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.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Monday, June 22, 2009
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.
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.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
DVD releases June 16th ON REVIEW
Friday the 13th - B- (Wait for It)
This 12th 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
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.
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