When the new releases fail you it's time to turn back the clock. Circa 2003, Out Of Time is simply good fun. It has plot holes and inconsistencies galore, but it does what it sets out to do and that is: entertain you.
I have stated many times that every movie does not need to be Oscar worthy. There are only so many of those to go around. Every movie should set out to entertain and this fits the bill.
Denzel Washington could turn a play at Morristown High into a memorable event. Only Tom Prickett's rendition of Hysterium could rival him. He is amazing.
La mujer cubana caliente does what she is supposed to do. She looks great playing her part. Other than that she doesn't add much. She has been much better in other roles.
Sanaa Lathan and Dean Cain round out the solid, good looking cast so you never get bored.
There is enough eye candy for everyone, so get your popcorn ready and enjoy.
Hancock is just another example of what can go wrong in Hollywood.
This is a new installment to the super hero genre that went totally awry. I have no idea what Peter Berg was trying to do with this material. He was all over the map. In 95 minutes, the movie was dark, light, humorous, ridiculous, sappy, and sad.
If he would have kept the material dark, much like it began, he would have had a winner. Will Smith's wise cracking was very funny, and the sexual scene was hilarious. But every time they went in different directions I was left shaking my head.
It's a shame because there were strong performances all around. Will Smith kept this from being a complete waste of time. He has become one of the better actors of his generation. He has proven that he can pull off just about anything. Jason Bateman was very believable but they just didn't develop his character enough for anyone to care about him. Charlize Theron was so under utilized that it was a sin. This material gave her very little to work with. Her main part developed so late in the game that it couldn't help save the movie. If they would have let her appear in her "business" attire a bit longer they could have at least helped the males of the audience survive.
She is ridiculously hot. Let's hope she never goes back to Monster. Nobody needs to see this:
I went smaller on the pic to save your souls.
For all you A/V junkies out there, the Blu-Ray slightly above average. The picture was clean but they could have done more with the special effects. The Dolby TrueHD was also just slightly above average. Man, they could have done SO much more with this.
Tropic Thunder is a parody on everything Hollywood. Each of the characters spoofs upon someone you will recognize. The movie itself spoofs upon war movies. It draws upon Platoon for the majority of its fodder, but isn't afraid to pull from Saving Private Ryan along with a few others.
I realize that this movie got tremendous reviews, in fact it received an 83% on the Tomaometer! I was tremendously excited to see this film. Unfortunately I could not have been more disappointed.
The spoof got old quickly. You can only go so far with the material. If you have seen any of the above mentioned movies you will quickly say, "enough already"!
Ben Stiller is his typical self and I have become bored with it. Tom Cruise was actually quite funny and Robert Downey Jr. was amazing. He continues his meteoric rise back to untouchable status. Good for him!
The Blu-Ray transfer was very solid, the picture was crisp and the jungle scenes were impressive. The Dolby TrueHD was also quite engaging.
I give it 2 out of 5 stars. I would love to hear your thoughts.
Alpha Dog is a movie that actually made me very angry. Not because of the content, but because of what it could have been.
Based on a true story about Jesse James Hollywood. The movie gets confused about what it wants to be. It drifts between being a true crime story, a tragedy, or a typical teen drug party movie. It tries to do all three and that is precisely where it fails.
The movie was completely miscast. Bruce Willis and Sharon Stone were completely under utilized. They have both done this genre before and could have helped save this flick. Emile Hirsch was simply unbelievable. He is a good actor and when put in roles that suit his abilities, Into The Wild comes to mind, he can succeed with flying colors. He is just not a "tough guy" in my opinion. Justin Timberlake has some ability but is green and needs some time. He had some really strong moments, but just as many weak moments.
The only strong performance came from Anton Yelchin. He was vulnerable, a bit rebellious, and heart wrenching when he needed to be. I wanted to shake him a few times, and that is a compliment to his performance.
The movie was not all bad. I will give credit where it's due. The final 30 minutes were strong and engrossing. It's just too bad that it took 90 minutes to get there.
