Hardball (2001)

Directed by: Brian Robbins
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Diane Lane, John Hawkes


The Movie:
Conor O'Neill (Reeves) is a down-on-his-luck gambler in debt to dangerous loan sharks. Desperate for cash, Conor reluctantly takes a job coaching a youth baseball team. The "team" turns out to be a ragtag group of tough-talking kids from Chicago's inner city. Secretly, Conor plans to desert the team after he wins a big bet. But the stakes are higher than Conor imagined: The kids need someone to believe in. As Conor wrestles with his past, the kids start to teach him some lessons that will forever change his future -- that responsibility and trust must be earned and hope can appear in the most unlikely places.

Review:
It's unfortunate a movie with a little emotion would get so much negative criticism. After watching this movie I was extremely delighted with the entire experience. Anyone who ever doubted Keanu's acting abilities should only watch this movie, especially the eulogy scene to see that critics have been wrong. Strong, emotional, sympathetic, and completely believable. I originally believed this was going to be another story about a typical loser who takes over a group of unfortunates only to find a purpose for themselves, and I expected this to be only mildly entertaining. However I was wrong, this film truly moved me. I'm a middle aged male who doesn't care for too many sappy, emotional films, but I loved every second of this one. I'm especially glad the producers decided not to make it a last minute, win at the last possible second.

With the symbolism between one man's gambling addiction and the street gangs, we learn just how much "showing up" (taken from the film's official tagline) was the best way to overcome our problems, be it in life or on the field. This story is suitable for audiences of all ages, despite some choice words used. Honestly, I would not hesitate to allow my now eleven year old daughter watch this movie and talk about it. Recommended for everyone, sports fans or not.

RATING: 8/10

Post Grad (2009)

Directed by: Vicky Jenson
Starring: Alexis Bledel, Michael Keaton, Jane Lynch

The Movie:
Ryden Malby (Alexis Bledel) has a master plan, Graduate college, get a great job, hang out with her best friend (Zach Gilford) and find the perfect guy. But her plan spins hilariously out of control when she's forced to move back home with her eccentric family. By the time she lands her dream job, Ryden realizes it's meaningless without the man of her dreams...and the people she loves.


Review:
I didn't go to college, but I know many who did. Many of whom, spent months even years after graduating unemployed or stuck in the fast food or retail industry which of course they hated. Rather than start life out with tens of thousands of dollars in debt, I decided to go out into the workforce right after high school - working up from a $7.50 minimum wage job to making over $50,000 annually. Maybe I was just luckier than most.

In this story, Ryden thinks she has her life all figured out - fresh out of college with an English degree, she assumes this guarantees her the job she has always dreamed of having, at a large reputable publishing firm. Unfortunately during an economic crisis, she's not the only one looking for work thus being one of a dozen also qualified candidates, including the class valedictorian who believes herself to be on top of the world.

The job is just her least concern at the moment, she also has relationship issues. Her best friend obviously likes her, while she notoriously keeps him in the 'friend zone' while she chases the older, European hunk next door. When she finally gets the job she's always wanted, her neighbor decides to move back to Europe and her best friend decides to move 5000 miles away to go to law school she realizes a good job isn't everything in life.

I'll be honest here, I'm a dude and I liked the show Gilmore Girls, it's over dramatic themed episodes were clearly not meant for everyone and I didn't always agree with what was going on or how the show ended after seven seasons but I never thought about turning it off and have watched it many times over since. That said, Alexis Bledel wasn't my favorite character - neither was Lauren Graham for that matter. Her acting was a over ambitious, like she was trying too hard to impress someone. It's obvious this carried over into her film castings. I'm not saying she's a bad actress, I enjoyed her roles in the budget film The Brass Teapot and especially Disney's Tuck Everlasting.

There are many similarities between Gilmore Girls and Post Grad, both we see a do-good teenager get into a prestigious college and think everything from there will automatically fall into place. Sure enough, in both cases, they actually do. The movie much like the sitcom was extremely superficial which makes for a undesirable viewing.  No reason to lie, the only reason I watched it in the first place was for Michael Keaton's involvement, and that's  saying a lot as it seems like lately he'll take any job offered even if it's bad.

RATING: 7/10

Beyond a Reasonable Doubt (2009)

Directed by: Peter Hyams
Starring: Jesse Metcalfe, Amber Tamblyn, and Michael Douglas


The Movie:
A District Attorney, Mark Hunter (Michael Douglas), who tampers with evidence to secure his convictions, decides to run for governor. But when an ambitious journalist, C.J. Nicholas (Jesse Metcalfe) begins to investigate him. Commencing a risky game of cat and mouse with Hunter, C.J. frames himself as a murder suspect to catch the corrupt D.A. in the act.

