Category: Movie Reviews
2 Transfomers: Revenge of the Fallen Review
Last night my wife and I celebrated our third wedding anniversary by going to go
see Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, on its opening night.
The night before, I read some pretty heinous reviews of the movie, but I still wanted to to see it. What amazes me is when the paid film critics go to see a movie like this, do they expect to see a movie like Slumdog Millionaire? Those of you interested in this film, probably aren’t going to this film to see oscar winning acting (you wont find it here) anyway.
Transformers:Revenge of the Fallen is nothing more than an action movie with a sci-fi twist to it. Is it the best movie I have ever seen? No. Is it entertaining? Absolutely. The action and effects are all top notch stuff.
There are plenty of returning characters from the first Transformers film, and the story picks up where the last movie left off.
Shia Lebouf is back as Sam Witwicky, and Megan Fox heats up the big screen with her role as Sam’s girlfriend, Mikaela Barnes. Both of them do a solid job in their roles, but the true stars of this film are the Transformers.
Returning autobots and decepticons from Robots in Disguise are Optiumus Prime, Bumblebee, Ratchet, Ironhide, Megatron, Starscream, Scorponok. There are a slew of new characters
including Arcee, the annoying but sometimes funny twins Mudflap and Skids, Jetfire, Wheelie, Devastator, Ravage, Soundwave, and the Fallen.
The new characters are cool, but much like the first film I often have a hard time recognizing one character over another. I am not a big fan of the bionicle look of the Transformers, and the big screen version of the characters often lack the primary colors of their animated counter parts. When the battles heat up, I some times had a hard time figuring out who was who.
The story is once again centered around Sam Witwicky. The plot of the movie seems to be Save Optimus, Save the World. Once the story kicks into gear, the nearly two and half hours of this movie seems to go pretty quick.
The bottom line, if you enjoyed the first Transformers movie, you are going to enjoy this one too. The massive sights and sounds needs to be experienced on the big screen. My wife an I had a happy anniversary, as we both enjoyed this movie.
1 Terminator Salvation – The Review
The month of May has been a pretty awesome month for Movies with X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Star Trek and now Terminator Salvation all hitting the big screen this month. In this fourth installment of the Terminator series, you wont find actors or actresses from the past films, but there is just enough stuff to tie this together nicely with the previous movies.
In Terminator Salvation, Christian Bale takes on the role John Connor, and does a pretty good job at the role. He was nearly upstaged by his co-star, Sam Worthington who plays ……… ah that would be telling. The rest of the cast if fleshed out by Bryce Dallas Howard and Helena Bonham Carter.
Terminator Salvation is set in the future, 2018 to be exact, after Judgement Day. The movie has a good story, and does a good job of keeping the history of the franchise in tact. In this apocalyptic future, the film feels more like Mad Max than Terminator at first, but that changes quickly once the story kicks into gear. There a few cool surpises and massive explosions and sound effects that fill the theater nicely. There is even Alice in Chains & Guns N’ Roses after Judgement day….who knew?!
Terminator Salvation is action packed, and is heavy on the special effects. It is a very cool film to see on the big screen. I enjoyed this one quite a bit. If you have liked the previous films, you will love this one too!
Rating: 
Out of 5
6 Watchmen – Movie Review
It has been a while since I have attended a movie on its opening night, but last Friday night my wife and I caught Watchmen. This is one of the rare cases where I read the book (or graphic novel if you prefer) before seeing the movie. How well did Watchmen follow the book? It was damn close to perfect. What does this mean to the average movie goer? You are going to see one extremely graphic flick when you go to see Watchmen. Don’t expect the campy feel of Spider-man, or the high tech fun of Iron Man with Watchmen. This is an adult super hero movie.
Watchmen is extremely graphic with scenes of brutal violence, nearly soft porn, and situations that are not appropriate for children. DO NOT TAKE YOUR KIDS TO THIS MOVIE. The story is good, although somewhat dark and the special effects are pretty amazing. Watchmen has plenty of drama, moments of comedy, and a few bits of action. If the movie has any faults, it is the lack of action, but there is some there. The action that is there, is pretty good, I just wish there was more.
Those of you that read the book, will be amazed how closely the movie follows the Watchmen story. Some things were cut for time, but nothing important enough to change the story very much.
The movie is centered around six characters: Dr. Manhattan, Rorschach, Nite Owl, The Comedian, Ozymandias, and Silk Spectre. Watchmen has pretty much of a no-name cast, but it doesn’t matter because the nail the roles of these characters perfectly.
I enjoyed this movie. It wasn’t watered down, or dumbed down for the audience, and a lot of things I thought would be edited out, were not. Although their have been some other graphic novels to hit the big screen, this is the first one in the super hero setting depicted in this extremely dark fashion.
