Reviews

"Hell and Back Again" chronicles the return of Sgt. Nathan Harris' return home and the result is interesting, disturbing and somewhat lacking. Sgt. Harris, is a Marine and always wanted to be one. He wants to fight (and "kill") and almost thrives upon it with his obsession with guns. However, after taking an injury in the field in one of the most violent areas in Afghanistan, Harris goes through rehabilitation back home to try and get his life back on track. The focus of the movie is almost entirely on Sgt. Harris and that both helps and hurts the film. While this does offer personality towards the subject matter but it is difficult not to watch "Hell and Back Again" and wonder what this would have been like with other people as subjects as well as outside opinions about Harris himself. The film ends up almost lacking as it tries to alternate between life at home and life (sometimes clumsily) in the military with little to no interaction with anyone else but Harris. Outside of flashback sequences, none of the other members within Harris' Echo Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment are given much development in regards to the narrative which is a shame because most of the segments in Afghanistan are by far the most interesting of the documentary. In the end, "Hell and Back Again" attempts to become the Marine Corps equivalent of "Restrepo" in terms of depicting military life and ends up somewhat missing the mark. It's not an awful documentary, it just could have been so much more than what it was.

The first "Paranormal Activity" showed what can be done with a horror film on a micro budget, the second albeit with a slightly larger budget was still relatively effective but unfortunately "Paranormal Activity 3" is where the series starts to miss the mark. Now taking place in 1988, the main focus is on Katie (Chloe Csengery) and Kristi (Jessica Tyler Brown), when they were kids when all the paranormal events began. Their father Dennis (Christopher Nicolas Smith) becomes paranoid that there is something supernatural going on in their home and uses his cameras from his wedding video business to try and film it. If there is probably one word to explain the scariness of "Paranormal Activity 3" more than likely it would be lackluster. Due to a larger budget, directors Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman throw more "jump" scares into the film but most of which are mediocre at best and predictable at worst. That said, the last 15-20 minutes are relatively intense but like the rest of the series ends abruptly and leaves several questions unanswered. "Paranormal Activity 3" is nowhere near as good as the last two, but for those looking for a few cheap thrills it might just do the job.

Over-the-top action is taken to a whole new level in the anime film "Redline" but unfortunately that's not a compliment. "Sweet" JP (Takuya Kimura) is a fiercely determined driver who has just lost his chance of getting into a deadly racing competition known as "Redline." Though when two of the drivers decide to drop out, JP gets his chance to finally compete. This is ultimately how paper thin the storyline actually gets. Everything about this movie moves a mile a minute and does not seem to care about fleshing anything out (which ends up hurting the film when they throw a love interest into the mesh). The animation style, while starting off interesting, gets stale fast and by the end almost feels more like an elaborate motion comic. The majority of the action takes place in the second half of the movie and much like the rest of the movie comes and goes so quickly for anyone to actually feel completely involved. Some anime enthusiasts might enjoy "Redline" for the unique animation style and occasional quirks but for everyone else it's another potentially fun film that crashed and burned.

When it comes to Kurosawa, most that come to mind are "Seven Samurai", "Rashomon", and "Yojimbo" but "The Hidden Fortress" is a worthy addition just on the impact alone. Tahei and Matashichi are two selfish greedy peasants just trying to get home. After discovering gold in the mountains, the two decide to team up with a general and a princess hiding out there in order to escape with some extra money in their pockets. "The Hidden Fortress" is an adventure story that draws influence from both Eastern and Western cultures. Instead of being seen from the high-class samurai's eyes, the majority of the film is done through the two peasant's perspectives which generally balances between seriousness and humor relatively well. It does get slightly over-the-top at points but with a witty cast and a fantastic director like Akira Kurosawa, it's not hard to see why George Lucas would eventually draw inspiration from it for "Star Wars."

Toshiro Mifune works with director Masaki Kobayashi in the samurai film "Samurai Rebellion" but the results are not what they should be. When their lord requests the marriage of his mistress to his son, Isaburo (Mifune) is reluctant to comply. However, two years later, the two start to develop feelings for each other and Isaburo starts to change his mind. Though when the lord orders for her return both Isaburo and his son Yogoro (Go Kato) decide to take a stand. If nothing else, "Samurai Rebellion" is worth a watch because of its gorgeous cinematography and Mifune's intense performance. The problem starts when it gets less and less believable. At a number of points it seems as if Isaburo cares about their relationship than anyone else in the cast, his son included. As a result a few moments near the end almost come off like a soap opera. "Samurai Rebellion" is not a bad film but it is not the best film in either Mifune's or Kobayashi's repertoire.

