"John Dies at the End" ... or Does He?

You are not going to believe this...

Or, maybe you will.

The Story:

There's a drug on the street called Soy Sauce.  It promises a high unlike any other.  However, when it comes into the possession of John (Rob Mayes) and Dave (Chase Williamson), the duo uncover something so dark, so sinister, that the only recourse Dave has is to tell his story to a reporter (Paul Giamatti) in hopes of spreading the truth.

And with that incredibly short, intentionally vague plot description, all I can say is to say more, would be to spoil a fun sci-fi/horror comedy that deserves to be watched.

Directed (and written) by Don Coscarelli, who last brought us Bubba Ho-Tep... well, that should tell you everything you need to know right there.

This movie is wild, and yet holds itself together throughout, adding layers of weird absurdity as it goes.

Never once does it go too far, or stretch credibility too thin.

It establishes its own rules and stays within them, or breaks them as the movie sees fit. : )

I'm sliding this one right next to Tucker & Dale and Cabin in the Woods as some of the most fun you'll have watching a scary movie.

Available to stream instantly on Netflix as of this writing.

Unless you've already watched it.  Or will already watch it in the past.

Final Grade: B+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I could definitely watch this one again to see what gags I may have missed along the way!

No Comedians Were Harmed In the Making of "Stand Up Guys"

I want him dead... you hear me... dead!

The Story:

Val (Al Pacino) is released after a lengthy stint in jail.  He's picked up by his friend and accomplice, Doc (Christopher Walken) and taken home.  It seems that a local crime boss wants Val dead, because years ago Val apparently killed the son of said crime boss.  Doc is supposed to do the deed.  But how can he take the life of his best friend?  So with one night left on earth, all Val wants to do is party and have fun.  This includes springing their other partner, Hirsch (Alan Arkin) from his retirement home so the three can take on the world together, one last time.  But with time winding down, Doc's got some hard choices to make on whether to turn on his pal, or to forfeit his own life instead.

You know, I intentionally write short summaries of the movies, because I hate giving away everything that happens in them.

Movie trailers used to serve to whet the appetite to wanting to see the film.  You see just enough, and you're interested and want to see that film.  It sounds good...it looks good.  Too often lately, the trailer seems to give away too much, often to the point of "well, why bother seeing this one?"

I write this caveat, because as I re-read it my plot description.... it actually sounds like it should be a good movie that I would want to watch.

And it almost is...

It's a little slow... and the performances from 3 master scene stealers... well amazingly, they are all rather subdued, and rarely steal much of anything throughout, especially Walken.

I don't know if that's to the overall detriment of the film or not.

But as I watched the film, I never felt engaged with the characters until the movie was probably roaring...okay...strolling... into the third act.

And no offense to movies, but waiting until the end to begin making an emotional investment with the audience and characters is a bit too long.

The movie is wrongly categorized as a comedy, but it's not a comedy, though it is humorous.

However, it is probably too light to be considered a drama.

It's a movie that for me, should have been more.  Something is missing, and I still don't know what that ingredient is. 

That's a shame.


If you want to see these three great actors in better, recent films, try Christopher Walken in "Seven Psychopaths"; Alan Arkin in "Argo" and Al Pacino in... uh... hmmm... I'm not sure Pacino has made a good movie recently...

: /

Final Grade: C+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Once was enough for this one.

My Money's On the Big Guy... "The Last Stand"

He always said he'd be back...

The Story:

Sheriff Ray Owens (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is in charge of a small town just across from Mexico.  There's not a lot of crime... really, there's not a lot of anything to worry about.  So when FBI Agent
Bannister (Forest Whitaker) loses a drug cartel figurehead (Gabriel Cortez) in a high speed chase through the desert, there's only one town that stands between the fugitive and freedom.

Welcome back, Ah-nuhld, you didn't miss a beat.

I have no gripes with this movie whatsoever.  It's an action flick designed for Arnold's return, and as such, it fits very nicely in with the rest of his body of work.  Better than many of his films, not as good as the classics.

No shame there, for any actor.

As he showed in his extended cameos in the Expendables franchise, the man obviously still has a few action flicks up his muscled sleeves before he calls it a career.

They also make sure that he's surrounded with some comic relief in the form of a deputy (Luis Guzman) and town eccentric (Johnny Knoxville) whose penchant for weaponry will naturally come into play before the movie is over.

I don't think there are any real surprises to be had in the film, as it follows the by-the-numbers approach to most action films to a  "t".

Again, I don't have any problems with that, and if you want to see Arnold still kicking butt at the age of 92, here you go!

Final Grade: B-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I would be willing to watch it again, and if I find it for a decent price, I could own it someday.

A Dysfunctional Family Affair... "People Like Us"

Sometimes the greatest family, is the family you don't know about.

The Story:

When a record producer dies, his son Sam (Chris Pine) heads home reluctantly with his girlfriend (Olivia Wilde).  He arrives late to console his mother (Michelle Pfeiffer), but Sam just wants to get back to his job before he gets in a world of trouble.  That's when he receives a windfall of cash from his father's will, with implicit instructions to give it to a boy named Josh (Michael Hall D'Addario) and to 'take care of them'.  That's when Sam discovers that he has a sister he never knew about named Frankie (Elizabeth Banks).  Sam could really use the money... nobody would ever know... but this is family...

Did I mention that it's based on a true story?

Of course not, but they claim it is.

Don't all movies make that claim nowadays?

But anyway, Sam could really use the dough, but the more he gets to know Josh and his new sister, the more troubled he becomes with making the decision to just take the money and run.  Things complicate further when Frankie mistakes this caring, sweet guy for a possible romantic interest.

Eww.

Naturally, it all blows up when he reveals who he really is, and then in typical family fashion... fights and grudges ensue.

Can Sam make everything right?

Maybe, just maybe, and with a little help from his father one last time, the family can become stronger.

It's a great ending.

Final Grade: B

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I have now had the distinct pleasure of watching this film twice, so I would say that yes, I could watch it again and wouldn't be opposed to adding it permanently to the library.

A Somber Take on the Reality of War... "Hitler's Children"

Adolf Jr. was unavailable for comment...



The Story:

I think the world can pretty much agree that Hitler was a bad, bad man.  Yet what might slip under the radar is that he was surrounded by some equally awful people.  Goering. Himmler. Hoess.  And many more.  Unlike Hitler however, those men had families that lived on past their lifetime, and now you have people that are generations removed from the tyranny of Nazi Germany saddled for all time with a mark of the beast, if you will...a lasting legacy of evil attached to their last name.

If you ever thought your family tree had a rotten branch or two...

Many of these are great-nieces so the bloodline is thin, but still... wow, what a living reminder that they can never escape.

This documentary is very powerful, very sad for what the namesakes did, and for what the generations left behind had to endure because of it.

You've heard of survivor's guilt?  Imagine that, amplified to a million in most of their cases.

