DVD Releases for Month of December

The Hangover - A (Gotta Own)

The Hangover is the funniest movie of the year and should be considered an instant classic. It provides non-stop laughter from start to finish. When I first saw the trailer to this I thought it would be just another stupid comedy; however I quickly learned I was very wrong. It doesn’t make the same mistake that other recent comedies such as The Goods made and be unnecessarily vulgar or overly crude. Everything is done in perfect moderation but still provides incredible laughter. The best thing about the movie is that it never shows you exactly what or how their unforgettable night unfolds. All you see is the hilarious devastation the next day, and how they try and fix their mistakes from the night before. Bradley Cooper plays a total jerk that you’ll still love by the end of the movie. This one is not only worth a rent, but also needs to be a part of your collection.

Inglourious Basterds – A (Gotta Own)

Coming from someone who thinks Quentin Tarantino is one of the more overrated directors in Hollywood, I thoroughly enjoyed this film. Inglourious Basterds is a great WWII movie about what it would be like if the Jewish people could have turned the tables on Hitler and the Nazis. Brad Pitt leads a group of soldiers whose sole mission is to find and scalp as many Nazis as possible, and Brad Pitt wants him his scalps. Much of the movie is subtitled, but even if you don’t like to read during movies you shouldn’t let that deter you from watching this. Pitt is essentially the only well known actor in the film, different then most of Tarantino’s movies which usually brings along a good deal of star power. The title is like most of his movies and stolen from another, lesser known film. Tarantino fans will be salivating over this film, and even Tarantino haters should enjoy this unique take on history.

World’s Greatest Dad - B+ (Gotta Rent)

World’s Greatest Dad is a dark comedy starring Robin Williams and takes place in Seattle. After an unexpected event, Williams’ life is suddenly changed forever. In an effort to salvage the situation he catapults both his professional and personal life. During the entire film you find yourself wanting to laugh, although not quite sure you should. The comedy is almost perverse as it tries to find the humor in as well as characterize the harsh truths about death. It emphasizes how people’s feelings towards someone changes once they die. Williams further shows his versatility as both a dramatic actor and comedian. He doesn’t need to force the laughs on you; they simply come from the situations presented. Overall it’s a well written and acted film that is definitely worth the watch.

Public Enemies - A- (Gotta Rent)

Public Enemies is a top-notch gangster movie about John Dillinger, Baby Face Nelson and how the FBI came about in the early 1930s. Starring Johnny Depp, Christian Bale and Marion Cotillard, Michael Mann was able to create a film that perfectly captured the emotions of the era. The performances are all fantastic, especially Depp’s who steps away from his Jack Sparrow and Willy Wonka type characters and really becomes John Dillinger. History buffs may notice that while most of the events in the movie actually occurred, hardly any of them occurred in the same order. Its one downfall is that the runtime is almost 2.5 hours and can drag a little at times. With the attention span of society shorter than ever, the movie runs about a half an hour too long. Public Enemies is definitely one of the best movies of 2009, and one of the better gangster movies since Goodfellas.

Julie and Julia - A- (Gotta Rent)

In what I expected to be an attempt at taking two of the top actresses and combining them with the most famous chef of all time just to make a quick dollar, Julie and Julia turned out to be one of the most charming films of the year. Meryl Streep did a perfect job as Julia Child, capturing both the voice and mannerisms flawlessly. Amy Adams on the other hand continued to show that she is one of the top actresses of her time creating a very likeable and relatable character. Time and time again she seems to be less of an actor and more just being herself. The film transitions back and forth between the present where Adams is trying to cook every recipe in Child’s cookbook and back to the 1950s to when Child was learning how to be a cook and develop her world famous cookbook. It is a funny and light-hearted comedy with a unique story that is well worth the watch.

The Other Man – C- (Don’t Bother)

This film can best be characterized as a huge waste of some great talent. Antonio Banderas and Oscar nominated actors Liam Neeson and Laura Linney try and salvage this story about revenge and infidelity. After Neeson finds out Banderas is sleeping with his wife, he vows revenge and gets close to him until the perfect moment. The interactions between the two had a lot of potential but add virtually nothing to an already bland story. They tried to focus on too many emotions rather than just centralize on one. Linney is given very little screen time and the “shocking twist” at the end isn’t much of a twist and is not very shocking. If they would have extended the short playtime of only 80 minutes then maybe the director could have added a bit of character development or a subplot that could have gave the audience some reason to keep watching.

Taking Woodstock – B (Wait for It)

If you’re a younger generation trying to experience Woodstock for the first time, or if you’re trying to relive the festival, then you should probably look for the documentary Woodstock. However, if you want to know how Woodstock came about, and you want a few laughs along the way then this will suit you just fine. Taking Woodstock is about the young man who brought Woodstock to the small town of Bethel, New York. Liev Shreiber is hilarious as a cross-dressing ex-military man, as does Emile Hirsch as a Vietnam veteran. My main problem with the movie was that it had virtually no music from the festival itself. I’m baffled at how you can make a film about the greatest music festival in history, and then not include any of the music. The film gives you a taste of what the festival was all about, but never really gives you the full helping. If you want a behind the scenes look then check this out, but if you want to experience the show then watch the documentary instead.

G-Force – B (Gotta Rent for kids)

G-Force is good for what it was made to be, a fun and entertaining children’s movie. I’m not sure why today’s audience has such an obsession with movies about rodents and other small furry animals, but this one is no different. Where many other kids’ movies have at least something to attract the adults, this is purely geared towards kids. It doesn’t include any subtle jokes or innuendoes like movies such as Shrek. It is a purely PG film that the parents can let their children watch with no worries. The movie is filled with non-stop action, decent CGI, and a fun soundtrack consisting mostly of today’s hottest pop hits. Overall it is a great rental for the kids so the parents can watch something a little more adult.

All About Steve – C (Don’t Bother)

In the last year Bradley Cooper and Sandra Bullock have each had multiple films that were critically acclaimed box office smashes. Cooper starred in Yes Man and The Hangover, while Bullock had the best year of her career with The Proposal and The Blind Side (each earning her a Golden Globe nomination). This one however, is one of their biggest flops. Bullock plays a very clingy crossword puzzle constructor who falls madly in love with Cooper, a news reporter. When Cooper tries to distance himself from her, she becomes obsessive and will do anything to have him. The casting is completely wrong for nearly every part. The laughs are few and far between. Bullock, a normally very likeable actress, comes across as just annoying. Somewhere in there might have been a decent script but it was completely lost along the way. Luckily for the both of them it will be forgotten quickly and lost among their movies that are actually worth a watch.

Extract - B (Gotta Rent)

Extract is the next comedy from Mike Judge, the creator of Office Space and Idiocracy. Extract isn’t quite as good as either of its predecessors, however still contains enough laughs to be worth a watch. Jason Bateman’s character is very similar to his Arrested Development one and also has issues with his life away from the job. When Mila Kunis joins his workforce Bateman struggles with the desire of infidelity as well as his guilty conscience. Ben Affleck plays a very small role as a bartender whose terrible advice jumpstarts the plot. Affleck does great in these short comedic style roles, rather than his lead roles in such disasters and Daredevil or Paycheck. Kristen Wiig plays his wife, and should have been given a lot more screen time. It’s an entertaining and funny enough film to be worth a watch, but don’t expect an Office Space type gem.

