Reviews

I had been wanting to see this movie for years after reading so many glowing reviews about it. I am a huge fan of innovative horror films, often low budget B-Movies, that utilize the best from their budget and story while turning out an entertaining flick (i.e. Evil Dead).

This movie had everything going for it. An interesting 'alien' creature with no origin (which often makes the best protagonist), an isolated setting, and Shea Whigham stealing every scene he is in. The creature design looks good, when you can actually get a good look at it. And this is the reason why the movie fails. Not by lack of trying, but by editing (and maybe, by budget).

Shaky cam/quick cuts kill almost any movie, especially action or horror movies, as the viewer can never quite tell what is going on. It is very evident that the budget was very low, however, the creature effects, though convincing when the camera actually hangs on it for more than a second, apparently were not convincing enough to allow the viewer to get more than a glimpse at a time. This truly kills the tension of the film as the quick cuts of the creature are then continued with even more quick cuts of our main characters' scenes of struggling for survival. What results is a mess...the mind starts wondering what the last quick cut of the monster was, but then is too busy processing the characters' movements with the same quick editing...monster lunges, characters react, same quick editing, etc, etc. The first comparison that comes to mind is Aliens vs. Predator 2, Requiem, where all scenes of the 'monsters' were so barely lit (obviously due to budget constraints), that you literally could not see what was going on. From what I saw from this movie, the effects looked good enough to linger each scene and let it effect the viewer.

So, I love the setup, thought the characters were well acted and love the monster. However, the editing kills any enjoyment from this movie. That's my $0.02.

After my third viewing of Dredd (in 3d) I have found something that I rarely find nowadays...a movie that I can't get enough of. It is action packed, dark, brutal and oddly poetic in its violence. The perfect guy movie.

Karl Urban, as many have said on these boards, IS Dredd...and that is a remarkable feat to pull off, considering half of his face is shielded for the whole movie (just like in the comics). He plays Dredd with a stoic, uncompromising demeanor...someone who lives and breathes justice and the law, who can kick anyone's ass at a moment's notice, but who also has a very slight 'human' side to him that comes out in brief moments of morality.

To be honest, I did not see this in the theaters after not really caring for the Stallone version back in the day. The trailer did look very promising, so it was one I waited for the 3d Bluray release. I am so glad I took the chance because this movie is so satisfying in everything you could want in an action movie.

The 3d looks fantastic on Bluray. The studio used new 3d cameras that really show up on the screen. Thankfully, there really aren't many 'throw random things at the viewers face' type of gimmicks, but more so, concentrates on closeups of the actors showing their faces in great detail. This is critical for a character like Dredd, who teeth gnawing grimace must be showcased in order to show any type of emotion from the character.

I can't say enough good things about this movie and it is becoming the movie I showcase on my home 3d theater. Hopefully, the home video sales more than made up the rather lackluster box-office results to warrant a sequel. Check it out if you want to go through a wild ride through the eyes of a regular day in the life of Dredd.

The Good: The movie is well acted by all. All of the actors did a great and realistic job of conveying the situation of being locked up in a 'new age', yet old-school insane asylum. The twist at the end helped tremendously. Though it wasn't entirely inspired by originality, it justified the past 100 minute viewing experience with a pretty good 'Gotcha' ending. Pretty good mind you, not great.

The Bad: Thought there are a few effective shock moments, the suspense or feeling of dread just isn't there. The competency of the story and actors are all there, but I'm sorry, the movie just isn't scary. Even the main 'villain' doesn't come close to mustering internal fear like they should. The direction, acting and script were all very good, but the execution of fear and horror were just not there.

Overall, a pretty good movie. John Carpenter still isn't what he was back in the late 70's or early 80's, but this was a nice entry into his portfolio (hopefully, Comeback). The ending does save this movie for the most part as it adds an interesting way of looking at everything that just unfolded. However, as a 'Master of Horror', this movie just doesn't deliver enough of the goods for it to be a classic, or be worthy of the person whose name precedes the title.

I give it 7 stars. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

This is the movie that Planet Terror and Death Proof should have been. It is a dark, fun, over the top violent, sleazy film that provides a roller coaster ride for the viewer. Unlike the aforementioned two films, this one really feels like you are watching this in a trashy Grindhouse cinema.

Rutger Hauer was simply awesome as the nameless hobo who has had enough of the scum destroying his town. There are plenty of over the top gore moments including heads blown off at close range, amputations, stabbings, electrocutions and much more. It is all shot in good fun (think Dead Alive or the Evil Dead).

Everything about this movie was a throwback to the 1970's/1980's schlock films that were all about uncensored shoestring budget thrills, bare-bones plot, real life inaccuracies, grandiose speeches about life from two-bit characters, etc. Even the ending, which I will not give away, felt exactly like a typical Grindhouse film.

Excellent B-Movie homage with great characters and special effects. Just when you think it can't top itself, it does again in the next scene.

I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. For a law drama/thriller, it hits all the right notes and keeps you engaged.

The plot is complex, but the movie flows nicely, wrapping everything up in the end without having a 'Scooby Doo' explain everything type of finale. The characters are all very well portrayed without being over the top. What I liked the most about this film is that it feels 'real'...it puts you in the courtroom and outside of it like you were standing there next to the characters. Matthew McConaughey and Ryan Phillippe were both standouts and gave very real performances.

You really need to pay attention to every minor character and subplot (especially during the first hour) because much of it ties together. The twists and turns are very surprising without being stock par for the course, seen it a million times before. It was very interesting seeing a law drama with this unique perspective and situation.

Highly recommended!

I saw this one way back when it came out, and thought it was pretty good 15 years ago. The action is quick and fierce, the plot is interesting and the bad guys are all psychotic and evil (kudos go to Busey and Jones).