You have one family who each of the remaining 2 in the bloodline went to a doctor to be sterilized so that no more generations will bear that name.

Think about that for a moment.  To actively ensure that you can never have a child so that they do not share the last name you were born with.

It doesn't get much worse than that.

The end though, when the grandson of Hoess, the mastermind behind Auschwitz, actually tours Auschwitz and comes face to face with a survivor is worth the entire price of admission.  Bring a tissue, because the emotional release comes at just the right time.

If you have an interest in genealogy and/or World War II, give this one a go!

Available to stream instantly on Netflix as of this writing.

Final Grade: B

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: This might make a really good required viewing for a history class.  But no, this is haunting enough the first time, I can't see wanting endure their pain again.  Though watching the ending could be a nice visit from time to time.

Where Does the Time Go? "This is 40"

Nobody ever said life was easy...

The Story:

Pete (Paul Rudd) and Debbie (Leslie Mann) are both celebrating their 40th birthdays.  Naturally, if that wasn't enough of a crisis, they have to deal with their kids, their relationship with their parents(John Lithgow, Albert Brooks), their relationship with each other and the stress and toll of their jobs on their life.

It's funny because it's true.

So you've seen this pair before if you saw Knocked Up.  Judd Apatow returns to write and direct this semi-sequel.  And there are indeed some quiet truths espoused amongst the go for the jugular comedic gags.

Some work better than others, but the performances by all of the actors save even the worst gags from failing (and flailing) on the screen.

The biggest problem... there's really no payoff.

The movie loops around leaves us almost back at the start. 

Has there been some character progress throughout the movie?  Yeah... a little, I guess.

But really, many of the questions aren't answered so much as they are pushed off to the side in favor of the next big gag.

It's a Judd Apatow comedy, what else was I supposed to expect?

Final Grade: B-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I could watch it again if it's on, Rudd is always hilarious, but much like Knocked Up, I don't need to own it.

You Will Believe A Lot of Things Can Fly... "Fast and Furious 6"

It's always been about family...

The Story:

The gang is enjoying their lives of luxury, when Agent Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) comes calling to enlist Dom (Vin Diesel) and the crew to help take down Owen Shaw (Luke Evans).  It seems that Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) isn't as dead as everyone thought, and she's working for Shaw to steal some military technology.  Brian (Paul Walker) says that they'll help catch Shaw and save Letty... if they can get full pardons and get their lives back.

The little franchise that could.

For those that have never seen one, the opening credits pretty much catch you up on everything you need to know.

For those of us that have been around since the beginning, this movie is as satisfying as Fast Five had been.

Plus, my long-standing question of how did Han survive Tokyo Drift gets answered. 

The correct order for viewing the franchise is now: 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 3, 7... coming to theaters next summer!?!

As for the movie itself, there are two moments that require a suspension of disbelief.  Diesel going Superman on the bridge... and the world's longest runway...

Other than that, Justin Lin goes out with a bang for the series.  Hopefully the new director keeps up Lin's vision and keeps the series both exciting and fun a the same time.

Fast Seven is set up, thanks to an ingenious flashback to Tokyo Drift.  While it's sad to see Han truly go... I've got to admit I'm really excited for the next installment.

Now playing in theaters near you this weekend...

Final Grade: A-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Oh yeah, I'm all over this one when it comes to DVD! : )

The Best One Yet... "Fast Five"

What a Rush!

The Story:

After O'Conner (Paul Walker) and Mia (Jordana Brewster) break Dom (Vin Diesel) from the clutches of the man, they hightail it to Rio.  Needing to make some money, they attempt to swipe some cars from the DEA.  Whoops.  Turns out one of those cars belongs to the Kingpin of all Rio (Joaquim de Almeida) and he wants his car back.  Since escaping justice is a bad thing, the United States sends the biggest, baddest agent, Luke Hobbs (Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson) to Rio to find the boys.  The guys decide to go for one last score, and then disappear forever.  To do that, they're going to need some help.  And who better to help than everyone that was in the first 4 movies?

Yes indeed, they bring them back: Roman and Tej (Tyrese Gibson and Ludacris from 2 Fast), Han (Sung Kang from Tokyo Drift)... but didn't he die?  They never do explain this one.  Glad he's back though.  I've heard rumors that Tokyo Drift is supposed to take place after everything that happens in these films.  Meh... I'll just assume Han got out alive. : )

Justin Lin puts his stamp on the franchise with the biggest, loudest, and best part of the franchise to date.

Bringing back all of the components from each of the films is a clever and welcome touch.  Gives plenty of screen time to catch up on the characters and see how they've changed, or not changed over the years.

After all, this marked a decade of franchise-ability for The Fast and the Furious.  I don't think it was their intention to make a tent pole franchise when they started, but they have one now.  And this one actually unfolds as if they had been plotting it this way since the very beginning.

That's pretty impressive for a movie about street racing.

Oh, and kids, don't try street racing at home!

The Rock and Diesel squaring off makes for an energetic fight sequence in the middle of the movie.

I will also go on record that the final car chase sequence is most likely my favorite car chase in this franchise, or in just about any other movie for that matter.

This one transcends the other films in the franchise by adding the heist element, and as I've gone on record many times, I love me a good heist flick!

And stick around after the credits as they set up the sequel for Part 6...in theaters NOW!

Final Grade: A-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Infinite.  Really enjoyed watching this one again.  Impossible not to enjoy this film.

It's Like Deja Vu... "Fast and Furious"!!

Because "the's" are irrelevant at this point...

The Story:

FBI Agent Brian O'Conner (Paul Walker) has to infiltrate a smuggling operation.  Lo and behold, an old friend named Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) is attempting to get in to get revenge for the death of his girlfriend Letty (Michelle Rodriguez).

Buckle up!

It's like they never left...

Bringing back director Justin Lin, this episode works as a prequel/sequel of sorts.  What happened after the events of the first and before the third, and then what happened next.

This includes a great cameo from Han (Sung Kang) from Tokyo Drift, and it plays nicely with the 8 years real time that had elapsed between the first installment and the latest.

Forget high school crushes, we are back to evil people using street racers to commit nefarious deeds, and the guys that are going to work their butts off to bring them down.

Naturally, there is distrust between Dom and Brian, and Mia (Jordana Brewster) when the gang gets back together shortly after Letty's funeral.  And imagine Dom's frustrations when he learns that Letty turned informant for the FBI before she was killed.

Sit back, enjoy the action, and then watch as they finally set up that yes, this is a franchise to be reckoned with, and they leave the movie on a great cliffhanger.

Final Grade: B+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Very much so, if I splurge for a Blu Ray upgrade to get 2 & 3, otherwise, I already own this one.

When You Hit Rock Bottom... "Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift"

When a franchise jumps the shark, can it ever recover?

