Reviews

It's hard to believe 24 years have gone by already since the Powerslave tour which also happens to have been my first concert and one of the most positive memories of my misspent youth. The excitement was overwhelming during that summer back in 1985 as I finally witnessed my favorite band of all time after first being exposed to them in 1982 when a Number of the Beast album caught my eye. Not a knock on the band but a lot of the band's success can be attributed to Derek Riggs who of course is the mastermind behind the artwork that is responsible for converting most fans as mentioned in the film. Ultimately, it is the music that keeps us coming back for more and as far as I'm concerned, the classic era in focus is what Iron Maiden is all about.

For those who don't know, it's called Flight 666 because this is the first time any band has taken a tour by air in their own private jet (suitably named "Ed Force One" and designed accordingly) which includes entire road and camera crew and several tons of stage equipment. The best part is, the plane is piloted by someone who to me resembles Daniel Craig with some crazy old school sideburns whose identity I will not reveal as not to ruin one of the film's many interesting surprises. So yeah, this film documents the cities traveled on their record breaking adventure providing further insight and retrospect to this great band's legacy as their way of saying thanks to all their fans that needs to be seen for yourself. I also heard the DVD will feature complete versions of the concert footage of songs like Revelations, Run to the Hills, Wrath Child and Iron Maiden so no need to pirate this with those annoying cell phones. Aside from that rude distraction and lack of the powerful atmosphere present in a live Maiden show, this film was without a doubt, aces high!

To be fair, I should explain right away I had no intention of seeing this movie at all not to mention Vince Vaughn hasn't done anything very good like Swingers and Made in some time (to me, Wedding Crashers and The Break Up were just O.K.). In fact, the bitter taste from last year's disappointing Fred Claus was still present when my girlfriend said she wanted to see this movie tonight. Of course, I cringed at the idea while mildly protesting but eventually gave in with the prospect of secretly indulging in an unspoken "I told you so". Only kidding, that thought never crossed my mind...

Anyways, I didn't even really know what this was about before seeing it but it didn't take long for the plot to be outlined after a pretty funny scene at the airport. Basically, after 3 years of avoiding spending time with their families on Christmas (remember, you can't spell families without "lies"), Kate and Brad find themselves in an unfortunate situation this year that forces them to spend Christmas with their divorced parents and very dysfunctional siblings. This concept could go either way for me because I really liked Christmas Vacation but disliked The Family Stone. Fortunately, just as it started out great this continued to be more like Christmas Vacation all the way through with several laugh out loud funny dialog and various slapstick that had the whole theater roaring with laughter. One of my favorite parts was a Nativity play where Vince Vaughn effectively delivers some hilarious over the top scenery chewing that had everybody in stitches... well, except Kate.

As funny as I thought this was, it wouldn't be a real Christmas movie without delivering some sort of constructive message among all the chaos. Since I can empathize with Vaughn in his situation with Kate, the film's resolution probably had more personal impact for me. I can also understand the criticism that most of the talented cast was wasted in comparison because the family situations were not addressed equally. What I liked the most about the film's brief serious turn is it wasn't syrupy while providing some genuine touching moments thanks to the believable acting skills of Reese Witherspoon, Vince Vaughn and of course the two screen legends, Bobby DuVall and Jon Voight. Best Christmas movie I've seen since Bad Santa and yes, I will listen to my girlfriend's suggestions without being such a Scrooge from now on:)

I remember way back in 2004 getting pretty stoked for Harold and Kumar go to The White Castle (as eloquently put by the great Fred Willard) because this was something I certainly could relate to after a great night of partyin' like a rock star.However, after watching the movie with such high expectations I honestly came out a little unsatisfied. As Simon Cowell once said, "It was like ordering a burger without getting the meat". Don't get me wrong, I still liked it to a degree but it seemed to try too hard with both the comedy and social commentary leaving a lingering stench of onion breath when it was all said and done (hey, it could have been worse if you pick up what I'm laying down).

