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Ratings Scale: Brutal: * Kinda Sucked: ** Average: *** Loved It: **** Perfection: ***** |
| Tropic Thunder (DVD) |
 Director: Ben Stiller Main Stars: Ben Stiller, Jack Black, Robert Downey Jr., Tom Cruise, Mathew McConaughey Rating: *** It's probably somewhat telling that the funniest thing on this DVD isn't the actual movie itself, but rather is part of the extras (the segment titled 'MTV Movie Awards'). Tropic Thunder is one of those movies whose premise is great, but whose execution for whatever reason is lacking. The plot consists of a three Hollywood A-listers (Black, Stiller, Downey Jr.) staring in a Vietnam war epic shot on location. Things fall behind early and the cast and crew soon suffer the wrath of the studio exec (Cruise) for the delays. With the project close to being shelved the director decides to shoot 'guerilla style' and drop his spoilt stars off in the jungle and make them fend for real. Things turn bizarre when the actors are captured by a local drug lord but are oblivious to the danger as they still think everything is part of the film. I love the premise and I did laugh out loud several times, but overall it didn't feel as funny as it should have been - especially considering the talent involved. Still, watching Robert Downey Jr. deeply engrossed in the role of a black man and an almost unrecognizable potty mouthed Tom Cruise bustin moves to hardcore rap make it a decent rental. |
| Quantum of Solace (Theatre) |
 Director: Marc Forster Main Stars: Daniel Craig, Mathieu Amalric, Olga Kurylenko, Judi Dench Rating: *** The 22nd film in the Bond franchise picks up right after the previous one ended. Bond is still pissed at the loss of his love Vesper and is going to do whatever it takes to avenge her - MI6, CIA, and morality be damned! I do like the series (although I thought Die Another Day was a particular abomination) so I'm generally willing to overlook a number of things which I would skewer in any other flick. That said, while this is a decent addition to the bunch it doesn't quite live up to its predecessor. A couple of annoyances are the Bourne-like quick edits during the opening scenes and the fact that despite always having his gun drawn any confrontation quickly turns into a hand to hand combat extravaganza. There's also a couple of nods to previous films which seem jarringly out of place with the rest of the movie. Still, Daniel Craig is arguably the best Bond since Sean Connery, French actor Mathieu Amalric makes a terrific villain, and I really like the recent trend of having the Bond girls be more than just eye candy. So grab some popcorn, check your brain at the door, and enjoy the fun! |
| Crash (Blu-Ray) |
 Director: Paul Haggis Main Stars: Sandra Bullock, Don Cheadle, Matt Dillon, Terrence Howard, Jennifer Esposito, Ludacris Rating: ***** A few days before Christmas in the city of Los Angeles a number of lives intertwine unexpectedly and they (and viewers) are forced to confront their beliefs about race and prejudice. Not to be confused with the movie of the same name by David Cronenberg, this was the most honest and refreshing portrayal of race issues I've seen since American History X. I also love movies that contain various characters who's stories and fates end up crossing paths - think Robert Altman's 'Short Cuts' - and this movie manages such a storyline without feeling contrived or implausible. All actors give great performances, but by far the most moving is Matt Dillon's portrayal of a racist cop. As in life, not all is what it seems and peoples actions and motivations are often dictated by their life experiences. Crash is honest, thoughtful, and yet doesn't preach. I simply can't recommend this movie enough. |
| Transformers (Blu-Ray) |
 Director: Michael Bay Main Stars: Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, Jon Voight, John Turturro Rating: **** Growing up I never watched Transformers, I was more into Power Rangers (I was in love with Pink Ranger), so going into this movie I didn't have any sense of nostalgia. And lately I've become rather bored of all the summer blockbuster type releases. Finally while not as a big a whore as Jerry Bruckheimer, Michael Bay isn't the first person I would put in the same sentence with 'esteemed director'. Bottom line I had pretty much made up my mind I wasn't going to enjoy this movie. So imagine my surprise that overall I kind of liked it. The first half of the film was surprisingly humorous and that helped suck me into the story and keep me interested until the inevitable FX extravaganza at the end. Sure it was a bit long and some characters were completely unnecessary - the whole analysts and hackers subplot especially - all that just so they can end up sending out a radio message? Seriously? But any film that can overcome my perceptions going into it and especially make me feel emotions towards a purely FX creation "What's going to happen to Bumblebee!?!?" is not bad in my books. Oh, and it just happens to look gorgeous on Blu-Ray. |
| The Brave One (Blu-Ray) |