However, where this film falls flat is the lack of suspense. Many people call this 'Die Hard on a boat', well, it is in a lot of respects. However, the most important thing that separates those two films is suspense. Bruce Willis showed us a vulnerable guy put in a extraordinary situation against a group of terrorists. Honestly, the first time I saw Die Hard, I was probably about 8 years old, and having never seen a movie like this (had there even been one before it?) I honestly didn't know if McClane would survive the ordeal. In other words, I was on the edge of my seat the entire movie. With Under Siege, we have an awesome setup, however, Seagal NEVER breaks a sweat, and comes out of the ordeal practically unscathed. That is why I prefer Die Hard to this one, is the human vulnerability showed by Bruce Willis. Seagal rarely, if ever, shows any type of human flaws...preferring to be his stereotypical quiet badass character that we've seen eleventy billion times.

Having said that, Under Siege is still a good time waster. Good action, with great badguys, and let's not forget to mention that former Baywatch babe's perfect jugs popping out of a birthday cake, and you have a pretty damn good action flick. Still, this is not a suspenseful film in any regard...Die Hard this is not. I give her 7 out of 10 stars.

Okay, the first time I saw this movie, I was really disappointed. And though I was not expecting Super Troopers 2 going into it, I was expecting a movie that was supposed to be a horror movie spoof from Broken Lizard, to be hilarious when it wanted to be, and a good slasher film when it needed to be. After that first time, I'm sure I was one of those reviewers who brutally ripped this film to shreds, and wondered if Super Troopers was a one hit wonder.

Okay, fast forward a few years...after seeing Super Troopers countless times, I decided to give this one a second chance. To my surprise, it really gets better after multiple viewings. And no, it's not the greatest movie of all time, nor is it the greatest satire, but it still is a decent film that spoofs one of my all time favorite genres, the 80's slasher film. This film's humor is even more subtle at times than the hidden gems in Super Troopers that were scattered around and couldn't be picked up unless you had seen it multiple times. And the movie itself is downright creative, with inventive kills, cool characters, and a few heaping spoonfuls of 'what the hell' kind of moments that truly do spoof the very real laughable inconsistencies of most 80's slashers.

As a horror film, it's not at all scary, but it is gory at times, with some great kills. There is a decent 'whodunnit' aspect, though the killer's motivation at the end is laughably bad (perfect example of a 'what the hell' kind of moment I described earlier). The direction is decent, not great, but it has it's moments. But the atmosphere is played very well into the story, and as a spoof, it does a great job of satirizing. Also, the pacing is done very well, though there is not a lot of suspense, the movie moves very quickly and almost never gets dull.

As a comedy, the truly laugh out loud moments are few and far between. However, upon a few viewings, one can appreciate that the entire setup of the film including the plot, characters, and the killer makes it indeed, a great spoof. There are also, as I said before, a ton of subtle funny moments, that you can only really see upon multiple viewings. Plus, there is a a nice dose of nudity, hot women running around, drinking games and senseless violence that keeps things interesting.

So, what you are left with is an enjoyable movie that doesn't overwhelmingly place itself in one category...however, though this movie is a comedy/horror/spoof, it isn't one of those movies that seems like it can't decide what it wants to be, but at the same time, blends all elements equally.

I really have become a Broken Lizard fan, especially after seeing the absolutely hysterical, Beerfest. I also love the fact that every movie, these guys almost always play different characters, Club Dread being no exception. So, what we have here, in this case, is probably the weakest of their three mainstream films (not including Puddle Cruiser, their first movie, was more of an indie flick that never made it to the big screen like Super Troopers did), but it is still a pretty good film if you are a fan of cheesy 80's horror. In order to enjoy this flick, this is absolutely essential advice: DO NOT go in expecting Super Troopers 2, a terrifying horror flick, or a laugh off of your ass comedy. Club Dread is a good time from a quintet of very talented comedic actors.

7/10 stars. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

I know, everyone considering watching this movie thinks the same thing...it's probably going to suck, but there's nothing else on, or you watch it for Swayze in his post 80's straight to video film career. Either way you look at it, this is actually a pretty entertaining film, if you can suspend any rational thoughts for about 90 minutes.

The first hour of this film is the best. We see Swayze wrongfully put in prison, on death row and about to be executed within a few weeks. He has written a best selling novel in prison and has acquired 4 very lonely fans that he communicates with via cassette tapes. The problem is, he leads every one of them to believe that they are the only ones keeping him alive, so when two of the tapes get switched, one of them sends him a death threat out of pure jealousy. After about 15 min into the film, his eviction is overturned, and he is released from jail with the ubiquitous fear of a killer stalking him. He then visits each one of the girls to find out who is sending him the threats.

Honestly, I liked the plot of this movie. Not an original theme with the jealous psycho slasher, but it is an original storyline nonetheless. Swayze does act kind of stupid in some scenes, and unconvincing in others (when he is released from jail, we all know he had the first death threat, but come on, to show NO HAPPINESS at all for escaping death row and having your name cleared?? Bad acting, Patrick), but overall it is a good movie. It does kind of wander in the middle, and becomes a routine slasher where most of the killings are done off screen, but it does serve as a fairly capable who-dunnit. Oh, and there is a pretty lame 'buddy' part in the middle which you can basically ignore.

I was able to guess who the killer was before the first murder, but honestly, they played it out so it could be anyone (also, one character is written as a little too conveniently psycho to allow anyone to possibly get any clues as to who did it). I thought the best part though was the fact that only 2 of the 4 tapes were switched in the beginning, so we can surmise of course, that 2 of them found out about the other girls, and we have to guess which 2 they were (though one is very obvious, complete with broken picture frame of Swayze during the montage of him calling all of them). The ending shot is pretty cheesy, but hey, what do you expect? Overall, an entertaining movie. Not thought provoking, but worth a look. 7/10 stars.

This is a fun little movie...yeah it has some plot holes in the forms of things that are never fully explained, but overall, it's one of the more decent slashers I've seen in a long while. It's also good to see Hooper back from what, a 25 year drought of crappy movies? Toolbox has a lot of quirky characters...none of which are truly engaging and thus, none of which you will care for, but characters that I bet truly reflect what you'd find in a low rent Hollywood rat hole like the Lusman Arms. Still, it brings plenty of lambs to the slaughter, with an excellent electric drill and wire cutter deaths, among several others.

