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