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Alex Cross (2012)
6/10
Tyler Perry and Matthew Fox are the best part 6/10
9 July 2012
I have not ready the books or seen either of the previous films. Also I have only seen parts of Tyler Perry's other movies and that was enough to let me know I didn't want to watch any more. That being said, I felt that Tyler Perry's performance was very believable and very different than what I was expecting. At points in the film he is a bad-ass (albeit a bit overweight, but hey not all heroes hit the treadmill) and at others he is quite likable. He has some some quick and funny dialogue that he looked very at home with. All in all I now believe he is a pretty decent actor especially when comparing to his other "characters."

Matthew Fox plays an intense dude. Check out the images section to see what I'm talking about. He plays the insanity factor pretty hard and at times feels like he is nearing the "full retard" line but he never quite jumps the shark. It's sort of hit and miss. At times it's extremely effective and at others it seems a bit overdone. As a whole, pretty effective, and definitely crazy.

I liked Edward Burns as Alex's partner and Rachel Nicols as the third in their team. I was disappointed with basically everything else in the movie. Acting was for the rest of the characters pretty downright bad (with the exception of Dr. Cox who was acceptable). The stunts, aside from a cool fight scene in a business office, were pretty lame. The cinematography was average. The script was too heavy handed and convenient. The dialogue was good but the situations were not so much. It sort of felt like they were trying too hard to be gritty and raw.

Seriously though Tyler Perry is BY FAR better than you are expecting. Go see it just to have your perception of him shattered a bit.
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50/50 (2011)
10/10
A Great Film
14 March 2011
Just saw this at an Advanced Screening 2 hours ago in Huntington Beach

This film doesn't have a title nailed down yet. It used to be called I'm with Cancer but IMDb has it listed as Live With It. The title we were shown in the film and the title that was on the invite was Get Well Soon. They asked us our opinion of the titles (Also include was the title Bright Side) but no one really liked any of the titles. So for the sake of confusion I'll call it Get Well Soon.

Get Well Soon is the very believable story of Adam, a 27 year old nice guy who waits at cross walks at 5:30 in the morning when nobody is on the road and other joggers have already trotted past. Adam writes stories for radio programs and seems to genuinely care about the stories and the people who are listening to them. After persistent back pain, Adam goes to the doctor and is diagnosed with Cancer. He is assigned Katherine, a doctorate student who is getting experience for her dissertation, to talk to about his new problems.

This film will immediately draw comparisons to 2009's Funny People which unfortunately can't be ignored. But fortunately, aside from the fact the main character is diagnosed with a terminal illness, this is a completely different film. Where Funny People had a lack of connection with its main character, due to Adam Sandler being a prick to everyone and being rich on top of that, Get Well Soon's Joseph Gordon Levitt is the everyman that everyone can relate to. He does a fantastic job expressing the feelings of calm fortitude as well as isolation. You can see it in his face. It's the little things that make a film feel authentic. Levitt's performance is heart breaking and uplifting at the same time. He maintains a steady calm for most of the film that just feels real. You know this is a dark comedy when there is a Patrick Swayze joke in the first 20 minutes of the movie. I'm not sure if that one's gonna stay in the final cut though lol. This film is very funny throughout. All of the people in the after film focus group said it maintained a perfect balance of comedy and dramatics. I saw Love and Other Drugs and liked it but this film is much more streamlined and has no extraneous scenes.

Seth Rogen is absolutely hilarious. I'll be the first to get my opinion out that Rogen is great in everything he's in but he really killed it again. Weed smoking is given a fantastic treatment by this film, like director Jonathon Levine's previous work the very amusing The Wackness. There are two scenes that are a creative and effective way to show the effects of marijuana. I love the way they shot a conversation between Adam, Rogen and two of Adam's older cancer friends. Anna Kendrick plays a similar role to the one she played in Up in the Air. She does a great job in this too. Bryce Dallas Howard plays Adam's girlfriend and Angelica Huston is his over bearing mother.

I rated this film an "Excellent" which is the highest possible rating and which 18 of the 30 people who stayed after agreed with. 11 said "Very Good" and 1 said "Good." I really enjoyed the film. It didn't really do anything wrong. It might have a bit too much profanity for the older crowd but its central story is so appealing. On that note actually, there were several people who said they would not have come to the screening if they knew full well that it was about cancer. I feel that is so extremely narrow minded that no one should even admit that to a group of people. Please if you are on the fence and "don't want to go to a depressing movie" get over it and see a fantastic, hilarious film in Get Well Soon.
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1/10
Hoorah, I guess..
23 September 2010
Warning: Spoilers
Just Saw this Film at an advanced screening in Long Beach.

