Fast & Furious (2009)

Like a moth to the flame, I return to this franchise knowing I'm going to fry my brain. The original cast is back together for some car chases and explosions. Terrible plot filled with holes. Dialogue sucked. Acting was mediocre at best. What did I expect?

Rating: D-

21 (2008)

The term "loosely based on the novel" immediately comes to mind. Sometimes that's not a bad thing. Here it spells implausibility. Events feel very amped up in order to deliver a Hollywood type film that contains enough eye-catching scenes to fill a movie trailer. For that reason you will be entertained, but left feeling a bit empty. Not unlike the way you feel when leaving Vegas.

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

Crazy, Stupid, Love. (2011)

Started out strong with some funny scenes and smart writing. Things weakened in the second half. A lot of contrived plot lines and cliché sequences. This is a general audience pleaser and fun overall, but it’s better if you switch half your brain off. Ladies will be giving this an A+ for Ryan Gosling alone.

Rating: C+