|
Check
out the new rating system LEGEND on the CRITICS
page.
Clerks 2
So the critics are hammering
this movie? You know what I say - &^#$@^ them! If you're a
fan of the first film - CLERKS and of Kevin Smith's movies in general and
you like to sometimes "push the envelope" than you have to see
this movie. I have to admit, I haven't laughed this hard in a movie
in a long freakin' time and this was a riot. It had a few slow
moments, as Kevin Smith may be getting in touch with his softer side as he
matures, but then BAM he's right back in it throwing out foul
&^%&^# language, racial slurs, slamming academy award winning
movies and addressing sensitive topics such as love, sex, marriage,
religion, race, pregnancy, and food (to name just a few!) Go see
this movie and I have nothing else to say except %$#@^ those other
critics...
I give it a "5"
<back
to the top>
SUPERMAN
RETURNS So,
Brian Singer (The director of X-MEN 1 and X-MEN 2) leaves to do this
project, the renewal of DC's golden franchise. I have to admit, I
really enjoyed this film but I was expecting a little bit more. The
action sequences were great (As they always seem to be these days) and
Brandon Routh (Clark Kent/Supeman) did a great portrayal as the Man of
Steel but the movie was more story/emotion driven and I was expecting a
bit more action. The villain, Lex Luthor, was played by Kevin Spacey
and again, they seemed to fall short - They had the talents of an amazing
actor and it didn't seem that they capitalized on how maniacal they really
could have made him - I mean come on, his big evil plan is to build an
island! - Weak! I've been throwing this analogy out over the past
couple weeks though; I guess when you're trying to revive a
franchise like this perhaps you don't swing for the fences - perhaps you
go out an hit a double. It's a safe play, the fans are happy enough
and next time you get up to bat, you can hit it out of the park and wow
the crowd? At least that's what I'm hoping for. Doesn't
explain how Spiderman hits it out of the park everytime, but than again,
I've always been partial to MARVEL comics anyway :o) However, don;t
misinterpret me, I really enjoyed the comeback and can't wait to see where
they take the story arc? (PS This is a much kid friendlier flick
than X-Men III and Pirates.) I
give it a "4" (if for nothing else than to see the Man of Steel
vs. The Airliner sequence) <back
to the top>
Pirates
of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest The
gang returns for another amazing adventure as Capt Jack Sparrow must find
the Dead Man's Chest, only he must get it from Davey Jones. I have
to say I enjoyed this movie as much as the first one except for one small
detail - this movie's ending leads to a certain additional sequel.
So, that said, this is soon to be a great "filler" for a Pirates
trilogy (or franchise if they continue) and because of that I have to say
I enjoyed the first one that little bit better. Don't get me wrong
it was a great film, portrayals were great, humor was great and the
special effects (especially Davey Jones and his crew) were amazing,
although this film seemed just a tad bit scarier that the first, this film
just doesn't stand alone! But if you love pirates and you're looking
for some booty, go see this none for some fun... I
give it a "4" <back
to the top>
CARS Disney/Pixar
slams another one out of the park with it's first movie since Disney
acquired Pixar studios for like a ba-zillion dollars. The story of
Lightning McQueen, Owen Wilson, who plays a rookie race car whose
arrogance isolates him from everyone except his faithful truck hauler -
MACK. One thing leads to another and Lightning ends up getting lost
(arrested actually) in a small dilapidated town, once a beaming stop along
historic Route 66. Forced to stay a while in "Radiator
Springs" doing community service, Lightning learns about personal
relationships, falling in love and makes a new friend named MATER (I like
it already!) I have to admit though, the story is of the "plain
old vanilla" variety but the animation is absolutely amazing and
pushes the envelope with every scene - You can't go wrong with this one
and it seems Pixar (Sorry Disney/Pixar) although keeps playing it safe,
hit it out of the park every time... A fun film for all ages, I
really enjoyed it but then again, I like plain old vanilla anyway. (PS
Little Dude loved it.) Little
Dude (and I) give it a "5" <back
to the top>
X-MEN
III The third
chapter in the X-Men franchise introduces us to "The Phoenix" as
Jean Grey (Famke Janssen) returns to unleash her unyielding power upon
those closest to her. Introducing many other fan favorite mutants,
one of which was Kelsey Grammer (Yup, Frasier!) who plays BEAST.
