Sushi Girl (2012)

Pointless torture with only a shallow plotline to unsuccessfully justify it.

Rating: D

Tears Of The Sun (2003)

Better than I thought it would be. Gets right into the story with Bruce and the villagers. Some of the moments felt manipulated to get a reaction from the audience, but others were quite touching and/or disturbing. More fighting and action than I predicted. Reminded me in some ways of Three Kings, which is a much better movie.

Rating: C+

San Andeas Quake (2015)

B roll all the way, from acting to special effects. Not watchable.

Rating: F

One Tough Cop (1998)

A fair cop drama with one of the Baldwins and the smoking hot Gina Gershon. Based on a true story.

Rating: C

Bug (2006)

Not a good time. If you ever thought insanity was a disease, this movie will lend credence to your viewpoint.

Rating: D

Dallas Buyers Club (2013)

An interesting take on the AIDS epidemic during the 80s. Terrific performance by Matthew McConaughey, and to a lesser degree, Jared Leto. Not sure how he walked away with a Golden Globe. Perhaps it was to make up for not giving him one in Requiem For a Dream.

Rating: B-

The Loved Ones (2009)

A pretty gruesome and suspenseful horror film from Australia that’s not without its merits. Soundtrack is quite good too.

Rating: C+

A Lonely Place To Die (2011)

I didn’t know anything about this film going in, so I thought it was a mountain climbing adventure and then a horror film before realizing it was an action thriller. Not your typical kidnapping ransom story.

I like that it takes the point of view of the people who stumbled upon the captive. After that, a lot of people die. Pretty much almost everyone who comes in contact with the little girl. A bit uneven, but watchable.

Rating: C

Red Eye (2005)

Appropriately enough, I watched this one flying home from Vancouver. Mediocre plane thrillers are more fun in the air. Nothing new here. Watch if you are hard up for an ok action movie.

Rating: C

The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)

Classic Wes Anderson style with all the usual players, and then some. Not one of my favorites from him, but still good.

Rating: C+

10,000 BC (2008)

Let's get it out of the way. The acting is terrible, especially at the beginning. The special effects are pretty good. It's too bad the producers banked the entire movie on them. Nothing original here. This film was too big for the filmmakers.

Rating: D

Brotherhood of the Wolf (Le Pacte des Loups) (2001)

Not your typical French film. Tons of action, Hong Kong style fighting sequences, and some great special f/x.

Rating: C+

Despicable Me 2 (2013)

A mostly deflated version of the original, like most sequels that are churned out to make money.

Rating: D+

Collateral (2004)

Cool, dark thriller by Michael Mann. Tom Cruise and Jamie Foxx are at their best. The script is polished and the violence nicely paced. This film could have been an unbelievable mess in someone else's hands.

Rating: B-, 

Hero (Ying Xiong) (2002)

Hero is a pretty film. The images on screen are quite memorizing, however the story often gets lost in twisting plots told thorugh flashbacks and 'what if' scenarios. I also found it lacking in character development.

Rating: C-

Ex Machina (2015)

A slow burning science fiction film about artificial intelligence. Only a handful of actors on the screen, but they pull you in and don’t let go. Very introspective and artful. Definitely will have you second guessing the notion of whether you could fall in love with a robot.

Rating: B+

Predators (2010)

This sequel picks up around present day, but instead of the Predator coming to our planet to hunt, it has imported killer specimens onto a game preserve planet.

A rag tag team of misfits must band together in order to survive. It's action packed and fun to watch. There's even a returning character from the first film. Solid acting from Brody and others elevate this a step higher than most in this series. Certainly worth viewing if you're a fan of the original, even more so if you went out of your way to see Predator 2 and Alien Vs. Predator, like I did.

Rating: C+

Death Sentence (2007)

A classic revenge pic with Kevin Bacon in the role of pissed off dad. The plot may have a few holes, but with action and violence flying in all directions, you just go with it. Flashy and artfully directed. I have to admit, I enjoyed it.

Rating: C+

Hotel Transylvania (2012)

Formulaic cartoon with a few chuckles sprinkled in.

Rating: C-

Benny and Joon (1993)

Not as satisfying as I remember it being after a second viewing. I think I’m more cynical now than I used to be.

Rating: C

Step Into Liquid (2003)

A surfing doc that's as fun to watch for non-surfers as Dogtown and Z-Boys was for non-skaters. Worth seeing for the exotic film locations alone. One gret shot after another.

