Resident Evil: Extinction (2007)

Resident Evil: Extinction

The Good:
The action scenes were pretty good.
I like the whole zombie holocaust idea, so that aspect of the plot appealed to me a lot.
I like Milla Jovovich as Alice.

The Bad:
All the decent parts of the plot were rip-offs from Romero or the earlier Resident Evil films... well, except for the whole new development in it, which was entirely ridiculous and even more unbelievable than the basic plot.
Not scary.
Not suspenseful.
The end was anti-climatic and didn't wrap things up very well.

Overall: Honestly, *sigh*, skip it. It's Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (minus the nuttiness) divided by Return of the Living Dead: Rave to the Grave (minus the humor).

The Invasion (2007)

The Invasion

The Good:
It was an interesting take on the story, I wouldn't exactly call the ideas groundbreaking but the way it was put together was interesting.
It had a lot of the same feel as Invasion of the Body Snatchers, of course.
The concept of the origin of the "virus" was good.
I liked the fast-acting nature of this take on the invasion.

The Bad:
The big thing I was disappointed in was the itself. I did not feel for any of the characters or their motivations (as primal as they were).
The action was blah.
The suspense was lacking.

Overall: It could have been a lot better. It didn't freak me out like it should have. Honestly, I think the best version of this film/story is 1978 version of Invasion of the Body Snatchers.

Halloween (2007)

Halloween

The Good:
Malcolm McDowell and Sheri Moon Zombie were decent in the film.
The story tried to explain a lot more about the character of Michael Myers.
The music was pretty good.
The opening story of Michael's young life was interesting.

The Bad:
It took forever to get rolling.
I found it to be completely unbelievable.
I didn't think it was scary.
The end seemed anti-climatic.

Overall: The original Halloween did it all better 30 years ago. I have liked Rob Zombie's film up until this one. It wasn't terrible but it wasn't anywhere near as good as John Carpenter's version.

Superbad (2007)

Superbad

Alright, time for a nontraditional Pope review.

People have been telling for a while now that I "had to see Superbad". I tend to think a movie with this much attention is going to be a letdown for me. I mean people build things up sometimes and you go into it with such high expectations that you can easily turn a decent film into a totally sad and anti-climatic experience. This was my fear with this film.

I have to say though... I loved it. A combo of people from Freaks and Geeks and Arrested Development set completely free to write and direct and star in a film that doesn't have to hold back the way television forces you too. It was golden.

I am not going to say it was quite a Super Troopers, but it was damn sure close (and to be honest, the rest of the stuff from Broken Lizard hasn't been nearly as good as Super Troopers - I have a lot more hope and faith in Seth Rogen and his crew). I highly recommend this film. It was so different than I expected and so more fun than I had thought possible from a "high school" film.

Tin Man (TV - 2007)

Tin Man

The Good:
The story itself was interesting, the best elements were definitely the character-driven subplots and characterization.
Following up on the above point, the whole "Tin Man" idea was very cool, the reason for the "lion's cowardice" was well-crafted and the no-brain thing was interesting if a bit weird.
I liked the fact they stuck with many of the story elements but came up with a whole new plot concept.
Alan Cumming was great as Glitch (the Scarecrow of sorts).
There were a lot of nods to the original The Wizard of Oz, well, the 1939 one at least. Some of them were good, some were cheesy.

The Bad:
It was just a hair too dark in scenery for me... I would have liked a little more of the vivid dream colors that made Oz, instead we got an improved version of Flash Gordon: The Series scenery.
The use of acronyms was annoying as crap, O.Z. and D.G.
D.G.'s acting was kind of blah.
A few loose ends were left at the end.

Overall: It was worth a watch, but be aware it is a 4 and a half hour commitment. It was fun and a hell of a lot better than a the fecal matter the sci-fi channel usually produces. It was no The Wizard of Oz to be sure, it's more along the lines of being a step-sister to Return to Oz. I liked it pretty good.

The Condemned (2007)

The Condemned

The Good:
If you enjoy fighting-game-style movies then the plot might appeal to you (though it has been done in one variation or another about 1000 times).
The characters were... hehe... characters.
I laughed one really good laugh during the film - not sure the part was meant to be funny though.

