Review: Saw III

I know it’s been a while since I’ve updated the site, and/or put up a movie review. I keep saying I’ll return to posting more often, but I’m really not sure when that will be.

I finally got around to watching the third installment of the “Saw” film series, aptly titled Saw III. The original Saw is one of my all-time favorite “Thriller/Horror” films, and although I enjoyed the second one, I didn’t think it was nearly as good as the first (but when is this ever not the case with sequels? Only ones I can think of are X-Men and Spiderman at the moment).

I hadn’t heard a lot of great things about Saw III, so I was very pleasantly surprised once I finished it. The film, although a little overly “gross” at times, was much better than I expected. It had a good storyline, good suspense, and I really enjoyed how it linked up and answered a lot of questions from the first film. It almost seems like the Saw films are an extended series, rather than individual installments.

I don’t imagine you would like Saw III if you haven’t seen Saw or Saw II. It would be akin to missing the first two seasons of a TV show then jumping in on the third. This is something you don’t often see with films. They are usually made so that, although it references the previous films, the casual viewer can jump in and the film will still make sense. Saw III would make absolutely no sense to someone who hasn’t seen the original.

I wouldn’t put Saw III up there with the original, but it’s definitely better than the second film, and definitely a film worth seeing. The Saw films are pumped out so quickly, it gives you the impression that there isn’t a lot of thought put into them, and they are done as a cash cow only. As much as they are done for the easy cash, they are also well put together and are entertaining films.

I am looking forward to seeing Saw IV, which is released this Tuesday, January 22^nd.

My Rating: 7.5/10

Review: Deadwood – Season 3

This week I finished the third of final season of the incredible HBO historical drama, Deadwood.

Deadwood was critically acclaimed, but was never a huge hit with audiences, however it did have a considerable following.

The show was based on the real town of Deadwood, South Dakota in the 1870s, before and after its annexation into the Dakota Territory. Several of the characters are named and based on real life people. Among them, Wild Bill Hickok, Seth Bullock, Sol Star, Calamity Jane, Wyatt Earp, George Hearst, Al Swearengen, among others.

The show takes artistic liberties, and much of the storylines are fictional, but most of the major events and occurances are based on historical fact.

You could categorize the show as Western, but that’s almost incorrect. There is an almost modernization of the show, in the fact that it has this gangster welfare feel to it.

The characters are all very unique, and the acting in this show is nearly unmatched. It stars Timothy Olyphant, Ian McShane and Molly Parker, among many others. There are also several high profile guest stars on the show as well.

Ian McShane’s character, Al Swearengen, is one of my all time favorite TV characters. There really isn’t any character on television like him. He is an evil tyrant, yet loyal, compassionate and strong-willed. You know you should hate the guy, but you can’t help rooting for him. The way Ian McShane pulls off that role… it just amazes me. The character is just a joy to watch, and it deeply saddens me that I may never see the great Al Swearengen on my TV again.

In my opinion, the writing on Deadwood ranks among the best in television history. You’d be hard pressed to find any show, at any time, that can compare with the amazing dialog that appeared in this great show.

Although it wasn’t the original plan, Season 3 has become the final season of the show. HBO decided against picking up the options on the actors’ contracts for a fourth year. They insist the show was not cancelled, and it seems to me it’s end came because the production costs were too high when compared to the income the show brought in.

HBO made an offer to do 6-episode run for the fourth season, but it was turned down by the show’s creator. Instead, they agreed on doing two 2 hour long HBO movies, in order to finish off the show. The scripts are ready, and at one point it seemed a for sure thing. At this point, HBO says there is about a 50/50 chance the movies will be made. So, we can still hold out hope to see those.

For those of you that either don’t get HBO or haven’t heard of this outstanding television show, I highly recommend picking up the DVD sets. They are available at any Rogers or Blockbuster to rent, if you don’t want to buy them. Either way, this is a show you cannot miss out on.

My Rating: 10/10

Movie Review: Stomp the Yard

Stomp the Yard is one of the latest dance mixed with high school and/or college relationship drama. Ok, that was a mouthful. But yes, if you’ve seen Step Up, Save the Last Dance, You’ve Been Served, etc etc, you know these movies basically all use the same formula.

Stomp the Yard is about a young man named DJ, who’s brother is killed in a “gang” fight, caused by a team that loses a dance competition. DJ moves in with his aunt and uncle, and gets accepted into a high-class University. The school’s hot “sport” is “stepping”. Why the movie isn’t called “Step the Yard”, I don’t know? I guess because it sounds stupid, which well now that I think about it, would have been a fitting title considering the quality of this film.