With top-notch performances from the veteran and new cast, the movie was
an edge of your seat thrill ride! Now don't get me wrong, the movie
did have it's slower moments but they were merely to tell the story and
help educate those fans that may not be familiar with the original source
material (Yes it's a comic book series!) War, carnage and superb
special effects puts this flick at the top of the trilogy (thus
far.) Go see it in all it's surround sound glory... I
give it a "4" <back
to the top>
Past
Reviews
FANTASTIC
4 So the reviews weren't all
that great, some even said the movie was terrible, but I have to say I
didn't think it was really THAT bad. I mean, it could've been better
and the scene with the statue of liberty just put the capital
"C" in campy but, overall, it was an entertaining flick.
Based upon one of MARVEL'S well-known, but less mainstream teams, the
FANTASTIC 4, this movie portrays the origin of the four and their first
encounter with their nemesis - Dr. Doom. Here it is in a nutshell -
Reed Richards (Mr. Fantastic) was a bit too young - IMHO. Jessica
Alba was OK as Sue Storm but not "really" was she is portrayed
in the comics, The Thing and Torch were great (Torch's sarcasm may have
saved the story a bit) Special effects were as good as any (although
Mr. Fantastic looked a bit too CGI in places.) and the story was
entertaining enough. I know, not a glowing review, but it was worth
the price of admission. That's more than I can say for
Daredevil. Better than The Punisher, but not quite a
"four" - Nuff' Said? I give
it a "3" <back
to the top>
War of the Worlds
OK, so you've got Tom Cruise
(awesome.) You've got Steven Spielberg (awesome.) And, you got a
classic, cult, story about an alien invasion (awesome.) Put them all
together and do you get an "awesome" flick? - Almost. I am
a big Tom Cruise fan and this was another great performance that he can
add to his many accolades. Cruise plays a divorced dad trying to get
through a weekend visit with kids when alien spacecraft emerge from the
ground and begin annihilating everything. As a very realistic,
almost lucky hero, Cruise does his best to keep his children alive.
I have to say, I was on the edge of my seat the entire flick and worried
for them the entire time. You keep me sustained that long, you
earned your ticket price. Although following the original closely, I
felt the scenes with Tim Robbins were a unnecessary slow-down and
detrimental to the overall story. (Not quite sure what the purpose
was?) I also felt that Spielberg could've used clever shadows during
those scenes to keep the aliens hidden and thus never show their
appearance. That would've made for more curiosity. Other than
that though, The CGI, special effects and sound were amazing. I
liked it quite a bit and found it very exciting and
entertaining.
I give it a "4"
<back
to the top>
Mr.
& Mrs. SMITH What a fun
flick - I don't really know what more to say. I mean it's got just
about everything. Brad Pitt for the girls, Angelina Jolie for the
boys, shooting, fighting, explosions and the witty banter between the two
that most married couples can probably associate with. Following the
lives of a married couple, both living a double life as hired assassins,
we see the ramification of what happens when the two are pitted against
each other by an external organization. Thus shooting, fighting,
explosions and the witty banter ensues. (Well to be fair the witty
banter was already ensuing.) I really had a good time watching this
movie and recommend it if you just want to watch a thoroughly fun film. I
give it a "4" (but almost a 5)
<back
to the top>
STAR WARS III
- Revenge of the Sith This
was it! The penultimate finale to the greatest space saga
double-trilogy ever - STAR WARS Episode III - Revenge of the Sith.