 Director: Neil Jordan Main Stars: Jodie Foster, Terrence Howard, Naveen Andrews, Mary Steenburgen Rating: *** Erica Bain (Foster) hosts a popular talk radio show in New York City. She's also in the process of making marriage plans with her fiancée (Andrews). Life could not be any better for her. Then one day while walking their dog in Central Park they are viciously attacked, her fiancée is killed and she's left for dead. Detective Mercer (Howard) happens to be at the hospital when she's brought in and knowing her celebrity looks in upon her. Despite battling his own demons he takes an active interest in her and her case all while trying to stop a vigilante who's on the loose. As his interest in her grows so does his suspicion that she might be the vigilante he's after. This was an ok film. While it was intensely satisfying watching Jodie Foster blow away her tormentors and she turns in a great acting performance, the movie is let down by some highly suspicious (wow, she just has the worst luck) plot contrivances and a wholly unrealistic, cop out ending. Still, if you even remotely like Jodie Foster you'll probably like this film. I'm not a huge fan, but her performance definitely drew me in. Most reviewers either seem to love it or hate it so I'm gonna split the difference. |
| Hellboy II: The Golden Army (Theatre) |
 Director: Guillermo del Toro Main Stars: Ron Perlman, Selma Blair, Doug Jones, Luke Goss, Anna Walton, Jeffrey Tambor Rating: ** Sigh. I should have known. I really wanted to see this when I first saw the trailers. Tired of the never ending assembly line of 'big' comic book hero based movies here was a chance to see a lesser known character. And since I really enjoyed the first movie this could only be better right? Nope. Despite being helmed by the same directory who brought us Pan's Labyrinth, sadly Hellboy II ends up succumbing to sequel-itis. Sequel-itis is the tried and true method Hollywood uses when making sequels. If the first movie had 3 main characters well then introduce a 4th. If the first movie had one big special effects laden sequence well then have two of them. While the original film likely had a decent plot, you don't really have to worry about things such as plot or character development in a sequel because, well, you're to busy blowing the budget on CGI explosions and such. Oh, I almost forgot the inevitable need to streamline the makeup process. Whereas it took over 4 hours in the first Hellboy to apply the makeup on Perlman, you just know that he only agreed to do the second one if they could cut that time down. And so, for me at least, the result looks cheaper both for his character and for Fishman (Jones). That coupled with David Hyde Pierce no longer supplying the voice of Fishman put the nail in the proverbial coffin. Does it completely suck? No. There are some moments that highlight the director's brilliant imagination, most notably the 'Angel of Death' creature. But such scenes were few and far between. In summary, it's a rental folks. |
| The Door in the Floor (DVD) |
 Director: Tod Williams Main Stars: Jeff Bridges, Kim Basinger, Mimi Rogers, Jon Foster, Bijou Phillips, Elle Fanning Rating: ***** Ted Cole (Bridges) is a renowned children's book author and illustrator. Still unable to deal with the tragic deaths of two of their children five years earlier, he decides that him and his wife Marion (Basinger) should separate. Along the way he decides to hire an apprentice (Foster) for the summer. Eddie is young, being only 16, and his lust for Marion and her ongoing grief soon leads them into each others arms. Instead of being outraged when he correctly deduces the affair, Ted is in fact relieved that she has finally found some happiness, even as he finds his own solace in the arms of his latest mistress (Rogers). Thrust into such a mix of raw emotions Eddie's presence soon forces the married couple into finally facing some uncomfortable truths. This is an amazing movie. Every single actor gives an Oscar worthy performance and this is easily Basinger's best role to date. I honestly didn't want the movie to end as I was so wrapped up in this brilliant character study. Truly an amazing movie. |
| Sweeney Todd (DVD) |
 Director: Tim Burton Main Stars: Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman, Sacha Baron Cohen Rating: *** Benjamin Barker (Depp) is a man possessed with revenge. Revenge for the loss of his wife and daughter to an evil judge (Rickman) who stole them away from him and sent him off into exhile. 15 years later he returns to avenge them, hooking up along the way with the lady (Carter) downstairs who makes the worst tasting meat pies in London. They develop a symbiotic relationship as his rage fueled murders supply her with an endless supply of fresh 'meat' and together they conspire to bring the object of his hate within reach of his extremely sharp razors. If you're not already aware, this film is a musical. It is also extremely gory and bloody. Even knowing the subject matter I was frankly taken aback by how gruesome it actually is. Despite that, Sweeney Todd is also darkly beautiful and the cast is excellent, especially Helen Bonham Carter who really carries the movie. Director Tim Burton apparently stayed faithful to the play it is based on and perhaps for once that's not a good thing. I found the ending to be unsatisfying as it left a large portion of the story unresolved. That coupled with some scenes that just didn't feel 'authentic' as a musical detracts from what is otherwise a definitely unique movie going experience. |