Beyond a Reasonable Doubt – C (Wait for It)

This direct-to-DVD film has a promising story, but suffers from poor directing and editing. When Jesse Metcalfe, an upcoming reporter wants to expose a dirty D.A., he does it the only way he thinks will work. He attempts to implement himself in a murder in an attempt at getting the D.A. to plant evidence. The plot is interesting enough and the cast is strong enough that the film should have been a success. The scene transitions are pretty terrible and sometimes it seems as if scenes are completely out of place. The director tries to add too much to the ending for shock value. Amber Tamblyn gives an honorable performance, and Michael Douglas does his best to save the film. Overall it’s a movie that would be a good watch when it gets to cable T.V.

DVD Release Reviews for November 17th

Four Christmases - C+ (Don’t Bother)

Four Christmases was about 3 Christmases too long. From the very beginning the chemistry between Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon just isn’t there. The reported tension on the set of filming clearly came through as they weren’t remotely a believable couple. Vince Vaughn was miscast and the leading male role should have been someone with a more likeable personality. Even the families of both characters came across as very annoying and not very funny. With a star-studded cast like this one, the film should have been a huge hit. Being your typical romantic-comedy the plot is predictable and not very interesting. If you love Christmas movies then you may enjoy this film, otherwise go with a rom-com such as The Proposal instead as it is better in every aspect.

Bruno - B- (Wait for It)

This came very close to being a complete disaster, and in fact I almost turned it off after the first 15 minutes. The crudeness and number of people that it offends far surpasses that of Borat, and was almost to the point of being unwatchable at first. However, once it focused more on the people Bruno interacted with and less on himself, it became quite hilarious. Just like Borat, the opinions and reactions of some of the people filmed are easily the funniest parts of the whole movie. It’s not nearly as good as Borat as that was almost non-stop laughing the first viewing. It’s definitely not for the younger crowd, but is funny enough to be watched once. Although, also just like Borat one viewing will be more than enough.

My Sister’s Keeper - A- (Gotta Rent)

Anyone with a child, brother, sister or a heart will be thoroughly moved by this film. Cameron Diaz plays the mother of her child who is dying from leukemia. In an attempt to save her life she has a 2nd child that is genetically altered to be a perfect match to her cancer stricken daughter. Abigail Breslin and Sofia Vassilieva turn in such strong performances as sisters that it breaks your heart to see what they are both going through. The way the story plays out is very unique. It shows their lives at different points through each of their eyes. It helps you understand why the son is so distant, why Breslin is so hesitant to continue donating her body to her sister, and why the mother will do whatever it takes to save her dying child. Alec Baldwin and Joan Cusack also costar and play key roles in determining the fate of the family. If you want a heart-wrenching film that will bring you to tears there is no better choice then My Sister’s Keeper.

Star Trek - A- (Gotta Own)

Coming from someone who has never seen a single Star Trek episode or movie, I thoroughly enjoyed this film. It was a great action-packed sci-fi film that also provided something that few of the other 2009 blockbuster summer hits did, a decent and intriguing story. J.J. Abrams (the mind behind Lost and Cloverfield) really grabs hold and makes it his own. Unlike most other space-themed movies, it doesn’t across as cheesy or fake looking. My only major concern with the movie was the casting choices. The 2 main characters, Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto were perfectly cast as Kirk and Spock. However, the choices for the rest of the cast kind of perplexed me. Tyler Perry, Simon Pegg, John Cho (Harold from Harold & Kumar) and Wynona Rider are just a few of the actors that play smaller roles. They weren’t necessarily bad in the roles, just really unexpected for a big-budget sci-fi flick. Even if you are not a Star Trek fan at all or have never seen anything Trek related this is still definitely worth a watch.

DVD Release Reviews for November 9th

Up - A+ (Gotta Own)

Pixar does it again by striking animation gold with Up, the story of a widowed old man going on one final adventure in memory of his wife. Up is fantastic in every aspect, from the animation, to the story to the individual characters. It’ll have you crying within the first 10 minutes of the movie, laughing throughout the entirety of the film and entertain you until the end credits. Like Wall-E, Ratatouille, and the dozen other films it is great for both children and adults and has to rank as one of the top animated movies of the decade. The best part of the movie has to be the “talking” dogs. I can’t imagine dogs thinking anything but what is portrayed in the movie. No matter what type of movie you like or what your feelings are towards animated films, you have to see this. This is a must-see, must-rent and must-own.

The Ugly Truth - C+ (Wait for It)

The ugly truth of this movie is that it is a complete waste of good actors and a potentially good script. It is overwhelmingly and unnecessarily vulgar to the point of greatly detracting from the film itself. None of the characters come across as likeable at all, and actually come to brink of just being annoying. It tries to be a romantic comedy except that it’s not really all that funny. There are some funny scenes, such as an updated version of Meg Ryan’s infamous diner scene from When Harry Met Sally, but they are few and far between. To go along with that the “romance” aspect of it is not remotely believable. It seemed like it could be your typical date movie, but its excessive vulgarity just make it ridiculous. It’s even more surprising considering all 3 screen writers are women and the film really disrespects women as a whole.

The Goods - C+ (Don’t Bother)

I would characterize The Goods as a comedy very similar to Observe and Report. The stories are nothing alike; however both of them left me feeling greatly disappointed. It is quite raunchy and vulgar, to an unnecessary level, not a funny one similar to most of Judd Apatow’s films. The cast should have made this a home run as it stars Jeremy Piven and just about all of the minor characters from some of the great comedies of recent years such as Role Models, Knocked Up and Zack and Miri. It’s an hour and a half of non-stop one liners and attempted gags to try and produce laughs. Some succeed, however most fall flat. Piven almost tries to hard to be like Ari, his hilarious role from Entourage but just comes across as an over-confident jerk instead. Overall it has some laughs but can probably be skipped by most and seen on T.V.

Accidental Husband – B (Gotta Rent)

Accidental Husband is a straight to DVD (domestically at least, it was in theaters briefly overseas) romantic comedy. The main premise of the story is Jeffrey Dean Morgan gets revenge on Uma Thurman, a radio talk show host that convinces his fiancé to call off their wedding. The ridiculous part of the story is that his revenge consists of marrying himself to Uma with just a click of the mouse on his computer, just before she is to marry Colin Firth. The film tries to do a new take on the romantic comedy genre with a fresh new story, but it’s just as predictable as every other rom-com out there. Although the story itself is a little out there and the decisions that Uma’s character makes doesn’t make any sense, the film is light-hearted and fun enough to be a decent rom-com. If you can overlook the implausible storyline and just take it for what it’s worth then it would be worth a rent, especially considering it’s essentially a direct-to-DVD film.

DVD Release Reviews for November 3rd

Food, Inc. - A- (Gotta Rent)
Food, Inc. is a documentary that may do for Tyson products and other grocery meats what Super Size Me did for the fast food industry (more specifically McDonald’s. The harsh truths that Food, Inc. presents about the frozen food industry may make you think twice about buying those chicken nuggets, just like Super Size Me had a profound effect on McDonalds and the products that it offered. Like many of today’s documentaries, it does a great job at showing what goes on behind the scenes in the major corporations of the world. The facts aren’t exactly shocking considering everything that Who Killed the Electric Car, Maxed Out, and just about every other documentary of the 21st century has shown. Its one downfall is that it is very similar to Michael Moore’s documentaries in that it only shows one side of the argument. It makes all of the frozen food companies out to be evil corporations and that they have never done anything good. I’m not saying that they DO do anything good, however it would be nice to hear both sides of the argument.