Renowned film-noir director Otto Preminger tackles courtroom dramas in "Anatomy of a Murder." Paul Biegler (James Stewart) is a lawyer who mostly just wants to fish and play jazz. Though when a case involving the rape of a soldier's wife that lead to a murder comes his way, Biegler reluctantly steps out to help them make a difficult case for temporary insanity. "Anatomy of a Murder" takes a bit to actually get started with a few predictable moments in the first act but is saved by a solid performance by Stewart and a great soundtrack. Though once in the courthouse the film becomes interesting, suspenseful and even occasionally funny. There are a few unanswered questions near the end but thanks to a good cast and a relatively good plot "Anatomy of a Murder" holds up.

"Pirate Radio" (aka "The Boat That Rocked") tells a story of musical rebellion in a way that's clever but occasionally uneven. In the 1960s, Britain attempted to ban pop music and only play classical instead. One station, known as Radio Rock chose to go against the government and play pop 24 hours a day. Though with the officials trying to shut them down and a young new inhabitant named Carl (Tom Sturridge) nothing is ever quite the same on the boat. "Pirate Radio" has one major problem: it goes off in a number of different direction. Aside from being a period piece as well as an homage to pop music in all its forms, the film also tries to be a coming-of-age story centered around Carl. While the story is coherent and generally enjoyable, it tends to come off as rather safe in contrast to a story about breaking the rules and taking a stand. "Pirate Radio" will certainly not be taking home any awards, but for a two-hour movie with great music and humor it's good enough.

Just when horror looks like it's gone completely stale, movies like "Tucker and Dale vs. Evil" come out proving there's still more that can be done with the genre. Tucker and Dale are just two country boys who want to live out their dream to own a vacation home. Meanwhile, a group of college kids accidentally mistake them for being hostile which leads to unfortunate results. "Tucker and Dale vs. Evil" may sound familiar but ultimately it's not. Instead of being a straight-up slasher flick, the film decides to be bold and through slapstick comedy into the killing which works surprisingly well. The majority of them are foreshadowed, but still never fail to achieve hilarity. Make no mistake "Tucker and Dale vs. Evil" isn't the smartest movie on the block but it still packs more originality than most horror movies and more laughs than most comedies out right now.

After twelve long years everybody's favorite clerks are back for the sequel in Clerks II. This time, they've moved from their department store to a fast food restaurant known as Mooby's after Dante's goofy sidekick, Randall starts a fire. Not only are several new characters added and some step-ins for actors from the original who didn't come back for the sequel but this time they're in color. Happily enough to say, Clerks II is a great follow up to the clever original and in mine and several others opinion is much better than the original as well. The jokes are funnier, the bizarre action sillier, and the fun just keeps rolling on throughout the films running time. If you thought the characters you know and love from the original were funny, you better hold on tight because they were only getting warmed up. You will honestly be laughing so much from this film you might actually feel stomach pain. It's just that goofy a movie and I'm glad to hear word from Kevin Smith that there's rumors of an animated sequel. Nevertheless, the Clerks are still Clerkin' on by and it's all so much fun to watch.

Clerks is a bizarre movie. It's done in little chapter with one-word titles that flash on the screen explaining the new event. Not only that, but clever comedian Kevin Smith also shoots it in black and white. So what's so great about the cult comedy Clerks? It's a fun average-joe story that lives up to its tagline: Just because they serve you, doesn't mean they like you. I didn't realize how goofy that line meant until I had a part-time job and saw this movie. Clerks has so many inside jokes in that area that anybody who can relate will be roaring in laughter at some points. The main characters pretty much do everything that we would get fired for and to be honest, it's great fun to watch. Although it never would've left me expecting a sequel, I have to say Clerks is a smart comedy that's starting to grow into a trilogy and I'm dying to see how the animated sequel to Clerks II is going to turn out in a few years. Clerks will overall leave you rolling in laughter, and making you feel sick with laughter inside.

