Reviews

This film has a lot of problem, but the great performances of its stars still make it worth seeing at the theater. The twist was way too predictable (I had it solved half an hour in, and I'm usually unable to figure out twists way ahead of time) and the script wasn't very impressive. The direction is OK, but nothing special. There were some pretty funny moments and one liners though. The only thing that makes this better than a sub-par thriller is De Niro and Pacino, both of whom put in great performances and really save this movie. The supporting actors do just fine, but are overshadowed. I was really anxious for a movie in which the pair finally share some significant screen time together, and this movie was about as good as could be expected, considering the makers of the film.

It isn't the best movie out right now (try Burn After Reading), but I do recommend going to see this one. I give it 7/10. I hope Robert De Niro and Al Pacino team up again, hopefully with a better screenplay and director.

I must say this is the best film I have seen this year. The acting is strong all across the board, with Brad Pitt giving an especially good turn and Frances McDormand was worthy of an Oscar nomination. The movie feels like something of a combination of the Big Lebowski, Fargo, and Syriana. In a way, it is the darkly comic twin of No Country For Old Men. I was just expecting a fun dark comedy, but the social commentary was actually well done and gave this film a better feel to it. The humor in this film was great. My theater was cracking up for half the movie. Great visual gags, Clooney's sex life, the one liners, and the quirky characters and conversations make this movie funnier than Step Brothers, Pineapple Express, or Tropic Thunder. Of course, this film isn't as good as No Country For Old Men, but this is still one all Coen fans should go see.

I give this movie a strong 8/10, and put it at #88 on my top 100 list. Definitely deserves an Oscar nomination for Original Screenplay and possibly picture.

House of 1,000 Corpses is one of the oddest horror films I have ever seen. The unusual villains, sets, and overall feel make this an interesting experiment in horror cinema. The film is far from great, but it was pretty good and sets the stage for its much better sequel, "The Devil's Rejects". The horror and violent scenes are only OK, apparently because this was heavily cut to avoid an NC-17, and an unrated version hasn't been released. The dark humor was the best thing about the film, creating an interesting atmosphere. Sid Haig as Captain Spaulding was definitely this movie's highlight, and made it worth the $5 I spent on the DVD. Unfortunately, the film is over the top too often. This movie feels like the Natural Born Killers of horror. The color can sometimes be distracting, and the screenplay isn't strong.

Overall, this is more of an interesting film than a good one. I give it 6/10.

Wolf Creek is a really good movie for horror buffs, but is too unoriginal for most other people. The plot is very similar to Texas Chainsaw Massacre, except that this one takes place in the Australian outback. The three young leads give average, horror film performances while John Jarrat is impressive as the psycho killer. There's enough intensity and gore to keep things interesting, even if it is somewhat predictable. As with most horror movies, the young leads make one or two boneheaded decisions that felt way to clichéd. This is still a good movie though. Its intense and sets the right atmosphere. It's gory and visceral, but focuses on atmosphere more than on seeing what it can get away with.

I give Wolf Creek 7/10. The unrated, NC-17 cut is definitely worth getting over the R-rated version.

One Hour Photo is a very underrated movie that deserves more credit than it often seems to get. Robin Williams is just fantastic as Sy, and definitely deserved an Oscar nomination. His chilling performance really made the movie. He is a very sympathetic character, alternating between detachment and forceful anger. The direction and supporting cast were very good, if not great. The dialogue was well done, and the use of contrasting colors added to the film's intense atmosphere. If you like psychological horrors, or just good movies, give this one a shot.

I give One Hour Photo a strong 8/10. I have it as #93 on my top 100 list. If you liked this one, definitely check out Kubrick's 'The Shining' and try 'Panic Room'.

The Omen is a fun horror movie, but there are better ones out there. The movie certainly pales in comparison to the Exorcist, and hasn't aged as well. The acting is very good, especially from Billy Whitelaw who gives an awesome performance as Mrs. Baylock. The use of music was good, and the atmosphere well done. Unfortunately, the movie moves at a rather slow pace, and doesn't seem to benefit from this pacing. The film could have been trimmed down a bit without affecting the story.

Overall, I give The Omen a 7/10. Definitely worth seeing for horror fans. The remake is pretty good as well. The Exorcist is still the greatest of the 'possession' films.