The Bad:
The fight cinematography was terrible! It was so jerky it made me feel sick to watch it.
The main character, played by Steve Austin, was absolutely ridiculous. Every line he delivered was unbelievable and trite.
The plot was predictable to an extreme.

Overall: I don't know why the WWE thinks it should be in the business of making films. I am not even sure why I watched the whole thing. This makes The Scorpion King look like a classic cinema (I make the comparison because the Rock is in it).

The Simpsons Movie (2007)

The Simpsons Movie

The Good:
The animation was neat.
There were about 5 damn good laughs.
One of the fun things in watching is recognizing the random characters from the show and the "scene references" to other films.

The Bad:
Way too short.
Only about as good as a decent episode of the show from the good years.
The Lisa plot was boring, the Bart plot seemed like a rehash of an earlier Maggie plot, and the Marge-Homer dynamic was anything but dynamic. Overall the plot was lacking.

Overall: I thought it was a bit of a letdown honestly. I would say instead of wasting your time renting the movie, rent or buy The Simpsons Season 8, because the second episode "You Only Move Twice" is ten times better than the movie and is in my opinion the greatest Simpsons episode ever(that's the Hank Scorpio episode btw - with Albert Brooks).

Disturbia (2007)

Disturbia

The Good:
Some of the directing was neat, but nothing extraordinary (especially not the last 10 minutes sadly).
Shia LaBeouf was decent, though he was better in Transformers.
Aaron Yoo, who played the main character's friend, was pretty good in his role.
It was an interesting premise.

The Bad:
The first 30 - 45 minutes is basically a waste. It's boring while not advancing the plot much at all.
Carrie-Anne Moss was surprisingly boring in her role.
I didn't think the interesting part of the plot - the basics are revealed in the movie poster above - was really delved into nearly enough... or maybe it was just not explored in very interesting way.
As the film progressed, it asked for too much suspension of disbelief.
The whole "love story" crap was terrible.

Overall: Alright, honestly I didn't expect to like it a lot... and I didn't. Watch Rear Window instead... duh.

Hitman (2007)

Hitman

The Good:
First off, Olga Kurylenko is so unbelievably, ridiculously, and breath-takingly hot in this film. Never heard of her before, but she is gorgeous and makes the film worth a watch by herself!
The fight choreography was pretty good in the film.
There were a few chuckles included.
Decent, if unbelievable, action.

The Bad:
I wasn't a fan of the directing or editing in the film. It was a little too choppy for my tastes in parts and a little too slow-motion-filled in others.
The acting was so-so.
The plot was similar to half the action movie plots out there (mix a little The Bourne Identity with The Transporter, but make it based in Russia!) .
Too little character development for my liking too.

Overall: For a video game movie, it falls dead center in the ranks. It was no Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (which I enjoyed) but it sure was no BloodRayne (avoid). Rent it if you are curious and can't go without checking it out (at least for Olga). It's not terrible.

*I got to see it at a preview screening thanks to my buddy Mike.*

Death Proof (2007)

Death Proof

The Good:
The music, as with all Tarintino movies, was great.
The feel of the exploitation film was expressed very nicely in this movie (in the first half at least, in the second half it has faded but it works really well like that).
The characters were very cool, especially the parallel sets of characters.
Amazing shots.
A very sexy feel.
Nods to other Tartintino movies.
Rosario Dawson and Syndey Tamiia Poitier :-D

The Bad:
It is not a normal plot progression (this might be a problem for some people).
The female round table shots were weak compared to the same basic thing in Reservior Dogs.
It is a little slow to start.

Overall: I can't say too much here, even about my conclusions without giving away some of the plot. I will say this though, I loved this movie. Totally different than I expected. So "sexploitation"/exploitation and so not... bravo Quentin.

Just a note...

I apologize for my recent lapse of entries and absence. I shall return soon.

The Corporation (2003)

The Corporation

I am trying to tone down my political rhetoric a little bit, especially in forums where it is less appropriate. The Corporation was an amazing and sadly prophetic documentary of the rise of the corporate world. I distrust business even more now... I didn't think it was possible. I loved it.

Jekyll (TV - 2007)

Jekyll (First Season)

I just watched the first season (six episodes) of Jekyll and I just wanted to say, it's awesome. Find it. Watch it. Beautifully directed and written, fantastic acting, amazing use of theme and elements of dichotomy... I was hooked. Horror, humor, philosophical questions and scientific speculation, the series is full of it all. Wow... I mean... wow. I can't wait until next season (although the very very very end was a little predictable, but what are you going to do when you have to come back next season?), although I'm worried it wouldn't be able to live up to the first season's greatness.