DJ is still mourning his brother, and has no interest in participating in any school events. He does, however become interested in the gorgeous April (played by Meagan Good). April, of course, is dating the star “stepper” on one of the school’s dance fraternities.

DJ joins the rival dance team, and you can guess where the movie heads from there.

In most dance films, you expect to see some crazy moves, that regardless of the quality of the film, will still provide some entertainment. That doesn’t happen here. Stepping is about the least interesting kind of dancing you can watch. You just think, “wow, I could probably do that. Big deal”.

The film isn’t completely horrible, as it is at least average. The story is better than most other dance films, but that really isn’t saying much. Overall, the only real good thing about this film is getting to see the beautiful Meagan Good strut around on your screen.

So, should you rent it? I wouldn’t recommend it, but I won’t say completely pass on it either. If you like dance films with relationship love stories, then you might like it.

My Rating: 5.5/10

Movie Review: Norbit

Norbit is the latest Eddie Murphy as several characters film to be released. I didn’t expect a whole lot anything… maybe something a little similar to the Nutty Professor. As low as my expectations were, the film still didn’t come close to meeting them.

In this one, Murphy plays three characters. The title character, Norbit, a bumbling orphan boy that isn’t the sharpest knife in the drawer. He meets a beautiful young girl named Kate (Thandie Newton) while living in an orphanage as a young boy. He also plays the orphanage owner Mr. Wong, and his wife, Rasputia.

There are a lot of very immature jokes, and the film seems geared towards the young teen market, although I’m sure even they found it to be pretty horrible.

There are a few funny moments here and there, but overall I felt myself feeling dumber with each passing moment. It’s simply not funny, not entertaining, and I couldn’t help but wonder what type of person would ever agree to filming a movie with this script. I’m sure it was pitched as “a comedy with Eddie Murphy playing multiple roles”. Too bad they forgot to add the comedy part.

Cuba Gooding Jr., Eddie Griffin, Terry Crews and Marlon Wayans also make appearances, which I am sure they are regretting. Wayans’ role was one of the only funny parts of the film. And by funny, I mean “watchable”.

I highly recommend skipping this film, unless you have an urge to waste an hour and forty minutes of your life.

My Rating: 2/10

Review: Arrested Development Season 1

Although I have owned Arrested Development Season 1 on DVD for probably two years, I finally decided on watching it. I had heard it was pretty good, but I was unsure about giving it a try. Well, am I ever glad I did.

This is easily one of the funniest, well put together comedies I have ever seen. The characters are so unique, interesting, quirky and funny, that each episode is extremely entertaining. This family is about as dysfunctional and odd as it gets. It’s almost like Simpsons comes to life, yet funnier and smarter.

The show lasted for three seasons, so I’m very much looking forward to watching the next two seasons. I’m sure the show will only get better. I cannot believe this show was canceled… what a tragedy that is. Then again, Fox seems to have this strange ability to create amazing shows just to cancel them too early (Freaks and Geeks, Firefly, Fugitive, etc).

It’s hard to pick out who my favorite character is. Michael is the very likable main character, and it’s hard not to root for him, considering the family he has to deal with on a day to day basis. His son, unfortunately named “George Michael”, is such a great character. He’s a very odd young man, yet he’s possibly the most normal character on the show.

I am always laughing at Gob (pronounced Jobe). It is so hilariously delusional. He’s one of the worst magicians ever, yet is convinced he’s one of the best.

The person I may laugh out loud the most from could be their Mother, Lucille. Her facial expressions alone just kill me. She is such a stone cold bitch, and like most of her family, is completely delusional as well.

Tobias is someone I always want to see on screen, and it’s unfortunate he isn’t always in every episode. He’s a non-nude? Where do they come up with such magic? He’s so obviously gay, yet completely unaware of it. In the going trend with these characters, he is so delusional as well, and possibly more-so than any other character. He wants to become an actor, and although he can barely even get an audition, he thinks of himself as the next Hollywood superstar.

There are no weak characters, and the rest of the stars such as Buster, Pop-pop, Lindsey and Maebe are all great in their own ways.

If you, like me, never really thought about giving this show a chance, then you are making a huge mistake. This is easily one of the best comedies I’ve ever seen, and although it may not be for everyone, it’s still most definitely worth giving a shot to.

My Rating: 9.5/10

Review: I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry

I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry is the latest film from Adam Sandler. He, along with Kevin James, play New York Firefighters that pretend to be gay in order to get special tax benefits.