Watchmen will definitely appeal to some movie viewers, and may be too shocking for others.
Rating: 
Out of 5
You can watch the trailer below!
3 The Dark Knight – Movie Review
Warner Brothers has released the latest Batman sequel, titled The Dark Knight.
The Dark Knight has several returning cast members from the 2005 movie Batman Begins, including Christian Bale (Bruce Wayne/ Batman), Morgan Freeman, (Lucius Fox), Michael Cane (Alfred Pennyworth), Gary Oldman (James Gordon) and Cillian Murphy (The Scarecrow). Newcomers to the cast are Maggie Gyllenhaal (Rachel Dawes), Aaron Eckhart (Harvey Dent), and the late Heath Ledger (The Joker).
From the very opening scenes of the The Dark Knight, you realize you are seeing something special. This is Heath Ledger’s last role before his untimely death. His acting ability shines in the The Dark Knight. Ledger’s Joker is unlike any you have seen before. This Joker is psychotic as hell, and somewhat creepy. This might be a Batman movie, but the Joker steals the show in the Dark Knight. In fact, his role is so mesmerizing, you will forget that you are watching a comic book movie. Yes, he really is that good.
The Dark Knight has a good story, a ton of action, and just enough special effects to keep it over the top. The level of intensity is extremely high throughout the film.
There are a couple of small drawbacks in the movie. Sometimes things in the Dark Knight happen so fast, it is hard to tell what is going on. This is only a minor complaint though. The amazing thing about The Dark Knight is how real it feels. Their wasn’t a whole lot of comic book campiness that is usually found in this type of film.
Aside from Ledger’s amazing role as the Joker, Aaron Eckhart does an excellent job playing Harvey Dent, and later at Two Face. Maggie Gyllenhaal who took over Katie Holmes roll as Rachel Dawes makes you forget that someone else played the role. Christian Bale proves once more, that he is the best Bruce Wayne and Batman to date.
The Dark Knight raises the bar for comic related movies. With the Dark Knight, Warner Brother has created the best comic book movie the company has released to date, if not, one of the best ever made.
I highly recommend catching this one in the theater. I loved the Dark Knight, and think you will too!
Rating:
Out of 5
5 Incredible Hulk – Movie Review
In 2003, Universal Pictures released a real clunker of a movie called Hulk. After seeing that disaster of a film, I was on the fence about seeing Marvel Studios latest concoction, the Incredible Hulk.
This movie is not a sequel of the original, in fact, The Incredible Hulk relaunches the Hulk franchise with a new story, a new cast and a fairly new direction.
In this movie, Edward Norton (Fight Club) stars as Bruce Banner, Liv Tyler (The Lord of the Rings) at Banner’s love interest, Betty Ross, and William Hurt as General Thunderbolt Ross.
The Incredible Hulk cast had a much better story to work with, than the 2003 flick. As result, Edward Norton played a good version of Banner. William Hurt did a solid job. Liv Tyler, on the other hand, was ultimately forgettable.
Tim Roth, who is the Hulk’s antagonist in this movie, is easily the character that was the most fun to watch.
This Hulk looks a lot less cartoony than the version from 2003, and a little more scary. The special effects, and CGI are top notch in this film. The action is also quite good.
If anything, the Incredible Hulk erases the awful memories of the 2003 flick. This movie will not challenge Iron Man for top grossing movies of 2008, but it is a solid film that is worth checking out on the big screen. Marvel should have another hit on their hands!
Rating: 
Out of 5
1 The Deaths of Ian Stone – DVD Review
In November of each year, The After Dark Horror Festival, and the 8 Films to Die For, are released in theaters across America. In 2006, I saw several of these films, and in 2007, their were no theaters close enough to take in the latest horror concoctions. Lucky for me, the second series of the 8 Films to Die For have been released to DVD.
Like most of the films in the series, The Deaths of Ian Stone has your basic no name cast, but doesn’t suffer as a result of it.
Mike Vogel (Cloverfield) plays the character Ian Stone who is quickly established as an American who in a twist of fate is killed only to wake up in a new life, only to start the chain all over again. Instead of living the same day all over again, ala Ground Hog Day, He is killed and reborn into a new life at precisely 5:03 each day.
As the mystery unravels, you will find out why Mr. Stone is being killed, and who is killing him, with a cool climax that almost begs for a sequel.
This movie borrows from several flicks that I have enjoyed including The Matrix, Aliens, The Butterfly Effect and more. While it may not be 100% original, it does introduce some new ideas instead of just being another lame slasher or torture flick. The story was just interesting enough to keep me curious, and the special effects were pretty good, for a low budget movie.