Well, enough about that, because four years later, the boys are back right where they left off on a mutual quest to Amsterdam for their own reasons. Of course,the most crucial motivator of all, to smoke plenty of the finest weed in the world - legally (woot!). After a funny altercation with security at the airport (despite being diluted by being featured in the preview) the adventure fires back up as the overanxious Kumar has managed to cause a scenario that in the eyes of narrow minded yet hilariously idiotic Homeland Security Agent, Ron Fox (Rob Corddry who effectively channels a reminiscent Stanley Kowalski), is grounds for a hospitable vacation in G Bay instead- where the cock meat sandwiches are the featured everyday menu special. Yeah, it's exactly what you think it is.

Now here's where I think the movie somewhat changes direction to maybe aggravate or confuse a few viewers that I feel should be established right here and now. Instead of this being a movie mostly set in prison with a dramatic escape finale, the boys actually escape rather quickly turning it into another road movie in the spirit of the original and kinda like Eurotrip except it didn't suck. In the remarkably deft hands of writer/director team Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg backing this latest production, the delicate craft of separating the various adventures from potentially dismal absurdity into genuine comedy was so successful that I confidently say this has been one of the most improved sequels I've seen in some time. Not to mention, the real magic of this film doesn't end with consecutively funny scenes either. The heart and soul of this film is contained within the incorporation of a satirical and pertinent take on society's existing misconceptions as well as inversely examining solutions with a naturally realistic look at friendships and even romance...there was a bottomless party too.

I saw this because I became a Jason Segel fan after watching every episode Freaks and Geeks but this movie was utter garbage. The comedy value, the most important aspect of a film like this, was awful as I chuckled only twice at the dork on his honeymoon that looked like Tom Cruise who was just so pathetic, I laughed at his attempts of humor out of sympathy. Otherwise, the lame jokes, one liners, the occasional inappropriate swearing (which can be funny if done right) and overall script was either done before or just stupid.

Speaking of done before, this has to be one of the most cliché and predictable story lines of all time except this was one of the worst. I really liked the Heartbreak Kid, my Super Ex Girlfriend and The Break Up because they were somewhat fresh approaches to an all too familiar theme (yes, I know The Heartbreak Kid is a remake) while Forgetting Sarah Marshall was a dull variation of each of these movies. I wanted to walk out about an hour and 10 minutes into it but I wanted to see if it had a surprise and redeemable ending causing all the fuss. Well, to make a long story short, it turned out exactly the way anyone could have expected despite there being a hint that it might go in a different direction.

Finally, I don't think it's fair or important to really judge the acting performances in this movie because the film I watched before this was The Assassination of Richard Nixon in which the acting was top notch while this peaked at about par for an episode of That 70s show. But what really did bother me was how implausible this whole situation would have been if Peter was an everyman instead of a fairly talented musician with a bit of celebrity status. Segel's personality was not very charming nor could he be physically attractive to beautiful women like Sarah or Rachel unless he had that going for him - and I thought the romance between Scotty and Judy in Vertigo was far fetched because of their huge age difference which now seems reasonable compared. This also had a lot to do with the inadequate development and poor script but put Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn or Luke Wilson in Segel's place and it would be a lot more convincing even playing a relatable regular guy as they did in their movies. I don't know, maybe that was the intention here but I didn't like it.

So those are my three biggest complaints of this truly overrated and just plain bad movie I really wanted to like, so take it for what it's worth. Judging by the amount of laughter, I know many more people at the theater enjoyed it more than I did but I'd be surprised if anybody would say it was that great judging by the long pauses between the few collective laughs. In conclusion, I don't recommend even wasting your time watching the DVD if you have any taste.

It's been a while since I wrote one of these but thanks mainly to Owen Wilson for another hilarious (yes and interchangeable) role, this movie was funny enough to get motivated once again.