Or was it? Well, I'm not so sure. Firstly, I'd like to say
that while I didn't think this movie delivered the finale I was hoping
for, it did appear to fix many (not all) of the previous criticisms that
many fans had of the first two movies (many except much of Hayden's
"wooden" dialogue.) I personally didn't have much to say
about the first two films and it's about the same here. I thought
the movie was as good as the first two episodes and the only real
criticisms I have are - Firstly - I thought Hayden's (Anakin
Skywalker/Darth Vader) conversion to the dark side was about as quick as
Jar Jar Binks screen time in Episode II and Secondly - While the movie was
visually stunning, I never felt it delivered that Finale awe-inspiring
cinematic scene moment; In the original trilogy - We had a great
lightsaber duel between Vader and Luke, the Speeder Bike chase that was
ground-breaking and breathtaking and the assault on the second death star
- a bunch of great scenes that pushed the envelope and helped wrap the
trilogy. In the case of the prequels - the great lightsaber battles
took place in Episodes 1 (Darth Maul vs Obi Wan and Qui-Jon) and 2 (Yoda
vs Dooku) and the groundbreaking scene, IMHO was the Pod race in Episode
1, where again I thought (especially the extended DVD version) was
exciting and breathtaking. Aside from a plethora of CGI (which I
believe we are becoming a little numb too) we see in this and many movies
released today, I didn't find myself in awe of the cinematography (unlike
the original trilogy.) As I said, it was a nice finale for the
prequels and wrapped the story nicely, I just didn't feel like Lucas
pulled out all the stops - Sure there was some busy very amazing scenes
with ships and oodles of CGI, but I just didn't feel like we got that big
cinematic blast at the end of it all (like we did i n Return of the
Jedi.) OK, so it sounds like I'm hammering it but I'm not really -
Much like Attack of the Clones where I felt it didn't live up to
expectations, I enjoyed it more the second time and I can say the same for
Revenge of the Sith. Overall I guess I'm such a huge Star Wars fan
that I wasn't really expecting all that much anyway just so I wouldn't be
disappointed if they sucked - but that wasn't the case and as I loved the
original trilogy, the prequels were just as entertaining in the grand
scheme of things. I enjoyed them overall and I'll be happy to give
Lucas my $15.00 and add Episode III three to my ever-growing library,
completing my trilogy when it's released. I have to give Lucas
credit really as I can only imagine the mental challenge to stay true to
the original story yet all the while having all the advances in CGI at
your disposal? Seems like it would be a very difficult
endeavor. In any case, the third movie was as good as the first two
and if enjoyed them, then you'll enjoy this final installment. While
it IS STar Wras, so it should constitute a "MUST SEE" rating,
I'd have to be true to the review and I give
this a movie a "4" (but I'll buy it for the library) <back
to the top>
SIN CITY
Cyber Kid - So
someone says to me (a while back), Robert Rodriguez (director of
Desperado, Once Upon a Time in Mexico) is going to take a stab at Frank
Miller's Sin City (Note: Miller is the comic genius behind Batman: Dark
Knight Returns, Ronin and the Sin City comics.) At first I was mixed
on the news - both excited and yet worried, worried that the movie
wouldn't portray Miller's vision as the comics did - gritty, dark and
above all compelling. As the movie began production and more info
was released it looked early on that Rodriguez wasn't going to settle for
just any live-action cinematic vision of Miller's comics - No. No,
he wanted the comic books themselves to come alive on the screen - and
that they did. A long time fan of Miller's work (I own all the
books), I was pleased to hear Rodriguez would do the project as a
co-directing credit with Miller and thus Miller would have the chance to
ensure his "baby" was done right. Rodriguez, using special
camera techniques was able to ensure that the movie had that Sin City
"look" almost lifting the images right off the pages themselves
and transferring them onto the screen. Now with the vision intact,
all that was left was the cast and what a cast - with Bruce Willis, Mickey
Rourke (who stole the movie; in a word awesome), Jessica Alba, Clive Owen,
Jaime King (who surprised me by at her excellent portrayal of
"Goldie"), Brittany Murphy, Benicio Del Toro, Michael Madsen,
our favorite hobbit Elijah Wood, and so many others, this movie hit the
mark perfectly. I didn't think anyone was mis-cast in their
role. Aside from the look of each character (which Rodriguez nailed
on screen) the tone and inflection of each was portrayed flawlessly by the
actors. I didn't find anything disappointing from this movie (and I
was worried the hype was going to lead to a disappointing adaptation - man
was I way off.) Although very gritty (and downright gruesome in some
places - read the comics though, you'll understand) this was about as
perfect an adaptation from a comic you could get. I highly recommend
a screening. I give
this a movie a "5" (Big shocker there huh?) <back
to the top>
Gangs
of New York
TJ
-
-This movie was incredible if you know and understand the history behind
the
movie. They do not make the true history of the events shown in the
movie extremely apparent, but for those who are wondering, the movie gives major
tribute to one of the bloodiest times in African American history that was
ever displayed. Not even slavery comes close to what happened when
the Irish revolted in New York City against the civil war draft. See
most of
the Irish believed that if there were no black people in the North then
the Southern Rebels would not be trying to come to the north to get them.