If you're going to watch DOA for martial arts potential, don't waste your time. This film is so clichéd it'll make your head spin (Most of it is a bad Enter the Dragon knockoff with four women taking over for Bruce Lee and John Saxon). The acting is all terrible and at points painful to watch. Now, I'm sure you're wondering why I even bothered to watch this movie then. First, I didn't pay to see it and second, this movie is just so bad you're going to be rolling in your seat with laughter. This movie apparently had release date issues (It kept getting pushed back) and overall comes to show it. The story lines and everything else in this is so goofy that if you can't tell what's going to happen before it does, let me tell you right now, you have problems. DOA is only fun to watch because of how bad it is and ultimately is the entire reason I couldn't find myself able to turn off the piece of trash movie. The disturbing factor of this film is the matter that Cory Yuen (who directed several Jet Li movies and good ones I might add) directed it and he should be embarrassed for this film.

I've so far got three nominees for the absolute worst film of 2007. Those films are Aqua Teen Hunger Force Movie Film For Theatres, Hostel Part II, and The Mist. Aqua Teen Hunger Force was definitely not worth the price of admission for the fans of the show but still did have some fairly funny lines (And the rising curtain just downright hysterical). Hostel Part II was bad too, especially with not much of a storyline, just a "Next Generation" kind of plot but did have some clever kills so I'll give it credit. Then, there's The Mist. What do we have to say about this film, folks? Honestly, I don't even know where to start bashing this film. The acting is awful, the storyline is unfaithful to the book, and you'll end up wishing The Mist had taken every last member of the cast, including Thomas Jane, who's the only recognizable face in this B-film. It's really a shame to see Frank Darabont, who created masterpieces The Green Mile and The Shawshank Redemption, shame himself with this load. Don't waste your time, it's so not worth it you'll want to leave within the first hour.

One of my friends read about this foreign film in a magazine and the editor had said it was really good. I then began to research it on my own and realized that this would never air on TV so I bought a copy. The biggest flaw about this film according to fellow reviewers was that this film was confusing and complicated. I thought after reading some of their comments "Yeah right, this is an action flick, how complicated can this be?" Boy, was I ever wrong. Casshern is an interesting story with equally interesting visual effects but it is hurt by its extremely confusing storyline. I had to rewind the film backwards twice to make sure I understood what was going on. The film also has some great action sequences, but the main character looks really cheesy at points and also, even though the visual effects are impressive and fun to look at, the overall darkness of the movie hurts what could've been it's best area of the film. Casshern is worth it if you're into the anime genre and feel like exploring a live-action adaptation but be warned this film does have its fair share of flaws and you may not feel like you're getting your $20 worth to see it.

The first film was so good I couldn't help myself but to try and watch the sequel. My dad showed me a couple clips of the film on t.v. when I was a kid and I really had high hopes for this film. But unfortunately, I was greeted with a bunch of unneeded, unnecessary, brutal graphic storyline with a sad excuse for a storyline that might as well been three words: Bang, Bang, Bang. That isn't to say there isn't some fun to be had with this movie. The film tries very hard to be as action-packed as the original which it successfully achieves but unfortunately it's just so pointless that you grow irritated by it and begin to feel dirty from watching it. The visual effects are also a good factor for this film, it has extremely well done animation (Both stop-motion and surprisingly, a very early CGI that looks great for a 90's film). Nevertheless Robocop 2 isn't worth your time, just watch the original and stop.

It's a shame that Mel Gibson had to act so dumbly prior to this film's release because it's actually pretty good and would've made so much more had he not said what he said. The storyline is disturbing, intense, and fun. Several scenes will have you literally on the edge of your seat cheering on our hero: Jaguar's Paw, who's desperately trying to escape from vicious Mayans who want to use him for ritual sacrifice and get to his trapped wife and son. First, I give viewers fair warning if you are queasy via gore, do not even try to watch this movie. It's starts off with Mayans hunting a Tapir and only gets worse from there. Nevertheless, if you're willing to try and sit through this gory film the rewards are excellent. Action sequences are well shot and the storyline is always exciting. The only problem with this film is once our hero begins to battle his foes in the jungle it kind of seems like its nothing more than a Rambo knock-off although it's extremely well-done. If you're in for adventure, and gore doesn't scare you, look no further than Apocalypto.