I won't spoil it for you, but it's pretty confusing towards the end as it delves into the occult, and kinda explains the motivations of the killer, but never explains what the killer is. That's all I'll say, but all in all, the twist at the end, despite a bit confusing, is pretty cool if you think about it.

Just some more depth in the characters would have been appreciated. Overall, a solid horror flick.

8/10 stars.

I admit...after seeing the trailer to Aliens vs. Predator (I refuse to call it by that marketing friendly corporate bastardization of a three letter title), I was psyched. It looked like it would really capture that atmosphere of the other films of the series. And though it wasn't the worst movie ever, it sure was one of the most disappointing.

Let me elaborate on what I mean by disappointing...I read many comments on this site that totally bashed the film, which I usually trust to give an accurate representation of how a movie really is. I already let my expectations down to a bare minimum, but still, being a huge fan of the Aliens series, and really liking the two predator movies, and loving the books based on this movie, it was almost impossible not to feel extreme letdown, even when decreasing all hopes for a good movie to the smallest level possible.

Let me start by what is actually good in this movie. The special effects are pretty good. It was really nice to see more old school puppetry and makeup effects, and less CGI (though there is quite a bit of CGI, it's for the most part, pretty good). Also, like most of Anderson's films, what he does well are setting up elaborate sets that in a decent movie (notice I said, 'decent'), it usually really adds to the mood. However, 'decent' is light years from describing this movie.

That's about it for the good parts. Yep, two things. Now onto the bad...

I know the vast majority of posts here go into elaborate raves and rants about this film...and they are mostly right. But still, I feel I need to vent some frustration and add my $0.02. First off, though the scenery is really well done, this surprisingly does not add to the mood at all. Okay, considering the title, I wasn't expecting top notch acting, but from an Aliens or Predator movie, I was expecting a lot more than what I got. The acting was for the most part pretty bad...I mean I consider most of the Aliens movies and the two Predator movies of a higher quality of sci-fi/horror...maybe they aren't the best films, but at least they deliver good performances from their actors, and you can connect with at least one or two of them. This movie doesn't develop any character more than maybe a sentence or two, so we really don't care if any or none of them live. Even Alien Resurrection, my least favorite of the series, had some characters that were either a little bit fleshed out or at least had an interesting personality that made them intriguing. It is that connection that in any horror movie is essential...and it is usually governed by a good script and of course, good actors. I mean horror is supposed to be cheesy, that's a given, but a good movie means having a good story and having good characters...otherwise what's the point? We have about 30 or so stock characters (I swear, I think they just kept recycling a few of the actors in some of the massacre scenes) that we don't give a damn about, and they literally get slaughtered by the dozen. The few that did seem interesting (the girl who played Adele, the gun toting blonde chick was by far the coolest character in the movie, but was barely on screen, as well as Colin Salmon's character...what a waste of talent) are literally thrown into the meat grinder, most of them off screen, of course. So what's the point? I mean, the movie's tiny running time of 87 or so minutes wastes about 75% of the running time just showing scenes where the idiot humans get sent as lambs to the slaughter and are just pointlessly dispatched.

Okay, I know you've heard that rant a million times before if you've read this board..so I will go onto other complaints, but just the major ones, and hopefully ones few others go into. I will admit, the first 40 minutes or so of buildup (that tastefully do not show either species) were pretty good, but it's when the slashing and gutting occur is when the movie falls apart. There just wasn't enough of the Aliens...we got to see a ton of the Predators, but oddly, weren't they primarily supposed to be hunting the Aliens, and not the humans? Here's another thing...it's Antartica in the middle of the night, and we have some actors having jolly old conversations outside in the SUB ZERO WEATHER with no protective head gear nor parka hood and not so much as a shiver...oh and also, the studio couldn't spare the extra bucks to turn the temperature down so we could see maybe their breath in the air? Oh, and don't forget, Predators have infrared eyesight...which I would have thought the cold weather would have masked their body heat, and thus, save for their flash lights (a la Predator 2), it would be impossible for them to see the humans. That drove me crazy the whole time.

The direction is pretty amateurish...I don't disdain Paul Anderson like a lot of ppl do, but I don't admire him either. I think he's a so-so director who has the passion, just not the talent. His other works reflect this...mostly movies that had awesome premises and setups and SHOULD have been awesome, but usually settle for mediocrity (Resident Evil, Event Horizon, and on the lower end, even Soldier). I think his past movies are all entertaining and have their moments, but are not 'Showstoppers' if you know what I mean.

Okay, here is my biggest complaint of the night...the first fight scene between the Predators and the first Alien is without a doubt, THE WORST action sequence I have seen from a big budget movie in my entire life. Honestly, it is so confusing and so "MTV-ed"...cut in and out of the scene, with short flashes of picture...a claw here, a spear here, teeth and slime there...need I say more? For a movie whose title represents said scene alone would classify this as a complete failure. There are many other scenes where 'cool camera tricks' that were hip maybe 10 years ago are used, and then repeated, and repeated over and over again (i.e. the ubiquitous overhead shots of the infamous 'Sacrificial Chamber Room').

Frustration cannot describe how I feel...thank goodness I had that free pass from my new Predator DVD, paying $7.00 for this crap would have been highway robbery. This is a prime example of a studio cashing in and selling out. Now, I know that Fox gutted this film from Anderson's original cut, and it really shows, and no, I'm not only just talking about the sparse use of gore, but the fact that there were too many scenes that you could tell were ghetto rigged together, to trim down to a kid friendly PG-13. I'll give Anderson the benefit of the doubt that Fox completely cut and ruined his film, but what I won't give him is that his director's cut could possibly be that much better.

I can't believe it, the industry has reached a new low...and I can't believe the movie that us fans of the series have been salivating over for over 10 years...turning front and center towards any nugget of information about some rumor heard from a friend of a friend who knows a guy who works for someone who is the former roommate of some executive at Fox, is really a pretty boring, way too formulaic, non-scary, voided of excitement, thrill lacking crap-fest. Oh and don't get me started with the whole Predator and lone woman running in slow motion as a blazing fireball pursues them. I know there was a camaraderie between humans and Predators in the books, but come on. Cheese has now been given a whole new meaning.