If you are a fan of horror movies, you may want to rent this one and give it a shot. I thought it was cool, and you might too!
Rating: Out of 5
0 Attitude For Destruction DVD Review (Released – 2008)
I have seen and enjoyed many horror movies, so I found it impossible to pass up the new DVD release, Attitude for Destruction.
I knew going into this movie, that it would probably be a low budget “B” flick, but I didn’t let that stop me. (It should have.)
The movie description drew me in: “In the tradition of ROCK AND ROLL NIGHTMARE MONSTER DOGS and KISS MEETS THE PHANTOM comes the rock horror film ATTITUDE FOR DESTRUCTION an epic tale of Sunset Strip-era metal murder and mayhem that critics are calling “Freddy Krueger with a Stratocaster…a REAL appetite for destruction!” The GUNS N’ ROSES-esque band HOLLYWOOD ROSES fronted by vocalist DRAKE is on the verge of superstardom courting a major record deal with Diamond Star Records. One small problem – the label doesn’t want Drake in the band. So the remaining band members do what any fame-hungry performer would do – they kill Drake. But Drake’s girlfriend has made a pact with the devil and brings her deceased lover back from the dead. Drake then goes on a slashing spree of blood and guts against all who have crossed him leaving behind a horrific trail of gruesome gory revenge.”
I was really hoping that this movie would deliver, but sadly it does not. Attitude for Destruction features a no name cast, a weak predictable story, poor acting, a cheap production, and the most bad wigs that I have ever seen in film history.
Yes, there is plenty of blood, guts, midgets and (unnecessary) nudity, but nothing can save this flick. The soundtrack isn’t too bad, in fact, the music is mixed in so loud it often over powers the poorly scripted lines. The music featured in this flick is actually by …..drumroll please….. Hollywood Roses featuring special guests Tracii Guns. It also has a awful version of Round and Round that was recorded by Stephen Pearcy. Additional songs by Dopesnake and Drama Addict can be found in this movie. The horror-film stars real-life, rock and roll vocalist Colby Veil from the band Hollywood Roses, whose debut album was released last year by Cleopatra Records. If anything, the movie exposed me to the new music by Hollywood Roses, and that is the only thing positive I can take out of watching this DVD.
This is the kind of movie that you and your horror loving friends will want to rent, only to make fun of it.
Rating:
Zombie’s Out of Five
1 Iron Man Movie Review (2008)
If you were to poll the average comic reader, and ask them who the biggest asshole in comics today is, 9 out of 10, would like respond, Tony Stark, a.k.a, Iron Man.
Lucky for this movie watcher, Marvel’s latest big screen sensation, Iron Man doesn’t dabble with the character’s current history, but does do a pretty solid job portraying Tony Stark, and his origin of Iron Man.
When I first read that Robert Downey Jr. was cast as the millionaire, playboy Tony Stark, I had my doubts that he could pull of the role.
Much to my surprise, and to my liking, Downey does a wonderful job as Stark/Iron Man. Not only does the pull the role off, he actually made me care about the character again. Quite a feat for any actor.
The Iron Man cast also features Gwenyth Paltrow (Pepper Potts), Terrence Howard (James ‘Rhodey’ Rhodes), and Jeff Bridges (Obadiah Stane). Each one of these actors does a solid job, but Downey Jr. is most certainly the star here.
The special effects are as good as they come, and the music (AC/DC, Black Sabbath) couldn’t be better. The story is good, and the action is fantastic.
Most comic book movies are hit and miss, in the case of Iron Man, Marvel has another sure fire hit on their hands, and easily their best movie since Spider-man.
This is a great film to see on the big screen, and a must see flick for sci-fi and comic book fans everywhere.
Rating: 4 Shellheads out of 5
5 Jumper – Movie Review
Jumper reunites two former cast members of Star Wars, Samuel Jackson and Hayden Christensen.
No light sabres are found in Jumper, but once again, Hayden Christensen(David Rice), finds himself at odds with Samuel Jackson (Roland).
The story quickly establishes David Rice as a Jumper (someone who can teleport to any location he can think of).
You eventually find out that he is not the only one who can jump.
There are a second group of characters called Paladin’s who have made it their goal to kill all Jumpers. This puts the Jumpers, and their families and friends in danger. That is the premise behind the whole movie.
The story itself is kind of weak, but the action, locations, and special effects, almost make up for the weakness in Jumper.
The cast (Hayden Christensen, Rachel Bilson, Samuel Jackson, Jamie Bell, Michael Rooker and Diane Lane) is well rounded, and they make the best of the story that they have to work with. Jumper isn’t the best movie I have seen this year, but it is mildly entertaining.
Science Fiction fans may get a kick out of this flick. This movie takes you to another place, and will have you wishing that you could Jump!