| Michael Clayton (DVD) |
 Director: Tony Gilroy Main Stars: George Clooney, Tom Wilkinson, Tilda Swinton, Sydney Pollack Rating: *** Michael Clayton (Clooney) is a 'fixer' at a powerful law firm. He keeps a low profile, stays in the shadows, and cleans up other people's messes - all while battling his own demons and problems. One day he is forced to try and clean up the mess left by the firm's founder and his mentor (Wilkinson) who in his old age has found a conscience and threatened to blow the lid of some corporate evildoers. Trying to prevent that disclosure is another lawyer (Swinton) who will seemingly stop at nothing to suppress the truth. This film is slow moving, 'deep', and beautifully filmed. It reminded me very much of Syriana in tone and style. And while it is undoubtedly good, I can't help but think that the majority of its fawning accolades are simply due to the fact that Clooney is in it. Don't get me wrong, I like him. But he belongs to that small class of actors - those that aren't overly good as actors but who are enormously likeable nonetheless (think Jack Nicholson, Harrison Ford and so on). I can guarantee that if any other actor had been the star while giving the exact same performance, this movie would not have been nominated for an Oscar. This unpleasant truth coupled with a somewhat tidy ending and one dimensional performance by Swinton (at least give her some kind of back story) detracts from an otherwise fine flick. |
| Ironman (Theatre) |
 Director: Jon Favreau Main Stars: Robert Downey Jr., Terrence Howard, Jeff Bridges, Gwyneth Paltrow Rating: **** Tony Stark (Downey) is a billionaire inventor and heir to Stark Industries, a defense industry giant. During a weapons demonstration in Afghanistan his convoy is attacked and he's taken prisoner. He is given a hollow sounding promise of freedom if he'll develop Stark Industries' latest weapon for them. Instead he develops a robotic exoskeleton and blasts his way out of captivity, laying the foundation for what will develop into his alter ego - Ironman. I'll say up front, I consider Ironman to be in the top three 'comic based' movies of recent memory, the other two being the first Batman (Tim Burton's) and the first Spiderman. That said, the reason this movie manages to transcend such uninspired dreck as The Fantastic Four or The Hulk is because of Mr. Downey. He carries the movie and his mannerisms and wit infuse Ironman with a humanity that lesser actors wouldn't have been able to match. Gwyneth Paltrow is terrific as his assistant and offers much more than just being the love interest and an almost unrecognizable Jeff Bridges effectively plays the role of villain. In addition to great performances the movie also offers an above average mix of special effects. Instead of being lazy and relying solely upon CGI, they also used actual robotics and miniatures created by FX wizard Stan Winston (Aliens, Predator). Robert Downey is the only reason I went and saw this in the theatre and he didn't disappoint. Ironman is a winner. |
| Aliens vs Predator - Requiem (Blu-Ray) |
 Director: Colin & Greg Strause Main Stars: Steven Pasquale, Reiko Aylesworth, John Ortiz, Johnny Lewis, Ariel Gade Rating: * (Simpson's geek voice) 'Darkest movie ever!' No, seriously. Make sure all the lights are off and the TV's brightness cranked because half the time you can't make out what's happening on screen. I'm not sure if the lack of light was a lame attempt at 'atmosphere' or merely trying to cover up bad F/X. Probably both. Oh, ya, the plot. Um, Predator ship gets infected by Aliens, ship crashes, another Predator is sent to clean up the mess, backwater town gets caught in the middle, and the military ends up nuking the place. But not to worry, there's the inevitable send up for the next sequel. Maybe they'll call it 'Alien vs Predator vs Jason vs Freddy'. Ya that'd be sweet! Seriously, who green lights this crap? Is there ANYTHING good about this movie? Well you briefly get to see what I assume is the Predator's home world, which looks kinda neat. And unlike the last one, this one is rated R and full of gory fun. But it's not enough to save this mess. Here's a hint on how not to ruin a storied franchise - don't hire script writers who make comic books, and don't hire first time directors who are 'big fans of the movies'. They should actually have the next one where the Aliens and Predators team up and storm the executive offices of 20th Century Fox and slaughter all the morons who approve this garbage. I would actually be first in line at the theatre for that one! |
| No Country For Old Men (Blu-Ray) |
