Movie Review - Adventureland

Adventureland (5 of 5): Trailer I think that one of the laziest things to do when reviewing a movie is to note the similarities it shares with others. Thankfully, Adventureland is not like many other movies that have been released as of late; and the poor marketing it received, billed it as "Superbad at the amusement park". This comparison, although not necessarily a bad thing, is not really warranted, Adventureland stands alone and is far superior in wit and feeling.

Adventureland tells the story of James, the recent college graduate who, due to a family financial crisis is forced to postpone his summer of traveling Europe before embarking onto graduate school in New York. After discovering that his minimal employment history, combined with a degree in comparative English literatue, makes him rather "un-hireable"; James takes a job at the local amusement park as a game vendor...not rides, big difference.

It is easy to empathize with the nightmare it must be to work at an amusement park. Dead of summer heat, minimum wage, rude, inconsiderate douchebag members of the public, and the most overlooked aggravation of all; being present in that environment while the same obnoxious over-played song repeats itself all day long. (In the movie it is "Rock Me Amadeus over and over. After working two state fairs I have hateful feelings towards Justin Timberlake songs)

The cast of characters working at the park are truly hillarious. The main plotline consists of James falling in love with an emotionally unavailable Emily; perhaps the most wonderful female lead I have seen in years. The inevitable love triangle insues; actually more of a square, both main charcters have other intimacy choices. The beautiful thing about Adventureland is that the cast of characters, although probably generically defined as "geeks' or "nerds" and are as socially awkward as it gets; are lovable and easy to connect with. It seems like so many movies utilizing these types of characters only develop them just enough for a laugh, when the laugh is over, they just seem pathetic. Adventureland shows that despite being a geek (speaking as one) you aren't necessarily crippled by your awkwardness and are unable to win a kiss from the girl.

Maybe because I identified with the main character so well, or that the movie was set in the mid 80's, the setting of my childhood, or perhaps the fact that the soundtrack contains a Whitesnake song; Adventureland gets my vote for the best movie that I have personally seen this year. If you were a teen in the 80's, or ever had a dead-end job that you were too smart to be in, you will really appreciate this movie.

Dedication: This review is dedicated to a girl I once knew...she was the most confusing, enigmatic girl I have ever known, but provided for a unique summer of my own.

Move Review - Blade Trinity

Blade Trinity (2 of 5): Wow! Want to see how to completely kill a successful movie franchise? Just watch Blade Trinity. This film effectively destroys the coolness that was created with the first two Blade movies by giving us a campy follow-up of bad story, bad CGI, bad acting, bad writing, bad comedy and bad fight choreography. I am not going to provide my usual synopsis of the story in this review. It should be enough to know it has to do with the return of Dracula. Sounds cool, huh? Too bad this film absolutely blows it.

I think Wesley Snipes was looking for a quick paycheck with this one because the whole production seems wacko, especially the casting choices. I mean, who puts Ryan Reynolds in a movie like this? He is one of my favorite comedic actors, but his usually funny humor is so uncomfortably forced and out of place in this movie it is pathetic. Parker Posey is awful too and can barely talk with fake vampire teeth in her mouth. There is even a crazy scene of Dominic Purcell as Dracula walking down the street to some sort of music. It plays out like a really bad rap video from MTV and actually made me laugh.

In my opinion, the only thing that even remotely redeemed this movie is the cool costume effects that were used for Dracula. In this day and age of CGI, it would have been easy to make Blade fight a computer generated character. Well, maybe not “easy” for this film’s production team, but you get my meaning. Anyway, I thought it was refreshing to see that an actual costume was created and used. It definitely added to the realism of the character. Oh yeah, and Jessica Biel was easy on the eyes too (thanks for reminding me of that Maverick!).

Ignore this film. The first two Blade movies were entertaining while maintaining a sense of realism and consequence that the the third film forgoes and substitutes with camp.

Movie Review - Cars

Cars (4 of 5): Cars is another great movie from the folks at Pixar Animation Studios. The film is about a brash, impatient, egotistical sports car named Lightening Lightning McQueen that is fast becoming the best race car in the circuit. Then, one night McQueen ends up getting lost in the desert and accidentally tears up the street in a sleepy old town on Route 66. When McQueen is forced to stay in the town and fix the road, he slows down enough to realize that there is more to life than just his own conceited desires.

