could have used a little more action.
The main vampire Edward, his acting was dead... pun intended.
I didn't really care for the main character Bella, her motivations seemed vague.
Vampire in the daylight...and they do what in the sun? Give me a break! A classic creature of folklore was just completely rewritten, which I am ok with, as long as it is done well - it wasn't.

Overall: Maybe it is because I haven't read the novel. Maybe it is because I have been watching True Blood and loving it. Maybe it is because it is written for teenaged girls. Maybe I am too much a fan of the horror genre. Maybe... I didn't like the film.

On a funny/weird/stupid side note if you've seen the film or read the book: I woke up this morning laughing, saying, "And so the bacon fell in love with the ham."

Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed (2008)

Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed

The Good:
The fact that people have lost their jobs over talking about intelligent design is wrong. Science especially in the US should be free to explore any avenue of thought.

The Bad:
First they postulate that it is silly that there is a conspiracy to sneak religion into the science classroom via intelligent design. Then they accuse the evolutionists of the exact same thing. They connect the theory of evolution and abortion to Hitler. No where did the documentary attempt to scrutinize the intelligent design theory - they kept saying that there were important questions that needed to be asked... but they never asked them (except they said that the complexity of the cell was too extraordinary to have evolve over billions of years). They used Nazi and Soviet footage to instill a feeling that evolution is Un-American. Teleological thought is the only evidence presented in the film. No evidence is presented at all. Hmmm... I wonder why? I think the answer is obvious.

Overall: This is a blatant piece of propaganda for the Creationists, I'm sorry "Intelligent Design Theorists". It pretends it is not, but with no evidence and the fearful imagery and skewed logic lies in the film, it is crystal clear what it is. If this is the best anti-evolutionists can do, I feel sorry for them. Watch if you want to keep shaking your head and saying, "There's no evidence for that, " or "How did you come to that conclusion?" or ... ugh... watch this film. It is a great film for converting any intelligent person away from the idea of Intellignet Design.

Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer (2007)

Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer

The Good:

Once the action kicked in, I really enjoyed the film.

Parts were kinda funny, I personally would have gone a bit more silly with it (never thought I would say that).

The directing was decent, if a but over the top at times.

It was an ok origin tale for a "Monster Slayer".

The Bad:

Lots of poorly executed cliches.

So-so acting.

It took almost an hour for anything interesting to really happen.
I often enjoy 2D characters, but the ones in this film were quite uninspired.

Overall: I would say this is a just-less-than-average B movie (it needed more action). It may well be a decent start to a "Jack Brooks" series, but as a stand alone, this film falls well-short of an Evil Dead 2 in creating an enduring monster slayer and doesn't have enough humor to be an enjoyable monster-slaying romp like Dead Alive. This is a Sunday afternoon watch, that can be watched while cooking dinnner and nothing is lost if you miss some of it.

Mirrors (2008)

Mirrors

The Good:

Keifer Sutherland was decent in the role, believable and a sympathetic lead character.

The subtle special effects during most of the film were well done.

I liked the concept in general.

The Bad:

The wife's acting.

Some special effects were badly done (some fire scenes).

A few things about the plot were absolute horror cliches.

The film almost seemed to be two seperate

Overall: I would love to see the original. I imagine it is creepier but perhaps that is wishful thinking on my part. It's not The Shining example of horror... but it was alright.

Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium (2007)

Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium

The Good:

I love you Natalie Portman.

I actually liked the kid in the film better than most of the adults... odd for me.

The special effects were neat.

The opening credits were very cool.

Fascinating blend of fantasy and reality.

The Bad:

I wasn't a big fan of the acting of Dustin Hoffman or Jason Bateman in this film, I usually enjoy both of them.

Dustin Hoffman's hair got on my nerves.

I felt rather unsatisfied with the ending.

Overall: As a kid's film it was ok at best. I watched it with a bunch of kids who all seemed unimpressed. Would have a better film with a bit more story and less reliance on special effects. Where is the Labyrinth or The Wizard of Oz for this generation.

The Dark Knight (2008)

The Dark Knight

Continuing the trend of comic book films, The Dark Knight, second in the new incarnation of Batman films, is far superior to Batman Begins. No origin stories, no screwing up the mythos, no weak portrayals of classic villains (I am referring to Ra's Al Ghul here, not Scarecrow. Scarecrow was awesome.). This film was grand I must admit. I went in skeptical and especially not wanting to like Heath Ledger as the Joker. But alas, Ledger was a fantastic Joker, much more Arkham Asylum and The Dark Knight Returns than previous incarnations. Caesar Romero was perfect for his time. Jack Nicholson was perfect for his time. Ledger is perfect for the comic fans who came of age in the late 80's and early 90's. Great movie. See it. See it again. This is what a Batman movie should be like. I will spoil nothing for you on this one, 2 and 1/2 hours well spent.