I expected more than this from Tom Hanks and the Coens. Most of the actors turn in an average performance, but Tom Hanks is great as usual. Unfortunately, Marlon Wayans was Razzie worthy. I know his character was supposed to be annoying, but he was so annoying and his dialogue so forced that it significantly detracted from the film. The humor is rather hit and miss, but has some really funny parts. The best gag is the running joke of the old African-American woman who writes checks to Bob Jones University (a far-right, unaccredited Christian college that is known for its racism). I thought the film dragged too much at some points, and could have been shortened a bit. The soundtrack, largely consisting of gospel music, gave the film an unusual (but good) feel to it.

I give the movie a 6/10. Not great, but worth watching for a few laughs.

Ferrell and McKay turn in a pretty funny comedy, but it isn't anything that really stands out. The movie had me giggling throughout, but there are few parts that had me really laughing (like the 'Gangs of New York' parody near the end). Ferrell is his usual funny self, and the supporting cast is fine. The romantic plot seemed to forced (even for a comedy), but everything else was fine.

This is a good comedy, but not a great one. I give the movie (I saw the unrated version) a 6/10, probably better for a rental rather than a purchase. I thought Talladega Nights and Step Brothers were much better Will Ferrell comedies.

Yes, the acting is bad. The effects are cheesy. The story is unoriginal. There is gratuitous female nudity with no point to it. The blonde is impossible dumb. The violent scenes are done to show blood and gore rather than frighten. Every horror stereotype is in abundance or at least present. The back story of the killer is just plain dumb. Nevertheless, I actually liked this. Unlike many bad movies, this one is a tongue in cheek horror film that largely parodies other slasher movies. This is not supposed to be a serious horror film like Saw. Though not exactly a comedy, there are plenty of funny moments. Clearly, the director and cast had a fun time with this one. So, horror fans should probably give this one a watch and everyone else should skip.

I give this movie a 6/10. Really fun, but if you don't see it, no big deal. There are two versions, the R-rated cut and an unrated version. The unrated version contains longer and more explicit violence that was cut after getting the NC-17. The unrated version doesn't contain any other scenes. The R-rated cut doesn't have any special features, while the unrated has quite a few. I bought the Circuit City exclusive 2-disc DVD that contains both the unrated and R-rated versions, and recommend this one as it is the most complete version

One of the most original comedies I've seen. The basic plot sounds bizarre, and frankly, I didn't think it would work well. Thankfully, I was wrong. Tropic Thunder is one of the funnier movies of the year, and the best spoof of war films I've seen. The dialogue is hilarious and the acting is fine, with Downey turning in a particularly good performance. This movie is funny, if not hilarious, throughout. The trailers in the beginning (one of the funniest parts) felt like a great tribute to Grindhouse, rather than a rip-off. Nick Nolte, an almost unrecognizable Tom Cruise, and Mathew McConaughey are all funny in their supporting roles My only complaints with the movie are that Ben Stiller plays the same character he always does and Nick Nolte was underused.

Definitely a film all comedy or war fans should go see. I give this film a strong 7/10. If you liked the spoof nature of the film, try Hot Fuzz.

Filled with great characters and a fun story, Star Wars is well deserving of its reputation as a classic. John Williams score alone makes this a film worth seeing. The characters are unforgettable and the special effects impressive for its time, but very outdated now. The different alien species are one of the best things about the film. The Cantina scene showing an array of Lucas' creations is particularly fun.

I give this film a 7/10. Looking at it subjectively, it isn't a really good film. A lot of clichés, bad dialogue, cracker jack philosophy, and unimpressive acting. Yet, for some reason, I find it hard to say anything bad about this movie. My favorite film as a child, and one I still enjoy, mostly for nostalgia.

The Great Escape is one of the greatest WWII films. The acting, direction, and story are perfect. Each and every one of the main characters is fresh and likable. At times, "Great Escape" is even moving, especially, for me, when Charles Bronson's character fights his claustrophobia. The movie never gets boring or to slow, even though it is 172 minutes long. Of course, there are some downsides to the film. It isn't historically accurate, and the campy atmosphere throughout can be overdone at times. Overall, the good more than makes up for my tiny complaints.

I give "The Great Escape" a high 8/10, its #98 on my top 100. One of my favorite popcorn movies, I never get tired of seeing it. The only reason it doesn't get a 9 or a 10, is that the movie is pure entertainment. It doesn't really have anything to say. Definitely deserving of its reputation as a war classic. If you liked this movie, try "The Dirty Dozen", and "Hart's War" (a much weaker, but still fun, World War II POW film).