Review:

This movie has many problems, starting with the idea of someone practically murdering someone, turning himself in, and getting acquitted of all charges. A big blooper would have to be at the beginning when the police report showed the murderer was bitten by a small dog and yet C.J. didn't have any bites except the one from the small dog he adopted to bite him, to reenact the crime. Did he get bit when he first killed the woman, or was that just a rumor? 

The most bizarre scene was when C.J's  reporter friend Finley (Joel David Moore) was running around for the DVD that had the proof that C.J. was innocent. First, there was no need for all the running around. C.J. could have just handed his attorney an envelope that says not to open it until the trial. Second, what would that DVD prove anyways? Hunter already pointed out he could've bought a second pair of pants and shoes after the crime was committed. It was obvious at this point, C.J. wasn't going to be charged with the murder due to improper evidence to hold him, as long as Hunter was finally caught for tampering with evidence. 

As for Finley's death, it should never have happened... If he didn't panic at the intersection, he would've had time to pull out before that bus passed. Also you can't say no one on that bus (driver, passengers) or anyone between the bank and the scene of the accident saw anything -- that would've been enough to lock up that detective for manslaughter.

Also, the detective trying to kill Ella (a district attorney who works with Hunter and is in a relationship with C.J.) with his car, when she was snooping around to prove his 'innoncence'. I realize he wanted to scare her before killing her but all he had to do was pull out his gun, shoot her and drive off, I'm sure one gun shot would be quieter than the tires squealing. 

So, the end of the movie... Ella managed to prove C.J's innocence but realized she made a mistake when taking another look at the coverage of the young, pregnant prostitute from Buffalo NY that C.J. used and claimed was deceased was the woman killed. Putting two and two together, she did what she had to do...

Bottom line, the movie was had more than it's share of flaws and confusing moments, but in the end you have to realize it's just a movie! For a mystery to make one think and debate, it was definitely successful but as a movie it still needs some work. 

RATING: 6/10 

Zombieland (2009)

Directed by: Ruben Fleischer
Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, Woody Harrelson


The Movie:
During a zombie apocalypse, there are only four survivors, all nicknamed of the city they are from. There's Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg), a shy college student in Texas who's obsessed with his 30 rules such as: "look in the back seat," "double-tap," "avoid public restrooms." There's the good-old boy from Florida, on the road to kill some zombies and hunt down a Twinkie, Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson). The two soon approach a girl, Wichita (Emma Stone), and her sister Little Rock (Abigail Breslin) who are both on their way to a Los Angeles amusement park that they've heard is zombie-free.

Review:
Having disliked most of what comprises of Jesse Eisenberg's filmography, I was a little hesitant to watch Zombieland. However, reading that it also stars Woody Harrelson who is well-known from the TV-series "Cheers" and the gorgeous Emma Stone I decided to give it a shot anyway. I'm so glad I did, this movie has opened my interest for other zombie-related films like Night of the Living Dead for instance.

This movie starts out in a town in Texas, where Eisenberg can be found in his college dorm room playing World of Warcraft (did people really still play this game in 2009?) when his neighbor, 406 (Amber Heard) frantically knocks on his door. He has had a crush on her since he first saw her, but due to his anti-social behavior and special rules he never made a move and now he finds out it's too late. 406 was his first encounter with zombies. The rules he has include common sense things like "Always wear your seat belt" down to ridiculous statements like "Never use a public bathroom"  After his encounter with 406, he packs up and decides to head home, to Columbus Ohio to see if his family is still alive, when he comes across a zombie hunter and Twinkie fan from Tallahassee Florida (Woody Harrelson). Along the way, at a grocery store stop in search of Twinkies they come across two con-artist sisters out to survive on their own with trust issues, there's Wichita (Emma Stone) and Little Rock (Abigail Breslin), both on their way to Pacific Playland in Los Angeles, CA, where they suspect is zombie-free.  Against all odds, they form a group and head to California together. Once they arrive in LA, the first stop they decide to make is the legendary Bill Murray's estate. While the rest of the town was turned undead, Bill (played by himself) dressed and acted as a zombie to fit in. His acting may be too good, since he tried spooking Columbus and ended up being shot and killed with a double barrel shotgun. The next day, the group splits up again, as the girls head to the amusement park only to find it's not as zombie-free as they had hoped for. Getting trapped on a ride, they must now do what they've never done before, and rely on the guys to help them.

This movie had it's flaws and wasn't by far a serious movie to watch, but it'll make for an enjoyable Friday night with a bowl of popcorn. My opinion for Jesse Eisenberg didn't change after viewing this, I still don't like his 'type' of acting but I will probably give a couple of other movies he starred in a chance.

