Reviews

Coming from a guy that hasn't seen any of the previous MIs, "Ghost Protocol" was nothing short of an awesome movie. From start to finish, it offers heart-pounding action and jaw-dropping special effects that will leave you in awe.

One thing that bothers me about these kinds of movies is the way that you can never give the actor any credit for being so badass; there is usually (with exception of a few actors) a stuntman who creates what people watch action movies for: the action. I really appreciated this movie because Cruise actually IS that badass. Most of his stunts are actually done himself. Being able to both watch him fight, jump, and free-fall AND see his face at the same time was somewhat special. I really enjoy the little things.

The rest of the actors did an admirable job as well. Pegg assumed his usually goofy character, and as tiring as he was, it was funny. Renner was definitely a great asset to the cast; he also knows his action. As long as you can tolerate a minimal amount of cheesy dialogue (most of which is provided by Pegg) you will enjoy it.

Another recommendation would be to see this one in IMAX if you get the chance. The sound effects in this one are fantastic, and can only be appreciated to the fullest in such an environment. Plus, they will most likely show the prologue for "The Dark Knight Rises". Not to take anything away from "Ghost Protocol," but that prologue was the highlight of my night.

In a nutshell, Tom Cruise delivered, and it was much better than expected. If you're an action-lover, you won't want to miss this one.

The above quote is used only once in the movie, but it ironically sets the tone for the entire film.

"Dragon Tattoo" has a strong chance of being the most memorable adaptation of a book since Harry Potter. David Fincher's follow up to "The Social Network" is nothing short of a terrifically terrible roller coaster ride of unpredictability.

As far as acting goes, Daniel Craig and Chris Plummer gave their usual stellar performances. The shining star, however, was obviously Rooney Mara, who gave a downright chilling performance. Aside from her Oscar-worthy acting, the fact that she was willing to change her body so drastically for this role says a lot about her character. She isn't here to be another role model or sex symbol, but she is here to be what many Hollywood stars are drawn away from being: a damn good actress. We have without a doubt not seen the last of Mara.

This movie was able to take a simple mystery case and turn it into the most interesting movie of the season. Be warned, however, for as the quote suggests, it is also one of the most brutally graphic movies of the year. The scenes are so captivating, however, that you may not even remember that you are surrounded by other people anyway. However, it is still not by any means a family/date movie. Be very selective while deciding who you see this one with.

Once again, Harold and Kumar bring it with more completely original ideas that made me laugh like a maniac several times throughout the movie. These guys once again prove that anything can be funnier if you add weed and nudity. And the fact that Kal Penn can still make these movies and maintain a respectable reputation at the White House is hilarious enough as it is.

As good as this one was, however, it didn't really live up to the expectations that were set by "Guantanamo Bay". Maybe it's because when I saw that one, it was in a packed theatre at 10 pm with a bunch of stoners laughing their guts out at every single joke. As unappealing as that sounds (I wasn't stoned during this movie), it's those types of things that make movies THAT much better if you ask me. Laughing my butt off with 30 or more people, including a few random 14 year olds who needed to pretend they were with me in order to get in (true story) just wasn't the same.

Something that really bugged me was how NPH was barely used in this one. Although his picture actually made it poster this time, he wasn't really in it as much as I hoped. Come to think of it, many of the old jokes from "White Castle" and "Guantanamo Bay" weren't used at all.

And whether or not it was the theatre I went to, the 3D was disgraceful. I almost suggest seeing the 2D version: your eyes won't hurt, you'll save a few bucks, and you really won't miss anything.

But even though it may not have lived up to the previous ones, Harold and Kumar prove once again that as far as epic stoner comedies go, they can't be beat. This one left me sore from laughing, and with an itch to see more (even though, once again, I wasn't stoned). I strongly suggest you get a big group to go to this one; the more laughs around you, the funnier this movie will be.

And of course, there's nothing like getting into the Christmas spirit a little early. Especially if you celebrate Christmas like these guys.