Princess Ka'Iulani (B)

Short version: This movie is set during the time of the annexation of the Kingdom of Hawai'i, later to become the 50th state of the union. The princess is the last hope for the island nation, watch as this movie follows her daring journey. I'm rating with a (B) for the following, it is overall a good movie with good acting, however there are several moments where it felt like I was watching a music video, meaning there was music playing and no dialog., that made it seem slow at times.


Long version: Princess Ka'Iulani(Kay-OOlanee)whom is portrayed by Q'Orianka Kilcher (The New World) is forced to flee her country for her own safety. She arrives in London, where she lives for 2 years or so before returning home. While there, she finds love and friendship but is rushed home because her nation is crumbling. Making a stop in Washington along the way, she meets with then President Grover Cleveland, to try and save her home. 


There are a few recognizable faces in this movie, Barry Pepper, whom oddly plays some what of a villain and Will Patton who is on the fence between being in favor of the U.S. and Hawai'i. This is based on a true story about an actual princess, and seeing as how Hawaii is the 50th state in the union, you can probably guess the ending to the story. 


The United States annexed the Kingdom of Hawai'i, meaning the princess failed to save her country, however this movie is still worth the watch. Plus the views of Hawaii are amazing! 


And you can find it on Netflix or by clicking the image below, which will take you to Amazon.com.

Alex

Cars 2 (A)

Short version:  Well, Disney & Pixar have done it again! Another good movie, although this one is all about Mater. It's a change of pace from the original but overall it's a good movie!

Long Version: Okay, So Lightning McQueen isn't the star in this action packed spy movie. Mater steps up and takes the spotlight here along with a new character Finn McMissile (Michael Caine). Finn who is a spy with British intelligence, is tracking down a criminal and his weapon to wreak havoc, and Mater on the other hand is just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Through many "Larry the Cable Guy" moments Mater somehow becomes a real spy car and his Radiator Springs background creates the perfect cover. Who would suspect an old rust bucket tow truck to be a spy?

We go to Europe following McQueen for a world cup race event where we shift gears to Mater. He and Finn run the show and do a god job of it. The criminal is trying to convince the world that gasoline is better than a new bio fuel, Allinall, and is destroying race cars to show the world that this new fuel is the cause. Using his secret weapon, which is hidden in a video camera, he shoots at race cars as they compete. Putting the fate of Lightning McQueen in the hands of his best friend, Mater. 

This movie is packed with action and fun to watch. There is also a Toy Story short at the beginning and is pretty good. True to form, Pixar has made yet another good movie and short! The acting, or voice talent is good and is also shot in 3D. I don't know that watching in 3D is worth spending the extra money, but either way it won't affect the quality of the movie. A must see for Disney & Pixar fans!

Alex

Black Death (B)

Short Version:  If you like movies set in a more medieval time then you will probably like this movie but it will not blow you away.

Long Version: During the first outbreak of the Bubonic Plague (Black Death) in England is the setup for this movie.  So we are back in the time where the Catholic Church rules supreme as far as religion goes and knights are still alive.  The story line is little common but has a twist that is original or at least it is original to me.  We start out by following this young monk named Osmund that is played by Eddie Redmayne (he does a pretty good job).  Now Osmund lives in a monastery in a city that is pretty small that is being overrun by the plague.  We learn quickly that Osmund is not a perfect monk more on this later.  Then we have a couple nights ride up to the city and this is where we meet Ulrich played by Sean Bean (Boromir in “The Lord of the Rings” movies) who is a knight that has been sent by the bishop to find out if the rumors are true about a city that has not been infected by the plague.  To speed things up they find this city with the help of their guide Osmund the monk and this city has something to hide.  If I tell what they have to hide it would ruin the end of the movie so you will just have to watch the movie to figure out the twist.

The main reason I watched this movie is because it had Sean Bean in it and he is normally a good actor.  In this movie it was no exception he played his part well.  The problem with this movie is that the story line was not the best and the rest of the actors did not always hold up there parts.  This movie even with the twist ending did not wow me.  I gave it a B because the wow factor was not there. 

As always you can click the picture below to buy the movie from Amazon or you can use Netflix which is how I say the movie.  Netflix banner is top right of this page.