Favorite quote: "Believe it or not, Twinkies do have an expiration date." - Tallahassee, Woody Harrelson

RATING: 8/10

1408 (2007)

Directed by: Mikael Håfström
Starring: John Cusack, Samuel L. Jackson


The Movie:
A paranormal investigator and author, Mike Enslin (John Cusack) decides to add one last chapter to his latest book by checking into the evil room 1408, at the Dolphin Hotel in New York, against the warning by hotel manager Gerald Olin (Samuel L. Jackson). Soon after arriving, he finds out first hand that the evil happenings in that room isn't as fabled as he imagined. He checked into the room, but he now won't be able to check out.

Review:
This one may take a couple viewings to understand it, but as you understand it fully you should come to realize how much of a gem it is for it's time. The story doesn't waste any time to jump right into things. Mike Enslin writes a suspenseful series on haunted hotels, usually uncovering the mystery. Until this one evil room at the Dolphin Hotel that has taken over fifty lives prior to his stay. The first thing that comes to mind is how can a room be evil? My take on this would be the room forces the guests to dig up unfortunate events from their past, as such that happened to Mike Enslin. Mike lost his young daughter to a incurable disease, which forced him to give up hope for the future. He buried himself in his work for years following her death, separated from his wife, and pretty much gave up living. The room reminded him of the good times he had with her, as well as the last few moments they had together. All this stress piled on all at once caused him to go into a mental breakdown, resulting in thinking he was trapped. He had to clear his mind and kill hte evil spirits around to get out.

Favorite Quote: "It's an evil. f**king. room!"

RATING: 8/10

The Descent (2005)

Directed by: Neil Marshall
Starring: Shauna Macdonald, Natalie Mendoza, Alex Reid


The Movie:
Soon after an accident that takes the life of her husband and daughter, Sarah (Shauna Macdonald) starts visualizing things that aren't really there and her friends suggest going on a spelunking trip. After sudden change in plans, to discover a new cave, they wind up being trapped under ground. They have an limited amount of supplies, and they meet strange, blood thirsty cannibals as they try to find the way out.

Review:
This movie is highly rated on popular movie websites, but I didn't feel the love for this movie like a lot of the other reviewers. Regardless it was very well done. Many dark scenes to show they were below ground while in other movies that take place in a cave can be too brightly lit showing obvious nonfiction. This one also had the claustrophobic feel to it as the girls were crawling through the tight tunnels, which brought the viewer into the film so-to-speak.

Beyond the positive side, this movie had a handful of flaws to it. For one, it was very predictable, even for someone who didn't bother to read the synopsis or know anything about this film. This movie had plenty of jump scenes but having things jump out at you isn't scary. A plus I found in this movie was the heroine fight scenes particularly between Juno (Natalie Mendoza) and the creatures, although they were generally more gore than scary which isn't the point of a horror movie. Speaking of the creatures, those are some of the awful costume designs I've seen come out of Hollywood in years, as a casual movie watcher it almost leaves me unsettled on the future of cinema, as if they weren't even trying.

Overall, it's safe for a simple popcorn flick or if you plan to watch it with someone who's easily scared but if you're looking for anything serious, look elsewhere.

RATING: 7/10

Orphan (2009)

Directed by: Jaume Collet-Serra
Starring: Vera Farmiga, Peter Sarsgaard, Isabelle Fuhrman

The Movie:
The last year has been troubling for Kate (Vera Farmiga) and John (Peter Sarsgaard) after the loss of their baby. Kate quickly turned to alcohol shortly thereafter. Since her daughter Max (Aryana Engineer) nearly died after falling through thin ice, while Kate was inside drinking instead of watching her, Kate decided to seek out therapy and is now doing better. The couple decide to adopt a child to fill the void in their lives. While at the orphanage, they meet and fall in love with the secluded, nine-year old Russian girl, Esther (Isabelle Fuhrman). Eventually, Kate quickly realizes her family has been a mess since Esther came into their lives, feels like Esther is manipulative, and starts seeking out her past history to the surprise of John who refuses to believe anything is wrong.

Review:
Interesting, dark, disturbing, twisted, and intense - just a few words to sum up my thoughts on "Orphan". This thriller is definitely the most interesting I've seen in a couple years, its' not like other thrillers involving a family. The twist in the plot, being when we find out Esther is really a near-40 year old woman with growth hormone disorder making it possible to look like a nine year old girl.

Usually child actors are painful to watch, but 12- year-old Isabelle Fuhrman gives a terrifying, chilling performance that is worthy of praise. Aryana Engineer debuts as the deaf little sister, Max is adorable and steals the life of the movie in almost every scene she's found in. Jimmy Bennett, who plays Daniel, the brother, portrays a middle child who's jealous of not being the center of attention and torments his siblings. The intensity of Esther getting the little sister involved in her murders, and threatening Daniel in the middle of the night will send shivers down your spine, a perfect combination to a great thriller.


Although this may be the greatest thriller of the decade, it's psychological terror is not recommended for children or the weak at heart. The basic idea is nothing new, but if you're looking for a horror movie without any cheap scares this one will keep you on the edge of your seat. The extremely well done performances by the child actors is enough of a reason to at least give this one a rent.