Rating:Out of 5
0 Cloverfield – Movie Review
Saturday Afternoon, my wife and I check out the latest movie produced by Lost’s J.J. Abrams.
Quite honestly, I wasn’t too sure what to expect from Cloverfield. The movie trailer quickly establishes that something has knocked the head off of the Statue of Liberty. When I saw this, something Godzillalike came to mind. Either that or King Kong, is running around like a madcap monkey in Manhattan once more. The trailer doesn’t show you what did it or how it happened.
You have to go to the ovie to find out, as I won’t tell you (or show you either). That is the surprize part of the movie.
Cloverfield employs an unknown cast of actors, and focuses around 6 people, Rob Hawkins, his brother Jason, Rob’s semi ex girlfriend, Beth McIntyre, his friends Hud, Lily and Marlena.
While attending a going away party for Rob, this group of people experienced what they though was an earthquake. They soon find out, that it is something terribly worse.
This film is shot through a camcorder angle, as Rob Hawkins’ friend Hud, was playing the videographer for Rob’s going away party. The whole film is shot this way, in some ways it makes the film more believable, and in other ways, it is detrimental to Cloverfield.
If you have ever seen The Blair Witch Project, you know that this type of filming can work, and work well. Where Cloverfield fails is the film is so herky jerky at times, it is hard to watch. At some point during the film, they should have cut away from the camcorder angle. It would have been much more enjoyable.
I spent time in New York City last summer, so in that respect, this movie made more of an impact on me, than it may with other people. There are moments that will make you jump, and others that will make you squirm.
As a whole, the story is pretty good, and the special effects are certainly solid. This is a fun, but not perfect popcorn flick.
Sci Fi fans will certainly want to check this out!
Rating: Out of 5
2 Resident Evil Extinction – DVD Review
Back in 1996, I purchased and played the first horror survival game on the Sony Playstation, called Resident Evil.
I thought the game was extremely cool, but never in my wildest imagination, did I think this game would spawn several sequels, and three movies years later.
I have seen all of the movies in The Resident Evil franchise, and enjoyed Resident Evil: Extinction quite a bit. Each movie has plenty of science fiction
action and horror all rolled into one. Resident Evil: Extinction is no exception.
The premise of the movie is this: The Umbrella corporation who created the T-Virus, that turned the population of Raccoon City into a bunch of zombie’s. The Umbrella Corporation thought they controlled the outbreak of the Virus. As we find out in Resident Evil: Extinction, the outbreak of the T-Virus was not
controlled, turning the majority of the world’s population into man eating zombies.
Milla Jojovich resumes her role as Alice, and where Alice goes, you can bet
there will be plenty of dead zombies as a result.
A small band of survivors fight against all odds to find safe haven, against this
apocalyptic future.
I have always been a fan of Sci-Fi, action flicks, and this movie seems to borrow elements from The Planet of the Apes, Road Warrior, Night of the Living Dead, and Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds. Although it isn’t completely original, it is a good popcorn flick, and one worth checking out.
Milla Jovovich is joined by a solid cast, which includes Ali Larter (Heroes), Mike Epps, and the R&B singer Ashanti in this final sequel of the Resident Evil Series.
If you enjoyed the first two movies, you are sure to like this one too. Check it Out!
Rating: 
Out of 5
2 30 Days of Night – Movie Review
30 Days of Night is the latest Horror Film by Producer Sam Raimi (Spiderman, Evil Dead).
This movie is based on the Graphic Novel by Steve Niles & Ben Templesmith.
When the tiny town of Barrow, Alaska has their 30 Days of Night, some unwanted visitors come to town, A pack of blood thirsty and ravenous vampires. It is up to Eben (Josh Hartnett) and Stella Olsen (Melissa George) the husband and wife sheriff team to save the town.
I have seen many vampire films in my time, and I didn’t expect to see anything new with 30 Days of Night. Not only did 30 Days of Night show me some new things, it exceeded my expectations .
This movie has plenty for horror fans to love. Some Scenes will make you jump. Some will have you on the edge of your seat. Some scenes are extremely gory. Nonetheless, 30 Days of Night is the best horror film on the market during the Halloween season.
I enjoyed this movie and think it is well worth your time and your money! Go Check it Out!
Rating:
Out of 5
30 Days of Night Trailer
2 The Number 23 – DVD Review
Jim Carrey and Virginia Madsen star in this Joel Schumacher directed psychological thriller.
The Number 23 is a murder mystery of sorts, with plenty of twists and turns.
When Walter Sparrow gets a copy of the book, The Number 23, on his 32nd birthday, his life will never be the same.