Adam

Green Lantern (A)

Short version: First off this movie is based off of a comic book, of which I have not read, so my review is based purely on the movie aspect. It is about a guy named Hal Jordan who is chosen to become a Green Lantern, which is a protector of the universe. There are great special effects and there were a few good laughs. Ryan Reynolds does a great job as the Lantern and I am rating it an (A). The story is interesting and I think well written, acting was good and overall I quite enjoyed it.


Long Version: Okay, so like I said above, Hal Jordan (Ryan Reynolds) is the main character here. He is one of the best military fighter pilots around and is chosen to do a test against a new pilotless fighter jet. With his "no lose attitude" he breaks the rules of engagement to beat the drones. He takes the jet s so high that they stall, after which he begins to remember his fears of how his father died and nearly dies himself. Overcoming his fear at the last minute, he ejects and saves himself. It is on this premise that he is chosen.


The next scene we see the main enemy of the story, of whom is embodied by pure fear. A Green Lantern legend, Abin Sur, once defeated and imprisoned this enemy. Of course he escapes and wreaks havoc, killing all in his path, including Abin Sur. Sur is injured and travels to the nearest inhabited planet, earth. 


This is where Hal Jordan is selected by the ring to be the next Green Lantern. At first he reluctant to accept the responsibility, but soon has a change of heart after talking with the woman he loves, Carol Ferris (Blake Lively). He is flown away to the Lantern home planet of Oa, where he learns of the Lantern's existence, his powers and responsibility to protect the universe. The lantern has been around for several millennia and Hal is the first human ever accepted into the ranks. This is at first his greatest weakness but also his greatest strength. The ring is his source of power which comes from the core on Oa. The core is harnessed will power, which is the most powerful form of energy in the universe.


Nothing but adventure and action follow. As Hal aka The Green Lantern returns home his planet is now in danger and he must save the world and most assuredly the rest of the universe to follow. He is able to lure Fear away from earth where he finishes the battle in open space. Overcoming fear, he alone manages to defeat the greatest enemy the universe has ever known. 


I would suggest this movie to everyone. It is a great watch and is well made. I hope to have helped in your decision to watch it or not.


Enjoy!

Alex

X-Men: First Class (A)

Short Version: I know what you're thinking, another "good movie" rating! For starters I have yet to see a bad one since we have started this site, I'm sure we will encounter many in the future. So let me say, X-Men: First Class is a First class movie! Best X-Men yet!! They found a perfect cast for this movie, hands down! The acting is great and the story ties in well with the previous films. I give it an (A) because of this as well as the special effects and fun I had watching it. You should definitely take time to go see this one!

Long Version: Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr are just learning about their mutant powers and what they can do. We get to see just how each of them come to be who they are today. But before they made it to being enemies, they were friends, working alongside other mutants. Some that we know and some that are new. Since I never really read any of the comic books I only know a little of the story and something I found interesting is Charles and Raven(Mystique) have known each other since they were very young. Charles caught her in his parent's house stealing food and took her in. They practically grew up together and as the story unfolds you can tell that she has feelings for him, thus resulting in some decisions she makes in the future being what leads her to Erik. 

They share a common enemy from Erik's past, one that absorbs energy and has stayed young for several years. This enemy is played by Kevin Bacon, I was weary at first but he pulled it off good I thought! This enemy unites Erik and Charles and creates the need for an "army." They begin to train one another and Charles helps them all learn to control their abilities. They start out working together with the CIA but Erik makes a stand that only mutants should be searching and making contact with other mutants. In there search we see a familiar face, Wolverine. Very briefly he gives a "dirty yet typical" two word response and that's all we see of him. We also see another blip of an actress from the previous films playing her role. Rebecca Romijn as Mystigue, both of whom are uncredited in this movie.

United they defeat their foe and go their separate ways when Charles believes that humans won't become an enemy. We also see how Charles comes to be in a wheel chair and just whom causes it.

James McAvoy (Wanted & The Last King of Scotland) plays as Professor Xavier and Michael Fassbender (300 & Inglorious Basterds) plays as Magneto. The two have a great chemistry together, I would say better than Patrick Stewart & Ian McKellen. This is a great movie and worth watching. One you can actually enjoy! 

Alex

Super 8 (A)

Short Version: This is a good movie, Go watch it! It follows a group of kids who stumble upon a military accident. The film is set in the late 70's in rural Ohio. There is a lot of language in this movie along with action, suspense as well as some good special affects. I'm giving this an (A) because it has good acting and a believable story line to a certain degree. The whole military coverup part.