RATING: 7/10

The Mist (2007)

Directed by: Frank Darabont
Starring: Thomas Jane, Marcia Gay Harden, Laurie Holden, William Sadler

The Movie:
After a severe thunder storm, David Brayton (Thomas Jane), his son Billy (Nathan Gamble) and neighbor Brent Norman (Andre Braugher) drive into the supermarket in the small town of Maine. Along the way, they notice a strange mist covering most of the lake, and military vehicles going towards it, but not thinking much of it, they continue onto the store. While shopping, the inevitable happens, an older gentleman comes running into the store with a bloody nose, declaring "there's something in the mist!" This creates a panic among the eighty-some shoppers in the store, one specifically being a woman known for spreading her crazy religious beliefs across the town.

Review:
This has to be the first true horror movie I've seen in decades. This one doesn't need cheap frights to be scary, it's a down to earth scary movie. It was shown that the storm must have unleashed something evil that would get you if you went into the fog. A mixture of some horror and science fiction, as the secret "arrowhead project" created at a nearby military installation that they thought would open a proverbial door to the outside world.

The one peeve I had was the religious nut job that thought sacrificing non-believers would save the lives of all the believers. Don't get me wrong, I understand why she was included in the script and find it gave the film more meaning but I was ready to jump through the screen and beat the crap out of her by the midpoint. The audience at my recent movie night showing of this, all applauded when former schoolteacher (Frances Sternhagen) threw the can of peas at her during one of her speeches.

The ending showed the small group of people who just wanted to escape the mist, finally make it out of the supermarket and into David's truck. Taking a quick detour past his house, and seeing his wife not able to escape the group of five proceeded out of the town to however far a tank of gas took them. Unfortunately they hadn't made it far before running out of gas, but at least they tried. This is where the shock comes into play, they were minutes away from being rescued by the military when David decided to pull out the 6-round, although only four bullets remained, revolver and kill all five passengers including his young son. Being out of bullets he was frustrated on what to do, and vouched to get out of the truck and call for the "things" in the mist to take him. The credits start rolling as David is down on his knees crying, begging to be taken while trucks loaded with victims were being driven out of the contaminated area. It's surely the most shocking ending I've ever seen.

RATING: 9.5/10

And the Worst Movie Award Goes to...

Many of us watched the Academy Awards last weekend, and in light of the big update to this site I decided I wanted to kick it off with something special. As you may know I have seen hundreds if not thousands of movies, so it should come to no surprise that I've seen some really bad movies. I'm not talking about movies that are so bad, that they're good. Those I consider guilty pleasures which I'll save for another time. I'm referring to something that I actually suffered through, something I actually had to ask myself; "Can I have that hour and a half of my life back?" I'm sure we've all been there at one point or another, maybe more than once even.

Sadly this has happened to me on more than one occasion. Even sadder, I can guarantee I still own those movies in question. Anyway, I could easily point out a Tyler Perry flick or a direct-to-video release starring Nicholas Cage but considering we all know going into such a movie that it's going to bad, I won't say they deserve the worst movie award. The movie, I think deserves this award just happens to be one I watched in theaters when it was first released, nearly falling asleep multiple times, and yet still bought it on DVD during a video store closeout sale a few years back.....

Nacho Libre (2006)

Director: Jared Hess

Starring: Jack Black, Ana de la Reguera, Héctor Jiménez

Running Time: 92 minutes

Synopsis:

Jack Black is Ignacio, a monastery cook who feeds orphan children by day and by night transforms himself into Nacho Libre, a notorious Luchador in stretchy pants. Spurred on by Esqueleto "The Skeleton," a street peasant turned sidekick, Nacho challenges Mexico's most fearsome wrestlers as he fights to save the children and win the affections of Sister Encarnacion, his inspiration and forbidden love. 

Review:

When a movie starts off funny, it doesn't take long before it becomes tedious. You can actually see some similarities in this and Hess' other comedy, Napoleon Dynamite. Both films are about outsiders, and both main characters have bizarre best friends. Difference is, Nacho is a lovable character while the main character in Napoleon Dynamite was an unpleasant individual. It's obvious by the script that we were supposed to like Nacho, but Jack Black's performance came off more irritating than endearing.

Nacho grew up in a monastery, and is now the cook.  He has a secret love, wrestling, which he can't admit because monks think it's the work of the devil. Even the newly arrived nun, Sister Encarnacion agrees wrestling is bad. This concerns Nacho, but it doesn't stop him from secretly starting a career of it behind a mask, alongside his skinny, also amateur sidekick Esqueleto (Hector Jimenez). Despite never winning, Nacho gains some popularity and eventually earns the chance to fight the king of wrestling, Ramses (Cesar Gonzalez) in an exhibition match.