Keep in mind: "The series is described by its creators as a sequel to the novella Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, rather than an adaptation of it, and the Robert Louis Stevenson tale is used within the series as a backstory." - Wikipedia entry for Jekyll

Masters of Science Fiction: Jerry Was A Man (TV - 2007)

Masters of Science Fiction: Jerry Was A Man (Episode Three)

The Good:
It was light-hearted and I chuckled a few times.
The ideas in the story are always good ones to think about, and were presented differently than I have seen the ideas presented before.

The Bad:
Everything that was good about this idea, has been done before, and better.
No one was exceptional in this episode.

Overall: Well, it's no Bladerunner and it's no Star Trek The Next Generation: The Measure of a Man, but it was alright. Not the best of the series so far. I am looking forward to next week's episode, The Discarded (written by Harlan Ellison and directed by Jonathan Frakes).

The Contract (2006)

The Contract

The Good:
The main storyline was decent.
Morgan Freeman is a pleasure to watch in nearly any film.
Beautiful scenery (though honestly underutilized).

The Bad:
Morgan Freeman's character's motivations were difficult to discern (this was a minor qualm really).
John Cusack was disappointing.
Some of the things that happened were just too predictable.
The subplots were shallow.
Most of the characters were 2D.
The "father-son bonding" crap was just not believable.

Overall: To see an interesting outdoors adventure, I recommend you rent The Edge instead.

TMNT (2007)

TMNT

I have found memories of a lot of cartoons from my childhood, GI Joe, Transformers, Thundercats, and I expect a lot from any feature film that takes my younger years and tries to make a film from the animation of my past. So far, no Thundercats movie. There was G.I. Joe: The Movie, which was awesome, but was really just a straight continuation of the franchise from the time (in other words I was still a kids when it came out), so no real G.I. Joe movie yet. Transformers was a failure in my opinion the box office disagrees with me, I endorse the original The Transformers: The Movie a hundred times over the crap they just released. Underdog the new feature looks terrible. Blah blah blah. My point is I am usually quite harsh on films that try to capitalize on the X and Y generations' nostalgia for the cartoons of yesteryear.

This brings me the TMNT, the first fully animated Teenage Ninja Turtles movie. I loved it. The film had amazing animation. Between the rain and the shallow focus to create a sense of depth, I was just in awe. The action also was very well choreographed. The fights scenes were sweet. The story was good, not great, but quite good. Splinter was freakin hilarious. I would have soooooo loved to have this come out when I was a kid! But as an adult... I still really liked it. Sometimes you just gotta wallow in the fun films, Cowabunga dude! - yeah I said it, bite me!

On a side note, my first "date" was to the orginal live-action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles :-)

The Reaping (2007)

The Reaping

The Good:
The acting was alright in this feature, Hilary Swank is a decent actress.
The effects on the plagues were well done.
The plot had some interesting twists to it.
It was, for the mos part, a fascinating science versus superstition theme, or perhaps apostasy versus religion.
The progression on the story moved along with good pacing.

The Bad:
They actually went extra-biblical on a few parts.
The story reminded me of a few other films in this genre, I won't mention which ones, as that might give away parts of the plot.
There were some parts that were predictable.

Overall: Not nearly as bad as I was expecting. I seem to remember this fim getting panned, it's not that bad. I have a feeling that if it were made 20 years ago it would be a cult classic. I say give it a shot, it's above average for this type of film.

Masters of Science Fiction: The Awakening (TV - 2007)

Master of Science Fiction: The Awakening (Episode Two)

The Good:
I liked the actors, Terry O'Quinn, William B. Davis, and the second nod to Law & Order so far in this series, Elisabeth Rohm.
There was some interesting geo-political questions proposed in this episode.
The story arc was well-crafted.
Fascinating overtones to the plot, I wanted them explored a little to more to tell the truth, but it's only an hour show.

The Bad:
There were a few parts where I questioned the director's (or perhaps editor's) choice of editing.
The very beginning hooked me so well, I was a little disappointed it did not continue a bit longer.
Some unanswered questions.

