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Video Spotlights:

The Celebrity Pill Show

[ Webisode 1 ]
Dr. Phil grills Jack Nicholson

Emma Watson

Order of the Phoenix

LaBeouf & Fox

Transformers

Resurrecting the Champ

When up-and-coming sports writer Erik Kernan (Josh Hartnett) saves a homeless man (Samuel L. Jackson) from a scrape with a group of rowdy college kids, he unwittingly finds himself face to face with no ordinary bum, but Champ, the one-time boxing great Bob Satterfield.

Release Date:
August 24, 2007

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The Nanny Diaries

Strapped for cash after her recent graduation from New York University, Annie Braddock (Scarlett Johansson) puts an ad in the newspaper, hoping to find a position as a nanny.

Release Date:
August 24, 2007

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Mr._Beans_Holiday.jpg Mr. Bean's Holiday

Somewhat unexpectedly, Bean wins the first prize in a raffle - holiday involving a train journey to Cannes, a Sony Handycam DCR-HC96 video camera, and 200.

Release Date:
August 24, 2007

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Illegal Tender

The film tells the story of Latino college student Wilson Jr. (Rick Gonzalez) and his courageous mother Millie De Leon (Wanda de Jesus) fleeing from the thugs that killed his father (Manny Perez)

Release Date:
August 24, 2007

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September Dawn

It sets a fictional love story against the historical tragedy of the Mountain Meadows massacre of September 11, 1857, when a wagon train of emigrants (more than 120 men, women and children) was attacked and murdered by a group made up of the Utah territory militia and Paiute Indians.

Release Date:
August 24, 2007

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War

After his partner Tom Lone (Terry Chen) and family are killed apparently by the infamous and elusive assassin Rogue (Jet Li), FBI agent Jack Crawford (Jason Statham) becomes obsessed with revenge as his world unravels into a vortex of guilt and betrayal.

Release Date:
August 24, 2007

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Dedication

The romantic comedy follows a misogynistic children's book author (Crudup) who is forced to work closely with a female illustrator (Moore) instead of his long-time collaborator and only friend (Wilkinson).

Release Date:
August 24, 2007 (Limited Release)

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Deep Water

Deep Water is a documentary film, produced by Jonny Persey, opening in the UK on 15th December 2006. It is based on the true story of Donald Crowhurst and the 1969 Sunday Times Golden Globe Race round the world alone in a yacht.

Release Date:
August 24, 2007 (Limited Release)

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The Hottest State

The Hottest State is a bittersweet romance that distills the joy, pain, erotic highs, and emotional lows of first love

Release Date:
August 24, 2007 (Limited Release)

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directormtb's OnIFC Profile Page

From Pittsburgh PA

Email Contact: directormtb@onifc.com

Signature: Strive for perfection, settle for excellence

Film Reviews from directormtb:

Spider-man 3 ( Action & Adventure )

Comments:

With all the Special effects you could hope for in a Spider-Man film, Sam Raimi unfortunately left out one important aspect that shows up in every great film: a solid and complete story.

After a few years of struggling with his dual personalities, Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) has now found joy in his life. He has learned how to manage his dual lifestyles with the help of the love, Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst). On the outside everything looks great, hes in love, he takes down the bad guys, and yes, he still manages to go to class and remains one of the colleges better students. Life could not be better. Even Mary Jane seems to have everything she is looking for, from Peter, to now her first big break in a Broadway Musical. While everyone seems happy, we are quickly reminded that things though, arent always as they seem. All of Peters success seems to quickly go to head. Spider-Man struggle early with staying Humble, and Parker seems more interested in talking to Mary Jane about himself, and less concerned with the problems and worries she has. There is definitely trouble in paradise very early on.

Along with such a minor problem, Spider-man must also deal with his former friend turned enemy in Harry Osborn/New Green Goblin (James Franco). While the two start off in a high flying, web slinging, hover bored from hell fight, the new Green Goblin doesnt seem to stand much of a chance. After his fight with Peter, Harry begins to suffer from short term memory loss and now things seem like old times between these two friends. At the same time as all this is going on, Flint Marko has been running from the police. Escaped from prison now and running from the law, Flint runs off to see his young daughter (Who is sick and dieing). After promising to make things better for her, and find a way to get her cured, he runs off again. Running form police, he suddenly falls into some nuclear Sand pit. Unaware that he is there, scientists turn the machine on, and moments later, the Sandman is born. At the beginning of the film, we also see a small meteor hit the Earth, just feet away from Parker and Mary Jane as they embrace in a spider web in the park. A black gooey substance appears from the meteor and attaches itself to Peter one night in his sleep bonding him with an alien symbiote suit. The new black suit seems to give Spider-Man more amazing power, while also filling him with more aggression. Peter must now fight probably his most powerful enemy in the Sandman, while facing the his own inner demons and do what he can to win back the love of his life Mary Jane Watson.

Spider-Man 3 takes us on an amazing, action packed special effects ride of our life. From high flying super-heroes to the transformations of the Sand Man, one thing Spider-Man 3 does is keep us amazed at how real the whole thing looks. The big problem though is that this film tries to do in 140 minutes, what it should have done in 2 or 3 films. By the end, this is abundantly clear. Many of the films story lines are never developed well and some are never really completed. From the tension that seems to grow between Peter and Mary Jane, to the development of the character Sandman, and the absolutely ridiculous ending of the storyline of Peter and Harrys feuding (Thank god for Harrys butler), there is never enough time given to any one storyline to make it seem as real as the special effects used in the film. The whole thing goes by to quickly and in the end, even the effects just get old. Peters transformation with the black suit, aside form one moment in the film where he backhands Mary Jane, is just a comical montage that does very little to explain how dangerous the suit was.

The acting of the film was ok, aside from just a few characters. James Franco gives us his worst performance as Harry Osborn. Often trying to hard to play a character with memory loss, he seemed more like a child again. Franco seemed to play it more as a kid who is just mentally slow, than just suffering form amnesia. Maguire was ok, except for a few scenes near the end, when he attempts to cry. This comes off very awkward. Kirsten Dunst was the one who surprised me the most. Her first scene shows her on stage in a musical singing. I had no idea Dunst was such a good singer, and she did a great job through the whole film. While I will admit she seemed a bit whiney at times, I dont think you can blame her because the writers did such a bad job on this film. They wrote her character in a way that portrayed her like this. Her character seemed to act so much differently in this film that in the other two. I would also like to say, that Bruce Campbell steels the show. His character, even though its only for about 4 minutes, brings life to this otherwise flat film.

While Raimi is in talks now for Spider-Man 4, I think it would be great if he took on the task, but lets another person do the writing. He, like so many other filmmakers in todays era needs to remember one important thing. Special effects for the most part are here to enhance a film. They are not here to be the film. Basic story telling rules apply to film, and no matter how good the effects are, a film will never be great without a solid and complete story. Unfortunately for Spidey fans, that was not the case in Spider-man 3.

Black Snake Moan ( Drama )

Comments:

Black Snake Moan is an improbable, sometimes potentially disastrous film about sex, race, religion and redemption. While most film makers would take this unbelievable story and create nothing short of a train wreck, Director/Writer Craig Brewer (Hustle and Flow) does nearly the impossible, by creating his second great film.

Black Snake Moan tells the story of Lazarus (Samuel L. Jackson), an older, grey haired black man in the Deep South. Down on his luck lately after losing his wife to his brother, even his guitar and blues singing no longer provides him with comfort. He has stopped attending church as he just needs time to himself. He works in a field and makes his money by selling vegetables at the local market. Upon returning to his home one day, he sees Rae (Christina Ricci) lying on the side of the dirt road. Rae is a southern white girl, whos Boyfriend Ronnie just left her to go off to the army. As he is leaving, she drops to the ground and begins to shake. Not good at being alone, she gets The Itch. The itch while in this case looks very much like a heroine addiction is actually nymphomania. Half naked and beaten after a night of sex/drugs/drinking (after all her boyfriend left like 24 hours ago, so whats a girl to do?) Lazarus finds her still alive so he takes her into his home and tends to her wounds for 3 days. During this time, she comes in and out of consciousness and goes into fits that he just cant understand. Learning what he can about this girl from some locals, he learns that she has the Itch or the Sickness and he takes it upon himself to save her. He chains her to a radiator so that she cant get away so that he can give her what she needs, a detoxification from sex. He plans to cure her of her sluttery. Little does he realize that he also is in need of a healing, and Rae might just be the one person to help him?