The Story:

Troubled teenager Sean Boswell (Lucas Black) has to leave America to avoid jail time, and moves to Japan to live with his dad who is in the Navy.  Sean's a leadfoot, but he's about to learn that in Japan, there's only one way to win a race... if you get my drift.

Wow, that pun was incredibly bad.

Almost as bad as this film was to crippling the franchise!

: )

So where does this film take a wrong step?

Where is Paul Walker?  Hellooooo... he is the star of the franchise, right?

No, instead of undercover agents involved in car racing, risking everything for the love of a girl...

we have a teenager... if you consider a 25 year old guy a teenager... who gets in trouble over...

A girl.

You can take the Paul Walker out of the film, but not the subplot!

So Lucas Black does his best Peyton Manning impression as a hayseed from Alabama who falls for the cute girl in school who happens to be the girlfriend of a local Yakuza.

You can probably see where this is going.

If Sean can learn how to drift in time, he's going to race for his life, and maybe pull off the upset!  He follows the tutelage of Han (Sung Kang) and attempts to master the ways of the drifting.

Silly gaijin.

The biggest thing this movie added to the franchise was the addition of director Justin Lin.  He'd stick around to helm another few installments.

It was time for him to un-jump the very shark he helped soar across.

Oh, and if you want to see what connection this has to the rest of the franchise, you have to wait for the very end.

Or, just fast forward to the end, and then go watch # 4.

: )

Final Grade: C

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Very low, unless the whole set gets repurchased, I think I can skip this one.

Is It Possible 2 B "2 Fast 2 Furious" ? Anything Is Possible

Paul Walker is taking his talents to South Beach...

The Story:

Brian O'Conner (Paul Walker) is living in Miami, trying to make ends meet as a street racer.  It seems his last steady gig ended when he made a decision that cost him his job.  Now presented with an opportunity at redemption, O'Conner must again go undercover to help nail a drug lord (Cole Hauser).  However, he's going to need a partner, so he enlists the aid of childhood pal Roman Pearce (Tyrese Gibson) to help him make the runs.  However, once again, O'Conner falls for a woman (Eva Mendes) and jeopardizes everything.

Won't he ever learn?

Well, they certainly missed having the charisma of Vin Diesel for this one.

That said, it's not too terribly bad.  It's simply different from the first one.

Different city, different supporting characters, including Ludacris as the local garage owner and guy that helps get Brian some racing gigs.  They were clever in bringing back Thom Barry as Agent Bilkins to help tie this installment to the first film.

John Singleton takes overs the director's chair, and this too is his only outing with the franchise.

He decided that his next film would be the underrated and enjoyable Four Brothers, and he would take the film's "true star"... Tyrese Gibson with him to make that one.

Poor Paul Walker, the guy gets no love!

: )

Oh well, I'm sure he'll happily sign up if they have another Fast and Furious sequel, right?

Final Grade: B


Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Amazingly, I don't have this one.  I will have to correct that mistake in the near future.

Travel Back to Those Thrilling Days of Yesteryear..."The Fast and the Furious"

Vroom Vroom!

The Story:

Undercover cop Brian O'Conner (Paul Walker) attempts to infiltrate the street racing scene to get close to Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his gang.  It seems there have been some hijackings using street racing cars, and Brian needs to see if it's Toretto's group or someone else.  Naturally, it's not easy, and it's even harder when he falls in love with Dom's sister (Jordana Brewster).  What's an undercover cop to do?

A warning:

Kids, don't try this at home.  These are professional stunts on closed roads with professional drivers.

This warning will accompany the DVD release of this film, because apparently the American public are sheep and will mimic whatever they see in theaters.

: /

Anyhow, this is a fun picture to watch.  Pure popcorn movie with some excellent stuntwork and driving scenes throughout the film.  The world was a kinder, gentler place in 2001 when this hit the theaters that summer.

This probably cemented the course of stardom for both Walker and Diesel.  They had each worked on some films before, but I think this film serves as the coming out party for both that they were going to be around for a while.  Each have had varying degrees of success over the the next decade, but this film was a great lightning rod for the both of them.

Directed by Rob Cohen, he would be around the franchise (who knew it would be a franchise at the time?) for one film.

He knew a good thing when he had it though, and targeted the "star of the film", Vin Diesel for a film of his very own: xXx.

Walker would have to settle for a Fast and Furious sequel.

More on that....tomorrow!

Final Grade: B+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I already own it, and have now introduced it to the whole family.  It was well received.

I Thought This Was About Magicians..."Magic Mike"

First David Copperfield...and now this?


The Story:

Mike (Channing Tatum) works all day...and works it all night in a club owned by his buddy Dallas (Matthew McCounaghey) as a male stripper.  On his latest construction gig, he runs across a young loser named Adam (Alex Pettyfer) who wants to be Mike's best friend.  Mike takes him under his wing and teaches him the ropes about being a male stripper.  This doesn't sit too well with Adam's sister (Cody Horn) who is irritated by, yet drawn to Mike.

Perhaps your sense of entertainment from this movie will be directly related to how much you enjoy watching male strippers?

If that is the case, I am definitely not the target audience for this film, but it was a slow week for new releases at Netflix, and this one came up next in the queue.

Channing Tatum says that this is based on his story before he broke into Hollywood.  If that makes him Adam, then yikes.

Adam is a completely selfish and really quite stupid character with no redeeming qualities or features whatsoever.  This would seem the most likely of the characters, and if so, well done to Mr. Tatum for digging himself out of a hole in his life that would probably kill most people.

More likely, he is Mike who is indeed infinitely likeable, has a heart of gold, and wants something more out of life.  Yeah, that sounds better.  I wish he would have had the sense to hire his wife to play his love interest in this film, or any other actress for that matter.  The one they hired is downright awful and is in over her head with actual actors surrounding her.

The first half of the movie actually works at a great pace under the more than competent direction of Steven Soderbergh.  But after awhile, the movie seems to lose focus as they simply pile conflict upon conflict and ultimately resolve...absolutely nothing.

The movie ends on a most unsatisfying conclusion, answering no questions that were raised... perhaps setting up for the inevitable sequel?

I would be remiss if I didn't mention how hysterical it was to see Kevin Nash attempt to be a male stripper.  He's about as flexible as an oak tree, and his group dance routine with the other actors was a laugh riot, purely unintentionally.  I'm sure the ladies are focused on the beefcake on display front and center, I was too busy laughing at Nash in the background.

So if you're coming to see Channing Tatum shake his moneymaker, you're in luck.

If you're coming for a compelling dramedy.... I highly suggest you look elsewhere.

Final Grade: C

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Not going to happen.

Room For Rent...Cheap! "The Cabin in the Woods"

A secluded cabin in the woods... what could possibly go wrong?


