Roundup

Here is a special 2 week edition of the Round up (Because I missed last week's, Whoops...)

Snow (2004) 7
Snow 2: Brain Freeze (2008) 6
Charlie Brown's Christmas Tales (2002) 7
I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus (2002) 1
The Lorax (1972) 7
The Most Wonderful Time of the Year (2008) 5
Christmas in Connecticut (1945) 1
All I Want for Christmas (1991) 8
A Very Brady Christmas (1988) 7
Christmas in Wonderland (2007) 5
Our First Christmas (2008) 1
Joyeux Noel (2005) 1
Snow Dogs (2002) 6
Sweeney Todd (2007) 6
Alvin and The Chipmunks (2007) 6
Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008) 8
Blades of Glory (2007) 6
College Road Trip (2008) 5
The Hoax (2006) 6
Epic Movie (2007) 6
License to Wed (2007) 7
Wild Hogs (2007) 6
P.S. I Love You (2007) 9
Fletch (1985) 1
Sleuth (2007) 7
Snowball Express (1972) 6

The pick of the week is P.S. I Love You. Which comes as quite a surprise and I thought for sure would end up being ditched. The first 5 to 10 minutes are pretty slow and almost confirmed my original suspicions. But then it made a drastic turn for the better. The story is really quite touching and both Hilary Swank and Gerard Butler do fantastic jobs with their roles. It is a great romance, with some comedic moments, to cuddle up with a loved one and enjoy together.

12-15-2008 Round Up

With two snow days this week and tons of holiday specials and movies here is this week's massive list:

'Twas the Night Before Christmas (1974) 7
A Dennis The Menace Christmas (2007) 8
Mickey's Christmas Carol (1983) 8
Winnie the Pooh & Christmas Too (1991) 7
Rudolph's Shiny New Year (1976) 6
Jack Frost (1979) 7
The Little Drummer Boy (1968) 5
Fred Claus (2007) 7
Noel (2004) 1
Deck the Halls (2006) 7
Buddy (1997) 3
Single White Female (1992) 7
A Fish Called Wanda (1988) 1
The Invisible (2007) 7
Jingle All The Way (1996) 6
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe (2005) 9
The Story of the First Christmas Snow (1975) 4
Nestor, the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey (1977) 8
A Miser Brother's Christmas (2008) 5
A Carol Christmas (2003) 1
First Snow (2006) 1
Bridge to Terabithia (2007) 9
Prelude to a Kiss (1992) 1

With the amount of things I saw this past week there were bound to be some great things mixed in. Making it for a difficult pick of the week this week. But after some serious consideration I have determined that this weeks pick of the week is the Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005). Let's start right off with saying the this movie looks truly amazing. The special effects are top notch. The story is fantastic and a rarity with book adaptations I felt that the movie was better than the book. Although I am glad that I read The Magician's Nephew (the first book of the series) because there are a bunch of things that are shown in the movie such as the lamp post that would not really make sense without having read it first. It is not necessary to have read it first but it does help explain things. Over all I am really excited to see what they do with the rest of the series and highly recommend everyone to see this.

Rou

So this week's list was kind of a disappointment but there was one highlight. Here are this week's ratings:

The General’s Daughter (1999) 1
Christmas Every Day (1996) 6
Home Alone 4 (2002) 1
Richie Rich's Christmas Wish (1998) 5
Bowling for Columbine (2002) 8
Rent-a-Cop (1987) 1

The pick of the week is obviously Bowling for Columbine. Which ended being a lot better than I thought it was going to be. I have always heard good things about it and Michael Moore's films in general but I had never seen any of them before now. His views and perspective on the Columbine shooting, the NRA, and gun control in general is quite interesting. Unlike other documentaries it was not only informative but also entertaining. I highly recommend for everyone to check it out.

Roundup

A little late but here is this week's round up. Things were kind of slow on the movie front with the past holiday. But here are this week's ratings.

Miracle on 34th Street (1947) 8
Dr. Seuss on the Loose (1973) 6
The Hoober-Bloob Highway (1975) 2

The pick of the week is Miracle on 34th Street (1947). WhichI had only ever seen bits and pieces of in the past and I must admit it is a really great movie. Usually I am not one for the classics but this is one that is definitely worthy of the title. It is a charming Christmas film that can be enjoyed by all. The story is great and will keep you entertained through out. If you have not yet seen it I highly recommend it. Even if you have already seen it I think it is one that can be enjoyed yearly during the holiday season.

In other media:

The Essential Iron Man Vol. 1
For anyone that likes superhero comics this is a good read. It contains issues 39-72 of Tales of Suspense (1959) showing the origins of Iron Man.

Bone - One Volume Edition
So I have seen Bone things around for years and was always curious but never decided to check it out for one reason or another. When I came across the one volume edition I decided it was time to take the plunge and check it out. I read through the first several issues in the store and was immediately hooked. The 1300 page epic is simply amazing. There is everything you could possibly want in a story. Great characters, humor, action, Suspense, storyline... Despite it's
length it can probably be polished off in a single day if one had the time. Even if you have never read a graphic novel before and think that they may not be your thing give it a shot because it is really just that good.

Mouse Guard: Winter 1152 Issue 4
After being long delayed the fourth issue has finally been released. This series is a pretty easy read and does not take a whole lot of thought. The art as always is top notch. The story is told through imagery more than words. In this issue we learn some of Saxon's past. Also be sure to check out www.mouseguard.net and download the song that is featured through out the issue.

11-24-2008 Round up

Here is this week's round up:

The King of Kong (2007) 7
Muriel's Wedding (1994) 1
Role Models (2008) 8
In the Bedroom (2001) 1
White Oleander (2002) 7
Deliver Us from Evil (2006) 1
Remember the Titans (2000) 8
The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951) 8
Sgt. Bilko (1996) 6

So I made up for last week's lack of ratings with an extra bunch this week. My pick of the week is Role Models. Which ended up being really good. Many laugh out loud moments and parts where they could have taken the safe way out but instead decided to go with the riskier way. Which made it all the better. All of the cast is fantastic but the stand out is definitely Christopher Mintz-Plasse (AKA McLovin') who does a great job playing a nerd who loves to LARP and is a bit of an outcast. If you are looking for some good laughs check it out.

In other media, I must say that I am quite happy with the New XBox experience. Especially the Netflix portion. For the majority of things that I have watched on it I have had little or no problems. Ocassionally there would be a lag in the connection and it would adjust the video because of it. But if it got too bad I would just hit back and resume the video to get a better connection. My biggest complaint would be that they did not put in easier way to browse other movies that are available without first accessing your queue on a computer and adding new movies to at that way. My other minor complaint is that there is not really an easy way to see what is available in HD. You have to start up something and then wait to see if you get a presented in HD logo. But other than those the service is great!

Weekly Round Upp

So this week was rare week and I did not see any movies. I did finish a book though so I will talk about that.

Jim Norton's I Hate your Guts:

This book is quite funny but not for the easily offended. If you are familiar at all with the Opie and Anthony Show or Jim Norton's comedy at all then you probably know what you are getting and whether you would like it. I must admit that I thought his first book Happy Endings was better. So if you are new to Jimmy I recommend checking that out first and then move on to his new book. If you are a fan of cringe humor then I recommend checking out both.

Weekly Round Up

A little late this week but here it is.

Warlock: The Armageddon (1993) 7
Warlock III: The End of Innocence (1999) 4
Hotel Rwanda (2004) 9
Surf's Up (2007 ) 8

Pick of the week is definitely Hotel Rwanda. I had my doubts about whether I would like this film. But I must admit that it was very good. Don Cheadle does an awesome job playing Paul Rusesabagina. A hotel manager in Rwanda that finds himself in the middle of a genocidal civil war. The fact that it is based on actual events makes you look at the world in a different light and realize that really terrible things can and do sometimes happen. It is a tribute to human endurance and even if you are in a horrific situation one person can really make a difference.