Rating: C+

The Expendables 3 (2014)

More senseless violence with very little aim or purpose.

Rating: D

That Evening Sun (2009)

Some interesting characters set in a very slow moving film. The old guy did some fine acting. Some additional editing was in order though.

Rating: C-

Miami Vice (2006)

I want to start off by saying that this film had virtually zero connection to the original TV show. I'm not saying that's a bad thing, but it could have passed as any other undercover cop flick.

The flash and fun is gone, replaced with dark and dismal. The story holds up, but so does an episode of CSI. We expect to be more entertained than a normal night at home with the tube. A popcorn movie. This one was missing the pop.

Rating: C-

In Time (2011)

There were many things about this film that I liked within the first 30-40 minutes. The idea is really cool. Time is literally money. The cost of goods take on a whole new meaning. Do I really want to super-size my meal? The time it takes to eat it might cost more than What I paid for it.

The poor scurry around as fast as they can, living minute to minute, while the rich grow complacent and lazy, as they have limitless time to go and do whatever they are procrastinating at that moment.

Also called into question is age and its role in society. When everyone stops aging at 25, your parents, children, friends, and neighbors all look the same. One can’t expect to receive the respect given to your elders.

It’s a play on a familiar story, where the minority rich pay for their lifestyles off the backs of the majority poor. Like most films with a great concept, it starts off strong and then begins to lose steam. Creativity gives way to formulaic endings. Plot holes and inconsistencies appear. Just like the characters in the movie who run out of time and die, so does this movie by the time the credits roll. Too bad.

Rating: C

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)

Thankfully they kicked out that hack Chris Columbus who lost his touch in the second film and brought in a real director, Alfonso Cuarón, who directed "Y Tu Mamá También." How you go from that film to this one is anybodys guess, but at least it saved this series from Disney on Ice.

The tone of Azkaban is much darker. I didn't seem to mind the awkward teenage years our three magicians have entered into like I thought I would. While I still don't feel that these films are anything special, I did enjoy this one.

Rating: C

Chappie (2015)

They pulled off what so many other films have attempted to do—create a smart and fun artificial intelligence action movie. Absolutely loved the ending and the possibility of a sequel.

Usually with movies of this kind, I get hung up on all the plot holes, but I didn’t get that with Chappie. Brilliant execution on both emotional and ass-kicking levels. Write Neill Blomkamp a blank check and let him loose on his next project.

Rating: A

Vantage Point (2008)

Like watching an extended episode of Boomtown, but with a bigger budget. Expect to be entertained and not much more.

Rating: C

Rock Star (2001)

Would have made a much better PG-13 movie--they focused too much on the sex part of "sex, drugs, & rock 'n roll". I wanted more interaction with him and his family, how his life had changed, etc. The movie lost focus.

Rating: D+

Her (2013)

Quite a strange film about love and the future. I recently watched a similar premise on the fantastic series Black Mirror from the UK. It’s a great concept with almost limitless plot possibilities. I felt this film sometimes got distracted by the details, some of which were brilliant, but others seemed farfetched.

Rating: C+

The Work of Director Jonathan Glazer (2005)

Overall a pretty solid disc. The commercials are entertaining and the bands he works with are above average.

Rating: C

The Ring (2002)

More jumpy than terrifying, this was a well made 'scary' movie. It used similar techniques to The Sixth Sense and The Blair Witch Project, in that it relied more on the fear of what wasn't there rather than throwing lots of gore and monsters in your face. Did a nice job of tying things up at the end.

Rating: C+

The Hundred-Foot Journey (2014)

French and Indian cultures collide in this delightful film about food, family, and love. Another gem from Lasse Hallström. Best film of the year candidate.

Rating: A-

The Experiment (2010)

Based on a book and the film Das Experiment, which must have been based on the Stanford Prison Experiment. This film gives an interesting spin on the source material. We are put in the shoes of the prisoners, not exactly sure what's going on and how far things will be allowed to go.

It's tough to watch at times and keeps your stomach in knots. Some real solid acting happening, especially from Adrien Brody and Forest Whitaker. It's a shame this didn't get more exposure.

Rating: C+

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)

Oh the horror! And I'm not talking about the blood gushing from a freshly slit throat. No, it's the singing. Endless singing of Broadway style show tunes that were nearly the death of me.

I have to keep reminding myself that musicals can actually be good, like "Once" and "Across The Universe", that came out around the same time. It was maddening to be smacked over the head with such retched chortling from the Sweeney Todd cast. A bloody, ear piercing, mess.