The Story:

5 twentysomethings head off to a cousin's cabin located in the woods.  You've got your typical horror movie stereotypes:  jock (Chris Hemsworth), slut (Anna Hutchison), nerd (Jesse Williams), stoner (Fran Kranz) and virgin (Kristen Connolly).  They arrive in the middle of nowhere and are enjoying their stay, when suddenly the cellar door blows open... and they all decide to go down and see what might be going bump in the night.  They find a veritable treasure-trove of toys and old things and as they rifle through the collection, one of the group reads an ancient incantation from a journal.  Suddenly, the dead are rising, and they are coming for vengeance.

If only that were truly the scary part of their ordeal...


Okay, I did not see THAT coming.

Credit of course must go to the writing team of Drew Goddard (also first time director) and some guy by the name of Joss Whedon.

Well, apparently along with Red Dawn, a pre-Thor Chris Hemsworth starred in this film, and was released after the Marvel franchise was up and running.  Smart on the part of both movies to capitalize on their fortunes of getting something before it was hot, but it really didn't matter as both films are able to stand on their own.  Whereas I liked the Red Dawn remake more than the original, I have to chalk this up as the best horror movie I've seen so far this year.

It's funny, scary, surprising, exciting and engaging.

Plus, unlike many of the horror movies of the last decade that really seem to dwell on the kills and letting you watch every slice and dice, this film goes old school and lets your imagination do a lot of the work, or throw gallons of red goo at the screen.

Thank you.

While not gathering the kids around to watch with me, I prefer my splatterfests to be less intimate and descriptively gruesome. 


Plus, there is a whole different layer to this movie than I've discussed here.  Those that have seen it know what I'm talking about, but I really don't want to ruin it for those that haven't seen it.

Good stuff...

Shame there won't be a sequel!!!

: )

Available to stream instantly on Netflix as of this writing.

Final Grade: A-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Again, due to the non-family friendly nature of this film, it's an outside chance, but I could definitely watch it again.

"Jack Reacher" Tries A Little Too Hard To Entertain...

Steven Seagal proved that nobody is Above the Law...

Tom Cruise did not get that memo.

The Story:

An assassin (Jai Courtney) kills 5 seemingly random people in Pennsylvania.  The police grab a suspect who happens to be a former military sniper.  The D.A. (Richard Jenkins) is ready to fry the man, but he maintains that he is innocent.  His request?  Get Jack Reacher (Tom Cruise) a former military investigator who has seemingly dropped off the radar.  When Reacher blows into town, he teams with Helen, the defense lawyer (Rosamund Pike) and they begin to unravel a cover-up that could cost Reacher and Helen their lives.

This movie didn't know whether it wanted to be played as a straight action movie thriller, or for laughs as a throwback to the great action films of the 80s/90s.

I think it suffers a bit because of that.

It's otherwise an almost engaging thriller...

But then Cruise starts spouting one-liners that were better suited for Stallone or Ah-Nuhld back in the 80s.. and it sort of pulls you out of the film.

Then there is the completely over-the-top, played for a gag, henchmen attack in the bathroom.  The first stunt makes you laugh, then it quickly devolves into Stooges territory.

Yeah, a little too much levity sprinkled in odd doses make it an poorly paced action/thriller.

People need to go back and look at Lethal Weapon or Die Hard to figure out the pacing and be able to know when to install a joke/gag and when to play it straight.

Jack Reacher tried, but you should laugh because the joke/gag is funny, not poorly delivered or out of place.  Overall, it's not a bad movie, just a bit too disjointed from start to finish to make me want to watch it again.

Final Grade: B-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I'll have to pass on this one.  Head back to the Mission Impossible franchise Mr. Cruise.  The last ones have been really good.

A Funny Thing Happened...But Not In "Why Stop Now"

Why even start?

The Story:

Eli (Jesse Eisenberg) is taking his mom (Melissa Leo) to rehab so she can get clean.  Unfortunately she sobered up preparing for rehab, and unless she comes back testing positive for something, she can't get in.  Eli's got a very important piano recital to attend that afternoon, but he realizes if he can't get rid of his mom, his whole shot at going to a prestigious college is out the window.  So he takes her to get some drugs from her local dealer, Sprinkles (Tracy Morgan).  It all goes downhill from there.

I should have known when they left the question mark off the title of the movie, that it was doomed from the start.  Punctuation is important!

This is one of those movies that you keep watching, wondering at any moment when the switch will flip and it takes off to be the riotous comedy that you're expecting.  Then 90 minutes later you realize that the only switch that flips is the one turning off the DVD player.

Nope, it never lives up to the potential.

Eisenberg is quickly becoming another actor that simply plays himself.  However, unlike say, Jonah Hill, Eisenberg is not funny.  He's quirky and odd, but he's coasting off the success of Zombieland and The Social Network, and that's been over 3 years.  The neurotic nebbish is getting old.  He better come up with something solid or different, otherwise, we're looking at the next Jon Heder.

Really, the storyline almost seemed like a collection of "hey, wouldn't this be a cool idea..." and they really didn't have any coherent point to the story.  Let's have a story about a piano player. How about a story about a mom that needs rehab.  Ooo, and a girl that has a sock puppet.  And a drug dealer... and...

Now I'm beginning to realize why they titled the movie Why Stop Now.

It was a writer's brainstorming session that they turned into a screenplay.

Not worth your time or effort.

Final Grade: D

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: No chance.

Nothing a Band-Aid Won't Fix... "Broken City"

Based on a true story.

Well no, but with political corruption... yes... yes, it is.

: )

The Story:

Billy (Mark Wahlberg) is a former cop who lost his job seven years ago to protect the department and the Mayor (Russell Crowe) from a scandal.  Now, as the race for Mayor is heating up, Billy is called in to find out who the Mayor's wife (Catherine Zeta-Jones) is sleeping with before the rival camp does.  However things get really shady when the man that Billy is following turns out to be the campaign manager for the candidate trying to unseat the Mayor!

While interesting, there was a lot to do about nothing.

A very talented cast, also including Barry Pepper, Kyle Chandler and Griffin Dunne are more or less wasted on bit parts that could have easily been fleshed out more.

Considering the amount of movies that I've watched recently that have crossed the 2 hour mark, this one certainly could have spiced up the drama surrounding the infidelity... or really shown the animosity between the two mayoral candidates.

Instead, the movie starts off in the middle of some action, and then 7 years slip by.  With a week to go in the campaign, suddenly the Mayor brings Billy in as a private investigator.

Too rushed.  Too predictable.

Neither is a good situation for a political drama.

For what it is though, everyone does a great job.

No complaints with what they gave the audience, other than I wished it had been more.

Final Grade: C+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Not going to happen.

Seems Like Old Times..."The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey"

There and back again...

The Story:

Bilbo Baggins (Ian Holm) decides it is time to recount the epic story of his journey years prior with Gandalf (Ian McKellan) and a group of dwarves who set out with Thorin (Richard Armitage) to reclaim their abandoned kingdom that had been overrun by the dragon, Smaug.  The movie then flashes back to young Bilbo's (Martin Freeman) adventures in the wild.  Naturally, the adventure is only halfway done by the time the credits roll...