Black Snake Moan is a beautiful film that brings two individuals from opposite sides of lifes spectrum together to find happiness. While the film flirts with sexual tension between the two characters, the god-fearing Lazarus sticks to his guns and treats this white girl with what she has needed her whole life and thats simply respect (aside from chaining her to a radiator of course). The relationship between Jackson and Ricci is more like that of a loving father and an out of control rebellious daughter. The two find common grounds, and begin to work through their problems together. Jackson has been quoted as saying he feels like this might be his best performance, and I would say he is correct. The same would go for Ricci. While I dont expect either of them to get much attention come Oscar time, both should be praised for their courageous and inspiring performances.

Set against the backdrop of a small community in the Deep South, Black Snake Moan is a great film, with a great cast (aside from Justin Timberlakes whos performance did anything but impress). Many may feel uncomfortable with such in your face sexual tension, but by the end, very few will be able to doubt the films very real story of redemption and salvation.

Pathfinder ( Action & Adventure )

Comments:

Often described as the next big epic film, Pathfinder is anything but. With scenery, visual effects and a potential story that could rival some of the great films, Pathfinder focuses only on blood and gore to impress.

Set in America around 500-600 years before Columbus, Pathfinder is about the Viking raids against Native Americans. During one of these raids, a young Norseman of 10 years of age is left behind. He is found by a female member of the local Wampanoag Indian tribe. With much concern about his future, the tribe adopts him as one of their own and raise him to become both hunter and warrior. They name him Ghost (Karl Urban)

15 years later, the Vikings return looking to take this land as their own. While out on a hunting trip, Ghost hears Viking horns out in the distance. He returns to find his village burned to the ground and the entire tribe murdered. Ghost now sets out to find revenge against those who have taken all that he has known and loved away.

Pathfinder is merely just a sad reminder that Hollywood either doesnt know what its audience is looking for in film, or that those with the money and power to make films simply dont care. With all the elements in place for a great film, Director Marcus Nispel (Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2003) chose simply to turn this into a 6th century Massacre film. Sure Leather face didnt show up, but it had all the same elements as his only other big screen directing accomplishment. It had blood and gore, underdeveloped characters, poorly written dialogue over the top and often unbelievable action sequences (although I will say that it did have the best Shield sled riding scene since the 1988 classic Willow) and a story that only left you begging for more. There should have been more interaction between characters instead of one bloody battle after another. The acting was ok, yet at times a bit cheesy and over the top. However with such little to work with, I dont know that you could ask for anything more from them. The only positive thing to say regarding this film was the scenery. Set against a beautiful background, sometimes this very bad film wouldnt feel so terrible

TMNT ( Action & Adventure )

Comments:

A few months back, I remember seeing the very dark and promising trailer for the new movie TMNT. Like many others my age (about to turn 29) I was very excited to see that someone was bringing back the Heros in a half shell. However what so often is the case in film today, the trailer for TMNT was much better than the film itself.

TMTN starts where one of the last films Secret of the Ooze left off. Shredder is dead, and the turtles must now move on with their lives. Still living underground, the turtles are now living mundane lives. They lack a super villain to keep them occupied and focused, and some of them have even taken on jobs. Mikey works entertaining children at birthday parties, while Don works as a tech support agent working from home, while Raph spends his nights scouring the rooftops in a costume fighting crime. He seems to have forgotten all that Master Splinter has taught him while he uses his built up anger to fight crime and not is talented ninja skills. All the turtles seem to lack discipline and focus, an obvious result stemming from the departure of Leo, who now resides in South America. He is their on an assignment from Splinter to become a better leader. Upon Leos return to the sewers, he quickly realizes that things are not the same as he left them. While Mikey and Don are very happy to see him, Raph is his same old self. He seemed to have taken it the hardest when Leo left. Leo must now fight to gain back the respect and trust of his brothers. The only problem is that all of a sudden the city, and more importantly the world seems to be under attack by a group of Ancient stone warriors who want to reign total destruction on the world with the help of and army of monsters form another planet. Leo and Raph must put aside their anger and frustration if they are to work together with Don, Mikey, April, Casey Jones, and Splinter as a team again and save the entire planet.

The biggest problem with TMNT was what appears to be a total lack of direction in the story. The movie wasnt nearly long enough to adequately focus on and finish all the sub-plots that get introduced. The best example of this would be the sub-plot of Leonardo and his training to become a better leader. This story-line never quite gets finished as there is no significant moment in the film where you can sit back and say ok, I see what he learned on his training. The other problem with the story is that it just took to long to get to the exciting parts of the story. It became so focused on getting the turtles back together, that everything at the end just seemed rushed. The final battle sequence was nothing exciting which in itself was a disappointment since the film was made in the limitless world of CGI. The same limitations that existed years ago when the original films were created do not exist now, so you really could have had the most amazing ninja turtle battle sequence ever, but just didnt.

The movie also fails in its attempt to create very basic animations for the human characters, while the turtles, the city, and the whole world around them were CGI. I understand the need for risk taking in film, however, after the first time you attempt this, and you see how bad the human characters contrast with the rest of the scenes, you simply should have taken the time to redo them. This alone wouldnt have saved the film, but it could have made it a little stronger. While the turtles looked great running on rooftops, even the CGI, especially the close-ups sometimes looked more like the work of an armature. I will however give credit where credit is due. There is a scene in the film where Leonardo and Raphael are fighting in the rain on a rooftop. This scene was so superbly done. It was one of the best animated scenes I have ever seen. To bad the rest of the movie didnt follow suit.

300 ( Action & Adventure )

Comments:

With a fantastic storyline, and tremendous effects, 300 is a film that fails to satisfy in the end. 300 tells the story of the famous Battle of Thermopylae which took place in 480 B.C. where 300 Spartans took on an army of 250,000 Persians. The Spartan army would not receive the backing of the council to go off to war, so King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) takes it upon himself to do what he sees as the right thing, and takes 300 of his best bodyguards out to meet the Persian army. With superior battle planning, he feels that his 300 can actually defeat the much larger force. Meanwhile back in Sparta, Queen Gorgo (Lena Headey) Continues to try and persuade the council and Theron (Dominic West), a Sleazy Politician whos doing all he can to keep Leonidas from waging full war with the Persians.

The rest of the film is where it begins to lack. Its a total blood bath where almost every body part conceivable is chopped off 1 or 100 times with one battle after another. Set against the most amazing backgrounds I have ever seen in a film, 300 has such little depth, both in story and in character. The filmmakers tried to make this more like the graphic novel than the actual battle itself, and what hurts the film the most is when they try to add to much fantasy to it. From Mutant Rhinos, men with crab hands, abnormally giant/deformed monsters, to Unrealistically Deformed men this movie just seemed more like a fantasy action film than something with any historical truth to it. You get a small taste of the actual story, but make no mistake about it, this film is about visual effects and not much more. Although there is truth in the story, it seems to get lost or put aside for more and more stunning effects. The film also has some narration at times. Sometimes the narration fits the story and makes it flow much better, and even fills in pieces of the story that have been missing. However at other times, it just seems to slow down the action to an unbearable pace.

Where this film succeeds is both in visual effects, and in Acting. Both Gerard Butler, and Lena Headey are tremendous. With sometimes overblown, dialogue, these two perform at the highest levels. What will hurt them both come Oscar time is that lack of story and sometimes poor writing. The acting was tremendous with little to work with.