G. I. Joe – B (Gotta Rent)
This is just another example of one of our childhood toys being made into a big budget action movie with no attention to the plot and all focus on how it looks. Just like Transformers, this presents some very cool and expensive action scenes with some very unique weaponry. The technology they come up with makes you believe some of the weapons could actually exist. The casting was much better than I expected. Channing Tatum and the rest of the Joes all play a very believable G. I. Joe. They try to tell you the background of a few of the characters, it seemed like they should have either done it for all of them or none of them. I think choosing just 2 of the characters and leaving the rest out to dry was a mistake. Overall it’s much better than I expected and definitely a guilty pleasure. The movie is pretty much just eye candy so don’t expect too much of a thinker. It is worth a rent, and you can expect a sequel due to the cliffhanger ending.


I Love You, Beth Cooper - B- (Wait for It)
I expect this to fall into the same category as films such as John Tucker Must Die and Fired Up. This will be a guilty pleasure for some, and hated by many. Its audience will definitely be pre-teens and teenagers. Hayden Panettiere plays the stuck-up wild child surprisingly well considering she comes across very sweet in her other roles. I felt like the main character was miscast. If someone like Christopher Mintz-Plasse (Mclovin from Superbad) or Jesse Eisenberg (Zombieland, Adventureland) would have been a much better choice. Paul Rust (the guy who does play him) is mostly just annoying rather than entertaining. The movie has its funny moments and is amusing at time. The rest of the time it’s just ridiculous and over the top. An example is Hayden’s boyfriend is an army man, who is supposed to be only 17, completely trashes Rust’s house and almost kills him, yet no one really cares. If you have teenagers get it for them, otherwise check it out if it’s a freebee.

Taking of Pelham 123 - B+ (Gotta Rent)
Pelham is a remake of a 1974 hostage drama starring Walter Mathau. It’s a good suspenseful thriller at times, however it has many unnecessary action scenes which detracts from its good elements. The film is obviously a Tony Scott film as the style of filming and scene transitions are almost identical to his 2 previous collaborations with Denzel Washington, Déjà vu and Man on Fire. The interactions between Denzel and Travolta were well done and kept you interested in what was going to happen. The random car chases and pointless accidents could have been removed completely. Also throughout the film Denzel is portrayed as a normal, calm and collected man (in fact Scott makes it a point that you know this). Yet towards the end he becomes more like his Man on Fire character who thinks he’s Rambo. I would say the movie is definitely worth a rent, but do not expect a masterpiece.

DVD Release Reviews for October 27th

Whatever Works - B+ (Gotta Rent)
When you take an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm and inject it into a Woody Allen film, Whatever Works is the byproduct. Larry David and Woody Allen combine to make an unconventional romantic comedy where the most unlikely of couples emerge in Larry David and Evan Rachel Wood. David's character, who is a certified genius, takes in the naive Wood whom to say is far less intelligent would be a huge understatement. The contrast between Wood's character with a heart of gold and the ever cynical and very self-absorbed character of Larry David makes for some hilarious banter. Wood does this thing throughout the film where he talks to the audience when everyone around him can’t see who he talking to, as proof of his “genius”. It gets a little slow at times and the direction of the film is not always clear. That being said if you like CYE or Woody Allen in general then you'll definitely like this film.

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs - A- (Gotta Own for kids, Rent for everyone else)
The third installment of the Ice Age series is perhaps its best one yet. All of the original characters return (including all the original voices) as well as some very funny new ones. The animation is top notch and on par with some of Pixar greats. Dawn of the Dinosaurs is definitely better than the second film (which wasn't nearly as good as the first one) and as good as if not better than the one that started it all. The best parts of the movie involve Scratte, the squirrel trying desperately to get his nut. This time he's found a lady friend and the 2 of them lead to all sorts of laughs. It's better than most of the Dreamworks movies and is one of the best non-Pixar animated films of 2009. Ice Age 3 is funny and entertaining both for children and adults and is well worth the rent.

The Orphan - A- (Gotta Rent)
There is something about creepy little children in movies that is far scarier than any masked villain with a machete. Esther, an adopted Russian girl, is sweet, shy, a talented artist and pianist, oh and also just a little mentally unstable. When she is adopted by a family that recently experienced a tragedy during childbirth, it seems as if she has finally found a family and a place to call home. That is until she tries to destroy it. She is far more sadistic than even the devil child Damien from The Omen. The casting is great, with Peter Sarsgaard playing the easily manipulated father and Vera Farmiga playing the mother who knows the truth behind her new daughter. This thriller will keep you watching until the finale, which is a total shocker that you won't see coming. The Orphan is the perfect rental for Halloween.

DVD Release Reviews for October 20th

The Tournament - B+ (Gotta Rent)
The Tournament is a straight to DVD, non-stop action packed movie starring Ving Rhames and Robert Carlyle. The plot is very similar to Death Race or The Condemned where a group of assassins all compete in a last-man standing, winner takes all death match. The main difference between this and the others is the prize is purely monetary, not their own freedom, like most of the others. Surprisingly, I found it to be quite entertaining and compelling from start to finish. The plot was nothing special, but the action was very realistic and not over the top (like Punisher: War Zone, or Crank 2) and the assassins were interesting enough to keep your keep your attention. Rhames is fun to watch as the “ultimate assassin” and Carlyle’s role as a priest in the wrong place at the wrong time is also well cast. Its main downfall is the really cheesy lines that the writing provided the actors and it really prevents the film from being on par with some of the really good actions films. That being said it’s entertaining enough to be worth a rent.


Transformers 2 - B- (Gotta Rent)
Transformers 2 shares quite a bit with Spider-Man 3 as both were huge box office successes, both had huge expectations from their predecessors, and both are overall a disappointment. The good part of the movie was what Michael Bay is known for, very expensive action scenes that blow up everything in sight (and most things out of sight). One scene in particular is one of the coolest fight scenes I’ve seen when Optimus Prime takes on 3 Decepticons at the same time. However, everything else that matters in a movie, such as the story, dialogue, and even length of the movie are all done very poorly. There is an entire half hour long scene that should have been removed, as with the majority of the scenes with the parents. The balance of action vs. comedy in the first one was perfect, but in this Bay tried way too hard to make it funnier than it was. That being said it’s the ultimate dream movie for someone with a Blu-Ray player and an HDTV as the action scenes are what HD was made for. It’s not as good as the first by a long-shot, but overall it’s a fun movie to experience.


Maiden Heist - A- (Gotta Rent)
Maiden Heist takes the common storyline of an art heist and adds a little bit of The Odd Couple. Whereas most other heist movies like the Ocean trilogy focuses more on the thieves trying to make a quick buck, this one is about 3 older security guards trying to hold onto the art they guarded for so long. The 3 main characters’ heart and love for the art must overcome their pure stupidity when it comes to crime. It’s funny, clever and a refreshing change from the normal bank job films where professionals plan out these elaborate schemes to rob millions of dollars of cash and jewels. The casting is fantastic with Morgan Freeman, Christopher Walken and William H. Macy all playing their roles as normal senior citizens turned felons with ease. Don’t expect lots of action or fast cars like most heist movies, but it’s great nonetheless and well worth a rent.

