Reviews

With James Cameron's name attached to this, I had hopes the movie might be well done. I knew there was a possibility that James worked on this so he could play around in caves. Unfortunately, it looks like James took a movie destined to be boring and simply did his best to make it better. He failed.

As people should know, this movie takes place in a cave. The setup of the movie far outshines anything that actually takes place in the cave. The characters are defined early in the movie and after that, you need to have a pillow ready. It's flat out boring. Needless to say, people die. The stupidity of some characters provides plenty of foreshadowing. The cave footage is interesting, but it all looks alike. There are no exotic structures in the cave. There is no attempt to be careful and preserve the future of formations that took millions of years. The movie Turistas has better underwater cave footage.

This movie was a huge disappointment. Perhaps that is because I get no thrill out of seeing stupidity. These people knew a storm was coming, but didn't care enough to get out early and let the storm pass. The characters repeatedly do stupid things or prolong boring scenes to try and input some sense of drama.

If you really love boring caves and seeing people die for stupid reasons, rush out and see it in the theater. I do not feel that this is worth watching. Only the extremely curious should consider buying or renting the movie.

I did not see the 3D version. I'm sure some of the early 3D visuals would have been nice. Once inside the cave, I just wanted the plot to speed up. I Don't think 3D would make a boring movie like this more interesting.

This movie, like the comic, takes every wholesome and positive things about the superhero genre of comics and tosses it aside. Alan Moore must have felt that he was brilliant when he borrowed the wholesome characters from the Charlton Comics line. He renamed them and turned them into murderers, rapists, tramps, and sociopaths. Like a lot of his work, he uses pop culture references and mocks them. In this case it is superheroes. Rather than try to intelligently incorporate the positive ideals and inspiration that superheroes bring to the reader, he set out instead to degrade and mock the optimism. He does this while retaining everything geeky and nerd-like in the superhero genre of writing.

Visually this movie deserves an 8. The acting deserves an 8. The story however is so bad that it completely negates all the hard work done to make it look good on screen. The story alone drags my rating down to a 3. This movie suffers from one big problem that can be found in other bad movies... flashbacks within flashbacks. If these events are relevant, start the story with them. If they are not, put them on them cutting room floor. Dragging the viewer through a mystery, then tossing in a back story to justify it, is not good writing in my opinion. It's distracting. It muddles the relevance of the plot. It just makes me not care about the characters. The only character remotely interesting was Dr. Manhattan. Watching full nude scenes with him throughout the movie was just annoying. It was unnecessary and another reason not to care about a character. I was glad when this movie was over. It's a shame there was no nuclear holocaust to put the characters in the film to rest.

I saw the trailer for this a few months back and it looked like it might be good. I am a fan of U2, but I prefer some of the tracks that don't get airplay on the radio. When I see a set list of the same hits I've heard a million times, sometimes I don't get real excited. This movie is the closest experience you can get to actually being at one of their concerts. It's not only that, but a lot more. I've never seen a 3D movie as involved as this one. From a creative standpoint, I was flat out impressed. This review is not a review of the song list. It's not a review of whether I like their song arrangements. My rating is based on the overall experience. The 3D aspect makes all the difference. Some of the songs weren't my favorites, but I still liked the movie anyway.

I especially love some of the scenes where you see the band playing on stage through a 3D silhouette of one band member. I liked the 3D effect used on light as people ran to get into the show or as Bono shined light through smoke. I loved the way they'd show one band member on stage but show the big screen version of Bono singing either to the side or in the background. I loved how the crowd looked so alive in 3D. It was truly like being there.

The music is just a big bonus to all the cool creative things they did visually. This is the highest rating I've ever given a movie at IMDb. I think it deserves it.

Cloverfield is essentially a love story. The city is being attacked by a monster and Rob Hawkins (Michael Stahl-David) must try and rescue Beth McIntyre (Odette Yustman) who didn't even know she was loved. His friends Lily Ford (Jesssica Lucas) and Hud (T.J. Miller) tag along to help. Hud films the movie so you rarely see his face.

There are so many reasons to dislike this movie, but I didn't. For those who have seen the trailer, there might be concerns that the camera action is too jerky. It is. It definitely is. The movie goes for realism so you have to suffer through some scenes that strained my ability to follow what was going on.

Regardless of the jerky camera action, I was leaning forward in my seat soaking in the action be it good or bad.

A great deal of mystery has been surrounding the monster. It doesn't stop while you are watching. Like the original Alien movie, the monster is a tease. You want to see more, but they keep showing portions of it and just tidbits. Thankfully the viewer is not robbed and some really good perspectives do get shown.

Although I did not laugh, many people did because Hud the cameraman isn't the brightest and some of the things he says or films does warrant laughter. It got a smile from me.