Quite frankly, this movie will only interest those who are fans of Jack Black. It's only around ninety minutes long, but to me it felt much longer. The film dragged on, I may have laughed once or twice but not nearly enough to be able to rate this higher than a 2/10. Yeah, it was that bad.


So there you have it, one of the WORST movies I have ever seen. Whats the worst movie you've seen?

A Portrait of Life and Art

Who is Jackson Pollock and why is he famous?

Ed Harris plays the famed artist, Jackson Pollock in this documentary-drama. Pollock was an abstract painter at the end of the 1940s, starting out a war-exempt drunken citizen living in his brother's tiny apartment in New York. When his brother takes a job out of town, Jackson finds himself needing to support himself as an artist. When he meets fellow artist Lee Krasner (Marcia Gay Harden), who puts her career on hold to be his companion, lover, wife, and caretaker. To get away from the temptations of booze, insecurity, and the stress of city life they move out to the country. His career takes off, critics praise his work, and he gets famous...


Famous for what though is the question, some paint splatter on a canvas and a few empty bottles of liquor. I'm by far not an artist, I cannot draw to save my life but even an infant could make the abstracts Pollock created. We are all artists in our own way, whether it's writing stories or reviews, painting a picture, directing a film, or sculpting a sand castle on the beach..

To make a true story, especially one that means a lot to you as Ed Harris stated is a tough task. I'm not going to say he had complete success because frankly I don't know anything about Jackson Pollock outside of what was portrayed in this film. Interesting enough, Ed Harris' canvas here was huge, although he kept it contained within two hours I have a feeling it could've gone much longer. The moral of the story is how to work and live as an artist. It's a challenge for many today as well. Although he battled alcoholism, I firmly believe Jackson's major battle was that of pleasing the art critics. His artwork must meet a required criteria if they wanted to eat, and they had to eat thus he relied on critics to write positive articles on his work which was tougher to accomplish.

Ed Harris, in my humble opinion, gave the best performance of his career in this film and was well deserving of an an Oscar for Best Actor. He portrayed the perfect level of emotions of the high and low points of Jackson Pollock's life. Marcia Gay Harden won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress, but considering the amount of time she spent on this film portraying Lee Krasner, it came to a surprise that she wasn't nominated for the Best Actress award that she was distinctively qualified for.

My Rating: 7/10

Old Dogs (2009)

Director: Walt Becker
Starring: Robin Williams, John Travolta, Seth Green
Running Time: 88 Minutes

Charlie (John Travolta) and Dan (Robin Williams) are business partners and close friends. Their lives are turned upside down when Dan receives a letter from his ex-wife (annulled marriage) letting him know he is the father of seven-year old fraternal twins. Although he generally hates kids and is clueless on how to raise them, he volunteers to care for them while she is away, at the same time as a their business is at the verge of a huge deal with a Japanese company. With Charlie's help is there any way they can be dad and uncle, meet the kids' expectations, and still land the business deal?


This movie didn't feature Robin Williams as his most comical self, it almost seemed like this was a movie he didn't want any part of and only involved for the paycheck. Sure his quality of work had been slacking in recent years, see Night at the Museum a movie where he plays a museum statue of Theodore Roosevelt, but he still manages to make me smile whenever I watch him. John Travolta in Old Dogs was similar to anything else he's been in, he seems to love being the center of attention and the more he ages the more he wants to see his name in print. Anyone notice that? Anyway I'm rambling on, the plot of this movie was to show how close these two old friends are. When one is in trouble, the other has his back always. When Dan has to take care of his kids, Charlie offers a hand. Reluctantly Charlie also has to open his one-of-a-kind bachelor pad to the three of them.

This movie receives some slack on big movie critic websites, but let's face it, what really makes a good movie? In my humble opinion if a comedy makes you laugh, if a suspenseful thriller keeps you on the edge of your seat, or if a drama makes you tear up... then they are good movies. Old Dogs is a comedy that did it's job, it made me chuckle from time to time. I guarantee as with many movies, there are faults.

Luis Guzman, why is this guy still starring in movies? He has no acting talent, he stumbles in everything he has ever worked on. If anyone can be worse than him, it's got to be Dax Shepard, Gary-the-Child-Proofer(also played Vince on Employee of the Month). Even a new parent would know you don't have to childproof everything in the house for 7-year-olds, but I regress. At least we see some worthy faces; such as Bernie Mac, Ann Margaret, Matt Dillon, and Lori Loughlin.

Consensus: I stand behind this movie, regardless of how many times it's slammed by movie critics across the board. It's a leave-your-brain at the door, sit back, and relax type of movie all the way through. It's less than 90 minutes in length, watch it yourself instead of letting the critics think for you.


