Kill Switch

One sees a Segal movie and thinks, "Alright! Action! Cool fight scenes! I'm there!!"

I hate to say it but this movie just does not deliver.

In Kill Switch, Steven Segal uses a double in his fighting scenes, so they lack the usual luster of an awesome Segal movie... But that's not all; Segal is trying way, way too hard to talk with a southern {/ghetto??} accent in this movie. It is almost torture every single time this man opens his mouth in this movie.

The only thing this movie might have going for it is the plot, which isn't altogether horrible. But as well as the script was written, between the crappy accent and the fighting scenes with a double {that doesn't much look like the star} it might be hard to follow, and keep down your lunch.

I give this movie one pathetic star: because it really was that terrible. It's not even worth one cool looking gold star... Don't waste money on this movie, don't even waste time; if you do you will lose respect for Steven... And we sure don't want that, do we...

Check it out, if you feel like wasting some time, on the IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1107859/ .

Until next time, happy viewing!!

The X-Files: I Want to Believe

Six years after the series ends, swooping in to get our minds working again, comes X-Files: I want to Believe. With the movie comes a new, fresh, young agent; Dakota Whitney, played by the ravaging Amanda Peet.

Yes, you did see right; Mulder was on the run from the FBI in the series finale. But all is forgiven when Agent Whitney needs his help on a case. Agent Whitney beseeches Dr. Dana Scully {Gillian Anderson} to help her to recruit Fox Mulder {David Duchovny} so he can help the FBI to locate a missing agent and other kidnapped women.

Then we meet the priest, Father Joseph Crissman, a convicted pedophile and also a psychic, who has visions of this kidnapping yet can't give details.

This movie isn't quite what I expected of an X-Files movie. I expected more mystery, more paranormal sequences. I expected to see an alien or two.

The plot wasn't so bad, and at least they didn't start the movie right where the series left off; it's been six years, the actors have aged.

All and all I give X-Files 3 stars: because I didn't see enough "weirdness" for an X-Files movie.

Check it out on the IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0443701/ .

And until next time, dear readers, happy viewing!! ;)

A Little News:

Here's a glimpse into the new movie, Saw V, which is scheduled to debut 10/24/08...


Check out this trailer!


The film will, of course, be rated R for "sequences of grisly bloody violence and torture, language and brief nudity."

For more info about Saw V, check it out on the IMDB here: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1132626/

The Dark Knight {Batman}

The American Psycho. As Batman.

For me, it didn't work. Christian Bale, in my humble opinion, didn't step up to the plate like his predecessors who have played the hero. He seemed to be trying way too hard. Conversely, Heath Ledger brought a new brand of insane to the joker. When he was on screen, he made you forget to compare this Batman rendition to the previous films. He made you realize that this is not part of those, but independent.

The story in this movie twists and turns, and Christian Bale really needs to bone up on his Bruce Wayne; this guy played Bruce as cocky and somewhat self absorbed; something the character has never been.

The action scenes are fantastic, and the special effects are fun; I really liked the way they made Harvey Dent {Aaron Eckhart} look after his accident. It's wicked.

All in all I give Dark Knight 3 stars: because I truly had higher expectations for this movie.

Check it out on the IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0468569/ .

And until next time, may the popcorn be hot, may the Pepsi be nice and refreshing, and may your movie be all that you want it to be! :)

Grace is Gone

If ever there were a movie to make a statement about the war; this is it. And it seems to do it in the most passive way.

Grace is gone is a tear jerker. A sad, melancholy movie that keeps you watching. It is endearing as well as it is sad.

It tells the story of a father who lost his wife to the war in Iraq. He finds out, and instead of telling his children right away he takes them on a trip. At first this poor man, it seems, is in denial.

This movie puts a face on so much of what is going on in the world. What it must be like for the families of the soldiers who perish in this war.

This movie tugs on your heart and speaks to your soul. John Cusack does a fantastic job in his role as the grieving father. You almost think you are peeking into the life of that particular family.

I give this movie 4 stars: because it is so well written.

Check it out on the IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0772168/...

Until next time, happy watching!