Cars presents a great story and is fun movie to watch. The animation is of course brilliantly executed by Pixar - both the colors and textures pop off the screen. As in their past movies, there are multiple layers to the story that serve to keep both kids and adults entertained with important life lessons and messages. The voice work is also very well done with no one voice overshadowing the on screen magic - even Larry the Cable Guy.

Cars is not Pixar's best movie, but it certainly ranks among the best of the studio's offerings. If you have not seen it yet, I encourage you to take the time to rent this film and check it out.

Television Review - Extras: Season 1

Extras: Season 1 (4 of 5): One of my favorite writer's and comedic actors right now is Ricky Gervais. I was first introduced to his brand of comedy through the BBC version of The Office, which he co-wrote and starred. When that show ended he he has since co-produced the American version of the Office and co-wrote/starred in The Extras for HBO.

Gervais has great comedic timing, wonderful facial expressions and the perfect wit and sarcasm. He carries all these traits over to Extras, in which he plays a movie studio extra. Each episode follows him and his female friend as they interact with a famous actor/actress. Usually these interactions result in a lot of uncomfortable moments, stupidity, embarrassment, follies and faux-pas.

The show has a lot of elements that make it really funny. Each episode features a different well known actor/actress that shows a personal (although fictional) side of his/herself that seems totally out of whack with their perfectly constructed media image. For example, in one of the funniest episodes of the season, Kate Winslet demonstrates a penchant for sexual innuendo and humor. In another, we see how egotistical and foul mouthed Ben Stiller can be.

All in all, this is a great comedy. Highly recommended for anybody who even remotely thinks The Office or Seinfeld is funny and very highly recommended for those who appreciate dry and sarcastic humor. Check it out and then watch the second season which releases this week on DVD.

Movie Review - Children of Men

Children of Men (5 of 5): Children of Men is a fantastic science fiction thriller with a powerful social and political message. The setting of the film is London, in 2027. As the movie opens, we see that the world’s youngest person (an 18 year old) has died. Yup, eighteen years ago, women across the globe suddenly could not get pregnant anymore. Subsequently, the human race faces extinction. Since then, the world has slowly decayed. Violence is prevalent, wars have broke out, resources are becoming scarce and London resembles a fascist state; currently the process of deporting all of its immigrants. Society is in shambles, but things change when a single woman mysteriously becomes pregnant. This prompts a conflicted government bureaucrat (Clive Owen) and his ex-wife (Julianne Moore) to join forces to protect her.

I loved this movie – everything about it is great. The future scenario that is portrayed perfectly fits a future you could anticipate too see 20 years from now, especially given today’s political and social climates. The story is excellent and extremely gripping. It hooked me early, kept me enthralled, and never let go. All of the subtle visuals in the backgrounds and settings really add to the realism of the story too. I also thought that the characters are really well thought out, and their actions were driven by realistic motives. It is excellent story-telling all around. The film is beautifully shot too! Two scenes in particular are almost too exhausting to watch: one during a car chase early in the film, and the other towards the end during an escape from a war-torn city. These scenes are really effective at pulling you in and actually had me so tense I had to consciously remind myself to relax. Pay attention, what makes these two scenes so compelling is that they were filmed like a documentary, with ridiculously long takes on a hand held camera – no editing. It's really fantastic!

Anyway, Children of Men is an extremely effective movie that will have you thinking about its message for a few days after watching it. The film was actually nominated for cinematography, film editing, and adapted screenplay awards in the 2007 Academy Awards, but did not win in any category. It is unfortunate that the movie slipped under the radar late last year because it deserved better. One of the best films of 2006 - highly recommended.

Movie Review - Blades of Glory

Blades Of Glory (4 of 5): Gayest...Movie...Ever. (Not that there is anything wrong with that; as long as it's two hot women). Similar to the last Will Ferrell movie reviewed on the site, there is not a lot that needs to be said here. I think everyone knows the plot: Chazz Michael Michaels (Ferrell) and Jimmy MacElroy (Heder) are arch rival figure skaters. After being banned from competitive skating (what the hell is that?), they discover that the only way to get back into the business is to team up in couples skating. Obviously, the entire movie is laced with homosexual inuendo, a kick-ass 80's rock soundtrack, and some of the best laugh-till-you-almost-throw-up-moments in a long time. You can't go wrong with this movie; assuming you like Will Ferrell. It's better than Talladega Nights, and equal to Anchorman.