The film also has appearances from Jessica Biel, Steve Buscemi, Rob Schneider, Ving Rhames and Dan Akroyd.

The plot is a little weak, but that doesn’t really matter. The whole point of the film is to have as much uncomfortable situations as possible. And there are a lot.

I went into the film not really sure what to expect. I am really back and forth on Adam Sandler films. I loved the guy when I was 14 and 15, but lately his type of humor annoys me more than it makes me laugh. I am, however, a big fan of his dramatic work. Chuck & Larry is one of the good Sandler films. As funny as he is, however, I found Kevin James to be the stand-out in this one.

And Jessica Biel? Oh. My. God. I’ve never really found her all that special, but holy crap she is about as perfect as perfect gets in this film. Guys, her three minute bra and panties scene is worth the admission alone.

At times, I found the film seemed a little too much like a gay rights commercial, but it didn’t take away from the movie all that much. They film makers worked with gay rights activist to make sure the film wasn’t offensive to gay people. Of course there are a few jokes here and there, but I don’t think you’ll see any gay people complain about the film whatsoever.

It had it’s cheesy moments, and is not a top-notch film, but it’s entertaining throughout, and not often does even five minutes go by without a few laugh-out-loud moments.

If you’re looking to sit back, relax, and be entertained for a couple hours, then Chuck and Larry is definitely a film to check out.

My Rating: 7.5/10

Movie Review: Turistas

Turistas is about a group of young backpackers that end up stranded in a small town in Brazil after their bus crashes. The film is a horror film, but I’m more tempted to say it fits into the recently popular “gore” category.

I am not a fan of gory films. It all seems so unnecessary, but with the popularity of films like Hostel and the Hills Have Eyes, I don’t think it’s going to stop anytime soon.

Turistas sounded interesting to me, so I decided to check it out, when in most cases I would pass on a film like this one. It stars Josh Duhamel and Olivia Wilde, both of who I am fans of. It also stars Melissa George, who I cannot stand.

The film starts out with some potential. The idea is pretty good, and for the first half of the film I was pretty entertained. Then, we get into the gore. Complete, unnecessary gore. When you are hung over like I was, gore is not something you want to see.

I made it past that, only to be treated to 10 minutes of near darkness on the screen where I could barely tell what was going on. Then comes an underwater chase scene that lasts about 15 minutes longer than it should have.

If you’re into teen horror movies, then I’m sure you’ll enjoy this movie. If not, you’ll probably want to pass on this one.

My Rating: 6/10

Review: Planet Earth (on HD-DVD)

I love documentaries, and when I heard that BBC was releasing this massive 11-part series about our planet Earth on HD-DVD, I knew I had to see it. This series is the perfect of example of how to get the most out your HD-DVD player.

The one word I would use to describe this series is “beautiful”. It is quite simply, the most beautiful piece of work I have ever seen on screen, and I was constantly in awe while watching this series.

Not only is it beautiful, but it is highly entertaining and informative as well.

The series comes in 11 parts, and each part (besides the first one) deals on a specific topic.

The first part is almost like a summary, or preview rather, of what you’ll see in the rest of the episodes. It’s entitled, “Coast-to-Coast”, and was probably my favorite episode of the bunch. It didn’t get into a lot of detail, but it covered a ton of ground, and although at times it kinda jumped all over the place, it remained highly entertaining. It featured a ton of animals, which was always the best part of the series

Nearly every episode was incredibly enjoyable, entertaining and interesting. I learned a ton about our Planet during this series. The only episode that didn’t hold up to the others was the one entitled “Caves”, but considering the quality of this series, that says more about how great this show was, not that Caves was a bad episode.

Fresh Water, Shallow Seas and Ocean Deep were about as good as you get when it comes to underwater documentaries. Shallow Seas was my favorite of the three, as most underwater life seems to be found during that part of the Ocean. Ocean Deep was filled with some unique creatures I have neither heard or seen of before.

I am an animal lover, and this is without a doubt the best animal-related series I have ever seen. The series covers animals from all types of landscapes. You’ll see at least something about nearly every animal you can think of. From Polar Bears to Wolves to Lions to Elephants, nearly every interesting animal is covered.

You will also be introduced to some truly remarkable and unique creatures as well.

I cannot say enough about this series. If you’ve considered upgrading to an HD-DVD player, I highly suggest using this series as the perfect excuse to do so. It is available in regular DVD-format, but it will pale in comparison to the HD version.

