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.

War (2007)

War

The Good:
Decent fight scenes.
I generally enjoy Jet Li and Jason Statham was great in The Transporter.
The plot seemed familiar... oh yeah, the classic A Fist Full of Dollars plot, it is always fun to see it executed in a different setting.
I liked the Asian club scene, cool girl in the dark Go-Go dancers!

The Bad:
Ugh... action movies with multiple "twists" are kind of annoying... unless the twists are good.
Wow, I guess the Yakuza and the Triads are idiots!
Not nearly enough hand-to-hand combat for Jet Li to have a lead role in it.
Parts of it were directed so fast and choppy it was difficult to watch.
The dialog was so-so at best.

Overall: There are plenty of better action movies out there to see. Unless you really like morons engaging in gang warfare, there is little reason to see this film. It lacks the H2H of a good Jet Li movie and the interesting western combat stylings of a good Jason Statham film.

The Man from Earth (2007)

The Man from Earth

The entire film takes place at John Oldman's cabin as he is leaving. Friends from the university faculty, many of them scientists, gather round to see him off. After a fashion, John begins to weave a tale that is about a 14,000 year old caveman that is still alive today and that caveman John claims is himself. Most of the film is storytelling, scientific questioning, philosophical wondering and religious debating. It kept me quite sucked in throughout. I would have gone with a different ending, but I am not complaining about it. The Man from Earth was exactly what I was in the mood for, a little mental stretching and a few smiles. This was really a good flick. Watch and enjoy, but be forewarned it is much more a storytelling session than a traditional film.

Outpost (2007)

Outpost

The Good:
Although the idea of the story has been done before, it seldom gets old to me. In a lot of ways, it is become a genre all to itself - "Dimensional Breach" genre (including films like Event Horizon and The Mist and nominally films like Pulse).
I like Ray Stevenson as an actor (see Rome).
The Nazi, the perfect villain.

The Bad:
Little character development.
Slow to start.
I would have liked a bit more exposition.
Some predictability.

Overall: Better than a Sci-Fi Original movie, not great though. I enjoyed watching it and enjoyed the idea. If you don't mind one color tone for an entire film, it's fine really. Nice ending too.

Say Anything... (1989)

Say Anything...

The Good:
It was a semi-sweet story about the triumph of youth and hope.
The acting was fine, for the most part.
It was cool seeing so many people early in their careers.
Some of it was humorous.
John Cusack was good in it.

The Bad:
There didn't seem to be much of an interesting story arc to me, I kept waiting for it to really get going.
The boombox scene was a lot less important or cool as I was expecting considering it is like a pop movie iconic reference.
The film seemed really dated in look and feel (of course it is).
I honestly thought the character development was lacking for the empathy it was demanding.

Overall: Sorry everyone of my generation, I just didn't get it. The film was fine all-n-all, but nothing special. Perhaps I needed to see it when I was 17 or something. I prefer Sixteen Candles or The Breakfast Club hands down. *sigh* I will admit, perhaps I was expecting too much.

Undead or Alive (2007)

Undead or Alive

The Good:
Come on, it's a zombie comedy set in the Old West!
This might be Chris Kattan's best movie ever.
There were a few good chuckles in the film.
It moved pretty quickly.
Zombies!

The Bad:
You weren't expecting a perfect plot were you?
You weren't expecting a perfect acting were you?
You weren't expecting a perfect directing were you?
You weren't expecting a perfect (insert your own word here) were you?

Overall: I liked it ok. It is worth it if you like B-movie style comedy and zombies. "A lower budget low-rate Shanghai Noon that wants to eat your brain" is the best I can do in describing it.

Mean Girls (2004)

Mean Girls

Finally saw Mean Girls. Wow, it was really funny! I enjoyed the whole movie to be honest. I would not dare to say it was a great film or will change cinema or anything, but it was well-written and decently acted and pretty darn hilarious (and so true about HS girls). Lindsay Lohan and Lacy Chabert and Tina Fey all did a great job and were very in-character.

I have no idea why I waited so long to watch this...

And as a final note, Tim Meadows was freaking AWESOME in it. Every time he opened his mouth I laughed.