DVD Release Reviews for October 13th

The Proposal - A- (Gotta Own)
The Proposal is a funny and charming version of a basic, formulaic storyline that has been done an innumerable amount of times. Following your typical blueprint of a romantic comedy, The Proposal also adds a little bit of Devil Wears Prada with Sandra Bolluck playing the role of Meryl Streep and Ryan Reynolds playing her “love interest”. Bolluck and Reynolds have great chemistry and provide tons of laughs as they must pretend they are in love and engaged in order to keep Bolluck from being deported. Although it’s very predictable, the up and down relationship between Reynolds and Bolluck as well as the very unique assortment of family and friends that Reynolds’s character has easily sets it aside from most Rom-Coms. If you’re a fan of When Harry Met Sally, Definitely, Maybe, or any other good romantic comedy then this is a must-rent.


Drag Me to Hell - A- (Evil Dead fans Gotta Own, Gotta Rent for all others)
Drag Me to Hell is one of those absolutely love or absolutely hate horror movies. I thought it was great as it was a refreshing change to all the garbage horror movies released in the last decade. Directed by Sam Raimi, and starring Alison Lohman and Justin Long, it combines both comedy and horror to create one of the best PG-13 horror movies since The Ring. It has a good balance between actually being scary as well as providing many “shock value” scenes to momentarily startle you. Fans of the Evil Dead series, the last horror flick directed by Raimi, will love this film as their humor and horror are very similar. My only disappointment was not having a cameo from Bruce Campbell with his chainsaw. If you are more into the current trend of horror movies such as My Bloody Valentine, Haunting in Connecticut, or any of the other 200 slasher films then you may not like, however anyone else interested in a horror movie with a great ending and many twists along the way should check it out.


Land of the Lost - B- (Wait for It)
Will Ferrell tackles yet another classic television series in this remake of the old show from the 70’s. Land of the Lost is not a very good film and could really only be enjoyed if you know ahead of time that you cannot take it seriously whatsoever. Fans of the original show will appreciate the monsters and their zombie like speed of attack, as well as the (I hope intentionally) poor animation of the dinosaurs. If it wasn’t for Danny McBride and Anna Friel I would say that this movie should be tossed into its own world lost in time, alongside Ferrell’s previous television series remake Bewitched. McBride (Tropic Thunder, Pineapple Express) and Ferrell both provide some funny moments, although they are few and far between. It’s along the same lines as Night at the Museum or Journey to the Center of the Earth, so if you’re looking for a teenager oriented adventure movie then this may fill that need, albeit not nearly as strong as the aforementioned.

DVD Release Reviews for October 6th, 2009

Year One - D+ (Don’t Bother)
Year One starts off with 2 or 3 semi-funny scenes in the first 10 minutes. After that, it’s another hour and a half of one of the dumbest comedies in recent years. Whereas movies like Love Guru, You Don’t Mess With the Zohan, and all of the Epic, Dance and Superhero movies are expected to be terrible and provide few to no laughs, I fully expected Year One to be hilarious. With a fairly original plot, and a great cast featuring Jack Black, Michael Cera, David Cross and Paul Rudd this should have been an instant classic. Instead, the plot turned out to be horrible, the dialogue was terrible, the jokes were either not funny or just plain gross, and the actors were given virtually no freedom to ad-lib. This is a complete failure of a comedy and should be skipped altogether.


Assassination of a High School President - B+ (Gotta Rent)
Assassination is not your typical high school movie, and it’s for that reason as to why it’s good. Whereas most high school movies are your typical comedies that’s light-hearted, provides a lesson to be learned, and has all your normal high school problems; this one is much more of a dark atmosphere similar to that of Brick. Set in a catholic high school, a student reporter who is ignored by everyone tries to write the story of his life about who stole the SATs from the principal’s safe. The whole film has a film noir feeling as the main character narrates through the whole thing. The supporting roles consists Mischa Barton reprising her stereotypical role from The O.C. as the stuck-up beauty of the school and Bruce Willis does a great job as an ex-military man who is the principal of the school. The acting, story, and feeling of the movie makes it well worth the time to watch.


Trick R Treat - A (Gotta Own for Horror Lovers)
As far as horror movies go this is an A all the way as it is one of the best horror movies in a very long time. It goes away from the typical hack and slash teenage horror flick and pays homage to the classics of Tales from the Crypt and Twilight Zone. It essentially takes 4 separate stories, and focuses about 20 minutes or so on each one. The first one focuses on a man being particularly disgruntled with a trick or treater and intends to teach him a lesson. The second revolves around 4 kids visiting the spot of a terrible disaster. The third stars Anna Paquin from True Blood desiring to lose her innocence, while the last features Brian Cox playing a grumpy old man who hates Halloween. With each story there is some aspect that connects it to each of the other stories. Each individual segment is done perfectly and all of them are interwoven seamlessly. This will easily go down as one of the greatest Halloween themed movies ever made.


The Merry Gentleman - B+ (Gotta Rent)
In Michael Keaton’s directorial debut, Keaton also stars as an assassin in this dramatic thriller during Christmas time. During one of Keaton’s kills, Kelly Macdonald happens to mistake him for a potential suicide jumper instead of a killer. When Keaton goes to take care of her he becomes deathly ill and must be saved by Macdonald’s mistaken character. The story does a great job not taking the route of your normal hitman movie and instead becomes more of about the friendly relationship between the two while the cops close in on Keaton’s true identity. Although it’s quite hard to picture the same man who starred in Mr. Mom and Multiplicity to be a hardcore killer, the writing enables you to forget all about this fact during the film and channels you towards his more human side. A surprising success for a directorial debut, The Merry Gentleman is definitely worth a rent as it’s not likely to come onto paid television.

DVD Release Reviews for September 29th

Monsters vs. Aliens –B+ (Gotta Rent, Gotta Own for Kids)

Monsters vs. Aliens is the next animated feature from Dreamworks. Both the animation and voice casting are excellent featuring voices such as Seth Rogen, Reese Witherspoon, Hugh Laurie and Kiefer Sutherland. Possibly the best role is a somewhat small one with Stephen Colbert playing a hilarious rendition of an inept president. The downside is the storyline which is lackluster and nowhere near the quality that Pixar implements in its animation masterpieces. Whereas Pixar’s movies such as Wall-E, Up and Ratatouille have great stories that connect the viewer to the characters (even if they are robots and rats), Dreamworks doesn’t have that connection with its audience. MVA is a very good animated film and definitely worth a watch with the family, however do not expect a great film that’s on par with the Pixar greats.


Management – B (Wait for It)
Management is an interesting romantic-comedy starring Jennifer Aniston and Steve Zahn (That Thing You Do, Rescue Dawn) that’s about a guy trying to win the heart of a girl that is way out of his league. The best way to describe this film is that it is a weird one to watch. The casting seems very weird matching up Aniston, who does tons of Rom-Coms, and Zahn who normally plays the idiot friend but never the main role. The movie never really makes you laugh out loud or have any sort of special connection to the characters, nor does it necessarily cause you to lose interest. Aniston plays her role as a somewhat uptight businesswoman well and so does Zahn as the loser with nothing going for him except for his parent’s motel. Management has unnecessary plotlines, is slow at parts and doesn’t even have that believable of a storyline, however, something about it keeps your interest and makes it worth watching.