Unfortunately they did not understand the true politics behind the civil war. Nevertheless, during the draft the Irish revolted and
slaughtered thousands of African Americans. It is mostly down played in this
film because it shows the Irish revolting against the rich and the African
Americans and then of course you have the whole Irish/Italian WAR going onin the middle. And what would a movie be without a love story.
But the end of the movie is definitely the best. The build up New York City from
the 1860's to modern day and it is fabulous to see the grandness of the city
portrayed that way.
Overall I would give the movie a "3"
rating!!!
Cyber Kid -
I saw this movie without any knowledge
of the history of the city during that period of time.
(Sad, as I am a native Ny’er.)
Anyway, I thought the movie was compelling and although might be a
bit brutal at times for those who don’t like images of grotesque
violence, was definitely worth watching.
Daniel Day-Lewis gives an Oscar-worthy performance and it’s worth
the price of admission to just see him in this role.
I’m typically not a fan of Leonardo Dicaprio, but he also gives a
great performance supported by Cameron Diaz who also shines onscreen.
The length of the movie was almost unnoticeable to the
edge-of-your-seat drama and it’s DVD I’ll be adding to the collection.
I
give this movie a “5” rating
<back
to the top>
Catch Me if you Can
-This is short and sweet. This movie is incredibly funny and it is a
true story. I don't even have to tell you about the history behind it
because they spell it out perfectly. Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks are fantastic
together and you would never expect them to be. Guys and girls will love this movie.
Over all this is "5."
Cyber Kid –
Ditto TJ.
Again, I’m not a big fan of DiCaprio (he’s starting to grow on
me though – scary to say,) but playing a sneaky teenager seemed to suit
him great here. Tom Hanks was
awesome as always.
I
give it a “5” rating as well
<back
to the top>
The Hours
-DO NOT take men to see this movie. I repeat, DO NOT take men to see
this movie. This is a purely feminist movie. The truth is, i
related to this movie and i completely enjoyed it, but i guarantee you that 99% of
heterosexual men will not enjoy this movie. But for a girls night
out, go see it. The history is not too important but if you have ever read
the book "Mrs. Dalloway" by Virginia Wolf, then it could help in your
understanding of the film.
Overall i would rate this movie as a "3."
<back
to the top>
About Schmidt
-This movie is awesome. It is by far one of Jack Nicholson's best performances. It is kind of slow for the first 15 minutes, but the
slowness really helps you understand this man. It is originally based on a
book, but it does not follow the book at all. The differences in the movie and
the book definitely make the movie better. The movie is hilarious.
NOT continuously funny, but the parts that are funny are hilarious. Anybody
could see this movie and relate to it, but if you have been married a long time
then you will definitely identify with the movie more. I personally identified with the movie because the character Schmidt reminded me of my
DAD. hehehe
Over all I give this movie a "4."
<back
to the top>
Two Weeks Notice
If you want to see a cute lovable comedy, you have to see this. Hugh
Grant is soooo funny. And Sandra Bullock is just one cool lady.
I can't believe that her and Hugh Grant clicked so well, but they did.
Over all "3" movie.
