30 Days of Night (2007)

*Disclaimer* I watched this movie on t.v. (FX) so the rating I saw was TV14 which can definitely change a movie a bit.

Length: 113 minutes

Rating: R for strong horror violence and language

Director: David Slade

Composer: Brian Reitzell

Who is it For: If you like horror movies, yes. If you like vampires, sort of yes.

Who is it Not For: Those that have nightmares, get too tense during horror movies and if you are squeamish about blood.

What I Liked: That it was based on Alaska, I am a bit biased though.

What I didn't Like: That it wasn't filmed in Alaska :) Durn, New Zealand for your perfect filming locations.

Plot: A small Alaskan town of Barrow goes into a full month of no Sun, the perfect environment for a group of Vampires to show up and wreak havoc killing everyone insight in this month of perpetual night.

Review: I'm not a horror movie fan, but this one wasn't all that bad I would put it more in the suspense stage if there wasn't so much blood and guts (I can only imagine the rated R version). I like Josh Hartnett as an actor and he did not disappoint, there were some other actors that weren't the best but that didn't distract too much from the film. You really get pulled into the movie and how sucky it would be to be stuck in a town with all these vampires and it is incredible that there are places like that around the world. It was nice to see vampires brought back to the original idea of pure evil and completely horrifying.

Rating:

Dragonball Evolution (2009)

Length: 85 minutes

Rating: PG for intense sequences of action/violence and brief mild language.

Director: James Wong

Composer: Brian Tyler

Who is it For: Fans of Dragonball Z who aren't too picky with their movies.

Who is it Not For: Anyone else.

What I Liked: I liked that they came out with a movie for Dragonball, in my opinion one of the better Japanimation movies out.

What I didn't Like: This movie :), my biggest problem is if you are to make a movie out from Dragonball Z then you must, I repeat must have Fajita in it.

Plot: Goku must gather the dragonballs before Piccolo and his cronies gather them.

Review: Like I stated above I was happy to see a movie made just not happy with that movie and the missing link of having Fajita in it, I believe Fajita is one of the characters that made the animation version so successful. There was a lot of bad acting not the best directed movie. It did have some cool things in the movie some good action/fighting sequences. But all in all for me a big let down.

Rating:

The Last Legion (2007)

Length: 102 minutes

Rating: PG-13 for sequences of intense action violence.

Director: Doug Lefler

Composer: Patrick Doyle

Who is it For: Those people who like the old Chinese fighting movies with lots of fighting but not much else.

Who is it Not For: Anyone not in the mood for a let down.

What I Liked: The idea of the story.

What I didn't Like: Poor acting/directing.

Plot: The Roman empire is falling and a small group of warriors are charged with watching over 12 year old Romulus Augustus Caesar as the search out the 5th Legion in Britannia and obtain a powerful sword to bring back to help save Rome. In the end they stay in Britannia and leads into the story of King Arthur.

Review: This was another of those movies that I was excited about, because I am a sucker for good action flicks especially those that are dated back in Roman times with sword skills and such. But, alas this movies acting greatly detracted from the story line. I am convinced the director has seen too many old Chinese action flicks for our heroes were pitted up against innumerable people again and again and again.

It is unfortunate that the idea was wasted on such a bad movie.

Rating:

The New World (2005)

Length: 135 minutes

Rating: PG-13 for some intense battle sequences

Director: Terrence Malick

Composer: James Horner

Who is it For: Those who love cinematography and biography and with patience to make it through a slow movie.

Who is it Not For: The increasing number of A.D.D. people in the world.

What I Liked: The cinematography was amazing, very beautiful pictures.

What I didn't Like: The development of the story and the length.

Plot: Story of Capt. Smith and Pocahontas and their budding love mixed with the conflict of the early English Settlers and the Native Americans.

Review: Oh man where do I start, I was really excited to see this movie given the cast of Colin Farrell, Christian Bale and Christoper Plummer. The last thought I had going into this movie is that it would be boring, but ultimately that was my last thought after watching this movie. I believe all the well known actors were slightly upstaged by an unknown Q'orianka Kilcher who just gave a good solid bit of acting.

Like I mentioned above the cinematography was phenomenal and was very visually stimulating, the music was very calming and beautiful although if you add those two items together multiple it with not a lot of talking and a slow story line and I ended up falling asleep on my couch joined by my new puppy who rarely takes naps as well. I ended up not finishing the movie for it was almost turning into torture with the under developed and slow moving story, even my wife who is the most sensitive person I know was up for stopping the movie.

Rating:

Taking a short Break

Just wanted to send an update out there that I won't be doing any more reviews til' after the Olympics.

Kung Fu Panda (2008)

Length: 92 Minutes

Rating: Rated PG for sequences of martial arts action.

Director: Mark Osborne and John Stevenson

Who is it For: Anyone who wants a good laugh.

Who is it Not For: I would say nobody, but then again there are those who don't watch animated movies or do not like the actors who do the voices.

What I Liked: Jack Black's performance was great.

What I didn't Like: Nothing

Memorable Quotes: "Skadoosh!" - Po
"He was so deadly, in fact, that his enemies would go blind from over-exposure to pure awesomeness." and many, many more.

Plot: Original. A panda dreaming to be a ninja warrior and leave his life as a noodle server who is later named as the dragon warrior, the one who would bring peace again and defeat the dangerous Shifu.

Review: This movie is a great movie with many memorable lines, good music and excellent voice qualities of many known actors (Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Ian McShane, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen and Lucie Liu). At first I was put off by the new craze having known actors do voice overs but due to this movie and some others I am over that. This movie was made for pure enjoyment from start to finish. It'll make you laugh, enjoy kung fu and have you quoting it over and over.