The premise is obviously pretty simple and has been done before in both bodyguard and teen movies (Superbad and My Bodyguard come to mind...duh). The beauty of this movie it combines the two genres with Owen Wilson's natural comedic talent and three capable younger actors resulting in a mostly funny comedy that is unique from the rest.

There was an interesting metaphor contained in one of the trailers showing Drillbit telling the kids he's taking them under his wing. The reason I say this is interesting is because this is how it mostly worked for the movie's humor. It took almost 15 minutes for it to really get started. Don't get me wrong, there were some funny parts that didn't involve him like the bodyguard interviews (gotta love Frank Whaley's cameo), Ryan's rap off with the bully and the two hitting each other but the biggest laughs for me were from Owen Wilson. To be fair though, Owen was at his best when the kids were involved. I loved the way he approached this "job" with one part seriousness, one part B.S. and two parts hilarious. I was dying when he was holding up that kid's burning popsicle stick project up to the sprinklers and just the general training conversations just to illustrate that recipe.

Overall, this storyline was nothing brilliant but as in You Me and Dupree, Owen Wilson manages to take something that could be rather mediocre turning it into an enjoyable and endearing comedy. True, he really didn't do it by himself as I'd try to make you believe. I mean the way the bullies were portrayed was a very convincing and effective factor that helped sell this one as well and who could forget the lovely Leslie Mann in an interesting and sometimes funny romantic subplot. To sum it all up, if you liked the trailers you're going to like this movie. And a shout to all the people who replied in my thread that convinced me to go myself. You were right.

As we all know, the latest project from Michael Mann is loosely based on his successful series from the 80s. Although it's common trends repeat themselves every 20 years, Mann decided he was not going to follow this cycle by incorporating an inverse atmosphere synonymous with the show or a classic like Scarface (Vice City anyone?).

This of course means a very limited or complete absence to the exposure of bright colors, light hearted humor, and sandy beaches with bikini clad beauties. This is replaced with mostly dark and gritty surroundings, very serious demeanors and complicated plot. Fair enough, I enjoyed Collateral, that heavily employs these characteristics...Except Collateral consisted of both serious and humorous rapport and a suitable plot blending complexity with clarity. Miami Vice's plot was complex in details to the point of convolution rendering clarity and substance obsolete yet still based in an over saturated premise. There wasn't even that much style to compensate either unless you call overplaying Audioslave in the score stylish. I call it been there, done that - seemed like a desperate attempt to recapture the magic of his previous and far superior film (hint-Collateral).

These flaws can be attributed to the lack of character development, poor script (focus on directing, Mann) and substandard performances by the entire cast with most of the blame awarded to Farrell and Foxx. These two had no personalty, charisma, chemistry or pulse for that matter. Farrell's voice was utterly ridiculous, creating a strong sense of superficial force, a constant reminder he was phoning in the worst performance of his career. Foxx wasn't quite as bad but this was also a career low compared to his recent films, Stealth included.

I suppose I should wrap it up by mentioning some of the positives because after all, I didn't totally hate the movie even though the thought occasionally crossed my mind to walk out. The action sequences by themselves were without a doubt the best part of the movie. Unfortunately, this would be categorized under style and without a strong movie and connection with the characters, these sequences are wasted. Same goes for the moments of quality cinematography that pretty much translated into filler of a story that could have easily been told within a single exciting episode starring Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas at a fraction of the cost.

*edit* After viewing the director's cut several months later, I have to take back a lot of what I said here - it was so much better the second time around. It's amazing what a difference a few changes will make.

When I first saw the trailer for this movie, it did not strike me as something I would rush out and see opening weekend. Since I enjoyed Steve Carell's previous work in Anchorman and Bruce Almighty, I knew eventually I would get around to it. Then it happened. The reviews started coming out saying this was the funniest movie of the year etc. etc and although this will probably drop, the 7.9 rating on this site is quite impressive. Needless to say, mildly interested turned into must see and as every experienced film buff knows, high expectations should be avoided at all costs. But then again, a good movie is impervious to being over-hyped. With that said, I soon found myself in the theater anxiously awaiting the best comedy of the year...or so I thought.