Battle: Los Angeles is the tale of Staff Sargeant Nantz' last day as a marine. Without spelling it out or drawing a diagram, the audience and the marine platoon we are following, are immediately deployed into Los Angeles for reasons they do not know. Soon we learn that indeed Aliens are landing off the shore of LA and killing everyone on the beach. The platoon we are following is sent on a mission to get some survivors from a gas station several miles from the coast. Generic movie ensues.

The film is shot like Bourne with epilepsy. I'm 21 years old and not too old to follow the action on screen, its just really, really, annoying when 80% of the shots are extremely herky jerky close-ups. There is not a single steady shot in the entire film. Not one. The intensity of the effect wears off right after the first alien is killed. After that the movie spiralled downhill deep, deep into the realm of the cliché. I'm going to name a few character's roles that are in this film, see if you can recognize them from other films you've seen. Experienced, hardened leader who gets a new platoon. Young officer straight out of officer's school who can't handle the action. Bad ass chick who can shoot. Soft and sweet nurse who gets picked up along the way. An Asian guy, a black guy, a white dude from the south, and a rookie make up the main part of the platoon. There is a scene where tension is high and its just a damn dog making noise. Start to see where this is going? This movie had some good things going for it. Its use of silence was well done. The blasting boom of the gunshots were startlingly realistic. The alien spacecrafts are awesome. The aliens themselves are pretty cool. Its just that the screenplay is terrible. SOOOOOO cliché in every way. This is your standard war movie just with Aliens. The ending is just as cliché as the rest of the film. Don't fool yourself into thinking it will actually be difficult to beat the aliens. 0 thought involved.

Hopefully Mr. Liebesman has better luck with the final product of Clash 2 than he did with this. Everyone I saw the movie with thought it was pretty bad. Movies like this that I totally enjoyed: District 9, Cloverfield, Avatar (somewhat), City of God (cinematography) and Blackhawk Down. All much, much better than this.

District 9 and the Bourne Identity had a really stupid baby.
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The Adam Sandler Formula Works Again
7 September 2010
Just saw at this an advanced screening in Huntington Beach.

It was pretty damn good. I do have to admit that I am an Adam Sandler fan. Being 21, I grew up seeing his films in theaters and for the most part liked them all. I think with Big Daddy, Dennis Dugan and Adam Sandler's Happy Madison crew really started a formula of movie. Central conflicted and imperfect character Adam (who has a good heart of course), falls in love with the girl of his dreams, who is younger and way better looking than him, all formulated around a specific central premise (i.e. with this film it's Adam's lies piling on top of lies) supported by extremely strong, quirky side character performances. This might be the epitome of this established formula, really passing 50 First Dates in my opinion. The typical Sandler ridiculous humor and smart-ass remarks are extremely well balanced with perfectly timed and executed emotional moments. The set-up for the story is pretty basic and at first almost appears predictable. It is to some extent, but the crazy directions the movie takes based on Sandler's lies is well done and only stretches a few times. But what do you expect from the Happy Madison crew?

The 2 kids in the film did a good job and had some funny lines. I am not a Jennifer Aniston fan at all but really actually liked her in this. I sort of understand her popularity and charm after this movie. She seemed more genuine and I felt an emotional attachment to her that I have always lacked with her. Plus, she is showcased in a particular waterfall scene and looks absolutely fantastic in a bikini. Brooklyn Decker is unbelievably gorgeous, as we all know from the SI Swimsuit Edition, but I was very surprised at how natural of an actress she was. She seemed very comfortable and didn't overact much. She is extremely cute and lovable. Nicole Kidman and Dave Mathews were great as an uber cool couple. Nicole was a bit over the top as she has been of late (like since Moulin Rouge), but thats what her character called for so I understand. Dave was surprisingly good as an almost drugged up yuppie, cool boyfriend of Nicole's. Nick Swardson was absolutely hilarious and by far steals every scene he is in. He really comes into the movie about 1/3 of the way in and from there on out its his movie. Nick Swardson deserves fame for this.

I can't say for sure how the critics will receive it. I can handle suspension of disbelief as long as it leads to a funny payoff. For the most part these moments are delivered. It's a great date movie and a great movie for Sandler fans. He has an unbelievable recent track record for success, but this will top all of them at the box office.
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Jackass 3D (2010)
10/10
Just Like Old Times
4 August 2010
Warning: Spoilers
Just saw this at an advanced screening in Long Beach and I must say the Jackass crew is back. This movie is exactly what I was expecting it to be. My friends and I debated whether or not the guys were too old but apparently they were offered enough money to not care much. This is just like Jackass Number 2 in that they got a big budget to do the set piece stunts. There is still the low key, sneak up on people pranks, but now in glorious slow motion.