Once again, Jim Carrey pulls off another great, very believable performance. I think I prefer the serious side to Jim Carrey, rather than the slapstick rubber-faced comedy that he is often cast in.
This movie only pulled down 35 million at the box office, so it was by no means a big screen hit. It is definitely worth a rental.
Rating: 
Out of 10
Here is the trailer for the movie:
1 1408 – DVD Review
It is getting closer to Halloween, and at this time of year, I usually take in a lot more movies of the horror variety.
Just in time for All Hallows Eve, comes the latest big screen adaptation from horror master Stephen King.
Writer Mike Enslin (John Cusack) is a writer about haunted place, and is a major disbeliever in ghosts as he has never seen one.
A mysterious postcard shows up, and warns him not to enter room 1408 at the Dolphin Hotel in New York City. Of course, sending a postcard like this to a ghost hunter of sorts is like giving candy to a baby. It is inevitable that he goes to the Dolphin to check out room 1408.
After much tried mass intervention from Hotel Manager, Gerald Olin (Samuel L. Jackson), Mike Enslin checks into 1408.
What happens behind the closed hotel door will amaze you, if not completely creep you out, and a few things that may even make you jump!. It is a good story, and one that fans of Stephen King’s the Shining will likely enjoy.
1408 is the perfect movie to turn out the lights, and prepare for a good scare. Definitely rent worthy, and for horror fans, a worthy purchase.
Rating: Out of 10
Here is the trailer for the movie!
2 Halloween – Movie Review (2007)
In 2007, Rob Zombie has crafted his own distorted view on the John Carpenter horror classic, Halloween.
In the original film, Jamie Lee Curtis (as Laurie Strode) was the centerpiece and star of the movie.
In Rob Zombie’s new movie, Michael Myers is the star. Rob Zombie does an excellent job portraying the psychopathic origins of young Michael Myers, leading into a character that is far more realistic, and more brutal that the character in the original movie.
Rob Zombie does a good job lacing the film with some excellent hard rock music, which is available on the the Halloween movie soundtrack. (Nice touch with young Michael’s concert t-shirt.)
There are scenes that will put you on the edge of your seat, and some that will make you squirm, and possibly gross you out.
This is a violent film, and is not one for young teenagers!
The question everyone asks, is it as good as the original? In some ways yes, and in some ways no. This is a totally different film, and it stands up by its own merits. There are parts of the original story that are the same, but a lot of this movie is quite different.
The new Michael Myers gets in to your psyche, and may creep you out a lot more than the original.
In conclusion, Rob Zombie’s view is an interesting one. Your enjoyment will probably be much greater if you are fan of this genre of movies.
Out 0f 5
0 The Hitcher – DVD Review
If you want to watch a pretty good thriller type of movie, check out the remake of the 1986 film, The Hitcher.
The film features One Tree Hill’s Sophia Bush, Zachary Knighton and Sean Bean (as the hitcher).
This movie is the story of two young twenty somethings on their way to a Spring Break destination. Along the way they encounter a stranger with a broken down car that needs a ride. This ride turns their lives into a total living hell over the next 80 minutes or so.
I have only vague recollection of the original movie, but this was a pretty exciting roller coaster ride of a film. If you ever want to see a film that will keep you from picking up a hitchhiker, this would be the one. This film is in the vein of Joyride, and Breakdown. It will keep you on the edge of your seat.
It is a good film that is worth renting!
Rating: 
Out of 5
0 Transformers Movie Review
On Wednesday night, our original 4th of July plans got washed out by Mother Nature, so my wife and I decided to go check out the new Transformers Movie.
I am a fan of the original 1984 animated series. If someone would have asked me ten years ago that a movie like this would be possible, I would probably say no.
I must admit that my expectations were fairly low for the Movie. I have seen bits an pieces of the Animated Series that has been released since the original, and they lack the heart of the first series.
Luckily, this Movie is mostly based on the original characters from 1984. This story infused the human element with the robotic action quite well. There is plenty of humor and action keeping the movie loose yet enjoyable.
There are plenty of things for the Transformers fans to love. Optimus Prime is voiced by Peter Cullen, the original voice of Optimus. The familiar transforming sound effects are there, as well as some all too familiar characters: Megatron, Starscream, Bumblebee, Jazz, Ratchet, and Ironhide.
The story is done quite well, and the special effects are amazing. This is kind of movie that you want to go the theater to see.
If you have ever been a fan of the original Transformers series, or enjoy big Hollywood action/Science Fiction type movies, you need to go check out The Transformers.
Rating: 
Out of 5
2 Dark Ride – DVD Review
Dark Ride is one of the 8 movies that was part of the After Dark Horrorfest last November. I caught a couple of those films on the big screen last year, so I felt compelled to track the other ones down once they came out on DVD.