Television Review - Da Ali G Show: Season 1

Da Ali G Show: Season 1 (3 of 5): If you have heard of the Borat movie, you have probably heard of this show. It aired on HBO to much success and a follow up season. Sasha Cohen uses his Ali G, Borat and Bruno characters to interview politicians and other American personalities within each episode. He does an excellent job of immersing himself into his characters and getting people to say really absurd things. That is the heart of the shows excellence - the comedy of stupid people and their idiotic responses to questions. Of course, Sasha Cohen's impromptu humor and comedic timing is a large part of it too. Unfortunately, the good moments dry up quickly and the show becomes tidbits of very funny moments laced within many boring segments. Cohen demonstrates his intelligence by addressing a lot of important points in his social commentary. Yet, in between the laughs, the show bores with too many talking heads. Overall, I think this show likely works better on T.V., where you only watch one episode a week or so, not two or three in a row. Either way, it's fun, just not as funny as I was expecting.

Movie Review - The Departed

The Departed (3 of 5): For such an all-star cast and cool story idea, this sure was a disappointing movie. If you ask me, this was one of the most overrated movies of last year. The only reason Martin Scorsese won an Oscar for it was because he was so overdue. This is far from his best work though. The plot is muddled, the editing is mediocre, the characters are undeveloped and the ending is terrible!

Movie Review - The Descent

The Descent (5 of 5): It is my great pleasure to give this movie such a high rating because it is uncommon for me to really get into the horror genre. Most horror movies just don't scare me, so when I find one that does, it is a a real treat.

The Descent is a film about six women who like to go on outdoor/extreme trips (think: Mountain Dew commercials with women) This time they are going on a caving trip. Supposedly he trip is going to be a nice easy trek at a cave for novices. However, after an accident, some startling revelations, and the discovery of a population of subterranean human-like monsters, the trip goes sour. As expected, one by one the girls get picked off, but not after a good fight. Refreshingly, these women know how to defend themselves and they aren't afraid to fight for their lives. One or two stand out and make it to the end, but I won't give away more than that.

This is a terrific movie. The suspense is allowed to build and the cave monsters never feel like the main push of the film - they aren't even introduced until well into the movie. Instead the tension is allowed to build, first with the darkness that fills the caves, then with the tight claustrophobic spaces the women crawl through, and finally with the introduction and fight for survival against the monsters. The pace works perfectly to really get the audience wrapped up. And you'll stay engaged too! Thankfully, the are few, if any, of those classic horror movie moments when the characters make stupid, irrational decisions that leave you wondering "WTF?".

Check this movie out and make sure you watch it in complete darkness with surround sound. It is a great survival horror flick that I guarantee will have you thinking twice about ever going in a cave.

Movie Review - Doom

Doom (1 of 5): Well, here is a 1.5 hour long waste of time and potential. Of course, I knew it was going to be bad before watching it, but I was saddened by just how bad it gets. The "marines" are a laughable group led by Duane "The Rock" Johnson of WWF fame. The marines in Predator or Aliens would wipe the floor clean with Doom's marines. The acting is terrible to sub-par throughout. The special effects aren't bad, but they are definitely low budget.

However, the thing that makes me the most disappointed with this movie is that it screwed up what should have been easy. All you have to do to make a good Doom movie is to copy the original Doom game! That means have a one man team go in to save the scientists who has to fight hordes and hordes of beasties. Instead, we are treated to a movie version of Doom 3 that does not acknowledge Doom or Doom 2 at all. Alternatively, it offers only three different monsters, no gore, no cool weapons being used (BFG is totally wasted in this movie) and a dysfunctional group of idiot marines who you just want to see die already.

Don't waste your time. Find Doom and Doom 2 and play through those games again. You'll get more enjoyment playing them.

Movie Review - Borat

Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (5 of 5): As if the title is not evidence enough, this movie exists in a world of its own. I imagine people either really hate it or they really love it with no in between. I personally fall into the later category. and think that Borat is the funniest movie I have seen in the last five years. Actually, probably longer than that. Borat is, without a doubt, one of the top five funniest movies I have ever seen my entire life!