Rating: F

The Man With The Iron Fists (2012)

On par with most other over-the-top martial arts films from Asia. Some interesting fight scenes and weaponry, but overall, nothing to cheer about.

Rating: C-

Volunteers (1985)

Thought I’d watch this since I was joining the Peace Corps and going to Thailand. I think I learned more about the Peace Corps watching The Hangover III  than I did from this movie. Funny at times, but mostly stupid.

Rating: D

The Joneses (2009)

An interesting concept in theory, but the writers really had to stretch to make a full length movie out of it. It's watchable, but not by much.

Rating: D+

Lone Survivor (2013)

Another Peter Berg military might action flick, based loosely, I imagine, on actual events. Mark Wahlberg leads a band of Seals into enemy territory where they proceed to get the crap beat out of them. It’s bloody and violent. Not exactly an effective propaganda piece for obtaining new recruits. As a movie though, it works. Gripping stuff.

Rating: C+

Clerks II (2006)

I was surprised to hear Kevin say this was his favorite movie he's made so far on the DVD intro. The original was far superior and, well, original. This sequel comes off as unnecessary and tired. I'm not saying I didn't laugh. How could I not with these characters. I'm just saying it wasn't all that and a bag of Mooby fries.

Rating: D+

The Muppets (2011)

I didn’t realize until 5 minutes in when Jason Segel broke out in song that this was a musical. From there it only took me 5 nanoseconds to hit the FF button. Show tunes make me physically ill. Redemption could have been had if the film was actually funny, but that would only be the case if your age or IQ are under 12.

Rating: F

The Raid 2 (2014)

I’ve seen so many bloody action movies now that I can’t say for a certainty that this is the bloodiest and most violent I’ve ever seen, but it’s certainly in the top 10. Here’s a rare case where both the original and sequel maintain a pretty high level of entertainment bang for your buck. By the end, you will feel like you've been through a fight or two yourself. It’s non-stop mayhem, with enough plot to give some meaning to it all.

Rating: B+

The Recruit (2003)

A decent CIA thriller. 

Rating: C

Cloverfield (2008)

If you had a hard time watching the shaky camera work in Blair Witch, stay clear of Cloverfield. The entire film is shot amateur style, with plenty of running, climbing, falling, and swinging to make even the toughest fighter pilot feel queasy.

The entire story and character development are pieced together with flashback clips and banter. Tension is created through the unknown. Bad things are happening, but the audience is only given small glimpses. The sudden ending may leave some movie goers feeling unsatisfied.

 I liked the filmmakers attempt to show how events might transpire if something like this happened. The "monster" could just as well have been another terrorist attack on New York. Panic, looting, and chaos inevitably follow. I almost feel this project may have worked better as a television show.

Rating: C

Hot Tub Time Machine 2 (2015)

I should have heeded all the negative reviews I read and skipped this. Well, actually I did. I stopped watching 15 minutes in or so, which I never do. I simply didn’t care what happened, and it wasn’t funny enough to find out anyway.

Rating: F

Millions (2004)

A family friendly British import with a cute story, great acting, and a decent message from director Danny Boyle. 

Rating: B-

15 Minutes (2001)

DeNiro and Burns are both good in their roles, but the insane bad guys really steal the show. The plot twists and turns, always leaving you guessing. Just when you think things are winding up, BAM, a new turn.
Rating: C+

The Wolf Of Wall Street (2013)

A film portraying the worst side of America. All seven deadly sins are proudly on display. A drug fueled rocket ship to Donald Trump’s summer home in Hell. A bit exhausting and sad to watch, yet entertaining as well. Best Picture nominee? Maybe.

Rating: B+

Sunshine (2007)

What on Earth, or should I say, the sun, inspired Danny Boyle to do a space flick? I'm not complaining, it just seemed an odd pairing. The result is a high tension space drama with a unique mission—reignite the sun.

I liked 75% of the film. The last great moment was when the ship computer reveals there are still 5 people on board, not 4. (You'll understand when you see it) But after we find out who it is, things go downhill fast. Suddenly plot holes appear everywhere, and a tight drama is replaced with cheap horror. This star faded.

Rating: C

Repo Men (2010)

I liked the concept, but the story didn't work. It's all surface material—no real depth. Ultimately I didn't buy the main point of the film; that society would allow a private company to hack people up willy-nilly like unionized serial killers working for the man. And if you can't get past that, then the rest of the movie feels a little pointless.

Rating: D+