300 is not a film for young kids, or for those who look for completely accurate historical films. What it is though is a visual masterpiece filled with action and gore. Those of you who have seen Sin City, also based on a Frank Miller graphic novel should know what to expect. For me, I just wish they would have focused as much on the story as they did on the visuals, and then this might actually be a great film instead of just being a decent film.

Children of Men ( Mystery & Suspense )

Comments:

Probably one of the best storylines in recent cinema history, Children of men fails to deliver on so many levels.

Its a story that takes place approximately 20-25 years from now. The world is being torn apart because 19 year earlier, the last human baby was born. Woman have become infertile for some unexplained reason, and the world has become a constant mix of riots, and mayhem. Director Alfonso Cuaron does an ok job of painting such a bleak future. Unfortunately he and the rest of the filmmakers never really explain how weve gotten here. You are thrust into a world that no longer looks familiar, and told that the sole reason for this is that within the next 80 years or so, mankind will no longer exist.

Theo Faron (Clive Owens) is a former activist, who at this point just seems to be trying to forget his past, and move along with life and die in peace. He doesnt really seem to have much interest in the world or the fact that the worlds youngest person has just died, bringing mankind one day closer to its ultimate demise. The truth is, Theo and everyone else hardly seem to care or show any emotion other than violence, that they care at all that the world will end sometime in the next century. During a normal day though, Theo is snatched by some activists, who take him to meet their leader Julian Taylor (Julianne Moore) who also just so happens to be Theos ex lover. She needs his help acquiring some papers to help a young lady named Kee to escape from England to meet a group known as the Human Project. You see, Kee is the first woman in almost 20 years to be pregnant. The key to survival may just be in her womb. Theo now takes it upon himself to lead this girl across England to the human project. While being chased, ducking bullets and fighting their way through treacherous war zones, Theo knows that this is one mission that he cant fail.

Children of Men had such tremendous potential, but failed to deliver because of a few critical mistakes. The cinematography was average at best. The war scenes were some of the best I have seen, and would rival some of the best war movies ever made. However, when there was no war going on and you see the characters at work, on a sidewalk, or at home, the movie almost looked as if it was being filmed by a cheap home video camera. The lighting was horrendous in some scenes and magnificent in others. Aside from the few scenes with Michael Caine, the acting was uninspiring at best. The storyline did not flow well, and for the most part, you were given no clues as to where in England you were, and why it was that they chose to travel this route, instead of maybe a safer one, away from gunfire. With Kee being the only woman to become pregnant, you would think they would do all that you can to keep her out of the war zones. Instead they seem to do all they can to keep her right in the middle of it.

Without trying to give anything away, I will say that this movie gives us one of the worst endings I have ever seen. Too many questions go unanswered, and you never fully get to understand the sacrifice that had just been made by so many to get Kee to where she needs to go. Children of Men is a very good idea, but a very disappointing film

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning ( Horror )

Comments:

Once again Tommy AKA Leatherface is brought to the big screen in this prequel to the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre films. The Beginning doesnt do much for the franchise, and simply is the same old movie.

On a final road trip before being shipped off to Vietnam, brothers Dean and Eric, along with girlfriends Chrissie and Bailey get into a car accident while being harassed by thugs on motorcycles. Along comes the new sheriff in town Charlie Hewitt Jr. He murders the biker, and kidnaps the two brothers and one of the girlfriends and takes them to a secluded house where a young killer is being raised.

Unfortunately for fans of the franchise, you dont really get to see all that much into the beginning and construction of Leatherface. The movie spends only a few minutes showing how the man goes from working in a meat factory and killing livestock to killing people as well as only spending a few minutes discussing the past of those that have raised him to be this killing machine. It explains very little, and is nothing more than a blood fest. For those of you who just love gore, you will probably love this. For those of you looking for a better story and a deeper understanding, you will find very little to keep you interested.

Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan ( Comedy )

Comments:

Not since the 1994 Classic Forrest Gump, have wee seen a movie that filled us with hope, with such inspiration thatoh wait, that was a different movie, this was Borat. Borat is a mocumentary, about a news broadcaster from Kazakhstan, who is sent on location to the United States to make a documentary on the greatest country in the world. Upon his arrival, and first experience with American Television, Borat becomes obsessed with the idea of meeting and marrying Bay Watch star, Pamela Anderson.

Over the last few months since the movies release you may have heard that legal action has been taken against the creators of this film. That is where this movie becomes tough for me. Without a doubt, one of the funniest movies I have ever seen, but rumors of unethical film practices continue to rise and tarnish this very successful film.

Probably the rudest, and most politically incorrect film you will ever see, Borat will have you laughing until it hurts. Do not see this movie if you are easily offended.

X-Men: The Last Stand ( Science Fiction & Fantasy )

Comments:

What do you get, when you take a successful movie franchise such as X-Men, and you add a new director, and new writers? Unfortunately what you get is X-Men: The Last Stand, a failed sequel to the first two movies that does everything it can to ruin the entire trilogy. The only thing that The Last Stand offers is decent special effects, but even still, falls short in that category as well. Director Brett Ratners attempt to complete the final installment of the X-Men series fails in just about every way you can.

When I had first heard that Bryan Singer would not be doing the third movies, I was a little disappointed, but then though, that he did such a great job on the first two movies, and left enough behind, that no one would be able to screw it up. Well, was I ever wrong. There was a certain theme established with the first two films, and that theme was completely ignored in an attempt for Brett Ratner to make this movie his own. It is always good for a director to make a movie his own, however, when you are making a film that already has many of its parts in place, then you risk ruining what has already been established. In The Last Stand, the characters act completely different that they did in the first two movies. From Professor X snapping at Wolverine, to Magneto calling the lesser mutants Pawns. This is not how they acted before, and there was no reason for them to do so now. It also appeared that Brett Ratner has no idea how to tie emotions into lighting and music. As many as 6 main characters either die, or lose their mutant powers, yet you will find that you dont really seemed bothered by this the way you did when Jean apparently died in the second film. Overall, this was just not a good movie, and unfortunately for many, will ruin the entire series.

Night at the Museum ( Comedy )

Comments:

Ben Stiller leads an all star cast, in this extremely funny and highly energized film. Night at the Museum is about Larry Daley (Ben Stiller), a divorced father, whose life has been filled with failed get rich quick ideas. Most recently, his attempt at rejuvenating the light switch industry, buy creating the Snapper (an idea he swears would have worked, had someone not stolen it and invented the clapper). In an attempt to create a more stable environment for his son, who visits him on Wednesdays, Larry takes a job as the late night security officer at the Museum of Natural History. Little does he know, how much this new job, will change his life. Upon Larrys first night, he comes to find that everything inside the museum comes to life at night because of an ancient curse. With the help of Teddy Roosevelt (Robin Williams), Jebadiah (Owen Wilson) and many others, Larry must restore order in the museum, and even overcome his own fears and limitations as he fights to keep this nightly miracle alive.

Night at the museum is a fun filled, deeply entertaining tale of one mans struggle with personal limitations. The story is based on the idea, that not everyman is born great, but throughout life, has opportunities to seize greatness through his/her actions. It is a very funny movie, filled with tremendous special effects. A must see film, great for the whole family.

Rocky Balboa ( Drama )

Comments:

Quite possibly the greatest underdog in the history of film, is back for one more fight in Rocky Balboa. A much older, and widowed man, Rocky finds himself going through the same daily routine in life. He now owns a restaurant called Adrians which is an obvious dedication to his late wife, he still hangs out with his brother in law Paulie, and at this point he sees very little of his son.