Dark Ride is a story starring the Sopranos’ Jamie Lynn Sigler. It is about 5 college kids who decided to spend the night in the Dark Ride amusement ride that has been shut down, but soon to reopen after nearly 20 years. A gristly murder shut down the attraction years ago, and the 20 something cast decided they wanted to spend the night there (before they were privy to this info). The killer from the original murder escaped from the Asylum and also decided to take refuge at the scene of his crime.
Dark Ride has plenty of scenes that will make you jump, and their is plenty of gore. The story is kind of weak, and somewhat predictable, but it is a fun little horror flick that is worthy of a rental.
Rating: 
Out of 5
0 Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer Movie Review
On Friday Night, I caught the opening night release of the new movie, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer.
In this movie, the entire cast has returned for the sequel. Ioan Gruffudd does an excellent job as Mr. Fantastic. Chris Evans personifies the The Human Torch quite well. Michael Chiklis makes a great Thing. When Jessica Alba was cast as the Invisible Woman in the first movie, I was in disbelief. I am sure she was cast to be the movie’s eye candy, but in all reality, I can’t get over the fake blonde hair, and blue contacts hiding her natural appearance. She does the best she can as Sue Storm (The Invisible Woman), but she does not work for me in this role.
I have enjoyed Julian McMahon in his role on the TV show Nip/Tuck, but did not like his character as Dr. Doom in the first movie, and in this new movie, it almost seems as if they were trying to figure out a way to write him into the script.
The Good: The Special Effects were great. The new character in this film, The Silver Surfer (voiced by Laurence Fishburne) , was handled very well, and his story was right out of the comic books. There was plenty of humor and action in the film, and it moves pretty quickly. The cast all did a fine job.
The Bad: The story could have been so much better than it was, and the movie’s big climax, was a total let down. If they would have removed Dr. Doom out of the picture, and focused on the Silver Surfer’s story, it would have been much better.
I would be surprised if this movie surpasses Ghost Rider’s sales numbers ($115,802,976.00) from earlier in the year. I found that movie more enjoyable than this one.
Rating:
Out of 5 
0 Spider-man 3 Review
Me and my wife attended the opening night show of Spiderman-3 last night, to a completely full theather. By the time the movie started there was standing room only.
I have enjoyed the first two Spider-man flicks, and always catch the newest comic related movies on opening night. I own the first two movies on DVD, and personally believe that the first Spider-man movie, is still the best comic book movie ever made. I am hopeful that someone will top it someday.
I can honestly say that Spider-man does not top the original. Was it good? Absolutely! And at 2 hours and 20 minutes long, I felt like I really go my moneys worth. Spider-man 3 is not without its problems, although small ones. It seems to have lost the same feel as the original two movies. In Spider-man and Spider-man 2, you felt a connection to the characters. In Spider-man 3, you lose that connection somewhat.
There is so much happening in this story that it tends to pull you in a bunch of different directions, and as a result, it loses the feel of the first two movies. With that being said, your favorite cast of characters all return in Spiderman-3, Peter Parker, Mary Jane, Aunt May, Harry Osbourne, J. Jonah Jameson, Dr. Connors all return from from the first two movies. Gwen Stacy, Eddie Brock and Flint Marko were added to Spiderman-3 cast and were for the most part, handled pretty well.
The special effects behind the latest Spider-man villians, Sandman and Venom were excellent, and the sequences with both of these characters needs to be experienced on the big screen. It is some amazing stuff that you need to see for your self. (pun not intended) 😛
As a whole Spider-man 3 was very good, but maybe didn’t quite live up to my expectations (which were huge) but I liked it enough that I will probably go catch it again, and I will certainly pick it up on DVD when it arrives later this year.
If you are a fan of these movies, or action movies in general, you need to go check this movie out. This movie has it all, drama, action, comedy and even some horrific moments. It’s worth the price of a movie ticket!
Check out the Preview below:
Rating:
1 The Covenant – DVD Review
In respect of Friday 13th, I decided to have a double creature feature at the Hard Rock Hideout, the first of which was the 2006 horror movie, The Covenant.
In doing a little bit of research on this flick, I found that it only did 37 million worldwide, which in Hollywood terms, means a flop.
The cast of the Covenant is a great looking bunch of girls and guys, but it basically a no name cast, so there was no star power to bring anyone in to the Theater.
I wont tell you too much about the story, other than this movie is about a Covenant of witches (or Warlocks) if you prefer. It is kind of like the Craft, and the Matrix, all rolled into one.
The ratings and reviews on this movie have been poor, but I honestly enjoyed this flick. The special effects were good, and the story was just solid enough to be likable. The horror elements are on the light side (this movie is PG-13), but this more about the story than being horrific.