Could it have been told in one movie? Yes.  I see what they are going for here, besides the money, they are trying to recapture the majesty and triumph of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and on that note, they succeed.

Back in the director's chair, after claiming he wouldn't, is Peter Jackson.  Really, if you're going to wrap up the Tolkien series with a big fat bow, you might as well bring the guy with the vision who did it all already, back to the fold.  That and he brought back a whole host of characters from the trilogy to make a cameo or extended appearance including Frodo (Elijah Wood), Elrond (Hugo Weaving), Galadriel (Cate Blanchett), Gollum (Andy Serkis) and Saruman (Christopher Lee).

Which is both interesting, and annoying, at the same time.  Naturally, as I lamented when it first came out, I would have preferred that the Hobbit had been filmed first since story-wise it came first, so that when you meet these people, it would have been for the first time.  But alas, what can you do at this point?

Very nice that they were able to all come back and reprise their characters, though not having read the book in 25-30 years, I can no longer remember if all of the scenes they were in were even in the book.  My first thought is no, and this was simply a further means to tie the Hobbit closer to the Rings trilogy...

: )

The cinematography once is again is spectacular as Middle Earth comes to life by way of New Zealand.  The movie is a bit long, with many extended sequences of walking (marching) through the wilderness that could have been trimmed for time... but when you're going in planning on making a 2 parter, I suppose you pad for the sake of making it worth our time and money, and not stretching too far that you turn it into a trilogy!

Anyway, I quite enjoyed the return to Middle Earth, and I look forward to the epic conclusion.

Final Grade: B+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Low.  I own the Lord of the Rings trilogy and have never watched them again since the first time.  Hard to work in such a massive time consuming epic into a busy life.  Though given the choice, I would prefer to watch this over the Trilogy any day.  Just like the book.

When Life Gives You Dark Clouds, Get a "Silver Linings Playbook"

Excelsior!

The Story:

Pat, a former teacher (Bradley Cooper) is released from a mental hospital after completing his 8 month court-mandated stay.  He comes back to Philly to live with his parents (Robert DeNiro and Jacki Weaver) and hopes to reconcile with his wife who cheated on him...causing him to snap and be institutionalized in  the first place.  Of course, pesky things like restraining orders stand in his way, but when a chance encounter with Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence) allows him access back into his wife's life, he takes the chance.  Tiffany however is not going to be used without getting something in return.

This is an interesting film.  It got huge rave reviews from critics around the globe.

It was good... don't get me wrong...

But...

Was it award-worthy?  Meh... Not to my way of thinking.

I'm thinking for a lot of people they came to the realization that Bradley Cooper can act.

Well, for me, that's just patently unfair criticism, really.  It simply means that you didn't care for the other movies that Bradley Cooper has been in.  The guy can act.  Don't let his other acting credits in less than stellar movies sway you.

So it's an interesting character study, or at least relationship study throughout the movie.  You have Pat's interactions with his parents, his friends, his therapist, his family, and Tiffany.  Each pulls him in different directions.  All Pat does know is that he feels clearer in his head when he is not being medicated than when he is on the drugs.  A nice subtle dig at the pharmaceutical industry. :)

Tiffany comes on strong at first, and Pat is uncomfortable and not interested.  He definitely wants to get back together with his wife, but come on, it's Hollywood and we all know how it's going to end up long before we get there.

The sweetness factor is watching Pat and Tiffany realize what they have with each other, and them willing to fight, or walk away from it as challenges confront them both.

Final Grade: B-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Dramas don't get a lot of love from me, because they are often just an emotional drag to sit through.  I could watch this again, some great performances all around, but I doubt I will buy the movie for the library.

This Mother's Day Give Mom a "Safe Haven"

Nicholas Sparks is at it again!

The Story:

A young woman named Katie (Julianne Hough) arrives in a small town in North Carolina, and she's running from something terrible in her past.  Upon arrival, she tries to keep to herself as much as possible, but it's hard to ignore the sweet charm of the local store owner, Alex (Josh Duhamel) and his sweet kids.  At the urging of Jo (Cobie Smulders), Katie begins to open up her heart and life to Alex.  However, her past secrets are hot on her trail, and it could ruin the very life that Katie is working hard to rebuild.

I did not see that coming.

Okay, I would guess it is safe to say I've seen enough Nicholas Sparks' movies to be an pseudo-expert on the man's work.

: )

Previously, The Notebook was my favorite film that he wrote.  The bad part, it's got such a tear-jerking ending, I cannot watch that movie ever again.

Niagara Falls, baby.

No lies..no shame.  It's a beautiful story about love that lasts a lifetime... but man it hurts to watch.

His last two films that I watched, Dear John and The Lucky One... meh.

Call me unimpressed, overall.

So rolling into Safe Haven, the only silver lining I had was Josh Duhamel as the star.  I'm a fan.  Love the guys work.  Heck, he was one of the few bright spots in the entire Transformers franchise.

He did not disappoint here either.  He's absolutely movie-charming, and everything you need the leading man to be.  He's friendly, compassionate, great with kids, and heartbroken since losing his wife to cancer.  Is Alex ready to move on?

Well, duh.

Katie is naturally reluctant... and her sordid past is revealed, slowly, steadily throughout the movie by way of flashbacks.  It's an effective technique to keep you guessing on why she's running, and why the law is hot on her trail.

The climactic finale feels a bit forced, but the build to it was suspenseful and intriguing enough that you can let it pass.

And then the movie quiets down, and offers up one more piece of the puzzle that you may or may not have considered up to that point.

Well played Nicholas Sparks, you got me to cry.  Again.

Final Grade: B

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I could consider both.  Entertained throughout, and the ending, while heart-string tugging is not as nearly as emotionally devastating as the Notebook.  I can appreciate that.

These Kids Today..."Parental Guidance"

Further proof that there's no school like the Old School...

The Story:

Phil and Alice Simmons (Tom Everett Scott and Marisa Tomei) need to go on a weekend retreat so he can get an award for his prototype "future house".  The problem? Who will watch their 3 lovely children?  Naturally, Phil's parents will be out of town on a cruise... so they are forced to contact... the "other" grandparents, Artie and Diane (Billy Crystal and Bette Midler).  They fly out to Atlanta, but their parenting style is way different than the 21st century way that the kids have been brought up.  Things are about to hit the fan!

So just by reading that little bit of the plot, you know what's going to happen.  This might be the 2nd most filmed story-line right after "Boy Meets Girl".

But hey, sometimes you want familiar and fun, and so these films get made.

I enjoyed it the most in the house.  My kids seemed indifferent and mama threatened to walk out a few times. : )

But me?  I'm here for one reason: Billy Crystal.

I love the guy, and if I often remark that actors only play themselves and it works as a put-down, I would offer Billy Crystal as the exception to that rule.

