Past Reviews - Archive A-F Page Updated 9/28/2008
Accepted (PG-13 - Comedy) C+
A high school graduate doesn't get accepted into any college so he starts his own college in order to please his parents. This movie was not very funny; it had too many stale jokes. It does try to make a commentary on the pressure kids feel to get into college.
Across the Universe (PG-13, Drama, Musical) B
Set in the 1960's a young man comes to the United States to find his father; once there he makes new friends who are dealing with the war in Vietnam. Most of the musical numbers were very good and fit well into the story but there were a few that weren;t as great and are full of special effects that detract from the entire movie. Official Site
Aliens Vs. Predator - Requiem (R, Action, Sci-Fi) D+
When a Predator ship is orbiting Earth an Alien escapes its enclosure causing the ship to crash into a forest near a small town. The town becomes the staging ground for the confrontation between them while they also happen to be slaughtering the towns’ people. The predator is supposed to be a great hunter/warrior but the predator in this movie had horrible aim which was probably good to keep the movie going. The story from the point of view of the humans was very formulaic and it takes too long for them to find out what is happening. Official Site
Alpha Dog (R, Drama) B+
I thought this would be another movie with the usual plot about kids taking drugs. Instead it is the true story of the abduction of a 15 year old by some teenagers that were involved with drugs. Official Site
All the King's Men (PG-13 - Drama) B
Sean Penn and Anthony Hopkins provide great performances in this film based on Louisiana Governor Huey Long’s rise to power. The movie focuses excessively on the secondary character’s lives when it should have given us more insight into the main character. Official Site
Alvin and the Chipmunks (PG, Comedy) B
A struggling music writer meets 3 talking Chipmunks that help him out and in the process they all become friends with each other which was one of the nicer parts of the story. Some of the songs and acting weren’t too great. Official Site
Amazing Grace (PG, Drama) A-
This is the true story of William Wilberforce who was a member of the British parliament in the 18th century. The movie shows how he fought against the use of slaves by the British. Even though it seemed a little long at times it still is an excellent movie. Official Site
An American Carol (PG-13, Comedy) D+
Three spirits visit an anti-American named Michael Malone, who has also been unknowingly recruited to make a film for the terrorists. Whether you agree or not with the politics of the movie there weren’t any really funny moments in this film, it was full of bad jokes even though they may be based on facts that are true. Official Site
American Gangster (R, Drama, Crime) A
This is the true life story of Frank Lucas (Denzel Washington) a gangster in Harlem during the late 60’s and the police detective (Russell Crowe) who went after him. The movie shows how Frank Lucas built up his organization and it provides insightful look into all the other forces that helped him built up his organization. The story, acting and screenplay were all excellent. Official Site
Angel-A (R, Comedy, Romance ƒ) A-
Set in Paris, a man that is having financial problems is about to jump to his death when he sees a beautiful woman (Angela) about to do the same. He ends up saving her and falling in love and finding out that she is a bit odd. This French movie was much better than I expected it to be. It’s in black and white which made it even more interesting. I would have changed some aspects of Angela’s character. Official Site
The Ant Bully (PG - Comedy) B-
In this animated movie a boy gets shrunk down in size by ants that want to stop him from harassing their ant mound. This movie felt more like a drama than a comedy since there didn’t seem to be any jokes in it.
Apocalypto (R, Action, Drama) A-
In this movie by Mel Gibson a group of peaceful villagers is attacked and taken hostage by the Mayans, the movie revolves around one particular villager and his family. The entire movie is subtitled which makes it seem very legitimate. The action scenes were excellent and there never is a dull moment. Official Site
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (R, Drama, Action) C-
Bradd Pitt plays Jesse James who gets assassinated by Robert Ford (Casey Affleck) in this film based on a true story. This movie was a big disappointment which is a shame because the story is a great one. The movie simplifies the story as much as possible and then drags out at 2 hours and 40 minutes long. During the first hour there is mostly a lot of pointless talking and we get told over and over again how Robert Ford was such a great fan of Jesse James. Official Site
The Astronaut Farmer (PG, Drama) B-
Billy Bob Thornton plays a former NASA astronaut that is now a farmer. He decides to build his own rocket to go into orbit but he has to overcome financial hardships and the government that is trying to stop his launch. The movie was a bit campy at times. Official Site
Atonement (R, Drama) B
Set in 1935 a 13 year old girl falsely accuses her sister’s boyfriend (Robbie) of molesting a young girl. The movie takes a long time to establish this premise and then concentrates mostly on Robbie’s life after he was sent to jail. I thought the movie would be more about the young sister’s atonement process. The movie also keeps switching back in time (without notice) in order to show the story from different characters’ point view. Official Site
August Rush (PG, Drama) B+
An Orphan boy that loves music decides to venture out into New York City by following the musical rhythms he hears in everyday noises so that he can find his parents but he ends up getting lost in the city. At the same time his mom (Keri Russell) decides to find her son so she starts playing her own music as well. I didn’t like the songs that were based on the everyday noises but the story and acting were very good. Official Site
