Self Reliance (2023)

Loved the concept. The setup in the first third of the film was excellent. Anna Kendrick was cute and fun. I just wish they had committed to the story and had a few more dangerous encounters that were less corny. A slow reveal to his family and friends would have been funny and cathartic. 

Instead, the game became too much of a joke without any real consequences for breaking the rules. I would have loved to see the viewers perspective–those tuning into the dark web D.O.G. show. The final act was all over the place. Real shame. 

Rating: C

Rocket Science (2007)

A smart comedy about a stuttering debater attempting to come out of his shell. Some really competent performances. Nice direction and writing. Consistently funny; often laugh-out-loud.

Rating: B

The Accountant (2016)

A fairly unique vigilante thriller with enough violent sequences to quench a hardened viewer’s bloodlust. The second half could have used some tightening up, but all in all, a solid action drama. 

Rating: B-

The Voices (2014)

This one missed the mark for me. I get the dark comedy horror theme they were going for, but it wasn’t scary or funny enough to be either.

Rating: D

Pitch Perfect 2 (2015)

Epic failure. The movie was so desperate to be funny, but of course wasn’t. While the first was based on a book with fleshed out characters and a solid storyline, the sequel hoped that propping up those same characters would make magic strike twice. It didn’t. The only thing that made the movie somewhat bearable was Keegan-Michael Key.

Rating: D-

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (2010)

One thing the Twilight series has done right is hiring quality indie directors to helm their films. Having seen David Slade's movie Hard Candy, I was expecting something a little more edgy. I didn't see it. Everyone's been saying this was the best of the series. I beg to differ. I feel the first one was the best, followed by the second, and you guessed it—the latest is my least favorite.

The first half of the film is bogged down in "heavy" teenage drama played out through boring monologues. There's a lot of unromantic kissing. I simply don't feel the heat between Bella and Edward. It feels forced and creepy. Maybe it's all the white clown makeup the vampires wear.

What it really comes down to is this: Any single episode of True Blood is generally more entertaining than these films.

Rating: C-

Twilight (2008)

I was glad I was able to see this film not having read the book, heard about plot points, or watched any of the previews. I enjoyed it for what it was, not for how faithful the book adaptation was or wasn't.

I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised. Acting was solid, story pacing was nice, the cinematography was gorgeous, and the action wasn't bad. I was expecting things to be much more watered down.

What interested me the most was the excellent direction. The name Catherine Hardwicke didn't ring any bells. Sometimes these kinds of films are given to unproven first time directors who've previously been making music videos or commercials. Had I known she directed the controversial film "Thirteen" I saw at Sundance back in 2003, I wouldn't have been worried at all.

Rating: C+

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010)

Like nothing you've seen before. It's hip, funny, quirky, and a bit juvenile. Video games infiltrate every part of the production. I really liked the characters and their quick witted interactions.

A miss for me was the focus of the entire film—Scott fighting the 7 evil ex's. If I want to see cartoonish fights, I can watch schlock like Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers. Still, it was refreshing to see something different brought to screen.

Rating: C+

End Of Watch (2012)

More and more I find myself determining whether a movie is good or not based on how it measures up to my favorite television shows. Hopefully it gives me something more than a good episode of TV.

End of Watch is reminiscent of Southland, a fantastic cop show. Both make use of different camera styles and angles to bring the viewer into the action. The plot isn’t readily apparent. It sneaks up on you through slowly intertwining subplots. A nice companion piece to the directors other film—Training Day.

Rating: B-

Up In The Air (2009)

Delightful, funny, smart, and even a little sexy. This made me think back to Clooney's character in Out of Sight—a good thing. Great writing, which we can thank the source material for. Solid acting and competent direction. Hard to find much wrong with this film. I'm a sucker for happy endings, so had things turned out differently, I may have moved this into the "A" range.

Rating: B

Pitch Perfect (2012)

There’s a subgenre of student competition films that follow a model exemplified by Bring It On and Drumline. Most of them are crap, but when done right, they can be a lot of fun. Pitch Perfect was a lot of fun. Smart casting choices, writing, and catchy tunes brought it to the next level. Loved seeing Adam DeVine from Workaholics on the big screen.

Rating: C+

ParaNorman (2012)

A pretty cool animated film about zombies, witches, and ghosts. In the style of A Nightmare Before Christmas. Plenty of adult humor that kids will miss, assuming kids were into this movie. It’s probably a bit scary for them.

Rating: C+

The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009)

A worthy follow-up to Twilight. This film strayed much further from reality than the original did, which left me feeling ungrounded. I thought the first film did a better job of balancing both worlds. Could be the change in director, or possibly the material in the second book. I wouldn't know—I didn't read them. Still, it was fun to watch.

 Rating: C

50/50 (2011)

As far as cancer movies go, this is a good one. Most of the contrived, forced scenes have been left out. Instead we get a more straightforward, honest portrayal of what one person’s experience with cancer might be like. Fortunately Seth Rogen and Joseph Gordon-Levitt click as friends, so things stay light despite the downer material. The romantic elements were nice too. Well done.

Rating: B-

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 (2011)

How have I seen 4 of these, and in the theater no less! I didn’t even read the books. I kind of like not knowing what’s going to happen, unlike everyone else in the theater. I’m invested in the characters and will see this series through to the end.

This installment was slower than the others and had a lot of girly romance. No surprise that it’s not one of my favorites. Still enjoyable to watch, and it sets thing up for an interesting finale. Not sure how I feel about imprinting on a baby.

Rating: C

Camp (2003)

This was a Sundance film I had heard good things about. Very low budget, but it wasn't too noticeable. The acting wasn't great, however the film had several worthwhile moments that made you feel like you weren't wasting your time. Too much singing for my taste, but if you're into that Glee crap, you'll probably enjoy it more than I did.

Rating: D+