Meet Dave

Meet Dave. Dave Ming Chang. Dave is our size. Dave is a spaceship.

This is one of the most disappointing movies I've seen put out by Eddie Murphy. There are some funny moments, but all and all I expected much more from this movie.

The basic plot of Dave: a bunch of teeny tiny aliens that look exactly like humans are riding around in a spaceship modeled after their captain. These aliens need to find an orb from their home planet, Nil, to save it, as well as bring home the salt from the ocean... Which would honestly kill the whole human race. The aliens fall in love with us huge beings... Who wouldn't? My question is this: where was the table salt when you needed it???

The only humor in the whole movie is really when the aliens think that, "welcome to Old Navy" is a generic greeting, and other things that only aliens would do, like pooping money or trying to fight a stuffed frog.

The shortage of laughs in this film is amazing. Given the power of the acting you expect so much more. This movie has so many bright, funny stars it should have been much more than it was; Eddie Murphy as the captain, Elizabeth Banks as Gina, the woman who met Dave by hitting him with her car, Gabrielle Union as number 3, and a myriad of other familiar faces...

I give Meet Dave 2 stars: because it could've been so much more...

Check Meet Dave out on the IMDB here: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0765476/

Hancock

Big police chase. Guns going off. Banks getting robbed. Chaos ensuing and all. What is a city to do? Well, here comes Hancock, like it or not, to the rescue!!

His style of hero is much different from the norm, which is what makes this movie fun. He's rough, gruff, and out of control. He drinks, he smells, and he really doesn't seem to care what people think of him. His fashion of heroism involves wreaking more havoc than the criminals; perching a group of robbers on the point of a tall building stuck in their car... It's refreshing to see a brand new take on heroes; that they can be "human" too.

Then one day the gruff Hancock saves the life of Ray {Jason Bateman}, a public relations manager and a very nice man. Hancock is impressed with Ray and seems to really like him. Ray and Hancock become friends, and the story continues from there. Ray helps Hancock with his PR problems...

There is also a clever plot twist you never would have seen coming. This movie has it all. It's funny, packed with action, laughs, and lovable moments.

I give Hancock 5 stars: because yes, I really liked it that much. It was fun to watch, and even the end left you with a smile on your face.

I definitely recommend seeing this movie as soon as you can. As for taking the kids? Depends. There is some strong language used in this movie {"Hancock, you smell like alcohol!" "That's cuz I'm drunk, bitch!} so I'd say keep it for the older set.

Check it out on the IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0448157/ .

So, until next time, happy viewing!!

Hellboy II: The Golden Army

So, have you seen Hellboy? It's actually a fantastical, comic book like movie about a demon baby, who was brought up from hell from Nazis and recruited by the "forces of good" to help fight the "forces of evil." The first movie has a lot of what you're looking for in a good "dark comic" movie; action, romance, and above all, colorful characters. The story was great, and the movie was fun to watch.

I was excited to see a sequel to Hellboy. The villains looked even more intriguing, and the new characters seemed to be interesting. All and all, the movie was good, but it lacked something the first movie had: a good, fulfilling ending.

Hellboy II seemed to end abruptly, making you thirst for more. You know by the ending that there will be another in this series, and I have a feeling it really won't measure up. Just a gut feeling, but I really think that it will pale in comparison to its two predecessor.

Hellboy II was, all in all, a good watch. Like most sequels, it wasn't as good as the first, but it was good. You got to be thrust into that comic book world again, and even got to know Hellboy's friends a little better. Actually, you got to see what it would be like to sit and have a few beers with them.

I give Hellboy II: The Golden Army 4 stars: because when you watch it, you feel like you are in that world.

Check it out on the IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0411477/...

Until next time, dear readers, happy movie watching, popcorn eating, and Pepsi drinking!

Wanted

Notice the poster. First person you see is Angelina Jolie. Enticing. Makes you think, "Oooooh, this is gonna be good! Angelina with a gun!" Or at least somewhat good; reminiscent of Mr & Mrs Smith... Turns out, the main character ISN'T Angelina at all...