Awake (R, Horror) C+
In this movie a man goes in for a heart transplant but soon finds out that the anesthesia isn’t working properly. He can still feel and hear everything but he can’t move or speak up to let the doctors know. While the Doctors are talking he soon finds out that they intend to kill him. The first part of the movie revolves around his relationship with his girlfriend which he is keeping secret from his mom. This first part of the movie was a bit drawn out even though it is part of the overall story. The parts where he is pain were hard to watch even though in real life a person would probably be in much greater pain and throughout the entire procedure. Official Site
Away from Her (PG-13, Drama) C+
An older man has to put his wife in a nursing home when it becomes apparent that she has Alzheimer’s. He then continues to try to stay close to her even though the disease has made her forget him. I thought the movie was a bit slow at times and it has a TV movie feeling I didn’t like. Official Site
Babel (R, Drama) B
This film has four separate but related story lines. The primary story is about an American couple (Bradd Pitt and Cate Blanchett) vacationing in a remote country, where his wife is shot. Then her husband has to struggle against the bureaucracy and bad infrastructure to try to save her life. I thought the related stories were more interesting since you don’t know how they fall into the scheme of things or how they will end. Official Site
Baby Mama (PG-13, Comedy) B
A successful, single business woman (Tina Fey) decides to enlist the help of a surrogate mother (Amy Poehler) to carry her baby. She ends up with a surrogate mother that has a background completely different from hers and a troublesome boyfriend. The two actresses do a great job working together and the movie had a good story, it could have been funnier though. Official Site
Babylon A.D. (PG-13, Sci-Fi, Action) C-
A mercenary (Vin Diesel) is hired to smuggle a couple of women from Russia to New York City; the problem is that there are other people who want to capture the women. The movie felt like a bunch of episodes splice together but also as if some where missed. By the time the movie finished I felt as if I missed something, the overall acting was also poor. Official Site
The Band’s Visit (PG-13, Drama) A-
Based on a true story about a band from Egypt that goes to Israel for a special performance but ends up being forgotten at the bus stop. Instead the band members are welcome into people’s homes at a nearby small town. The two different cultures learn about each other and establish a friendship. Even though this is a generic story about rivals becoming good friends the relationships and circumstance are very well made. Official Site
The Bank Job (R, Drama, Action) B+
This film is based on a true story from 1970 about a group of amateur bank robbers that upset the wrong grou;s of oeople after robbing a bank. The initial set up is a little slow since there are so many characters to introduce, but once that is done the story is an amazing one and well worth the set-up. Official Site
Bangkok Dangerous (R, Crime) C
A hitman (Nicolas Cage) travels to Bangkok to carry out 4 crucial jobs but runs into circumstances that affect his efficiency. I usually like Nicolas Cage but he shouldn’t have been cast for, I had trouble believing he was a really bad guy, despite him saying it never matters who the job is. The lighting for the film was also very dark which just made it harder to get immersed in. Official Site
Barnyard: The Original Party Animals (PG - Comedy) B+
In this animated movie a cow and an assortment of other animals just like to party but then something happens. Even though most of the movie feels like a musical the story moves along very nicely. There are some scenes which might be scary for young kids so it is not a G rated movie.
Mr. Bean’s Holiday (G, Comedy) B-
Mr. Bean (Rowan Atkinson) wins a vacation to France were he only seems to get deeper intro trouble. This movie was a lot funnier than I expected but it took a while for the story to develop and get interesting. Official Site
Because I Said So (PG-13, Comedy, Romance, Drama) B
In this movie a mom (Diane Keaton) places a personal ad in the paper to find a potential husband for her daughter (Mandy Moore). The thing is that the daughter doesn’t know her mom is doing this which leads to some problems. The plot seemed original to me but the movie was too light on the comedic aspect. Official Site
Be Kind Rewind (PG-13, Comedy) B
When all the VHS tapes at a video store get erased the store manager (Mos Def) and his friend (Jack Black) make their own 20 minute versions of the movies which turn out to be very popular. The movie would have been better if they had come up with a more realistic reason for the tapes to be erased. The recreated skits were funny and the overall movie had a good story. Official Site
Bee Movie (PG, Comedy, Animated) B+
A worker bee doesn’t like the prospect of doing the same job for the rest of his life so he ventures outside into the world were he makes friends with a lady. This movie was very entertaining but there is a bit if a bump in the story when the bee and her new friend go into a legal battle against honey producers. The first time the bee talks to the lady she is totally surprised but then all of a sudden the whole world is talking to bees like it’s no big deal. I know it’s a kid’s movie but they should have been consistent. Official Site
Beerfest (R - Comedy) D
A couple of restaurant owners form a team to compete in a beer drinking competition to defend their father’s memory. This movie was full of jokes that were not only gross but also very bad.
