Blade II (2002)

 

The first one was ok, but I can't think of a good reason why I had to see the second one. Some good fighting scenes, but not much else. 

Rating: D-

Extract (2009)

 

Plays like a bland network sitcom. The obnoxious neighbor was my favorite part. I expected more from Mike Judge.

Rating: D+

Torque (2004)

So bad it was funny. The bullet bike chick fight scene/Pepsi ad was one of the most ridiculous things I’ve ever seen. Also, what was Adam Scott doing in this film? Very strange casting. I would have given this a straight up F if it weren’t for the slick sound and effects. But seriously. Terrible.

Rating: F+

Fast Five (2011)

I’ll bet if I was 7 this would be the greatest movie of all time. But as an adult, I can’t help wondering how I’m supposed to root for a group of people who do a billion dollars worth of infrastructure damage to the city of Rio, killing I don’t know how many countless innocent bystanders, all while stealing a bunch of money.

The acting was fair to poor. The stunts are beyond ridiculous. It might as well be a superhero movie, because each of the main characters would have died 10 times over in real life. It makes The Italian Job look like a documentary. At the same time, it looked and sounded amazing on Blu-Ray. It’s getting harder to check my brain at the door, but I still enjoy a seeing a 100 million+ dollars sprayed across the screen for my entertainment.

Rating: C

Mr. Brooks (2007)

It's about time the serial killer genre came out with a decent film to represent itself. Maybe I haven't thought about it because of the sheer brilliance of the Showtime drama Dexter. You can tell this film was adapted from a good book. The plot is well thought out. Characters unfold in layers. The pacing is just right. It felt bookish, but in a good way.

I liked Kevin Costner in this role. I didn't know beforehand that Dane Cook was in it. This helps to balance out some of the doofus roles he's taken. Brooks is an interesting thriller, and a worthy rental selection.

Rating: B-

The Fast and the Furious (2001)

What a sweet ride! I could almost feel the wind whipping through my hair as I reached for the seat belt that wasn't there. If only "Gone in 60 Seconds" had half as much intensity as this movie did, it might have not sucked so bad.

The plot is much deeper than the previews let on, which plays nicely around the fantastic action. Some of the best car racing/chase scenes I've ever seen. I loved the direction, the way they captured the pure adrenaline of sitting behind the wheel of one of those tweaked out cars. Glad I saw it in a nice theater. Just a fun movie.

Rating: B