John Valby and more

An average week overall. Here is the rundown:

Mamma Mia! (2008) 7
Taken (2008) 8
Tarzan (1999) 7
The Secret Life of Words (2005) 1
The Color Purple (1985) 7
Presumed Innocent (1990) 6
Midnight in The Garden of Good and Evil (1997) 1
Kiss of Death (1995) 5
Half Nelson (2006) 1
Swingers (1996) 5

The pick of the week is Taken. I had heard mixed reviews about this film so I was unsure whether I would like it or not. But after seeing it I must say I was quite impressed. I thought that everything about it was great. It had plenty of action for any action fan and the story kept you intrigued as to what would happen next. Liam Neeson did a terrific job playing the revenge seeking dad trying to find his kidnapped daughter. Like I said I had heard mixed reviews on this so for you it could probably go either way but I think it is definitely worth checking out.

As for comics this past week. I picked up Johnny Monster #1, The Great Unknown #1, Mysterius The UnFathomable #2, and Zombies That Ate The World #1. All of which were alright. But the stand out was The Great Unknown. The story is starting off pretty good and I am interested in seeing what will happen next.

I also continued my way through the Calvin & Hobbes series and finished Weirdos From Another Planet! which is great just like the others.

On another note this week I got the chance to see John Valby (Dr. Dirty). This show was hilarious. However if you are one who is easily offended then this is probably not the show for you. Honestly he is quite the equal opportunity offender and touches a little bit on just about everything. He knows where the line is and then pushes right on over it. If you are into that kind of humor then this is the show for you!

That is all for this folks!

President's Day Round Up

Extremely slow week for me this week The pick of the week and only film I saw was Hotel for Dogs (2009) 6. It was better than expected. It is a cute family film that any animal lover will probably enjoy. The story is good and entertaining. The acting is believable but not really amazing. So over all it can go either way. Give it a shot and you might surprise yourself.

On the comic front my pick of the week is probably Gears of War #4. The story is quite interesting and if you are fan of the games then you should probably check this out cause you will like it.

I also read 30 Days of Night: Spreading the Disease and Zombie Cop. Both of which turned out to be good. I have to say that Spreading the Disease is one of the best story lines in the 30 Days of Night series thus far. It was quite enjoyable.

That's it for this week. Stay tuned!

Coraline, Reign Over Me, and more

Some decent stuff this week but also some really bad stuff.

March of the Penguins (2005) 6
Coraline (2009) 9
Into the Blue (2005) 6
Dracula's Daughter (1936) 1
Reign Over Me (2007) 9
House on Haunted Hill (1959) 5
Terror Planet (2007) 6
The Brothers Solomon (2007) 1
Bull Durham (1988) 1
Poseiden (2006) 6
Red Rock West (1992) 6

The pick of the week was again a close one but I have to go with Coraline. This was a fantastic movie. The imagery, the story, the voice acting, the music... All of it was top notch and made this a movie that I have to recommend to all. I simply do not see how anyone can not enjoy this movie. After watching the movie I do as I usually do and check out IMDB's trivia section and was surprised to find out it was all done with Stop-Motion instead of all computer animation. It seriously looks that good. If you have the chance I also would recommend seeing it in 3D. It is only the second film that I have had the opportunity to see in RealD and already I am loving this technology. It is so much better than the old school red and blue style 3D. So this movie is definitely a home run, go and check it out!

In other media I finished the The Complete Peanuts: 1955-1956 which again is great, enough said...

Salt Water Taffy: The Legend of Old Salty is a terrific story about two brothers who go on a family vacation and the adventures that they have with "Old Salty" It is kind of kiddie but the story and images are quit enjoyable even for an older person.

Heathentown is a fantastic original graphic novel. Horror based but honestly it is not all that scary. But that is OK, it still can be enjoyed because the story is solid and the art is great. I have found sometimes in the past with black and white stories drawn similar to this one can be hard to distinguish the different characters. If you are hesitant to check this out because of that do not worry this is not the case.

As for new comics that came out this week my pick of the week has to be Locke & Key: Head Games #2. Joe Hill and the gang do it again and give us another terrific chapter of the Locke & Key storyline. If you are not reading this yet then what are you waiting for. Check out the the first story in Welcome to LoveCraft and then move on to Head Games you will not regret it and trust me you do not want to miss out.

That's all for this week. Check back next Monday for more.

Here it is...

This week had a some good films but it also had some pretty bad ones. Here are the scores:

The Mangler (1995) 1
The Lookout (2007) 6
My Bloody Valentine (2009) 7
The Man With The Screaming Brain (2005) 5
One Hundred and One Dalmations (1961) 8
Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004) 6
Casanova (2005) 1
Kickin' It Old Skool (2007) 5
Manhattan (1979) 1
My First Wedding (2004) 7
Death Proof (2007) 7

The pick of the week was a tough one I must admit. But the classic Disney film is the winner. This movie is funny, adorable, and maybe even a little frightening to a child. The script and music is incredibly catchy and will have you repeating lines and humming the songs over and over again. For it's time the animation is fantastic as well. Not just for children if you have not seen this yet or have only seen the live action version (Which pales in comparison) then I recommend you check out this classic.

In other media I continued working my way through the 30 Days of Night series with 30 Days of Night: Three Tales. Which was very good. I am glad to see that they went back to more of the original Barrow storyline.

I also finished Yukon Ho! which continues the printing of the Calvin and Hobbes newspaper strips. Bill Watterson's insight and humor is great. Each strip makes you wonder just what will this man come up with next.

Round Up

A week of decent films in this edition of the round up. But an easy stand out for the pick of the week.