Before the Devil Knows you are Dead (R, Drama, Crime) B
Two brothers (played by Philip Seymour Hoffman and Ethan Hawke) have to deal with the repercussions of holding up their own parent’s jewelry store. The movie keeps going forward and back in time to show the story from the point of view of each person which makes the whole film a bit drawn out. Albert Finney adds a lot to the movie by playing their Dad. Related Site
Bella (PG-13, Drama) B-
After finding out that she is pregnant a waitress looses her job which leads to her spending an entire day with the restaurant’s head chef who also has his own issues. The overall story for this movie was very good but some of the acting wasn’t. Even though it had a good story it felt like it had a lot of filler. Official Site
My Best Friend - Mon meilleur ami (PG-13, Comedy) A-
In this French movie a man‘s business partner bets him that he can’t come up with a true friend within 10 days so he sets out to find one and realizes he has no friends. When he sets out to search for a new friend he realizes some things about himself. Official Site
Beowulf 3D (R, Sci-Fi, Action) A-
Set in the year 524 a monster keeps attacking Denmark until the King finds Beowulf to deal with it but there were more issues and monsters to deal with that Beowulf did not expect. At first I didn’t like the animation of all the actors but once the action got started I didn’t mind it and the story with its underlying message was a very good one. The 3D version could have had more 3D effects; the music was excellent. Official Site
Black Book (R, Drama ƒ) B
During World War II a woman escapes a NAZI massacre where her family was murdered. While on the run she meets a NAZI officer and uses the opportunity to get a job in the NAZI headquarters where she becomes a spy for the resistance. While she is there she falls in love with the NAZI officer which only leads to more complications. Official Site
The Black Dahlia (R - Drama, Thriller) D
Josh Hartnett plays the lead role in this film and does the narrating during the entire film. He and another detective (Aaron Eckhart) set out to investigate the brutal murder of a young woman. The problem with this movie was that it seemed the main characters were too busy figuring out their own lives to investigate the murder. I did not include this movie’s other genre of suspense since the movie doesn’t let you know until the end what to be on suspense for. The only good reason to see this movie is Scarlett Johansson, she was great.
Black Snake Moan (R, Drama) B+
In this unusual movie Samuel L. Jackson plays a man that holds a girl (Christina Ricci) captive after he finds her passed out and beaten near his house. This movie also had some great music and some cool scenes with Samuel L. Jackson singing and playing a guitar. Official Site
Blades of Glory (PG-13, Comedy) B-
Two male skating stars are forced to compete in the pairs division after being barred from the singles division. The skating routines were the best part of this movie which wasn’t as funny as Will Ferrell’s movies usually are. Official Site
Blindness (R, Drama, Sci-Fi) C
After a disease has turned people blind some are sent into quarantine which is were almost the entire movie is set. The movie centers mostly on a Doctor (Mark Ruffalo) and his wife (Julianne Moore). While in quarantine we get to see people fall into a state on anarchy, despite the Doctors attempt to try to establish some sort of order. There isn’t much to the plot of this movie which made it sort of boring to watch, it may be interesting for a sociologist who’d like to see how people treat each other in a bad situation. Official Site
Blood Diamond (R, Action/Drama) A-
Leonardo DiCaprio plays a mercenary that is helping a local fisherman (Djimon Hounsou) save his family but only if the fisherman shows him where he hid the rare diamond. Jennifer Connelly also has an important role in this film. I would have given this movie an A if it weren’t for one small scene that seemed to movie like. Official Site
Blood and Chocolate (PG-13, Sci-Fi/Action) D
A girl that is a werewolf falls in love with a man who is not one and as a result her werewolf friends try to get rid of her boyfriend because they feel she should only marry werewolfs. The acting, dialog and general feel of this movie was quite bad. Official Site
Bobby (R, Drama) D+
The poster for this movie shows a campaign sign for Robert Kennedy so I thought this would be a movie about his life. Instead it is a movie about the people that were affected by his assassination that night. There are various clips real life clips spread out in the movie which were interesting but I could have seen them on a TV documentary and I would have learned more about him. Stop reading now if you haven’t seen the movie La Bamba; in this movie Richie Valens dies in a plane crash. If that movie had been made the way Bobby was made we would only know about the other people who died on the plane and not know about Richie Valens life. Official Site
Borat (R, Comedy) C
In this film Borat gets sent to the United States to film a documentary. People who were in the movie didn’t know they would end up on the big screen so this is more of a “candid camera” type of episode than a movie since they were led to believe Borat was really filming a documentary. I thought the premise for the movie was a good one but I would have used actors instead of real life people. The funniest parts were the ones in which Borat learns U.S. culture but there is one scene I could have really done without, it was really gross and should have made this movie get an NC-17 rating. On a positive note the movie does try to demonstrate some prejudices. Official Site
The Bourne Ultimatum (PG-13, Action) B
Once more Jason Bourne comes into action after a newspaper article about him is published that sets him out to find out who he really is. There were a lot of good action scenes in this movie but to me it just felt like one constant chase with a quick resolution at the end. Official Site
The Brave One (R, Drama, Action) B
Jodie Foster plays radio host Erica Bain who is the victim of a crime where she brutally beaten and her boyfriend is murdered. When she comes out of the comma she takes justice into her own hands and becomes a vigilante. The movie was good because she doesn’t just go out into the street shooting but instead tries to examine herself first, I thought there were too many flashback which made the movie to drawn out for me. Terrence Howard has a role in this film as a lead detective trying to find the vigilante. Official Site
The Breakup (R - Comedy) B
Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn play the role of a couple that keeps living together during their break up. At times the movie got too serious for me but it was still very entertaining.