So, in summary, Planet Earth is about as must-see as must-see gets. Even if you don’t like documentaries, I’m sure you will find this series incredibly entertaining and interesting. You will learn a lot about the planet you call home, and be entertained by amazing parts of our planet that you are unlikely to ever see elsewhere.

My Rating: 10/10

Five Quick Movie Reviews

The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou

The Life Aquatic is a hilarious film, but it’s comedy comes in a very dry manor, so it’s not your typical comedy. The film stars Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, Cate Blanchett, Willem Dafoe and Jeff Goldblum. Murray is excellent in his role as Steve Zissou, a former hot-shot underwater documentary filmmaker coming to terms with that the fact that he is no longer a success. He meets his long lost son (Wilson), and together they go on an adventure to kill a shark that ate an old friend of Steve’s.

It’s a pretty odd film, and I loved it, but I could understand how other people would not like it. If you appreciate dry humor, and quirky characters, then I think you would enjoy this film.

My Rating: 7.5/10

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Zoom: Academy For Superheroes

I’m going to be honest and admit I never even finished this movie (I made it to the one hour point). I tried. I tried hard. I just couldn’t. It’s sooo horrible. It’s obvious it was made to appeal entirely to boys (and some girls) between the ages of 7-12. I can’t imagine anyone outside that age group being able to tolerate it. Within the first few minutes there are multiple fart jokes. That right there should tell you the quality of the film. What’s with Tim Allen making shitty superhero films? Skip on renting this crap.

My Rating: 2/10

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Idiocracy

Incredibly, this film from the creator of Office Space and King of the Hill went straight-to-DVD. It stars Luke Wilson and Dax Shepard. It’s about a man of average intelligence that gets frozen as part of a military experiment, and ends up waking up 500 years in the future. The world has become incredibly stupid, and Joe (Wilson) is now the world’s smartest man. It’s an interesting plot idea, and I wouldn’t say they failed at it, but the movie didn’t impress me. It could have been much better.

It came off as very low budget and “cheap”, and I think that hurt my opinion of the film. It was a little too goofy, and I guess that was the intent, but I think they had a good idea and didn’t pull it off as well as they could have. Still, it was an enjoyable movie and helped pass the time.

My Rating: 6/10

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Broken Flowers

Broken Flowers is very similar, yet completely different from The Life Aquatic. Bill Murray stars in this one as well, and he plays a rich, yet lonely man in his 50′s who gets an anonymous letter from an old girlfriend. In the letter, it says he got her pregnant 20 years ago, and her son has gone off on a road trip to try and find him. Don (Murray), in turn, goes on to visit each of the four girlfriends he had during that time to try and find clues to see if that was the one who gave birth to his son.

The movie is a dramatic comedy, and puts Murray’s character into several hilarious situations. It also stars Sharon Stone, Julie Delpy, Jeffrey Wright, Chloe Sevigny and Frances Conroy.

I enjoyed the movie quite a bit, but went into the film with high expectations, and didn’t necessarily live up to them. It’s a good film, yet the ending disappointed me, which I’m sure it did to several other viewers. Still, a good film worth checking out.

My Rating: 7/10

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National Lampoon’s Pucked

This direct-to-DVD film stars Jon Bon Jovi as an unemployed man in his 30′s that’s always coming up with get rich quick ideas. His latest idea is for a women’s hockey league, where the women are all hot and wear little equipment. Not many of them are hot, and they wear a lot of equipment, and the main female character is a huge nasty woman that resembles a man. Not really sure how they hoped to please the potential renters with this one, as it’s clearly a movie teenage boys rent in hopes of seeing some breasts.

I rented it, as it’s a film about hockey, which is something you don’t see very often. I figured, how bad could it be? Well, it was so, so, so much worse than I could have imagined. It looks like the budget was somewhere between $45-65 dollars, and I just cannot fathom how any studio would decide on making this film. Absolutely horrible movie, and possibly one of the worst I have ever seen.

My Rating: 1/10

Movie Review: Ratatouille

I usually don’t go to the theater very often, but this was my second visit in a week’s time. Michaela and I went to see Ratatouille over the weekend. As you may know, from my Top 12 Computer Animated Movies post, that I love Pixar films. Each year, one of my most anticipated films is the latest Pixar release.

They have struck gold yet again with this latest creation. Rats aren’t nearly as lovable as other previous main characters such as toys, cars, fish or superheroes, but somehow director Brad Bird gets you to care about them just as much.