<back
to the top>
BAND
OF BROTHERS
(DVD)
TJ
-
For those of you without HBO: About 1 1/2 years ago, HBO came
out with a short series called Band of Brothers. It was not meant to be more
than a season long, but it was meant to be something meaningful. It is sad
that it only got as far as HBO. You can rent the whole series at
Blockbuster, but i hope that as you watch this, that you fall in love with the Characters
because they are not fake. These are real people and this was their
life for several years. I think that is probably why it never made it to
regular television, because it was too real. I recommend this series more
than anything that is out in theaters or at Blockbuster. The episode that
i hope you take note of the most is titled something like, "Why we are
here?" A lot of men went and fought not knowing what was really going on until one day
they were fighting their way through Germany and all of a sudden they saw what they never thought imaginable. Please rent this. I
promise that you will love it and at the end you will feel enlightened.
I give this series more than a "5" rating. It is a must
see.
Cyber Kid –
Not for the faint of heart, Band Of
Brothers is a gripping, real-life, drama about “Easy Company” and
their battles during WWII. The
ten-part mini-series produced by Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg is about
as real as it seems it can get. The
imagery is so realistic, one can only fathom how much more grueling war
could be? Portrayals are
great throughout. As did
“Saving Private Ryan” and “We Were Soldiers”, “Band of
Brothers” makes you truly appreciate those men and women that serve our
country. Another must have
for any DVD collection.
I
give this a “5” rating
<back
to the top>
Chicago
This
film is not much for a plot. Most
musicals I know of that have great dancing in them really don’t
concentrate on a plot. 42nd Street is a prime example of this.
Although 42nd Street had some of the most incredible
dancing and singing I have ever seen, it was not much for a plot.
The 1930’s movie was much better.
This is also
the case for the movie Chicago. Although
I have never seen the Broadway musical, I really don’t think I ever
will. The movie makes it so
much better because you are up close and personal with the characters and
the dancing is very sexy and exciting.
If you are a guy who likes the bad girl image, this is a movie for
you. I’m not trying to say
it takes the place of a porn, but I think you will enjoy the dancing and
sexy costumes.
Personally
I love the music and if you are a Rene Zelweiger or Katherine
Zeta‑Jones fan, then you will love this movie.
They were both very good at the dancing and it is clear that they
actually sang the songs.
My
over all rating for this movie is a “4”.
<back
to the top>
Confessions
of a Dangerous Mind
All
I have to say, that this is a very interesting film.
If you do not have a slightly open minded or “weird” sense of
humor, then you probably will not appreciate this movie very much.
The
movie “Confessions of a Dangerous Mind” is based off the autobiography
by Chuck Barras and hundreds of hours of interviewing of people who knew
Chuck Barras. Chuck is the
television producer that came up with shows like “the Dating Game” and
“The Married couple Game” and several other game shows that you will
recognize. Apparently he was
also a secret government employee and I will let the movie explain exactly
what it is he did for the government.
All
I can tell you without giving away too much is that I found this movie
extremely goofy and I found myself laughing a lot, and if Chuck Barras’s
real life character is portrayed correctly in this movie and the movie
really is about his real life and is completely true, than I cannot
believe that he is still alive. He
is definitely a very interesting character.
I
have to give high marks to Drew Barrymore and Julia Roberts.
They were very good, and definitely helped made the movie better.
In other words, I don’t think the casting director could have
picked anybody else and had the same response.
All in all, I give this
movie a “4” rating.
<back
to the top>
OLD
SCHOOL
If
you haven't seen this movie yet, then you better!!! It is an awesome
knee slapper. I went and saw it with my best friend and we were
laughing the whole time. I have not seen a comedy that made me laugh this
much in a long time.
I give this movie a "5" rating, you must go see it.
<back
to the top>
Bringing
Down the House
-This was your normal Steve
Martin movie, except that it was even more unrealistic and got cheesier
and cheesier as the movie came closer to ending. I have to say
though, Queen Latifa is getting to be a much better actress with every
movie she does, and i am glad she is getting promoted and that she has
found some major roles. I give this movie a "2" rating.