Away We Go – A (Gotta Rent)
The year’s best films always seem to not be the big budget blockbuster hits, but instead the small indie-films that are made on a relatively pint-sized budget. Away We Go is another perfect example of this as John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph both shine in this heartfelt comedy. Sam Mendes showed the destruction of a marriage in Revolutionary Road and in this he shows the other side of a relationship. The story is about Karisinski and Rudolph, recently pregnant, traveling the U.S. looking for a place to start their family. Many of the shots and scene transitions are very reminiscent to ones in Juno. Krasinski proves he can step outside his Office role as does Rudolph and her regular SNL appearances. The chemistry between the two is perfect as Krasinski is the eternal optimist and always trying to break any tension or stress with jokes, whereas Rudolph is a pessimist and always worried about what lies ahead. This is definitely worth a rent as it is one of the better movies of the year.


Shrink - B+ (Gotta Rent)
Shrink follows Kevin Spacey, a middle-aged shrink for the celebrities that is flooded by problems of his own. He tries to deal with the death of his wife through excessive use of drugs, all the while trying to help Hollywood’s finest with all of their own problems. Spacey plays the role of the cynical and depressed shrink perfectly. You begin to feel very sorry for his character as he avoids having to deal with his wife’s death. Alongside Spacey there is a very strong performance from Keke Palmer (Akeelah and the Bee) playing a very troubled young girl who’s life is turned upside down by the suicide of her mother. Shrink’s faults lie in the sub-par performances of the other Hollywood characters, including a very irritating OCD agent. Too much focus was placed on all of the other characters that it watered down what could have been a great connection between Spacey and Palmer. That being said, the ending leaves you feeling satisfied and really pulls everything together. This movie is definitely worth a watch, if only to marvel at the great acting of Kevin Spacey.


The Brothers Bloom - B+ (Gotta Rent)
The Brothers Bloom is an action-adventure-comedy about 2 brothers that have spent their entire lives as con-men. The brothers, played by Adrien Brody and Mark Ruffalo, decide to attempt one more con, trying to dupe a millionaire heiress, played by Rachel Weisz. Weisz’s character is tired of living alone with all of her riches and needs to have an adventure, so she decides to accompany the brothers thinking she’s in on a con of her own. The casting is perfect as all 3 work great together, especially Brody and Ruffalo. What really makes this movie is the endless amount of twists and turns that keep you guessing until the very end. If you don’t like unpredictable plots then you’ll probably want to avoid this, however everyone else should give it a shot as its entertaining, funny and will keep your attention until the very end.

Observe and Report - C (Skip It)
Observe and Report is one of the most disappointing films of the last few years. It had a lot of promise starring one of today's premier funnymen Seth Rogen, and hilariously ditzy Anna Faris. However it quickly turned into a very dull, not even remotely funny film that basically took the storyline of Paul Blart: Mall Cop and made it rated R. The main focus of the storyline changed about 5 times, never making much sense as to why it would abandon the previous one. The crudness of Seth Rogen's jokes that made films such as Knocked Up and Superbad instant classics came off as just him being a jerk didn't create hardly any laughs at all. After seeing the previews this was one of my most anticipated comedies of the year and immediately left me feeling greatly disappointed.

Ghosts of Girlfriend's Past - B (Gotta Rent)
I went into this moving thinking it was going to be a complete flop along the same lines as Matthew McConaughey's previous 3 or 4 romantic comedies. However, I was actually pleasantly surprised at how easy of a watch it was. It wasn't nearly as funny as it was probably intended to be, but at the same time wasn't as agonizing to sit through as most romantic comedies are these days. The best part of the movie is Michael Douglas coolly playing the ghost of his party-loving uncle. The relationship between Jennifer Garner and McConaughey is believable, as is his relationship with his little brother. The story basically takes A Christmas Carol's and merges it with that of a typical romantic comedy, trying to make the chauvinistic McConaughey realize the error in his ways. It's very predictable and doesn't bring anything new to the genre, but still entertains and is worth a watch.

DVD Releases September 8th ON REVIEW

Crank 2 - B- (Wait for It)
After you get over the fact that they made a sequel to the first Crank, following its ending that seemingly didn’t leave a possible storyline for a sequel; you’ll realize that Crank 2 is the most random, over-the-top film of the year, if not the decade. From start to finish it charges ahead at full throttle and never once lets up. Crank 2 is one of the most insane movies you’ll ever watch, throwing “believability” even further out the window than the first one (which is honestly what made the first one good), and creating scenes that you couldn’t even think up. I give this a B- because only big fans of the first film (or Jason Statham’s other films such as the Transporter trilogy) will enjoy it as everyone else will think its one of the worst movies of the year. It’s not as good as the first one, but fans of crazy and random action movies will probably love it.

State of Play - A- (Gotta Rent)
State of Play is one of the better movies of the year as it immediately grabs your attention and never lets go. Starring Russell Crowe, Rachel McAdams, Helen Mirren and Ben Affleck (who is actually tolerable in this role), State of Play is a political crime drama from a journalist’s perspective. An adaptation from a BBC series, it has just enough twists and doesn’t have any unnecessary scenes or plotlines. Just when you think you know what will happen next, a perfect curveball is thrown your way. The entire cast does a great job as is the direction from Last King of Scotland director Kevin Macdonald. It’s quite a shame that this was such a box office disappointment because it’s easily one of the top 20 movies of the year. State of Play is definitely not worth just one watch but multiple viewings.

DVD Releases August 25th ON REVIEW

Sunshine Cleaning - A- (Gotta Own)
Sunshine Cleaning is a funny yet touching movie about 2 sisters that start a crime scene cleanup business just to make ends meat. The sisters are played by the ever amusing Amy Adams and Emily Blunt. Adams shines once again as a single mother who can’t catch a break. The chemistry and interactions of Adams and Blunt couldn’t be closer to 2 real sisters. Alan Arkin costars as their father who is trying to come up with any scheme he can to not necessarily get rich, but to just get by with doing as little work as possible. My only gripe about the movie would be a subplot between Blunt and Mary Lynn Rajskub’s character (Chloe from 24) which was greatly underdeveloped and could have used a lot more screen time. Overall a great film with plenty of laughs and well worth a rent.

Duplicity - B- (Wait for It)
Starring Clive Owen, Julia Roberts, Paul Giamatti and Tom Wilkinson, and written and directed by Tony Gilroy (writer of the Bourne Trilogy and writer/director of critically acclaimed Michael Clayton) Duplicity had all the promise in the world, yet quickly lost its way. The trailer promises that it will be a corporate espionage with a thriller of a heist involved, yet fails to live up to its own expectations as it is boring, fairly uneventful and incredibly confusing throughout. I stuck with the movie hoping the ending would either be satisfying or surprising, however was greatly disappointed. I don’t generally get confused during movies, however this left me thinking about what I just watched, and not in a good way. My recommendation is to just wait for it to come on cable and watch it for free.