In other media we have:

Gears of War 2 for the XBox 360: This game really is quite amazing. The campaign is phenomenal. The story, the graphics, the gameplay it was all fantastic. I am still playing around with the online multiplayer. My only complaint really is that it seems to take a long time when playing online to find a game and get it started. But once it gets going the round structure makes it so you can play for a decent amount of time before having to find another group.

The Wonderful Big Book of Unspeakable Horrors: If you are a fan of JhonenVasquez's work then you will want to check this out. It compiles all of the issues of the Squee series as well as the Meanwhiles. Which I feel is slightly even more entertaining than Johnny the Homicidal maniac. If you are looking for a different and slightly disturbing kind of comic then I recommend checking it out.

Locke & Key "Welcome to Lovecraft": I happened to come across this in a bookstore and thought it might be worth a shot. I definitely was not disappointed. The story and the art is very good and intriguing. I highly recommend checking out this series. I cannot wait until the sequel series starts.

11-03-2008 Monday Round up

Here is this weeks round up:

Pretty Woman (1990) 8
Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (2002) 3
Zach and Miri Make a Porno (2008) 7
An American Haunting (2005) 5
Graveyard Shift (1990) 3

My pick of the week is Pretty Woman, which was surprisingly good. I must admit that it did start off pretty slowly. But once Julia Roberts character met up with Richard Gere's character it got much better. With a fish out of water type of story there were plenty of funny and entertaining moments.

10-27-2008 Monday Round Up

So rather than do a bunch of reviews on all of the movies and such that I see I have decided to once a week on Monday do a round up of sorts of the things I have seen for the past week. So here is the debut. Comments are always welcome.

Toy Soldiers (1991) 7
Enchanted (2007) 6
Are We Done Yet? (2007) 7
Saw V 8
Teen Witch 1
Mean Creek 7

My pick of the week is probably Saw V. If you are a fan of the series thus far then you will most likely enjoy this one. It is not as good as the first couple but it still holds up and gives you some good twists and turns as well as a bit of the gore that we have come to expect from the series.

In other media I just finished reading the 30 Days of Night TPB Vol. 1
It collects all three issues of the series into one book. It is a pretty quick read but the story is really good and the art work is quite unique. I am looking forward to checking out the next set in the series. I also have not checked out the movie based on the series yet but I am hoping that it does the book justice.

Reviews Update

After much consideration I have decided to not do so many in depth movie reviews. On the right hand side under my sites there is a new IMDB link. That will take you to my vote history at IMDB where you can see all of my ratings. If you have any comments or suggestions feel free to send them my way.

Baby Mama (2008)

I had heard so many good things about this but unfortunately I feel that it was a bit over hyped. It was not terrible but it was not great either. The beginning starts off really slow and the comedy does not really kick in until Amy Poehler and Tina Fey are both on screen together. If you are a fan of Saturday Night Live then you will probably enjoy this. Just do not expect the greatest comedy ever. 7 out of 10

Wild Wild West (1999)

I have heard and read that this movie was absolutely horrid. It is not that great really but it is not all that bad either. The story is pretty weird and all. But it makes for some interesting comedic moments. The acting really is not all that great. If you go in expecting a masterpiece it is probably best not to go in at all. If you go in expecting a mediocre weird comedy you may just have a few laughs. 6 out of 10

Eagle Eye (2008)

Although extremely unrealistic in many ways if you do not focus on such things this still turns out to be a pretty good movie. It is pretty action packed and has some twists and turns that will keep you guessing at what exactly is going on. Most questions are answered by the end so it will not leave you hanging. I suppose sometime in the way off future a situation like this may occur but I do not see it happening anytime in the near future like is shown here. The story is decent but not mind shattering. It is mainly the action sequences that are the highlight here. 7 out of 10

Philadelphia (1993)

This is a really great movie and I highly recommend everyone seeing it. Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington both do fantastic jobs with their roles. You can tell that they really put their all into it. Including Tom losing 26 pounds for his role. It brought many different issues to light that can be often over looked by people and shows that discrimination is not always focused on race. 8 out of 10

Species: The Awakening (2007)

Unless you have seen the rest of the series I do not necessarily recommend seeing this. The first few are much better. So see the first one and if you still have an interest check out the next few. Currently this is the last in the series of hopefully it will stay that way and they will let the series die before it gets any worse. It is not that this is the worst film ever it just does not live up to the standard set thus far. 6 out of 10

The Wild Thornberrys Movie (2002)

Anytime that I watched this TV show I enjoyed it quite a bit. Unfortunately the story lines and subject did not carry over to a feature film all that well. It kept my attention for the entire time but the adventures of the Thornberrys are just better left to the small screen. 4 out of 10

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist (2008)

This was not as good as I hoped that it would be. But overall it ended up being really good just not spectacular. It follows Nick and Norah too high school students who are not necessarily the most popular kids in school. Nick is trying to get over his ex-girlfriend and Norah just can not seem to find anyone who likes her for her. They both love indie music and they find themselves searching for a concert in New York City together. The story is good and the characters are intriguing. It is definitely worth checking out. 7 out of 10

The Last Mimzy

I had some high hopes for this movie. The trailer made it look like it was going to be a great science fiction-y fantasy film. For the most part it ended up being pretty good just not as good as I hoped. The special effects are done very well and it looks terrific. The story is great and can be enjoyed by both young and old a like. Where it falls short is the acting. It just does not seem all that natural and can be way over dramatic at times. But for the story and the effects it makes it worth checking out. 7 out of 10

Vegas Vacation (1997)

Although not nearly as good as the previous vacation movies it still is pretty good. It follows the Griswolds on another family vacation. There is a plenty of the usual physical gags that you usually see. Chevy Chase does another great job playing the always down on his luck Clark just wanting to have fun with his family but having everything turn into a mess in front of his very eyes. If you are new to the series then I would check out the first few first. But if you are already a fan you should definitely check out this one as well. 6 out of 10

Raise Your Voice (2004)

This ended up being a lot better than I expected it to be. Although at times the story is a little corny and predictable overall it is pretty entertaining and kind of touching. My biggest complaint would be that the vocals in a the majority of the scenes with singing is very obviously overdubbed. It is pretty similar in many ways to other teen type movies so if you enjoy any of those then you probably will like this. 8 out of 10

Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector

If you are a big fan of Larry the Cable Guy then let's face it you are going to see this movie no matter what I say. Chances are you will probably like it too. Me being an average fan just thought this was OK. It is filled with pretty much exactly what you would expect and there are some laughs here and there but overall it is just mediocre. 4 out of 10

Lakeview Terrace (2008)

So the Samuel L. Jackson films that I have seen lately have, for the most part, been hit or miss. So I did not have high hopes for this one, but it ended being pretty good. It has enough twists and turns to keep it pretty entertaining and will keep you wondering exactly how it is going to end. Samuel does a pretty good job playing the bit off his rocker cop who does not care too much for his new neighbors. It is definitely worth a shot if you have liked any of his previous work or if you like drama thrillers. 7 out of 10

Coffee and Cigarettes

This movie is made up of several short segments of different people where there does not appear to be any common story lines except that all of the segments are based around smoking cigarettes and drinking coffee. Which let's face it is not all that great of a topic. There are many good people in the cast but even that can not save this movie from falling to the 30 minute rule. 1 out of 10

The Challenge (2003)

Wow this was really pretty awful. The concept is terrible and the way the story is shown with interspersed reality show style diary room and challenge type segments is just not good. The acting is some of the worse that I have ever seen. In my opinion this movie should really be completely avoided. 1 out of 10

Meet Wally Sparks (1997)

This is a mediocre comedy at best. There are a couple of good one liners but overall it is just kind of corny. Rodney Dangerfield has some much better films and his style of comedy is classic so do not write him off based on this if you are unfamiliar with his work. 4 out of 10

The Astronaut Farmer (2006)

This movie starts out pretty slow and boring. The concept is really not all that bad a man who has always dreamed of going to space builds a rocket. It does leave you wondering whether he will actually launch it or not but watching him get there is just to tedious. It did fall to the 30 minute rule but I had to know how it ended so I fast forwarded it to the like the last 15 minutes or so. Which happen to be the best part of the film. So if you have an interest in this my suggestion is to do as I did give it a shot straight through but if you find you cannot do it then just hit fast forward. 1 out of 10