The Dead Girl (2006) 1
L.A. Confidential (1997) 1
Domino (2005) 7
Holy Man (1998) 1
Rumor Has It (2005) 6
Mission to Mars (2000) 8
X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) 9
Leatherheads (2008) 6
Resident Evil: Apocalypse (2004) 7
Resident Evil: Extinction (2007) 7
Victor Victoria (1982) 6
Bloodrayne (2005) 1
The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984) 6
Dog Day Afternoon (1975) 7

The pick is of course X-Men: The Last Stand. This movie is just as good as the first two. For any fan of the Marvel comics you will no doubt enjoy this movie. There is plenty of good action scenes and the story is great. The special effects are fantastic and they enhance the story perfectly. If you have not seen the previous movies or at least had experience with the comics then I would recommend checking those out first. Otherwise you may be a little lost. Give it a try and you will not be disappointed.

Round Up

It was kind of a slow week this week. But here are the scores:

A Perfect Murder (1998) 6
Marley & Me (2008) 8
Sixteen Candles (1984) 5
The Covenant (2006) 6

The pick of the week has to be Marley & Me. For anyone who has ever had a pet then this is a must see. Even if you have the worst pet in the world they are still there for you and show you unconditional love and friendship. They become a part of your family just as much as a child or sibling. It is an extremely touching movie and if you have ever been one to get choked up at a movie then it is almost a guarantee at this one.

In other media I read 30 Days of Night: Bloodsucker Tales, RASL Vol. 1, and The Complete Peanuts: 1953-1954.

Bloodsucker Tales is probably my least favorite of the 30 Days of Night thus far. The first story "Dead Billy, Dead" was good but the second story "Juarez, or Lex Nova and the Case of the 400 Dead Mexican Girls" was just kind of bizarre and honestly was not all that good.

I was kind of unsure about whether I would like RASL I mean Jeff Smith is coming off of Bone which is a pretty high mark. But I have to admit that it really is awesome and Jeff has done it again. If you have not already then check it out and if you have not read Bone yet you should be ashamed.

Peanuts is of course a classic loved by all and in this volume we are introduced to Pig-Pen and Charlotte Braun. We also see Linus start to develop a fondness for a certain blanket.

That is all for this week folks! See you next week!

Roundup

Just an average week. Say some movies read some books. Here you go:

Revenge of the Nerds III: The Next Generation (1992) 5
Revenge of the Nerds IV: Nerds in Love (1994) 5
Code Name: The Cleaner (2007) 1
Because I Said So (2007) 7
Bedtime Stories (2008) 8
101 Dalmations (1996) 7
102 Dalmations (2000) 3
Icebreaker (2000) 1
Basic Instinct (1992) 7
Aliens (1986) 8
Alien 3 (1992) 7
Striptease (1996) 5

This week's pick of the week is Bedtime Stories. It is your usual Adam Sandler family type comedy. So there is not a ton of surprises here. If you are a fan of his previous works then there is a good chance that you will enjoy this as well. Adam does a good job playing the uncle of two kids that have quite the overactive imaginations, He finds that crazy things seem to happen each night after he tells the kids a bedtime story. Also be sure to watch for Rob Schneider and a little something unexpected. Overall it is a decent comedy with some pretty good laughs.

In other media I finished off Calvin & Hobbes, SomethingUnder the Bed is Drooling, and 3o Days of Night: Return to Barrow. All of which were great. Let's face it Calvin & Hobbes is a classic and Bill Watterson never ceases to amaze with his terrific insight into the lives of a boy and his imaginary friend. The 30 Days of Night story just keeps getting better with each series. Start with the original and if you like it and I am pretty sure you will then move on through the rest of the books.

Roundup

Thanks to the HBO/Starz free play I was able to get in a good amount of newer movies. Here is this week's list:

The Brave One (2007) 7
Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (2007) 7
My Super Ex-Girlfriend (2006) 6
27 Dresses (2008) 6
Everyone's Hero (2006) 6
I Know Who Killed Me (2007) 6
Racing Stripes (2005) 7
Shrek The Third (2007) 8
Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium (2007) 6
30 Days of Night (2007) 7
Sunshine (2007) 6
Transformers (2007) 8
A Very Merry Daughter of the Bride (2008) 5
Unaccompanied Minors(2006) 6
Mr. Woodcock (2007) 7
Music and Lyrics (2007) 5
Smokin' Aces (2006) 1
Waitress (2007) 6
Daddy Day Camp (2007) 4

The pick of the week was an easy one this week. Despite having some pretty decent films to choose from I have to go with Transformers. For anyone who grew up with the show and the toys they will easily love this movie. But even if you are new to the concept it still is an awesome movie. The special effects are top notch. The story was fantastic and even the acting was pretty good. Shia LaBeouf has really been doing some great stuff these days and this continues the trend.

In other media this week I read The Complete Peanuts: 1950-1952, Rose, and Incognito #1. All of which were great.

Anyone who has ever read Peanuts (who has not really) will probably be interested in reading this first volume which collects the first couple of years of the strip. It is fascinating seeing how the story began and how it developed in the beginning.

Rose is great. The artwork is fantastic and the story is done very well. If you have not yet read Bone (what are you waiting for?!) then you will probably want to read that first as this is a prequel to that story. It is great to see how things began prior to the Bone story line and to learn the stories of Rose Harvestar (Granma Ben) and Lucius.

I also finished Overlord on the XBox 360 and must say that this game is damn fun. It mixes a slightly open world environment with a fantasy realm where you play an Overlord who uses his hoard of minions to defeat his enemies, plunder, and or terrorize the villagers (if you choose). The story line is very intriguing and quite hilarious. It will bring you right in and make you feel like a part of the world. All of the characters that you meet on your journey are all quite creative and imaginative. Go ahead and give it a go and most likely you will enjoy it.

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