Overall: Another decent showing for this series. I just hope it stays at least this good for the remainder of the season and will distinguish itself a little more from The Outer Limits style it is copying right now. I love The Outer Limits, but this show needs to stand on its own two feet eventually and I think it can given time.

Masters of Science Fiction: A Clean Escape (TV - 2007)

Masters of Science Fiction: A Clean Escape (Episode One)

The Good:
The opening and closing voice-over is Stephen Hawking, the original cyborg himself (just kidding, I love that guy!).
Sam Waterston is great in this, though I did keep wanting someone to say, "Mr.McCoy, my client is ready to talk."
The story is pretty good, nice concept, nice execution.
There a few really neat twists in it.
Posed some good philosophical/ethical questions.

The Bad:
Dr. Evans' flashbacks were a little confusing because I thought that the guy in them was supposed to be a younger Havelman, Sam Waterston, it's not.
The pauses for commercial breaks are very "off" if you are fortunate enough to see it without commercials. The ways it came back in were a bit jarring.

Overall: I thought this was a great start to this new series. It is definitely science fiction but it was focused more on the human element than the "sci-fi-ness" of the story. The biggest drawback is the fact that it was on network TV (unlike the Masters of Horror series which is on Showtime), so you know it won't be too risky, but that fact aside, it was a good beginning for this new show, not amazing, but a solid start.

Battlespace (2006)

Battlespace

The Good:
The story itself was neat. It is a tale of faith versus technology or perhaps the paths of humanity's future.
The concepts for the tech, though some were not wholly original, were interesting.
Nice variety in the look of the ships and buildings.

The Bad:
Most of the story was told in a voice-over.
The acting was not-so-good.
The actual script was very sparse.
It is very long to be what it is.
Much of the film takes place in a desert.
If low budget special effects get on your nerves, don't watch this.

Overall: Keep in mind this was a low budget film. The movie as a whole is not terrible, but it is very much like a long fan film or something. If you can endure this feature, being what it is, you will be a true fan of scifi for the sake of it being scifi. In other words, it's ok for a low budget film, in the overall scheme of things, it's below average.

Big Nothing (2006)

Big Nothing

The Good:
The actors were perfect for their roles, perfect.
It was funny (you must like situation-style comedy rather than expect "jokes" or "gags" to really enjoy it).
The plot was complicated... hard to explain, but this was a great boon to the film.
I laughed aloud multiple times.
Cool soundtrack.
I liked the ending.

The Bad:
A few parts were predictable, but not enough to make the whole movie so.
A few times you will probably say, "Really? Don't you think it would be smarter to..."

Overall: I was pleasantly surprised to enjoy this as much as I did. It isn't awesome, but it is an enjoyable film through and through if you are willing to just "go with it".

Let's Go To Prison (2006)

Let's Go To Prison

The Good:
You can get a few decent laughs from this film, of course you have to be willing to laugh at lowbrow antics mostly, and I am definitely not above such things.
I enjoyed the beginning quite a bit.
The very end was funny.
The actors are good in their roles.
Technotronic.

The Bad:
Predictable.
Much of the movie was trying to be funny but wasn't hitting the mark.
Some of the characters were silly, not in the good way.
Odd conclusion that doesn't really make sense if you think about it.
Technotronic.

Overall: A stock comedy, nothing special plus and/or minus Technotronic.

The Butterfly Effect 2 (2006)

The Butterfly Effect 2

The Good:
The special effects were alright.
It was only 80 minutes long.

The Bad:
I hated the main character. I disliked him from the get-go. He was arrogant and a complete jerk. I have seen villains with more likability than this guy. Boo. The fact that the main character could move in time only slightly bothered him or intrigued him, he just used it.
The plot was a bit unbelievable (even without the 'power").
Ending was stupid.

Overall: The first one wasn't that good and the second one wasn't even as good as the first.

Flash Gordon (TV - 2007)

Flash Gordon (TV Series Premiere)

The Good:
Eric Johnson looks the part of Flash Gordon and his acting was ok too - I think after a few episodes he'll be a lot better.
I liked the way Mongo looked and the tech seemed a nice compromise between cheese and modern futurism.
Truthfully, there was a touch of cheese, but not too much.
Special effects were cool.
The story itself was pretty neat, it kept my interest, and it follows up Doctor Who quite well (which is what airs right before it on the Sci-Fi Channel).