Little Miss Sunshine (2006)

I was really surprised with how good this ended up being. When you get such an odd and dysfunctional family and throw them all into a car for a road trip the calamity that ensues is really quite hilarious. At times it is a little slow but it usually does not last for long before the next laugh out loud moment occurs to make up for the slowness. The entire cast does a fantastic job with each of their odd roles. Everyone should see this movie because it is pretty much a guaranteed laugh fest! 8 out of 10

Beerfest (2006)

This is another one of those stupid comedies that if not taken too seriously is kind of funny. A couple of Americans go to Oktoberfest to deliver their grandfathers ashes and discover a underground International beer drinking competition and some interesting information on their family history. After returning home they decide to build a team to return and compete in the competition the next year. As you can imagine there is plenty of drinking which often leads to some drunken hilarity. Give a go if you usually like party type comedy movies. 6 out of 10

The Devil Wears Prada (2006)

So I figured here is a quick 30 minute rule candidate I can knock off the list. But wow I was quite surprised that this ended up being a pretty good comedy. Anne Hathaway does a great job playing the second assistant to the fashion guru Miranda Priestley (Meryl Streep). It is quite amusing to watch her try and fit into the fashion world of which she knows little about all while trying to accomplish the seemingly impossible tasks often set by Miranda. So even if you think that you will probably not like this movie I highly recommend giving it a shot. 8 out of 10

No Reservations (2007)

This is a pretty good romantic comedy. It starts off with Kate (Catherine Zeta-Jones) who is an acclaimed chef who seems to have everything going for her until her sister dies in a tragic car accident and leaves her niece to her. This leaves her needing to take time off from work causing her boss to hire another chef to help her out at the restaurant and thus her perfect life is turned upside down. If you typically like these types of movies then chances are you will like this one so check it out. 8 out of 10

Bangkok Dangerous (2008)

Despite what others have said I thought that this was actually pretty good. For the most part I generally like Nicolas Cage's movies so I will usually give any of them a chance. The story is decent it follows an assassin known as one of the best towards the end of his career and how he begins to go soft and starts breaking his own rules. It has an alright amount of action but not as much as I expected. It is definitely worth a shot for anyone looking for a good movie. 7 out of 10

The Return (2006)

The story and the acting in this movie are really not good. The only thing that helped it from not being cut off at 30 minutes is it really makes you wonder what the hell is wrong with this girl. I will not spoil it for anyone who wants to put themselves through the whole movie to find out but trust me it is so not worth it. 3 out of 10

Ballf of Fury (2007)

This is one of those stupid funny type comedies. Although not nearly funny enough. Sure there are a few laughs here and there but the story is really sub par. The acting really is not all that great as well. Even Christopher Walken could not save it. If you are bored and there is nothing else to do give it a go. 4 out of 10

I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry (2007)

If you are familiar with any Adam Sandler film then there is not much of a surprise here really. If you have liked any of his previous stuff then you will probably like this. It is a good movie with lots of laughs. With the added gay twist there are plenty of opportunities for crude humor but of course in the end it wraps up with a good message. Do not go in expecting anything mind blowing and you just may be surprised. 7 out of 10

The Thing About My Folks (2005)

I have had very little luck with anything that Paul Reiser does. I was not a fan of Mad About You (1992) at all. In fact as I look through his credits the only things that I see that I have enjoyed are the Beverly Hills Cops movies and in those he really did not play all that major of a role. This was very slow moving and rather uninteresting to say the least. At 30 minutes in I was glad that I could stop it. 1 out of 10

Elephant (2003)

From the plot summary of this film I would have expected it to be a lot more interesting. Unfortunately I found it to be very slow and boring. The majority of the cast were non-actors who improvised most of their lines. I would say that that played a big part in it becoming a victim of the 30 minute rule. 1 out of10

The Bridge (2006)

This is an interesting documentary about the Golden Gate Bridge and people that go there to die. The basic rundown of how this is laid out is that footage of the people committing suicide is shown and then they mix in footage of family and friends talking about the person and their life. The concept is good and some of the footage is quite creepy. My complaint is that they would often start one persons story and then bounce around to other people and then come back to the first person. I think it would have played out better if they started one person and finished with them before moving on to the next person. Probably the highlight is the interview of a jumper who survived. It is definitely worth checking out if you are looking for something different. 6 out of 10

Kangaroo Jack (2003)

Jerry O'Connell kind of had a misstep with this one. I did not expect much but I expected more than what I got. The story was OK and although it is supposedly based on an urban legend it is pretty unbelievable and kind of takes you out of it. There are a few laughs here and there but overall it was just mediocre. 5 out of 10

Mystery Men (1999)

I did not expect a whole out of this one and that is for the most part what I got. There were a few laughs here and there and the highlight of the movie was probably Paul Reuben's performance as The Speen. Other than that this is a near miss of the 30 minute rule. Watch it if it is on and you have nothing else better to do. 3 out of 10

X2 (2003)

This move is really fantastic. The special effects are amazing, the Story is great and there is plenty of action and suspense to spare. I saw the first movie of the series before I started reading The Uncanny X-Men and I must admit I did enjoy this film better knowing some more of the back story on the characters. Even if you have never read any of the comics before though there is still a good chance that you will probably like this movie. So I highly recommend this to anyone. 9 out of 10

The Pink Panther (1963)

So I saw the spin off version of this with Steve Martin made in 2006 and it was decent not great but decent. I have heard many people say how much better this original version was and so I geared up for a good comedy but boy was I disappointed. I did not find too much at all about it funny and it seemed very slow and dragged out. Therefore this becomes a victim of the 30 minute rule and gets a 1 out of 10.

City Slickers (1991)

This is a very decent comedy. As you can imagine there are plenty of awkward an humorous moments that happen when you take three city boys out into the country on a cattle drive. The cast seems to work very well together and you can tell that they probably had a good time making this film. Billy Crystal, Daniel Stern, and Jack Palance all do terrific jobs. If you are a fan of Billy's or if you are just looking for a good comedy I recommend checking this one out. 7 out of 10

How to Deal (2003)

Here is a case of getting exactly what I expected. I did not really expect much and I definitely did not get much. 1 out of 10

Pineapple Express (2008)

Well Seth Rogan is on a seriously good roll. Looking through his credits out of all of the movies that I have seen of his I do not see a single bad one. Also one can easily see that he is quite the busy man with with 6 movies already done for 2008 and one more on the way. This movie is damn funny. While no where near the level of Superbad (2007) it is still really good. It has some of your usual stoner comedy fare but it mixes in some new twists and throws in plenty of laugh out loud moments. 8 out of 10

Mirrors (2008)

Keifer Sutherland plays a recovering alcoholic who takes a job at an old burnt out department store. When he starts to notice weird things happening around the mirrors of the store he begins investigating the history of the place and makes some shocking discoveries. This has some decent scares and a pretty good creep factor. It will definitely make you try not to look in any mirrors at night. 7 out of 10

I Am Legend (2007)

This is a really good disaster film. In the future a vaccine is developed to cure cancer however after a mutation it ends up killing the majority of people and turning others into dark seekers (zombie type creatures who can only come out at night). Will smith does a great job playing Robert Neville, a scientist who is immune to the disease and is one of the last non affected humans living in the world. He desperately continues to try and create a cure from his own blood that will hopefully be able to turn the dark seekers back to normal. With plenty of action and suspense to spare I highly recommend checking it out. 8 out of 10

Failure to Launch (2006)

Although bringing nothing really new to the romantic comedy genre, this ended up being a good movie. If you are into these types of movies then you will probably enjoy this. It is your typical couple being put together with one person not knowing that it is a fake relationship and eventually the person finds out and... if you feel like you have heard this before then chances are you know where it is going so it ends up being kind of predictable but entertaining nonetheless. 8 out of 10

Hammy's Boomerang Adventure (2006)