Overall, this movie is pretty sorry. No, it's not the worst movie ever, but it gets even lower points for being a complete letdown given the hype and buildup this movie has had going for it for the longest time. Other than a bland timewaster, it has nothing at all, redeemable about it. I never thought I'd say this, but I hope that this truly secured the nails on the coffin to two of the scariest movie monsters of all time. Sadly, corporate greed will resurrect them time and time again.

A very generous 4/10 stars, mostly out of pity.

This film was better than I had heard it was, but not by much. The acting really wasn't as attrocious as others had claimed, and the film has incredible use of creepy atmosphere to convey the darkness that keeps the children safe from 'The Tooth Fairy'. Other than that though, it is not much of a horror film.

Now, to give fair credit where credit is due, this movie does have some good tension buildup at the beginning, and a few places that may or may not make you jump, but other than that, my biggest complaint was that this creepy urban legend come to life just evolved into a very cheap imitation of Pitch Black, minus Vin Diesel of course. I'm serious, it becomes less concerned about plot, or the villan, and more focused on the main characters running away from the tooth fairy, hopping into any source of light they can find in order to stay out of the darkness that she can only exist in. There were many scenes where I was literally about to scream RIP OFF at the tv, but it's okay, since Pitch Black was slightly above average at best anyway.

Overall, not horrible, but as you were undoubtedly expecting, not that good either. It is an effective time waster (at a tight 75 minutes or so) and good entertainment for a boring night of movies.

Yes, you heard right, that is an actual quote used over and over again by Furlong and his best friend's character on at least five separate occasions. I had no idea that these characters played by teenagers were not only supposed to be 5 years old, but also gay. Oh well...

This movie isn't absolutely terrible, but it is fairly close to being complete trash. The problem is with the script...the dialogue is often embarrassing to listen to (read above, for example) and the movie has several lapses in logic that will leave you scratching your head. But, truly, I gave this movie a chance...I loved the premise and the idea of a video game that is supposed to be a 'virtual reality' session of what it is like to be a murderer...except all of the murderers happen to occur in real life. Furlong is very good in his role of a troubled teen, but the script does not give him much to do, nor does it convince the audience that he is the reject he is supposed to be. His relationship with the female lead was absolutely unrealistic, and the movie suffered from it.

Then there is 'The Trickster', the main bad guy of this film who looks like a recurring character in a number of 80's bands. He is actually quite entertaining, but ends up being more of a joke than truly being frightening...and it is never quite explained WHY exactly he wants Furlong's character to commit the murders in the first place. In addition, the special effects are for the most part very dated, which further hurts the film.

The movie's highlights are the impressive camerawork in some scenes (reinacting a virtual reality video game) and a very nice soundtrack...but the acting ranges from okay to subpar. Definitely not one of Furlong's or Frank Langella's (what the hell was he doing in this movie anyway?!?) best efforts at all. Not much of a horror film, and not a very good movie overall, yet it is mildly entertaining with an interesting premise. Could have been so much more though. 4/10 stars.

Now, don't get me wrong, I did like New Nightmare and especially so when compared to most of the crappy sequels to NOES. It has a very original, inteligent and fresh story (kind of a story within a story), and excellent acting from the cast. I wish Heather Langencamp would star in more films because from her effort in this film, she really pulls off what could have been a truly embarassing effort for the sixth sequel in a dying franchise.

All of the leads do good, except, and I know I'm in the minority here, the little boy who plays her tormented son. This annoying kid was in practically every movie during the early 1990's that Macauley Culkin was not in that required a child actor to ham it up big time...and that he does in this film. Now, there are moments where the kids looks genuinely freaked out, by overall, in my opinion, the boy's horrible acting and unbelievably unrealistic stoic representation of a five year old kid really puts a damper on an overall really good story. Seriously, every time I saw that kid on screen I really had to fight back guilty desires of Freddy going to town on him...but at any rate, the other actors work well, especially Wes Craven's cameo as himself.

The script within a script idea along with having many of the original actors return was an excellent idea for this movie, and really makes it enjoyable to watch. However, as a horror movie, it fails miserably. I'm not saying it's not in the least bit scary, but few of the scares work because they are either lame, or retreading practically the same territory and setups we've seen in the other 6 Nightmare films. At least that was my impression, I know others thought this movie was truly terrifying, and to each their own...but what could (and SHOULD have been) a truly terrifying movie with a 'real life' Freddy Kruger truly fails when it comes to horror. And it especially sucks considering that the story is so damn good. It's basically like watching a drama more than a horror film which may be fine for most, but if you're expecting a horror movie, you may be in for a real disapointment. With such a damn good script and great atmosphere, you would imagine Freddy would be twice as terrifying as before...unfortunately it is not so in this case. Freddy is portrayed now as a bumbling, goofy, obviously SYNTHETIC (yes, his makeup here is the worst I've seen in the whole series, and that's saying a lot considering some of the sequels) and very weak being who really poses as no huge threat during any of the 'Freddy vs. Heather' scenes. The scenes of Freddy's lair are impressive, but the 'special effects' used on him in these scenes are almost embarassing to watch. Trust me, you'll know it when you see it.

Overall though, not a bad movie. As a horror film, it has a wonderful plot and for the most part, outstanding acting (which in itself, is a rarity), but for being a horror film, it fails miserably. This is the confliction with 'New Nightmare'...it actually focuses on the story unlike most other horror films...yet, fails most of the time to deliver with the scares. To further testimony this, I watched this with a few people who literally jump at any scary movie moment, and only jumped maybe twice the whole time. At any rate, it is a pretty good movie and a nice attempt of Craven's to inject life into a dying series. However, if you're looking to be scared out of your wits, you may need to go ahead and rerent the original. 7/10 stars overall.