The Covenant is brought to you by the producers of Underworld. If you enjoyed either of the Underworld flicks, you will probably like this on as well. It it certainly a movie that is worth a rental.
I have included the trailer below, in case you are interested.
Rating: Out of 10
1 Masters of Horror – Pro-Life – DVD Review
Part Two of my Friday the 13th Creature Feature, was an episode of the Masters of Horror TV Show. This episode, called Pro-Life was directed by the legendary John Carpenter, and features actor Ron Perlman (Hellboy).
The gist of the story is this, a daughter of a Pro-Life family seeks help after being raped. The father and his family is hell bent on stopping the doctors from hurting her.
What they quickly find out is there is more than meets the eye with the pregnancy of this young girl.
Without telling you anymore, there is plenty of horror fans to love. Plenty of gore, intense drama and………… ah, but that would be telling. It is only an hour long, and another flick that is worthy of a rental. Check it Out!!
Check out the trailer below if you are interested.
Rating: Out of 5
2 SAW III – DVD Review
The third installment of the Saw Trilogy might be the best of the three. As always, this movie is not for the feint of heart, or stomach. There is plenty of gore and torture in this flick, as there were in the first two.
Is it scary? No. It is more sick and gory than anything else. The story in this movies ties together well with the first two films, and is a true sequel, not just a bunch of mindless killing (put it is pretty damn close.)
If you are looking for a movie to gross you out, you can’t do much worse than SAW III. If you saw the 2nd movie and are dying to find out what happens with Jigsaw, you may want to watch this. This movie features a few flashbacks to the first film, so if you haven’t seen that one, I would start there first before coming back to this one.
If blood and gore grosses you out, you may want to skip SAW III. I enjoy horror flicks from time to time, for the horror element. There are some horrifyingly disgusting things in this flick, but there is absolutely nothing that will scare you. Rent at your own risk!
Rating: Out of 5
1 Dead Silence – Movie Review
The small town of Raven’s Fair had a local legend about a person name Mary Shaw. Parents of the town used to tell their children a poem “Beware the stare of Mary Shaw, she had no children, only dolls, and if you see her, do not scream, or she will rip your tongue out by the seams.”
It seems that some legends are true…….
Dead Silence is a creepy ghost story about Mary Shaw, and her “children”. The cast in this flick is pretty much a no name bunch with the exception of Donnie Wahlberg. The special effects are pretty good, and there are some moments that may make the unexpecting movie watcher jump (my wife did…lol), there is also some added gore for good measure (what did you expect from the people who made SawIII). The pacing of the movie can be a little slow at times, but as a whole, I thought the story was good, and certainly a new idea.
It isn’t the best horror flick I have ever seen, but it certainly isn’t the worst either. Definitely a movie for the horror fans to check out, either at the big screen or as a rental in a few months.
Rating: Out of 10
2 300 – Movie Review
I was fortunate enough to get an invite to a preview of the movie 300 Wednesday night. I wanted to put my thoughts down regarding this movie, while it was still fresh in my mind. 300 is the story based on the Graphic Novel of comic book writer Frank Miller. First and Foremost, you have to understand the caliber of writer that Frank Miller is.
Frank is the type of writer that comic book publishers dream about having write one of their books, just insert a title here. He got his start as a comic artist, and moved into the writing role on the comic Daredevil (yes, the same character that spawned a movie a few years ago).
His claim to fame was a series that he wrote for DC Comics: Batman, the Dark Knight Returns. The futuristic and dark but very real character portrayal changed the comic industry forever, and has influenced many writers after him. Knowing the caliber of writer that he is, can only prepare you for the story of 300.
300 is the story of Battle of Thermopylae of 480 BC, where 300 Spartan soldiers stood to defend Sparta against impossible odds, and massive Persian army, led by their King Xerxes. It is a great story about honor, courage and fighting for what you believe in. The story and filmography in 300 is so immersive, that you will totally forget about the unfamilar cast playing here.
The battle scenes are some of the most horrific you will ever see, and may not be for those with a weak stomach. The special effects are quite well done. As a whole, it is an enjoyable story, and one that is captured well on the silver screen.
Those of you that enjoyed movies like Russell Crowe’s Gladiator, will enjoy 300 quite a bit. I will be quite surprised if 300 isn’t one of the top movies of 2007. It is a must see on the big screen, and will be a must own on DVD when it is released.
Rating: 
Out of 10
1 Snakes on a Plane – DVD Review
I often wonder why I subject myself to films like Samuel Jackson’s latest adventure, Snakes on A Plane. You almost know it is going to be bad just from the title.
The premise for this story is this, In order to prevent a key witness in a trial of Mobster, a bunch of deadly snakes are put on the plane with the informant, and sent into a frenzy with some phermones.