Whether he is allowed to write his own material or improvise as he goes or read directly as written, it doesn't really matter to me.  His delivery is pitch perfect every time.

Besides the typical old vs. new school of raising kids, they toss in a subplot that really isn't that necessary with Artie wanting to find a new job, but really, the reason behind his job bubbles under the surface and it made Artie who he is, and the dream that he's lived for a lifetime.  It's brought out beautifully at the end in the final act when all of the problems that the kids had with the grandparents and the daughter had with her parents are resolved in a by-the-numbers but still enjoyable finale.

It was also very nice to see Bette Midler back on screen.  She still hasn't lost her comedic touch, and she pairs up nicely with Crystal.

Plus Marisa Tomei always does a great job, but hasn't been seen (at least by me) in recent years.

And for the record, I'm with Artie.  I can't stand the "can't say no... don't keep score... everyone's a winner..." generation of children that is being raised.  It's a setup for failure in the real world.

Ah well... back off my soapbox.

Final Grade: B-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I could watch it again.  It might be alone... but I could do it! : )

80s Flashback...For the First Time! "License to Drive"

Who's your favorite Corey?

The Story:

Les Anderson (Corey Haim) is 16 and ready to test for his driver's license.  His twin sister aces the exam, but Les isn't so lucky.  Having promised the hottest girl in school (Heather Graham) to take her out Saturday night, Les sits home, bummed.  A late night call asking if he's coming, and Les decides to sneak out in Grandpa's prized Cadillac.  What could possibly go wrong?

For those with rose-colored glasses, I'm about to trash one of your favorite films, since this was my first viewing of the movie.

Well okay, I'm not going to trash it, so much as I'm going to simply shrug my shoulders.

Meh.

It was okay.

There was nothing great about it, that's for sure.  Richard Masur and Carol Kane are pretty much wasted in their roles as the cool yet wacky parents.  They get to have some fun, but their screen time is limited.

I'm not even sure Dean (Corey Feldman) gets enough screen time as he barely pops up at the beginning, and then doesn't come back until the very end when Les is out driving for the night.  It taints the whole Two Coreys theory of awesomeness.


Okay, not really. : )

If you watched it when it came out, you may have loved it, but it's pretty lame, pretty tame, and really rather generic comedy all the way around.

Available to stream instantly on Netflix as of this writing.

Final Grade: C-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: If I want to watch the Corey's, it begins, and ends, with Lost Boys.  :)

The Trilogy Concludes..."Transporter 3"

Please step away from the vehicle.

But not too far.

The Story:

Frank Martin (Jason Statham) returns.  This time he winds up taking a job entirely by force.  Strapped around his wrist is a bomb that if he goes farther than 75 feet from his car, he blows up.  He's transporting a kidnapped daughter across Europe to force her father to allow some bad men to be able to do some bad things.  Sound familiar?  Yep, it's pretty much part 1 and part 2 mashed together to make Part 3. 

The exploding bracelet however is a nice touch.

At this point in the franchise, Frank and the Inspector (Francois Berleand) are pretty much good friends.  Frank does his best to keep his nose as clean as possible, but the Inspector realizes that Frank has a special skill set, and he respects that, but whenever possible they will help each other out.

Luc Besson finishes up the trilogy with the required Transporter-isms that we've come to expect.


Gang circles around Statham? Check!

Statham loses his shirt? Check!

Borrowing parts of the 2nd, but relying more on what made the first one work, the 3rd installment works hard and mostly saves the franchise.

Of course, given the happy ending that this film provided... perhaps it ended it also?

Well we haven't seen Transporter 4 and it's been 5 years.

5 long years.

But Statham has moved on to the Expendables, so we'll see if Besson revives the franchise or not.

I'm always up for another go with Statham behind the wheel.

Final Grade: B-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I do own this one, got a great deal on it, so why not, right? : )

Another Sequel That Doesn't Quite Equal... "Transporter 2"

This time it's personal...

The Story:

Frank Martin (Jason Statham) does a friend a favor and takes a gig in Miami to chauffer the child (Hunter Clary) of a high powered businessman...official... (Matthew Modine) did they ever really say? And his wife (Amber Valletta).  Well, when the little boy gets kidnapped, the dad thinks Frank is on it, but Frank isn't.  He's being duped by a bad guy (Alessandro Gassman) who has bigger plans than just a kidnapping.  Can Frank save the day?

You know it!

Ah Frank, it was too good to last.  The complicated family story sort of bogs down the sequel to the Transporter.  It opens up great enough with Frank getting in the now famous "Transporter Fight Circle", as I like to call it.  A staple of the now-franchise film, the bad guys will circle Frank, who will then proceed to beat them senseless, usually by first calmly removing his jacket.

Other trappings of the franchise will include Frank losing his shirt for at least one fight scene.  This is apparently to give some eye candy to the ladies who have accompanied their dates to see this non-chick flick film. 

: )

Due to the kidnapping though, this film takes on a slightly different feel than the first one.  Yes, we had someone in peril for Frank to rescue, but it all plays out differently this go-round. It could be that there's a little boy in trouble this time versus a girl.  Maybe that no sparks can fly for poor Frank?

Maybe it's due to Lola (Kate Nauta) who is trying to hard to be Milla Jojovich, and failing miserably?

Needless to say, Frank is going to set things right, save the day, and bring the boy home.

Good job Frank!

Thankfully, the Inspector (Francois Berleand) shows up in Miami for a mini-vacation for some comic relief, and a little hand-lending for Frank as he works to save the day.

Like many sequels, it cannot recreate the magic of the first one by trying a little too hard to recapture lightning in a bottle instead of just trying to tell a good story.

Final Grade: C+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Watched it again for the first time in ages... not bad... I might pick it up in the future.

When It Absolutely Has To Be There... "The Transporter"

Rule # 3- Never Open the Package

The Story:

Frank Martin (Jason Statham) is an ex Special Forces soldier who has retired to the coast of France.  He supplements his retirement by transporting things.  Inspector Tarconi (Francois Beleand) knows that Frank is up to something, but Frank is very careful covering his tracks.  On his latest mission, Frank hears something in his trunk, opens up and sees that the package is wiggling.  Frank then breaks Rule # 3.  He arrives, drops off the package (Qi Shu) but tells the bad guy (Matt Schulze) that he didn't peek.  A few hours later as he stops for a snack, Frank's car explodes.  Naturally, Frank doesn't take kindly to nearly being killed, so he's off for revenge.

Yay!

Jason Statham is the 2nd greatest action star to come along on the silver screen during the last decade or so, behind only The Rock. : )

Putting him behind the wheel might feel cliché and overdone, but you stick with what works, and audiences usually leave happy.

Statham as a professional driver who kicks butt when not behind the wheel? 

Recipe for success!

In fact, though I'm sure they didn't smell franchise when it started, several pieces of the Transporter will repeat in the subsequent films. 

Again, if it ain't broke, don't try and fix it!