This one took some time to digest when I left the theater. Maybe it was b\c this is the first film Tarantino has made in around 6 years...maybe it's b\c of the almost unanimous outstanding reviews I've read on this board (and though I usually don't listen to the critics, theirs as well)...whatever it is, this is one that will definitely leave an impression on you at the end.

Now, I loved Pulp Fiction, thought Reservoir Dogs was great, and Jackie Brown was better than average...and from the previews and reviews I've read, I knew exactly what I was getting into. So with this in mind, I turned off the 'expecting another Pulp Fiction' button in my head, and sat and enjoyed what is the epitome of a guilty pleasure movie.

What drives this film is the acting and QT's unique blend of storytelling. Oh yeah, and the hundred or so severed bodies of unfortunate Yakuza soldiers at the film's climax (which is the centerpiece of the film). All of the leads do great...and I must applaud QT once again for using his incredible knack for using talented actors whose careers had washed up at some point in the past, and gives them the script to shine. The plot is simple; an assassin is betrayed by her colleagues who turn her wedding into a massacre, and she exacts revenge after awakening from a 4 year coma caused by a gunshot wound to the head. I love the sense of forboding with the 'hit list' that she almost childishly engraves on a pad of college rule paper in contrasting red and black ink. It is one of those fine touches QT puts in his films that give them panache and flair...almost like a score card for not only the main character, but the audience as well. And the fight scenes are excellent...I was so glad to see actual fights with actual actors and little to no CGI. And by far, the coolest part is when Uma Thurman's character looks down upon scores of fallen enemy from her blade, and tells the mangled survivors that they may live, but their limbs belong to her. It is something that must be seen to appreciate, but it was one of those rare scenes from a movie that really stuck with me at the end.

Now, yes, Kill Bill was a pretty good movie overall, but I have a fair share of criticisms as well. First, the pacing is really awful...in Tarantino's other films, they were all either fast paced or fast spoken...in other words, there was never a dull silence either b\c of QT's snappy visuals or snappy dialogue (or the trademark loud as thunder gunshot effects). Kill Bill has tons of moments where there is absolutely nothing said where there is complete silence...no poignant thoughts either, just plain silence. Also, the pacing is really slow in many parts, especially when you know a big action scene is about to occur...some movies use buildup to justify this effectively...it's almost like some parts of this movie were thrown together kind of sloppily, and did not emphasize on pacing. Anyway, this is a complaint of mine, and it may very well not hinder other's viewing enjoyment. Another thing I found a little disappointing was the lack of really cool humor. QT tried many times (especially in a painfully overlong scene with two Japenese chefs arguing about who should serve the saki that failed to produce one laugh from the audience in the 3 minutes or so of dialogue) but just couldn't deliver. He keeps this movie very simple, and in a lot of ways it works...unfortunately, lacking complete substance can never be compensated with artistic license. Plus, I found the anime sequence (though I know it was paying homage to anime lovers...including himself) a little overlong and frankly out of place...I actually like some anime movies, but it just didn't belong here, and I couldn't wait for it to be over. Now, I understand why he put it in but, like I've said about opinions, others may really love it so to each their own.

Anyway, I know Volume 2 is supposed to be more character and dialogue driven which would be a welcome break from the mainly action and 'dramatic pause' oriented Volume 1. It is not for everyone, but I know certain people will love it. I thought it was pretty good, overall, definitely not his best effort. Volume 1 could have been cut to a clean 90 minutes which would have so very well helped the pacing...but I have the impression Tarantino pretty much had free reign to do whatever he wanted for this project. At any rate, it is a bloody good time at the movies, despite many sluggish parts. People who do not appreciate or like profanity, Japenese anime/samurai movies, or swimming pools of blood admist dozens of dismembered limbs should steer clear. Anyone who is a Tarantino fanatic, or who can say yes to any of the above questions should definitely go see it. I fall more towards the latter of the two, so I will give it an above average rating of 7.5/10 stars.

Forget the Matrix Reloaded...if you want a dark, leather trenchcoat clad movie, dripping with coolness from bloody fangs, then Underworld is your movie. Far too many movies I've seen over the years have promising trailers, but fail to deliver. This is why I was hoping that this movie would deliver, and I was pleased to find out that it most certainly did.

Great performances all around and spectacular special effects (save for a few sub par CGI moments) really makes the story flow nicely. Speaking of which, yes, this movie actually has a story! As sad as that may sound about most Hollywood movies of recent times, this movie has a great, engaging story that is coherent as it is interesting. Quite a change from the confusing plotlines of Matrix Reloaded and other films that have come out this year. The plot is excellent, and is explained well throughout. Any times where you may be scratching your head are cleared up usually a scene later, which I cannot say about other movies I have seen recently in the theater that opt to leave holes in the plot that remain unanswered.

This movie is a combination of The Matrix, Blade and Romeo and Juliet. You have two feuding families of vampires and werewolves, whose only purpose is to eradicate the other...and oh yeah, they wear cool, dark outfits and sport state of the art weaponry (I thought the werewolves' bullets that contained sunlight in them was by far the coolest). You also have the talented and insanely hot Kate Beckinsale as the lead, kicking fierce butt. Her performance was by far the best of all, and you can feel her character's torment throughout. Save for one very bad actor, who sadly is a major character in the film, every other performance is excellent, and adds to the gothic darkness that is the setting of this movie. And of course, the special effects (especially the werewolves) were among the best I've ever seen.

The only thing I wanted more from this movie was a little more character development. Though the actors do an incredible job of making their characters realistic as if popping out of the pages of a graphic novel, the script, unfortunately, did not supply enough background on many on the support characters...but, there is still enough background to give them depth, and to give a damn when one of them gets dispatched. Also, almost every character does have a secret motive for his/her actions which adds to the story. But, that is truly my only complaint with the movie, that there could have been a little more backstory to each character...otherwise, this has been the best movie of the year by far, in my opinion. This is an exciting movie with great performances, dark, gothic set pieces, non-stop action and one of the best stories I have seen in a movie in a long time. I highly recommend Underworld...it truly does come close to giving the original Matrix a run for its money. 9/10 stars.