The set piece stunts are in bright and crisp 3D that really adds to the effect of whatever they are trying to do. As others have stated the intro is pretty cool but I was actually left wanting just a bit more. Note the paintballs though, in amazing 3D. This is Johnny, Ryan Dunn, Steve-o, Pontius, and Weeman's show. Dave and Aaron end up getting hurt as usual but are awesome sports.

There are more gross out and insane, painful stunts than pranks on unwitting public people, but a few of the funniest skits fall into the latter category. The midget couple at the bar is the funniest in the movie by far.

These guys are as funny as always and their genuine friendship is really quite nostalgic at the end. Its been nearly 10 years since Jackass went off the air and these guys are really still at the top of their game. The entire theater was crying with laughter the entire film. I was invited to stay after for a post film discussion and one of the other people summed it up nicely by saying he felt that not a single skit was a misfire. Matt Hoffman, Jeff Tremaine, and Spike Jonze were in the crowd.

Of the 25 or so people that stayed after the film, 22 thought it was the best of the trilogy.
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Megamind (2010)
Fun but not Pixar
10 July 2010
Saw this at a test screening. It wasn't completely finished in terms of animation, much of it was in storyboard phase, but from what I could tell the animation is top notch. Jonah Hill is perfect as Titan. Will Ferrell was decent as Megamind. Brad Pitt was good while he was in it.

Its half spoof half turn the genre on its head. There are some pretty good jokes and some decent set ups. There's no real heart here though. Everyone's likable but you know it'll all be OK.

Several scenes were very well animated, there is one of the biggest explosions ever animated in this film which was pretty cool. Go take the kids, especially the boys, who'll most likely get a kick out of Megamind.
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10/10
It remains consistently laugh out loud funny the entire film while giving entertaining characters, serious dramatics, and a deep, pounding, emotional heart.
24 March 2010
Warning: Spoilers
Just saw it at a screening in Orange County. It was much much better than I expected going it. I was expecting something good from Ed Zwick and Anne Hathaway but Jake Gyllenhal really tore it up. This movie is very, very good and will be a huge hit commercially and critically when it comes out. I will say it is long. It has the perfect mix of gross out comedy, serious dramatics, and emotionally connecting love story. The film is really stuck in my head since i saw it. I go and see as many films as I can, and have seen many but this was a fantastic DRom Com. It was parts of Knocked Up, Funny People, and 500 Days of Summer, but with some Up in the Air and Thank You for Smoking and genuine Julia Roberts love story territory. But I must say, as a 20 year old guy, it was very goddamn good.

Anne Hathaway was very convincing with her Parkinson's. The film does a great job with teaching the audience both about Parkinson's and (legitimate) Pharmaceuticals sales. She is stage 1 and acts the part. She is a rebel girl and does a great job. She is EXTREMELY sexy in this movie and this will probably get her voted #1 Sexiest woman in every magazine on earth next year. Brave girl and completely sexy and tasteful...most of the time.

This is absolutely, hands down the best role Jake Gyllenhal has ever played. He might have been dramatic and gay in Brokeback but he is so comfortable as the smooth talking, answer for everything, sex seeking Jamie it really shocked me. I actually have faith he will be good in Prince of Persia after seeing his range in this. He is the cocky part of Thank You For Smoking, with better and more prolific dialogue, but the heartwarming lead of 500 Days of Summer, but with even more redeeming qualities.

The movie was laugh out loud funny the entire film. It never let the film get too serious without a few laughs or the characters making a few jokes about the drama. Supporting characters were great. Oliver Platt played a great typical Oliver Platt role but with great writing and no restraint. Judy Greer was cute and bitchy Judy Greer. Hank Azaria was also quite memorable and hilarious as a womanizing doctor. Jamie's brother is definitely a Jonah Hill type/looking guy but as the movie goes on you can't help but like him. He is in some of the best scenes in the film.

The chemistry is off the charts between Jake and Anne which is obvious but the other characters do a fantastic job standing out as well. I have seen a lot of films and enjoy good films of all genres but this might be the best Romantic Dramedy I have ever seen.
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10/10
The greatest Movie ever made but have u seen the extended edition?
1 January 2005
The Lord of the Rings trilogy in my mind are the three greatest movies ever made. I saw the Return of the King at 12:01 AM on the day it came out. I had already purchased the Fellowship extended DVD which by the way is amazingly better than the theatrical version. This Christmas I got the Two Towers and The Return Extended DVDS. I watched both of them in the same day and was in awe when I was done. The return of the King extended edition is absolutely mindblowing. There is no word to describe how much better the extended DVD is than the regular edition. The two towers is extremely well done in the extended version. If u have not seen the extended versions I strongly strongly urge you to go out and either buy or rent these dvds. The will astonish you. Please comment if you have seen the extended editions and have something to say. SEE THESE DVDS THEY ARE AMAZING!!!
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