My Rating: 6.5/10

Blood Diamond (2006)

Directed by: Edward Zwick
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Connelly, Djimon Hounsou
Running Time: 143 minutes

Synopsis:
An ex-merchenary turned smuggler (Leonardo DiCaprio). A Mende fisherman (Djimon Hounsou). Amid the explosive civil war overtaking 1999 Sierra Leone, these men join for two desperate missions, recovering a rare pink diamond of immense value and rescuing the fisherman's son, conscripted as a child soldier into the brutal rebel forces ripping a swath of torture and bloodshed across the alternately beautiful and ravaged countryside. Directed by Edward Zwick [Glory, The Last Samurai], this urgent, intensely moving adventure shapes gripping human stories and heart pounding action into a modern epic of profound impact.

Married? Thinking about it? I'd be willing to bet you'll be shopping for or dreaming of a nice big diamond ring if you haven't already got one. Have you thought about where that shiny rock came from? Here's a hint, it didn't come from Jared. According to Blood Diamond, rebel forces invaded small villages in Sierra Leone to enslave able bodied men to dig and sift through the sands of the desert for flawless diamonds only to be sold or traded at no restitution to the slaves. This story is about a particular fisherman, Solomon who managed to escape a mining camp, with the assistance of former mercenary Danny and American overseas reporter Maddy.  Upon arriving at the refugee camps, Solomon learns his son Dia was taken by the rebel forces to be transformed into a child soldier. While Danny's only interested in the rare pink diamond that Solomon found and hid, the only thing Solomon wants is to rescue his son and get his family back.

Nominated for five academy awards including best supporting actor(Leonardo DiCaprio), leading actor(Djimon Hounsou), film editing, sound mixing, and sound editing. It's unfortunate that Blood Diamond didn't win any awards at the 2006 Oscars. Somehow this movie slipped under my radar, I just came across the DVD for this earlier this year and thought the synopsis sounded interesting, in the political sense.

The cast line up was what really sold me on this, let's start with Jennifer Connelly, her filmography for the past decade has been pretty active, not perfect but hey, let's face it her gorgeous body isn't hard on the eyes and I've been entertained by her past performances. Now we turn to Leonardo DiCaprio, what isn't there to like about him? His filmography is compiled of very successful movies, many big blockbusters. Moving onto Djimon Hounson, I'll be completely honest and say I had no idea who this guy was before I watched this movie, I didn't recognize him from The Island or Gladiator, both movies I've seen many a dozen times or better. His performance was better than DiCaprio's in this movie, I couldn't imagine playing the role of a slave, and I don't think many would want to. Zwick did a outstanding job at directing this movie, and it shouldn't go ignored, it's not his first time directing a civil war movie, if you've seen Glory - based in the USA during the 1800s - you'll want to see this one.

Overall, I'd say this movie is not for the faint of heart. Not because of the sight of blood or lack-thereof, but the general nature of violence portrayed in this film. The director didn't hold back on the violence, we see the rebels force themselves into the villages and slaughter women and children, enslaving males for the mining camps, and taking boys to transform into child soldiers. On the other hand, Zwick made this movie incredibly realistic so just turning on the evening news you could see just how factual this movie is. In some parts of the world, there's still a civil war..There's still child soldiers out there killing and being recruited into the rebel forces. Just give it a shot, what do you have to lose?






(** site notice: I'm trying out a few new formats for my reviews, so this one and the ones to come may look different than usual, but rest assured they are still written by me -no copying other than the synopsis off the back of the DVD case**)

Hydra (2009)

Directed by: Andrew Prendergast
Starring: George Stults, Dawn Olivieri, Michael Shamus Wiles

MPAA Rating: Unrated (TV Movie)
Running Time: 94 Minutes

The Movie:
Former Marine Tim Nolan has been kidnapped - along with three ex-convicts - and forced to participate in a deadly game. Wealthy men have paid a fortune for the opportunity to hunt down men like him in the perfect place: a deserted island. However, this is no ordinary island - it is home to Hydra the Beast. As the hunters track down their prey, Hydra quickly turns hunter into hunted. With the island crumbling beneath him, Nolan finds himself in a race against time to stop the beast and get off the island alive.


Review:
This made-for-Syfy-channel movie will never earn an Emmy award, but it wasn't all that bad. I usually stay away from these cheesy made-for-TV science fiction movies, because I'm not a big science fiction fan and I usually walk away thinking 'What the hell did I just watch? Man I want the last 90 minutes of my life back!' This one was no different, it didn't contain a single recognizable face, and was overused in the CGI department but those are to be expected. On the other hand, this was a pleasantly surprising and very entertained creature flick. If you're a fan of low budget B-movies, this one is for you. A great movie to catch on the SyFy channel, that doesn't scream multiple viewing.