Attention!!! Attenttion!!! A Special Anouncement!!!

The Film Crew are a comedic team similar to Mystery Science Theater 3000, comprising former MST3K cast members Michael J. Nelson, Bill Corbett, and Kevin Murphy.

So far I have seen 2 of their films, The Film Crew: Hollywood After Dark and The Film Crew: Killers From Space, and have really enjoyed them (the latter a bit more than the former). I must admit, I do miss the "robots", but the humor is still there. Check 'em out!!!

King of California (2007)

King of California

The Good:
Some of the direction and editing and film techniques were very cool in the film.
I liked Evan Rachel Wood a lot in it.
There were some comical parts.
I thought the quirky character of "Pepper" played by Willis Burks II needed way more screen time!

The Bad:
The story was not all that interesting, elements of the plot were filled wit glaring holes and useless little side-story-trinkets that detracted from the film.
Acting crazy is too easy.
The movement of the tale is broadcast from too early on.

Overall: Not a bad film I suppose... but I wouldn't pay money to rent it.

The Mist (2007)

The Mist

The Good:
I liked the plot, sort of a Lord of the Flies meets just a few of the 12 Angry Men in The Fog.
The main human antagonist was very well acted (ie I hated her).
Some of the ideas in the film were not completely idiotic.
Played on the lines between rational and irrational, science and superstition, dogma and compassion, and free-thinking versus herd mentality, all quite well.
There were a few moments of wonderful, glorious happiness in it :-)

The Bad:
The ending was not good at all (the very end that is).
I would have liked to have seen some follow-through with some of the characters.
Some of it was predictable.

Overall: Not a bad Stephen King horror. I would say this is worth watching if you are a horror fan, or if you like movies about twisted human nature.

I Like Killng Flies (2004)

I Like Killing Flies

I highly recommend this documentary. There is something special in the thoughts of a owner Shopsin's take on life and living. You can't help but enjoy his simple and insightful folk philosophy and politics. He lives his life his way. He has his own style of zen in cooking and loves his family and friends in his own belligerent way. A great film, give it a watch... a lot of heart in just over an hour.

Babylon 5: The Lost Tales - Voices in the Dark (2007)

Babylon 5: The Lost Tales - Voices in the Dark

The Good:
I liked Peter Woodward as Galen.
The exterior CGI was great.
The second story was more enjoyable and more keeping with the feel and tradition of Babylon 5.

The Bad:
The interior CGI was terrible.
The first tale was ... ugh... ugh... bad.
I never cared for Colonel/Captain Elizabeth Lochley.
Bab 5 was always religiously over-toned, but the blatant judeo-christian story was too much.

Overall: I am a huge fan of Babylon 5, I am not a huge fan of this movie. Watch the series, not this movie.

Seraphim Falls (2006)

Serphim Falls

The Good:
The story plays out much more like the plot progression of a novel than a typical screenplay, that made it interesting.
The changes in scenery were very neat and the scenery itself was beautiful.
There was an interesting breadth of background characters.
The two parallel stories were excellent contrasts.

The Bad:
Two Irishmen playing two very American characters... just kinda weird don't you think?
Some of the acting (not the main characters) was so-so.
Predictable in places.

Overall: A much more interesting and complex story than it seems to be. I enjoyed it more and more as the tale was revealed.

Night Skies (2007)

Night Skies

This is a horror film based on the Phoenix Lights. Just thought you might want to know that...


The Good:
It was subtle in its onset and build-up.
This was supposedly based on some one's weird hypnotic regression, knowing that made it rather fascinating.
The characters were decently written and portrayed by the actors (*see my one caveat below*) .
The special effects were done well, if odd in a few spots.

The Bad:
The main character is weird, some of the decisions were "just not right" in my opinion.
He he, hypnotic regression, hasn't that been discredited yet?
Some of the plot was hokey.
*The individuals in the group made a few terrible/tragic errors in judgement.

Overall: Not quite the extraterrestrial glory of Fire in the Sky, but definately not the cattle mutilation that was Altered.

I purposefully left out any anal probe jokes