This is a short film available on the Over the Hedge (2006) DVD. It's basic plot is the characters are playing pranks on each other while video taping it in a Candid Camera (1953) type fashion. It is on par with the first movie really. 6 out of 10

Over the Hedge (2006)

Although the story here is really now all that great the animation is top of the line. It follows the story of RJ the raccoon who steals food from a hibernating bear and is caught. He then must find a way to return all of what he stole by the time the bear wakes again and thus the "hilarity" begins. It will probably do well with children because it is quite colorful and the story is rather simple. Other than that it just end up being OK. 6 out of 10

The Hitcher (2007)

I honestly thought that this would probably be just a throwaway but surprisingly it ended up being a decent Thriller. A crazed hitchhiker repeatedly stalks and attacks two college students on their way to spring break. Sean Bean does a fantastic job playing John Ryder. John often seems super human with some of the things that he pulls off. It will make you second guess any thoughts you may have of picking up a hitchhiker ever again. 8 out of 10

The Sentinel (2006)

This ended up being a decent action thriller. Keifer Sutherland, Michael Douglas, and Eva Longoria Parker all did good things with there roles. Although nothing amazing it is worth checking out if you are looking for a couple of hours to kill. 7 out of 10

Finding Neverland (2004)

Unfortunately this did not end up being very good. Even a good cast could not make this survive the 30 minute rule. It was a little slow and too over dramatic for my taste. 1 out of 10

The Phantom of the Opera (2004)

OK, so I have heard plenty of the music through out the years but have never seen any of the movies or the stage show. I must admit that the story is decent. However this movie seemed to drag it out a lot longer than necessary. It would often start moving along nicely and then it would hit a brick wall and immediately slow everything down. The music is good for the most part. But the songs and dance numbers would often go on way to long. I will have to check out another version to see whether they handle the story any better. 5 out of 10

The Eye (2008)

This film has a pretty interesting concept. Jessica Alba plays a blind girl who receives a cornea transplant and then begins seeing things that her donor saw. The special effects are decent and there are a couple of good creepy parts. Overall though it is not very scary and there is plenty of build up for an ending that I feel is really not that great. Worth a try if your looking for an average movie. 6 out of 10

Air Force One (1997)

For any action movie or Harrison Ford fan this is a must see. Harrison does a terrific job playing the president as he takes on Russian hijackers who have taken over Air Force One. With plenty of action and suspense this will keep you wondering what is coming next. Gary Oldman also does a fantastic job playing Ivan Korshunov (the head hijacker). Definitely worth checking out! 8 out of 10

Grease 2 (1982)

OK let me start off by saying that I was not a big fan of the original Grease (1978). But wow it was a masterpiece compared to this. The music, dancing, story, acting... everything was just plain bad. I could barely make it through the first 30 minutes. Beware, beware. 1 out of 10

Hair (1979)

I had hopes for this one because I have enjoyed similar rock musicals such as Jesus Christ Superstar (1973) and Tommy (1975) (Both of which I highly recommend over watching this). The music in it really is not all that bad. However even the good music could not save it from the 30 minute rule. The story just was not there and the dance numbers seemed to go on just a little too long. 1 out of 10

Unforgiven (1992)

Another example of a classic highly rated movie and me just not getting along. I felt that this started off rather slowly, did not have much of a story and the acting was way to over dramatic. All this therefore makes this a perfect candidate for the 30 minute rule. 1 out of 10

The Weather Man (2005)

This is not your usual comedy. It starts off a little slow but if you can I recommend sticking with it. There are many humorous moments as you follow the frustrating life of David Spritz (played by Nicolas Cage) as he struggles to impress his father, get back together with his wife, and figure out how to spend quality time with his children all while trying not to get hit by flying fast food. 7 out of 10

Yours, Mine and Ours (2005)

This movie did not really end up being all that bad. It is a humorous family comedy with a little bit of wackiness added in for good measure. Whatever you do not pick this up if you are looking for anything intellectually stimulating just blank out your mind and enjoy the zany gags and craziness. 7 out of 10

House of Wax (2005)

Now despite what some people may tell you this film really is not that bad. It is not a masterpiece by any means but it has a decent story and the wax effects are actually really good. The acting, however, leaves a bit to be desired but is often good for some laughs. If you are looking for a film that is actually scary you should probably look elsewhere. But if you are looking for something that will keep you entertained then give it a go. 7 out of 10

Murder at 1600 (1997)

A murder at the White House sets the basis for this action film. Wesley Snipes does a great job playing a Washington D.C. cop who is brought in on the case. With many twists and turns this will keep you guessing as to who the culprit is. With plenty of action, thrills and a good mystery this should keep any fan of the genre interested. 7 out of 10

The Bodyguard (1992)

This ended up being a good romance thriller film. Your typical two people working close together, neither one of then wanting to work together to start with, becoming romantically involved type plot. I feel that the more interesting part of the story is the suspense of figuring out who the bad guy is and why they are doing what they are. This portion is what really makes the film and without it it probably would be unwatchable. 7 out of 10

August Rush (2007)

Personally I have been looking forward to this movie for quite some time now. Freddie Highmore does a terrific job playing Evan Taylor AKA August Rush. He really is a great actor and I look forward to seeing how his career develops and what lies ahead for him in the future. The main theme throughout the film is that all around you there is a symphony of sorts developing and if you take the time to listen you just may be amazed at what you find and you never know where the music may take you. Mark Mancini does a fantastic job with the soundtrack and really keeps you intrigued as to what musical awakening lies ahead. Although not for everyone I highly recommend at least giving this a shot. 9 out of 10

Aquamarine (2006)

This movie is pretty much what you would expect. A teen film about friends and crushes with a mermaid twist. Aquamarine (played by Sara Paxton) has an argument with her father about the existence of love and she swims off to the land to prove her father wrong. Other than that there is nothing really new that it brings to the genre. Just an average movie. 6 out of 10

Benny and Joon (1993)

This was a pretty cute film. The characters were very interesting and their stories keep you very engaged. Johnny Depp does a terrific job playing the eccentric Sam who falls for the mentally ill Joon played by Mary Stuart Masterson. It really is quite intriguing to see how they each interact with each other and the world. There are many humourous moments and overall it is quite entertaining. 8 out of 10

The Grudge 2 (2006)

Although entertaining this film did not really bring anything new to the genre. The effects used were very similar to The Grudge (2004) and The Ring Series. It for the most part just continues the story where it left off and we find out what happens next in the Grudge saga. It is good to see the story continue but it really is not spectacular. If you are new to the series I would check out the first one and if it catches your attention and you want to see more of the story them check out this. 6 out of 10

The Harrad Experiment (1973)

This just barely survived the 30 minute rule. The story was just kind of weird and trippy. Similarly to The Boy in The Plastic Bubble (1976) with the bad music and bad video production. You probably will not continue watching it for any reason other than trying to figure exactly where they are going with it and what weird thing they will do next. I would recommend it only if you are looking for something really odd but otherwise I would pass. 4 out of 10

The Boy in the Plastic Bubble (1976)

This turned out to not be nearly as bad as I thought it was going to be. Trust me it was not great though. The music was pretty bad and the video was not very good. It had a very old look to it that made things kind of blurry. The story was alright though even if it was kind of corny with an ending that does not really close things off very well. Over all worth checking out if you are looking for a mediocre kind of film. 6 out of 10

Lean on Me (1989)

I have heard good things about this movie throughout the years but I just never got around to checking it out. It turns out that what I heard was correct because it ended up being terrific. We follow Joe Clarke (Morgan Freeman) as he attempts to regain control over Eastside High School before the state is forced to take over. This movie really is kind of inspirational and the fact that it is based on a true story is pretty amazing. It is definitely worth checking out. 8 out of 10

Bonnie and Clyde (1967)

So with this I was hoping for a good gangster action flick. But unfortunately what I got was a slow and drawn out drama that had little for entertainment value. Unfortunately that means that another classic falls to the 30 minute rule. 1 out of 10

Singin' in the Rain (1952)

