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5/10
Not great, not awful - fun for an afternoon of Mysterious Science Theatre 3000 heckling
15 June 2012
This movie has a great look, an interesting concept and some great set pieces. It's set in Russia which is a big change from most big budget sci fi movies. It could have been really good, but they skimped on writing, plot and acting. The plot is predictable. You can spot who's expendable right away and some of the acting is terrible. The real star of the show is Moscow, a City we don't see much in American action movies and it's fun to see the modern city. There are also some really nice effects with light bulbs being used to "sense" the aliens and the way the aliens disintegrate their victims. It kept me entertained! Try not to think to much there are some real plot holes here. But what's better than a Russian soldier with a vest made from keys riding a horse covered in scrap metal on the streets of Moscow while battling energy beings from space? Not much!
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Pig (I) (2011)
7/10
A tantalizing movie that keeps you thinking even after the film
14 January 2012
This movie about a man who wakes up in the desert with no memory is a fascinating look into what part our memories play in who we are and who we perceive ourselves to be. Writer/Director Henry Barrial uses a mystery to take a fresh look at relationships, memory and consciousness. This film is much better viewed without to much knowledge of the plot, allowing your subconscious to follow the clues to the surprising ending. The movie is being billed as a science fiction thriller, which it is, but it's a thoughtful, psychological study rather than what passes for most box office Sci-Fi these days. You won't find gratuitous explosions here!

Pig is a well crafted film, with care taken to make every scene relate to a greater whole. The desert and Los Angeles scenes really capture their location in a way that isn't often seen. I enjoyed seeing places I am familiar with but which rarely making into the movies.

Finally, the acting is superb. Rudolph Martin does the heavy lifting of carrying the film with little dialogue and we care about his character from the beginning. All the actors are great in their roles and the chemistry between them is believable and compelling.
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8/10
A fresh look at the spy thriller
14 January 2012
Paul Rhys is fantastic as Archie Cookson, a former field agent who's best days are behind him and who is marking time translating Russian for the British government. Archie's life takes a turn when he is marked for elimination and an old friend shows up to do the job. This is a British film full of the dry humor for which they are famous and there are many moments to laugh out loud. The plot has just the right amount of twists and turns and all the actors are superb. This is a film with interesting characters who make unexpected choices. The story feels familiar and yet still manages to surprise you.

Hard to believe this is the first feature film for Director/Writer Robin Holder. This is a polished, perfectly paced and beautifully filmed movie.

I was able to catch this at the Palm Springs International Film Festival and hope it gets a wider stateside release.
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I Am (III) (2010)
9/10
Be the change
17 January 2011
This is a complete change of pace from the man who brought us Ace Ventura and Liar, Liar. Here Tom looks at the deeper questions of what is wrong with our world and what can we do to change it. Unfortunately, that makes it sound like homework and it is anything but. Tom uses his skill as a filmmaker and his humor to bring us on a journey of enlightenment with him. He has thoughtful conversations with many of the worlds best thinkers and puts the question "what's wrong with our world" to them. Are aggression and competition really the natural order? Is there a better way? This movie asks the questions and gives some possible answers in an entertaining and non-preachy way. The world is what we make of it, and our experience of life is ours to control.

See this movie!!
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