The Bridesmaid / Demoiselle d'honneur, La (NR - Drama ƒ) D+
In this French movie a bridesmaid gets a very strong crush on a man and they fall in love with each other but there is a problem with her. Unfortunately you won’t know what the problem is until the movie has progressed substantially. Internet Movie Database Link
Breach (PG-13, Drama) B-
This movie is based on the true story of a traitor in the FBI that was selling secrets to the Soviet Union. Chris Cooper plays the traitor and does a really good job but the movie seemed a little slow to me. The movie also focuses on the life of Eric O’Neill who played a vital part in capturing the traitor. Official Site
Brick (R - Drama í) D
In a drug world composed of high school kids one boy sets out to find his missing friend. The main character keeps using old style detective phrases which get really tiring after a while and just seem silly when the movie is set in the present. I also thought the story was very weak.
Bridge to Terabithia (PG-13, Drama, Fantasy) B+
The preview for this movie makes it seem like it is an all fantasy based movie such as “Narnia” or “Lord of the Rings” but it is in fact more of a real life movie. What you saw in the preview is basically all the fantasy you will get in this movie. Despite that misleading marketing the movie was still very good. I must warn you and tell you that it is not a feel good type of movie. Official Site
Burn After Reading (R, Comedy) C+
A couple of employees at a gym (Bradd Pitt and Frances McDormand) find a CD full of secret CIA information, so they decide to extort the owner (John Malkovich). Bradd Pitt and John Malkovich were funny but the other main characters didn’t contribute very much to a film that is overloaded with too many people and overlapping stories. Official Site
Bucket List (PG-13, Drama, Comedy) B+
Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson play two sick men who meet at the hospital while sharing a room. After talking about their past and the things they have done they decide to accomplish some extraordinary tasks before they die. The movie is a bit predictable but it was great to watch two great actors. Official Site
Cars (G - Comedy) B+
Another Pixar animated film; it is centered on a race car that looses his way. For a good part of the movie you can basically figure out what is going to happen to the main character. Everything else was great and there is a good moral lesson for kids and adults. There is an additional scene after the credits so you might want to wait for that.
Casino Royale (PG-13, Action) B+
Daniel Craig is the latest actor to reprise the role of James Bond, I thought he did a good job but the movie left me a little disappointed since it was missing some elements that are common in all the Bond movies and a lot of the movie seems to revolve around caller ID on cell phones. In this version he has to win a poker game to bankrupt a known terrorist, we also get a brief glimpse into how James Bond gets his 00 status. They did make this movie more realistic than previous versions (no invisible cars) which is good! Official Site
Catch a Fire (PG-13 Drama, Thriller) A-
This movie takes place in 1980 South Africa and it’s based on a true story. An apolitical man decides to get involved in the fight against apartheid after a government agent (Tim Robbins) accuses him of terrorism. What was most interesting about this movie was how it showed and compared two different families in two different worlds. Official Site
Catch and Release (PG-13, Romance, Drama) B-
Jennifer Garner plays a woman whose fiancee has passed away. While she is dealing with his death she learns about some surprising aspects of his life and learns to move on with her own life. The movie seemed to lack substance and it wasn’t Jennifer Garner’s best acting job. Official Site
Charlie Bartlett (R, Comedy, Drama) B+
After being expelled from all private schools Charlie has to attend a public school where he soon becomes very popular by acting as the school psychologist and selling psychiatric drugs. The other characters in the film had their own problems which turned out to be very interesting. Official Site
Charlie Wilson’s War (R, Drama) B+
This is movie is based on the U.S. Congressman Charlie Wilson (Tom Hanks) who was crucial to obtaining funding for Afghanistan during the Soviet invasion. The movie shows how a wealthy Texas woman (Julia Roberts) prompted the Congressman to intervene. The story and acting were excellent but the movie’s assertion that one single person helped bring the end of the Soviet Union and the cold war is not one I could believe or agree with. Official Site
Charlotte’s Web (G, Drama, Family) B+
Based on the popular children’s book about a pig, spider and other animals in a barn. Dakota Fanning plays plays a young girl who rescues a baby pig and places him in a barn where a spider named Charlotte and other animals in the barn continue to help him. This is a children’s movie that doesn’t do much for adults, but it’s good for kids. Official Site
Children of Men (R, Drama/Sci-Fi) D+
In the year 2017 women in the entire planet can’t have babies. When a government worker (Clive Owen) is introduced by his wife (Julianne Moore) to a woman that is pregnant he has to help her escape from the government because she is an illegal immigrant in Britain. This movie was so boring I thought about walking out of the theater. Official Site
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (PG, Drama, Fantasy) B-
Four children return to Narnia only to find it has changed completely so they set out to help restore it with the help of Prince Caspian. This sequel is not nearly as good as the first movie. During the first hours of the movie all we get are a lot of characters reacting in awe of the 4 young heroes and their being gloomy exploring the ruins of Narnia. The talking animals in this sequel didn’t seem to be as believable as those in the first movie; the music and cinematography were great though. Official Site