Comic Book Films where the sequel was better than the original:

The Dark Knight
X2
Spider-Man 2
Superman II

The Signal (2007)

The Signal

The Good:
Though the concept wasn't completely original, (take Night of the Living Dead and/or Invasion of the Body Snatchers and mix it with TV's Threshold) the idea was well executed.
You couldn't help but laugh at a lot of the middle of the movie. It was like it switched seemlessly from horror to dark comedy. Seriously, I chuckled to myself, I smiled a good bit and laughed aloud a couple of times.
The direction was very cool and the changes in perspective were a very nice addition.
The "exposition" was well-done.
I loved the character of Clark.

The Bad:
You question some of the decision made in the film, but I think perhaps you are meant to do so.
Some people were just juggernauts in relation to pain and injury.

Overall: I went into this movie not expecting to enjoy it, but honestly, I thought it was pretty great. Especially good when you consider it was a low budget horror. I am going to call this one a must-see for fans of the genre.

Batman: Gotham Knight (2008)

Do you like dark anime? Do you like Batman? Then this DVD is for you! It is a very slick take on Batman from multiple perspective and using a number of different anime styles. I was impressed with the range of emotion and depth in this DVD, which is actually a number of shorts. Some of the shorts deal with Batman directly and some of them do not, in those he is a catalyst character around which the events center. It has that nice gritty mood that most Dark Knight fans crave and if you don't care for one of the shorts, just wait a few minutes and another is on the way. This is a great watch for a nice afternoon DVD (or any time for that matter), plus it gets you a fix to hold you over until the new film comes out. Look for this video release on July 8th.

Directors:

Yasuhiro Aoki		(segment "In Darkness Dwells")
Futoshi Higashide		(segment "Crossfire")
Toshiyuki Kubooka		(segment "Working Through Pain")
Hiroshi Morioka		(segment "Field Test")
Shoujirou Nishimi		(segment "Have I Got a Story For You")

Screenwriters:

(in alphabetical order)
Brian Azzarello		screenplay (segment "Working Through Pain")
Alan Burnett		screenplay (segment "Deadshot")
Jordan Goldberg		story and screenplay (segment "Field Test")
David S. Goyer		screenplay (segment "In Darkness Dwells")
Josh Olson		screenplay (segment "Have I Got a Story For You")
Greg Rucka		screenplay (segment "Crossfire")

The Incredible Hulk (2008)

The Incredible Hulk

The Good:
So many nods to fans of the comic and the tv series it'll make your head spin!
The film really picked up on the feel of the television series and added many comic elements to it.
Norton was a great Banner.
Hurt was a decent General Thunderbolt Ross.
It was cool to see a gamma-irradiated brawl played out.
Tim Roth was pretty good as Blonsky.
The special effects were good... but...

The Bad:
The Hulk still looked CG to me.
I didn't like the propotions of the Hulk.
The continuity of at least one scene (early chase scene) was AWFUL, I mean Ed Wood style awful. Night then day then night... ugh.
The film seemed somewhat anti-climatic.
Liv Tyler.

Overall: This is no Iron Man by any stretch. Is it better than Hulk from 2003? Well, yes and no. The movie was a more traditional tribute to the character's history, but the editing wasn't nearly as good. In 2003 you had the wonderful Jennifer Connelly, in 2008 you get sub-par Liv Tyler. The storylines in both leave something to be desired. Both Hurt and Elliot were good General Ross-es. Norton was better than Bana (though I didn't hate Bana). I think it all comes down to in 2003 you had a terrible version of Absorbing Man and in 2008 you get the Abomination - 2008 is a better film just because of that. I liked it, but I would rent it.

The Ruins (2008)

The Ruins

The Good:
The concept was semi-original I guess.
It surprised me once.
It was...
The subtle special effects were alright.
I like the poster a lot.

The Bad:
Really there is so much to go into here: the problems with the believability of the plot and the concept, the acting, the lack of explanation, the length, the dialog, the movie.

Overall: I am sure that in novel form this idea would have come across much better. Don't waste your time on this one.

Cloverfield (2008)

Cloverfield

The Good:
Excellent concept that was executed extremely well.
The fast-paced movement of the movie was believable and tense.
Borrowed a lot of basic concepts from earlier Romero films, Godzilla movies and from The Blair Witch Project and combined them together amazingly.
The characters seemed real.
Neat editing.
Great special effects.
Expert storytelling.

The Bad:
Some of the wounds in the film would have been a lot more grievous than were played out.
I didn't see it in the theater.

Overall: Wow. Great flick! It is what Diary of the Dead wished it was. A must-see movie! I will say no more. Watch it (on the big screen if you get a chance)!

Diary of the Dead (2007)

Diary of the Dead

The Good:
Gotta enjoy a Romero zombie movie no matter what! :-)
I like that Romero went back to focusing on the people, because though I found the zombie evolution in Land of the Dead interesting, Romero's strength is the character interaction.
It seemed to take a lot from The Walking Dead, which of course had in turn taken a lot from Romero.
Samuel the Amish guy was awesome!