 Director: Joel & Ethan Coen Main Stars: Javier Bardem, Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin, Woody Harrelson, Kelly MacDonald Rating: **** Out hunting one day, Llewelyn (Brolin) comes across a drug deal gone bad, real bad, and ends up in possession of a case full of $2 million dollars. What to do? What would you do? Of course he takes it and sets in motion a chain of events involving a psychotic killer (Bardem) who targets him and his wife (MacDonald) and a world weary Sherriff (Jones) trying to sort it all out. As the movie ended and the credits rolled I thought to myself, 'you've got to be kidding' and went to bed rather confounded and annoyed. But then I started going over it in my head. Yes this is one of those movies which equally delight and aggravate you, but stays in your head long afterwards. It's an amazing simplistic film, but one which takes turns unexpected - without feeling contrived. And therein lies it's genius. Throw in amazing performances and an ever present feeling of tension and you have a movie who's Oscars were well deserved. Javier Bardem portrays a character who epitomizes pure evil. One scene in particular involving a gas station attendant is hands down one of the creepiest moments in movie history. About the only thing that detracted from it was an unnecessary subplot involving a bounty hunter (Harrelson) that made the film a bit longer than needed. A great, but challenging flick. |
| August Rush (DVD) |
 Director: Kirsten Sheridan Main Stars: Freddie Highmore, Keri Russell, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Robin Williams Rating: ** Diabetics should not watch this movie, as this sugary sweet, contrived dreck is likely to send you into a coma. August (Highmore) is a seemingly parentless lad who has a gift for hearing music in the daily mundane. In a flashback we find out that he does have parents after all. Lyla (Russell) is an orchestral cellist who one night ends up at a house party in Manhattan and beds the charming, yet haunted Irish rocker, Louis (Meyers). Their one night stand results in the birth of August, right after Lyla gets run over by a car (oh the horror!). Yet in a dastardly (and beyond unlikely) twist her cruel father tells her in her daze that she lost the baby, instead having secretly signed away her rights to the child. Upon his deathbed, the father admits his deception and thus Lyla begins her search for both her lost child and her haunted Irish rocker. Fear not, because all are joyously and conveniently reunited by the end of the movie. Oh, I almost forgot Robin Williams as the woefully miscast, yet menacing street hustler determined to keep August all to his own and ride his musical talents to the big leagues. Yes, by the end of it, I got a bit misty eyed - damn you swelling music! - but that just annoyed me even more as I felt that I had been entirely manipulated as viewer. As chick flicks go, this isn't the worst (at least it didn't have Eva Longoria, Katherine Heigl, or Matthew Mcconaughey in it), but it's pretty much scraping the bottom of the barrel. |
| 30 Days of Night (Blu-Ray) |
 Director: David Slade Main Stars: Josh Hartnett, Melissa George, Danny Huston, Ben Foster Rating: ** Barrow, Alaska is not the place you want to be when a horde of vampires attack in the middle of Winter. Why? Well because there it's nighttime for 30 straight days and you're cut off from the rest of the world. Especially when said vampires kill the power, kill the sled dogs, and pretty much kill anything they come across. Based on the graphic novel, 30 Days is an attempt to revive a pretty stale genre, the vampire flick, much like 28 Days Later revived the Zombie flick. How does it fare? Not that great. The background story is intriguing, and the first half of the film had me all tingly with fear and suspense - inevitable comparisons to John Carpenter's The Thing kept going through my head. The absolute highlight is a long, slow, overhead pan of the streets below as we witness the carnage unfolding between man and vampire. But sadly, the film loses it's way shortly afterwards. Predator worked so well because you never really saw the creature until the end, likewise Alien scared the living crap out of people because for the most part you only saw glimpses of what stalked the crew. By the end of this movie these vampires cease to terrify because their constant screen time deadens the shock value. Add in some subtitled vampire philosophy and you have a turn into the farcical. Which really sucks because for a horror flick the acting is top notch and on Blu-Ray it looks like absolute perfection. Sadly, this is one of those movies that really piss me off because the potential to be great is in there somewhere. |
| Shoot 'Em Up (DVD) |