The Bad:
Where's the rocket ship? I am growing weary of this dimensional gate crap that's all the rage in sci-fi.
I guess the people from Mongo speak English.
They were looking for an IMAX? Heheheheeeee! They wanted to see a big movie I guess.
Alright, so the "Old Ming" was a bit non-pc. He was from Mongo, sounds a lot like Mongol (kept the same in the new series), and his name was Ming, a common Chinese name and indeed the name of an entire dynasty (kept the same). You know what though, the "Old Ming" had style, Mandarin style. The "New Ming" has a look that is little different than the officers in Battlestar Galactica or a Peacekeeper from Farscape. I like the look and style of the "Old Ming" better.

Overall: Was it what I was expecting? No. Was it perfect? No. Did I find it worth watching? Yes. Will I watch a few more episodes to see if it is a good series? Yes. I say, it has potential.

Old Ming

(or)

New Ming

The Last Man on Earth (1964)

The Last Man on Earth

So I was bored and flipping throuogh the channels earlier and I stumbled upon Vincent Price in a movie on TCM. It has been a good while since I have seen any "classic" films, so I decided to give this one a shot.

The Good:
Vincent Price is awesome. I felt the pain and loneliness of Dr.Robert Morgan in the movie.
It's a great story arc, I thought the plot was very well put together and thought-through.
There were some neat twists in it that I didn't see coming and I loved the ending.
A lot of subtle science versus superstition themes.
Hope, grief, tragedy and panic all work together in this film.

The Bad:
The ADR was terrible.
Some of the other actors weren't as amazing as Vincent Price.
I noticed a few editing/continuity errors.

Overall: Cool flick! It reminded me a lot of Omega Man and it is the forefather of such film as 28 Days Later and Blade. Lots of fun, watch it.

Warriors of Terra (2006)

Warriors of Terra

For all my Sci-Fi Channel movie fans, here's another one for you. You know the kind I am talking about... Take a movie, say Resident Evil. Switch the characters in that film with the characters in a different film, a cast of kids like those in Hackers (but not as cool). Take away anything resembling a real plot, and find one actor who people have heard of to give the movie some cred. This movie is one you could watch on a Sunday afternoon and sleep through most of it and not miss a thing.

What's that you say? It's not actually a Sci-Fi movie. Well, give it a few months and we'll see.

Spirit Trap (2005)

Spirit trap

It's like a British version of House on Haunted Hill, or is it more a really bad facsimile of The Shining? Either way, just look at the DVD cover, it resembles all the crap from the American Teen Horror run of the late 90's/early 00's (don't rent anything with a row of people at the bottom of the poster or DVD cover - go to the video store, you'll see what I mean). It is not worth watching, even the gorgeous Billie Piper couldn't save this one.

Renaissance (2006)

Renaissance

This is an interesting animated scifi noir tale that combines the technology of Ghost in the Shell, the feel of Blade Runner, and stylized look of Sin City. It is slow to start but the sleek graphics in the movie easily keep your attention. Once the pacing begins to right itself, the plot follows suit. You begin to see the classic noir story elements emerge more clearly before too long. None of the characters were completely whole to me, but often the characters in this genre are 2D for purposes of style. I enjoyed this film quite a bit, but it is nothing revolutionary.

The Korvac Box (2006)

The Korvac Box

This was a very mediocre film. Nothing was all that good about it, nothing was all that bad. The plot is decent, the acting is fine, the directing was adequate... *sigh* solid middle of the road movie here. The plot is "slightly" scifi... I'm not sure what else to say here. 5 out of 10.

To watch a film with a roughly similar plot that is a lot better, try In the Mouth of Madness.

The Host (2006)

The Host

The Good:
This movie got started quick and kept up the pacing throughout.
A good creature feature is hard to find, but I enjoyed this one a lot.
It combined the good elements of a number of horror/scifi films in it to good effect. It had the family drama of War of the Worlds, the paranoia of an Outbreak, the cool special effects of a Relic, and parts of Mimic were also beckoned (btw, none of those movies are really that great on their own).
The characters in this dysfunctional family really grow on you.
Great ending.

The Bad:
I watched the dubbed version (I usually don't but had to this time), the voices were terrible.
A few parts just made little sense.
Some of it was predictable, but not too much.