It's this guy , whose only other noticeable film credit is The Chronicles of Narnia. {Yes, he has done other things... Atonement, The Last King Of Scotland, and Becoming Jane}, but in this movie he is almost unnoticeable, even when he becomes "dangerous". By the way, if you don't know his name by now, it's James McAvoy...

This movie is so far fetched in so many ways. I love a good story, a good make-believe. But not when you are trying to pass it off as present day reality. Do you really think that those of us who suffer from anxiety attacks could shoot the wings off of flies if only we learned how to "control" our attacks? That just seems way too unlikely...

Angelina does play the sexy assassin; she seems to fit that role perfectly. But McAvoy just can't play the part he was cast very well at all. He muddles in it, and when he is supposed to be cocky, he just looks like one of those poor schoolyard nerds who, in a moment of triumph after winning the national chess tournament, gets slapped a high five by the prettiest nerd in the room...

The action is there, the story is there, and even some of the right actors are there. But if they would have just cast a better leading man, the movie would have been a whole lot better. Mr. McAvoy can act, there is no question about that; just not in this kind of film...

So, dear readers, don't waste money on this film. Check it out for free if you can. The action and the story are worth your time. The ending is good; you really don't see the twist that comes.

So, all and all, I give this movie three stars:

The effort was there, and the writing was ok... If you can believe some of the far fetched things the writers want you to, {which anyone with an imagination can, I assume, for the sake of a story} than you will enjoy watching Angelina shoot 'em up and drive some nice, fast cars and kill some bad guys. :)

Check it out on the IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0493464/.

So, dear readers, until next time... Happy viewing!! ;)

The Life Before Her Eyes

Wow. What a good keep-you-watching-eyes-glued-to-the-screen-don't-wanna-even-get-up-to-pee movie. The story keeps you watching.

I'm surprised I haven't heard much buzz about this movie and just kind of stumbled upon it. Man is it good. Uma Thurman and Evan Rachel Wood do a FANTASTIC job telling the story of Diana, a woman who is suffering from survivor's guilt from surviving a Columbine like school shooting 15 years in her past.

I cannot accurately describe the twists and turns this movie takes, but I can tell you that this movie keeps you watching. The story is intoxicating.

This is not a movie I personally would usually go for; this was one I picked purely for the sake of this blog and ended up falling head over heals for.

I read the synopsis of this movie and was skeptical at best. I checked out the trailer and saw potential... So I've embedded it here for your viewing pleasure:

The Life Before Her Eyes was a great story. I would, however, recommend seeing it at a point in time where you can give it 100% of your attention, because if you missed a minute of it you'd probably be confused.

I give this movie 5 stars: my highest rating, because the story was phenomenal, and the ending was, well, surprising. I gotta say, I'm a total sucker for a really good ending...

Also, if you'd like to check it out on the IMDB, here's the link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0815178/

So, dear readers, until next time, happy viewing! ;)

The Happening

A movie by M. Night Shyamalan. I'm not sure why I keep thinking he'll put out another good one. So far his only good movie was The Sixth Sense. This movie wasn't so bad; at least it wasn't as much torture as say, Unbreakable.

The beginning of this movie makes you think it will be a goodie; you see two women on a park bench going about their business, all of a sudden one gets somewhat confused. Next thing you know she's pulling a pin out of her hair and stabbing herself in the neck. Interesting.

Cut to a construction scene where guys are falling out of the sky. Interesting again....

Yet as interesting as the opening scenes were, unfortunately the movie never really delivers. The characters are so generic they are boring, even though the celebrity cast did as well as they could with the parts they were given.

This story could've been so much more, if given the right.... I don't know... Direction. Sorry, M. Night, but you really need to stick to writing and let someone else direct your stories. Maybe then the picture would've had more, ummmm, UMPH to it.... It definitely would've made for better viewing...

My advice: don't waste money on this movie at all. Time, maybe... But don't waste money. Wait for cable, or catch it online. If you want a synopsis of it, check it out on the IMDB here: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0949731/ .

I give this movie 2 stars: because, no, it really was not that good.

And I'll bet you were thinking I only reviewed things I liked... HA.

Until later on... Happy movie watching!