Wanted (2008)

Lots of killing--some cool sequences I haven't seen before--and high production values. Story? Well, it takes a back seat to the action. I had high hopes; perhaps in the realm of Sin City. It fell way short but still entertained.

Rating: C

War Pigs (2015)

Was hoping for something a little more polished for Ryan Little’s latest war effort, considering he scored some big names for the lead roles. Unfortunately it was completely average when it wasn’t being subpar.

Rating: C-

Chuck & Buck (2000)

A childhood friendship rekindles in a dysfunctional, unwanted way. I cringed at one point where the story took a turn in a direction I didn't want it to go. This was a Sundance favorite and not your average movie.

Rating: C+

Murder By Numbers (2002)

A pretty good murder mystery with some dysfunctional high school kids.

Rating: C

Let’s Be Cops (2014)

Largely sloppy writing reminiscent of a mediocre sitcom, minus the laugh track. A tragic case of writers believing they are funnier than they really are. It’s rampant in Hollywood.

Rating: D-

30 Days Of Night (2007)

Pretty decent as far as vampire movies go. They took a simple idea and fleshed out an entire film from it. Very gory. I kept having flashbacks of Kill Bill. You could do much worse in looking for a scary movie.

Rating: C

The Polar Express (2004)

One of the worst animated features of all time. Period. It's a train ride straight to hell. You've been warned.

Rating: F

The World’s End (2013)

I honestly thought this was a drinking buddy dramedy right up until the point it went off the rails bonkers. That’s the beauty of seeing films without watching or reading previews. I enjoy being surprised by a movie, even if it’s a weird humanoid surprise with blue blood squirting out of it. Dumb ending.

Rating: C-

The Queen (2006)

Two things made me see this movie:

1. All the Oscar buzz, and

2. It was showing on my flight back from Japan.

I tend to agree, it was a great performance, but I'm not ready to hand over the statue just yet. The film is an interesting look into the royal and political goings on surrounding Lady Diana's death. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would.

Rating: C+

Cinderella (2015)

A nice live action update of the fairytale. Thankfully not done as an obnoxious musical. Great casting. Not dumbed down for the kiddos.

Rating: C+

Chasing Ice (2012)

Documentary about renown photographer James Balog and his work on climate change through images of glacier ice. Visually powerful, but didn’t quite move me as a film. More informative than entertaining.

Rating: C

44 Inch Chest (2009)

Duped once again by the trailer, which made this out to be something it wasn't. Terrific cast and very compelling soliloquies, but it was nothing more than a dramatic stage play adapted needlessly to film.

Rating: D+

Lucy (2014)

Luc Besson put his crazy-pants on for this one, although it’s not fully manifested until the third act of the film. Mostly a fun, brainless ride, which is ironic, seeing as Lucy is maximizing her full brain potential for our entertainment.

It would have been nice for them to explain the motivations of the Koreans. What exactly were they planning on doing with the drug? It clearly wasn’t for teens at a rave. And that ludicrous ending? WTF?

Rating: C

Saw II (2005)

Having been pleasantly surprised with the first Saw, I decided to give the sequel a chance. While it didn't have that same intense kick of the first, it still delivers some chilling moments. Even with the pile of cash made on the original, they still managed to make this one look more low-budget.

Rating: C

Croupier (1998)

Tells the story of a writer/roulette dealer in a seedy London casino who has a few ups and downs through the course of his job.

Rating: C

Bad Words (2013)

An uneven comedy from Jason Bateman. Funny enough to not disappoint, even if many of the jokes are mean spirited.

Rating: C

Jumper (2008)

Cool premise for a movie, but I had the distinct impression that a good portion of the book was missing from the screen. The movie should have started with him at age 5, when he made his first jump. It should have more thoroughly explained why his mother left, and how she became involved with the jumper hunters, or whatever they call them.

Why are they trying to kill the jumpers anyway? I mean, besides the ridiculous reason they provided in the movie. A lot of potential, but it lacked foundation. Sometimes we want a little more plot with our action. Don't shortchange us.

Rating: C

Try Seventeen (All I Want) (2002)

Good cast with a quirky plot that hits more often than not. A feel good indie.

Rating: C+

Inside Out (2015)

A cute Pixar release from the perspective of the inside of a little girl’s brain. Her emotions are represented by different characters on a control deck. It’s a novel idea and fairly well composed. Not quite to the level of early Pixar work, but definitely entertaining.

Rating: C+

Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle (2003)

Like the first, the plot was cartoonish at best. Pure fluff.

Rating: C-

Before The Devil Knows You’re Dead (2007)

One of those semi-depressing movies where you watch everyone make one bad decision after another until they finally choke on the consequences of their actions. No complaints about the acting or cast. All helped to take a simple story to the next level.

However, don't expect to feel uplifted at the end. Also, I should have married Marisa Tomei. She looks absolutely amazing for her age. Plus, we share the same birthday.

Rating: C