This movie ended up being OK, the story was good and some of the song and dance numbers were entertaining. My favorite one would probably be "Make Them Laugh". My biggest gripe would probably be that some of the dance numbers tended to go a little too long and would take away from the story line. If you are into classic musicals then you will probably enjoy this. 5 out of 10

Semi-Tough (1977)

I find that Burt Reynolds' films are so often hit or miss that you never know exactly what you are going to get. This one was one of the unfortunate ones that for the most part was unbearable to watch for more than 30 minutes of. 1 out of 10

Vanity Fair (2004)

Perhaps the earlier versions give this story justice but this one was terrible. Slow moving + Over dramatic acting + a terrible story make this a perfect candidate for the 30 minute rule. 1 out of 10

Shampoo (1975)

The story for this one is what made it fail. It was really boring and was not going anywhere fast. Enough said. 1 out of 10

The Poseidon Adventure (1972)

More of a comedy than an action movie really. Mainly because the acting is pretty over the top. Leslie Nielsen in a serious role of course does not help. Watching him play a ship captain you can not help but think of him in Airplane! Unfortunately even he could not save this sinking ship and it fell victim to the 30 minute rule. 1 out of 10

The Omen (1976)

This movie ended up being pretty good but if you are going to see a version I would recommend the 2006 remake over the original. The story line is for the most part identical but the updated special effects is what really makes the difference. In the original they just seem dated and make it funny where it should be disturbing. The story is very good and the creepy ending will leave you wanting to know more. 7 out of 10

Wall-E (2008)

This film is fantastic and can be enjoyed by everyone children and adult alike. The animation is top notch and the story is fascinating. I had heard that there was no talking in the entire film. If you have heard this rumor and are worried about it do not be afraid. Although there is not a ton of talking there is enough to keep the story going without making it uninteresting. It is very humorous and the characters are quite enjoyable. For once there is a highly rated film that is actually good. 10 out of 10

Bird on a Wire (1990)

This movie was just OK. Although it came out in 1990 it has that cheesy 80's comedy with a little bit of action mixed in feeling. The acting and the story were OK but there really were not any stand out moments and overall it is a pretty unmemorable movie. Check it out if you do not have anything better. 6 out of 10

Hancock (2008)

This ended up being pretty good. It has elements of your usual super hero movie however there are several twists that keep the movie and genre from becoming stale. Will Smith does a great job playing the superhero Hancock who wallows in his own misery and causes more harm than good anytime he attempts to do anything heroic. As fate would have it he actually saves Ray Embry (played by Jason Bateman) a PR specialist who is grateful for Hancock's help and thus Hancock's transformation begins. If you are into super hero type movies then I recommend checking this out. 8 out of 10

Once Upon a Time in America (1984)

I have read that when this film was originally released it bombed. Supposedly from it being released as a two hour version instead of the intended four hour one. But honestly 30 minutes is all that is needed to figure out that this movie is bad. The story is pretty slow moving and for the most part uninteresting. Even Robert De Niro acting could not save this one. 1 out of 10

The Dead Next Door (1988)

OK let me start with the fact that there is really nothing scary about this movie. In fact it is more comedy than horror. But I suppose that it is not really meant to be that way. The blood and zombie effects were pretty bad and helped to increase the humor level but unfortunately not enough to make it past 30 minutes. Give it a go if you are into Cheesy horror flicks but otherwise pass. 1 out of 10

The Wicker Man (2006)

This movie was pretty weird. It has a good story line and you will probably spend most of the time trying to figure out exactly what is going on. But because of this it will keep your attention. The version that I saw was the unrated version where they dropped the original ending scene and leaves you with a holy crap what just happened feeling. But overall it was a very good film and worth checking out if you are looking for something creepy. 6 out of 10

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly (1966)

I was looking forward to seeing this because I heard so many great things. Unfortunately though another highly praised classic has been shot down by the 30 minute rule. I found this to be very very slow moving and what dialogue there was, was way too dramatic. Give it a shot if you generally like supposed classics that are highly rated, but otherwise I would stay away. Perhaps I need to see the first two movies and my opinion will change but as for now it gets a 1 out of 10.

The Burial Society (2002)

This movie seemed like it might be kind of odd and interesting and it did not fail to deliver. With a quirky funny story that follows a Bank Loan Manager who finds himself in a bit of trouble and decides to infiltrate the Chevra Kadisha. With some good twists and turns that will keep you guessing it is definitely worth checking out if you are looking for something a little different. 7 out of 10

Judge Dredd (1995)

This movie was alright but not nearly as good as I hoped. Not that I really expected too much. It was your typical cheesy sci-fi action movie from the mid 90's. The acting was pretty bad and the story was just passable enough to keep my attention. Do not go in expecting anything major and you may be entertained slightly. 4 out of 10

Wanted (2008)

Now this is what all action movies should be like. With great action sequences, CG, story, and acting it is a near perfect movie. Based on the acclaimed comic book by Mark Millar comes the story of a Fraternity of assassins who have extraordinary abilities and are able to control their guns with incredible precision. With some great twists and turns and a final fight scene that is one of the best I have seen in a while, I highly recommend this film to everyone even if action films are not generally your thing. 9 out of 10

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf (1966)

Another classic shot down by the 30 minute rule. I found this film really boring and overall pretty terrible. The fighting between Martha and George did not seem very real to me and was really over done which made it unbearable. 1 out of 10

Hairspray (2007)

I am glad that they re-made this film because I did not really care for the original and this version is much better. John Travolta is hilarious playing Edna Turnblad and Christopher Walken is great as always. The dance numbers and songs are quit funny and entertaining. The story really has not changed all that much but is pretty good. If you liked the original then you will love this one as well and if you are like me and did not really care for the original you should still give this one a shot because it is surprisingly very good. 7 out of 10

The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (1982)

I thought for sure that this would be a 30 minute rule candidate but I was way off. It actually ended up being pretty good. I am generally not a huge fans of musicals especially older ones so this really came as a surprise. I also found out that it is actually based on a true story probably minus the songs and dances though. There are many laughs through out the film and the songs and dances are actually quite entertaining. definitely worth a shot even if you typically do not like musicals. 7 out of 10

Paper Clips (2004)

In 1998 the students at Whitwell Middle School began a project to collect 6 million paperclips. One for each Jew that was killed in concentration camps during World War II. This film follows their project. This ended up being a pretty good documentary. It was touching to see the small community of Whitwell Tennessee come together to put together the memorial. I highly recommend this film even if you are not one that typically likes documentaries. 8 out of 10

Adam and Eve (2005)

Your average National Lampoon style of film here with sex and dick jokes a plenty. Not the greatest movie but there are some laughs here and there and the story really was not all that bad. It had a bit of a romantic tie in that you do not always see in these types of movies. It was a good switch up from the usual formula. If you usually like the National Lampoon movies then you will probably like this one but do not go in looking for the best of the bunch. 6 out of 10

Gunner Palace (2004)

This documentary follows soldiers in Iraq stationed out of one of Saddam Hussein's old palaces. It actually ended up being not that bad. It was good to see things on the war basically from the eyes of the soldiers there. Also it seemed to stay pretty neutral on being for or against the war and just let the soldiers speak for themselves. Definitely worth checking out. 7 out of 10

American Virgin (2000)

I did not really expect anything great from this. But I did expect to at least be entertained slightly. Unfortunately it was pretty bad and fell victim to the 30 minute rule. Even if you are a Mena Suvari fan I still do not recommend checking it out. 1 out of 10

My Favorite Martian (1999)

Nothing to surprising here really. Your usual zany comedy with a bunch of physical gags. Christopher Lloyd does a really good job playing the crazy martian who crash lands here on Earth and attempts to blend in with humanity while he tries to repair his ship. As you can imagine there is nothing brain straining about this one. Just let your mind go blank and enjoy. 6 out of 10

Citizen Kane (1941)

Wow for a so called classic, this film was actually pretty bad and unfortunately fell to the wrath of the 30 minute rule. For some reason older movies that have been deemed as some of the greatest movies of all time never seem to work for me. From what I read when this first came out it got lots of bad reviews. I really do not know what turned everyone around over time because really it was kind of slow and boring. 1 out of 10