Snakes on a Plane plays with most people’s base fear of snakes. The funny part about Snakes on a plane, is most if not all of the snakes are computer animated ala Anaconda. They look real enough, but you haven’t seen such color and hyperactive snakes as these.
Samuel Jackson does a fine job as the movie’s “hero”, but honestly, the script wasn’t much to write about. I about busted a gut when Samuel Jackson proclamied at the movie’s climax, ” I am sick of the mother f**cking snakes, on this mother f**cking plane.” If you have ever watched Pulp Fiction, you will pick up on the humor.
As a whole, Snakes on a Plane probably will not scare you. It may gross you out a little bit. If you like these type of movies, it is certainly worth a rental, but I couldn’t recommend buying this one.
Rating: Out of 5
2 Ghost Rider Movie Review
I love it when a bunch of my interests all come together in one movie. Ghost Rider is full of Comic and Horror goodness, with a dash of Heavy Metal for good measure. Way back in 1982, I bought my first comic book. It was a Ghost Rider comic with a face value of 60 cents. It was the Ghost Rider vs. the Carnival of Crime. I remember that book well.
Needless to say, it was a start to long time hobby, and an ongoing need to see comic based movies. My wife has been hearing about this film for a year, so she knew she wasn’t getting out of this one, so off we went to catch the Ghost Rider on its debut night.
Some may say that I am not critical enough regarding comic movies, and some may say I am too harsh (just ask me about the Hulk Movie…lol).
Anyway, my take on Ghost Rider? It was a pretty kick ass flick! This movie followed the formula of the first Spiderman movie. Show the origin, and move into the action, with a little bit of drama thrown in for good measure. I thought Nicolas Cage did a pretty good job as Johnny Blaze. Sam Elliott’s part was enjoyable as well. Eva Mendes must have been throw into this role to be the movie’s T&A, but its all good.
The special effects for Ghost Rider were excellent, and I don’t think this movie leaves anything for the comic fans out there to be upset about. This character and movie was handled very well, and is one of the better comic based movies I have seen. I smell the fire and brimstone of a second Ghost Rider movie, if this one sells enough tickets. Based on what I saw tonight, it would be a shame if you didn’t catch this on the big screen.
Rating: Out of 5
1 The Grudge 2 – DVD Review
The Grudge was the Horror movie that made my wife stop watching these flicks with me all together. It freaked her out too bad. Needless to say, I had to watch the Grudge 2, and see if it was as good as the first one. Sadly, It is not. The Grudge 2 should be called, The Grudge 2, 2 Hours of your life you will never get back.
This film tries to run two stories at the same time. The first continuing where the first film left off, the second story being, what happens when a new group of girls pays the Grudge House a visit.
There are plenty of special effects that are cool, but the pace of this movie is so slow, it will bore you before it will scare you. The dueling stories in this movie did not work for me. I thought this could have been handled much better.
Watch this movie if you must. I was very disappointed, and wont be recommending it.
Rating: Out of 5
0 Lady in the Water – DVD Review
Lady in the Water is the latest movie by director M. Night Shyamalan (The Sixth Sense, The Village).
This movie is the big screen tale of a Narf (Bryce Dallas Howard) and her quest to get home.
This film like, many directed by Shyamalan, will be one that some movie goers will love, and others will hate. It is a slow paced myth driven tale, that will leave most people scratching their head. There are a couple of horrific moments in Lady in the Water, but that is about it.
I wasn’t impressed with this enough to recommend it, or to watch it a second time. I would suggest renting this one before considering a purchase.
Rating: Out of 5
3 The Descent – DVD Review
OK, I have been slacking on the horror movie reviews. Now that the holidays have settled down, I may have to take the time to catch a few more of them now.
The Descent is the second major film directed by Neil Marshall. If Neil keeps directing films like this one, he will be on his way to Hollywood’s A-List.
The Descent features an unknown cast:
Shauna Macdonald, Natalie Jackson Mendoza, Alex Reid, Saskia Mulder, MyAnna Buring, Nora-Jane Noone. Does that stop this from being a great film? Not at all.
The Descent is one of those movies that will make you jump (and does so quickly), and will keep you on the edge of your seat.
The premise of the story is this: A bunch of female friends reunite for extreme adventures each year. The focus in the Descent is their spelunking trip into an unnamed, unmapped cave system. Without giving away too much. Lets just say that they find a lot more adventure(hehehe) than they bargained for.
This movie surprised me greatly. It has been a long time since a movie has made me jump. The Descent does this easily, and unexpectedly.
Horror Fans need to rent this one quick. It is very good!
Rating:Out of 5
Hard Rock Hideout 