The monster attacking the city is accompanied by some smaller ones. If you've seen Starship Troopers, that's the best way to imagine them. Some of the CGI wire frames looked like it might have been borrowed from Starship Troopers.

The ending evoked mixed emotions for me. I really liked the way it was done. There were so many wrong ways it could have ended, but the movie shows a little respect for the characters and the ending is proof.

I want to rate this movie very low, but the only thing really wrong with it is unoriginal writing and a cliché series of events. In other words it's flat out boring and predictable. How many times have we dealt with seeing the poor little boy that nobody understands? How many times have we seen the little boy that wanders off to do things on his own? His mother is completely clueless about what the he does or thinks. Every ounce of this movie is rehash of things we've seen before if we're older than 10 years old.

The monster is a new twist, but I am not pleased that they can't call him the Loch Ness Monster. Here's an opportunity to stop kids from being afraid of monsters, and instead they call the monster a horse.

I felt that too much human personality was attributed to the monster. Overall this is just a movie that's too adult for kids and too kid themed for adults. Both kids and adults were squirming in the theater.

If you want a throwback to just the same old children's story you've seen a thousand times... you'll love this. I was just waiting for it to be over.

This movie is entertaining and very much like the first It's a little easier to follow. There are less clues to stake out and the characters are a little more exaggerated. It's one of those movies that keeps you involved so it's hard to get bored. There are a few implausible scenes but it's not a huge leap of faith just to roll with it.

Nicholas Cage has been picking movies that make him a hero. I'm a little tired of Nicholas Cage, but I like the roles he's been picking and I like what he brings to the screen.

This movie is worth seeing. It's good for all ages. It's worth renting or buying the DVD. Could it have been better? Sure. Overall I have no complaints.

This is a very consistent and funny movie. It's a lot like watching a Saturday Night Live episode since quite a few SNL alumni play roles in the movie. John C. Reilly plays rock star Dewey Cox. Jenna Fischer does a stunning job as his 2nd wife Darlene Madison. This movie has a Forest Gump appeal as Dewey Cox rises to fame as a rock star in the late 50's. He lives through the psychedelic 60's and the be happy 70's. It features some excellent song parodies. It has a a lot of sexual innuendo. It has ongoing drug references. Be warned, it also has nudity and male genitalia. It's definitely a funny movie, but no gut buster. Expect a steady smile throughout. Perhaps the most unexpected thing it offers is a series of cameos from other movie stars. It's worth seeing in the theater. It's worth buying, but not if you have young kids. It's worth renting. This movie could be compared to Spinal Tap, Forest Gump, or any other movie featuring Saturday Night Live alumni.

Wow! Where to begin!? The best thing this movie has going for it is the same creatures and effects we've seen in the past. If you liked the Aliens and Predators from the past movies, now we get to see more. The movie shows no inclination to explain anything anymore, they just throw it at the viewer and see who cares. The second best thing that it has going for it is that it's better than the first Aliens vs. Predator. The last version ended with the female lead star standing out on the Ross Ice Shelf of Antarctica wearing a tank top. Evidently she's impervious to hypothermia. The last movie gave us a Pyramid maze to keep us disoriented for 2 hours.

This movie fortunately takes place in a normal setting. Aliens have started invading a small Colorado town. One Predator is dispatched to take them out of action. This movie has no shocks or surprises. The story is irrelevant and it's not too different than a "Friday the 13th" or "Halloween" slasher movie. The characters in the movie just get killed violently one after another. It leans towards pure sadism because none of the characters really prove to be a hero. It's just run, die, run. Only the lucky survive.

The good thing about this movie is that it doesn't drag. It starts at a good pace and it maintains that pace. It would have been nicer if there was more than one Predator fighting the Aliens or if the writer showed more respect for the characters.

Overall the movie was just okay. Nothing special. It's better suited for a younger audience. If you were looking for a movie with a hero, there is none in this one.

See it in the theater if you are bored. Wait to rent the DVD if you just have to see it. Only buy the DVD if you are trying to collect the whole series.

This movie just got worse as it went along. It started out interesting with Will Smith walking around a deserted New York City. He had man's best friend-- a dog-- right by his side. I'd have given it a seven at that point because it was interesting. The minute he walked into the dark to get his dog, I already knew there were "creatures" in the dark, so it was just annoying at that point. I don't like looking at black screen. If I want to look at darkness, I can stay home and turn off the light. This is where I drop the movie down to a six. Creatures in the dark don't interest me. I've seen it before. Then we have to suffer through vague flashbacks and Will Smith talking to mannequins as if they are alive. I was bored with that, but I went along. So we have this brilliant scientist that can juggle microbiology, rigging explosions, hunting for wild game, guns, installing metal doors and gates. This guy can do it all, but he's amazed when he injects one of the creatures and it isn't healed within 5 minutes. I'm no genius, but even I know that cures take time. So I have to ignore the fact a very learned person is an idiot disguised.

Will Smith's character goes the whole movie looking miserable because he's alone, yet a young lady and a kid are surviving fine. They show up and all he does is argue with them.

The creatures have enough social structure to keep their dogs on a leash, but they can't stay calm two seconds otherwise. Why is it that fictional creatures only eat the healthy people. They'll chew their way through a ceiling, but they won't attack each other. What were they eating? The most merciful scene in the movie is when the dog dies. The friend I was with said the movie should have ended there. If it had, I'd give it a 7. Unfortunately didn't, so the best I can give it is a four. I kept wondering if the CGI for the dogs was leftover from some other movie.

This is just my opinion, but heroes and legends don't earn their status by being lucky. The hero in this movie is inept. What happened to heroes having providence? They should have the ability to walk into a dismal situation and fix it because that is who and what they are.

On top of everything else, there appears to be a Christian theme tossed in. It is a hero trying to save the lost. That would be okay if there was some interesting plot, but there isn't.

This movie is not worth buying or renting. Save your money. The visuals are interesting at the start, but it goes nowhere.

It should be no spoiler that this movie is about a guy who is conscious during his own heart surgery. The anesthesia simply doesn't work as intended. As horrifying as that is, I was never pulled into the plot enough to believe someone was really experiencing the horror they were trying to convey. The narration was critical in this movie and at no point was that narration convincing.

Hayden Christensen playing Clay Beresford does nothing in this movie to expand upon his acting ability. He plays the same brooding character that he played in the Star Wars movies. His performance wasn't bad, it just wasn't persuasive or convincing.

Jessica Alba playing Sam Lockwood is his beautiful girlfriend. Jessica Alba does a great job in her role, but it doesn't redeem the rest of the movie.

This movie does have an interesting plot, but it tries to be clever a little too late in the plot and the ending is not very plausible. The ending takes benign elements of the plot and tries to make them relevant just a little too late. Instead of being amazed or shocked, I was just rolling my eyes and laughing to myself.

I found this movie to be so poorly written and presented that it was funny. Jessica Alba could not save the movie, but she was definitely eye candy for the guys that might be yawning otherwise. I don't regret seeing the movie, but I can't honestly recommend that others spend their money to see it. I would say it's not worth seeing in the movie theater or buying the DVD. Wait until this hits cable if you really are intrigued.

My rating of 7 is based upon the fact it held my attention and it made me laugh.

This is an extremely well made movie. It is an extremely well acted movie. Despite being well done and telling a captivating story, it just isn't what I want from a story or a movie in general. Patrick Kenzie (Casey Affleck) and Angie Gennaro (Michelle Monaghan) are called in as private detectives by a family to investigate a missing child report. Jack Doyle (Morgan Freeman)and Detective Remy Bressant (Ed Harris) represent the reluctant, yet cooperative police department that works hand in hand with the private detectives. The story evolves as a mystery leading the viewer along as everyone sifts through the lies and cover-ups. While this story is quite emotional and disturbing at times, the final message is a bit anti-climactic. It comes across more as a social statement directed towards an American subculture than it does being a plausible series of events. In the end, it just all seems pointless. It isn't a bad movie, it just isn't how I'd want to spend 2 hours of leisure time. Casey Affleck does a great job at keeping the story on track. Michelle Monaghan plays a convincing girlfriend/assistant. Ed Harris & Morgan Freeman never skip a beat on making you feel distressed about the little girl being lost. The ending just made me not care about how well it was acted and composed. Ben Affleck's role as director and screenplay writer seems to be invisible just as it should be. Anyone wishing to praise him or criticize his role, should spend their time reviewing his past work, not this piece.

Since I'm not really one to play video games, you'd think this movie wouldn't appeal to me. It did. If you don't think too deeply about the writing, it's possible to enjoy the movie.

In this third Resident Evil installment, we get more but it's not just more of the same. Visually it's brighter movie because a lot of it takes place outdoors in the sun. It does flow like a video game, but the story evolves and should keep anyone interested. It's a good balance between action, story, and special effects.

In this installment, Alice (Milla Jovovich) joins up with some old friends and survivors of the infection. While together, they agree that Alaska may provide hope for them, but not before they make one more stop for supplies. As in the other movies they must confront the infected zombies as well as the corporation which is to blame for their existence. The movie is packed with action and conflict. It's worth seeing in theaters. It's even worth buying if you like action & adventure. It's a movie to sit back and enjoy without asking yourself a lot of questions as to why or how. Just take it at face value and it plays out well.

This movie is truly disappointing. If you've seen the original Halloween movie that this is based upon, then the remake is more of a prequel that goes a step further and bores you with a very unsuspenseful retelling the original.

In the original movie, a psychopath from a mental institution escapes and shatters the calm of Haddonfield, a peaceful and content community. In this remake, Haddonfield is hardly established as a peaceful and content community. We see Michael Myers grow up in a dysfunctional family where his mom Deborah Myers (Sheri Moon Zombie) is a stripper. His older sister is a tramp, and the step father is a loathsome and obnoxious crippled man.

If the movie were to have stopped at being simply a prequel, it would have been an imaginative and insightful look at Michael Myers' past. Unfortunately the movie drags on and does an exceptionally rushed and poor retelling of the original. It takes all the mood and suspense of the original and just rehashes the same material. The difference is that you really don't have a connection to the characters in the remake. It is just a series of murders one after the other.

This movie fails in every area where the original succeeded. In the original, the background music and video clips on television are used to foreshadow the impending horror. They set a mood of calm while conveying an anticipation of horror. In the remake, background music and television clips are thrown in as an homage to the original. It is as if the film makers did not understand the plot mechanisms which made the original movie good. In one scene a Rush song is blasting, and it has no apparent relevance to the story at all. In other instances they play Blue Oyster Cult's "Don't Fear The Reaper", not only once, but twice. The mood is wrong and it is an awkward break to an already unsuspenseful movie. This movie lacks the original score or a comparable substitute, so the viewer has nothing to set the mood. It's all hack, slash, kill.

The casting and look of the characters is another disappointment. Most of the characters look unkept as if Rob Zombie himself had done their hair. Most characters looked, lived, and talked trashy. The foul language was tossed around without discretion as if to educate preteens rather than represent a realistic conversation. Malcolm McDowell completely fails in the role of Dr. Samuel Loomis. Rather than appearing as a wise and educated doctor, he comes across more as a concerned hippie who is friends to the family.

If you are impressed by curse words, rent the movie. If you want to see a great classic ruined, see the movie. If you like seeing unkept hair that's been run through a blender, rent the movie. This movie is not worth seeing in the theaters. It is not worth owning the DVD unless you just truly idolize Rob Zombie and want everything he's worked on.

This film is in the vein of Death Wish. A father, Nick Hume (Kevin Bacon) becomes outraged at the death of his son to a local gang. He is driven to vigilante justice which has an increasingly violent affect on him and his family. This movie has a slow pace and it gives the viewer time to soak in the emotions and the horror of the violence. In that sense it is very disturbing and creates a sense of hopelessness. The violence escalates bringing unexpected events and very graphic and horrifying visuals. Because of the very real mood to the movie, the violence can be very disturbing. The only hope conveyed in the movie is through passages of music which occasionally become a focus.

Except for an occasional unlikely and implausible bit of dialog here and there, the movie is very cohesive. In many ways it is a throwback to the way movies were made in the 70's. Kevin Bacon does an excellent job. John Goodman has a very strong and impressive role as a bad guy. It spotlights a side you don't see in most of his other films.

This movie is a solid 7 on a scale of 1-10. If you don't get bored with a slow pacing or if you like excessive and graphic violence, then it easily could earn a higher rating.

This movie is suited for viewing either in the theater or at home. If you are a fan of Kevin Bacon or very violent movies, then the DVD is worth buying. If not, hold out and just rent it.

Scarlett Johansson playing Annie Braddock makes the film worth seeing.

Annie takes a job as a nanny and she struggles with the miserable life her employers bestow upon her. While on her emotional journey, Hayden (Chris Evans) tries to win a place in her heart. Everything about this movie is cliché. From the shallow presentation of upper class lifestyle to their child's profound insight and honesty. This movie offers no revelations.

It is simply a journey of people's grief and frustration as they emerge wiser people. This is one of those movies you can go see or not. You can rent or not. Scarlett Johansson fans will want to see this. She does an excellent job. Chris Evan plays a persistent and insightful person and does a great job at that. It's a decent date movie.

This movie is the much awaited sequel to the first Fantastic Four movie. On special effects, this movie delivers. On acting quality, it delivers. Where the story loses it is in the plot focus and the dialog. The movie is just filled with too many stupid elements that are side by side with all the visually stunning elements. Do we really care about the Fantastic Four's struggle with privacy? I didn't. Did we really need the Fantastic Four members swapping powers. I didn't feel it was necessary. Even the presence of Dr. Doom seemed unnecessary. This movie could have stood alone on the core story. This movie is worth buying on DVD or renting, but overall the story detracts from the special effects. If not for that, I would have rated it higher.