As the title of the movie suggests, Andy Stitzer is a forty year old virgin who is quite comfortable in his situation until his secret is exposed during a card game with coworkers. This sets the all too familiar plot in motion as we have seen in films such as Swingers and Sideways. His buddies are determined to get him laid and are quick to impose their insightful advice like "Tackle drunk bitches" or "Don't put the p*ssy on a pedestal". And so it goes. During this quest to achieve the impossible, a customer named Trish enters the electronics store where Andy works and of course, becomes the main focus of interest...as in every other film of this nature. Carell and Keener do share a convincing chemistry to keep this aspect buoyant through act 2 but loses momentum during act 3 weighed down by unconvincing drama.

Just as the premise is cliché, so are most of the jokes. Andy's introduction would have been much funnier if we didn't already see the stiffie joke in Anchorman or the angry Pakistanian coworker done in Office Space. There were a few really funny scenes in this movie but not nearly enough to adequately supply the lengthy 2 hour running time with consistent humor. The second half of the movie was like watching a bad sitcom - without the laugh tracks. The enthusiastic audience that was obviously enjoying the movie more than I was even stopped except an occasional chuckle. The Age of Aquarius sequence had me eying the exits and was relieved that it was soon over after that disastrous attempt at comedy.

Overall, I'm on the fence after watching this. This was not a terrible movie, it just wasn't that good or funny and certainly does not live up to the massive amount of praise accumulated from various sources. Had I approached this with no expectations without being exposing myself to the hype, I may have enjoyed it more. However, doing a little research on a film before seeing it has proved to be much more effective method than selecting something based solely on trailers...It's just not a perfect science.

As we know, Basic Instinct was one of the most influential and controversial films of the early '90s. From the moment it begins, this wastes no time establishing what's in store, unveiling the bloody murder scene prefaced by some very arousing sex. I had to fight the urge to throw quarters at the screen to bounce off that perfectly rounded female backside. Anyway, this movie ultimately catered to our own "basic instincts" of inherent carnal and savage behaviors ( I'd say the female audience experienced a sensation of dominance while watching this film but that might get me in trouble) - thus the quintessential adaptation of the risqué and trashy material found only in paperback was born.

So it's now 2006 and the long awaited sequel has finally been released. Just browsing the background facts this went through to be produced is a bit astonishing. One of the most interesting facts is David Cronenberg was considered to direct this but how about Pierce Brosnan stepping down because of distasteful elements? I guess The Matador was okay because it didn't actually show him having unlawful relations with minors or playing "hide the weenie" with members of the same sex. There certainly was enough dialogue to suggest his character was into that (not saying it was a bad movie, just trying to understand the logic).

Moving on, it seemed these confusing issues over the years were influencing the final production getting seriously trashed. After personally viewing the film, my initial suspicions have been confirmed. Objectivity is the least element to be found in most of the reviews I've read. I know, it's all about freedom of speech and everybody is entitled to their opinion. With that said, here is my two cents regarding what could be considered a controversial film for the wrong reasons: Basic Instinct 2.

Let's start with Sharon Stone since she seems to be the source of all the commotion (how fitting- just like the movie!) . This of course has nothing to do with that unreasonable lawsuit filed against the producers (even I was shaking my head). No doubt she's still in great shape on for a woman who is almost 50 with some very revealing shots confirming this. However, there were some visible signs of aging that Botox or makeup couldn't conceal- her face was not the problem at all, the glossy lipstick is a personal favorite touch. I noticed some freckling and other various skin blemishes on her chest, back and legs that were rather unappealing. I'm talking about a particular sequence in Glass' office when they are first introduced. The lighting and close-up filming techniques captured everything- maybe too much. I think nylons would have been the solution here, there wasn't a muff shot anyway. At least during the sex scenes, the dim lighting and distance made this unnoticeable.