I would just wait for it to come out on video and rent it when you have
nothing else to do or nothing better to watch.
<back
to the top>
View
from the Top
-If you are in the aviation
industry, especially a pilot always making fun of the stew artist...OH i
mean "flight attendants"......i should know better........then
this is the movie for you.....But even if you just want a good laugh, then
this is still the movie for you. Gwyneth Paltrow was great in this
movie, and towards the end of the movie, they make her looks so beautiful,
not that she isn't already, but she looks soo classy in her uniform and in
the streets of Paris. Not to ruin anything for you, but GIRLS, you
will love the end of this movie. (Especially my buddies Dana and
Roberta)..........I give this movie a "4" rating. If you
don't have time to watch it in the Theatres then definitely rent it when
it comes out on video!!!!
<back
to the top>
Anger
Management
-What a kick-ass
film!!!!!!! Again, two actors i would have never thought to put
together, Jack Nicholson and Adam Sandler (excuse my butchering of their
names). They are great together and they are soo hilarious, of
course the end gets a little cheesy, but nothing compared to
"Bringing down the house". I guarantee you if you are
looking for a good laugh then you need to see this film. Adam
Sandler is another actor that just keeps getting better and better.
I totally see him doing a cross over to a more serious film in the near
future, kind of like Jim Carry in "The Majestic", but he will
always add that Sandler humor. I rate this movie with a
"5". Very unexpected ending!!!! By the way,
this movie was extremely patriotic. It actually amazed me how
patriotic it was, if you see it you will understand!!!
<back
to the top>
HOLES
This is by Disney. If you
have kids then definitely take them. It is a cute family movie if
you have younger kids. The last Disney movie i saw was the Lion
King. So it has been awhile.
I give this movie a 3.
Wait for Video, unless you have kids that really want something to do..
Pirates
of the Caribbean - The Curse of the Black Pearl
Cyber Kid -
This movie was awesome.
Johnny Depp was astounding and supported by Geoffrey Rush and Orlando
Bloom, it was just a great action story. I have to admit, making a
movie based on a Disney ride seemed a bit far fetched, but it
worked. I also thought it was cool to see the British Actor, Jack
Davenport, who plays Steve on the British sitcom COUPLING
(yes the same sitcom NBC plans to remake and prob. butcher this fall) and
many other British films, in the movie. Anyway, It was great fun and
recommend it for anyone over the age of 10.
This one is definitely a 5
out of 5. Enjoy.
<back
to the top>
SWAT
Cyber Kid -
I wish I could say the same
thing about this movie as I did Pirates, but unfortunately, I can't.
This movie had a lot of potential, and with some good action scenes, I was
hoping it would deliver, but as it seems with many of these movies, the
ending was a bit out there and I just couldn't swallow it. For me
that's a deal breaker. It's like the flick Gone in 60 Seconds,
great action flick until the very end (if you haven't seen it I apologize
for the spoiler) when he jumps a 60's MUSTANG over a roadblock, or bridge
or whatever the bull***t was. Complete bull and again, a deal
breaker... for me. Anyway, I can't in good faith give this a good
rating. For me, it's definitely not one I would prob. watch again,
but if it was on cable, I might not change the channel if there was
nothing else on. It started off good too; oh well, such
is Hollywood sometimes.
I give this a 2 out of 5.
<back
to the top> RETURN
OF THE KING Cyber
Kid - Well,
what can I say other than "Awesome?" Keeping to the story
of the Lord of the Rings (LOTR) and wrapping the trilogy nicely, The
Return of the King is nothing short of an epic. Pushing the envelope
at 3 hrs 40 min running time, one might have to plan their drink intake,
but it doesn't seem that long as the constant tension and incredible CGI
make for a spectacular film. Fellow colleagues have rated this movie
high in our all time favorites and have agreed that after 3 years of
watching the Lord of the Rings, Lucas is going to have to raise the bar,
if he hopes to put an challenge to the LOTR franchise with STAR WARS -
EPISODE III (his final installment of the STAR WARS Prequel
trilogy.) If you haven't read the LOTR books, I suggest doing so and
if you haven't seen the first two movies, where have you been? Get
out there and join the rest of us d-ORC-s. Pretty clever play on
words huh? Anyway, Return of the King is a must see.