The Incredible Hulk (2008)

I was looking forward to this movie but I had my doubts. After the last Hulk movie did not do so well I thought that this may be another bomb. But it ended up being great. There are several things that they changed from the comics but it did not make the movie bad. Edward Norton did a fantastic job portraying Bruce Banner AKA the Hulk. I have enjoyed the majority of his movies and this is another one to add to that list. Even if you are not a fan of comic books or are not big into the superhero type movies I recommend giving this a shot. It really is a terrific action movie. 8 out of 10

Passenger 57 (1992)

This was your average Action movie nothing really out of the ordinary here. A decent story with a decent cast. Wesley Snipes plays an Airline Security Expert who just happens to get himself on a plane that gets hijacked. The movie then follows the process of him trying to gain control of the plane... Good enough to keep my attention but nothing too spectacular. 7 out of 10

Along Came a Spider (2001)

This movie was very good. Morgan Freeman does a great job playing a detective who loses his partner during a sting operation and then is brought in on a new high profile case by the criminal. With a lot of action and a bunch of twists and turns it kept me guessing right to the end. Instead of following the usual ideas and plots that sometimes get overused in other films of this type it brought a lot of original content to the table. The Ransom drop scene was great and very original. Apparently it is a sequel to Kiss the Girls (1997) which I have not seen but will definitely have to check out. Even without seeing the first movie I did not feel it was hard to follow or that I was missing anything. 9 out of 10

Never Been Kissed (1999)

I usually enjoy these types of movies quite a bit but unfortunately this one did not meet my expectations. It is not that it was terrible or anything, it was just OK. It is your usual high school teen romance comedy with a twist. Perhaps I should check out the original The Major and the Minor (1942) and see whether that is the better version. Overall if you typically like this type of movie then you will probably like this one as well. 6 out of 10

The Happening (2008)

It is kind of hard to write a review of a M. Night Shyamalan film. What to say really without giving away too much. I have enjoyed pretty much all of his films so far and for the most part he has followed a similar formula for each. Unfortunately this film did not live up to his other films for me. I thought the dialogue was kind of corny and it was all together pretty weird. Although portrayed kind of bizarrely the message behind the film is a good one. If you have enjoyed his previous films you will probably like this one. 7 out of 10

Dr. No (1962)

I have to be honest the Bond films that I have seen so far have been really good. So I thought that I would start at the beginning and watch the series in order. I am hoping that they get better as they go along because frankly this first one was a big disappointment. There just did not seem to be a whole lot of action. The story was alright but was kind of slow at times. Hopefully the next one will be better. Also on a side note Sean Connery certainly has changed over the years. If I had not known it was him I would never have guessed it. 5 out of 10

Creepshow 2 (1987)

The Creepshow movies are not really meant to be scary. At least that is how I see them. They are for the most part kind of funny. Built around 3 tales with an animated story wrapped around Creepshow 2 if much like the first Creepshow although not as successfully. Unfortunately the stories were not really all that great. For the most part I enjoy the majority of Stephen King's work but this one just is not one of his greatest. The stand out story is probably the Hitch Hiker. With the humorous line "Thanks for the ride lady" used over and over again. Do not forget to play Spot Stephen. 4 out of 10

Funny Farm (1988)

This one has been floating around our Netflix cue for a while now. When it starts to make it's way to the top then it generally would get bounced down in the queue for something else. Well it finally made it's way to the top and shipped. I must admit it turned out to be a pretty good movie. Chevy Chase is playing his usual down on luck type character, who no matter what he does things never seem to go his way. With a fun setting of a rural small town there are plenty of situations that occur for some good laughs. 7 out of 10

Rocky Balboa (2006)

So slightly better than Rocky V but still so much worse than the rest of the series. I am really not quite sure why they decided to make this but it was completely unnecessary and kind of brings the series down as a whole. Sylvester Stallone just looks way to old to make this anywhere near believable. If you are a fan of the series then it is worth checking out just to see where they take the story line. But if you are new to the series, please do not let this stop you from seeing the earlier films which are a million times better. 5 out of 10

Nancy Drew (2007)

OK so perhaps I have missed something by not having read any of the books but wow this was kind of a disappointment. My sister had raved about how excited she was when this was coming out on DVD that I thought it had to be good but how wrong I was. It fell victim to the 30 minute rule and therefore gets a 1 out of 10.

Don't Mess with the Zohan (2008)

Whatever you do, do not go in to this one expecting something serious. This is one of those movies that are so stupid that they are funny. Adam Sandler does an interesting job playing an Israeli terrorist who just wants to settle down and become a hair stylist. You will find the usual SNL alumni/Happy Gilmore cast here: Rob Schneider, Kevin Nealon, Robert Smigel, Chris Rock... All in all it ended up being pretty funny in the brain numbing type of way. 7 out of 10

Vacancy (2007)

This movie had kind of a creepy feel but overall it wasn't all that scary and had no real jump out of your seat moment either. The story concept was all right and it was executed well, but there were just somethings about it that could have been better. I would say the stand out of the cast would be Frank Whaley who plays Mason the creepy hotel clerk. I felt he did a very good job portraying his character and I am interested in seeing more of his stuff. 7 out of 10

Snakes on a Plane (2006)

OK so I must admit I was very skeptical about whether this would be any good at all. I even thought that there was a very good chance that it would become a victim of the 30 minute rule. But overall it was not the greatest thing that I have ever seen, but it ended up to actually be watchable despite how outrageous and unbelievable the plot line was. So if you think you might like an action movie with a twist you should at least give it a shot. 6 out of 10

Bee Movie (2007)

This movie ended up really being pretty good. Although the story line was kind of wacky it was a cartoon after all. It was quite humorous and the animation was awesome. The story follows Barry B. Benson voiced by Jerry Seinfeld and his adventure out of the hive after graduating and not quite ready to take his place in the hive's workforce just yet. Once again I find that just because it is a cartoon does not mean that it is only for children. So do not let that sway you from checking it out. 8 out of 10

A Little Sex (1982)

OK so here is another perfect example of a film custom made for the 30 minute rule. 1 out of 10

Festival Express (2003)

An interesting documentary about the 1970 Festival Express tour. While no doubt there is a bunch of good music played through out the film. My one complaint would be that there was a little too much footage of the performances and for the most part showing full songs was not entirely necessary and I feel it would have been better if the songs were partially interspersed better with the commentary about the tour of which there should have been more of. 7 out of 10

My Blue Heaven (1990)

Wow there is nothing heavenly or funny about this comedy. I recommend skipping this one if you have the choice. 1 out of 10

Smile (2005)

A very touching independent film about two girls with the same birthday who live worlds apart. One with a near perfect life in California and the other in China living with a terrible facial deformity. Although the acting is not all that amazing the story really makes up for it. With Sean Astin and Cheri Oteri playing back-up roles that do not let their star power become overwhelming. Although I still cannot help but think of some SNL skits anytime cheri talks. Definitely worth checking out if you are looking for something a little different and do not worry it is not entirely subtitled. 7 out 10

Eraser (1996)

A decent action film with a good story. It follows a government agent played by the governator who's job it is to protect high profile witnesses so that they can make it to testify at different trials. With enough twists and turns to keep you guessing. I definitely recommend this to any fans of Arnold or of action movies. Do not go in expecting the greatest thing ever and you might just be surprised. 7 out of 10

Necessary Roughness (1991)

I had always heard good things about this comedy. Unfortunately I did not see where all of the hype came from. It was just above average at best and altogether kind of a let down. If you are a big football fan perhaps you will enjoy it more but otherwise I recommend it only if you are bored and do not have much of anything better to watch. 6 out of 10

The Wolf Man (1941)

I am not sure if I am the only one that finds it hard to believe that back in the day people were frightened by some of the classic horror films. I often watch them mainly because they are classics and I find then kind of comedic. This one was more of the same. Tolerable but unfortunately nothing mind blowing. Perhaps it was a break through for it's time but nothing truly amazing for this day and age. But because it is a classic and any horror buff should see it I give it a 7 out of 10.