As for her acting, I really didn't have any complaints. I'd actually say her performance was even better than the first one coming across more enigmatic and sassy instead of slightly dingy. There was a part at the end that was pretty funny when she goes over the top that evoked a good chuckle from yours truly. She seemed to have good chemistry with David Morrisey who was better than I thought he would be (I did get a Liam Neeson vibe from his voice at times). That was important because he had quite a bit more screen time than Stone.

Unlike Douglas (whose character's integrity was laughable), he played a strong and serious character who enjoyed being in charge. The magnetism between the two was very evident and she could sense the vulnerability beneath his hardened exterior (pardon the pun). A part that stood out was when she was released from custody, Glass was watching her on a nearby television. She kept glancing at the camera like she was looking directly at him. One of the many effective techniques she used to reach his damaged emotional core for the provocative manipulation games (I believe Washburn had another term for this). I should mention Morrisey also had an over the top moment that paralleled the infamous "NOOO!!" in Star Wars: ROTS toward the end of the film....It actually makes sense why later, but it still sounded ridiculous being about 5 seconds too long.

Two more pleasant surprises were Charlotte Rampling (loved Swimming Pool) and David Thewlis (loved Kingdom of Heaven) who were both excellent.

Now the story really doesn't change a whole lot from the first one. There were a few references to Shooter (Douglas) and the murders but this honestly felt like a remake (some familiar notes in the score were pretty cool). The big difference being it was not as sexually or violently graphic as the first.

The benefits of course not trying to avoid visual contact of Michael Douglas' orange bum all the time (although this one had it's share of man arse and not enough luscious female gee maximus- Stone's was completely absent). Another benefit was the quality of film-making was far superior in this one. The changes made were the right ones making it more reserved yet kept it compelling- not just a campy shock fest. However, I must admit I'm hoping for a spicier extended version on DVD because there are plenty of opportunities.

To top it off, it was set in London so almost everyone except Stone spoke in a British accent (Sounded like Thewlis had a touch of Irish in his delivery - well, he was the detective after all. Oh, and the German with the bad wig- yet even more comedy) providing a paradoxical sense of elegance in such a maniacal situation.

The Exorcism of Emily Rose is loosely based on the trial accusing two exorcists and parents of Anneliese Michel of negligent homicide due to failed spiritual treatment for demonic possession . Featuring an A list cast, including the acclaimed talents of Laura Linney, Tom Wilkinson, Campbell Scott and an astonishing performance from newcomer Jennifer Carpenter that truly captured the essence of this hideous condition.This is a matter to take very seriously and I applaud the film makers for treating this as such with the competency it deserves.

The film's setting is mainly in a courtroom utilizing Rashomon style flashbacks to illustrate different points of view of those bearing witness to the cancerous evil. A balanced dialectic is created by the prosecuting attorney Ethan Thomas (Campbell Scott) countering with scientific logic backed by various doctors experienced in dealing with severe mental illness sometimes associated with supernatural inhabitants. Terror is coupled with intellect to provide the most effective insight possible regarding this case. Those expecting a glimpse of seventies pop culture surrounding a 19 year old girl indulging in typical college life and a superficial thrill ride of gratuitous malice and gore may be disappointed...What we get in return has far more impact than just a rehashed Exorcist and abundantly smarter than something like Scream. This has been one of the best modern horror hybrids to come around in quite some time, maybe even the best.

There is virtually nothing better for me than anticipating a film with great expectations to be fulfilled at maximum capacity. House of Flying Daggers proves for the second time this year that Zhang Yimou is a master director in his command of visual storytelling. With the style and grace of a ballet containing every color in Crayola's realm of possibilities, this romantic adventure will draw you in emotionally as well as sensually.