Long Version: This movie is packed with a lot of things: action, adventure, mysterious phenomenon, love and comedy too! There were actually quite a few spots where everyone was laughing. The movie starts out with a group of young kids that are filming their own movie. They are set up at an old train station and decide to start recording when a train rolls through. Out of the blue a truck is driving along and pulls out in front of the train which causes a huge accident. The train derails and the kids strangely survived all of this. 


Spoiler Alert** If you haven't seen this movie and want to don't read anymore! It is worth paying to go see!


The train that was derailed belonged to the US Air Force and they were hauling precious cargo. An alien from another planet and it's technologically advanced ship. Of course this alien breaks free of it's cage during the crash and sets off into town. The kids decide that they will tell no one about what they saw and when they get the film developed from their camera they could work the crash into the movie. Waiting on the film to be developed, which takes about 3 days in the 70's, the kids begin to investigate the crash.


Soon people begin disappearing. Several car engines have vanished along with microwaves and generators. The alien has taken them for one purpose, to build a ship. The kids, in their investigation, find the studies of their biology teacher whom knows all about this creature. He formerly worked for the Air Force as a scientist and came in contact with the alien. From the studies the children find out that the alien landed on Earth back in the 50's and the military has had it locked up since. When touched by the creature a connection is made and he can communicate with you. 


This alien creature has been trapped here for nearly 20 years and only wants to go home. But the military has made it impossible for him as well as turned him against the human race. As odd as it may seem, the kids do more to save their town, country and humanity more than anyone else. They manage to save the day.


Also right after the credits start, stick around to see the movie that the kids made! You'll get a good laugh out of it! 

Alex

Papillon (A-)

Short version: A story about a man named Papillon, framed for a murder, he is sentenced to life in prison. The movie follows his attempts to escape and is based on the true story of Henri Charriere. An excellent movie and rated with a minus (A-) only because it is right at 2 and a half hours long. I do recommend watching it.


Long Version: Well as I said above, this movie is 2 and a half hours long, so if you don't like long movies this isn't for you. This movie was originally released in 1973, yes it's an oldie! Starring Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman, this is an excellent film and worth watching. Go pick it up wherever available and watch! 


McQueen plays as Henri "Papillon" Charriere, a prisoner that is wrongfully committed of murder, at Devil's Island in French Guiana. While in prison he befriends a fellow inmate, Louis Dega (Dustin Hoffman). Serving their time and after being placed in solitary confinement makes Papillon begin to plan his escape. However attempt after attempt lands him back in custody serving more and more time in solitary. He serves several years in solitary confinement and you can tell that it takes a toll on the human body. The physical distress as well as the mental, breaks you down. Papillon has been pushed to the limits of near death but is driven by willpower to be free.
McQueen plays this roll extremely well and is supported greatly by Hoffman. 


Without giving away everything and giving you a reason not to watch this 2 and a half hour movie, I say that it is so worth watching! There are a few slow points, but with the movie as long as it is, that's to be expected. There is action, violence and of course suspense of being caught. The affects are really good considering that this movie is from the early seventies! I guess while I'm at it, you might be wondering how I would have seen or heard about this movie.. I remember my dad watching it when I was younger and I saw it the other day and I bought it. Also, it looks great in HD, I picked up the Blu-Ray and it was worth it. It is old, but they just don't make movies like this anymore. Go watch it!


As always, the links below will take you to Amazon where you can buy the movie. I'm pretty sure this one isn't on Netflix, but it's worth buying.




 

Alex

Killers (B)

Short Version: Okay, it's a better movie than critics gave it credit for. It sort of has a Mr. & Mrs. Smith feel to it, but it is different. He's a spy, she's clueless and they fall in love. A sweet romantic comedy. Kutcher and Heigl work great together! I say it's worth watching, you should check it out! 


Long Version: Alright, so Spencer Aimes (Ashton Kutcher) is a professional hit-man just making a living until he comes across a woman on vacation that has just come off of a bad relationship. Isn't that always the story line with these kind of movies?? Ha! But anyway, he meets Jen Kornfeldt (Katherine Heigl) and they hit it off instantly! He seems to be perfect for her and she for him. What attracts him most is that she makes him feel normal. Spencer chooses love over his career and tries to get away.


Back home we jump three years into the future, their lives are perfect and everyone is happy. Spencer has started his own business as a source of income, but when he hears from his old boss, his past starts to unravel into his new life. When Spencer and Jen's friend shows up trying to kill them, she starts to wonder what is going on and Spencer is showing signs that he knows more than he is sharing. More and more of their friends and co-workers arrive to kill them. It turns out that they have a $20 Million bounty out on them... who wouldn't be trying to kill them? 


As the Aimes try to follow the clues to who might be killing them, there is a hint that Jen's father, (Tom Selleck) might be involved. And out of nowhere, her parents show up at their house. It turns out that Jen's dad is an "old school" assassin and he set things in motion because he thought that he was Spencer's target. Through what seems to be the roughest part of their lives, Jen finds out that she is pregnant, and is unsure if she wants Spencer to be involved in their new baby's life. With her parents there she attempts to iron out all the dishonesty and start new. 


And of course her mother is and was clueless to everything. Her mother is played by Catherine O'Hara and she plays the mother who is always drunk and always drinking. Much like her role in Orange County. It makes me wonder if she is really like that.. Anyway, I'm giving the movie a (B) because overall it's good, but it's just not up there with all the other spy movies that are out there. There is some great acting and there are a bit of lackluster moments but still worth the (B) rating. 


Pick this one up and add it to your collection from Amazon or anywhere else you can find it. It's also available on Netflix, which we now have a link to on our page.

Alex

The Big Lebowski (A+)

Short Version: Dude you need to see this movie dude.  Cause I am the dude and I said you should see it dude.  Shut up Donny.

Long Version: Alright if you understood the short version you have already seen this movie at least once.  I will tell you first up that if you do not like stupid comedies then this is not the movie for you.  This movie is one of those cult classics by the Coen brothers that not everybody will love.

The story line in this movie is crazy and very mixed up so I will give you the main line real short and not go into all the side trails this movie has.  Jeffery Lebowski or “The Dude” is played by Jeff Bridges and starts off with him getting attacked in his crummy apartment by two thugs that want him to pay off a debt for his wife that he does not have.  That is because there is another Lebowski in town that is a millionaire and the thugs thing they are the same person.  One of the thug’s pees on The Dudes rug and the whole story goes from there.  The Dude goes to the rich Lebowski and tries to get him to pay for the rug and that does not go well.  Later we meet Walter played by John Goodman who is a trigger happy person that is also a little off in the head, but really likes bowling and does not “roll” on Sundays.  The Dude ends up doing what is supposed to be an easy one time job for big money, but Walter has a different idea and makes things complicated.  The simple job becomes a mess as they try to figure out who is really jerking them around.  In the end a bunch of just crazy stuff happens to The Dude and he learns nothing from it other than he is The Dude.

As you can tell by my rating of an A+ I am one of those people that find this to be a hilarious movie.  The smallest things in this movie make me laugh.  I will say that there is some nudity and language making this movie not appropriate for children.

If you want to buy this movie on DVD click the picture below to purchase from Amazon or you can do what I did and use Netflix to watch the movie.

Adam

Sergeant Bilko (A)

Short version: A happy go lucky military comedy. This is a great movie and I recommend watching it if you haven't seen it already! This movie is about an eccentric sergeant in the US Army and his wacky platoon in the motor pool. I'm rating it an A because you just don't find movies like this anymore, especially when it comes to movies about the military!

Long version: Ernie G. Bilko, played by Steve Martin, is a wacky Master Sergeant in the US Army motor pool at Fort Baxter. He is quite a different character than any other in the military. During the day he leads an interesting life with poker, roulette, and other types of gambling and games. When the colonel comes around they act as if there is nothing out of the ordinary taking place.

Bilko's nemesis, Lieutenant Thorn now a Major(Played by the late Phil Hartman) arrives on the base and orders that Bilko's platoon be in charge of the demonstration of an experimental project. The Army is testing a Hover Tank and Thorn wants to "burn" Bilko to get back at him for being busted for rigging a boxing match that Bilko had actually done.

Thorn decides that he will frame Bilko for not knowing how to fix anything by stealing a computer chip from the tank. The guys from the motor pool don't take any of their work seriously but when their sergeant's career is on the line, they fake their way through the presentation. They fix the tank so it will move and plant explosives on all of the targets.

When the presentation is over, Major Thorn is in a rage because there is no way that the tank could work. He then shows that he stole the chip and is then shipped to Greenland for a second time.

Also throughout the movie Bilko is attempting to marry the woman of his dreams. She has been waiting 8 years for him to show up and get married. He stands her up several times because he could never remember that he was supposed to be there until it was too late. The platoon also makes a trip to Vegas in a tank.

It is a great movie and you are guaranteed to laugh!

You can click the image below to buy this movie on Amazon or you can also search for it on Netflix.

Alex

S1m0ne (Simone) (B+)

Short version: A producer's film is in danger when it's star actress walks off set. In a stroke of fate, a man with an inoperable eye tumor gives Victor (Al Pacino) a computer code to digitally create an actress. He saves his film and career. When trouble ensues Victor must find a way out. *This film has some mild language*


Long version: Movie producer, Victor Taransky played by Al Pacino, is in danger of losing his "big" movie and his job. His leading actress walks off set in a rage over the size of her trailer. Actors these days.. so picky! When packing his things from the studio a man approaches him (Hank) with a computer code and an idea. Create an actress that can be controlled and wouldn't cost a thing or have an attitude! What more could a producer ask for? Dismissing the man as a lunatic, Victor leaves paying the man no attention. The next day an attorney arrives at Taransky's front door with a package that Hank left for him as his dying wish. (Yes the man dies, sorry but without it there could be no story.) 


Victor quickly begins to weald the power of the computer in the creation of Simulation One, aka Simone. She becomes an overnight sensation and is shelling out movie after movie. Everyone begins to speculate though when no one has seen Simone in person. Victor finds ways around public appearances as long as he can. Soon though he makes a vital mistake that could cost him his career, instead it sends him over the edge. He carries on conversations with Simone as if she were real and could talk back. At times it seems a bit sadistic. After visiting Hank's grave he has the idea that the only way to make things go away is to "kill" Simone. This would be all well and perfect because she is a computer program right? Not to the rest of the world she isn't! He goes through with his plan and is later arrested for murder. Once in prison he is set free by one appearance from the person that he "killed." I'll spare you the details and suggest that you watch it to find out what happens.


I found that this was sort of a normal role for Pacino. He starts out much like many of his other roles, normal at first but then kind of ends up crazy. I thought that he did a very good job acting in this film. He was not only the lead, but in a supporting role to Simone as well. I'm rating it a B+ for his acting as well as the fact that the story line seemed to be original to it's time. The film was released in 2002 and now days it's hard to find a movie that hasn't been remade 10 different ways. It's a good movie and isn't an A because there are just so many movies out there that are so freaking good! I didn't want to feel like I was cheating those movies by making this one an A. None the less, you should watch it and leave a comment on what you thought about the movie or how well I did reviewing it.


You can click the picture below to purchase this movie on Amazon or you can simply watch it on Netflix like I did.

Alex

From Paris with Love (A)

Short Version:  If you like action movies that are fast-paced and a little crazy than this movie is for you.  John Travolta and Jonathan Rhys Meyers play their characters amazingly well.

Long Version:  The movie starts off with James Reece who is played by Jonathan Rhys Meyers an employee working in the office of the U.S. Ambassador of France in Paris.  Now James has wanted to move up with his career and do some special ops types stuff so they test him.  He passes the test and is given the job of driving around a special agent named Charlie Wax (John Travolta) who is coming into Paris to do a job.  Charlie Wax is a bit of an unconventional agent and likes to do things his own way which at that point the movie gets interesting and the roller coaster begins.  There first stop is a restaurant where the second floor is full of crack cocaine.  Do not worry they make sure to fill about a foot and half tall vase of it for the road.  I found it hilarious all the places that they went carrying a vase full of coke for example the Eiffel Tower.  The vase of crack did find a purpose in the end along with most of the crazy things Charlie Wax did.  All of this mayhem is to lead up to them stopping a terrorist attack from occurring in the city of Paris.  There is a twist ending that I will not give away and the only thing I will say about it is that if you like action movies then this is a movie you need to watch.

Once again you can click the picture below to purchase the movie from Amazon or you can simply use Netflix in order to see the movie.  For that matter you can view it however you want just do it legally.

Adam

Gangs of New York (B+/A-)

Short Version:  If you have three hours to kill and like movies that are well shot and acted but sometimes have a slow storyline then give it a short.  For my full opinion keep reading below.

Long Version:  I am going to dive right into this I am mixed on this movie for a couple of reasons.  First Leonardo DiCaprio and Daniel Day-Lewis are great actors in this movie.  Their characters are believable throughout the entire movie and very well played.  What is my problem with the movie if the acting was good and it was well shot by director Martin Scorsese?  Well my problem comes into play with the length of the movie.  For me and this is my opinion if a movie is going to be three hours long I have to be able to sit down and watch from beginning to end and not realize it has taken up three hours of my life.  It has to be entertaining and captivating for the entire time.  This movie was not that way for me half way in I was thinking could they not have made this two movies instead of one.  For that fact I just don’t think I can give it an A rating so I have split the rating into a B+ and an A- for the reasons listed above.

Now to do what I normally do first tell you quickly about the storyline of the movie and who plays what.  The beginning of the movie we start out in a cave with Priest Vallon played by Liam Nesson and his son Amsterdam Vallon as a young boy.  They march out of the cave with a growing following as they go until they reach the top of an old Brewery and kick the door open to reveal a wintery day in the Five Points section of New York City.  Priest and the group file out onto the square and quickly another group in blue called the Natives filed out on the other side.  You get your first look at Bill “The Butcher” Cutting played by Daniel Day-Lewis.  Bill is the leader of the Natives and quickly a fight breaks out between the two groups.  By the end Priest is dead and his son is running off.

Quickly forward sixteen years and Amsterdam Vallon is all grown up and played by Leonardo DiCaprio.  He spent his time away outside of the Five Points area of New York City and is now returning to seek revenge for his father’s death.  Now in the time that he was gone Bill Cutting has kept his gang in control of the Five Points section of New York.  Amsterdam quickly learns that he must get on the inside in order to get his revenge.  Through some twist and turns in the story Amsterdam lands himself as Bill’s go to guy to get things done.  Amsterdam plans his revenge but fails and gets casted out from the group, but by this time he has enough follows that he starts his on gang to oppose “The Butcher’s” Natives.  To not give up the ending I will say that the person you cheer for throughout the movie comes out on top in the end.

Oh and yes there is storyline parts I did not mention because you really need to sit down and watch it for yourself for the full effect.

Caution there is nudity, Language, and Blood in this movie making it not suitable for all audiences if you know what I mean.

You can click the picture below to purchase on Amazon or you can watch on Netflix which is what I did.  I also believe it maybe on Starz this week to.

Adam

The Hangover: Part 2 (B-)

To make this short.. It’s happened again! This movie has the original characters as well as a few new ones. It has it’s moments but it’s not anywhere as good as the first one. I’d say go watch it if you are the kind of person that needs to complete a series. Otherwise you aren’t really missing anything. Just imagine the first movie taking place in Thailand and you've got it.

**Partents- There is way more fowl language than there is anything nice! There are also a few nude scenes!**

Okay, like I said above, this movie does have several funny parts to it. But it isn’t really anything different than the first one. We open with Phil calling Doug’s wife Tracy telling her that they have screwed up big, Again. They also say a few different times that “It happened again.” They could have said it once and it would be funny, but no they over used it in an attempt to connect it to the original. Exactly like before, the guys are on the quest of finding someone. This time it is Stu’s future brother-in-law Teddy. They travel through the streets of Bangkok trying to find Teddy, and learn of their night in the process. Somewhere along the way, Teddy loses a finger, Stu gets a tattoo and Alan shaves his head. The guys also encounter a drug dealing monkey and of course, Alan loves it and wants to keep it. To give a quote and not give too much away, “when a monkey nibbles on a penis, its funny in any language!” Learning through Doug, the guys are told that Teddy is in prison. When they go to pick him up, Teddy isn’t there but a Buddhist monk is instead. They are then stuck with him and continue their hunt. Upon arrival at the monastery the guys are punished and Alan has a moment of meditation. They also have an encounter with Mr. Chow and Paul Giamatti. Nearing the end of this adventure, the guys learn that they were accidentally drugged... By Alan. Alan was trying to drug Teddy because he didn’t like that he was intruding into the Wolf Pack! When just short of giving up, Stu has an epiphany and knows where Teddy is.

Overall, it’s funny, it’s crude and it’s just an average party movie. In my opinion Animal House is a better movie to watch. 

but you will probably do some laughing and maybe think about vomiting as well! 

Alex

Blue Streak (B)

Blue Streak

Short Version: First I remembered Blue Streak being a better movie then it is.  So I am giving this movie a B because it is not a bad movie, but it is not the funniest cop type movie I have ever seen.  The Bad Boy series of movies is better in my opinion when it comes to Martin Lawrence’s work.