As the movie opens up, it is the 3 year anniversary of Adrians death. There is a very emotional sequence that takes place, filled with flashbacks that shows a powerful recap of the love between Rocky and Adrian. Not knowing how to keep going on with his mundane life, Rocky decides that maybe its time to step back into the ring. Nothing big, just some small local stuff, to bring some purpose back into his life. When he applies for his boxing license, manager and promoter for the Champion Mason The Line Dixon gets word of this, which puts an idea into motion. His guy, Mason, has little respect from the general public because of the bums that he has fought so far. That being the case, why not put him up against Rocky. Both fighters a little hesitant at first agree to the exhibition match.

With Adrian dead, Rockys son (Milo Ventimiglia) seems to take on her role. Its almost as if he was written with Adrian in mind. Much of the story focuses on how bad their relationship has gone over the past few years, and its his son that tells Rocky how crazy he is for even considering stepping back into the ring. The relationship, and the love between a father and son, get tested throughout the film.

Not since Rocky 2, has there been a Rocky movie so good. Unlike the last 3 Rocky movies, Rocky Balboa goes back to its roots and focuses more on the character and the emotional side of Rocky as apposed to the fight. The fight is more a byproduct of the story. Its all about one mans struggle to accomplish what everyone says cant be done. Its not about winning, its about just doing the impossible. Rocky Balboa provides an emotional punch not seen in many of the past films, and provides fans with the perfect ending to the franchise.

Black Christmas ( Horror )

Comments:

A group of sorority sisters, all getting ready for Christmas break, find themselves being stalked by a Serial Killer. It starts out with just some harassing phone calls, but then one by one, they end up dead.

15 Years prior to the storys beginning, Billy, hated, neglected, molested and abused, by his mother, sets off through the house and murders his entire family. He is set to spend the rest of his life in a mental hospital. Now at present time, Billy is still in the hospital. The staff does what they can to accommodate him and make him feel like he is at home each Christmas eve. This Christmas Eve though, he has a plan to actually be back home. Billy finds his freedom and escapes form the mental hospital. He then begins to rein terror on the sorority sisters that now reside in his former home.

Black Christmas is a very sad remake of the 1974 movie with the same name. It stars some very young and upcoming actresses, (Katie Cassidy, Michelle Trachtenberg, Mary Elizabeth Winstead) that all should be wondering what they got themselves into with this film. The story is an interesting one, but incomplete. They try and entertain you with subplots that have absolutely nothing to do with the story, and do nothing but slow down the film. Between the poor writing, the bad acting, and the terrible camera shots, this movie fails in all phases. Even those of you who enjoy a good ol fashion gore movie will find yourself bored with the complete lack of imagination. The most disturbing part of the film comes when we see our main character, through flash backs, kill off his family, and then cut them up with Christmas cookie cutter, bake their flesh and then snack on it. While most, including myself, just find this very disturbing, fans of horror movies will probably enjoy the creativity that comes with that. However, thats as far as it goes with imagination and creativeness. No other scenes will stick out in your head when you leave this movie.

The movie is slow, but worst of all predictable. From the beginning to the end, there are very few surprises and twists to help keep you on the edge of your seat and guessing. Black Christmas is nothing more than a very sad attempt at remaking an older film.

Marie Antoinette ( Drama )

Comments:

Marie Antoinette can be best summed up by putting two movies together. Legally blonde, and A Knights Tale. Both good movies on their own, but mix them together and youve got nothing short of a train wreck. In an effort to make the film seem original, Sophia Coppola mixed in modern day music, and a touch of baroque music thrown in to remind you what time setting you were in. The problem is, the modern music seemed forced and did not flow well with the film like it did in a knights tale. Every time I heard something modern, I was immediately taken out of the story (not that there was much of a story). When the movie first started, I came close to asking someone if I was in the right theater because some modern rock song started playing.

The story of Marie Antoinette is a very famous one that tragically ends with her beheading. However, if you dont already know this, you will not learn of it in the film. The film has very little to do with the important history of Marie Antoinette, other than to show you for an hour and a half that she liked shoes, shopping, and to gamble. The last 20 minutes of the film is when you get into the historical aspects of Marie, unfortunately it was just put together as if to say oh yeah, this happened too. The French Riots that ultimately lead to the fall of Versailles happens, but is never explained to the audience why. Its just all of a sudden, the home of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette is destroyed by rioters as they ride off in their carriage. It seems so out of place in this movie, because even though it really happened, its not part of the story that was being told up until the ending.

Mixed in with bad writing, bad acting, poor shooting (yes you can see microphones in some shots), was beautiful scenery and costumes. They did a wonderful job with making you feel as if you were really in the time period of Marie with this, but with little else. Kirsten Dunst (Marie Antoinette) does a poor job, but had very little to work with. She showed hints of brilliance with her acting, but always seemed to fall short on what you would hope for. Unfortunately, no award nominations seem forthcoming in her immediate future.

Eragon ( Science Fiction & Fantasy )

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Years ago, in the Magical work of Alagaesia, the world was calm and at peace. With the world being watched over by Mythical dragons and their riders, the everything seemed safe and prosperous for all. That was until one day, a dragon rider named Galbatorix (John Malkovich) overthrows the Dragon Riders, and anoints himself king. From here the world is at war. With no dragon riders left, the common people of Alagesia have no one to turn to for help.

The movie version of Eragon does not do much to explain the history and background. There is a visually stunning sequence at the beginning of the film, with a voice over from Jeremy Irons, but more is needed to put the pieces together.

Making his directorial debut is Stefen Fangmeter. While his background in visual effects is present in Eregon, his lack of experience in directing stands out more. With terrible dialogue and important pieces missing from the story it is apparent throughout, that Fangmeter needed more help.

At the age of 17, our main character Eragon (Edward Speleers) comes upon what seems to be the very last Dragon Egg. After it hatches, we meet Saphira (Voiced by Rachel Weisz). The two of them are now connected, as Saphira has waited over 1000 years to find and choose her rider. The two, along with former Dragon Rider Brom (Jeremy Irons - whos only purpose in the film it seems, would be to help guide and explain everything to the audience) Take up the quest to travel across the lands to the Varden (A group of rebels who continue to fight against the King).

As a whole the acting is uninspiring and downright dreadful at times. Jeremy Irons and Rachel Weisz are the only saving grace, but with such dialogue to work with, even they leaves more to be desired.

Being one, who has not read the book, it was very easy for me to tell that much of the story was missing. Characters that were important in the book, have little to no purpose in the film. The relationship between Eragon and his dragon, which takes years to develop in the book, takes mere minutes in the film. They go so far as to play with the notion of a love story between Eragon and Arya (Sienna Guillory A princess who has the power of magic, and sent the egg to where Eragon would find it) but unfortunately do nothing to develop this. It will be interesting to see where this may lead in the next film.

My guess is that young children will find this a very exciting and entertaining movie, yet adults will be disappointed. The cheesy lines of dialogue, followed by amazingly beautiful CGI, will leave you wondering what it was that the filmmakers were thinking. They seem to have had no idea which audience they were trying to attract.

National Lampoon's Van Wilder: The Rise of Taj ( Comedy )

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Rise of Taj, is the sequel to the successful 2002 comedy National Lampoons Van Wilder. After learning the ropes at Coolidge College, Taj Mahal Badalandabad (Kal Penn) sets out for Englands prestigious Camford University. Upon his arrival, he is told that through some clerical error, he has not been accepted to the Fox and Hounds Fraternal guild. Instead he will serve as a teaching/resident assistant at a rundown building full of similar misfits known only as the barn. Taj quickly finds out that all of his new misfit friends had the same cruel trick played on them as well, and did not make it into the Fox and Hounds Fraternity due to a clerical error. They take it upon themselves to challenge all the other fraternities in the prestiges Hastings Cup tournament.