Overall: A cool South Korean monster movie, well worth a watch if you enjoy the genre as much as I do.

The Number 23 (2007)

The Number 23

The Good:
I enjoy Jim Carrey as an actor more and more with each role he plays.
The directing was nice, especially in conjunction with the very cool cinematography and excellent editing.
It was a thriller, in the traditional sense.
The plot was very neat, not entirely shocking, but good enough throughout to keep one's attention.
The stark contrasting elements in the film were well done.
The number 23 stalks the film at every corner.
Madness, obsession, and noir, great combination.

The Bad:
Well, I might be able to come up with some stuff, but I just don't feel like it.

Overall: A good movie, not a horror like I expected, but a psychological very stylized film noir. A little bit Gothika, a little bit Memento, and a slice of Pi.

The Asphyx (1973)

The Asphyx

I do say old chap, how would you fancy a science fiction tale told in the grand Victorian style?

No good sir,just a dash of horror.

Not too much excitement, but a nice tragedy woven in with it.

Quite, quite, it's thirty-five years old.

I did enjoy it.

Captivity (2007)

Captivity

The Good:
Elisha Cuthbert is kind of pretty I guess.
Well, on to the next part...

The Bad:
Predictable.
I really didn't care in the slightest for a single one of the characters.
There were a few parts where I thought, "Physics don't work out the way you're pretending." (that's pretty bad when it isn't even a sci-fi).
The things the characters did were stupid, both those in "captivity" and the cops.
To use the word "boring" is not a stretch here.

Overall: If you really need to see an idiot's version of Saw/Hostel/Turistas, then enjoy! Otherwise avoid. I do like the poster for it I found (see above).

Blur (2007)

Blur

The acting wasn't that good, the plot wasn't that good, the things the characters did didn't make sense (especially the main character). I just want to shrug at this movie and shake my head. It isn't miserable, but its just not good.

The Call of Cthulhu (2005)

The Call of Cthulhu

This a very well-done recreation of a silent film. It holds very close to the original H.P Lovecraft tale of the same name. It's not too long either, which is a good thing because many people today can get bored with a silent film quite quickly. The effects were rather cheap but perfectly fitting with the style of movie they made. I enjoyed it a lot (but then again I am a fan of interesting film-making and H.P. Lovecraft so take what I say here with a grain of salt).

Premonition (2007)

Premonition

The Good:
This film is an interesting take on being displaced in time (it is more a emotional-spiritual question that is posed, rather than a scientific or logical one).
The use of imagery was neat in the film (blood/the color red, glass, water).
Contrasts were also executed well in the movie (science and religion, stranger and friend, young and old).
Sandra Bullock was good in it, I often don't really care for her, but she was good in this.

The Bad:
For some reason I thought much of the music was mismatched for the scenes it was in.
Some of the emotions expressed by the characters did not seem genuine (but Sandra Bullock's did).
Plot was pretty predictable.
I thought the "fade to white"s were overused.
Too many montages (yes, yes, I was watching the movie, that just happened).

Overall: It was alright I suppose. I was hoping for a lot more, but I guess I'll have to just keep thinking Run Lola Run was the best time displacement movie.

Blood and Chocolate (2007)

Blood and Chocolate

Take one cup of Wolfen and mix it throughly with your 2/3 cup of The Lost Boys. It may look a little like Underworld right now, but that will mix a little more smoothly as you stir. When it looks like all the lumps are out, you will want to throw in about 2 generous tablespoons of An American Werewolf in Paris (I personally would have added one half cup of An American Werewolf in London, but that's not what you need to make this recipe - the young people would rather have a fluffy center than the traditional thicker middle). Mix thoroughly. Top with a dusting of The Covenant and a dash of dog hair, optionally if the dog hair is too spicy, you can substitute a little The Howling 5: The Rebirth. Serve cold, very cold.

If you'd like a better recipe, I recommend Ginger Snaps.

Vacancy (2007)

Vacancy

The Good:
Kate Beckinsale is just awesome. I like her in nearly everything she has ever starred in.
Luke Wilson was good in it too.
There was a lot of very purposeful motion in the film, the camera angles and movement went well with the suspenseful nature of the film.
I like a good suspense-oriented horror, especially one with a simple plot that doesn't try to hard to be clever... I'm looking at you Saw...
The buildup in the movie is done well.