Amos & Andrew (1993)

Going into this I did not really expect much and what I got ended up being nothing fantastic but nothing wretched either. It was tolerable and kept my attention. Do not expect anything golden if you plan to see this just an OK Comedy with two stars who have some much better pictures. 6 out of 10

Square Dance (1987)

Wow what a snore fest. No more really needs to be said. Easily unanimously voted to use the 30 minute rule on this one. 1 out of 10

Meet the Robinsons (2007)

I had some high hopes for this one. The trailers for it seemed like it would be pretty funny. However it did not turn out exactly the way I hoped that it would. The animation was fantastic however the story is where it did not quite meet my expectations. The jokes were alright but the good ones were just to few and far between. Probably alright for kids but unfortunately for me it ended up being only a 5 out of 10.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

So I must say growing up the Indiana Jones movies were always some of my favorites and they still hold up today. However this movie does slip a little. Let's face it Harrison Ford is looking a little old. Which makes some of the action sequences a little less believable. Over all the story was pretty good and Shia LaBeouf was great. He has really come into his own since the Even Stevens days and I have liked the majority of his work thus far. Overall at it's core its a pretty good adventure film and any fan of Indy will probably enjoy it. But if you are new to the series do not let this film place judgment on the others. 7 out of 10

Lifelock

OK, so I hear the commercials for LifeLock probably at least once a day and I always thought that guy giving out his own SSN was an idiot. Now here is some proof.

District B13

District B13 ended up being a decent film. If you can get past the dubbed English or if you know French you may like this. It has some really good parkour foot chases. The story is just alright but the amount of action makes up for it. If you are looking for an action movie and do not mind it when the words do not match up with the lips there is a good chance that you may like this. 6 out of 10

Undead (2003)

An Australian Zombie film hmm. I did not have really too much hope for this movie. I generally like horror films and comedy. However this was just somewhere in the middle with really not enough of either to make it really all that great. The jokes were alright but nothing to spectacular. It is alright if you are bored and looking for an OK movie. But if you are looking for a better zombie comedy I suggest Shaun of the Dead (2004) and not this. 5 out of 10

Iron Man (2008)

I had pretty high hopes for this movie and did not disappoint in anyway. It was action packed and funny. The CG was fantastic and the story was never a let down at any point. Robert Downey Jr. did a great job playing Tony Stark AKA Iron Man. Although I have not yet begun reading the Iron Man comic books there is no doubt in my mind that they are just as good as the other Marvel comics that I currently read. If they even half as good as this movie was then they will not be disappointed. I am a pretty big fan of the Spider-Man movies and I enjoyed this film even more than those. There is a scene after the credits so do not forget to hang in there for it. I highly recommend this film to any fan of comic books, action movies, or just about anything. 9 out of 10

High Noon (1952)

Voted #106 in the IMDB top 250. While I do not feel it is quite that good I do feel that it was really good. It was a lot better than what I expected. I am generally not really into a lot of Westerns or a lot of older movies. I am broadening my horizons with these things all of the time and movies like this inspire me to continue to check out different genres that may not be favorites of mine. Gary Cooper plays retiring Marshall Will Kane who finds out that his arch nemesis Frank Miller is coming into town and despite being able to leave town with his new wife (played by Grace Kelly) he decides to stick around for one last show down. Played out in semi-real time, the movie follows Will as he tries to round up a Posse to go up against Frank. Definitely worth a look if you are into old classics or Westerns. 7 out of 10

The Final Cut (2004)

This movie has a really interesting plot. An organic implant has been created that records everything that a person sees and hears and then after they die the footage is edited down and played back at their "rememory". Robin Williams does a great job playing a "cutter" (a person who edits the footage and creates the rememory) haunted by a memory from his childhood. It has some good twists and turns and over all ended up being good. Check it out if you are looking for something a little different. 7 out of 10

The Contract (2006)

So Morgan Freeman and John Cusack together in a thriller that looks to have a decent plot sounds like a good film right? Unfortunately this is not completely true. It was alright but not fantastic and to be honest for a thriller it was kind of a snore. If you are into the cast or thrillers then you might be into it, but do not expect anything ground breaking. 4 out of 10.

Top 10 views of Earth From Space

Here are some fantastic pictures from the ISS of Earth. Enjoy!

One Fine Day (1996)

This film was alright. Nothing too spectacular really about it. Your typical single parent type romance film. It was not terrible but it also was not the greatest thing. If you like a decent romance movie then you will probably enjoy this. 7 out of 10.

88 Minutes (2007)

I have been looking forward to seeing this since I had seen the first trailer for it. I have liked a good portion of the Al Pacino's films despite my initial experience with a brutally awful City Hall. This was a good who-dunnit type movie that kept me guessing with every twist and turn of the story. It was very enjoyable and definitely worth checking out if you are into a good mystery type thriller. 8 out of 10

Akeelah and the Bee (2006)

This film ended up being pretty good. Keke Palmer did a wonderful job playing the roll of Akeelah. She is an actress to keep your eyes on because she is definitely going places. Also I thought Laurence Fishburne did a great job playing her spelling tutor. I know that he has done more things than just The Matrix films but for some reason anytime I see him that is what I always think of. The story was very good and heart warming and progressed at a good pace without becoming unbearably slow really at any point. Definitely worth checking out. 8 out of 10

They Might Be Giants at the Egg

This past weekend Leslie and I traveled to the Egg in Albany to check out They Might Be Giants. For anyone who is unfamiliar with these guys I highly recommend checking them out. They are kind of a quirky Alternative. You may have even heard some of their songs and are not aware of it such as "The Boss of Me" (Malcolm in the Middle Theme). "Istanbul", "Particle Man", "Birdhouse in Your Soul". They put on a really good show and had a good amount of audience participation. They joked around with everyone through out their set and everyone seemed to have a really great time.

Nim's Island

Nim's Island ended up being a pretty good movie. It had a great story and a good cast. I have always liked Jodie Foster's work and this ended up being no different. She did a great job playing a best selling agoraphobic author who gets put into situations that take her out of her safe Purell sanctuary and out into the rest of the world. Abigail Breslin was very good as well. I have not seen much of her stuff but she definitely seems like a child actress who is going places. This is a great movie to take your kids to, or if you do not have any children it is also good for someone who just likes a good heart warming film. 8 out of 10

Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (2004)

Wow what a snore fest this turned out to be. The first one was alright and at least watchable but we had to put the 30 minute rule in to affect on this. It never really took off or went anywhere. 1 out of 10.

Jacob's Ladder (1990)

I was originally supposed to watch this film for a course that I took in college about the psychology of Death. Although at the time I knew nothing about what the film was about, I never did much research on it to find out much about it I just added to my list of movies to see. It turned out to be rather interesting but probably a film that you would have to see more than once in order to figure out a lot of the little nuances that are occurring through out the story. There was not anything really spectacular about it but it did keep my attention. It's worth checking out if you are looking for something a little different. 6 out of 10

Lost: Via Domus

So I consider myself a pretty big Lost fan. Although I do not get completely obsessive I do watch all of the episodes, participate in any ARG's, listen to a couple of podcasts, and visit the occasional fan site. So when I heard that they were coming out with a Lost video game I knew that I would have to get it. Unfortunately it was not that great. It really did not add anything to the canon and it was rather short and linear with really no action. So if you are a Lost it is interesting just to see things from another survivor's perspective. But other than that you should probably pass on it. 6 out of 10

Watch Them Die

Here is another group worth checking out. Their guitar work is actually not too bad

Burnt By The Sun

Just found these guys. If your in to Hardcore you should check them out.