The film centers around a rat named Remy who has a nose for great food. He soon discovers that he loves to cook exquisite meals, but must be in a kitchen to have access to the ingredients he needs. This, of course, is an impossible dream, as everyone knows the biggest no-no for any kitchen is to have a rat among it’s inhabitants.

Remy meets a young man named Linguini, who cannot cook whatsoever. Despite their obvious differences, they form a unique team in order to get the things they are unable to get on their own.

Like all Pixar films, the animation in Ratatouille is unmatched. The story is also wonderful as well. It’s a great family film, that can be enjoyed by any age. I’m 25 years old, and loved it, while I would have no doubts about letting my three year old sister see it, either. Pixar and Disney form such an incredible combination, and are continually releasing incredible films for the whole family to enjoy.

I highly recommend Ratatouille. As far as how it fits in the mix of Pixar’s previous works, well it’s hard to say. I wouldn’t rank it up there with Finding Nemo or The Incredibles, but it probably comes in ahead of Cars and Monster’s Inc. Either way, it’s an incredible movie that is a definite can’t miss film.

My Rating: 9/10

Movie Review: Domino

When I first saw a trailer for Domino, I was pumped. It looked like a very cool movie, and I really enjoy Tony Scott’s type of directing.

Somehow, it took me until now to see it.

The film is about the life story of Domino Harvey, a Ford model turned bounty hunter. It’s based on her life, but the story told is not necessarily true, nor does it try to portray itself as a true story. Yes, Domino Harvey existed, and was a bounty hunter, but no she did not kidnap part of the cast of 90210.

Tony Scott took some “artistic liberties” with his film, which turned out to be great, as it became part satire, part action film, part true story. I love his direction, with the unique film colors, quick snaps from scene to scene, great music, and gritty feel.

Domino is not one of his best pieces of work, but it’s an entertaining film none-the-less. It’s much more confusing than it needed to be, and the story becomes somewhat jumbled, but overall I enjoyed this movie.

Keira Knightley did a great job portraying Domino, and I liked the sassy, badass-chick attitude she brought to the film. Mickey Rourke was great as Domino’s boss, Ed, and this role suited him perfectly. Delroy Lindo, Mo’Nique, Macy Gray and Lucy Liu also make appearances.

If you liked Deja Vu or Smokin’ Aces, this film has a similar feel, and I think you would like it as well. It’s a fast-paced, bad ass, shoot ‘em up film, and if that sounds like your type of movie, check out Domino.

My Rating: 7.5/10

Movie Review: Mini’s First Time

This past weekend I discovered a little-known gem called, Mini’s First Time. After really enjoying her work in Thirteen, I was anticipating Nikki Reed’s next piece of work. It comes in the form of another sexually driven film, where she plays a rebellious young girl.

Mini’s (Reed) mother is a failed actress that has manages to marry a very rich man named Martin, played by the incredibly wonderful Alec Baldwin. Mini is in grade 12, and growing up with her drugged-out Mother (Carrie-Anne Moss) has caused her to want to do whatever possible to rebel, in hopes of actually getting some attention from her emotionally-absent Mom.

The acting was simply great in the film. As much as I enjoyed Reed and Baldwin, who were perfectly cast, I think the stand-out was Carrie-Anne Moss, of Matrix fame. She was absolutely hilarious in her out of control role, and she really impressed me. I’ve never been a fan of hers, but seeing her in this role has changed my opinion of her.

There are also appearances from Luke Wilson, Jeff Goldblum and Rick Fox.

The film’s tagline, “Sex. Murder. Blackmail. There’s a first time for everything”, is a perfect way to describe the film. It’s an incredibly fun dark-comedy. I’m surprised I haven’t heard much about it, as it had a pretty big-name cast, and it’s a great little film.

My Rating: 8/10

Movie Review: Transformers

After waiting for the Transformers live-action film for over twenty years, I was finally able to watch it this past Tuesday. I’ve been looking forward to the film since before it was even considered, and especially since it was announced three years ago.

I had huge expectations going into the movie, but also had my reservations. I had this awful feeling, that somehow, someway, they would find a way to ruin my dream. Well, after leaving the theater, I was very happy to say they didn’t.

I am extremely impressed with how the whole film came together. It was as advertised; a grand, special effects extravaganza with a good story, good characters, and it was just an overall enjoyable experience.

The acting was much better than you’d expect in a film like this, and I am liking Shia LaBeouf more and more with every film I see him in. Megan Fox performed way beyond my expectations, and the rest of the cast did an admirable job as well.