The Bad:
A few of their decisions were questionable, but that is the nature of this genre.
The interactive dynamic between the protagonists was broadcast from the first few lines.
I thought it could have been a tad longer, maybe another 20 minutes or so. I was into it and then it began its last stretch.

Overall: It was like an updated version of Psycho but with better pacing and less sympathy for the villain. The film is a decent suspense, I must admit, I was a little surprised. And as an aside, I never liked Psycho.

The Messengers (2007)

The Messengers

The Good:
This is much more a ghost story than a horror movie.
The acting was pretty good.
The film had some good, if not unexpected twists in it.
The imagery in it was executed well, especially in the use of contrasting elements.

The Bad:
The music used is more suited for a horror film, this is not really a horror film.
Some of the baiting of your curiosity is overdone to the point where you begin to say, "Who cares?"
The family dynamic in the film is a bit stilted.
I think a lot of this movie has been done before in other films.

Overall: It could have been better, it could have been worse. A little bit The Amityville Horror (without the scares), a little bit The Devil's Backbone (without the great plot) and a little bit The Grudge (I really have little to say about The Grudge, I wasn't impressed at all by it). Dead smack dab in the center of the road.

The Hills Have Eyes 2 (2007)

The Hills Have Eyes 2

The Good:
I always enjoy when a film pits a small military unit against some strange malevolent creatures (done most adeptly in Dog Soldiers, a must-see).
Not everything the soldiers did was idiotic like in most horror films. Some of it you might definitely question, but there was motivation there.
It was quite different from the first movie, which was a remake of a 1977 cult classic.
Some of the death scenes were original.

The Bad:
There was little in the way of plot... soldiers forced to fight mutants basically.
Some of what would normally be scares are broadcast a mile away, so the film is more of an action film than a horror (aside from the gratuitous gore I suppose).
A few characters were a little over-the-top.
No twists really at all.
A few plot points were just left off, like the director didn't care enough to bring some of the elements to conclusion.
My biggest complaint was a lot of the movie took place underground and they didn't really "use" the darkness as a feature effectively.

Overall: If you like the current vein of horror that is like the two newer Texas Chainsaw Massacre movies, then it's not so bad, it's on par with the majority of that ilk. But if you want to see a good horror film that takes place underground see Descent instead, it is ten times the movie this one is.

Transformers (2007)

Transformers

The Good:
The special effects were very great (duh!).
The main characters Sam (Shia LaBeouf), Mikaela Banes (Megan Fox), and Bumblebee were pretty decent.
The first 1/2 of the film was good. It had potential.
The fight sequences involving Star Scream were very cool.

The Bad:
Freakin Michael Bay man, freakin Michael Bay...
The action in many parts was difficult to follow.
The plot was bad, bad bad bad.
Nothing in the film was original. It stole elements from Independence Day, Marvel Comics, War of the Worlds, Behold a Pale Horse, and countless other already cliche sources.
I still wish the Transformers looked more like the originals, but this is just a small gripe really.
I did not have a single emotional reaction to the film.
Jazz was terrible.
Ironhide was underused.
Ratchet was useless.
Prime was uninspired.
And pretty much all the Decepticons were uninteresting and superfluous (Megatron and Star Scream were so-so).
Okay, now my big complaint. I found the film to have a strange undercurrent of a nationalistic racism. The soldiers continually yelled at the Latino in their unit to "Speak English!", there is a comment about Iranian scientists that was unnecessary and the Decepticons spoke a different language when they arrived while the Autobots spoke English (suggestive, if subtle).

Overall: Disappointment... *sigh* Seeing it on the big screen is neat, and I am glad I did, because had I seen it on DVD, there would have been no saving graces at all (the big robots were fun to see). It is not a good movie, average at best, at best.

Unknown (2006)

Unknown

The Good:
Although this movie is compared in a few places to the vomit-inducing film Cube, it takes the good ideas of Cube and executes them in a much more masterful way (ie people trapped in a place without memory of how they got there).
The acting was pretty good.
The dropped hints and little bits of information keep you pulled into the plot.
Nice twists.

The Bad:
Nothing in the film is really all that original, just done well.
The story that takes place outside the warehouse, is not nearly as interesting as the action and drama inside the warehouse. I kept wanting it to get back to the warehouse.