The action and stunt work in this film are incredible, especially the car chases.   Luc Besson knows how to write a great action screenplay.

All of the other characters are dimensional enough, but besides Frank, only the Inspector gets fully fleshed out as the movie rolls along.  He makes a nice foil for Frank, and their relationship evolves and changes as the movie, and franchise, moves forward.


Final Grade: B+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Highly enjoyable, and I'm happy to say this film is indeed in the Action wing of the DVD library.

What In The Wide Wide World of Sports Is "Django Unchained" Doing Here?

How the South Was Won...

The Story:

Django (Jamie Foxx) is a slave who is rescued by Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz), a bounty hunter.  He needs Django's help identifying three bounties, and offers to give him some of the reward.  The two get along quite well, and Schultz takes him under his wing.  Django proves to be rather adept at being a bounty hunter, and asks for Schultz's help to find his wife ( Kerry Washington) who has been sold to a southern plantation owner (Leonardo DiCaprio).  The two pull off an elaborate scheme to get to attempt to buy her freedom, but there's a good chance not everyone will walk away from this plan unscathed.

Dear Quentin Tarantino-

I apologize to you on behalf of all of the things I've ever said about your movies.

I didn't enjoy Pulp Fiction, I'm not even sure I finished it, and was unimpressed with Kill Bill.

So I believe I added him to the short list of directors whose work I do not like, and therefore will avoid.

Then I watched Inglourious Basterds, and rather enjoyed it.

So I'm now in a conundrum, has Tarantino's work shifted over time, perhaps showing me a growth in his work?
Was I simply missing out on the greatness that people profess of his work, or was I just not feeling that great when I watched Pulp Fiction?  I do remember being sick that day...

Or do I only respond well to genre films from him, From Dusk till Dawn (horror), Inglorious Basterds (WWII) and now Django (Western) ?

I'm not sure.

But I really enjoyed this film.

Jamie Foxx did a great job as the slave turned gunslinger, and owned the role.  I read that it was designed for Will Smith, but he turned it down because he thought Django wasn't the main character, or because he doesn't kill the bad guy (DiCaprio) at the end.

First, I'm glad that Will Smith didn't take this role.  It would have been too hard to see the guy who grinned his way through Wild Wild West try and become a hardline bounty hunter.  While he can go dramatic, I think he's seen too much as the fun actor to bring the edge that's needed to this part.

Plus, he's wrong.

The REAL bad guy of this film is not DiCaprio.  It's Samuel L. Jackson's character.  Take him out of the equation, and everyone walks out of this film alive.

Never have I rooted for a character to get killed more in a western, and his death was spectacular, and well deserved.

Jamie Foxx works well as the star of the film by allowing everyone else to overshadow him, something that I don't think Will Smith's ego would allow.

One of those, Christoph Waltz is simply amazing in his role as Dr. Schultz.  This is his second Oscar under Tarantino's hand, and he deserved both, as he was the most mesmerizing character in both of those films.

DiCaprio goes full on Johnny Depp mode as the bad guy, and I think he really plays well as the bad guy.  It's a role very unlike him, and I think Tarantino brought out the best in his actors.  Reading the background of the film, they say he used a real glass and actually cut his hand in one scene so that real blood and anger were on his face.

Method actors, gotta love 'em!

: )

Finally, I would be remiss to say that I would like to thank Mr. Tarantino for balancing out two of the most gruesome scenes ever filmed (The Dog and the Mandingo Fight) by trimming their grossness, but also by putting in two of the funniest scenes not in a Western by Mel Brooks.

1) The first big shootout in Candie Land.  The guy screaming in pain as he was shot repeatedly by accident... sorry, that was just hilarious.  That whole gunfight was epic and well done.
2) The Regulators getting to ride, but first discussing their masks.  Hahahahahaha... that was so politically incorrect, it was awesome.


My hat is off to you sir, thank you for an excellent movie.

I may have to revisit your catalog and see if my initial opinion was wrong, or if we've just both changed over the years.


Final Grade: A-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I could be persuaded to do either.  Be advised, the film is rather lengthly (nearly 3 hours) but sure doesn't drag like it's 3 hours.

Too Rainy For the Real Thing...Watch "The Zookeeper" Instead

They say it's all happening at the zoo...

The Story:

Griffin (Kevin James) is a zookeeper.  He has been moping over his girlfriend (Leslie Bibb) turning his marriage proposal down for the last 5 years.  Suddenly she is back in his life, and that's when the animals at the zoo decide they've had enough, and decide to help Griffin win his lady love.  So naturally they start talking to Griffin and giving him pointers.  Will they succeed in reuniting the pair, or will love work in mysterious ways and Griffin realize that the woman (Rosario Dawson) he really deserves is right under his nose?

Should I start off by saying that I thought this movie was funny?

Did I disappoint too  many people?

:)

Well too bad, because I did, and it is.

I am always a fan of movies that I can watch with all of my kids, and this is one of them.

Sure, talking animals can get old, but the voice work from the movie is really good, and the animatronics and CGI aren't too far-fetched or annoying to watch.  You've got Adam Sandler, Cher, Sylvester Stallone and Nick Nolte as the main vocal talents who work to teach Griffin to be a better man to win the love of his lady.

The antics that James puts himself through are great, especially for a guy of his size.  He's the next version of Belushi or Farley as a bigger comedian  who enjoys physical comedy.  However, thankfully, he's also not burning himself out on drugs, so hopefully we can enjoy a much longer career from him.

So yes, add this to Paul Blart and Here Comes the Boom and you have a winning Kevin James film marathon to enjoy.

Final Grade: B

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: High on both counts, as I already own it and it's been seen several times at my house already.

The Tin Man Has A Heart..."Iron Man 3"

Phase Two Begins...

The Story:

Ever since New York, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) has been feeling a bit... off.  Still tinkering with his suits, he is up to version # 42 when the movie begins.  This causes a bit of unease with Pepper (Gwyneth Paltrow) but when you're in love with a genius, there's a price to be paid.  Unfortunately, a terrorist known only as The Mandarin (Ben Kingsley) is attacking around the globe, and when one of his attacks injures Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau), things get personal.  Tony seeks revenge, but even he may be no match for the greatest threat he's ever suited up against.

I'm not going to lie, I loved Part 3.

: )

And the # 1 complaint of the movie going public/critics seems to be The Mandarin and his fate in the movie.

This guy?  No problems at all with what unfolded.  I thought it was a stroke of genius to be honest. 

Stepping on board as director is Shane Black, in only his second outing behind the camera (Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang), but he reteams with Robert Downey Jr., and he is the man who wrote Lethal Weapon, so the franchise isn't going to slip too much.

No, in fact, it rebounds from the disappointment of the 2nd film which gave us perhaps too much Iron Man (men) and in fact, let's Tony Stark spend much of the film sans armor.