Cloverfield (PG-13, Action, Sci-Fi) C
When I first saw the preview for this movie I was really excited about seeing it, but about 20 minutes into the film I was already getting bored. The movie is shot from the point of view of a home video camera; just like the movie Blair With Project. The director did a good job of making it seem like the whole movie was shot from a video camera but the story about their running away from a giant monster was not good enough to help me get past this filming style. Official Site
Code Name: The Cleaner (PG-13, Comedy) C+
In this movie a man with amnesia can’t remember if he is a janitor or a government agent. While he is trying to remember some bad guys are after him to find a special computer chip. There were only a few good moments in this film and the story was entertaining even though it was very formulaic. Official Site
College (R, Comedy) D
Three high school students visit a College for the weekend were they hope to join a party but instead get used and made fun of by a fraternity. Most of the characters were unlikable, which didn’t help all the bad jokes and bad acting. Official Site
College Road Trip (G, Comedy) B-
An overprotective father takes his daughter on a road trip hoping to discourage her from leaving home. The story was very predictable and some of the circumstances were too exaggerated, even for a movie. Official Site
The Covenant (PG-13 - Thriller, Horror) C+
A small group of teenagers who have magical powers have a covenant to keep their special powers a secret but they soon realize someone is after them and their powers. It takes a while for the plot to develop in this movie and when it does it seems to get resolved too quickly.
Clerks II (R - Comedy/Drama) D
This movie is about a couple of clerks in their 30’s that are still trying to decide what to do with their lives. I only had a couple of good laughs with this movie so I didn’t think it was very funny. One part was so abhorrent that it is the reason I give this movie a D instead of C.
Click (PG-13 - Comedy) C+
Adam Sandler gets a remote control that lets him fast forward or pause parts of his life. About half of the movie is spent exploring what the remote can do so by the time the story started to unravel I was bored with the movie. It also failed to get me involved with the characters in a way that similar movies have done in the past. This is also one of those movies were the best jokes were shown in the trailer.
The Comebacks (PG-13, Comedy) F+
This is a spoof of the general football comedy movie genre with a few other spoofs to other movies. The story was very basic which would normally be okay if there were a lot of funny moments which there weren’t. David Koechner who plays the head coach wasn’t funny at all, the only good thing about this movie was seeing Carl Weathers (from the Rocky movies) on the screen again. Official Site
The Counterfeiters (R, Drama) A-
Based on a true story the movie shows the arrest of Salomon Sorowitsch by the Nazis just before the start of World War II. As an expert counterfeiter he is soon set up to lead a group of other counterfeiters to produce counterfeit currency for the Nazis. The film does an excellent job showing Sorowitsch’s ordeal while he was in the concentration camp and the interaction between the counterfeiter’s and their captors. Official Site
Crank (R - Action) D-
Jason Statham is a mob hit man who is given a poison. In order to stay alive he has to keep his adrenaline level up and find an antidote before it is too late. This is the worst action movie I’ve ever seen. As a film it is a good example of a bad directing job.
Curse of the Golden Flower ƒ (R, Drama/Martial Arts) C+
The Emperor (Chow Yun Fat) exerts tight control over his family and country. The first half of this movie seemed very slow to me; most of the action is at the end of the movie while the rest of it is a complex family drama. The costumes and sets were incredible so they might win an Oscar for that. Official Site
Daddy Day Camp (PG, Comedy) C
Cuba Gooding takes over Eddie Murphy’s role from Daddy Day Care and even though he is a great actor he’s no Eddie Murphy when it ocmes to being funny. This movie was too predictable and the kids are made out to be so cute that they just aren’t. Official Site
Dan in Real Life (PG-13, Comedy, Romance) B
A man (Steve Carell) who is a widower and has three young daughters becomes very interested in a woman he meets at a local store. When he reaches the family gathering he finds out that the woman is his brother’s new girlfriend. The movie felt a bit slow at times, probably because it was a bit predictable and not too funny. Official Site
The Dark Knight (PG-13, Action, Drama) A-
The Joker (Heath Ledger) causes a major crime wave in Gotham city that Batman (Christian Bale) has to stop. Heath Ledger was excellent as the Joker in a movie that never has a dull moment. The action scenes were excellent and not too far fetched. Official Site
The Darjeeling Limited (R, Drama, Comedy) D+
Three brothers go a journey by train to find their lost mother and to mend their relationship with each other. The conflict between them gets resolved very quickly which then makes the movie a lot less interesting. Official Site
David & Layla (R, Drama, Comedy) C
This movies is based on the true story of a Jewish man and Muslim woman that fell in love in New York City. The premise sounds very interesting but the acting and screenplay were bad. The story just seems to jump around from one part to the next which made me feel cheated of seeing how they all came together. Official Site
The Da Vinci Code (PG-13 - Drama) B
A professor needs to unravel a secret in order to discover who murdered his friend / coleague. I was expecting something special or new when I went to see this film; it was just another ''run away from the bad guys'' type of movie that had a controversial
element.