Adventureland - B+ (Gotta Rent)
In the ever-growing genre of Indie romantic comedies, Adventureland is its next installment. This “dramady” set in the 80’s isn’t as laugh out loud as recent comedy gems such as Superbad, but still provides many laughs, as well as very interesting characters. Its laughs are mainly supplied by the hilarious Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig (Superbad, Knocked Up, SNL, etc.) whereas the 2 main characters played by Kristen Stewart and newcomer Jesse Eisenberg provide all the drama of complicated relationships, very reminiscent to some of the classics of the 80s. Fans of the wave of indie films hitting the market will love this (as well as its great soundtrack) as well as most people who just like romantic comedies. If you’re expecting a Superbad type of movie you’ll be disappointed, but this is definitely worth a watch.

DVD Releases August 18th ON REVIEW

Last House on the Left - B- (Wait for It)
This remake of the 1972 horror flick puts a nice twist on the typical horror movie storyline. Whereas most are about innocent people being terrorized and killed by psychopaths, this one veers towards the innocent family taking revenge on the crazed killers. It is still full of your gruesome deaths and dumb teenagers; it just also adds in a couple of really pissed off parents who will stop at nothing to avenge what has happened to their daughter. There is one scene that is particularly hard to watch, that being a very disturbing rape scene, however aside from that it is a suspenseful and fairly thrilling horror movie. As far as horror movies go it’s above average and worth a rent.

DVD Releases August 11th ON REVIEW

I Love You, Man – A (Gotta Own)
Paul Rudd and Jason Segel strike comedy gold again, as funny as both Forgetting Sarah Marshal and Role Models. Paul Rudd, who’s newly engaged, realizes that he has no male friends that he could use to be his best man. To solve this he goes on a search for a new best friend. That friend is found in Segel, a go-with-the-flow type of guy who knows how to have fun. The film is full with the awkwardness of Rudd and the crudeness of Segel. I found myself laughing from start to finish. All of the supporting characters are hilarious, including his father, brother and Lou Ferrigno, the original Incredible Hulk. If you’ve been a fan of all the great comedies of the last few years then I not only recommend this to be rented, but to be purchased as well.

17 Again – B (Gotta Rent)
17 Again was a surprisingly good comedy starring Matthew Perry and Zac Efron. The storyline is anything but original, as it’s just like Big, Vice Versa, and 13 Going on 30 just to name a few, where something happens to change an adult back into a child to get a second chance. Although Matthew Perry looks nothing like an older Zac Efron, whom he’s supposed to be as a child, they both play their roles well and provide a decent amount of laughs. Leslie Mann (Knocked Up, 40 Year Old Virgin, Funny People) is the best part of the movie, playing Matthew Perry’s wife who is seeking a divorce. I’m definitely not a fan of Zac Efron, however this is still worth a watch despite him being cast in the main role. The movie isn’t going to win any awards, and probably not something you’ll want to buy, but it is worth a rent as it provides quite a few laughs.

DVD Releases August 4th ON REVIEW

Race to Witch Mountain – B (Gotta Rent)
Race is a fun, action-packed, family movie starring The Rock. It is very similar to movies such as Journey to the Center of the Earth and Spy Kids. Dwayne Johnson (a.k.a. The Rock) plays a taxi driver that is unknowingly driving 2 aliens around. The Rock is quickly turning into a perennial Teen Choice Award nominee with his family friendly films in which he combines action and humor into a pretty decent film. Alongside Johnson both of the children’s roles are well casted, along with Carla Gugino (Spy Kids) as a scientist. Most adults will probably find the story dumb, but if you’re with your family then it is definitely worth a rent.

Obsessed – C (Don’t Bother)
This movie is about as un-suspenseful and predictable as one can get. It’s about Ali Larter stalking her boss, even though he is married to Beyonce. All of the “twists and turns” are incredibly unrealistic and boring. Both the acting and dialogue is very sub par. Looking back there is only about 10 total scenes, and that’s a few too many. If you’re looking to watch one of these stalker style movies, then just watch The Hand that Rocked the Cradle, or Single White Female as they are far superior films with essentially the same storyline. Overall I would say don’t bother watching it unless it’s free (and even then I may skip it.)

The Soloist - A- (Gotta Rent)
The Soloist is a great film with 2 of the best performances of the year from Jamie Foxx and Robert Downey Jr. It is emotional and thought provoking as it shows how a deeply troubled man still tries to realize his musical dreams. Downey plays a reporter, whom at first seems as if he’s trying to exploit the schizophrenic Foxx for an article, however slowly begins to be won over by his grace and heart. Not only does the film give you insight into the broken mind of Foxx’s character, but also the hardships that the homeless community must endure. The film does move at a slower pace than most movies, so make sure you’re in the right mood to watch it. However, it is an exceptional film and definitely worth a rent.

DVD Releases July 28th ON REVIEW

Fast and Furious – B (Gotta Rent)
The 4th installment of the franchise far surpasses the previous 2 in the series (2 Fast 2 Furious, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift), and injects some much needed NOS back into the franchise. The original cast is back, including Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez and Jordana Brewster. The various car scenes are much more impressive than the previous 3 movies (including an awesome opening sequence). It’s as good as, if not better than the first movie. The story, as if anyone really cares in a movie like this, is actually pretty well written and keeps you interested. So if you’re into incredibly attractive women, fast cars and a great popcorn movie (so basically any guy) then this is definitely worth a rent.

DVD Releases July 21st ON REVIEW

Watchmen - A- (Gotta Own the Director's Cut, Gotta Rent the theatrical version)
Watchmen is a very unique take on the ever popular genre of superhero movies. It was directed by Zack Snyder, the same guy that made 300. There are many similarities between the two, such as the graphic nature of the action scenes as well as the tendency to slow down the scenes to emphasize what’s about to happen. It is set in 1985 with Richard Nixon as the president and warns of a potential nuclear holocaust. The character development is quite impressive with many of the “superheroes” being incredibly interesting (such as the Comedian, Rorschach, and Dr. Manhattan). It’s major flaw is its 2.5 hour length. It’s definitely an epic movie along the lines of Lord of the Rings or The Dark Knight where its length could dissuade some from watching it. The visuals, story, and uniqueness make this a must watch unless you are one to dislike its graphic nature and superhero storyline.

Echelon Conspiracy - B- (Wait for It)
Although Echelon Conspiracy is a pretty mediocre movie, it was more entertaining than I thought it would be. The plot and pace of the movie is basically the same as Eagle Eye or I, Robot, just with a smaller budget. The action sequences are a little too far-fetched in the sense that its not that the effects are so crazy that it could never happen (which I usually don't mind), it's that they just weren't produced well enough to look real. For instance, one scene Edward Burns shoots a car twice with a shotgun and manages to blow it up, whereas later he hides behind a car that is unloaded on with hundreds of bullets and nothing happens. Along with that Shane West couldn’t carry the main role nearly as well as Shia Labeouf or Will Smith in their respective roles. Despite its failures, the techno-crisis plot hasn’t quite been worn out yet so it’s interesting enough to keep your attention. Although it’s obvious that it is a direct-to-dvd movie it is still entertaining enough to be worth a free rental, otherwise wait for it to come on TV.

The Great Buck Howard - B+ (Gotta Rent)
I found this to be at times quite entertaining and clever, and at other times to drag on and bore me. John Malkovich is fantastic as the mentalist Buck Howard, as is Colin Hanks as his assistant who doesn’t have any idea what he wants out of life. It provides some good laughs at the beginning as the once famous Buck Howard is the only one that doesn’t realize he is no longer in the lime light. It is more of a light chuckle kind of comedy, and less of a laugh-out-loud one. Towards the end the plot stalls a little bit loses a bit of its interest. The shows Buck puts on makes you wonder if he’s using some sort of trick, or if he is for real. It’s a different kind of comedy that doesn’t require a lot of thought and is worth a rent.