My Rating: 4.5/10

Session 9 (2001)

Directed by: Brad Anderson
Starring: David Caruso, Stephen Gevedon, Paul Guilfoyle

Running Time: 97 Minutes
MPAA Rating: R

Synopsis (provided by IMDb):
Tensions rise within an asbestos cleaning crew as they work in an abandoned mental hospital with a horrific past that seems to be coming back.

Spoilers ahead, you have been warned!
Summary:
When a hazmat construction company gets a job removing the asbestos from an abandoned mental hospital, the horrific stories told about the place becomes a reality with personal life events of the crew. The job is supposed to be quick and easy, but as the relation among each of them takes a turn for the worse. Things get even more complicated as would-be lawyer Mike ( Stephen Gevedon ) plays the tapes from a former patient with multiple personalities, including the mysterious Simon who does not appear until Session 9.

Review:
The storyline was predictable, slowly reaching the climax without a cheap scare in the process. On the other hand, the actors did a fantastic job at portraying regular everyday people but aren't killed off in order of credits. I have to be honest, I only bought this movie because the the artwork looked creepy as hell, I knew nothing about the story line and didn't even read the synopsis on the back which is something I normally do before I blind buy something. The movie, to me, had that creepy feeling a little over the first 40 minutes or so, when Hank ( Josh Lucas ) mysteriously disappears when he goes into the asylum alone to retrieve the old coins. If you have a single bit of interest in horror, I can't recommend this title enough! Rating: 8/10.

Watch Trailer:

The Messengers (2007)

Directed by: Oxide Pang Chun, Danny Pang
Starring: Dylan McDermott, Penelope Ann Miller, Kristen Stewart

Running Time: 90 Minutes
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for mature thematic material, disturbing violence and terror

Synopsis [provided by IMDb.com]:
An ominous darkness invades a seemingly serene sunflower farm in North Dakota, and the Solomon family is torn apart by suspicion, mayhem and murder.


Summary:
It's been a long, troubling year for the Solomon family residing in Chicago. They decide it's time for a change when their life savings is gone in less than two years followed by a car accident driven by Jess (Kristen Stewart) that put her younger brother Ben (Evan and Theodore Turner) in the hospital. The change just happens to be a move to a farming town in North Dakota, where the father, Roy (Dylan McDermott) decides to become a sunflower farmer. One thing they didn't realize about the house they purchased was the fact that the family who lived there beforehand just disappeared one day, or did they? As they were settling in, strange things started happening. That is the big question, what happened to the family? Did they really leave? Are they dead? And most of all, is the killer still alive?

Review:
This movie wasn't perfect, but then again there aren't many movies one could classify as perfect. It was definitely not unwatchable. If you're looking for an original and scary horror movie, this one isn't it. However if you are just looking for some campy thrill-filled fun, this one shouldn't be avoided. Rating: 7/10

The Strangers (2007)

Directed by: Brian Bertino
Starring: Scott Speedman, Liv Tyler

MPAA Rating: R for violence/terror and language
Running Time: 86 Min.

Synopsis: 
A young couple staying in an isolated vacation home are terrorized by three unknown assailants. 


Summary:
On the way home from a wedding reception, a recently separated couple decides to stay at an isolated family vacation home. Soon after arriving, there's a sudden knock on the door. Which entails a violent invasion by three strangers, all three hidden behind masks. There's no real reason behind why these three masked invaders chose this house. It's like a game to them, first thing they do is haunt their victims before killing them. Surely the couple have to struggle beyond what they are capable of to survive.

Review:
This movie isn't for any horror fan, it is a violent, bloody game of cat and mouse. It is said to be a true story, fictionalized for the sake of entertainment. The Strangers isn't a movie I would recommend to just anyone, if you are interested in slasher thrillers based on real life events then pay this one a rent otherwise don't waste your time or money. The acting was well done by Liv Tyler, but I think Scott Speedman's character left plenty of room for improvement.
My Rating: 6/10

The Dark Knight (2008)

Director: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger

Released: 18 July 2008 (USA)
Running Time: 152 Min.

Rated: PG-13
My Rating: 9/10











 The second movie to Nolan's franchise was better than the first, but far from Tim Burton's version of Batman. Heath Ledger's last film debut, he did a remarkable job as Joker, trying to change the morals of the people of  Gotham. We all know Batman was created to rid the evil in Gotham, well when his big enemy is the clownishly homicidal Joker who won't stop at anything to transform the good to evil.

Unless you've been living under a rock for the past couple years, you must know they've made a sequel called "The Dark Knight Rises" which was released in theaters yesterday (7-20-12) which I haven't seen yet. However you can tell from what I've mentioned about this movie, I'm looking forward to finally seeing The Dark Knight Rises! Are you? (or have you seen it already? No spoilers please)

Bad Santa (2003)

SPOILERS AHEAD! You have been warned.