The first Val Wilder, was funny, well written, fresh, and full of talented actors. Rise of Taj seemed to lack all of these qualities. They attempted to take a secondary character from one movie, and move him into the main role and fail. Taj was not the same bumbling, confused, scared exchange student from India that we all loved in the first film; in fact he even seems to have lost most of his accent. While in the film they try to hint back to his character self, they attempt to make Taj more like Van. He is smooth with the ladies, and backs down to no one. Unfortunately while this may have worked, no secondary characters stand out in this film the way Taj and Hutch did in the first and this character is not strong enough to carry the movie on his own.

Rise of Taj is at best a sub par comedy. Because of their love of the first movie, and nostalgia many viewers will find parts of the movie funny, but overall this does not compare to the first one, and you will question why it was even made to begin with.

Déjà Vu ( Mystery & Suspense )

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As the city of New Orleans continues to rebuild after Katrina, they are devastated by another tragic event. Someone blows up a ferry boat, killing over 500 people. When ATF agent Doug Carlin (Denzel Washington) arrives on the scene, he is met by FBI agent Pryzwarra (Val Kilmer) who quickly recruits him for the special project of solving this crime and trying to decipher who is responsible for blowing up the boat. A short time later, Claire Kuchever (Paula Patton) washes up on shore. Her body burned and broken, they assume she was on the boat yet Carlin is not convinced. Her body had been covered by the same chemical used in the explosion, and through forensic tests, they find out that her body was burned approximately 2 hours before the boat blew up. Solve her murder, solve the explosion

Déjà vu is directed by Tony Scott (Man on Fire, Domino) who teams up with Washington once again. As always Denzel puts on a flawless performance in what may just be his most questionable movie. The film starts out with a bang and does everything it can to pull the audience in, but it quickly turns into a science fiction thriller, that will leave you feeling not fulfilled and wanting more. To many questions get raised and you are required to fill in the blanks for yourself.

After Carlin agrees to take on this special assignment, he is taken to some back-room video surveillance lab. It is explained that the government has stumbled upon some wormhole in time that allows them, using satellites, to view exactly 4 days and 6 hours into the past. Not only can they view the past, but with some new equipment that they have (although not really explained how it works) they can send very small objects back to that point in time as well. Though humans are not supposed to be objects that can go, we find Carlin to be a willing volunteer. His mission is to not only solve the explosion and stop it from happening, but to save the life of Claire, the dead woman he loves.

Déjà vu does its very best to explain that its not just a weird feeling that one feels, but you may feel déjà vu because you actually lived through this once before. Where most time travel movies fail, either because they are a comedy, or just poorly done, Déjà vu succeeds. It gives you a real life feel for time travel but will ultimately leave you feeling less than satisfied by the end. Déjà vu takes place in present time, where this kind of science isnt supposed to exist yet. They do their best to explain this, but ultimately fail.

Although the story seems week, and unbelievable at best, Tony Scott once again shows what a talented director he is. Fans of his work, especially Man on Fire, will be very satisfied with this visually stunning film.

United 93 ( Drama )

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United 93 is without a doubt, one of the best and most difficult films that I have ever seen. It tells the story of the events of September 11 2001 in real time, with the focus on the heros aboard flight 93. Knowing that three other planes had already been hijacked and flown into the world trade center and Pentagon, passengers among flight 93 take it upon themselves to do what they can to take the plane back from the terrorists.

I have seen many movies about history. Some very good, and some very bad but none of them pack the emotional punch that comes with United 93. Maybe thats because its an event I lived through, but I think its because in a society filled with violence and hatred, to find real life heros who made the ultimate sacrifice so others would live is so amazing that its difficult to even put into words.

There is a disclaimer at the beginning of the film that some imagination had to be used. Obviously this is because no one will ever really know exactly how the events aboard that plane transpired. The filmmakers do a wonderful job though of putting as much of the pieces together so that you feel as if you are on the plane. The Cast, filled with unknown or lesser known actors do a great job. The emotions they show from beginning to end, make you feel as if you are watching a real taping of the events and not a film From the phone calls they made to loved ones, to the acceptance that they must take action in order to have a chance, this film shows you as best it can, what these people went through.

United 93 is not an easy movie to sit through. After seeing it, I am still not sure that I will ever be able to sit through it again. This is a film that will pull at your heartstrings like no other and you will find yourself back on that terrible day in history. This is by far one of the best movies that I have ever seen and recommend it to everyone who thinks they can sit through it.

Happy Feet ( Comedy )

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Happy Feet is the story of Mumble, a misfit penguin whos born without the special heartsong ability that all Emperor Penguins possess. Its the ability to express ones love and being through song. Mumble instead has the ability to tap dance. This is looked down upon by his society of penguins. That just isnt how a Penguin is supposed to act says many, including his own father. They try everything they can to get him to sing, but he just doesnt have the ability. The ruling Emperor Penguins even go so far as to blame Mumble and his crazy ways for the shortage of food that the penguins are experiencing which ultimately leads for him to be banished from his tribe, and set out on a journey to find the true source of the food shortage.

Happy Feet is a fun little tale that I think most kids will enjoy. The tap dancing scenes are fun, exciting, and even quite magical, but do get old after a while. The soundtrack is fantastic, and Robin Williams steals the show. The animation is great, and I sometimes found myself thinking that it was better than many animated movies I have seen recently.

Ultimately where the movie fails is in the story and its message. It starts out good with a message of its ok to be yourself but then fails when the movie is about to end and it all of a sudden becomes a message motivated by real life current issues and political agenda. This is a kids movie, and I feel as if the filmmakers went to far, when we start seeing people talking about the regulations of over fishing in the Antarctic oceans to save the penguins. A young child who goes to see this movie, will either not understand this part of the film (which in a kids movie there should be no part that kids dont understand) or you will find kids thinking about things and feeling concerned for penguins and other issues at a time in their lives when they should only be concerned with one thing, being a kid.

Overall, this is a fun, entertaining movie that just falls flat and fails in the end. I think it can be best summed up by saying it is a cross between Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer (A misfit member of society born with a unique characteristic) and Footloose (Hey, we all just want to dance right?). Ultimately, much like Rudolph, his crazy deformity may just come to save the day and his entire civilization.

Apocalypto ( Action & Adventure )

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Over the past few months there has been talk about Mel Gibson and his new film Apocalypto. Many have questioned whether or not Mel might get shunned for an Oscar nomination because of his most recent personal troubles. Well the best thing about this film is that Mel Gibson put to rest any questions of whether he should receive an Oscar nomination by putting out one of the worst movies he has ever done. He will not receive an Oscar nod because of his personal problems, but merely because he doesnt deserve one.

From the scripting, the filming, and all the way to the unrealistic events that transpire in what seems to be the longest running scene in a movie not involving a high school track team or Forest Gump, this movie was just poorly done. Many times I found myself thinking that I was watching a low budget discovery channel documentary, just waiting for a voice to come over the film to explain to the audience what it was that they were seeing. All that being said, I will give credit where credit is due. Mel Gibson and the makers of Apocalypto did a fantastic job with scenery and costumes. They did a great job of really making you feel as if you were in a different time. Of course some of that was negated by taking what felt like modern day dialogue/jokes and adding them into the film. Maybe 600 years ago, they joked like that, but it only seemed to modernize the film to me, and take me out of the mindset that we were supposed to be back so many years.

The film is set in Mesoamerica just before Spanish contact, and supposedly depicts the decline of the Maya civilization. However, the decline of the civilization is never explained in the movie, and if you have not read about, or been told about the filmmakers idea, you will probably not get it. In the film, the Mayans are a vicious, savage group, who enslaves others and sacrifice them to appease their god. This is portrayed very well in the film, when heads begin to role down the steep temple stairs. However, how one is to come to the conclusion that they meant that this use of needless killing was the downfall of a civilization is beyond my comprehension. The movie leaves us with the civilization still very much in tact. Apocalypto is actually the story of one mans struggle to save his family from certain death. After his village is destroyed and he is taken captive, he must find a way to escape. As he makes his way back to try and save the women he loves, he must fend off the jungle, the elements and his captors as they try to track him down and kill him.