This provides Iron Man 3 with its greatest strength, and that owes also to Marvel, Stan Lee, and all who followed in his footsteps in making Marvel the better comic universe to grow up reading:

The movie is about Tony Stark.  Tony Stark IS Iron Man.  You put any other guy in the suit, and while you can call him Iron Man, he's not.  He's an imitation.  Which is why Rhodey (Don Cheadle) became War Machine/Iron Patriot.

The human character is what made the heroes in Marvel lore stand out for me (and many other readers).  Take them out of the suit, and the replacement versions just never clicked after that.  Yet when you see the end of the Batman trilogy, it seems like they feel that if anyone jumps in the suit, they become Batman.

Meh.

So, there you have it, a review that hopefully gives nothing away on this opening weekend, but instead serves as a soapbox as to why I love Marvel heroes, and am thrilled to be seeing them brought to life on the big screen.  Changed as needed from the comics to make as much sense as possible, but never leaving out the heart that made the characters so endearing in the first place.

Go see the # 1 movie in America.  If you liked either of the first 2 installments, you won't regret your decision.

Final Grade: A-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I'd go again in a heartbeat, but I already got to see the film with my sweetheart. : )  So for now... maybe I'll just go pre-order the Blu Ray on Amazon.

Shouldn't "Iron Man 2" Have Been Called 'Iron Men' Instead?

Anything you can do, I can do better...

The Story:

Multi-bajillionaire Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) returns!  It's been six months since the big reveal to the world that he is Iron Man, and now the United States wants its grubby paws on the Iron Man armor.  Leading the charge is a smarmy Senator (Garry Schandling) and weapons manufacturer Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell).  Torn between the conflict between his government and his best friend, Rhodey (Don Cheadle) isn't sure what to do.  When Ivan Vanko (Mickey Rourke) shows up sporting technology similar to Stark's, all bets are off, and Tony is in the for the fight of his life.

The horrible thing about sequels is that they rarely live up to the status of the film that they are following.  On rare occasions the second film can overshadow the first, Toy Story and the Godfather spring to mind, but most are missing that special something. 

Or perhaps it is just the bar is so high from the audience going in, unlike the first film, that the sequel is doomed from the start.  Which is a shame.

On its own merits, Iron Man 2 is a wonderful superhero film, and really important in the overall development of Phase One of the Marvel cinematic universe.  Of course, this is also hindsight seeing in 20/20, what they were able to put into that movie that would come to fruition later.

Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) returns to Iron Man, this time not after the credits, but in the film itself.  He lays more of the groundwork of SHIELD and once again Agent Coulson (Clark Gregg) returns.  Joining the cast is The Black Widow (Scarlett Johannsen).

Yet even with all these characters vying for screen time, character development and action sequences, nothing really feels rushed or left out.

If anything, the biggest letdown of the film is the somewhat unoriginal thought of having Iron Man fight another Iron Man.  Very reminiscent of the first film, though Jon Favreau amps up the explosive power by adding War Machine to the mix and having the two friends battle against an army of Iron Man wannabes.

Again, judged on it's own, the movie is really quite good out of the shadow of its predecessor.

Plus, often times while the first sequel is often considered inferior, many times the third movie in a trilogy is often as good or just a little less awesome than the original.

We'll see!

Final Grade: Originally a B-, but the years have been kind, and so will I... B+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Extremely high, and I have happily finally added the 2nd installment into the DVD Library.  Yay me!

The 'Real' Best Picture of 2008 Should Have Been... "Iron Man"

You will believe a man can fly...

In a suit of armor!

The Story:

Multi-billionaire industrialist Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) is in Afghanistan demonstrating his newest weapon for the military when his convoy is attacked and Stark is injured.  Ordered to build a weapon for terrorists, Stark designs an armor that can be worn as a weapon.  It also happens to be able to save his life after his injuries.  However, when Stark finds out who is behind the terrorist organization, it's a betrayal that cuts even deeper than any injury he suffers from.

Wow.

I love this movie.

Jon Favreau signs on as director for the first film from Marvel Studios, and he hit a home run.  Any fear that Marvel was getting in over their heads was put to rest, relatively, by the performance of the first of the "Phase One" of the movies.

Surrounding Downey were excellent casting choices such as Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) and Lt. Colonel James Rhodes (Terence Howard).  These pieces are vital to the mythos of Tony Stark, and they serve the movie well here.  Filling out the unheralded role as Jarvis, Paul Bettany provides the voice of Tony's armor.  It's an interesting twist on the comics, and one that works very well for the movie.  I would be remiss if I didn't also mention the screen debut of one of the most endearing characters in the Marvel Universe: Agent Coulson (Clark Gregg).  I'm not sure if it was fleshed out from the beginning, but it was hard not to like the little guy. : )

As for the villain, Jeff Bridges plays the weasel Obadiah Stane perfectly.  Going into the film, comic fans knew what was to be expected, but I'm sure it came as a surprise to many non-fans.

Downey brings a cocky swagger to the role that just nails everything the comic book character symbolized, and brings it into the real world.  I'm very pleased that they've left the alcoholic subplot out of the movies, and I hope they keep it out.  That was a period that was influential in the book, but is really a minor footnote in the grand scheme of things.

Tony needs to be challenged mentally, physically and intellectually.  Leave the booze on the sideline.

It's not the perfect superhero movie, but five years later...

It's pretty darn close.

Final Grade: A.  I'm raising it up from the A- simply because it is such a good film that still holds up, and really works for the foundation of the universe.

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Yes, yes...yes!  So much so that I now have a cool briefcase containing this and many other films on Blu Ray.

Shaft and Bo Duke Together at Last... "Set Apart"

Do they really raise "Dudes" on Dude Ranches?

The Story:

This is based on the true adventures of Pastor John Gunn (John Schneider) whose goal is to help inner city kids by sending them out to a ranch with his brother Randy and his wife Heidi, played by themselves.  With the help of a mysterious, yet Godly cowboy (Richard Roundtree), maybe these boys will find out there is more to life than drugs and crime.

Remember how I said that it's nice that Christian movies were getting better production values, actors, etc. etc. and were actually starting to hold their own?

Well, this one was made a few years ago, and is sort of that movie that is at the crossroads of the movement.

The acting and storyline are a bit wooden at times, but it's a beautiful movie to look at.

John Schneider has made several films, but his part is very minor so much of the acting is left to the real people, and the kids that are playing parts.

Richard Roundtree, Shaft himself,  is great, but underused as the mysterious cowboy.  The double-edged sword, had they utilized him more, it would likely soften the character.

The storyline also seems a little hokey that the problems the kids are trying to escape literally follow them across the country and pop up for the climax.

Agan, a little cheesy, but these types of films have come a long way in the last half decade, so that's a plus.

Available to stream instantly on Netflix as of this writing.

Final Grade: C

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Pretty sparse.  It's an okay movie, good for the whole family... great background noise if you're working on something that doesn't require too much attention being paid to the film.