Paul Verhoeven is one of my favorite directors for the matter of how he makes almost all of his films action-packed but also seem like you're just watching T.V. at home. Robocop is no exception in what could easily be considered his action/sci-fi classic. In case you don't know the story here's how it works: an outstanding rookie known as Alex Murphy is brought into a new police department to crackdown on some dealers. Obviously, it doesn't end too well and the dealers capture Murphy and blast him to bits. Somehow, Murphy is rescued with the little life he has hanging on and transforms him into a cyborg that we now know as Robocop, the ultimate crime-fighting figure. The movie is fun to watch with exquisite visual effects for a film done in the eighties. The action is great, the storyline though somewhat cheesy remains entertaining and you only wish that the sequels were half as good.

I admit I've only seen about three of Shakespeare's plays (Romeo & Juliet, Macbeth, & of course Hamlet) one I liked, the other I found so-so (Macbeth), and Hamlet I just found a masterpiece. I'm pleased to tell you that this adaptation is every bit as good as the intense and dramatic play. The acting is extremely strong (With a cast that features Kenneth Branagh, Robin Williams, and Billy Crystal how can you lose?) and the change in time period (Looks like somewhere between the 17 and 1800's) plays off beautifully as the characters move about and say their infamous lines straight from the script itself that any fan of the Shakespearean play will get chills from. If you're into this popular drama I highly urge you to watch this powerful 1996 adaptation from Shakespearean admirer Kenneth Branagh.

I know what you're thinking, part four is always a bad move and a PG-13 rating for the infamous R-rated action series sounds like a recipe for disaster, right? Believe it or not, Die Hard is still having just as much as it did back in 1982 with the third sequel Live Free or Die Hard. This time he's trying to stop terrorists from creating a deadly economic weapon. Teamed up with whiny but enjoyable Justin Long, McClane races into battle once again and I can't help but to say that this should've happened so much earlier than 2007. The action stays fun and exciting, Willis' is still as awesome as he was in the past three films and although fans of the series might be upset that he only says "Yippi-ki-yay" once, it makes up with summer action-movie fun that I haven't seen in a long time and I'm glad to see it returned. Don't be brought down by the films rating, there's still tons of fun to be had and action to experience. My biggest hope is that there will continue to be sequels to this great franchise.

This film is amazing. I can't put it in any words better than that. If you're an anime fan that enjoys a lot of variety you need to see this film, no questions asked. The animation to this movie is bizarre but yet very vivid at the same time to the point of where you're saying exactly what I said in my summary: "Wow!" The storyline is where it continues to get better. It seems like it's an average tale of two brothers who are heroes to a town and do great things but it turns out that there's so much more. The heroes are both good and bad (just as their names describe: Black and White) and the villains are as bad as they come. The only issue is that some of the storyline leaves a couple holes at the end, making you wonder what happened but yet giving you an idea in your head of what you think might've happened. Nevertheless, although Tekkonkinkreet is rated R and very violent, it's still a great movie that I truly believe any anime fan will come to love.

You have to love this movie. It's action-packed, fun, humorous, and you'll leave your seat come the end of the movie just wanting to say our hero's infamous catch-phrase which is still loved to this day by fans. The story isn't very complicated but the elements around it allow the film to be playful and keep the movie exciting, especially around the time when the movie is set, Christmas. This is easily one of Bruce Willis' best roles he ever played and I can't help but to say I'm glad that it's continued to live on and eventually spawn three great sequels that hope will continue to keep going. Die Hard is a movie not to be forgotten, and is guaranteed to keep you entertained and having a good time. If you haven't seen Die Hard, you have to, because it has to be one the top 100 best action films ever made list.

Bruce Willis returns after eight years to continue playing action-hero cop John McClane in Die Hard 2: Die Harder. Once again our hero finds himself pitted against terrorists that have now taken over an airplane. Willis continues to make his character fun with tons of infamous over-the-top action sequences that are clearly against the laws of physics but you don't really care when you watch it, witty lines, and of course Yippie-ki-yay (well, you know I can't say the next part). Anyways, it's nowhere near as good as the original but it makes it fun for its viewers and still holds up as a pretty good action movie sequel. Fans will continue to have a good time see Willis kick butt, the bad guys get killed, and having tons of fun in the process. With two more sequels following this film, Die Hard is a series not to be forgotten because of all the fun we've experienced with it and hopefully will continue to do so in the future.