The stars of the film were easily the Transformers themselves. The special effects were absolutely mind-blowing. I will go out and say they were the best I’ve ever seen in any film. Of course, I am pretty biased, but the fight scenes and transformations were so incredibly cool and jaw-dropping.

Some of the dialog was silly, and a little goofy at times, and that was the one thing I’d change about the film if I could. However, saying that, I can understand their reasons for doing it. They wanted this film to appeal to kids as well as adults that were fans of the cartoon, and adding somewhat childish dialog here and there helps appease the youngsters in the crowd.

It was great to hear Peter Cullen’s voice again (he voices Optimus Prime), and he did a great job reprising his most beloved role. I liked how they paid homage to the original cartoon and movie, by both including quotes as well as a few other little things here and there to give a nod to the hardcore fans.

Some people may be reluctant to see Transformers, as they might think that because they never watched or cared about the show as a kid, they wouldn’t enjoy it now. I don’t think that’s true at all, as they made the film one that anyone could enjoy. You do not need any prior knowledge of Transformers to understand or enjoy this movie, and I highly suggest that anyone who appreciates a great, all-out action film see Transformers.

I am a hardcore fan, and even though I had huge expectations, the film lived up to them entirely. Everyone should check out this film, and if possible, in theaters, as it’s one hell of a great time.

My Rating: 10/10 (how could I give it anything less?)

Movie Review: The Holiday

Last night I watched and thoroughly enjoyed The Holiday.  You might not hear many 25 year old guys admit that, as it would probably be categorized under “chick flick” or “romantic dramedy”.The Holiday has a great cast, and an interesting story. It’s basically two films in one, following stories on opposite sides of the world.

The film is about two women who are stressed out thanks to their troubled relationships, and decide to switch houses for a few weeks. One lives in LA, one in England. They’ve never met, but both are in desperate need of some new scenery, and make the unlikely switch.

The women are played by Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet, who both do an incredible job. Iris (Winslet) is a newspaper columnist, and after failing to get over her ex, moves in to Amanda’s (Diaz) beautiful LA home. She goes on to meet more than a few very interesting people that help keep her mind off the problems at home.

Amanda (Diaz) moves into Iris’ small England cottage. She recently broke up with her boyfriend (played by Edward Burns), and was looking to get away from the busy lifestyle she has. She happens to meet Iris’s brother, played by Jude Law. Even though the last thing she wanted was to meet a man, it’s obvious they are destined for some sort of relationship.

Like I mentioned, both stories basically feel like two different movies. I found myself a lot more interesting in the story surrounding Diaz’s character, but that’s not to say the other story wasn’t interesting.

Jack Black also appears in the film. I would definitely say Law was the stand-out of the movie. I loved his character, and he did an excellent job. It was nice to see Jack Black in a role that was more laid back, and I did enjoy it, but he didn’t have quite as much screen time as the other actors. It never really seemed like we got to know his character.

Women will love this movie, and guys… as much as you’ll want to act like you’re not interested, give the film a chance. It’s an enjoyable romantic movie, and one that she will love and that you won’t be entirely bored of.

My Rating: 7.5/10

Movie Review: Alpha Dog

Alpha Dog was a movie I was anxiously awaiting to see. I bought the film on HD-DVD a few weeks ago, and finally got around to watching it last night. I was interested to see how it would turn out, as it has an excellent young up-and-coming cast, and a director I am a big fan of.The director is Nick Cassavetes, who also directed John Q and The Notebook. He wrote Alpha Dog, as well.

The film has a great ensemble cast, of which includes Emile Hirsch (The Girl Next Door), Shawn Hatosy (John Q, The Faculty), Ben Foster (Six Feet Under, X-Men 3, Hostage), Olivia Wilde (The O.C., Turistas), Anton Yelchin (Hearts In Atlantis), Dominique Swain (Lolita), Amanda Seyfried (Mean Girls), Justin Timberlake (yes, that Justin Timberlake), as well as Sharon Stone and Bruce Willis.

Some of those names you may not be familiar with, but you will be very soon. Of them, I was most impressed with Ben Foster, Anton Yelchin and Justin Timberlake. Foster is an incredible actor, and I have been a fan of his work since I first saw him on Six Feet Under. He’s slowly starting to get bigger and better roles, and at this point in time, may be the most successful Six Feet cast member since the show’s end.