Coraline - B+ (Gotta Rent, Gotta Own if a big fan of TNBC)
If you were a fan of The Nightmare Before Christmas then you will probably thoroughly enjoy this film. From the same director, Henry Selick, Coraline follows a girl into a dream world that becomes her reality, combining the fantastic animation style of TNBC with an Alice in Wonderland type of story. Where TNBC took Santa Clause, the Boogeyman and other children’s fantasy characters and made them slightly creepy, Coraline makes up all new characters to scare children with. I would go as far as saying Coraline is far creepier and closer to a horror movie than the gorefests that are released these days. The animation, music score and imagination of Selick is what really makes this movie. Although I didn’t feel as if it were as strong as TNBC it is still a wonder to watch and a must-rent.

DVD Releases July 14th ON REVIEW

Horsemen - C (Don't Bother)
Dennis Quaid stars in this psychological thriller in which a serial killer kills based around the theme of the 4 horsemen of the apocalypse. The movie plays out much like the far better film Seven, starring Brad Pitt and Kevin Spacey. Where Seven shined, incorporating the 7 deadly sins in each of the various murders, Horsemen fails having its theme virtually non-existent. Dennis Quaid carries the film to the lowly C+ rating, as without him this would be far lower. If you’re looking for a good thriller of this nature just rent Seven or even Silence of the Lambs as this is a far inferior version of those films.

Killing Room - B (Gotta Rent)
In an attempt at analyzing the human psyche when put in an extreme pressure situation, Killing Room provides an interesting enough plotline to keep your attention. It has a pretty decent cast ensemble, all of which do a good job at their role (even surprisingly enough Nick Cannon). The movie resembles that of the Cube and Saw series without all the gore. If the film receives any attention I could see it becoming a direct-to-dvd series with a few sequels. The story gets a little entangled at times and doesn’t answer all the questions it arouses. I think it would have been better if they had a few more “prisoners” that could have added a bit more depth to the film. Overall it’s better than the average direct-to-dvd release and is worth a rent.

Haunting in Connecticut - C (Don't Bother)
Haunting in Connecticut is an unimaginative and confusing horror movie that provides little to no frights. It tries to give the age old story of a family member going crazy in a haunted house a new twist. The story makes little sense, even for a horror movie. Aside from it being a lame movie on its own, it’s also being released on the coattails of actual halfway decent movies such as The Uninvited and Unborn. Apparently this is based off a Discovery Channel special that is quite freaky, although watching this first doesn’t exactly make me want to watch it. If you’re looking for a decent horror film along the same lines then just watch The Amityville Horror or The Shining as this one isn’t really worth the time.

Edge of Love - B- (Gotta Rent)
Edge of Love is a film that looks like an artsy and independent one, however doesn’t have the feel of one. It never feels as if there is much of a plot except for following around the 2 main immature female leads played by Sienna Miller and Kiera Knightley. That being said, where the script lacks the cast makes up for with very solid performances. Although that should be expected since both Miller and Knightley play the same type of characters they play in every movie they are in. It seems like the director tried to hard to make it a Garden State type of movie and lost track of his own vision. If you can appreciate the look of the film as well as the performances of the actors and overlook the lackluster story then it would be a decent one to try out.

DVD Releases July 7th ON REVIEW

Five Fingers - B (Gotta Rent)
Ryan Phillipe and Laurence Fishburn star in a thriller about terrorist cells and interrogation. Aside from the terrible accents, this film was actually a pretty intense direct-to-dvd movie. The movie plays out with Fishburn torturing Phillipe trying to find out some information about his intentions by cutting off his fingers. Both actors do a decent job, although they also have done better work. What really makes this movie is the ending. Too often do good movies crash because of a disappointing ending; however that’s where this one shines. This is one of the few direct-to-dvd releases that is definitely worth a watch.

Push - C- (Wait for It, if you're bored)
Push couldn’t have been more of a disappointment. It follows in the same footsteps as the movie Jumper; a promising storyline, potential for great special effects, and yet falls flat on its face. The story is almost as if a rookie director got control of the Heroes television show and tried to make it into a movie. Push is advertised as being a movie about telekinesis. Along with the telekinesis is also precognition (seeing the future), mind-control, and 2 characters whose power is an annoyance rivals that of Jar-Jar Binks. With a pretty decent cast this should have been at least an average movie, however this was one of the biggest disappointments I’ve seen in recent years.

Knowing - B (Gotta Rent)
If I hadn’t known any better going into this movie I would have thought it was directed by M. Night Shyamalan. For the first hour and a half it is a very unique, thrilling story. The CGI for the disaster scenes are also quite impressive. However, the last 20 minutes is such a disappointment that it almost ruins the movie. Their resolution to the story resembles all of Shyamalan’s movies, making little sense and so distant from the rest of the movie that it will just make you laugh at how ridiculous it is. Most of its other flaws (such as minor plot holes) can be easily overlooked, but the ending isn’t as easily forgettable. I’d recommend it to rent, which could have been worth a purchase if a better ending were to have been written.

The Unborn - B- (Wait for It)
As far as a horror movie goes this is better than most of the ones that have been released in recent years. I found it to be much creepier than The Grudge series and on par with The Ring when it was released. There is something about little kids in horror movies that makes them much scarier than the ones with psycho killers or monsters. The plot itself is pretty lame and doesn’t make hardly any sense, but that’s not usually something people care about in horror movies. I’d put this on par with the recently released The Uninvited and would say it’s worth a rent if you’re a horror fan.

DVD Releases June 30th ON REVIEW

Street Fighter - D (Don't Ever Bother)
Hollywood should have stopped with the 1994 version as this one was absurdly terrible. This is hands-down the worst video game adaptation that’s been made to date. Nearly everything about this film falls flat. The dialogue is something out of a high school film, the story could have been written better by a 12 year old, and Chris Klein’s performance is epically bad. Any sort of respect he earned in the American Pie series was thrown out the window for this role. The only part even remotely worth watching this for is for the eye candy that Kristin Kreuk is. Aside from that, don’t even bother ever watching this “movie.”

12 Rounds - B (Gotta Rent)
12 Rounds is good for what it is, a non-stop action-packed popcorn flick. John Cena is obviously not a trained actor, but for being a WWE wrestler, he does a much better job than his previous role in The Marine. Even though most of the action scenes are incredibly far-fetched, it is still an entertaining movie that keeps your attention. The unknown Aidan Gillen does a good job as the bad guy, playing a cat and mouse game with John Cena. If you’re looking for a movie to take seriously then choose something else, however if you’re just wanting some action and entertainment then this will fulfill your needs.

Chaos Experiment - C- (Don't Bother)
Chaos Experiment, originally released under the name Steam Experiment is essentially a less gory version of the Saw series. It’s about a group of people that are all trapped in a sauna and must survive the night without killing each other. Overall it’s a below average thriller that tries to make the Saw aspect of the movie more interesting by saying its all about global warming. The global warming aspect of the story makes little sense and would have best been just left out of the movie altogether. Val Kilmer is showing that he’s now only in the movie business for a paycheck, as this is about his 4th or 5th straight to DVD dud in a row. The way that the movie is shot in the sauna room is quite annoying, as the colors and graininess make it difficult to fully pay attention. Definitely a forgettable movie that is best to just be skipped.