 Director: Michael Davis Main Stars: Clive Owen, Paul Giamatti, Monica Bellucci, Stephen McHattie Rating: **** Mr. Smith (Owen) is sitting at a bus stop minding his business when a pregnant women in labour staggers past followed shortly afterwards by a pistol toting bad guy. What to do? Of course he goes to save her, and ends up delivering her baby in a hail of gunfire. When the mother takes a stray bullet in the head he blows away the rest of the baddies (now numbering in the dozens) and takes the baby to a lactating hooker for safe keeping. At this point you're probably thinking, what the hell? And frankly I wouldn't blame you. On it's surface Shoot 'Em Up is a bad movie, with horrible dialog, and outrageously improbable action sequences. Oh ya, it's also one hell of a rip roaring and highly entertaining movie! It works because it doesn't pretend to be something it's not and it doesn't take itself seriously. Owen is hilariously deadpan as the hero and Giamatti is completely over the top as the villain. Rounding out the cast we have the ridiculously hot Monica Bellucci fulfilling the role of gratuitous eye candy. So dim the lights, grab some popcorn, check your brain at the door, and enjoy the wild ride! |
| The Kingdom (DVD) |
 Director: Peter Berg Main Stars: Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Garner, Chris Cooper, Jason Bateman, Ashraf Barhom Rating: **** When a group of suicide bombers target an American compound in Saudi Arabia, the FBI brings in an elite squad to investigate. Once there they must overcome government resistance, a hostile culture, and conflicting loyalties to find the culprits. The Kingdom has been described as Syriana For Dummies. I think that's a somewhat unfair comparison. The movie opens with a montage of film clips showing America and Saudi Arabia's love-hate relationship through the years, culminating in the shadow of a plane approaching the twin towers. From there we witness a horrific suicide attack and not for the first time I felt uncomfortable watching. I like seeing movies to escape from reality, not to be reminded of it and this and another scene were all to real for me. I skipped going to this film when it came out due to generally bad reviews. It seems in most reviewers eyes that a movie must either be full of mindless action or dripping with self importance and deep meaning to be spared criticism. God help the film that tries to combine elements of both. I for one found the mix of action and political commentary to be ideal. Everyone gives effective performances, but Ashaf Barhom gives an especially compelling and nuanced performance as the Saudi colonel tasked with overseeing the American team and keeping them from harm. Uncomfortable reminders aside, The Kingdom is a thrilling movie that will keep you on edge plus you won't need a PhD to keep up. |
| Ratatouille (Blu-Ray) |
 Director: Brad Bird Main Stars: Patton Oswalt, Ian Holm, Lou Romano, Janeane Garafolo, Peter O'Toole Rating: **** Remy (Oswalt) is a rat with a nose and a passion for fine food. Fate intervenes one day, separating him from his family and dropping him on the doorstep of the famous Parisian restaurant, Gusteau's. His lifelong dream of being a famous chef is almost realized, he just has to overcome a vengeful boss (Holm), an overachieving man-hater (Garafolo), a scathing food critic (O'Toole) and well, the fact that he's a rat. Ok, at first glance a rat and a restaurant wouldn't seem to be an ideal pairing, but Pixar manages to pull you in and by the end you find yourself rooting for the little guy against the bad, cruel humans. Overall I wouldn't say that this is their best work, those honors belonging to Finding Nemo and The Incredibles, but it is still a solid film and miles ahead of the animated crap that other studios churn out. Visually this film is amazing. Pixar somehow manages to raise the bar with each new movie. On Blu-Ray the result is simply stunning. This is definitely reference material. More than once I found myself blown away by how lifelike some of the scenery shots were. Ratatouille c'est tres Magnifique! |
| Eastern Promises (DVD) |
 Director: David Cronenberg Main Stars: Viggo Mortensen, Naomi Watts, Vincent Cassel, Armin Mueller-Stahl Rating: *** David Cronenberg is one of my three favourite directors of all time. His films Crash, Dead Ringers, and Naked Lunch are classics of cinema. It was also a revelation when his last film, A History Of Violence, showed that he could also make the leap from art house flicks to mainstream movies. After watching Eastern Promises, I'm thinking it might be time for him to go back to exploring his quirky side again. Nikolai (Mortensen) is a driver for a Russian crime family operating out of East London. Anna (Watts) is a nurse at the local hospital who helps deliver a baby from a dying prostitute. Their paths cross when Anna ends up in possession of the dead woman's diary which details the horrors she suffered while under the 'employ' of the same crime family. All the actors turn in great performances and I am fans of both Mortensen and Watts. There are no real flaws with either the story or the technical aspects of the movie. However, I just found myself neither really liking nor disliking it. Nothing really stood out for me. And while everyone will undoubtedly be all a titter over the bathhouse fight scene I frankly found the violence in History of Violence, specifically the 'sex scene' on the stairway, to be much more brutal, honest, and real. Your mileage may vary. |