DOA: Dead or Alive (PG-13, Action, Sci-Fi) D
Four women are invited to a fight tournament where the winner gets $10 million. Some of the women and their host in the island have their own agendas to help build up the story in this film. The action scenes were okay but the acting and screenplay were bad. It was still entertaining to watch, all the money seems to have been spent on the special effects.
Death at a Funeral (R, Comedy) A-
While a young man is trying to have a dignified funeral for his father he has to deal with someone who threatens to reveal a secret about his dad, a brother that is disconnected from the family and other family members that have their own issues that threaten to ruin the funeral. The interesting thing about this movie was not that the characters become better people but that they learn to live with each other’s idiosyncrasies. Official Site
Death Race (R, Action) B
An innocent man (Jason Statham) gets sent to prison where his only way out is to win an automobile race were cars are equipped with machine guns and all types of weapons that you would only see on a video game. There’s a bit more to the story which is well thought out and does a good job of moving the action along. The only drawback is that some of the acting is really bad but it gets better as the movie progresses. The action scenes were very good. Official Site
Death Sentence (R, Action) D
Kevin Bacon has the perfect family until his son is savagely murdered by a gang member. When the law does not provide him with justice he then goes after the gang member on his own that leads to the gang coming after him and his family. All the gang members were horrible actors, the movie switches between trying to be realistic and having classic movie moments such as displaying a lot of hardware and big stunts. I would suggest you rent Death Wish (1974) instead of watching this movie. Official Site
Deception (R, Thriller) C-
Jonathan McQuarry (Ewan McGregor) works as an accountant doing audits at various locations. While doing an audit at a law firm he is befriended by a lawyer (Hugh Jackman) that gets him involved into an elite sex club that eventually leads to a lot of trouble for him. It takes almost an hour before anything really happens. The second half of the movie is just another recycled formulaic story. Official Site
Deck the Halls (PG, Comedy) B-
Danny Devito and Matthew Broderick try to outdo each other in becoming the town’s main Christmas guy. These two actors do a decent job in a movie that is only mildly entertaining. It wasn’t funny at all, the only comedic aspect is that two guys would try to outdo each other to be the main Christmas guy. Official Site
Definitely Maybe (PG-13, Drama) C+
When I saw the preview for this film I thought it would be about a little girl helping her Dad find a new wife. The whole movie is about his retelling of all the previous relationships he had and she has to guess which one was her mom. There were some good moments in this film but it was too slow and a bit too structured at times. Official Site
Deja Vu (PG-13, Action, Sci-Fi) B+
Denzel Washington is an ATF agent investigating a terrorist attack on a ferry. In the preview they make it seem like he has Deja Vu but that’s not entirely accurate. He uses a machine that lets him look into the past. This movie will keep you on the edge of your seat for most of the time. Official Site
The Departed (R, Drama) A-
Jack Nicholson plays a mob boss in Boston who plants a spy (Matt Damon) into the police force while Leonardo DiCaprio is an undercover policeman in the mob. The only gripe I have with this movie is that the police force seems to have been dumbed down in order for the rest of the movie to work. The acting, writing and directing in this movie were excellent. It didn’t feel like it was a 2 and a half hour long movie at all. Official Site
The Descent (R - Horror) F-
In this movie 6 young women decide to descend down into a cave where it turns out there are some horrible creatures. After 35 to 40 minutes I got tired of waiting for something interesting to happen in this film so I just walked out of it. During the time I watched the movie the dialog was really bad. It’s also one of these horror movies where they try to scare you by having sudden loud noises.
The Devil Wears Prada (PG-13 - Comedy/Drama) B-
A recent college graduate (Andy) gets a job working for a tough boss at a fancy fashion magazine and realizes what she wants to do. Most of the movie is about Andy running around trying to please her boss.