Know this...

• Sacha Baron Cohen is brilliant as Borat - his Da Ali G Show Season 1 & 2 as well as Ali G Indahouse have shot up to the top of my rental list.
  
• Americans can be very ugly, rude, pathetic, blabbering, prejudiced fools.
• Naked-man wrestling is both utterly repulsive and side-splittingly hilarious.

Borat is just pure laughter wrapped up in a nice little 1.5 hr movie. There, that is all you need to know. My review is over. You should go to the theater right now and pray this movie is still playing.

Movie Review - Casino Royale

Casino Royale (4 of 5): Well, I am impressed. I didn't think it could be done, but the James Bond franchise has been rebooted and resurrected from the depths of mundanity. Bond is cool again, but he aint your mamma's 007. This Bond is brutal in his fighting technique, unafraid to kick some serious ass and possibly tear his tuxedo in the process! This movie effectively reintroduces us to James Bond as it presents a story from his early years in the British Secret Service. There are some great moments and many of the Bond cliches are defined for the very first time. You'll see how Bond gets his first Astin Martin; how he develops a taste for martinis; his first tuxedo fitting; and why he never gets too involved with the ladies. Its a basic story involving a bad guy who is just out to get rich, not take over the world; and there are no gadgets in this film either! Blasphemous, I know. But it all really works to re-write the franchise and take it in a new and fresh direction. My only two quibbles with the movie is that it is too long and that it suffers from some pacing issues in the middle. Other than that, I can't wait for the next Bond film with Daniel Craig as the new 007. Check it out!

Movie Review - Dawn of the Dead (1978)

Dawn of the Dead (2 of 5): Sorry, I can't get behind this movie. Way too long and way too hokey. Maybe if I had not seen the recent (and superior) remake I would have liked this old one better. Although I can appreciate some of the social and cultural commentary present in this film, it wasn't enough to save it from being a horribly bad and often laughable movie - I know, its not supposed to be an Oscar contender. All I wanted was a scary movie, but instead I got a pretty cheesy B Movie that was not scary at all. I'll give George Romero one more chance to impress me with his zombie movies when I watch Land of the Dead later this year. Hopefully, it will be better than Dawn.

Movie Review: Everything Is Illuminated

Everything Is Illuminated (4 of 5): This is a nice movie about a young Jewish man, played by Elijah Wood, who goes to the Ukraine to uncover the secrets of his grandfather's past and how he escaped the country and fled to American in World War II. In order to figure things out he enlists the help of a Ukrainian escort business that specializes in helping Jewish families trace their roots throughout the region. What he doesn't know though is that his grandfather's past has crossed paths with the Ukrainian family in ways that they will soon both understand.

Like I said, this is a nice movie. It is entertaining and I was happily surprised to find myself laughing quite frequently throughout. I thought this would be a difficult move to get through because of its anti-semitic/holocaust subject matter, however the film is hardly weighed down by these issues. Instead, it is frequently light-hearted, especially the scenes involving the Ukrainian grandson who loves American pop-culture. This is a poignant, funny and sad movie that provides a very good entertainment experience.

Television Review - Battlestar Galactica: Season 2.5

Battlestar Galactica: Season 2.5 (5 of 5): If you have not seen Battlestar Galactica yet, I urge you to go rent season 1 and get started. The show is terrific and highly entertaining. Season 2.5 continues the first and second seasons with more entertaining and thought provoking story lines, cool space ship action sequences and interesting character developments. This show ranks up there with some of the best shows on TV and it constantly re-invents itself to stay fresh and exciting. It is always engaging and definitely "smart" science-fiction.

I know, you're wondering what the heck Season 2.5 is, right? Well, the second season of the show had about a 6 month split in it so they decided to release the first half of the second season on DVD separate from the second half. This is probably my only beef with season 2. I really would have liked to watch everything together instead of having a break. By the time I got my hands on season 2.5 it was about 8 months after I saw season 2.0, and I had forgotten some of the minor story elements by that time.