Director: Terry Zwigoff
Stars: Billy Bob Thornton, Bernie Mac and Lauren Graham

MPAA Rating: Rated R for pervasive language, strong sexual content and some violence.
My Rating: 7/10

USA Release Date: Nov. 26, 2003
Running Time: 91 min | 88 min (Director's cut) | 98 min (unrated version)













Who would ever suspect a Santa Claus to rob a department store? This one does, with his 3-foot tall "elf" sidekick. This isn't an ordinary Santa Claus, with his massive drinking and swearing. One Christmas in Arizona proves to be problematic for them though, when Santa (Billy Bob Thornton) befriends a troubled kid and the security manager foil their plans. Marcus (Tony Cox) and his mail-order wife are too greedy for their own good, when they kill off the department store security manager (Bernie Mac) so they don't have to share half of their profits. That takes care of their problems, or so Marcus would think, unfortunately his "partner" is getting soft as he learns the true meaning of Christmas from the troubled fat kid he's been living with. The only option on Christmas eve is to pull off their last heist together, and kill "Santa" which backfires when the department store gets raided by the police.

Overall, this is a really good movie to watch around the holidays or whenever since it's just another comedy/robbery heist story. I'm sure I everyone has probably seen this before, but if you haven't go find it and check it out for yourself.

Adventureland (2009)

Director:  Greg Mottola
Starring:  Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Kelsey Ford, Jack Gilpin, Ryan Reynolds
MPAA:  Rated R for language, drug use and sexual references.

In the summer of 1987, James Brennan (Jesse Eisenberg) just graduated from Oberlin College. He is looking forward to touring Europe with his friend and going to Columbia University the following year, when his parents (Wendie Malick and Jack Gilpin) break the news that they won't be able to help him financially.

Of course, this means James will have to cancel his plans and find a summer job. Come to find out, he doesn't qualify for anything but a job at a local amusement park, Adventureland. He thinks he's applying to operate the rides, when the manager, Bobby (Bill Hader), immediately assigns him to the games area. His first day is spent meeting some of his co-workers: Joel (Martin Starr), Bobby's wife Paulette (Kristen Wiig), Sue O'Malley (Paige Howard), Mark (Mark Miller), Lisa P. (Margarita Levieva), and the park's repairs technician Mike Connell (Ryan Reynolds), who is a part-time musician and claims to have once jammed with Lou Reed.

He also meets Emily "Em" Lewin (Kristen Stewart), fellow games area co-worker, when she rescues him from almost being knifed by a dishonest customer. When they go for a drink at a local bar, he freely admits he's a virgin and starts talking about his ex-girlfriends from school, a very big mistake according to Connell. When James tells Connell, that he thinks he loves Em, the first thing Connell does is tells her. She does what she thinks is right, by telling James she just wants to take things slow - one step at a time.

The next day, Lisa P. asks James out. After James returns home after the date, he finds out Em tried calling him, so to make it up to her, he gives her some of his marijuana to bake some 'pot cookies'. After a pot-induced game-playing streak, Joel is attacked by an angry customer who learns the games are rigged. When Em steps in, the customer pushes her and James defends her by punching him.

Later on, Joel sees James and Em walking together and quits. When James confronts Joel, trying to encourage him to go back to work, he gets angry because James went out with Lisa P. when he clearly has Em.  That night, Em goes to Connell's to end their affair when James finds out and confronts her about it. James tells Lisa P. about the affair between Em and Connell and she tells one of her friends, and now everybody in the park knows about it. This causes Em to quit, and go back to school (NYU). 

James realizes he and Em are perfect for each other, and wants her back at whatever cost, so he decides to go to New York even though he has no money for school. Waiting for her, outside her apartment in the rain, surprises Em when she arrives. Once there, James gets out of his wet clothes, and finds she still has an Adventureland shirt.

I have to admit, this was one of those movies where it was a no-brainer on how it was going to end, but was very good in my opinion and I have seen LOTS of movies.

Trailer, compliments of YouTube:

Sorority Row (2009)

Director: Stewart Hendler
Cast: Adam Berry, Marie Blanchard, Briana Evigan, Margo Harshman, Rumer Willis, Jamie Chung, Leah Pipes, Audrina Patridge, Matt O'Leary, Debra Gordon, Carrie Fisher

"Sorority Row" directed by Stewart Hendler, is about a group of sorority sisters who try to cover up the death of their house-sister after a prank gone wrong, only to be stalked by a serial killer. Originally, they try tricking a guy into thinking he killed his girlfriend, then take him into the middle of nowhere to 'dismember" the body, only to reveal the prank. However, the prank goes horribly wrong, and they're forced to drop the girl down an old mine shaft while keeping quiet to save their futures. A year later, at a welcoming party for the new sisterhood, they end up being haunted by those events.

How far can a group of sorority sisters go before mentioning the death of their house-sister?

Watch the trailer, compliments of YouTube......