Disturbia (PG-13, Suspense) B
A teenager gets placed on house arrest which leads him tu believe that his neighbor is a murderer. The circumstances leading to the real drama and plot of the movie were many and interesting ones. Official Site
Doomsday (R, Action) D
In the year 2035 Scotland has been enclosed to contain a deadly virus. The survivors have become savages after spending decades alone. A beautiful and tough police woman has to go in to find a cure for the virus that is now affecting England. There was a horrible scene were the bad guys have their own variety show that didn't help all the bad acting in this film. Official Site
Dreamgirls (PG-13, Musical/Drama) A
Three young women struggling to become famous become the backup dancers for a pop star (Eddie Murphy) before becoming famous themselves. This movie has a great story to carry the excellent musical numbers through the film. Beyonce Knowles is one of the singers; I didn’t realize it was her until the credits started. The film takes place during the 1960’s R&B music. It is based on real life characters and the Motown record label but it is not a full biopic for any real-life person or group. Official Site
Drillbit Taylor (PG-13, Comedy) C
A homeless man (Owen Wilson) pretends to be a body guard for three kids that keep getting beat up by a couple of bullies. Most of the film is from the perspective of the body guard and his homeless friends that just want to rob the kids of their money and belongings. It would have been better if it concentrated more on the kids and set up some more comedic situations; all the comedy is based on the fact that the kids are being fooled and beat up. Official Site
Eastern Promises (R, Drama, Action) A-
Naomi Watts plays a Doctor that tryig to find the family of a baby by getting the Mom's diary translated into English. The diary contains information that can hurt the Russian mafia which then places her life in danger. This movie had an excellent combination of action and suspensful drama as well as a great story, acting and the creation of an environment that just draws you into the film. Official Site
Elegy (R, Drama) C
A much older college professor (Ben Kingsley) falls in love with one of his students (Penelope Cruz) which leads to a relationship. Even though he enjoys her company he is always going on and on about how old he is. He was an interesting character but the pacing of the story is very slow, I kept checking my watch. Official Site
Elizabeth: The Golden Age (R, Drama, Action) A-
Cate Blanchett plays Queen Elizabeth one more time, in this story she has to deal with an impending invasion from Spain and aspects of her personal life. This was an excellent movie, great acting and story. The scenes were people talked in Spanish could have been better though since they seemed to be talking in an outline form. Official Site
Employee of the Month (PG-13, Comedy) B
This movie takes place at a Costco like store were two employees compete against each other to be the employee of the month in order to impress and get a date with the new girl played by Jessica Simpson. I thought this movie would be full of bad jokes and a shallow plot but it turned out to be
the opposite. Official Site
Enchanted (PG, Family) B+
A princess in an animated world gets sent to our world where she has to wait for her prince to save her; in the meantime a lawyer (Patrick Dempsey) and his daughter take her in. This movie was a lot funnier than I expected and the plot was a good one. Official Site
Epic Movie (PG-13, Comedy) D
This movie spoofs a few of the blockbuster movies that came out recently. It’s an hour and half of the same bad jokes repeated over and over. Official Site
Eragon (PG, Action/Fantasy) C
I was really looking forward to seeing this movie about the return of flying dragons and their riders. The story turned out to be a complete copy of a famous sci-fi movie so I had essentially seen this movie. Even though there are some established actors in this film I thought the overall acting was poor. Official Site
Evan Almighty (PG, Comedy) B+
A recently elected congressman (Steve Carell) gets a visit from God (Morgan Freeman) who wants him to build an Ark. The congressman has no choice to do what God says which leads him to trouble at home and work. This movie was surprisingly funny and thoughtful. Official Site
Everyone’s Hero (G - Animated, Comedy, Family) B
Set in the year 1932 a boy has to find Babe Ruth’s lucky bat that has been stolen. This movie felt more like a kid’s drama than a comedy. All the characters (the good guys at least) were very likable.
The Eye (PG-13, Horror) C+
Jessica Alba plays a blind woman that has a surgery to get a new pair of eyes; after the surgery she starts seeing ghosts and having horrible visions. Jessica Alba never seems to be too terrified by what is happening since she takes it all as a bad dream. The movie’s pacing is also a bit slow; at one point I wondered how many more visions she would have to see for the story to progress. Official Site
Factory Girl (R, Drama) F-
This is the true story of Edie Sedgwick and Andy Warhol. After 25 minutes I couldn’t stand to watch the rest of this film. Official Site
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (PG, Action, Sci-Fi) A-
A team of four people with special powers battle against an alien that has come to destroy the Earth. This movie was much better than the first one which is unusual for a sequel. At times it seemed a bit too lighthearted but the story was great and the new bad guy was excellent. Official Site
The Fast and the Furious 3: Tokyo Drift (PG-13 - Action) C
A troubled teenager gets sent to Tokyo where he gets in more trouble when he races cars. This movie is only good for seeing Tokyo and if you like cars there are a lot of well shot races.