Long Version: The movie starts out with a diamond theft that goes bad when one of the thieves double crosses the others.  In this mess we meet the main character in the movie Miles Logan which is played by Martin Lawrence.  Miles Logan manages to ditch the diamond in a building that is under construction before being arrested and heading to jail.  Fast forward and Miles is getting out of jail and plains to retrieve his diamond that he hid.  There is just one problem with that and it sets up the rest of the movie.  The building that was under construction was a new police station.  Through some crazy events Miles ends up impersonating a detective in order to try and get the diamond back.

In order to not ruin the movie for those that have not seen it I well stop there.  I will continue to talk about a few other things that make this movie worth watching.  Dave Chappelle plays Tully the driver from the robbery at the beginning of the movie. Dave probably has the funniest part in the whole movie with typical Chappelle humor.  Martin Lawrence also has his moments were you may laugh but he has had much better films.  Ultimately for what it is I would recommend it to a friend.

If you are interested in purchasing the movie you can click the picture below.  Another option to see the movie is to use Netflix which is what I did.

Adam

Gamer (A+)

Short version: Gerard Butler is the man and this movie is worth your time to sit down and watch (A+).  Stuff blows up and the story line makes sense what more could you want?

Long version:  This movie goes right to work setting up what is a fast paced movie from start to finish.  Gamer came out in 2009 and I have no idea why it took me so long to watch it.  The setup for this movie goes like this Ken Castle played by Michael C. Hall is a “genius” that has created a company and a technology were people can control real people in a game.  His first game was a take on The Sims series of games.  Imagine playing The Sims but instead of a fake society it was real and you got to control paid actors that had too obey your every command because there was a “chip” in their head.  First this could sound cool but there are some disturbed people in this future society.  So yes this movie may not be suitable for children.  That is all I will say about that part of the movie because this is not a spoiler review.

The main part and what everybody wants to know about is Gerard Butler’s character Kabble or John Tillman which is what he went by before he became a character in a game.  Through some shady events John Tillman finds himself as a character in the new game created by Ken Castle which is a first person shooter were the player controls real death row inmate.  If the inmate makes it through 30 rounds they will be set free.  Without giving away the ending I will just say that it is like a roller coaster of excitement through this movie with all the explosions and special effects.  You cheer for Kabble to make it through every round and you want him to make it tell the end no matter what he has or has not done.  Gamer is a great movie overall and I would recommend it to any action movie junkie.


If you are looking for a way to watch the movie you can click the picture below to purchase from Amazon or you can watch on Netflix which is what we do.

Adam

Gulliver's Travels (B)

This story begins in New York City, where we meet an ordinary man named Gulliver (Jack Black). He is a mailroom guy that has done nothing with his life for the past 10 years. But after a new hire tells him that he will never be anything other than a mail guy, Gulliver decides to ask out the woman he loves. Darcy (Amanda Peet) who is the editor for the travel section of the newspaper they work for. However when the time comes, instead of stepping up, he lies about being a writer and is given an assignment. It’s a story on the Bermuda Triangle and sticking with everything anyone has ever heard about the triangle, this story is just as strange. Gulliver sets sail into the unknown on the “Knotfersail.” He is pulled up by a vortex of water and where he lands is beyond this world. 

Welcome to the kingdom of Lilliput, where Gulliver is now a giant! At first he is treated as a beast but is soon welcome when he saves everyone in the kingdom from an almost certain death. Now a hero, he has transformed the kingdom and is living a life of luxury.  That is until the jealous General Edward arrives, whom betrayed the kingdom and created a giant robot to battle Gulliver, and sends him running away in fear. Gulliver is then banished to yet another mysterious island, where this time he no longer a giant, instead he becomes a child’s play doll. Meanwhile Darcy, in an attempt to do the job she sent Gulliver to do, arrives in Lilliput and is held captive.  Now he must redeem himself and save Darcy! Can he do this? I’d hope so.. he’s a giant in a small world full of small people! To say this without giving away too many details, he saves Lilliput, gets the girl and goes home. Back in NYC Gulliver is now a writer and is dating Darcy. A happily ever after!