I give this a 5 out of 5.
<back
to the top> The
LAST SAMURAI Cyber
Kid - Well,
It was a good month. The Last Samurai and the Return of the
King. Two great flicks. The Last Samurai, the latest
blockbuster from Tom Cruise depicts an American soldier hired by the
Emperor of Japan to train his army to fight against the dreaded
Samurai. Cruise's character, due to the inadequate fighting by the
Japanese soldiers is taken prisoner by the Samurai and while in custody,
learns of their unique customs. Spending so much time as well as
training with them, when the emperor's army comes to wipe out the samurai,
Cruise's character, feeling duty bound, joins the Samurai in their fight against the
mighty army... action ensues :o) The movie was on the long side (2 hr 40 min)
but like LOTR, was barely noticeable. This movie got up and going
right out of the first 30 min and kept you intrigued throughout.
What more can I say, it's also a must see.
I give this a 5 out of 5.
<back
to the top>
HERO
Cyber
Kid - Jet Li plays an assassin
(2000 yrs ago) trying to eliminate the leader of Qin, one of five Chinese
provinces in feudal China. The story is told from three different
perspectives and has a very similar likeness to Crouching Tiger, Hidden
Dragon in terms of cinematic, story and special effects. The martial
arts sequences were amazing and nicely choreographed. Unlike the
previews might suggest, the movie is much more story driven and intimate
(centered around 4 or 5 main characters) than they suggest. Lots of
visual imagery add that element of beauty that Crouching Tiger had and of
course the dialogue is sub-titled. If you're looking for a typical
Jet Li action flick, go rent one, this isn't it. If however you thoroughly
enjoyed Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and would enjoy well developed
characters, intrigue and some cutting edge martial arts cinematography,
this is the movie for you. I enjoyed it quite a bit and will be
adding it to my ever growing DVD library. I
give it a 4 out of 5.
<back
to the top> Collateral Cyber
Kid - Is there a role Tom
Cruise can't pull off? The short answer - No. The bad guy this
time, Cruise portrays a hit man named Vincent who hi-jacks a good-natured
taxi driver (Max, played by Jaime Foxx) to drive him to his various
contract hits in Los Angeles. The two men from different sides of
the law play well off one another and the acting is top-notch. The
action sequences are great and for a nice change - believable.
Michael Mann directs this movie (credits include - Last of the Mohicans,
The Insider and Heat as well at Exec. Prod. for Miami Vice) and as
delivers a riveting film which he seems to always manage; To quote one
user on www.imdb.com - "Another
feather in Mann's cap." I
would say this is a "Must see." 5 out of 5.