Anton Yelchin is a great young actor. He plays “Zach”, the young boy who goes “missing”. He has appeared in several TV shows, such as Without a Trace, The Practice, Law & Order and many others. He is a name to watch out for.

One of the things I was looking forward to seeing the most, was Timberlake’s performance. I enjoyed his work in the critically-panned Edison, and was interested in seeing what he’d do in a film with a good story. I was extremely impressed. The guy has serious talent, and has the potential to break out as a film star. He has incredible charisma, and seems so natural behind the camera. I’m not afraid to admit that I really enjoy his work, and feel he is one of the most talented individuals in the entertainment industry.

Now down to the film. It’s a true story, based on the life of Jesse James Hollywood, a drug dealer who became one of the youngest men ever to be on the FBI’s most wanted list.

Hollywood, who is re-named Johnny Truelove in the film, kidnaps the young brother of a man who owes him money. The film progresses from there, and it keeps you on the edge of your seat the entire time. The acting is excellent, as is the direction.

The pace of the film is wonderfully done, and it’s an entertaining journey, as you anxiously watch to see how the events will unfold. It has several hilarious segments, as well as some very touching moments as well. It’s also a harsh, knock you off your seat drama. It hits every type of genre, and stays entertaining from start to finish.

I would highly recommend it, as I feel regardless of your favorite flavor of film, you will enjoy Alpha Dog.

My Rating: 9/10

Movie Review: Half Nelson

Half Nelson is a dark, dreary and depressing film. I knew this from the beginning, but it didn’t deter me, as these types of films are quite often my favorites. With the beautiful Summer weather taking a day off and allowing the clouds and rain to come out, I was in the perfect mood for a dramatic, not-so-upbeat type of film.Half Nelson was a movie I have greatly anticipated since I first saw the trailer probably over a year ago. I really enjoy Ryan Gosling’s work, and was very interested in his role as a crack addicted teacher of inner-city kids. He was nominated for Best Actor for this role, and that solidified my intent to see this film.

So, like I mentioned the film is about a heroin addicted History teacher and his connection with a young girl that he teaches. Gosling plays Dan Dunne, a young man who it seems became a teacher in hopes of changing the world, and making it a better place, and had grand views of what he would accomplish. His realization that this, of course, will not happen and that he is spending his time teaching a bunch of kids that have no interest in what he’s talking about, has turned him to drugs. With his newly-found depression, he uses his addiction to get him through a life he did not envision.

The film is mostly a downer, and not one to get you psyched on life, but as you painfully watch this young man fight to get through every day, you can also see how he is quickly finding you don’t need to change the world; that changing one person’s life can be quite the accomplishment in itself.

Ryan Gosling is incredible in this film, and is rightfully deserving of his Best Actor nomination.

If you liked Thirteen, The Machinist or The Woodsman, I would highly recommend checking out this movie. Or, if you simply appreciate a great performance and an extremely well-made film, then you can’t miss out on Half Nelson.

My Rating: 8.5/10

Review: The O.C. Season 4

I don’t watch many television shows, at least not on the day they actually air. I do, however, own several shows on DVD, as that is my preferred method of viewing. I find when watching shows on cable TV, I don’t enjoy them as much thanks to the many commercial breaks, extended time in between episodes, and not being able to see every single episode withing missing one.TV on DVD was a wonderful invention. I now watch all my shows on DVD. Of course, the one downfall is I have to wait a little longer, and try incredibly hard to avoid hearing spoilers, but in the end, the positives outweigh the negatives for me.

So, this leads me to my review of The O.C.- Season 4. I just finished the final season last night. I enjoyed the first three seasons quite a bit, but not nearly as much as most of my friends who were practically obsessed with the show. Saying that, while finishing the 4th season, I felt this sense of emptiness. Maybe I did enjoy this silly teen drama series a lot more than I thought I did. I didn’t want it to end. Now that it’s over, I want it back. You really become close with the characters over the course of a show’s run.

I found that Season 4 was one of the best season in the series. Season One was excellent, Season Two wasn’t that bad, and Season Three had its moments, although was easily my least favorite. Season 4 is right up there with the opening season. A lot of the story lines seemed fresh, whereas in previous years they got very repetitive. I liked Taylor’s increased role a lot, I liked the addition of Kaitlynn and was happy to be done with the Ryan/Marissa drama that plagued the early seasons.

The show did a good job at happily sending off each character, while also leaving some of the characters future open for you to decide on for yourself. Having it end with Ryan coming across a young boy that resembled himself when the show began, takes the series full circle, and was a perfect way to cap it off.