Overall I am rating this movie a (B). It is a good movie and I would recommend it. I am rating it this way because it is just a typical family comedy/love story. There aren’t any great special effects nor anything totally extraordinary. It has some funny parts as well as a few mushy scenes. There is also some mild language and one brief or should I say “briefl-ess” scene where you will see Jack Black’s back side… Children beware! lol Also for the movie fans there are a few Star Wars references, so watch for those! 

I hope you'll watch and enjoy the movie!

If you are looking for a way to watch the movie you can click the picture below to purchase from Amazon or you can watch on Netflix which is what we do.

Alex

Daybreakers (A)

Short version: The movie is a solid “A” and you should see it if you have the chance.

Long version: First off it is not your typical vampire movie.  So the setup for the movie is the year 2019 and a “plague” has turned the majority of mankind into vampires.  The human race is about extinct due to the vampires farming all the humans for their blood (you know that stuff vampires drink).  This is all upside down because I thought humans hunted vampires or maybe I have just seen Blade to many times. Anyways in comes Edward Dalton played by Ethan Hawke who is a Hematologist that has been given the job to create an artificial blood substitute to prolong the survival of the vampire race (Edward is also a vampire).  Through some twists and turns Edward comes to meet Lionel “Elvis” Cormac played by Willem Dafoe (whose voice makes me think “Green Goblin”) who has the “cure” Edward has been looking for.  See Lionel was turned into a vampire but through an accident found a way to change back to being human.  In the end the humans come out on top but I don’t want to give away the ending.

What makes this movie “A” worthy is that the acting is great everyone plays there part and Ethan Hawke plays his character very well.  You can feel the emotion/pain that he goes through during the movie it makes you feel for his character throughout the entire film.  The film was shot really well and the special effects where not to over the top like in some movies.

One last note there is one scene with nudity so it might not be a suitable movie for all audiences. 


If you are looking for a way to watch the movie you can click the picture below to purchase from Amazon or you can watch on Netflix which is what we do.

Adam

Gnomeo & Juliet (A)

The classic tale of Romeo and Juliet as portrayed by garden gnomes. The ever feud-full families, the Capulets & the Montagues, or “Blues & Reds” as in the movie, are back and forth against one another. Surprisingly this film is full of adventure and fun! There are covert sabotage operations as well as lawnmower races. And what would the story of Gnomeo & Juliet be without love? This “forbidden” relationship will test the bonds of family and cross “fences” that have never been crossed before. It definitely as a "Toy Story" feel to it, the whole coming to life when no one is looking, but this is a great family movie and one to share with friends. Listen closely as there are several famous cameo appearances, including Dolly Parton, Ozzy Osbourne and Hulk Hogan and many more! Oh and by the way, this story has a much happier ending than Shakespeare’s version! I would recommend picking this one up at the very least to rent! If you have kids or even enjoy being a kid yourself, go out and buy this one to watch again and again! 

Also if you are a Disney Rewards member, make sure you print your $5 off coupon! The coupon is only good May 24 - 28!!

If you are looking for a way to watch the movie you can click the picture below to purchase from Amazon or you can watch on Netflix which is what we do.

Alex

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (A-)

We are on Stranger Tides for sure! This go around there are a few new faces and sadly a few faces we all would liked to have seen that are not in this installment. There is no Elizabeth Swan or Will Turner but the show must go on! Of course Johnny Depp reprises the role of Jack Sparrow, excuse me… Captain Jack Sparrow! And Geoffrey Rush is back as a newly invented Captain Barbossa. He is on board with the Royal Navy and leading the hunt for the Fountain of Youth. It's a race against time because the Spanish are also looking for the fountain as well as the infamous Blackbeard! (Played by Ian Mcshane) This twisted pirate tale has some really cool action sequences and explosions! Another new face is Angelica, (played by Penelope Cruz) she is one of Jack's many former flames and as is revealed she was one of the biggest. It's clear that she still has some pull over him because Sparrow shows some heart toward her. There are also mermaids in this film, however they aren't like the ones in Peter Pan, these mermaids are vicious man eaters, so beware! And what would any pirate movie be without revenge? That's right, it's packed with that as well! This film is a bit different from those previous, but we also have a new cast so it has to be. But I think they have all done a great job and have made this movie worth watching!

 Overall I give it an (A-) and that's because we lost Elizabeth and Will. 

Oh and don't worry, once a pirate, always a pirate... Barbossa won't be with the navy forever! 

There is also an easter egg film snippet at the very end of the credits, so stick around!

Alex