I enjoyed Silence of the Lambs, Hannibal, and Red Dragon, but Hannibal Rising was a real let down. One of the biggest faults is that Hopkins is an Englishman, but young Hannibal in this film is portrayed with an Eastern European accent. The storyline isn't original, and Hannibal bears almost no resemblance to Hopkin's Hannibal. He doesn't seem at all intelligent or insightful, or clairvoyant as Hannibal does in the first three films. The acting and dialogue are sub-par for the horror genre. Oh well, I guess any film without Hopkins as Lector is bound to be far below its predecessors. The more violet scenes are well done, and Ulliel does alright as a psycho, but he just doesn't feel like Hannibal. The visuals are excellent, and the cinematography is above average.

I give Hannibal Rising (The unrated, 130 minute version) a 4/10.

This movie was even dumber than a Vin Diesel vehicle. "Scorpion King" must rank as one of the worst acted, directed, and written movies ever made. The script and dialogue was atrocious and uninspired, and the performances no better. This movie was as illogical as the arguments for privatizing Social Security. The action scenes were unimpressive, and these were by far the best part of the film. "The Mummy" was a decent popcorn movie, the "Mummy Returns" was unnecessary, and this film was just a waste. Of course, any movie starring the Rock is going to suck, but "Scorpion King didn't even meet my ridiculously low expectations.

I give Scorpion King a 1/10. A true travesty.

I don't know why so many people like this film. Bale gave a below average performance (though he is fantastic in "American Psycho") and nobody else is impressive. The biggest issue with the film is the illogical actions of the characters. After Bale's plane crashes in the beginning, his first action is to throw away his Colt .45. He alter does the same thing with two other guns. Why? The sets for the film are visually appealing and it has some funny lighthearted moments. Overall, this one is a dud. There are many better Vietnam films out there.

I give Rescue Dawn 3/10. Try "Platoon", "Full Metal Jacket" "Tigerland" and "Apocalypse Now if you want a Vietnam film. "The Great Escape" is what all POW movies should be.

Wow. Just wow. This might be the worst comedy of all time, and I am counting Larry the Cable Guy films. The spoofs in this movie come across as juvenile, uninspired, and just stupid. I laughed a lot at this film, but I was laughing at it, not with it. Truly a pathetic waste of money and time. How these guys keep managing to make more films (Date Movie, Meet the Spartans, and now Disaster Movie) amazes me. The only half-way funny parts are when Kal Penn mentions "Stiffler's Mom" and says he thinks he's been to White Castle before. American Pe and Harold and Kumar were good comedies. This isn't.

I give "Epic Movie" 1/10. It is to comedy what Fox News is to honest journalism.

Date Movie, Epic Movie, Meet the Spartans, Delta Farce, and now this. This movie just wasn't funny. The jokes fell flat (I laughed lightly maybe once or twice), and it feels like a complete rip off of the pretty funny "Dodgeball". I cannot believe Christopher Walken, a great actor, actually did this dimwitted 'comedy'. He's the only thing that saves this movie from a 1 star rating. The entire concept of the film is unfunny. The script is atrocious, and the actors must have done this one for the money.

I give this film only 2 stars. If you enjoyed it, you are among the millions of Americans dumbing our country down.

I'm not sure I've ever seen a worse 'comedy', although Epic Movie gives it a run for its money. None of the jokes were funny, Larry the Cable Guy was just as obnoxious as usual, the acting was terrible, the script stupid, and the premise no better. Unfortunately I got dragged to this one by my brother, who likes most every stupid movie out there (Epic Movie, Paul W.S. Anderson films, etc.). This isn't even one of those "so bad, its good" movies. How Larry the Cable guy continues to get paid for these pieces of trash is beyond conceivability. The saddest thing is 680 people, 12.9% of voters, gave this movie a perfect 10.

I give "Delta Farce" 1/10, avoid it like the plague. If you liked this film, well, normally I give recommendations here, but, I can't imagine anyone actually enjoying this.

So far, Step Brothers is the best comedy of the year. Ferrell and John C. Reilly are my two favorite comic actors (although Reilly is even better in his dramatic roles, such as Officer Jim in 'Magnolia") and both shine here. The jokes and antics are non-stop and very few fall flat. The films 'R' rating really allows Ferrell and McKay to take their jokes all the way, and in my view, makes the movie funnier than McKay, Ferrell, and O'Reilly's earlier effort "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby".

I give "Step Brothers" 8/10, one of my favorite comedies. If you liked this movie, try "Talladega Nights", "Anchorman", and "Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story".