The Clearing (2004)

Honestly this movie was kind of weird. The story was alright and there was an OK amount of Suspense. I felt over all it was kind of slow moving and did not really lead to all too much. Also I do not know if it just me or not but Robert Redford and Willem Dafoe kind of look very similar which made things a little confusing. But it was not an awful movie. 6 out 10

The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2009)

This film was actually better than I expected it to be. Although not nearly as good as the first two movies. It had an alright story and some pretty good car crashes. For those of you who liked the first two or are in to racing movies you should give it a shot. 6 out 10

Gears of War 2 at Comic Con

Epic will be giving a sneak preview of Gears of War 2 at Comic Con later this month. More info here.

An Inconvenient Truth (2006)

I had heard some good things about this documentary and had been looking forward to seeing it. Unfortunately it was not laid out the way that I had hoped. Had there been more of the presentation that Al Gore did I feel it would have been better. But through out the film there were scenes of him at the farm were he grew up and of him doing research on his laptop that I feel did not mix well. Over all though the message was there though. To learn more go to www.climatecrisis.org 8 out of 10

21 (2008)

I was pretty excited when I first heard that they were making "Bringing Down the House" by Ben Mezrich into a movie. Unfortunately though I found out that the movie is not so much based on the book as it is inspired by it. So basically that means that they have made some pretty major changes to the story. I am a big fan of Ben Mezrich's and I have read the majority of his books and have loved them all. But unfortunately I got myself a little too over hyped for this film and I can not lie it did let me down a little. It still was pretty good though just not nearly as good as I hoped. If you have not read the book then perhaps you may enjoy it more than one who has. 7 out of 10

Netflix possibly coming to XBox live

Netflix might bring movie rentals to XBox live. Read more here.

Mars rovers get reprieve

Earlier this week NASA planned budget cuts would have shut down Spirit and Opportunity. But just yesterday they have announced that the rovers will not be shut down due to budget cuts. read more here.

Full South Park Episodes

South Park Studios have started showing full South Park episodes on their website. You can now watch any South Park episode at their website, which can be found here.

Man of the Year (2006)

I had heard so many good things about this film that I thought it would be great. But unfortunately what happens to be the case all to often is that when things get hyped up so much can they really ever live up to ones expectations. Although it was alright and kept my attention for the most part, it just was not as funny as I thought it was going to be. Outside of that I thought Robin Williams did an excellent job. 6 out of 10

Vantage Point (2008)

At first I was unsure about whether this would be all that good. But afterwards I am so happy that I saw it. It is a great action suspense film that kept you guessing exactly what was going to happen all of the time. It has many twists and turns and one of the best car chases I have seen in a while. The way that the story unfolds is rather unique as well showing an event from different view points letting you in on new details with each view. I highly recommend it. 9 out of 10

Court Will Examine Profanity Rules

The Supreme Court will examine there indecency rules when curses are said on a live broadcast. More here.

Highlander: The Source (2007)

So I have enjoyed pretty much every Highlander movie that I have seem thus far. Unfortunately I feel that this one did not live up to my expectations. It was alright but not great. I have seem all of the movies in the series thus far but I have not seen any of the TV shows. Perhaps there is a hidden correlation there that I missed which is why I did not enjoy this one as much. Anyways If you are a fan of the series then you should probably give this a shot. I may even give it a second chance once I see the TV series and see whether I enjoy it any more. 3 out 10

Horton Hears a Who! (2008)

I thought that this was a great interpretation of the Dr. Suess classic. It was a slightly different outing for the Seth Rogan/Jonah Hill crew. Usually you will see them dropping the F Bomb every other word that comes out of their mouths, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that I loved Superbad. So it is good to see that they can do more than just curse. These guys have a great path laid out in front of them and I look forward to seeing where they go to next. 8 out of 10.

American Pie Presents: The Naked Mile (2006)

Follows in the usual American Pie style of teen raunchiness. Though not nearly as good as the originals it still was decent and had a good amount of laughs. If you like the franchise thus far then you should probably give this a shot. 6 out of 10

Trend Micro's site hacked

Trend Micro's website was hacked the other day which led to many other sites being compromised. Here are the details. Also here is another article with a video showing what the exploit looks like from an end user's perspective.

Google Sky

Google has launched Google Sky in the browser. Some really nice stuff here.

MASH (1970)

OK, so I really liked M*A*S*H the sitcom but my god how did it develop from such an awful movie. I was really surprised at how unfunny this movie was. I also thought that more of the cast from the sitcom was also in the movie but apparently that is not the case. I gave it a chance and had to invoke the half hour rule. Therefore it gets a 1 out of 10.

Fool's Gold (2008)

I was a bit apprehensive about whether this movie would be any good. After seeing it I must say that it turned out to be really not that bad. Is the acting perfect or the story the best thing I have ever seen, no. But does that mean that it is not a good movie, absolutely not. It has the elements of a treasure hunt with the added features of a romance. While it is no Indiana Jones or National Treasure it kept my attention and entertained me for a afternoon. I give it a 6 out of 10.

The Spiderwick Chronicles (2008)

Despite only loosely following the books I feel that this film was good. Whether it be because of cost, time allocation, or some other reason there were a bunch of scenes that were significantly changed. Despite that however they told a great story that was easy to follow and entertaining even for someone who has not read the books. Also for the fans of the books that may be worried that they completely butchered the stories, fear not because all of the basic elements are there and it can be enjoyed by you as well. I give this movie a 8 out of 10.

Training Day (2001)

Denzel Washington plays a corrupt narcotics detective and Ethan Hawke plays a rookie cop riding along on his "Training Day" and learning the ins and outs of the job. Whether this movie has any sort of truth to it or whether it shows on actual scenarios that a LAPD narcotics officer would run in to I do not know, but the characters were well written and it was very interesting to watch the story unravel and see the development of Ethan's character as he realizes that things are not always as they seem. Overall I feel this was a great movie therefore I give it a 7 out of 10.

Driving Lessons (2006)

I am a pretty big Harry Potter fan and I think the Rupert Grint does a pretty good job playing Ron Weasley in the films so I thought I would give another film of his a shot. From the trailers that I have seen it looked like it would be decent and funny. But wow was I deceived. I found it very dry and boring. I will give any movie a shot and will watch the first half hour before stopping it if it has not grabbed my attention. Which was the case with this film. I give it a 1 out of 10.

Fracture

I liked this film quite a bit. It kept me guessing all the way to the end. Anthony Hopkin's and Ryan Gosling's performances were great. I also found the kinetic art devices that were featured very interesting. It turns out that they are created by Mark Bischof and a quick search on Youtube brings up an interview that he did showing a massive device that he created. Also if you search kinetic art you get a bunch of videos including this one that are pretty good. Overall I give Fracture a 9 out of 10

A Bug's Life

In an effort to create some more content I figure since I watch a decent amount of movies I would throw up some quick two cent reviews. Nothing big or fancy just a quick blurb.

So I finally saw A Bug's Life last night. I have heard many people say good things about it and I must admit I was not disappointed. It had a decent story line and the animation was top notch as all Pixar films generally are. It had many laugh out loud moments and even though it is probably considered a children's film by some it can be enjoyed by adults as well. I give it a 8 out of 10.

Microsoft lowers the price on Vista

In an unprecedented move Microsoft plans to lower the price of several versions of Windows Vista. More information can be found here.

Kevin Rose Interview with CNET

Here is an interview that Kevin did with Caroline McCarthy during FOWA.

New Five Dollar Bill

Diagrams of the new five dollar bill. Check it out here.

Firefox patch

Firefox 2.0.0.12 to be released tomorrow or Friday. This update fixes a severe vulnerability. Run your updater folks. More info here.

Sci-Fi techs we could have today

Ten techs from science fiction that we could have today if they just weren't too damn expensive.

Diebold Voting Machine Key copied

A key that will open all of the Diebold voting machines has been easily copied from a picture on the company's own website. More here.

California Election Fraud

Interesting video from a voter in California who re-registered as a Republican so that he could vote in the primary but was not listed correctly when he went to vote. Check it out.

Been a while

I know it has been a while since I last posted anything. But I have got some new ideas for this blog and I hope to have some time soon to begin implementing them. Keep checking back.

Microsoft makes a bid for Yahoo

Microsoft has made an unsolicited bid for Yahoo of $44.6 Billion. Read more here.