Season 4 was only 16 episodes, whereas the previous seasons were between 24-27. That didn’t really hurt the show, as the show was less repetitive than it usually becomes.

For those of you that gave up on this show before finishing it, I suggest going back and picking up the DVDs for the seasons you missed. I think you’ll be happy that you did.

Movie Review: Knocked Up

Last night, I went and saw Knocked Up, the new film from the writer/director of The 40 Year-Old Virgin. For a comedy, it was receiving some pretty decent reviews, so I had pretty high expectations going in. I’d say the film definitely met those expectations.

The film is about a pot smoking, party-loving, unemployed guy named Ben (Seth Rogan), who out of pure luck, ends up having a one night stand with a gorgeous woman named Alison (Katherine Heigl). She ends up getting pregnant, and wants to keep the baby, so the unlikely couple decide on trying to make the relationship work.

The movie obviously has several hilarious situations and many over-the-top sequences. However, like The 40 Year-Old Virgin, it’s not just slapstick humor, it also has a great story. The film remains entertaining from start to finish, as well. There are several laugh-out-loud moments.

Seth Rogan is excellent as the loveable loser, and Katherine Heigl is her usual incredibly sweet and beautiful self.

After recently watched the first two seasons of Grey’s Anatomy, I practically fell in love with Katherine Heigl, and she continued to impress me in this film. She’s a great up-and-coming comedic actress. Paul Rudd was hilarious in his role as well, and the two young kids who play his children (Director Apatow’s real-life children) are so adorable and funny.

If you liked 40 Year-Old Virgin, you will love this movie as well. I found Knocked Up to be a better film, and it’s equally as hilarious.

My Rating: 8.5/10

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Movie Review: The Hitcher

I remember seeing the trailer for The Hitcher about a year ago and thinking, “wow, this could actually be a pretty good movie”. I really enjoy Sean Bean’s work, and he is perfectly cast as the bad guy in this movie. One Tree Hill alum Sophie Bush plays the unfortunate “hot girl” caught in the middle of a mad man’s serial rampage.

It isn’t anything new, and it’s similar to the many other teen suspense films, especially to the Paul Walker film, Joy Ride. Still it manages to bring something fresh to the genre. I hadn’t heard all that many positive things about the movie, but I went into it with an open mind. The filming impressed me, as teen “horrors” often have horrible direction and look really campy. This one came off as well put together, and I was quite impressed with director, Dave Meyers. He had previously worked on mostly just musical DVD compilations for artists such as Jennifer Lopez, OutKast, Dave Matthews, Creed and Britney Spears.

The film does a good job at being quite suspenseful. You are continually tense waiting for what is coming next.

Like all movies of it’s genre, it does have it’s cheesy moments, but all-in-all it’s a fun, enjoyable film. It was exactly what I was in the mood for, and maybe that’s increased it’s rating for me.

If you’re in the mood for a suspenseful “teenagers hunted down by crazy serial killer” film, then this is a great choice.

My Rating: 7/10

Movie Review: Deja Vu

Last night after my incredibly enjoyable dentist appointment (note the sarcasm), Michaela and I sat down to watch a movie. It seemed like it’d been a long time since we’d done that. When it’s Summer here in Kelowna, it’s so beautiful and stays nice out until nearly 9:00pm, that sitting in front of the TV just doesn’t seem right.

We decided on the new Denzel Washington film, Deja Vu. It didn’t get necessarily the best critical reviews, but action/adventure films rarely do. I went into the movie without any expectations, which is my preference.

I enjoyed the film quite a bit. It has a pretty wacky and unrealistic premise, the it’s definitely an enjoyable, entertaining movie.

I am a big fan of director Tony Scott’s style, and have enjoyed many of his past films which include hits such as Top Gun, Beverly Hills Cop 2, Days of Thunder, True Romance, The Fan, Enemy of the State, Spy Game, Man on Fire, among others.

Denzel Washington, who made my Top 10 Favorite Actors list, was great as always. Val Kilmer, Jim Caviezel and Adam Goldberg also appear. I was also very impressed with the incredibly beautiful Paula Patton, who I had not seen before.

The film starts out with an explosion on a large cruise boat, and ATF agent Doug Carlin (Washington) is sent to investigate.

I don’t want to give away any of the plot, so I don’t want to say too much about the film. It’s the perfect choice if you’re looking for a suspenseful, “thinker” type of film. If you can get by the movie’s unrealistic and far-fetched plot, you should find it very enjoyable.

My Rating: 7.5/10

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