Overall I was very disappointed with this film. I still think Mel Gibson is a fantastic director, who just had a bad movie this time. He has done very well with all his previous movies, and hopefully he will continue to do so in the future. Regardless of how you feel personally towards the man, he is a very talented artist.

Man of the Year ( Comedy )

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Man of the Year is a comedy that tells the story of Tom Dobbs (Robin Williams) who is a late-night political talk show host who decides to make a run for President of the United States, even though he never expects to win. On the night of the election he is sting in a hospital room with his best friend and manager Jack Menken (Christopher Walken). They both talk about how they know he wont win the election, but that he made some noise and made people think. As the election results keep coming in, they witness that Tom Dobbs continues to win all of the states where his name appeared on the ballots. And they begin to realize that he really does have a shot at winning.

Meanwhile at Delacroy (a company that designed the new voting machines used in the presidential election) Eleanor Green (Laura Linney) is starting to make some noise with the CEO of the company over testing that she had done. There is a flaw in the voting machines. The company decides to cover up the flaw as they dont want to see their stock fall. The next day, after Tom Dobbs wins the Presidential election, Eleanor is fired from Delacroy for trying to make to much about the voting machine flaw. Not realizing that he won only because of a faulty machine, Tom Dobbs goes about his business as the Elected President, until he crosses the path of Eleanor. She must now try to convince him of the truth, while avoiding her former employers at Delacroy who are now trying to silence her. Tom must decide if he believes Eleanor and at what lengths he will go to set things right for the American people.

Man of the year is a very funny movie. It was not quite the comedy that I had anticipated, and at times had a very serious tone to it. Robin Williams is fantastic as Tom Dobbs, A presidential candidate tired of party politics. He runs for president on a ticket of truth and dignity, and he never holds back. When asked if he smoked marijuana as a teenager he comes back with a very truthful and simple answer Yep, and I inhaled. He refuses to play any games with the voters. Man of the Year is a whirl wind ride, filled with corruption, greed, and conspiracies, and a great deal of comedy.

Man of the Year ( Comedy )

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Hard Candy ( Mystery & Suspense )

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Hard Candy is a story about a very smart and mature 14 year old girl Hayley Stark (Ellen Page), who meets a charming 32 year old photographer Jeff (Patrick Wilson) on the internet. Thinking he is a pedophile, she agrees to meet him, and travels to his home in an attempt to expose him.

Hard Candy is a very interesting movie. It makes an attempt to play on one of societys worst fears, internet predators. It looks at a situation that scares most parents, and frightens many young people, and it puts the power in the hands of this young girl, as she takes it upon herself to get even with a pedophile for all the harm he has caused to other young girls. Ellen Page was incredible in her role of the Haley Stark. She walked a fine line between a young girl who was just fed up with indecent people, and a young girl who was actually insane herself.

The only problem with Hard Candy was that it lacks enough back story to make it credible. Hayley believes that Jeff holds a secret about a missing girl, but you never find out how she comes to suspect him. She meets him online, and there is no dialogue between them that is shown to the audience that makes you understand this. There was also a little inconsistency with the character of Haley that I think had more to do with the writing than with the actor herself. In a scene where a neighbor comes to deliver Girl Scout cookies, Haley acts as if she is the niece of Jeff. The neighbor asks a very simple question about Haley being on the roof earlier that day that completely stumps Haley. It appears as if it was designed as a reminder to the audience that this was still just a 14 year old girl, but her being stumped by such a simple innocent question did not fit well with her character.

Overall I will say that I think Hard Candy is a good film that at times may be hard for some members of an audience to stomach. Its a movie that will have you feeling torn in a way like no other film. On one hand, you see a man, a pedophile who takes advantage of young girls being tortured in a way that you may think he deserves. At the same time, you may just find yourself feeling sorry for what he is going through, both physically and psychologically. At the beginning of the movie, you will without doubt find yourself agreeing with what this little girl is saying, but you find yourself thinking that maybe she to is enjoying this to much. Shes enjoying the power that she has over this man, in the same way that this man enjoys his power over young girls. You may quickly come to realize that there is more than one pervert in the room, and at that point you just may not know who to cheer for.

Cars ( Kids & Family )

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Cars is one of the latest movies brought to us by Pixar. This is one that I had been looking forward to seeing for a while, especially since everyone who seems to see it, has nothing but good things to say about it. Unfortunately for me, I did not care for this film. Dont get me wrong, the animation was fantastic. Probably the best animation to date in an animated film. My problem with it was the story. It just wasnt that good. To be truthful, its not that it isnt good, its just so predictable and its a story that has been done a thousand times.

Cars tells the story of a rookie race car Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson), who has had so much success in his short racing career that it goes to his head. He fires his racing team, which we find out he has done 3 times already in the past year, because he feels that he is better on his own. He dreams of being the fastest, and most popular race car in history. In the very beginning of the film, he ties with two other cars in the Piston Cup race. This means, that the three cars must now race again in a week to determine this years racing champion. On his way across the country to the race, he gets separated from the rig that is carrying him there, and finds himself in a small town in the south. During his adventure into this small town, he ends up ruining to road, and is sentenced by the local judge to fix the road before he can leave.

Its at this point in the film where the story just gets old. Here you have this hot shot, big city race car, that seems to care only for himself. He is focused on one thing and one thing only, and thats Racing. It is in his time, fixing the road, and staying in this small town, that he realizes that hes to focused on his racing, and not enough on his friends (which until he came to this small town, he had none). He learns to value hard work, friendship and even love. Its a good story, but like I said, it has just been done to many times in film and animation. Believe me when is say, that I understand how important it is to sometimes slow down and just enjoy the view. Its a lesson I have learned long before Cars came around and felt as if it needed to remind me again. This is a movie that I would recommend to those who just love great animation. If you can get past the fact that the story really offers nothing new, except for Cars that have tongues, then see this movie. If you want a great story to go along with the best animation you will have ever seen, then dont see Cars.

Stranger than Fiction ( Comedy )

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Stranger Than Fiction is a story of an IRS Auditor Harold Crick (Will Ferrell) who finds himself, the subject of a narration that only he can hear.

Harold Crick lives a very boring and mundane life. His entire world revolves around numbers. How many times he brushes each of his 32 teeth. How many steps it takes to get to the bus stop. The time in which he goes to bed, and the time that he wakes up every morning. By tying his tie a different way on certain days of the week, he knows that he can save 45 seconds on those days. One day though, while brushing his teeth, his whole life begins to change as he hears the narration of his daily, unexciting life. He starts to think he is going crazy, and goes to visit a psychiatrist, but then he realizes that the voice isnt telling him to do things, but actually narrating things he has already done with a much better vocabulary than he himself has. The voice that he hears is more a nuisance at first and he does his best to live with it, until he hears one day while waiting at the bus stop, that a tiny little action that has already transpired will ultimately lead to his untimely death. This is when Harold meets with Professor Jules Hilbert (Dustin Hoffman). He is a literature professor who works with Crick to help him find out who the author is, that might be narrating his life. We find out that the author is Kay Eiffel (Emma Thompson) who hasnt written a book in 10 years. She always writes tragedys where the hero of her story dies at the end. Kay is trying to find a way to kill off the main character of her new book, Harold Crick. Little does she know that Harold actually exists, and is hearing her thoughts as she writes them in her book.

Harolds entire world turns upside down. From his work, to his love life, everything begins to change for him as he desperately tries to avoid the death that is being written about him.

Stranger than Fiction is a smart comedy, and a fantastic story, with an even better cast. Its a story that tells us how much we need to appreciate life. If the quality of that life is not so good, then do everything you can to change it. It was directed Marc Forster who brought us such movies as Monsters Ball, and Finding Neverland and this may just be his next film to get the Best Picture nod. Emma Thompson should find herself in the academy award race early next year as well, and to date, this is Will Ferrells most moving performance. Dustin Hoffman, and Maggie Gyllenhaal were also brilliant. By far one of my favorite movies of 2006. I recommend this movie to everyone. You will laugh, you will cry, and then you will laugh some more.