Rating:

A Goofy Movie (1995)

Length: 78 Minutes

Rating: G

Director: Kevin Lima

Who is it For: Anyone who loves animated movies or the classic cartoons with bugs bunny and goofy.

Who is it Not For: Those people who still refuse to watch animated because they feel it is only for children.

What I Liked: Good music.

What I didn't Like: nothing really

Plot: The life of a father who is struggling to be a good father and connect with his kid. Also, of a high school kid who is in the midst of growing up and falling for a girl while at the same time believes his father is trying to thwart his only chance to be with his dream girl.

Review: I don't believe this movie was ever, "per se" big, but is one of my animated favorites. As stated above the music is great in this movie and helps one feel excited, happy and sad. I believe most people can relate to this movie and their relationship with a parent/child type situation. One fun thing about this movie is the Where is Waldo effect they create with the nuns in the background. It is a good story that will take you through many emotions and is a great movie to watch together with your family and you will find yourself singing the songs after the movie is through.

Rating:

p.s. I know this isn't in order but when people visit and they pick out a movie there is nothing you can do, this applies for my next movie review as well ;)

Yours Mine and Ours (2005)

Length: 90 Minutes

Rating: Rated PG for some mild crude humor.

Director: Raja Gosnell

Who is it For: People who like movies and watch a lot of them.

Who is it Not For: People who are not movie buffs and only see a few movies a year.

What I Liked: A lot of times children actors can really distract from the movies in this movie they had many young actors and they did a great job.

What I didn't Like: The cliche of high school sweethearts who later in life find each other and make it work. Not original.

Plot: Two high school sweethearts who later in life haven't been in contact and have grown to be about as opposite as two people can be. They each have been married have multiple children and both their spouses ended up passing away. They meet up and combine families to the dismay of their children, who ultimately try to separate themselves and in doing so learn to be a family together.

Review: This is definitely a family movie. Nothing about it makes one want to be a better person or never stop talking about it. Rene Russo and Dennis Quaid make good chemistry and are very believable in their roles and without them I believe this movie wouldn't be nearly as good. This movie makes kids jealous that their families aren't that fun but that is what movies are for. In the end if you enjoy a good family movie with clean jokes and good fun, then enjoy.

Rating:

You've Got Mail (1998)

Length: 119 Minutes

Rating: PG for some Language

Director: Nora Ephron

Who is it For: Anyone that enjoys a good feel good movie.

Who is it Not For: People who don't like Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, I suppose.

What I liked: There are many many great quotes that come out of this movie. So, in essence the writing was great and of course Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks has great chemistry in movies.

What I didn't Like: This movie and a lot of other movies have this theme where they have the audiences wanting the people in their current relationship to end and to move onto another one they are developing with someone else. My question is what about the other people? What if you were the other person? It has become a predictable and old theme in love stories. Other than that I didn't really have any glaring things that were distasteful to me or set off my pet peeve meter.

Memorable Quotes: "Because we're going to sell them cheap books and legal addictive stimulants." - Joe Fox The interesting thing about this quote is Tom Hanks was working on it while filming Sleepless in Seattle when he and the rest of the cast became quite addicted to Starbucks.
"Well, you know what? Don't do it, 'cause the minute you do, they lose all respect for you" - Christina Plutzker This was in reference to having "cyber sex"

Plot: Two bookstore owners, one of a local small bookstore and the other of a huge franchise bookstore, are in competition on the West side of New York. They begin as foes and progress through friendship into love through a series of quick witted lines and the Internet.

This movie is a solid movie with good actors doing what they do best; acting. Like I stated above this movie is full of great lines and quotes. I think the biggest thing in this movie especially what pushed it up in my rating was the originality of it. At this time room chats and looking for people over the Internet was a newer thing and this movie brought it out to millions that there is a possibility of another avenue for love.

You've Got Mail also brought about the subject of people who are in what seem to be a good relationship but are in reality looking for something more and they don't know what it is. Which, I believe is able to connect to many people out there but as you read above it is a theme that is overplayed I feel. In the end you find yourself rooting for these two bookstore owners to leave their current relationships and to move on to the new person.

I rate this movie an:

The Blind Side (2009)

Length: 128 Minutes

Rating: PG-13 for one scene involving brief violence, drug and sexual references.

Director: John Lee Hancock

Who is it For: People who enjoy true and inspiring stories

Who is it Not For: I think most people will enjoy this movie. I don't know who wouldn't.

What I liked: The story was great and so was the acting.

What I didn't Like: There wasn't as much football as I thought there would be but that isn't all that bad

Plot: A Story of a poor and homeless boy, Michael Oher and how he gets adopted by a well off family and eventually ends up as an All American Football player and is picked up in the first round of the NFL draft.

Overall a great movie. The story was original, true and very emotional. Financially, it showed us a picture of the wealthy and the incredibly poor leaving middle class Americans grateful for what they have and perhaps a bit jealous of what could be. This movie shows the best in people and the worst, that no matter your station in life there are ways to change it for the better or worse. Upon leaving the theater I was truly inspired to do something good or improve myself, I was left with a good feeling that lasted the night.

Sandra Bullock had the best performance of her life in this movie, at times I was able to forget it was Sandra Bullock acting and was watching the character of Leigh Tuohy. There are many excellent lines, one of which portrays the relationship between Leigh and Sean Tuohy played by Sandra Bullock and Tim McGraw. Leigh says (and I am paraphrasing a little bit) "I was wrong" Sean responds "How did that taste coming out" and Leigh completes the dialogue with "Like Vinegar".

I rate this movie a: