Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Before watching this movie tonight, I had been literally foaming at the mouth with anticipation. I'd managed to miss it during its theatrical run and it won't be hitting store shelves for a couple of weeks. When one of my sources offered me the opportunity to finally see it, I jumped at the chance. All day at work all I could think of was getting home, pulling up on the couch and settling in to see this. After an excessively long day, the time had finally arrived.

This flick was one of the most hyped of the summer. It had been 19 years since the last installment in the series. People wondered if Harrison Ford could still pull it off given his advanced age. Seeing as how the first three movies are some of the most beloved movies out there, this one seemed like it was going to have a tough time ahead of it. And when it hit theaters, it did. There were a lot of negative reviews. People said it was too campy and over-the-top. People were disappointed by the use of CGI in some scenes. The general consensus was that it was a disappointment. These days however, people find reason to complain about just about everything.

Personally, I enjoyed this one. It's not the best movie ever. Nor is it even the best Indiana Jones flick. However, it's an enjoyable way to spend two hours. Upon first seeing Ford on the screen, the first thought in my mind was "Damn, he looks old.". For an older guy though, he sure manages to pull off what many thought was impossible. Once he sprang into action, I was taken back 20 years. He's still as solid as ever in the role. The rest of the cast here is solid with Shia LaBeouf cast as Mutt Williams, a young Marlon Brando wannabe who may or may not be Indy's son. Karen Allen returns almost 30 years later and, amazingly enough, looks better now than she did then. Cate Blanchett is solid (and sexy) as the villainess Col. Dr. Irina Spalko. She looks like she's having a good time, engaging in high speed chases and sword fights. The story is thematically similar to the earlier flicks in the series. Indy is on a quest to find something while the bad guys are chasing after the same item and trying to stop him. Typical stuff. Not to say that it's bad. Not by any means. It's interesting enough. Sure, there are some silly parts but let's face it....isn't the thought of a grown man on a quest to find treasure kind of silly in and of itself? The action sequences are generally the highlights in these movies and this is true here. I particularly enjoyed the one in the warehouse to kick things off. Good stuff.

Wrapping up, let me just say that I enjoyed this movie. If I were 12 again like I was when I saw The Last Crusade, I'd probably love it. The simple fact is, the older you get the tougher it is to accept new versions of the things you loved growing up. To me that explains the hatred towards remakes and sequels that are separated by many years. And it explains the negativity towards this one. I say see it for yourself. See it with an open mind. And sit back and enjoy the ride since it's not as bumpy as many folks would have you believe.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull gets a 7/10.

The gist...

Welcome to my blog. I've already got a personal blog plus many other places where I vent so this one is going to be a bit different. Here's what I've got in mind...

Earlier this year, I started writing short reviews at a website called DVD Spot. I started to get really into it and actually looked forward to writing a review as soon as I finished whatever I'd been watching. They had a system in place where other users could rate reviews as "helpful" or "not helpful". Unfortunately, I seemed to have invoked anger in one particular user as most of my reviews were quickly met with at least one "not helpful" vote. Site admins looked into the situation and saw that it was one person with a vendetta so they removed his votes and restored everything. As time went on, it started happening again. This time, the admins did nothing because the site was more or less being ignored. So, rather than waste my time on work that some no-talent ass-clown could bash, I chilled out with the reviews. Now, DVD Spot is closing down for good. On October 15th, the site will cease to exist. I had to act quickly to find a home for my reviews. My good friend Lillian went out of her way to copy and paste every single one of my reviews and saved them to her blog. She didn't have to do that, but she did. She went waaaay above and beyond for me. Thanks to her, I was able to do this. What you have here is the new home for my movie reviews. Underneath this introductory post is the complete archive of 144 reviews. From 10,000 B.C. to Zodiac. Not to pat myself on the back, but some are pretty good. Others are fairly short and pointless. The wordier ones are the more recent ones. The shorter they are, the earlier they were written. For the most part, anyway.

At any rate, I intend to use this to post new reviews whenever I do start writing again. The format here looks as though I could do some pretty cool stuff. I intend to. Just stick around and see what I have to offer.

Review Archive: 10,000 BC - Before the Devil Knows You're Dead

10,000 B.C.
10,000 B.C. really did nothing for me. Generally, I'm not a fan of this type of movie and this one did nothing to change my opinion. I found it to be slow-going and fairly dull. Camilla Belle was out of her element being cast in this and every time she appeared on screen, her mere presence annoyed me. Overall, I wasn't expecting much from 10,000 B.C. and I didn't get much from it.

Skip it.


187
187 stars Samuel L Jackson as teacher Trevor Garfield. After being viciously attacked by a student, he moves from New York to Los Angeles where he quickly finds that sometimes problems arise no matter where you are.

187 is a solid flick. You've got good performances from Jackson, as always, and Clifton Gonzalez Gonzalez. Kind of frightening that his parents had 9 months to come up with a name and all they could come up with was Gonzalez Gonzalez. But I digress. Gonzalez is really good as a crazed gang member who is the source of Garfield's troubles. He comes across as very real in the role. The story here isn't really anything new but the execution makes it worth watching. Also, the climax is pretty powerful stuff.

187 is worth a watch.


2 Days in the Valley
2 Days in the Valley was tied down with comparisons to Pulp Fiction when it first came out. Sure, there are hitmen in both movies but I think that's about the only thing they have in common.

This flick is helped by having a very solid ensemble cast. You've got Eric Stoltz and Jeff Daniels as vice cops, Danny Aiello and James Spader as hitmen on different career paths and Charlize Theron in one of her first roles. The story is interesting as everyone's path eventually comes together to shape the climax.

Two Days in the Valley would make for a good rental.

21
21 is a very entertaining movie. Based on the book Bringing Down the House, 21 tells the story of a group of college kids taught the art of card counting in order to win some serious bucks in Vegas.

The cast are pretty solid. Jim Sturgess is good. Kevin Spacey and Laurence Fishburne are solid as always. Kate Bosworth is exceptionally attractive, especially in her little black dress near the end of the flick. The story zips along, never feeling stretched out or padded. It's interesting and draws you in.

21 is recommended.

27 Dresses
I'm a guy. A movie like 27 Dresses really shouldn't interest me. Chick flicks generally don't. This one came as a surprise to me. Sure, the plot was full of cliches and it would be fairly obvious to anyone as to how it's going to end. That being said, I just really enjoyed this flick. Katherine Heigl is quite good in this movie. I really think that had it been anyone else, the movie would have lost a little something. A good cast and a pretty funny story make this one worth a watch.

Ali
Ali tells the story of legendary boxing champion Muhammad Ali. Hence the name.

This is a great movie. It's the type of movie that I'd always heard good things about but could just never bring myself to watch due to the length. I finally had the chance to watch it the other day and am quite pleased that I did so. Will Smith gives one of his best performances here, making Ali pop off the screen. Ali had a ton of swagger in reality and Smith brought that across extremely well. The rest of the cast is solid, especially Jon Voight as Howard Cosell. The story of Ali is an interesting one and the filmmakers do an excellent job here in translating it to the screen.

Ali is recommended.

All the Boys Love Mandy Lane
All the Boys Love Mandy Lane is an excellent throwback to the slasher flicks of the 80s. You've got sex, drugs and a maniac running around killing teenagers. It really doesn't get much better than that.

This is a solid horror movie. Probably one of the better slasher flicks to come down the pike in quite some time. The cast is good with the beautiful Amber Heard playing the titular character that all the boys love. I can see why. The story doesn't seem like much upon first viewing but it goes a bit deeper than you might think and may actually require a second viewing. This one actually makes you think a bit. I was quite pleased with this one.

All the Boys Love Mandy Lane is highly recommended.

American Gangster
American Gangster is a hell of a movie. From start to end, it sinks its claws into you and refuses to let go. It's one of those rare movies that runs nearly three hours, yet doesn't feel like it at all. Washington is superb as Frank Lucas. He manages to turn a character that shouldn't be likable by using his natural charisma and charm to make Lucas come across as the villain you hate to love. Crowe is also excellent in this flick and the supporting cast excels as well.

American Gangster is highly recommended.

Amok Train
Amok Train (or Beyond the Door III) tells the story of a group of American high school students on a trip to Yugoslavia to study local culture and history. Of course, things aren't quite as they seem to be.

This is really not a very good movie. The acting is pretty bad. The story's pretty weak. You've got the standard occult cliches...Satanic rituals and virgins. The deaths are on the gory side so that's a plus. There are a few instances of the local folks banging rocks together as part of their rituals that were good for a laugh or two.

Amok Train is a bad movie. Make no mistake about it. If you're in the mood for an occult flick, there are a lot better choices. Skip it.


April Fool's Day (2008)
April Fool's Day is a loose remake of the 1986 horror flick. The first terrible thing about it are the characters. They make no connection with the audience whatsoever. They don't even attempt to, in my opinion. There is nothing remotely likable about any of them. The acting is pretty rough too. I've seen better performances in the bedroom. The plot twist at the end is one that was fairly obvious throughout. And the acting takes an even more annoying turn at the end when things take a bad turn. Watching the characters go from feeling hatred and vindication to weeping and being sad is actually pretty comical.

One of the only things this flick had going for it was that the story moved along fairly quickly. It went from Point A to Point B enough to maintain interest in spite of its flaws. And the other positive was the eye candy. Taylor Cole and Scout Taylor-Compton are both extremely easy on the eyeballs.

April Fool's Day isn't worth purchasing but it may be worth a rental for curiosity's sake.

The Bank Job
The Bank Job is a blast. It starts off as a caper flick, spending an hour or so setting up the whos, whys and whats and getting in a few laughs before taking a turn into a fairly violent and serious action flick. Statham is great as always and any movie that he gets to kick some ass in is alright in my book.

The Bank Job is highly recommended.

Be Kind Rewind
Be Kind Rewind is a quirky flick. Jack Black and Mos Def are solid as the leads. Black is funny without overdoing it like he tends to do. The funniest parts of this movie are the movies that Mos and Black have "Sweded". Watching them reshoot flicks like Ghostbusters and Rush Hour 2 had me in hysterics.

Be Kind Rewind is recommended.

Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead is an excellent little film. It's one that really slipped under the radar of a lot of people. Too bad, because it's well worth checking out. The cast in this one is superb. I've never particularly been a big fan of any of them individually but here, they all shine. Hoffman and Hawke are great as the brothers whose scheme to rob their parents' jewelry store goes terribly wrong and causes the family to crumble. The story is great and really draws you in right from the start.

Before the Devil Knows You're Dead is highly recommended.

Review Archive: Black Rain - Drillbit Taylor

Black Rain
Black Rain is one of those movies that I wanted to see when it first hit theaters. I was 12 when it did so my only option was the VHS rental down the road. I remember watching a little bit of it before losing interest and turning back to my Nintendo. Now, nearly two decades later, I decided to give it another shot. I'm glad I did.

Black Rain is a solid thriller/action flick that doesn't seem to get any recognition these days. It's a shame because it's definitely worth watching. The action is tense, the story is good and wraps you up right from the start. I'm not a big Michael Douglas fan but he's really good in this one.

Black Rain is recommended.

Borderland
This is the first of the After Dark flicks that I've watched for 2007. Not a bad watch. Lots of gore and an interesting story. Seeing that it was inspired by true events made it even creepier. The only negatives were a lack of character development and the length. It's hard to feel sympathy for characters that aren't really fleshed out. And the 105 minute run time is a bit much. They could have chopped it down 10 minutes to tighten it up some.

The Brady Bunch Movie
Growing up in the early 80s, I was a big fan of The Brady Bunch. Through the constant stream of reruns, I probably managed to catch every episode over the course of time. Sure, the show was pretty cheesy but I always managed to enjoy it. Needless to say, when news broke that there would be a movie based on it, I was pretty excited.

Before I watched this the other night, I hadn't seen it in quite some time. It was one of those movies that I'd always watch whenever I stumbled upon it on HBO. I liked it quite a bit and was always amused by it. Watching it now, years after my original viewings, I've found it doesn't hold up nearly as well as I'd hoped it would.

The filmmakers here were absolutely spot-on in recreating the show. They really did a terrific job. The cast pays solid tribute to the originals and are all great. Gary Cole, in particular, as Mr. Brady really hits the mark. All the references to the show are accurate and amusing. The movie's biggest problem is that it is merely amusing and not downright funny. I chuckled often during this but never really found anything hysterical. Ultimately, I was disappointed.

The movie scores high for the nostalgia value and for the accuracy of the characters. If you're a fan of the show, it's recommended for that alone. If you don't like the show, this probably isn't for you.


The Bucket List
The Bucket List is a pretty good movie. You kind of know what it is going in so prepare for the sentimentality. Once that's out of the way, this one's got some pretty funny moments. The chemistry between Nicholson and Freeman comes across very well on the screen. They look like they had a great time filming a lot of the stuff seen here.

The Bucket List is worth seeing.

Buried Alive (2007)
Buried Alive tells the story of a group of college students who go to stay at an old family house out in the desert. This being a horror flick, things don't quite work out the way they'd hoped.

This is a decent movie. The pacing is pretty slow and not much happens for the first hour or so. The story is interesting enough to maintain through the slow times. It picks up considerably in the last 15 minutes or so. The cast is pretty good considering that, with the exception of Tobin Bell, they're fairly unknown. Bell is solid as Lester, the caretaker. He actually looks like he's having a good time with his role. We've got a few pretty good kills and some decent gore in this one.

Buried Alive is worth a rental.

Catacombs
Catacombs was much better than I was expecting. The atmosphere down in the titular catacombs was excellent. It built up a genuine sense of dread primarily because something like this could actually happen. The ending also caught me by surprise. I was expecting it to zig and instead, it zagged on me. Quite a pleasant surprise.

Catacombs is recommended.

Chaos Theory
Chaos Theory was a fairly average movie that could have been a lot better. For a movie billed as a comedy, the laughs were few and far between. If anything, I'd say this leans a bit heavier on the drama. Especially given some of the subject matter. That being said, Ryan Reynolds was pretty solid and Sarah Chalke gets to strut around in bra and panties. Can't go wrong there.

Chaos Theory is alright for a one-time watch. Rent it.

Cloverfield
Cloverfield is one of those movies that you either love or you hate. There really doesn't seem to be any middle ground on this one. Personally, I loved it. Every single second of it. The first 20 minutes set the scene very nicely for what's about to come. I could feel the tension inside of me building as I knew what was about to happen. And once it happened, I was hooked. The 74 minute run time(minus the credits) really just flew by to the point that it left me wanting more. This one is highly recommended.

Clue: The Movie
Clue was one of my favorite movies growing up. It seemed like every time I turned on HBO, Clue would be there. This one never fails to amuse me even though I've seen it dozens of times at this point. Tim Curry is awesome in this one, particularly near the end where he's giving the rundown as to how everything could have happened. Just a great performance.

Clue comes highly recommended.

Crazy Eights
The cast made this one work. It starred a lot of actors whom you'd recognize but might not know by name. A few jump scares and some genuinely creepy scenes make this a worthwhile watch.The biggest drawback on this one is its length. Running at 80 minutes, they could have stretched it out a bit to focus more on character development. Regardless, I enjoyed it.

The Crow: Salvation
This second sequel to The Crow is not a bad flick. It certainly blew the previous sequel, City of Angels, right out of the water. The cast here is solid with Eric Mabius making a good Crow and Walton Goggins providing something of a preview of the character he went on to play on The Shield. At the end of the day, it's not a great movie but it's a decent way to spend 102 minutes.

The Crow: Wicked Prayer
Without a doubt, this is the worst of The Crow series. This movie is extremely boring for the first 50 minutes or so. Once it begins to pick up, it goes from boring to just out and out silliness. The story was lame and the cast really didn't help it much. Furlong was essentially the emo version of The Crow, complaining about wanting to die. I was really hoping someone would have taken him up on it and ended the movie a lot earlier. Skip this one.


Dan In Real Life
I liked Dan in Real Life quite a bit. Much more so than I was expecting honestly. There were a lot of moments that had me laughing hysterically but they were well balanced out with scenes that tugged on the heartstrings a bit. And in my opinion, no one does awkward quite like Steve Carell does awkward. Some of the scenes in this movie had me feeling awkward for him, that's how convincing he is at it.

Dan in Real Life is a solid comedy with a good cast and lots of heart. It's recommended.


David Spade: Take The Hit
David Spade's Take the Hit is his first special for HBO. Spade does have quite a few funny moments here but not quite enough to sustain an hour. I found myself getting a bit restless before the end of the show.

If you're a stand-up fan, there are better discs out there for you than this one. Skip it if you're not a big Spade fan.


Daylight
Daylight is really nothing special. It's not horrible but it also isn't anything really worth going nuts over either. Stallone plays his typical troubled action hero, a former EMS chief with scandal lurking in his past. The only character that is actually interesting is Viggo Mortensen's Roy Nord.

If you're a Stallone fan, check out Daylight. If not, skip it and check out one of his stronger flicks.


Death Valley
Death Valley (a.k.a. Mojave) tells the story of four friends who go out into the desert for a rave and what happens when they run into some trouble with the locals.

For a thriller, Death Valley is decent. It's one of those movies that kind of straddles the line between good and bad. The acting is alright with the biggest surprise being Vince Vieluf who actually came across as menacing here. Some of the acting borders on parody with Dash Mihok at one point giving a "Do it for Johhny" speech that was shockingly similar to The Outsiders. The story, while having been done countless times in the past, still manages to hold your interest.

Death Valley would make for a decent rental if you're a fan of thrillers. Don't let the box art fool you though, this is definitely not a horror flick.


The Deaths of Ian Stone
This is the third Horrorfest flick I've watched for 2007. Of the three I've caught so far, this is the best one. The story is pretty interesting and really not at all what I was expecting. I'd heard this was like a horror version of Groundhog Day but it's really not even close. The effects on the Harvesters were really good...they looked creepy as hell IMO. Mike Vogel was solid as Ian Stone and there was some nice eye candy in the forms of Jamie Murray and Christina Cole.


Definitely, Maybe
Definitely, Maybe is a pretty good movie. It's a father in the midst of a divorce telling his young daughter the story of his love life. Ryan Reynolds has a charm that radiates off the screen and he generally comes off likable. This movie is has some pretty funny moments and has a lot of heart. It helps that the women in his life include Isla Fisher. Yum.

Definitely, Maybe is worth a watch.


The Devil and Daniel Johnston
The Devil and Daniel Johnston is a documentary about musician and artist Daniel Johnston. Johnston has a long history of mental problems and is a diagnosed manic depressive. This documentary is a fascinating look into the life and times of a talented, yet troubled individual. It's often painful sitting through some of the incidents that Johnston went through on his way to finding redemption.

The Devil and Daniel Johnston is recommended.


Diary of the Dead
Diary of the Dead was a pretty big disappointment for me. I went into it really wanting to like it. But, at the end of the day, it felt like one of those flicks that Lions Gate dumps out direct-to-video. I even liked Land of the Dead more than this one. There were a few "Oh shit!" moments and a few moments that made me chuckle but they were so few and far between that it made the movie seem unbearably long.

Skip Diary of the Dead. Especially if you're a fan of the genre.

Doomsday
I really enjoyed Doomsday. There's blood and gore, decapitations and mayhem. All in all, the movie was a blast. I genuinely had a lot of fun watching. The action takes a little bit to get going but once it does, it doesn't let up. The cast is solid and Rhona Mitra is damn sexy.

Doomsday is highly recommended.


Down in the Valley
Down in the Valley is a decent movie. Nothing spectacular but not exactly terrible. Norton is solid, as always, as Harlan. As the movie progresses, you can see the changes in the character and Norton handles the shift quite well. Evan Rachel Wood is good as Tobe.

Down in the Valley is worth watching if you're an Edward Norton fan. Even if not, it's still worth a rental.


Dracula II: Ascension
Dracula II: Ascension is one of the numerous direct-to-video sequels that Dimension released in the early 2000s. If one of their movies was a success, you could count on sequels like this hitting store shelves down the road. This is the follow-up to Dracula 2000.

The curse of direct-to-video sequels like this is that, while they can be entertaining, they're generally not very memorable. This is a prime example. I enjoyed it while watching it but now, all I recall are bits and pieces. The story is interesting but nothing worth going crazy over. The cast here makes the best of what they have to work with. Unfortunately for them, it's not a lot.

If you're a genre fan, this one's alright for a one-time rental. Other than that, skip it.


Dracula III: Legacy
Dracula III: Legacy is the third and (so-far) final film in the Dracula 2000 series. It follows Dracula II: Ascension.

This one sees most of the cast and crew returning from the previous movie. Unlike the previous movie, this one really has nothing making it stand out. It winds up becoming your run of the mill direct-to-video horror flick. It's competently made but completely forgettable.

Skip it.


Drillbit Taylor
Drillbit Taylor is a pretty funny movie. In a way, it comes across as Superbad for a younger crowd. And that makes sense, what with Judd Apatow's involvement and Seth Rogen's writing. You've got your fat kid, your average skinny kid and your ultra dork. They encounter problems with bullies on the first day of high school and wind up searching for a bodyguard. Along comes Owen Wilson, as the titular character. He's charming as always and helps the kids to solve their bully problem.

There are a lot of laughs in this one but it begins to drag a bit about three quarters of the way into the movie. Perhaps the extra 8 minutes this extended edition has to offer are overkill. I'm not sure as I've yet to see the original.

Drillbit Taylor's worth checking out.

Review Archive: Eastern Promises - It's A Boy Girl Thing

Eastern Promises
Eastern Promises is a very solid movie. Like some of the other reviewers here, I also kind of got the feeling that something was missing. Really strange. Anyway, Mortensen is great in this one. He's very convincing as Nikolai. And in a scene that's sure to delight the ladies, Little Viggo even makes an appearance in what has to be the most bizarre fight scene I've ever witnessed.

Eastern Promises is recommended.


Enchanted
Enchanted was an excellent surprise. Sure, I'd heard good reviews but I really wasn't expecting much going into it. I figured that it was going to be pretty silly. I'm amazed at how wrong I was. I was sucked right in at the very opening. The story was something we've seen countless times before, yet something about this particular retelling was more engaging. The cast was great. Patrick Dempsey and James Marsden were really good as Giselle's suitors. And Amy Adams was beyond cute as Giselle. Her wide-eyed innocence really made her the perfect live action princess.

Enchanted lived up to its name. It comes highly recommended.

The Entity
The Entity is based on the (allegedly) true story of a California woman who was attacked continually by an unseen force.

This one almost had me. It started off really strong. The first attack was freaking intense. It came out of nowhere. The music in the scene was jarring, daring you to pay attention. That was all I needed to see...I was hooked. And then something happened. I'm still not quite sure what really. Maybe it was the length of the movie. Clocking in at 125 minutes, it probably could have trimmed a solid 20 minutes and been a much better film. Instead, I lost interest and found myself waiting for it to end. Regardless of that, Barbara Hershey turns in a solid performance as the perpetually tortured woman. She's not one of my favorites, but she's good here.

The Entity starts strong but loses momentum due to its length. If you're a genre fan, it might be worth a rental just so you can check it out before the inevitable remake comes along.

Eraser
Eraser is your typical, big dumb action flick. Schwarzenegger starred in a slew of them in the 80s and 90s so if you've seen one, you've pretty much seen them all. Like most of his flicks though, his charisma propels this a bit further than it would if it starred someone else.

This one has him starring as John Kruger, a US Marshall who works with the Witness Protection Program. He has to protect Vanessa Williams, a corporate executive who has uncovered some dirt on her bosses. Dirt that will get her killed. The story here is decent at best, pretty far from original. The action more than makes up for it though with some pretty cool sequences. There's some comic relief provided by the late Robert Pastorelli that moves us along when there's a lull in the action. The cast here is solid with the aforementioned folks plus James Caan, James Coburn and, most likely, some other folks named James. Or not.

Eraser is worth a watch. Give it a rent or check it out on cable.



Fido
Fido is set in the small town of Willard, circa the 1950s. Radioactive waste from outer space has brought the dead back to life and started the great Zombie War. Eventually, Dr. Geiger, the founder of Zomcon figures out how to make the dead stay dead. After the war is won by the humans, Geiger creates a device to help domesticate any remaining zombies. Fido is one of those domesticated ones.

This is a decent movie. It doesn't live up to the amount of hype I'd heard going in however. It's similar to Shaun of the Dead in that there's quite a bit comedy mixed in with the zombies and gory bits. The story is interesting because it's something that really hasn't done before. The cast is solid with newcomer K'Sun Ray doing really well as Timmy.

This one is worthwhile for zombie fans to check out. Otherwise, it's only worth a rental.

Fingerprints
Fingerprints tells the story of a young girl, fresh out of rehab, who rejoins her family in a small town that was the home of a tragic accident many years before.

For a direct-to-video flick, Fingerprints has a few things going for it. First up is the cast. While they are not spectacular, they are pretty solid. Lou Diamond Phillips is probably the biggest name in this one and he turns in a good performance. Leah Pipes and Kristin Cavallari are both solid as sisters Melanie and Crystal. The story in this one is interesting enough to hold your attention. It does start to slow down in the middle but picks back up, before building a good head of steam for the conclusion.

Now, the bad. While most of the cast is solid, there are a couple of performances here that wind up going way over the top. And not in a good way. Next up is the inclusion of a character that looks like a cross between Tom Hanks in The Polar Express and Daniel Plainview from There Will Be Blood. It's tough to take a character seriously when you can't get those images out of your mind. Also, the epilogue at the end feels really cheesy and kind of tacked on.

Fingerprints is strictly average. If you're a genre fan, it might be worth a cheap rental.


Fool's Gold
Fool's Gold tells the story of a newly divorced couple who wind up on a treasure hunt to find a fortune that disappeared in the Caribbean in the 1700s.

For what is basically a chick flick, Fool's Gold was quite a surprise. There was a lot more action and adventure than I was expecting. The story here is quite interesting, as I've always been fascinated with lost treasure and things of that nature. The action keeps the movie moving at a nice pace and held my attention easily. McConaughey just comes across really well on-screen usually and this is no exception. His charm makes the character more likable than he has any business being. And Kate Hudson is solid here. And she's stunning. Always a plus.

Fool's Gold is recommended. It'll keep the woman in your life happy and has enough action to satisfy you as well.


Forgetting Sarah Marshall
Forgetting Sarah Marshall is the latest flick brought to us by one of the hottest producers of the moment, Judd Apatow.

It tells the story of Peter, who gets dumped by his actress girlfriend Sarah Marshall. He decides to take a vacation to a Hawaiian resort in an attempt to get over her only to find that she's vacationing at the same resort. With her new boyfriend,no less.

First and foremost, this is a very funny movie. As is to be expected with most of Apatow's productions. Jason Segel is the writer (and star) here and he turned out a winner with this script. Anyone who's been dumped can relate to seeing the ex out on the town with a new significant other and the pain it can cause. The awkwardness between Peter and Sarah is near-painful at some points while still being extremely funny. As the lead, Segel makes the character of Peter very likable. His charm shows through and makes you cheer for him to find a happy ending. Kristen Bell plays Sarah and she's very solid here. She runs the gamut of emotions here and does quite well. For me, Mila Kunis was the real highlight of this one. Playing Rachel, the front desk clerk at the resort, she's great. She comes across as kind of the beautiful girl next door. Laid back, friendly and insanely gorgeous, she shines here. The supporting cast here is very good as well.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall is highly recommended.


Frontier(s)
Frontier(s) is another excellent horror flick coming from the land of wine and cheese. I don't know what's in the water over there but they're producing some of the best horror out there at the moment.

Frontier(s) is solid, all the way around. The cast is good, the story goes along at a brisk pace and sucks you right in. This is one of those rare foreign flicks that makes you forget they're not even speaking English. The gore in this unrated edition is top-notch, including a scene with a shotgun that, in my opinion, rivals Tom Savini's blast in Maniac as one of the all-time best.

Frontier(s) is highly recommended. Seriously. Check it out.


Funny Games
Funny Games is a shot-by-shot remake of the 1997 film of the same name. Michael Haneke directed both.

Funny Games tells the story of a family out for a vacation at their lake house. Two strange young men come to visit under the premise that they need to borrow eggs for the family they're staying with. The truth is eventually revealed to be much darker than that. The acting in this one is top-notch. Pitt and Corbet are genuinely creepy and menacing in their roles as the visitors. Roth and Watts are good as the husband and wife whose lives are at stake. The story sucks you in and doesn't let up until the end credits roll.

Like others have said, Funny Games is not intended to be entertaining. It's intended to be a statement. This movie delivers on that in a big way. It disturbs you. It gets into your head and takes up residence. Even some two weeks after watching this, it's still fresh in my mind.

Funny Games is highly recommended.


Georgia Rule
Georgia Rule is a chick flick. Since chick flicks really aren't my cup of tea, this one kind of surprised me a bit. It was definitely better than I was expecting it to be. It's not a great movie but it was surprisingly decent. Lohan turns in a good performance as Rachel. Most critics say she was essentially playing a version of herself and I can see where they'd get that from. She starts off as a spoiled brat who genuinely can't tell the difference between fact and fiction and winds up finding redemption.

If you like chick flicks, give Georgia Rule a shot. If not, skip it.


Ghost Rider
Ghost Rider was alright. It was better than I was expecting. But then, that's easy to do when my expectations are dragging on the floor. The CGI stuff with Ghost Rider was pretty cool looking, all things considered. The cast was decent enough. Not really a big Wes Bentley fan though and felt that he wasn't nearly as intimidating as he should have been given the character he was playing.

Ghost Rider is one of those flicks that you can take it or leave it. If you're into movies based on comics, check it out. If not, you're better off skipping it.


Grandma's Boy
Grandma's Boy is downright hilarious. There are so many parts that made me laugh hysterically that I actually had to go back and re-watch the scenes after for fear I'd missed something. Particularly Alex's scene with Lara Croft...good stuff. The leads here are well cast and great in their performances. Linda Cardellini totally won me over with her performance of Push It.

Highly recommended.


Hack!
Hack! is quite a bit of fun. Sure, it can be cheesy at times but that adds to the charm. Take a decent cast, some nice gore and some winks to other horror flicks and you've got a movie that's a good way to pass a couple of hours. All that being said, my main reason for purchasing this at the time was to ogle Danica McKellar, formerly of The Wonder Years. I had a hell of a crush on her while I was younger and wanted to see how she'd held up. Answer? Pretty freaking well. She's smoking hot.

Hack! is recommended if you're a fan of genre flicks.


Hard Candy
Hard Candy is a great movie. It is intense, engaging and keeps you on the edge of your seat. Patrick Wilson and Ellen Page are excellent as the two leads and focal points of the movie. They play off of each other perfectly. The tension mounts before building to an unforgettable climax.

Hard Candy is an excellent psychological thriller. It comes highly recommended.


Hard Eight
Hard Eight is acclaimed director Paul Thomas Anderson's debut film. He'd done a couple of shorts prior to this, but this was his first feature length effort.

This is a very good movie. Considering that it's Anderson's debut, it's surprisingly solid. With a cast like he has to work with, anything less would be a disappointment. Philip Baker Hall, John C. Reilly, Gwyneth Paltrow and Samuel L Jackson all turn in great performances here. Particularly Hall and Reilly. Both just excellent work. The story is not exactly fast paced but it's gripping nonetheless.

