Chopper (2000)

A very Aussie film based on the life of a celebrity criminal from down under. Not for the faint of heart. Eric Bana does a great job. DVD extras are worth looking at, especially the interviews with the real life dude.

Rating: B-

The King’s Speech (2010)

As good as everyone said it was. A finely crafted film with outstanding performances by Firth and Rush. As someone who generally avoids British period pieces, I can assure you this one will hold your attention and leave you feeling warm inside.

Rating: B+

United 93 (2006)

United 93 was certainly deserving of it's best picture nomination. I've avoided anything having to do with 9/11 since it happened, but I'd heard this was really well done, so I decided to make an exception. It's a gripping film and doesn't get watered down with sentimental crap. It's been said that this film puts you in the plane with the terrorists, and it's true. I don't see myself watching this one a second time, but everyone should at least see it once.

Rating: B+

Hanna (2011)

A very non traditional action film that satisfies the indie purist as well as the Hollywood drones. Eric Bana and Cate Blanchet really added some weight to the cast. What stands out is the excellent score from The Chemical Brothers, and the terrific cinematography. You’ll be mesmerized by an extended shot of flamenco musicians and dancers, all the while thinking to yourself: “How did they get away with this?!?” There seemed to be a lot of cinematic leeway given to the filmmakers, which I am fully in support of.

I didn’t recognize the director, Joe Wright, but after a quick IMDb search, I recognized several of his previous films: The Soloist, Atonement, Pride & Prejudice. None of which I’ve seen. I plan to now. The first ¾ of this film are brilliant. The last fourth was good. The wrap-up is always the hardest part.

Rating: B+

The Four Feathers (2002)

The pros: picturesque landscapes, performances by Heath Ledger and his native friend, and one cool battle scene. The cons: Everything else. Long winded and trite at times. I had to make myself focus during the long drawn out romance sequences and stop myself from rooting for the bad guys since I felt the British deserved to be wiped out.

Rating: C-

Black Swan (2010)

Massive Darren Aronofsky fan here. Black Swan covers some very different material, but his familiar tone is there throughout. His films often portray characters spinning out of control. In Black Swan, that happens metaphorically and literally. Portman is committed 100% to her character. Her Oscar win was deserved. A bit odd seeing Winona Ryder on the screen, but it worked.

This is a very dark film, sometimes bordering on scary. It’s beautifully shot and will enthrall the viewer. With that said, it’s not one of my favorite Aronofsky films. That honor goes to Requiem, then The Fountain.

Rating: B-

The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004)

As expected, an odd and quirky movie with an all star cast. The humor is along the lines of Wes Anderson's other films, but even more subtle. I wasn't really sure what to think of it. The music is great, the characters odd, and the story bizarre.

Rating: C+

The Way Back (2010)

What an ambitious film. I’d really like to find out how much of this story is true, because this is one heck of a tale. Very well told. Nice pacing from the gulag to the escape south. Loved the scenery and changing landscapes. The viewer really feels like part of the group and suffers right along with them. A very big production for such a small film. Don’t miss it on Blu-Ray.

Rating: B

Full Tilt Boogie (1997)

This is the documentary from the film "From Dusk Till Dawn", one of my favorite movies. The doc is fantastic, going in depth on how the movie was made and the personalities of everyone involved. It's found on the bonus features DVD.

Rating: C+

The Next Three Days (2010)

A solid prison break drama with enough riveting scenes to keep you from pausing to relieve your bladder. Having quality actors didn’t hurt either. That scene between Crow and Liam Neeson was terrific. Since you probably missed this one in the theater like I did, make sure and catch in on Blu-Ray.

Rating: B-

Enemy of the State (1998)

Will Smith does his thing and the action never stops. It's a boost of adrenaline and a solid action flick.

Rating: B-

The Green Hornet (2011)

Michelle Gondry shines when he is given an outstanding script to work with. This film, written in part by Seth Rogen, is not outstanding. It’s juvenile and choppy. There are funny bits sprinkled here and there. Good for a few chuckles, but the movie doesn’t work. The violence is extreme and cartoony. There is no continuity. It plays like a jumbled mess of comic book action cells. The one thing I got out of The Green Hornet is a reminder that it’s time to re-watch Kick Ass.

Rating: D

New York Doll (2005)

Another great music documentary in the vein of Dig!. Here we see the New York Dolls as seen through the eyes of bassist Arthur Kane. The story cuts back and forth between modern day (and modern saint) Arthur and rock legend from back in the day, Killer Kane.

Arthur has since converted to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and is leading a completely different life as a volunteer in the Family History Library. The old Arthur was caught up in the rock star world of substance abuse, partying, and everything else that goes with it. The contrast between these two lives is fascinating, especially when vocalized by some of rock's biggest names.

This film will be far more entertaining if you are really into music or Mormon. If you happen to be both (like myself) it's excellent. Make sure and wait for the end of the credits to hear David Johansen sing "A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief" -- all the versus! It's awesome. He does another hymn in the DVD extras.

Rating: B+

Bridesmaids (2011)

There are far too few funny, raunchy female helmed comedies. Good ones. The only one that comes to mind is The Sweetest Thing, and that came out forever ago. Bridesmaids was hilarious. The scene following the dress fitting—you know the one—was one of the funniest things I’ve seen on screen in years. I laughed so hard I could barely breathe, my sides hurt, and tears were streaming down my eyes. This isn’t exactly high art, but it’s all you could ask for in a comedy.

Rating: B+

Talk to Her (Hable Con Ella) (2002)

This is a Spanish film about 2 men who find themselves in love with 2 women, who happen to be in comas. It's quite the odd story but can be very pleasing to the eye and ear at times. I enjoyed it despite its slow pace.

Rating: B-

X-Men: First Class (2011)

A solid origin story that takes after the excellent first two films in the series, helping to wipe that horrible 3rd installment from our memories. A rare summer action film that is worth seeing in the theater.

Rating: C+

Levity (2003)

Great film. Solid performances, especially by Billy Bob Thornton. Too bad those acting chops have dried up. There's a nice tone throughout the film with subtle bits of humor sprinkled in.

Rating: B-

Super 8 (2011)

It dawned on me halfway through the movie that films like Goonies and E.T. are a lost art. Fortunately, Abrams and Spielberg team up to create a hybrid of both. The movie is told through the eyes of childhood friends. The dialogue is fun and funny. JJ borrows the few good parts from Cloverfield to keep the audience in suspense. I won’t go so far as to say this is a childhood classic, but it’s certainly refreshing to see someone headed in that direction for a change. I had to suffer through previews for The Zookeeper and Mr. Poppers Penguins. It was like a hobo crapping in my eyes.

Rating: B+

The Squid and the Whale (2005)

I can appreciate what this movie was trying to do, but in the end, I really didn't want it done. It's one of those indie films that likes to shock it's audience by engaging minors in adult situations with plenty of harsh language. There are some good scenes here and there, but it's mostly depressing.

Rating: C-

The Switch (2010)

A very formulaic romantic comedy with a turkey baster twist. Some funny moments and a cute kid playing the scientifically made son. Happy to see Goldblum on screen again. Where’s he been?

Rating: C

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)

I haven't read the books that started all the hoopla, but the movie was ok. Its basic plot stopped it from reaching the heights of say a "Goonies". The only decent thing on the bonus disc was some deleted scenes that you have to go through hell to access. They weren't very good and rightly belonged on the cutting room floor.

Rating: C+

Faster (2010)

It’s been ages since I saw Billy Bob in a role where he wasn’t playing a greasy deadbeat. I guess he’s through with acting. Faster sets the bar really low for revenge flicks. The barely there plot is an afterthought. The Rock is a one-act set piece that can be adequate given the right material. He didn’t shine in Faster.

Rating: D+

Running Scared (2006)

Corrupt police drama with Paul Walker doing a decent job in the lead role. I liked the direction and editing of the film. It was touted somewhere as being more violent than the Kill Bills. While this is far from being true, it's still pretty violent. Enjoyed.

Rating: B

The Hangover: Part II (2011)

I enjoyed it and laughed a lot. Plenty of inappropriate humor. Don’t go in expecting lightning to strike twice. This isn’t as magical as the first. Just simple fun.

Rating: C+

Tumbleweeds (1999)

This film reminded me of a lot of other mother-daughter bonding films. The acting from both main characters was excellent and very believable. While the story was formulaic, it still managed to be
entertaining.

Rating: C+

Tron: Legacy (2010)

So glad I had just watched the original TRON, despite it sucking, as there were a lot of references to it within the sequel. The special effects were amazing. Very cool updates of the suits, bikes, grid, and discs, in addition to some new toys.

The story was meh. They did what they could with it in a film that’s more about the look than the substance. Speaking of substance, those grid chicks were smoking hot in a cyber goth kind of way. Game on!

Rating: C

Tron (1982)

I saw this as a kid but didn’t remember a whole lot about it. With Legacy coming out on Blu-Ray, I decided to pick up the new Blu-Ray version of the original so I would have a better grip on the back story. Wow, did we ever have low expectations for what qualifies as entertainment back then. I guess we didn’t know any better. Sure, it looked different than anything else at the time, but it still looked hysterically fake.

The storyline is flimsy at best, and the action is woefully family friendly. I could barely keep my eyes open as I forced myself to make it to the end. I was thinking as I watched this how The Matrix nailed the humans as part of the computer system thing. That was a film way before it’s time. Hoping the sequel to this 80’s crapfest is much better.

Rating: D