Inside Man is a good crime/thriller, but there are better movies in the genre. The director does a great job of keeping the bank robbers mysterious, and their motives hidden. The criminals in this film are very smart, and use some original and ingenious methods to confuse the police. The movie maintains its atmosphere well. The script, acting, and direction are pretty good, but nothing special. The plot line with Jodie Foster's character seems unnecessary and forced at times, which is a shame as Foster is one of my favorite actresses. This movie owes a lot to "Dog Day Afternoon" (even directly mentioning Pacino's movie at one point) but never crosses the line between homage and rip-off. With a traditional plot points combined with some unique ideas, Inside Man is a fun and entertaining crime film.

I give Inside Man 7/10. In addition to "Dog Day Afternoon", try watching "Panic Room" if you enjoyed this movie.

Ridley Scott's biopic/mob film "American Gangster" is one of my favorite organized crime movies. The script, direction, cinematography, and acting (particularly from Washington) are all impressive. As a fan of mafia and crime movies, the plot and story make for a great popcorn flick. However, this film does have its downsides. Crowe's storyline sometimes feels like a rip-off of "Serpico". The Richie Roberts' plot line is less interesting than Frank Lucas', and Roberts' family problems hurt the pacing and seem uninspired and unoriginal. Washington's great performance and the fascinating story more than a make up for these slight defects though. There are two versions of the film, the R-rated theatrical and the unrated director's cut. The DVD contains both versions, and the unrated version adds time and plot, not more objectionable material. I slightly preferred the theatrical version, but thought the unrated versions ending was marginally better.

I give American Gangster a strong 8/10. If you liked it, I recommend Serpico, The Godfather, Scarface, the Departed, Goodfellas, Casino, Eastern promises, and A History of Violence.

I saw Roth's Hostel and Hostel 2, and enjoyed them both, so I bought Roth's first film, Cabin Fever. This film has its low points and high points, but the bad outweighs the good. The film has some tense moments and truly scary scenes. The setup is pretty good, and the violent scenes are well done. The script isn't terrible for the genre, but it isn't impressive either. The direction and acting are only average for horror films, at best. The biggest problem that ruined the movie for me is the complete lack of emotion shown by all the teens. As their friends, lovers, and companions are stricken with the disease or killed, none of the other characters seem to care at all. Their lack of any emotions make what could have been a pretty good horror movie into a below average movie. Oddly enough, this film as a very high 62% rating at Rotten Tomatoes, especially consideirng critics don't usually like the genre.

I give "Cabin Fever" 4/10. See it only if you're a die-hard horror or Roth fan.

Basic starts out as a fun and engaging popcorn flick. Travolta, Nielsen, Jackson, and the rest put in decent performances, and the chaotic jungle scenes are fun to watch. After the first half hour, the film really goes downhill. The writers seem to throw in twists for no apparent reason. Many of these twists are completely unnecessary and make no sense. It feels like the writers thought this was the only way to keep our attention. The pieces of the puzzle do not fit together, and the movie is more confusing than anything. Plus, the film feels to similar to "Rules of Engagement". The direct contradictions and terrible twists turn what could have been a really fun movie into a below average one.

I give "Basic" 4/10, mostly for the good premise.

The Godfather Part III must be the worst film ever nominated for best picture. The film doesn't have the characters, brilliant performances, great direction, and atmosphere that the first two films had. Part III is simply boring, and above all, unnecessary. It seems this film was just an attempt to capitalize on the success of the first two Godfathers. The acting is average at best, with Pacino putting in a decent performance and Sophie Coppola an atrociously terrible one. The plot is overcomplicated and at times illogical. For me, there weren't really any redeeming qualities. I prefer to think of the Godfather as two films instead of three.

All in all, I give this film a 2/10. My least favorite Mafia film ever made.

Rush To War is one of the better Iraq war documentaries out there. It is a shame that this film is rarely seen (only 62 votes as of this writing). Taicher's documentary doesn't really provide anything we haven't heard before. However, the talking heads in the documentary are some of my personal favorites. Noam Chomsky (my favorite political philosopher), Howard Zinn, Molly Ivins, George McGovern (strongly recommend his book "Out of Iraq: A Plan for Withdrawal Now"), Chris Hedges, and even Tom Friedman makes an appearance. Although inferior to Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11, "Rush to War" is a must see for all liberals, moderates, or people with some common sense. The DVD has a lengthy interview with Joe Wilson (Valerie Plame's husband) as a fascinating special feature.

Note: IMDb shows this movie as being 61 minutes, but my DVD runs 86.

I give this film an 8/10, and it doesn't get higher only because all the information in this film is available elsewhere.