Troy (2004)

They should have cut a few minor characters to allow for depth from the main ones. A serviceable epic actioner.

Rating: C

Star Trek (2009)

A lunar surfaces' worth of plot holes didn't help this reboot win me over to the franchise.

Rating: C-

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+

Black Hawk Down (2001)

Almost nonstop action, violence, death, and mayhem the entire film. Loved it! Ridley Scott knows how to keep his audience’s heart pounding.

Rating: B+

Hulk (2003)

I thought Ang Lee did a good job with story and character development. The action was pretty cool, especially how the Hulk bounds from place to place over great distances. It lost me a little at the end with the whole lake scene, but overall it was a decent action flick.

Rating: C

Mary and Max (2009)

An unconventional Claymation film from Australia full of quirky characters and dark humor. I felt it started off a slow, but picked up steam once the mail correspondence began. The animation was very creative. Borderline spectacular. Strange, yet interesting story.

Rating: C+

The Time Traveler's Wife (2009)

The perfect balance of flashbacks and storytelling. It's a pretty film to look at. I felt a real chemistry between the two leads. Didn't read the book, but I felt the director paid justice to it. Touching and romantic. Bring a box of Kleenex for the last quarter of the film.

Rating: B

Munich (2005)

A gripping, well made film that could have used a bit more editing and focus. I'm glad I saw the film and learned more about what happened that day. The DVD was surprisingly barren. They should have at least included a short documentary or something.

Rating: C+

Funny People (2009)

I really liked the first half to three fourths of this movie. I was seriously toying with giving out a rare "A" grade. It needed a stronger 3rd act, but still solid overall. I actually like Adam Sandler in almost every serious role he's been in—it's the comedies I hate. Spanglish. Liked it. Punch Drunk Love. LOVED IT. Here he's great too. I call it the Robin Williams Phenomenon. Terrific supporting cast, just like all Judd's movies.

Rating: B

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-

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+