Robert Rodriguez is definitely a talented film producer...having cut his teeth with his guerilla filmmaking style of assuming the role of director, writer, editor and cameraman, Rodriguez has dished out hits like Desperado, El Mariachi and From Dusk Til Dawn that have been box office hits with his famous shoe string budgets. It is no wonder why this third installment to the El Mariachi series was inevitable.

I caught this one on opening night, but waited a while to post a review, just to let the film digest for about a week. I won't elaborate much on the plot, for many others have already done so. What I will say is that the only negative aspect of this film is a plot that is filled to the brim with confusing elements, plot twists, double crosses...so on and so forth, that at times you will be sitting there going...okay, NOW what the hell is going on? Sure, there is an elaborate web of plot twists in there that I'm sure do make sense when pieced together, but what is the result is almost a mess of scenes and characters thrown together. However, it is the scenes and characters that totally make up for the lack of glue to bond the plot together...this is definitely one of those films that does not take itself seriously and asks you to do the same, and if you can shut your brain off for about 2 hours, you will be taken for one helluva ride.

The characters are all larger than life and charmingly sadistic. The acting is top notch with Antonio Banderas reprising his role as El Mariachi, the always superb Johnny Depp as the corrupt CIA agent Sands, Ruben Blades as a rogue retired FBI agent out to seek vengenance, and of course, the oddly entertaining Mickey Rourke as the drug czar's right hand man. Of course, every good B-movie Hispanic actor makes an appearance, especially Danny Trejo (you know him as the evil Mexican in movies like From Dusk Til Dawn, Con Air, Heat...and pretty much every movie made in the last 10 years) and Cheech Marin from Cheech and Chong fame. The actors drive the picture, give it life, mow down scores and scores of inept bad guys(and I will emphasize the word INEPT...the 'bad guys' are some of the most ridiculously stupid villains I have seen in a long time...but, thankfully they serve their purpose of being cannon fodder very well) and provide much needed coolness and comic relief. You will be surprised at how Antonio Banderas almost play second fiddle to Johnny Depp's character, and the dozen or so other major supporting characters. But, it works beautifully.

The action scenes are in a word, spectacular. When we are shaking our heads and scratching our forehead wondering what the hell is happening with the plot, Robert Rodriguez and Co. throw out scene after scene of delicious show stealing action...pure adrenaline, violence with no mercy, and excellent direction/editing are what steal the show in this film. I forgave Mr. Rodriguez for the confusing plot when I left the theater because his film had entertained the hell out of me. Sure, for most movies, dare I say even most action flicks, a lack of plot or a really bad plot really makes for a bad film, but this movie is the exception of exceptions. It takes the oozing coolness from Desperado and ups the ante ten fold. There are some scenes that will bring shivers to your body as you watch Antonio 'De Sexy' Banderas and Company perform acrobatic gunfights that would make even John Woo proud. Rodriguez's style is definitely unique, and has been mimicked often...however, you can tell he made this one for the fans because as I said, the stakes are raised on every level with his marvelous directing and talent for filming breath taking action.

This is a movie that you will love or hate, I can guarantee you...it is one with a lackluster plot, but an incredibly high entertainment value. If you can overlook the complete stupidity of an entire Mexican Army and dozens upon dozens of inept mafia soldiers, then you are in for an excellent time at the movies. If you think about it, though Desperado's plot was very simple and direct, and was one of the coolest movies ever, the movie itself really was not great, overall...we watch movies like this as guilty pleasures, and when they deliver, we go home happy. I recommend this one to anyone who loves action, or Tarantino's Pulp Fiction type movies...an excellent, stylish movie, overall, but just make sure you check your brain at the door. 8/10 stars.

I was very apprehensive about this one for a while...but at the same time, excited. The first two Terminators are pure works of art, in my opinion, flawless examples of filmmaking on almost every level (except for a couple of plot inconsistencies...like it matters though!). James Cameron is a master of story telling, pacing, editing, characterization, and of course, special effects. He is one of the best directors of our time....unfortunately he refused to film the newest installment of the Terminator series, though Jonathon Mostow did do a good job on T3. At any rate, T1 and T2 were incredibly hard acts to follow, so T3 already had larger than life shoes to fill...and for the most part, it fills them quite nicely.

T3 literally dives head first right into the action after a short 3 minute or so prologue. I will be honest, though the first hour has a lot of great stunts and hard core action, it just didn't do anything for me. To me, it was all been there, done that from the get go, and felt rushed. Basically, the entire characterization part of the main characters that we loved in T2 was dealt with, in this movie, in about 10 minutes or less, and immediately dives into the same formula...killer robot goes on a rampage killing a ton of people for a reason that is not quite clear at the moment, but will unfold later. Literally, there was no suspense, or buildup, just mindless explosion after explosion. Don't get me wrong, I love a good action film, but with T3, one has to expect more...more substance, more story, more grasping the struggle for humanity...

Don't worry, I'm about to go on the great aspects of the film, and there are quite a few to mention...

All of my negativity ceased immediately when the second act began. This movie totally blew me away during it's last hour. The plot is finally explained and the story continues, with the central theme being that the ideals that 'There is no fate but what we make' can now all be thrown out the window. Judgement day is inevitable, along with the destinies of future resistance leaders John Connor and his bride to be, Claire Danes. All I will say is that when they take the fight to Skynet is when I was totally hooked until the very end. As for the ending, I was very impressed. A truly appropriate ending that will make you think long after you've left the theater. I thought the ending was exactly what it should have been. Bring on T4!!