Thanks to my brother-in-law for introducing me to this incredible show and letting me borrow his Season 2.5 disc. Now I am all caught up. Season 3 just started airing on the Sci-Fi channel a couple of weeks ago and I can't wait to watch it, especially after that season 2 finale, which is totally out of right-field.

Movie Review: Dave Chappelle's Block Party

Dave Chappelle’s Block Party (3 of 5): I really like Dave Chappelle’s comedy, especially Chappelle’s Show, so I was excited to get a chance to watch this film. After watching it, I am happy to report that it is pretty good, as long as you go into the movie knowing what to expect. Don’t put this movie in expecting two hours of stand up comedy or a re-hash of Chappelle’s Show. If you do, you’ll be disappointed. Block Party does have plenty of comedy in it, but its main focus is music. In late 2004 (right after he landed a $50 million contract with Comedy Central and just before he broke under the pressure and moved to South Africa) Dave decided to throw a concert in Brooklyn. Dave Chappelle’s Block Party is the documentary of his experience organizing the concert and trying to get a variety of people from his hometown to show up. If you are a fan of rap/hip hop/soul/r&b music sung by people with actual talent, you will like this movie. You get music from a lot of really talented artists including: Mos Def, Kanye West, The Roots, Dead Prez, Erykah Badu and even a reunion of The Fugees. Block Party primarily showcases the music, but there is a lot of funny moments and entertainment from Chappelle throughout the film. Beyond that, I think you’ll really enjoy seeing how genuinely Dave seems to love the music and the sincerity in which he brings people of all different backgrounds together to his concert. Dave Chappelle’s Block Party isn't for every one, but if you are a fan of either the comic or the music, you’ll find something to enjoy.

Movie Review - Amadeus

Amadeus (3 of 5): At some point, I heard this was good movie and filed it away on my “must see” list many years ago. Now, through the beauty of Netflix, I have finally seen it. Amadeus is a period piece about Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Tom Hulce). The movie chronicles his short, but brilliant, life as a composer. It is presented as a series of flash backs by Antonio Salieri (F. Murray Abraham) – court composer for the Emperor of Austria and enemy of Mozart. As expected, the use of classical music in this movie is outstanding. I also thought the performances of Abraham and Hulce were awesome. The intricacies of Salieri's love/hate relationship with Mozart is presented very well – my favorite scene being at the end of the movie when they are writing music together for an opera. Too bad the movie is so long though, clocking in at almost three hours. Also, you better like opera music because you get a lot of it in this movie as Mozart and Salieri direct their works. In conclusion, I liked Amadeus, but I didn’t think it was anything really special. Generally, it’s just not the type of movie I usually really get into, so I would have a hard time recommending it to most people.

Movie Review - The Da Vinci Code

The Da Vinci Code (2 of 5): Since just about the entire world has read the book, this movie should not be much of a surprise. And for those that did not read the book, this movie still won’t be much of a surprise, especially since all the media hype has probably spoiled the ending for many – including myself. I was not impressed with this movie. It was totally cut and dry. I actually felt like I was reading the book while I watched the movie because of the way it is presented as long conversations of characters explaining things to each other. This presentation makes the movie feel like a boring history lesson – and I like history! I think that Director Ron Howard and company were afraid to take any artistic license with this movie, less they alienate the book’s millions of fans. Instead they settled for a long and drawn-out narrative of the book with a few infrequent action sequences thrown in to try and ramp up the suspense level. Unfortunately, this formula fails to hold the attention of the audience.

Movie Review - The Brothers Grimm

Brother's Grimm (2 of 5) : I gave this one a shot without much hope and was pretty much let down. It follows the Grimm Brothers as con artists who finally take a stand and do something honest by helping a town who is having its children kidnapped by a witch. You get to see the origins of the Grimm Fairytales as they happen to the brothers in their real life experiences. Sounds cool, but a poor story and crappy special effects make it rather boring.

Movie Review - Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room

Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room (3 of 5): Based on the book by the same name, this documentary does a very good job of filling in all the details regarding the history of Enron and its collapse. It was very interesting to see how Enron and its leaders (Lay, Skilling, et.al.) are connected into the world of politics. After watching this, I got really pissed off over how many people besides Lay and Skilling made millions of dollars from Enron stock and business deals that will never see the inside of a prison or be punished in any way.