***The myspace.com shorts are a must watch on the DVD!!!***

The Bad:
I wasn't feeling the motivations of the characters so much in this one.
The social commentary in it was a lot more heavy-handed than usual, that detracted from the film in my opinion. It was like a social commentary with a story based around it rather than social commentary contained within a story.
The special effects were not so good.
The narration was a major distraction.
I didn't buy it as a student filmed documentary at all.

Overall: Is it better than the continuing Return of the Living dead franchise? Yes. Is it up to Night/Dawn/Day standards? Nowhere close. Worth watching? Yeah, I guess. But for the same basic concept, Cloverfield is much better.

Mr. Brooks (2007)

Mr. Brooks

The Good:
I enjoyed the exchanges between William Hurt and Kevin Costner and the physical mimicry very cool too.
I liked the meticulous nature of this serial killer.

The Bad:
Dane Cook was awful.
The "action" scenes were terribly directed and put together.
I had the plot figured out by the first third of the movie.

Overall: It is kind of ok for a Sunday afternoon watch or something (odd to say about a movie about a serial killer I know). It seemed leisurely and slow-paced. Blah... I was underwhelmed.

Sunshine (2007)

Sunshine

The Good:
It does an amazing job of making the setting seem real.
The film ask a number of interesting moral questions.
The special effects were awesome.
The odd spiritual, mystic almost, side of the film very much appealed to me.
I loved the score.

The Bad:
A few of the scenes were lifted straight out of other movies.
The last quarter of the film took an odd direction.
The acting ranged from pretty darn good to not-so-darn-good.
Some of the science was... strange.

Overall: I really enjoyed the movie. It was a good motion picture, I wish I could have seen it on the big screen. It reminds me of 2001: A Space Odyssey in many ways and takes a few cues from Solaris. A good space drama.

Lust, Caution (2007)

Lust, Caution

The Good:
This is a period piece that has a perfect feel for its era.
The story and drama take place as much in the silence and movement of the characters as in the dialog.
Mixing simplicity and innocence with a world of cruelty and complexity made for an intriguing tale.
Great direction, great acting.
The feeling of uncertainty that Ang Lee creates in the movie is wonderful.

The Bad:
It was long and felt long at times.
Is that all you need for an NC-17 rating, jesus, we are prudes.

Overall: A very strong and engaging drama, full of politics and human suffering on many levels. Ang Lee is a fantastic director and this film is well-worth seeing.

Iron Man (2008)

Iron Man

The Good:
First of all, I thought they really did the character of Tony Stark/Ironman justice.
The updated origin was great as was the look and feel of both Stark Industries and the armor.
Great theme.
Very much a character peice. The plot was propelled by the evolution of Tony Stark and the changes taking place in him.
The CG was perfect.
Bits of humor and just the right amount of Stark hubris.
The little nods to fans were awesome, from Rhodes to the "Ten Rings", I just kept smiling.

The Bad:
Some of it was predictable - way predictable.
Every time I saw Jeff Bridges I thought, "I'll take a White Russian." Must have been the facial hair.

Overall: A great comic book movie, on par with X-men or Spider-Man. Heck, a great movie in general. Two thumbs way up. I might see it again in the theater.

The Deaths of Ian Stone (2007)

The Deaths of Ian Stone

One of the After Dark Horrorfest films from 2007.

The Good:
Neat concept for a movie.
Multiple twists, some more predictable than others.
I enjoyed the movement of the film, kuddos to the director (it only seemd slow once or twice which is pretty freaking good for a low budget film in my opinion).
Simple special effects that were just effective enough for the plot.

The Bad:
Some of the ideas were taken from other films, but what movies' plots aren't.
Some of the acting was so-so.
A little bit of cheese in a few areas.

Overall: A little bit Jacob's Ladder, a little bit The Matrix, a little bit Dark City, a little bit ______ (that film would give away too much of the plot). All those little bits add up to a decent movie, check it out, it was really different than I expected.

P2 (2007)

P2

The Good:
Yeah...

The Bad:
The plot.
The characters.
The concept.
The setting.
The stupidity.
...
The acting was even on the not-so-good side.

Overall: Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, who the hell green-lighted this for a big budget feature?


***Just as an aside here, Rachel Nichols is slated to be Scarlet in the upcoming G.I.Joe film.***

Justice League: The New Frontier (2008)

Justice League: The New Frontier

The Good:
Great cast of voice-over actors.
Great cast of characters.
Very comic bookish style story (similar to the comic version).
Awesome animation.

The Bad:
Too short for a solid plotline in a feature film with multiple characters.
The comic version was a lot more robust in its feel and theme.
I would have liked a few more bad guy appearances, that's just the comic geek in me.
Too many characters, not enough character development in most areas.

Overall: I was real excited about this one, with Timm doing it and it being based on a fantastic comic. And it wasn't terrible, it just lacked that certain something that would have made it a Superman: Doomsday.