All the Kings Men ( Drama )

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All the Kings Men is a film adaptation for the Pulitzer Prize winning novel of the same name. It is a fictional story about the life of a Willie Stark, who resembles Louisiana governor Huey Long. Starks is a Southern Idealist who runs on the ideals that he is for the common man. He fights for change. He believes that all men are equal regardless of how much money they have. His quick rise to power leads to poor choices and corruption that ultimately lead to his demise.

This is a film that had the making for something great. Whether youre a fan or not of Sean Penn, his acting in All the Kings Men was absolutely brilliant. Unfortunately, his acting was not enough to save this film. The story was choppy at best. I have never had the opportunity yet to read the book, but just from seeing the film, I would assume that much had been left out. The biggest problem is that the film does not do a good job of showing Willie Starks before he becomes a corrupt politician. They show him in the governors race, and during this, you see just what a fine actor Sean Penn is. You get so drawn into his speeches that you find yourself wanting to go out and vote right now. Other than that, the film has very little to offer. They never really give you much information as to why he becomes corrupt. Once he wins the Governors race, they fast forward to 5 years later, and he is no longer the same man. You just have to accept that hes changed even though you dont really understand it.

The pacing of the film was also poor. Aside from the Sean Penn speeches, the movie felt very flat. There was nothing else to really get you thinking. My advice to all of you is that if you have a couple hours to spare and want to see one of the best performances by an actor, then you should see this movie. However, dont expect much more than that. The movie is a disappointment.

Click ( Comedy )

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What would you do if you had the power to fast forward, rewind, and pause your life. That is the dilemma that Michael Newman (Adam Sandler) faces in the new comedy Click. I mean think of the possibilities. You no longer would have to sit through and experience a fight with your wife. All those family dinners that you hate, would no longer be a problem, you would never have to experience being sick again. Simply FF, until you are feeling better. Sounds perfect right? Well the problem is that the remote control is so smart that it remembers what parts of your life you skipped and it assumes that you will always want to skip them. It's kind of like a TIVO system that remembers the types of shows you record. It then randomly starts recording shows that are similar because it thinks it knows your tastes better than you. However, what happens when one day you wake up, and you are now 10 years older? Again this is the problem that Michael Newman faces.

Lets face it; once you've seen an Adam Sandler movie, you have pretty much seen them all. The first half of this movie starts out like all the rest. Adam Sandler is well, Adam Sandler. The first hour or so is very funny just like most of his work. From his loud temper tantrums, to his dog having intercourse with a stuffed animal, but then all of a sudden the movie and its tone pull a 180 on you. All of a sudden the movie becomes serious, with a very serious point. Yes there are still funny moments, but it is more for the purpose of trying not to slow the film down to much. This film makes an attempt to teach us how important it is to appreciate the little things in life. The dinner with the family, the small fights with your spouse, playing with the kids, because before you know it, the opportunities can all be gone, and the movie succeeds with its message. By far, Adam Sandlers best work yet.

Saw 3 ( Horror )

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Jigsaw is at it again. In the third installment of the Saw franchise, Jigsaw finds himself on his death bed, with his apprentice Amanda at his side caring for him. Although close to death, Jigsaw decides its time to play one more game before his death, as he and Amanda try to teach their subjects to appreciate life.

Dr. Lynn Denlon, who had once cared and diagnosed Jigsaw is kidnapped and brought in to care for him and keep him alive while Amanda watches on the monitors, Jeff Reinhart, the subject of the game. Jeff has 2 hours to make it through the game, while not only his, but many lives depend on it. Dr. Denlon has a makeshift collar placed around her neck. It is a metal contraption surrounded by shotgun shells. It is explained that the collar is linked with Jigsaws heart monitor. If he dies, then she dies.

Saw 3 is by far the goriest and most twisted of the Saw films. While following the same themes of the first two, it dives much deeper into the background of Jigsaw and Amanda. The story is so much more complete and complex than the originals, and we find that so much more is a game than meets the eye. For the first time in a Saw film, the acting is not only bearable but its actually good. Not so much a scary movie, as it is disturbing, Saw 3 is everything that I hoped it would be. If youre a fan of the horror genre, then do yourself a favor and see this film. You wont be disappointed.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest ( Action & Adventure )

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Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead mans chest once again unites the cast of Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, and Kiera Knightly, as the three set off to the high sees in an effort to find a chest containing the heart of Davy Jones.

While I would agree that this movie was not as good as the first, and we all know most sequels are not, I have to say that I would still give this movie 3 out of 4 stars. It was funnier than the first movie; however the story seemed a little choppier at time. The CGI was some of the best Ive seen, however all of the close-up shots of the Krackin (giant squid) looked like some of the worst special effects. To use CGI and make Davy Jones look so real, and then have what you had with the Krackin was just shameful. However, I did find myself craving some calamari when the movie was over.

I was very pleased that the filmmakers finally decided to add some depth to the characters of Will Turner, and Elizabeth Swann. The movie shows some conflict between the two of them, and I think it will be in the third film that we will finally see how strong their love for one another is. Dead Mans Chest raises a lot of questions for our trio of heros and does very little to answer any of them. Luckily they have a whole other film to tackle that task.

Inside Man ( Drama )

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When I first saw a preview for this film and saw the cast that had been put together I thought to myself, this has to be good. When you have Denzel Washington, Clive Owens, and Jodie Foster, you have to have something good right? WRONG. This movie was terrible.

I waited through the first hour of it just for something important to happen. The only thing that happened was the bad guys took over the bank. Denzel Washington plays the chief negotiator on the scene, and he does nothing but wait around for the first hour of the movie. Jodie Foster was completely unbelievable in her role. I thought Denzel, and Clive Owens did ok for what they had to work with, but trust me, that wasnt much. At the end of the movie (dont worry, I wont give it away) they try and surprise you and it just doesnt work. There is no way that, what happens, could have happened. It is just so unbelievable that I couldnt believe they tried it in a movie.

Trust me when I say that this was one of the most boring, and unrealistic bank heist movies I have ever seen. They try hard to develop the characters during the time in the first hour of the film when nothing is happening, and even try and throw in a touch of racial tension, but it is done in a way that doesnt work, and just feels akward.

The Departed ( Drama )

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The Departed tells the story of undercover cop Billy Costigan (DiCaprio) who goes on assignment to infiltrate the Irish mob which is run by Frank Costello (Nicholson). While Costigan works hard to gain the trust of the mob, it turns out he is not the only mole on assignment. Colin (Matt Damon) is a MA State Trooper who through hard work has quickly worked his way up the Police ranks, is also a top gangster who works for and continuously tips off Costello and his crew anytime the Police are getting to close. Through many twists and turns, both Damon, and DiCaprio find themselves fighting through the complexity that is their double lives. Its truly a fascinating story where one Cop pretends to be a gangster, and one gangster pretends to be a cop. Its a complex story that sometimes treads on dangerous grounds. Scorsese does a brilliant job though of balancing the story on the edge and never takes it so far, that it becomes unbelievable. This may just be his best movie yet.

With such a star studded cast, it should come to no surprise to anyone that the acting in this film was brilliant. Probably the biggest surprise to me has to be the growth that Leonardo DiCaprio continues to show under the tutelage of Scorsese. These two seem to work so well together. Jack Nicholson impresses like we havent seen since his days in One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest.

With nearly two and a half months left in the year, its hard to pick a winner already in the Oscar race, however, I would be very surprised to find too many films better than this one. It might be a tough race for the Departed simply because these types of films dont always seem to do well, but maybe, hopefully Scorsese will get that long eluded honor of Best Director. He certainly deserves it.