I am giving this 2 out of 5 stars. This material should have made it an easy 4. The story deserved more than Nick Cassavetes was able to give. I want a do over!
I'm taking you back to 1998 with Slums of Beverly Hills. Every once in a while it's good to turn the clock back and gain some new appreciation for a lost flick.
For some reason, perhaps my soft spot for dysfunctional families, I never get tired of comedies of this sort. It's full of wise cracks, dysfunctional family laughs, and just enough uncomfortable situations to make you keep smiling and wanting more.
Alan Arkin is his typical amazing self. He is hilarious and believable, and he makes you realize that he did Little Miss Sunshine 8 years prior. I can't get enough of his humor. Natasha Lyonne was incredibly funny, innocent, trashy, and sexy all rolled into one. She did a fabulous job, much better than I ever expected from her. It makes me wonder where she went wrong. She should be much more successful with her career. She deserves better.
Marisa Tomei is sexy and ridiculous, and I mean that with all due respect. It's what the character called for and she basically pulled it off. She has been better, but still a solid performance. Writer/Director Tamara Jenkins could have done more in the character development with her. I never got too attached to her and she played a key role. This was probably the only true fault.
As for Ms. Jenkins, where did she go for the 9 years between "Slums" and The Savages? This woman is obviously talented so I hope to see more of her work soon. Hopefully I don't have to wait another nine years.
For those of you who did not see The Savages, please make a note to see it. It is a fabulously touching, and comedic, story about family dysfunction and the evolution that goes with the realization. Jenkins has this genre down pat. And since nearly 50% of us end up in divorced families, most of us can relate.
So, back to Slums. I have a feeling that some of you will think I rated it too high. Whatever you think, I will be happy that you checked it out. Let me know your thoughts. 4 out of 5 stars.
Dark City is a movie about a man that awakens in an unfamiliar city, accused of murder. He must immediately decipher what has happened to him, and how to untangle the unbelievable mess called his life.
That, my friends, is all that I am going to give you. I couldn't even begin to give this movie justice with a review. The movie is dark, cerebral, and downright scary all wrapped up into an amazing package. A science-fiction masterpiece!
Almost everything about this movie is perfect. Kiefer Sutherland, Rufus Sewell, William Hurt, and Richard O'Brien turn in near flawless performances. The only weakness, and minor one at that, was Jennifer Connelly. I don't want to bash her because she was as good as I have seen her, but she was just a bit out of her league with this movie and cast.
If you are a fan of the science-fiction genre you will love this movie. I guarantee that you will purchase it after you watch it.
If you aren't a fan of the genre, I bet that you will still be amazed at the quality.
This is a benchmark of the style. Dark City was made in 1998 and it would be a hit if it were just released. There are a few movies that will stand the test of time. This is one of them. Do yourself a favor and get a hold of this movie as soon as possible.
Watch the Director's Cut. You will be rewarded. And by all means, please watch the Blu-Ray edition. The picture is near flawless. The blacks are amazing, and the few bits of color jump out at you and further immerse you into the story. The DTS-HD Master Audio mix is amazing. Crank your system and hang on.
Cashback is a movie about a college age kid, played by Sean Biggerstaff, who gets dumped by his girlfriend and becomes an insomniac. He gets a night shift job at a grocery store and pretends to have the ability to stop time.
Reading that two sentence synopsis could already make you turn away. And true, this is a movie that is quite polarizing. The majority of viewers will love it or hate it.
First, you must appreciate British humor. If you do not, stop reading right now and pick another flick. The first 15 minutes are incredibly slow as it does nothing but character building. Just when I was about to snooze, there was a piece of dry British humor to pull me out of the slumber.
The story ebbs and flows and at times you need to force yourself to press on. I thought this would be more of a comedy but I was wrong. You do get a few good laughs, a lot of terrific breast shots, but in ends up being more of a "chick flick" then you might think.
Don't let the review spin you one way or the other. Give it a try. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. I have a feeling that even if you don't like it you won't feel that it was a waste of time.
Standard definition and Dolby Pro-Logic make the presentation forgettable.
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