Man On Fire (2004)

 

Gritty, rough, and bloody, but sensitive too. Well directed with a nice set up before all the chaos ensued. 

Rating: C+

The Equalizer 3 (2023)

 

Another decent installment in the Equalizer series. Always satisfying to see the untouchable bad guys get touched by justice, usually in a bloody, violent way. 

Rating: C+

Once Upon A Time In Hollywood (2019)

Another slow buildup to a wild finale like Hateful Eight--but with more buildup. For a while I was afraid the entire film would simply be Brad Pitt running errands.

At the same time, it was fun to see old Hollywood so meticulously recreated. The end is a bloody trip. Not one of Tarantino’s best, but still unique and fun. 

Rating: B-

Push (2009)

Push suffers from the same flaws as it's twin brother Jumper. A convoluted plot with very few dots connected. The potential was there, but TV shows did a better job of reaching it. Namely, the first two seasons of Heroes and The 4400.

Rating: D+

War Of The Worlds (2005)

Fantastic special effects. I would have liked more about the aliens, rather than a one-sided view from our perspective. There wasn't much in the plot explaining why everything was going on, how their machines worked, etc etc. It just seemed very one dimensional.

Rating: C

Hide And Seek (2005)

Made me scream out several times. Even though the plot was tired, the acting was good. Sufficiently creepy to hold your attention.

Rating: C

Sweet Home Alabama (2002)

A step up from Two Weeks Notice, but not a big step. Cute and funny scenes here and there, but a predictable plot and over-the-top sub characters made it wallow in the mediocre romantic comedy trough.

 Rating: C-

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-

Coraline (2009)

Visually stunning, with a cute take on the very similar Pan's Labyrinth. This is not a kid's movie, although they still might be entertained by it.

Rating: B-

The Runaways (2010)

Pretty dark stuff for a movie about teens. Reminded me of Thirteen mixed with Ladies and Gentleman, The Fabulous Stains—both better films in my opinion. That's not to say that Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning didn't embody the rock legends they were portraying. It's certainly a departure from Stewart's Bella role. For music fans, especially those with an affinity for riot grrls, it's worth a viewing.

Rating: C

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 (2012)

Something was off from the very start. The word cartoony comes to mind. The bizarre choice to go with a CGI baby didn’t help matters. What were they thinking? The entire thing felt like the cheesy third X-Men film. Sure, there were a lot of beheadings, but they looked ridiculously fake. Definitely the worst of the series.

Rating: D+

Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story (2005)

An enjoyable film with a terrific cast. Another one to add to the short list of movies that can be enjoyed by the entire family.

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