The year is 859 A.D., three years since the previous leader of the underground alliance of rebels known as The House of Flying Daggers was assassinated by a corrupt government, his blind daughter Mei (Zhang Ziyi) has returned to society to avenge her father's death. She is suspected of dancing in the Peony Pavilion Entertainment Plaza as cover. Two county police captains (Andy Lau as Leo, Takishi Kaneshiro as Jin) have a plan to expose the new leader to collect a reward from the general and Mei has everything to do with this plan. After Leo arrests Mei, Jin breaks her out of jail and they flee the city. The plan is for Jin to seduce Mei and have her lead him to Nia, the current leader of The HOFD where they will destroy the entire group. Sounds pretty simple but there is a catch. Jin actually falls for Mei in the process! That's only the beginning of his problems since the general gets involved with the case, sending in formidable soldiers unaware of the scheme. Jin now has to kill his own men, causing him to be conflicted on a personal level. To me, Jin was the most enriched character demonstrating a diverse spectrum of emotion and versatility in his role. To preserve the mystique of the plot, I won't elaborate on any more details (there are a few twists). I will say this, the ending is very moving with an unselfish act of love, the tragedy amplified by being unnecessary. We realize this the moment a drop of blood intersects the path of a flying dagger; absolutely brilliant. The beauty of this story lies in its simplistic structure yet possessing complex characteristics. The complexity does not come from layers of subplots or multiple characters involved. It comes from the choices and reactions involved in each difficult situation. It's compelling to watch the classic cause and effect of amorous psychology progress the plot to no limit in this forbidden love triangle. All this while still utilizing a linear narrative that is to the point. I've noticed in the few negative reviews out there, critics are having logic issues with this story. Excuse me? This is fantasy, people. This is meant to be approached with both hemispheres of the brain for optimal enjoyment, not just the left side. That is standard for just about every movie. Besides, every plot hole conceived by these cynics that question "why?" have a contrasting solution that clearly explains "why not?".

There is a variety of fresh action sequences that reinvents Yimou's interpretation of the martial art film design. Plenty of skilled sword fighting combined with lightning fast hand to hand technique will satisfy any Soul Caliber and Virtua Fighter fan. There's an enraged brawl, fueled with jealousy that bring out the best of the actors with no lines at all. Powerful emotion is conveyed in facial expressions universal to all languages. Last but not least, The Echo Game: Negotiation results in Mei's traditional dance synchronized with a percussion ensemble penetrating even the most stoic of viewers with excitement to get things underway with authority. I had to fight the urge to give her a standing ovation after that exhibition.

Nothing will ever top the raw talent of Jet Li and Donnie Yen as they battled through their mind's eye in Hero. However, the innovative fluid fight sequences and special effects in HOFD were just as spectacular and in some cases, even surpassed those in Hero. I was again very pleased in the limited use of wire fu and cgi, but when it was used, it was done with class. The scene where the soldiers were giving chase in the bamboo forests after an intense confrontation with Mei and Jin was one of the highlights of the movie. The huge stalks were used with a catapulting effect to give the viewer a sense of plausibility. Also, never underestimate the power of slow motion. No martial arts film is complete without it and you'll love how Yimou does it above and beyond anything else.

One aspect that impressed me was the progress of visuals in trajectory objects. I remember one scene in particular in Hero when the arrows were heading for the calligraphy temple, how unprofessional that shot was with the arrows dangling on strings (thank God that was it). You won't find that here as the arrows always glide smoothly on a solid path to their destination while the camera follows in bullet time. The same principle is used with the daggers as they inflict serious damage to their victims with sometimes graphically brutal results (for a PG-13 rating). Yimou gives the daggers personality with enhanced sound effects and unorthodox movement. You know when you hear them approaching while cutting through the air, people are going to die. If you're fascinated with utmost precision, a few of these scenes will absolutely take your breath away.

Zhang Yimou definitely sets the standard with his follow up House of Flying Daggers. This will go right along side Hero as one of my top 5 films of the year and easily receives the 5 star rating.Do not wait for this to come out on DVD . Do yourself a favor and experience this one in the theater.