Feast of Love (R, Romance) C
This is a story of a man (Greg Kinnear) having trouble finding a meaningful relationship and of other couples falling in love. Morgan Freeman plays the role of the older watchful adviser. This is one of those movies that seem to try too hard at being sentimental that it just fails instead. It moves along to slowly which made it somewhat boring. Official Site
Fearless (PG-13 - Action, Drama, Martial Arts ƒ) A-
Set in the year 1910 in China Jet Li plays real life Chinese hero Huo Yuanjia. It chronicles Huo’s life and his various matches against local fighters and foreigners. This is the best martial art movie I have ever seen.Official Site
Flags of our Fathers (R, Action, Drama) A
In this movie a man interviews the soldiers who raised the flag at Iwo Jima during WWII. He learns what their lives were like during and after that event. I was glad I saw this movie since I learned some things I didn’t know about. Official Site
Flash of Genius (PG-13, Drama) A-
Robert Kearns (Greg Kinnear) invents the intermittent wiper and submits it to a major car company to purchase. Instead the company steals his idea and he has to start a long personal and legal struggle to get recognition and compensation for his invention. There’s never a dull moment in this film and Greg Kinnear does an excellent job portraying Robert Kearns. Official Site
Flicka (PG - Drama) C+
A teenage girl in Wyoming finds a wild Mustang but her dad won’t let her keep it. Tim McGraw plays the girl’s dad while Maria Bello plays her mom. This movie tried so hard to be sentimental that it just came across as insincere. I didn’t care for some of the background music either. Official Site
Flushed Away (PG, Animated, Comedy) B+
A mouse that is living a luxurious but lonely life gets flushed down the toilet and finds an entire city of mice. He meets Rita who has her own problems as well so they work together to help each other out. This was more a light hearted action movie than a comedy and it wasn’t too predictable which is good. Official Site
Flyboys (PG-13 - Action, Drama, War) A-
Set in 1917 the film follows the true story of a group of Americans who volunteered to fly fighter planes for France during World War I. I thought the aerial battles were extremely well done and it was interesting to get a glimpse into the pilot’s training and the general mood during those
tenuous times. Official Site
Fool’s Gold (PG-13, Comedy, Action) B-
Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson play a couple who decide to hunt for a treasure despite their recent divorce and other complications such as not having any money and some bad guys that want to beat them to the treasure. Kate Hudson does a good job as the anchor for all the comedy in this movie, perhaps so good that it leaves the other characters too dependent on her. Some parts were too violent for what is supposed to be a light hearted comedy. Official Site
The Forbidden Kingdom (PG-13, Action/Comedy) D+
A high school student (Michael Angarano) gets transported to another world when he picks up a magical staff that must be returned to its original owner. Once the staff is returned the kingdom will be set free from an evil warlord. When he arrives to this world he meets a drunk (Jackie Chan) that helps him with his quest. They are later joined by two more people interested in freeing the kingdom. I usually like Jackie Chan but his acting in this film was really bad; the role of an older wiser mentor is not one that suits him. To make matters worse he provides the entire narration for the film which just felt empty of any emotion or conviction. It also seemed like there were some scenes missing since some of the characters suddenly change their attitudes and we are not shown why. Even the fighting scenes weren’t that great they just serve to showcase all the special effects. Official Site
For Your Consideration (PG-13 - Comedy) B-
From the same director who made Best in Show this movie takes a satirical look at the movie business. It focused so much on being satirical that it lacked a substantive plot and humor. Official Site
Forgetting Sarah Marshall (R, Comedy) B-
Peter Bregger’s (Jason Segel) world comes apart when he finds out that his girlfriend (Kristen Bell) is suddenly dumping him and dating somebody else. He decides to take a vacation at a hotel in Hawaii but once he arrives there he finds out that his ex-girlfriend is also staying there with her new boyfriend. Except for the young religious married couple all the characters in this film were likable and had an important role to play in the overall story. The movie wasn’t too funny but it was charming in its own way. It was raunchier than it needed to be and there were some scenes that could have been deleted. Official Site
The Fountain (PG-13 - Drama, Sci-Fi) C-
Hugh Jackman is a scientist trying to save his wife Rachel Weisz) from cancer by finding the fountain of youth. In the past he was also trying to save her life as well as in the after life. I felt like I was watching each scene three times which made the movie too drawn out for me. Official Site
Fracture (R, Drama) B+
A man (Anthony Hopkins) murders his wife after finding out that she is having a realtionship with another man. During the trial he reveals information that puts the case in jeopardy for the prosecutor. Official Site
Freedom Writers (PG-13, Drama) B
Based on a true story Hillary Swank plays a new high school teacher in a school full of racial tension. The movie was very inspiring and had a great message in it. It had a TV movie type of feel that I didn’t like too much. Official Site
Fred Clause (PG, Family, Comedy) A-
Vince Vaughn plays Santa’s (Paul Giamatti) older brother who has some issues to work out with his brother and the rest of the family. Paul Giamatti and Vince Vaughn were excellent in this movie; there was never a dull moment in this film. Official Site
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