<back
to the top>
Spiderman
2 Cyber Kid - Let's
do some math. Successful Marvel franchise + Sam Raimi + great
special effects = SUCCESS! They did it again! And man did they
do it. The second installment of the ever growing Spiderman saga
delivers a film that is "better" (I finally got off the fence on
this one) than the first. Few sequels can claim that honor, I can
only think of three off the top of my head - Toy Story 2, Aliens, and the
Lord of the Rings and Star Wars sequels, which just got better and
better. Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst are back as Peter
Parker/Spiderman and Mary Jane respectively and their portrayal was
perfect. I do have to note here, J.K. SImmons (Law & Order, OZ)
protrayal of J. Jonah Jameson is just awesome. Anyway, special
effects were unbelievable and the action shots rocked - Doc Ock's
mechanical arms were truly amazing cinematic work. Yes, the
Spiderman franchise is chugging along quite happily with this sequel and
there were lots of teasers in this film as to who might face Spiderman in
the third installment. Let's just hope they keep the formula in mind
when they go back to work. Sam Raimi's direction of this character
is just like watching the comic-books come to life. For a collector
like myself, not butchering a comic book into a terrible film is a nice
change. (X-Men got it right as well.) 'Nuff Said? Go
see this movie - Now! 5 out of 5
<back
to the top> The
Village Cyber Kid
- M. Night Shyamalan's next
creepy thriller. Featuring Ron Howard's daughter Bryce Dallas
Howard, Adrian Brody and Joaquin Phoenix (a Shyamalan standard) among
other big names, Hurt and Weaver, this movie was good. The ending of
this film of course is the make or break for most people (most I think
enjoying it) but, I love that style of filmmaking - putting all your story
"marbles" into that one basket and letting it ride. After
Shyamalan's movie UNBREAKABLE, and the ending of this movie, I am
convinced Shyamalan is an avid comic book reader. The ending of this
movie was less of a shock to me as I read a "similar" story over
10 years ago in a Tales of Mystery type comic, but nonetheless, the acting
was good, the story was enthralling and the direction was as always, meant
to keep you guessing. I liked it and enjoyed it. I
give it a 4 out of 5. <back
to the top> The
PUNISHER Cyber Kid
- Well, this was not as good as
it could've been, but that said, it wasn't terrible. I know, not a
great way to start a review, but hey, you get what you pay for. In
this movie's case, I got free tix to a midnight viewing and a free
soundtrack, so I cant complain. Thomas Jane (61*, Stander) plays
Frank Castle, aka. The Punisher who after his family is wiped out goes after
the perpetrator, played by John Travolta. The acting was good, there
were quite a few campy lines and bad choice of editing tricks - the
lightning scene with the tense dialogue was just silly. That said, Jane
does a good job trying to bring the Marvel character to the screen (a
much, much better job than the Dolph Lundgren attempt in 1989 of the same
character.) and get the audience to relate. Action scenes are good,
with some unbelievable aspects, but for the most part, fun. I
enjoyed this flick (for free who wouldn't :o) but, if I paid, I wouldn't
have been disappointed either. Bottom line, it was fun - a good
"popcorn" flick. I give it
a 3 out of 5 <back
to the top>
The
INCREDIBLES Cyber
Kid - Well,
PIXAR is at it again. Coming off continued success of Finding
Nemo, PIXAR finds the formula still works for them with this movie
about superheroes forced into "retirement" due to public
scrutiny and legal ramifications of years previous, only to eventually
prove their worth to society. Focusing on one group of superheroes
specifically, a family of four, lead by Mr. Incredible (voice by Craig T.
Nelson) the movie is cleverly written and funny for both kids and
adults. The action scenes are top notch and the story flows
smoothly. Parents will especially like the well placed humor paying
homage to the "joys" of parenthood. The movie overall has
something for everyone, especially fans of comic books and the
superhero genre; One friend was quoted as saying, "I don't know if
Fantastic Four (live action movie) will be better next year!" I
have to say, I agree. Many movie houses can take advice from PIXAR
who spending as much as 3-4 years in pre-production, have yet to turn out
a dud. Man there are a lot of duds out there too. A side note,
although a "kids" flick, I will admit that some of the scenes
may be a bit scary for very young (or easily startled) viewers and
recommend discretion for children under 5 years old (unless of course
they're used to that sort of thing :o) I
give it a 4 out of 5 <back
to the top>
The Aviator Cyber
Kid - I have to admit, I've
always had an aversion to Leonardo DiCaprio, always saying that I'm not a
fan (mentioned it in my Gangs
of New York
review.) I've probably seen most of the movies he's made and I'll
admit, I'm always entertained and never disappointed (I even liked
Titanic.) That said, The Aviator was awesome and DiCaprio delivers a
compelling, disturbing performance of Howard Hughes, The eccentric Aviator
as the film chronicles Hughes drive for building fast, sleek aircraft, a
successful airline (TWA) and battling his inner mental demons.
Eerily similar to Hughes in the film (especially the Congressional
Hearings), DiCaprio captured the essence of Hughes Passion for flying,
women and success - No surprise he's won awards for Best Actor and the
film for Best Picture. This is a must see. I
give it a 5 out of 5 <back
to the top>
|