Overall: So much better than House of 9 or Cube, which are both along the same lines. It is definitely worth a watch, don't go out of your way, but do pick it up sometime.

Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon (2006)

For those who love the slasher classics (Friday the 13th, Halloween, so on), this film is a riot. The premise is a grad school film crew are following a guy who plans on being a new slasher legend. It is immensely entertaining, quirky, and quite funny in parts. There aren't a whole lot of surprises and the acting isn't the greatest, but I enjoyed this movie more than I expected. It's a little bit Scream and a little bit Blair Witch Project and a whole heap of fun.

Death of a President (2006)

Death of a President

This is a fascinating exercise in "What if". It takes the frightening premise of "What if George W. Bush was assassinated?" The film is done in documentary style (high class documentary). It asks a lot of interesting questions about what we think as a nation and where we could so easily be headed. It is well put together and the acting is good. It is wonderful piece of imagination and a warning to American people. It is worth a watch, but honestly I found it less moving than I thought it could be.

The Breed (2006)

The Breed

The Good:
Holy crap, real dogs! I know that is the whole premise of the film, but what I mean to say is, these were real dogs not CGI.
It is in modern monster movie format, I guess specifically you would call this a "creature feature", seeing as how the whole draw is the genetically manipulated dogs... wait is that a good thing?
The characters actions weren't entirely stupid.

The Bad:
One character, Lost's Michelle Rodriguez, gets an arrow through the leg and then went on to do like gymnastics ten minutes later.
The beginning was terrible, like foreshadowing for idiots, or just bad scripting.
The very end was terrible.
Don't expect any real exposition (here, I'll give it to you: There are genetically engineered dogs the army made on this island, period.)

Overall: Wes Craven, have you just gotten lazy? Shame on you, shame. I think he'll produce anything now. This movie is at best a mediocre modern style horror and at worst a complete waste of time. Oh course it was this director's first film behind the wheel solo.

The Brothers Grimm (2005)

Brothers Grimm

The Good:
Some of the shots were amazing, the camera movements were very cool.
Anything with Monica Bellucci is alright with me.
The acting was ok, if a little melodramatic.

The Bad:
I found the film really predictable every step of the way.
It didn't seem as "inspired" as most of Gilliam's movies, I am a huge fan most of the time.
The "fairy tale" parts were cliched at best.
It felt very long.

Overall: Not Gilliam's best movie at all. It is maybe a 28% The Adventures of Baron Munchausen or maybe a 7% The Fisher King.

Knocked Up (2007)

Knocked Up

The Good:
A number of parts were genuinely funny.
The film was "sweet".
I loved the cast, most are from Freaks and Geeks (awesome show - you should rent it now!) - Seth Rogen was great and I always enjoy Martin Starr. Also excellent in the cast was Paul Rudd, Leslie Mann and Harold Ramis.
Much of the film felt quite real, like the potheads doing "nothing" very slowly only to find out their entire enterprise was useless.

The Bad:
Though it seemed a lot like a Freaks and Geeks episode, it didn't have the depth to it like the show did (of course that's 2 hours versus a season).
It was predictable from beginning to end.

Overall: I enjoyed it a lot more than the average romantic comedy. It's decent but you can wait for the video, the big screen doesn't really add anything.

Review Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006)

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest

The Good:
The special effects were great. The subtle touches like Davy Jones' beard made his character "real".
The fight scenes were good and touched with humor.
The acting was decent.

The Bad:
I was not into the plot at all.
The characters seemed more 2D in this film.
I started wondering, "When will this end?"
It is a complete setup for a sequel, couldn't stand alone.
They reveal too much to the audience during the film.

Overall: Well, honestly I say watch the first film again instead. This one is just not on par with it.

*Special thanks to my buddy Dan Anderson for letting me borrow the film.*

Review of Children of Men (2006)

Children of Men

This is a perfect example of how a director and a cinematographer can completely shape a film. From the steady camera work at the beginning to the frantic war documentary style near the end. From the choice of music to set the mood to the St.Francis of Assisi aura around the main character. The tone and feel of the movie is amazing. The plot and characters were not really that extraordinary, but the acting coupled with the pacing and direction crafted a story that draws you in completely. A truly great film.