Two Lovers - B+ (Gotta Rent)
This film is a great character study of a love triangle involving Joaquin Phoenix, Gwyneth Paltrow and Vinessa Shaw. Phoenix is a recently dumped, depressed and potentially suicidal man who finds love in both the woman of his choice, Paltrow, and the woman his parents want him to be with, Shaw. All 3 of them give great performances and you can barely tell that they are acting at all. The emotions between them all seem very real and heartfelt. The many faults of both Phoenix and Paltrow’s characters keep you engaged and wondering as to where the relationships will lead. The film brilliantly shows the emotional and mental sufferings that some will go through for love and is a great romantic drama.

DVD releases June 23rd ON REVIEW

Pink Panther 2 - C+ (Wait for It)
Pink Panther 2 can best be described as just another paycheck for Steve Martin. It continues to further itself from the classic movies starring Peter Sellers. This installment includes quite a star-studded cast, all of which display accents that are so bad it’s just irritating to listen to. It’s better than the first one starring Steve Martin, although that’s not necessarily much of a compliment. Although the movie is pretty poor overall, it does still have some good laughs, few and far between as they are. If you were a fan of the first one, or just Steve Martin in general, then you’ll likely find this one just as entertaining. Otherwise you may as well skip this one altogether.

Phoebe in Wonderland - A- (Gotta Rent)
In Phoebe in Wonderland, Elle Fanning proves that she is just as, if not more talented than her older sister Dakota. This heartfelt story is about a girl whose life becomes both enriched and haunted by the tale of Alice in Wonderland. Having to deal with a very vivid imagination, an unsupportive father and a mother who deep down wishes her daughter was different are just a few of the challenges plaguing Phoebe. The supporting cast, including Patricia Clarkson and Bill Pullman, also performs well. The writing is very similar to Finding Neverland, another live action film drawing upon a children’s classic in a very unique way. I would recommend this as it was one of the best “unknown” films of the year.

Confessions of a Shopaholic - B-(Wait for It)
Based upon the book of the same name by Sophia Kinsella, Confessions of a Shopaholic had a lot of promise towards the beginning of the movie, but became less appealing as it progressed. Sacha Baron Cohen’s comic brilliance is obviously rubbing off on his wife Isla Fisher, as she does a great job as the main character. That being said, there are many faults with the film. The main conflict of the story doesn’t seem like much of a conflict at all. There were too many pointless subplots, undeveloped characters (John Goodman for instance has very little screen time) and some very creepy mannequins. Along with that, during these economic times it’s hard to sympathize with a “shopaholic.” It’s a light-hearted mindless comedy with some laughs and is worth a watch despite its faults.

Inkheart - B (Gotta Rent)
Inkheart is basically an action-packed, more magical version of Bedtime Stories. Based off a book series, Inkheart is about a man that has a magical power, that when he reads from a book his words become reality. The main character is played by Brendan Fraser, which could be seen as both its greatest asset as well as its greatest weakness as he tends to have a love or hate relationship with people. Along with Fraser is Paul Bettany who does a great job as a mysterious, fire-juggling man trying to get back home. The story is just intriguing enough to make you want to know more about the characters and where they come from. It has many similarities between the fantasy movies of recent years and is worth a watch unless you are one of those that dislike Brendan Fraser.

The Code - B-(Wait for It)
The Code is one of the worst kinds of films, it’s forgettable. It doesn’t stand out as being either good or bad, it’s just a mediocre movie about thieves. It was actually quite disappointing as it carries with it quite a bit of star power in Morgan Freeman and Antonio Banderas. It was originally released under the name Thick as Thieves, however, the title was changed for the DVD release. It has a few fairly predictable twists and plotlines. It’s not an overly entertaining or gripping movie; however it’ll probably keep your attention until the end. My recommendation is that you check it out later in the week when there’s not much else to watch, otherwise just watch a good heist movie such as Entrapment or Italian Job.

DVD releases June 16th ON REVIEW

Friday the 13^th - B- (Wait for It)

This 12^th installment of the classic horror franchise brings nothing new to the series except for a little better visual effect on the gruesome killings. The story is the same as all the other movies in the franchise. A group of teenagers on vacation having way too much fun in an area of the woods that everyone else avoids. The cast is mostly a bunch of up and coming actors that have had minor roles in movies such as Transformers and 21. It is kind of interesting watching this franchise, wondering which character will be the last one standing since inevitably almost everyone is killed off. If you’re a horror fan, it’s worth a watch. Otherwise, is does nothing new for the genre and can be skipped.

DVD releases June 9th ON REVIEW

Crossing Over - B (Gotta Rent)

Yet another Crash-like plot in which multiple storylines cross and the world becomes much smaller. The only difference between this and Air I Breathe or Powder Blue is that the central theme of the movie is actually something relevant in today’s world, and not completely contrived out of thin air. Crossing Over includes a great cast ensemble dealing with the issues of illegal immigration and its effects on society. Harrison Ford, Ashley Judd and Ray Liotta all give solid performances. Its biggest flaw was that nearly 20 minutes of it was cut out, making some of the scenes seem a little disconnected. It’s a decent movie that is worth a watch, although it could have been much better.

The International - B+ (Gotta Rent)

Clive Owen and Naomi Watts stars in this high energy, action packed thriller about a corrupt world bank. Owen gives a great performance, similar to his role in Children of Men. The International is a nice mix between movies such as Michael Clayton and Conspiracy Theory. The director develops a believable story about a bank that when its not loaning out money, is selling weapons on the side. Also included is one of the coolest gun fights I’ve seen in some time. The scene has some brilliant shots, is intense, and keeps you on the edge of your seat. I would definitely recommend this as its entertainment value is higher than most other tent-pole titles.

Gran Torino - A (Gotta Rent)

Clint Eastwood notches another masterpiece onto his directorial belt. Following in the footsteps of Mystic River, Flags of our Fathers, Letters from Iwo Jima, and The Changeling, Eastwood presents his best film yet. Eastwood stars as a racist man living in a neighborhood quickly being inhabited by the minorities he hates. As the film progresses he starts to become friends with the Asian family next door, opening his mind to a race he hates so much. Gran Torino is such a unique film as it doesn’t have to rely on the twist that no one sees coming, amazing visual effects or adrenaline filled action sequences to appeal to the masses. Eastwood’s character is unapologetic and unrelenting in his ways, yet is so emotionally intense and intriguing that you have to continue watching. The film is filled with racial slurs, and quite possible will offend its audience. However, don’t let that sway you away from this as its one of the best movies of the year.

Fired Up - B (Gotta Rent)

I’m actually kind of ashamed to say that I thoroughly enjoyed this film. I found myself laughing throughout most of it, which was completely unexpected. It plays out similar to Stick It or Bring it On, although I’d say it’s better than both of those. This is definitely geared towards teenagers, and that targeted audience will likely love this. I rated this as a B compared to other movies of its genre and targeted audience, not compared to all movies in general. If you’re looking for a movie that you don’t need to take serious and can just have a little bit of fun with, then check this out. It’s a lot better than it looks and shouldn’t be judged strictly based off its cover.