Hollywoodland ( Mystery & Suspense )

Comments:

Hollywoodland is a fantastic film that explores the mysteries surrounding the 1959 death of Actor George Reeves. Famous for his role as Superman, Reeves died in his home on June 16th, 1959 from a gunshot wound to his head. Originally ruled a suicide, many, to this day believe that it was murder.

The film revolves around a private detective, Louis Simo (Adrien Brody) who was hired by the mother of George Reeves to further investigate this case that had since been closed by the local police. The film does a great job of showing 3 different theories from suicide, being killed by a studio executive, to being killed by his late fiancé. Through many twists and turns, you see each possibility and the evidence that is there to support it.

The biggest surprise for me in Hollywoodland was the acting. It was some of the very best that I have seen in a long time. There has been some buzz for Ben Affleck and an academy award nomination, and I would have to agree with that. He was absolutely fantastic as George Reeves. His best work yet.

The film is also the feature directorial debut for Allen Coulter. He did a wonderful job. He does a good job mixing the different theories together to keep the audience guessing the whole time. So far this is my favorite film of 2006.

Feast ( Horror )

Comments:

Feast is the third movie in the Project Greenlight series. After a tough selection process in 2004, Executive Producers, Ben Affleck, Mat Damon, and Chris Moore finally decided upon the screenplay Feast, and Director John Gulager as the winners. This was Gulagers first feature length film, and after seeing it this past weekend, I have to say he did a really good job. Im still very surprised that Feast won the screenplay competition though, because if there was one problem with this film, it was that it was poorly written. The dialogue was terrible and many lines like we have to lock this place down were used way to many times. John Gulager probably made the best film that he possibly could have with so little to work with. The acting was pretty bad, but again, I attribute that more to how bad the writing was. I would be very surprised if these writers ever worked in Hollywood again.

The story of Feast focuses on a group of people who are trapped in a bar, while monsters that appear to be from some other planet (although this is never really explained) are trying to come into the bar to eat them. The movie is full of gore, and has probably some of the most disgusting scenes I have seen.

Early on in production, there seemed to be some concern with Gulager as the director, when he made such a big uproar about using his friends and family as some of the main characters in the film. In the end, he won that battle and it really worked out for the film. His father Clu, who portrayed the bartender in Feast, did a very good job, as did his wife, though her role was limited.

Even with John Gulager doing a great job, the movie unfortunately fails to deliver. Because the scripting is so bad, the movie never really seems like its anything more than a cheap B Rated horror film that you might see on late night TV. If Project Greenlight ever comes around again, hopefully everyone involved will understand that even a great director cant make a bad script work. A director, and a screenplay are two of the most important ingredients to filmmaking, and unfortunately you need both to be good for the film to work.

Derailed ( Mystery & Suspense )

Comments:

A decent movie, with a very predictable ending. Not bad if you see it on TV, but I would not suggest buying or renting this one.

Invincible ( Drama )

Comments:

Invincible is the story of a man, who against all odds tries out for the Philadelphia Eagles, and ends up making the team. It really is an uplifting tale that teaches us that with hard work, dedication, and desire, anything is possible.

Vince Papale (Mark Wahlberg) is a 30 year old bartender, and a lifelong fan of the Philadelphia Eagles. His world is beginning to crumble down around him, when he finds out that the school where he has been substitute teaching at no longer needs him, and his wife/girlfriend unexpectedly leaves him. He quickly turns back to the bar where he has been working part time to try and pick up more hours. While he is working, on the television comes the new head coach of the Eagles Dick Vermeil (Greg Kinnear) who welcomes anyone and everyone to come to Philadelphia stadium for an open tryout. We quickly learn through some back yard scrimmage game that Vince Papale has some skill at football, and even though he knows he has no shot at making the team, he lets all of his friends talk him into trying out. The story then focuses on Vince being the only person from the tryouts to actually get invited by Dick Vermeil into training camp. Against all the odds, including his own doubt, Vince makes the team.

This really is a great story, and a good film. Mark Wahlberg and Greg Kinnear are fantastic in their roles, as well as the supporting cast around them. This is a tough type of film to make because from the beginning, you always know how its going to end. The only negative thing I can say about this film is that I wish they would have shown a little more about how tough it was on Vince during training camp. The other players didnt like him and although they showed this, I just thought they could have gone into it a little more. Overall though, this was a great film that I think anyone, even if they dont like football can enjoy.

The Covenant ( Horror )

Comments:

The Covenant tells the story of 4 boys who belong to a supernatural legacy have been given the power to do anything they want. The only catch is that the more you use your powers, the quicker your body ages and breaks down. While the story is about all the boys, the movie itself focuses mainly on Caleb Danvers (Steven Strait). He is the first of the boys who will reach the age of 18, where his full powers will be bestowed upon him.

While the story itself has a lot of promise, and the special effects were fantastic, the movie as a whole leaves a lot to be desired. Dont get me wrong. I liked this film. I just wanted much more out of it. These boys have the power to do anything they want, yet in the main fighting scenes there was no variation. They used what seemed like energy rays, or balls to throw at the ones they are fighting. It was a very cool effect, but it just seemed like it was overdone. Why not throw some fire into it, or some lightning bolts, or even drop the barn on the person youre fighting. It just seemed like such a great opportunity to display the kind of power that these kids have, and they didnt take advantage of it. Instead, they used funny moments like lifting a girls skirt up, or throwing kegs of beer at each other to display just how powerful, and at times immature these kids could be.

I would have also liked it if there would have been more information given into the background of the story and where these boys came from. They touched on it a bit, but really just leave you wanting more. There was all this talk of the covenant, the book of damnation, and a Witch hunt in the 1600s but they really didnt take the time to explain it all.

Overall, this was a film that had a lot of potential, but just never lived up to what it could be. I enjoyed most of it, but just felt like I was not given enough. More background on the characters, and more visual effects displaying how powerful these kids actually are, would have made this a much better film.

The Wicker Man ( Mystery & Suspense )

Comments:

The Wicker Man is a remake of a 1975 film by the same name. I unfortunately never saw the original, but last night I tortured myself by attending a showing of the remake. Most people that I have talked to so far, have told me that they want to see it because the previews look really good, or because they loved the original. Let me just say, that the movie is nothing like what the previews show it to be. This film is not suspenseful as the previews make it out to be. Before the movie was a half hour old, I had completely figured out how it would end. They give you such obvious clues, that if you are not completely overcome with boredom and you are paying attention, then you too will have it figured out before you even get into the full story.

The Idea behind the movie is a good one. A cop who is on leave from the force due to what appears to be depression (although they never really explain all of this) from an accident that he witnessed receives a letter from his former fiancé saying that her child has gone missing and that she needs his help. Since he is already on leave for a few weeks, against the better judgment from his friend at the police station, he decides to go and seek out this woman in an effort to help find her child. He travels to this secluded place called Summers Isle where he comes into contact with what appears to be a cult of women living together whos only use for men, seem to be for breeding purposes. Not so bad I guess if you are the men.

From there the story tries to keep you guessing as to what is going on, but I guess the biggest problem was what appeared to be a lack of experience from Director Neil LaBute. Throughout the entire move, there seemed to be only basic shots performed. Standard long shots that put no emphasis on anything. One Scene in particular has Nicolas Cage running through the woods as he is being chased by 3 people. There was no sense of urgency here, and it almost looked as if they were all taking a nice brisk walk.

The acting overall was atrocious. I have never been one to declare Nicolas Cage as one of our finest actors, but this was by far his worst. He was not alone here. The whole cast was terrible. Again I would say that has to do with the lack of experience with the director. He has had other movies that I have not seen, but a large bulk of his directing has been done for TV, and this movie absolutely had a feel as if it was a made for TV movie. From the acting, to how low budget the costumes looked.

The only saving grace to this film was that there were some moments that were absolutely hysterical. The only problem is that I dont believe that they were going for comedy here.

The Count of Monte Cristo ( Action & Adventure )

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