Hard Eight is recommended.


Hard Rain
Hard Rain is a decent action flick. It's one of those movies that really isn't "good" but also not terrible. Best word I can think of to describe it is "entertaining". The cast is solid, the story is decent and the action moves along at a nice pace.

Hard Rain is worth the cost of a rental.


Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay
Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay is the follow-up to 2004's successful stoner comedy Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle.

Before watching this one, I'd heard a lot of negative things. Most people seemed to think that it wasn't very funny or not nearly as good as the original. Well, I really liked it. Perhaps it was because I had a bad day at work and needed a good laugh. Maybe it was just really funny. A second viewing down the road will be needed to determine that. At any rate, I found this to be quite enjoyable. Cho and Penn are great in their roles. Some of Cho's facial expressions and manner in which he said things were just hilarious. Rob Corddry was over the top but amusing as the extremely racist Homeland Security agent trying to capture Harold and Kumar. Danneel Harris was stunning as Kumar's ex-girlfriend. The story here moved along at a good pace given the length of this unrated version.

I liked Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay enough to recommend checking it out.


Hostel Part II
Hostel Part II is the sequel to 2005's Hostel. It tells the story of 3 college girls studying abroad. They wind up getting sidetracked into a trip to Slovakia where they wind up becoming victims of an exclusive murder-for-money club.

For the most part, this is pretty much a retelling of the original but with a sex change. The parts where this sequel excels are the "behind the scenes" stuff. Learning how the club works, the bidding system, etc are all fascinating and could definitely be expanded upon. It's when they focus on the 3 leads that the film lags a bit. Very slow going for the first 60 minutes or so showing the girls getting to Slovakia and being recruited. It's slow mainly because it's pretty much the same stuff as the original. Anyway, the cast here is good for the most part. I'm not a big Heather Matarazzo fan so the less screen time she gets, the happier I am. Her very presence on the screen annoys me so let's just say I was quite pleased with her story arc. The gore factor in this one is pretty high. Lots of gruesome stuff and a few cringe-worthy scenes as well.

Hostel Part II is recommended.


The Hottie and the Nottie
The Hottie and the Nottie is not as bad as everyone has made it out to be. At least, that is this reviewer's opinion. Sure, it's a dumb movie. And sure, it's pretty predictable as well. But I've definitely seen worse. Joel David Moore is enjoyable as the guy trying to woo Cristabelle, as played by the ubiquitous Paris Hilton. Moore seems as if he's having a good time and it comes across in his performance. There's not much for Hilton to do but stand around and look good . She can do that in her sleep so she comes off alright here. Christine Lakin as June or the titular "nottie" is good here. She's under a ton of makeup/prosthetics and shines through despite the appearance.

The Hottie and the Nottie is not for everyone. There are some funny scenes but let's face it, no one is watching this for the comedy. Even if you think it terrible, I still think this one's worth a rental.


Inside
Inside is an incredible movie. I'd heard a lot of hype regarding this one so I was hesitant to watch it. I'm glad I finally got around to it tonight. Inside has everything a horror fan could possibly ask for in a movie. A great atmosphere, ominous music, an intense story, solid acting and gore galore. It took roughly 30 minutes to set up what was going on and from there, the remaining time is spent providing balls-out action and a story that moves along so quickly with such intensity that it will move you to the edge of your seat.

Inside is one of the best horror movies I've seen in quite some time. It is highly recommended.


The Island
The Island is a futuristic sci-fi/action flick set in 2019. Survivors from a contamination live in a massive underground bunker to keep them safe. They hope to win The Lottery and make it to The Island, the only remaining place on Earth that wasn't affected by the contamination. Two of the residents discover that not everything is quite what it appears to be and escape.

The Island is a solid action flick. Clocking in at a bit over 2 hours, this one moves along at a solid pace. The acting from McGregor and Johansson is good as they play the two escapees. When I said in an earlier review to track down Scarlett in one of her better looking appearances, this is what I had in mind.
*drool*
Anyway, the story is typical sci-fi involving clones but there's a bit of a twist that makes it more interesting. The action sequences are fast paced and visually stimulating, typical of a Michael Bay flick.

The Island is recommended.


It's A Boy Girl Thing
It's A Boy Girl Thing is a rehash of your average body swap movie that was popular in the late 80s. It's a decent enough flick, if really nothing special. The biggest thing this one has going for it are the two leads, Samaire Armstrong and Kevin Zegers. Both are pretty solid in their roles. Armstrong is cute as hell and her mannerisms while in male mode are over-exaggerated but funny nonetheless.

This one might make a decent rental if you're a fan of this type of flick.