But, at any rate, T3, though pales in comparison to T2, which was obvious that it would even before it came out, it is a worthy addition to the Terminator saga. Though, it does fail in several areas...for instance, there is almost no charisma between this new Terminator and John Connor, and very little plot time is given to the developing relationship between Connor and Kate Brewster (Claire Danes). This aspect alone is my biggest complaint with the movie. T1 and T2 showed how humanity can survive even in its darkest hour, and in T2, there is an irony that the only fatherly love that John Connor ever felt was from a machine. Unfortunately, this theme was not carried on into this installment...the three main characters simply fight to survive and that's about it. Given the circumstances though, it does seem realistic, but that is the fault of the filmmakers because they made the film so short...the true fans didn't want to see a compressed 105 min or so film loaded to the brim with action...we also wanted to see more drama, more character development, more everything that T2 had besides the explosions. Don't get me wrong, the new story is great, the acting is very good, and the action is superb...it's just there was that extra dose of the preservation of humanity that was missing. Also, my next biggest complaint is the lack of a good, hard core, blood pumping soundtrack. Where the hell was it?!? What we get is pure crap, or as for the first car chase scene, practically DEAD SILENCE for about 10 minutes. Remember the cool tracks played when Arnie was on his motor cycle, or when he was fighting the swat team in T2? Man, I was simply aching for a musical score that would somehow TRY to compliment the mood of excitement...instead T3's score manages to surprisingly dull the excitement instead of adding to it. Thankfully, we do get to hear the famous Terminator theme song in all of it's glory, but unfortunately, it is during the end credits. Though the movie is still very good, these two things in particular (or lack there of) are what majorly drag it down. On another note, I thought Kristanna Loken as the TX was pretty good, though not NEARLY as menacing as Robert Patrick's T-1000, she still looked very cool and very sexy in her breakthrough role...it's just too bad the filmmakers didn't allot a larger running time to allow a better buildup that establishes her as someone we love to hate and fear to dread. So in other words, T3's major let downs are not from overdoing anything, but underdoing way too much.

Yeah, that sounds like I'm going back on my praise for T3, but I'm really not...I'm only pointing out frustrations from a true fan of the first two Terminators, just like the same thing Matrix fans can say about the Matrix Reloaded (but that is a much different story). T3 was action packed, had an incredible story that continued the saga nicely, and also added it's own shocking elements, had great acting, good direction, and above all else, Arnie once again in his glorious prime. Arnie fans will NOT be disapointed with T3...though that depends on how much you compare it to T2, which I myself have found myself doing writing this review.

Anyway, the sad thing is that now that Arnie is running for governor, I doubt he will be making an inevitable T4 which will most definitely take place in the future. But, this is the installment that everyone is waiting for! At any rate, I loved T3 overall...it was a surprising breath of fresh air during a summer full of high priced stink fests. This is Arnie at his best, and will hopefully revitalize his career...though it is sad to think that this is probably the last time Arnie will ever be in this top form again. Since this is the peak of his comeback, I hate to admit that his career is probably all downhill from here. Then again, who wants to see a Terminator in a wheel chair?

I highly recommend T3. Arnie truly did not disapoint in making a quality film, just try not to compare it too much to the other movies and you will enjoy it all the better. I give it a strong 8.5/10 stars, and look forward to it coming out on dvd.

For the first time, I am very disapointed with the vast majority of reviews on a movie on IMDB. Actually, I was shocked that the movie I just saw was in no way, the movie that so many people called out right disapointing. Though this movie does have it's flaws, it is one of the most moving war pictures I have ever seen. Actually, it is more of a character study than a war film, and appeals to many different audiences.

Many have commented on the long running time, and the lengthy, and I'll admit, at times superfluously long speeches, but to tell you the truth, I was so engaged with the performances of Steven Lang, Jeff Daniels and Robert Duvall, that the close to 4 hour running time felt like a regular 2 hour movie. It was definitely nice to see more of the aspects of the war for the Confederate and Union people that you don't read in your regular high school history book. I won't make this a political commentary because frankly, one thing everyone can agree on is that this was without a doubt, our nation's darkest time, and both sides lost far too many brave young souls, that were robbed of their chance at life. Both sides were full of young people, many of which did not fully understand their cause, nor why they were thrust into this horrible war, but both sides knew one thing...that they were fighting to preserve their very livelihood. But, I will say that the film did depict a more truthful nature of both sides, especially with the issue of how slaves were treated, and the ideologies (that are sometimes conflicting on the same side, as we see in a scene between Daniels and C. Thomas Howell) between both sides. To be honest, what you read in the history books in school is only partly true, and is in fact biased. And the film does portray the fact of the matter that it was a hard time for everyone, and the U.S., even the world, had a much different view on life, liberty and even the horrible slavery of others. It was a time of the birth of a new nation and the death of its people, a coming of age for this great country, and is a theme that is portrayed wonderfully throughout.

This film also depicts the role of prayer, and shows how God's Will, to those who search for it, can work wonders. Now, whether you are a Christian or not, the very morals derived from the prayers ought to be an inspiration to everyone, and if anything, was an accurate representation of the men portrayed. Chamberlain, Jackson and Lee were all, indeed, devoted followers of God, and it is almost poetic how Gods and Generals shows how their devotion enabled them to have the insane bravery that they did. I found it very moving, and I know many others will too.

All in all, there have been few films that have touched me as much as this movie did. The dialogue is incredible and the battle scenes are very well choreographed. I do have to agree though with another viewer that at times, the music seems a bit out of place...for instance we hear a thundering choir similar to the famous charge of Fort Wagner in the movie Glory, but, though a great piece, it seems almost tacked on in a way. There are other instances of a sad love theme throughout that are not needed, but all in all, that is my only major complaint. The film is long, and I really thought I'd be bored as hell throughout. However, I was pleasantly surprised at how the movie flows. Yes, there are jingoistic, drawn out speeches, but they all are moving, are performed masterfully, and flow nicely. There were very few moments of 'dead time' where the movie just stopped at a stand still. I would recommend this movie to anyone, considering it isn't just a war movie junkie or Civil War buff movie. It has appealing elements for everyone, and is one of the most realistic portrayals of such a sad time in our history that I have ever seen. Like Schindler's List, this movie should definitely be seen by everyone so we do not forget the horror of a country at war with itself, and take the extra steps in order to ensure that it never happens again. I had low expectations going into this movie, and honestly thought I would get bored during the non-war scenes, but I was wrong, this movie was a very pleasant surprise, and probably got a bad rap from the same people that teach the history that all Southerners mistreated their slaves and that the only Union cause was to free said slaves. Both sides had a cause willing to die for, and both sides are sympathized for equally. Gods and Generals shows that there are no heroes in war, and that through all of the madness, humanity will always survive. Highly recommended. I rarely give this, but this movie deserves it, and it was truly touching...10/10 stars.

I love this movie. It is a very enjoyable film with a ton of messages and an awesome cast. I applaud Ice Cube, Cedric and company for having the guts to speak their minds about otherwise taboo topics. This movie had the infamous Jesse Jackson/Rosa Parks controversy, but honestly I don't see why a lot of african americans got upset over what they said. Cedric's immortal lines as the old, yet wise barber are so insightful, daring, and in my opinion, truthful. I get so sick of hearing the same rantings from prominent leaders that say they are for the rights of blacks, when they are really putting them down, and making them feel like they need special hand outs in order to be equal. What these leaders should realize is that African Americans, like any other race in this country, are just as intelligent and capable of the same success as anyone else is. This movie really had the guts to show characters who are mostly upstanding, hard working, morally concerned people instead of the usual stereotypical hoodlums, drug dealers, etc. Instead of the usual bleak ramblings of certain topics like affirmative action, welfare and reperations for slavery that we hear in the news, it is more than refreshing to hear intelligent African American characters speak their minds about how they as a race do not need special treatment in order to succeed. It was very inspiring, and I feel that everyone should see this movie. I absolutely hate stereotypes, and this film really goes against all of them. I highly recommend it for it's laughs, it's charm and it's brutal honesty. 10/10 stars.

After reading so many negative reviews on IMDB on this one, I was hesitant to watch it, but being a huge fan of Travolta, Jackson and John McTiernan, I decided to give it a try. Though suffering its fair share of flaws, overall, it is a decent film.

The acting ranges from mediocre to good, and features a lot of young faces like Taye Diggs and Giovanni Ribisi, and other familiar ones like Connie Nielsen, Harry Connick Jr., and the pilot from Wings (never did know his name...oh well). What this movie really has going for it is the atmosphere. The scenes of the squad in the hurricane (which, not to give anything away, is the plot of the movie all told in flashback) is very atmopheric, dreadful and appropriately mysterious. We are basically given a who-dunnit mystery told through the mouths of two survivors, each contradicting one another. I won't give anything else away, but the ending really did have me surprised, though pleasant, I felt a little cheated. Don't worry I'm about to tell you why.

What this movie suffers most from is from ambiguous information (that serves as a filler to the plot), poor editing and of course, one plot twist too many. Some movies like The Usual Suspects pulled off these twists with absolute panache...Basic, tries the same thing, but unfortunately, the results are sophomorish. Basic tries to up the ante with the plot twists (over and over and over and over again) but after about the 10th twist in the plot, it gets very tiresome. Sure, the story itself is pretty good, but the main fault was not in the script (if it was a bad script, why would so many talented actors commit to it?), but in the execution. McTiernan was the man back in the day, but with the massive flop, Rollerball, and now the slightly better than average Basic, he may be losing his steam. This movie tried so hard to make the viewer feel like it had outsmarted them...well, anybody can make a plot with an ending that is unexpected, but it takes a real master to tie it all together, and have it flow smoothly. Basic seems very choppy, and is one of the worst flowing movies I have seen in some time. It doesn't give us time to digest the next plot twist, b\c while we are sitting there thinking, A) trying to put faces to the names of the many characters in the flashbacks B) trying to piece together who is telling what and why, C) and are they lying or not, Basic throws another twist right at you. I will give the film credit, after sitting for about 30 minutes after it ended, I could honestly say that it did pull off a plot that had very few holes...but just barely. What I mean is, yes, point A does connect to point B, but it switches directions so much that once you get to point B (the end in this case), you forget how you got there. What this makes is a film that is not very memorable.

Despite the negative aspects, this film is a lot better than I thought it would be, and was an entertaining 2 hours or so. I have seen infinitely worse than this, but then again, so much better. If the filmmakers had either taken some of the atrocious plot twists out, we might have been treated to a tight, 90 minute thriller. Instead, we are felt a little cheated as big stars, and copious changes in plot seem to cover up the taste of this lukewarm thriller. 6/10 stars.

That's right, this movie has one of the most juvenile plots I have ever seen...I mean most comedies have crappy plots because we watch them for humor and a few good laughs, right? Well, that's what you get with Dumb and Dumberer, a sequel that truly never needed to be made, but was very funny to say the least.

No, it is nowhere near on par with the original, and it seemed like this one would have been a total stinkfest from the previews. It certainly had a tough act to follow, no doubt, but amazingly it pulled it off. There are a few acts that don't work, but there are never any real 'groaners'. Funny movies like Van Wilder and Old School have their fair share of complete groaners in addition to funny parts, but this one is practically groaner free. It flows almost haphazardly along, with pretty bad editing (I read somewhere that the original cut was close to 2 hours long!), but the short running time means that we are never really bored with what is going on. And yes, there are a few scenes of guilty pleasure childish delight that almost had me in tears, and many more that made me laugh out loud. Sure the humor isn't for everyone, but I think if you lower your expectations, you will be pleasantly suprised. I mean, how could you go into a movie like this with high expectations?

The first one was a classic and is STILL FUNNY even today. This one is a worthy successor, though slightly below par, which in this case, is still good. The two actors truly mastered Carrey's and Daniels' mannerisms perfectly, which is half the fun (especially the actor playing the young Jim Carrey...he got his facial expressions down cold). I don't usually rate movies like this that high, but I give this one an 8/10. Why so high you may ask? Well, it was a comedy, and though not ingenious, it kept me very entertained and provided many great laughs, a rarity these days. I recommend this movie to those who can appreciate silly humor that concentrate more on humor than shock value. 8/10 stars.