Happy New Year!

Hey guys! I wanted to wish all our followes and visitors a very happy 2012. Personally and for the world, 2011 wasn't such a good year, but it was great for the Ultimate Movie Review, here are some facts and figures I thought you might be interest in.

The Ultimate Movie Review was founded in February 2011 since then...

- My reviews are now featured on Netflix, Flixster, GetGlue, Rotten Tomatoes, & IMDB
- This year (Minus a month) the blog had 9742 hits
- March was the best month with 1383 hits
- October was the worst with 470 hits
- The most read reviews were...
     5) Casino Royale
     4) Horrible Bosses
     3) Meet The Parents Trilogy
     2) Mambo Italiano
     1) The Girl Next Door

Thank you very much for all your support and here's looking forward to happy and healthy 2012!!!

The Top 30 Songs Played On My iPod in 2011

Along with movies, I have a passion for music, and people often ask me what's good? What am I listening to...and so on. Well, for all of you who are looking to rock out in the new year, here is my list of the top songs I played on my iPod in 2011!!!

30) Cage The Elephant - Tiny Little Robots
29) Audioslave - I Am The Highway
28) Alice In Chains - What The Hell Have I?
27) Alice In Chains - Angry Chair
26) Alice In Chains - Them Bones
25) Aerosmith - Just Push Play
24) AC/DC - You Shook Me All Night Long
23) Stone Temple Pilots - Trippin' On A Hole In A Paper Heart
22) Stone Temple Pilots - Wicked Garden
21) Stone Temple Pilots - Vasoline
20) Sick Puppies - My World
19) My Darkest Days - Set It On Fire
18) Hail The Villian - Take Back The Fear
17) Goo Goo Dolls - Only One
16) Foo Fighters - Alandria
15) Foo Fighters - All My Life
14) Cage The Elephant - James Brown
13) Madam Adam - Sex Ain't Love
12) Local H - Bound For The Floor
11) It's Alive! - Pieces
10) Hoobastank - Out of Control
9) Green Day - Jaded
8) Green Day - Welcome To Paradise
7) Stone Temple Pilots - Big Bang Baby
6) The Offspring - Have You Ever?
5) Foo Fighters - White Limo
4) Foo Fighters - Rope
3) Alice In Chains - No Excuses
2) Sick Puppies - Cancer
1) Foo Fighters - Bridge Burning

You can check out the rest of the stuff I'm listening to, adding, or recommending on my iLike page in the links section.

The Incredible Mrs. Ritchie

Starring: Gena Rowlands, Kevin Zegers, & James Caan
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

This film is a soft, yet inspirational tale, about a troubled boy, whose life is changed when he's forced to work for an elderly woman. Once again this is a tremendous film that was completely ignored, due to not being in the theaters, but it's still one hell of a story. The performances are honestly some of the best I've seen all year and while I don't really go for films like this, it really moved me. Gena Rowlands shows that the longer you've been doing this, the better you get. Kevin Zegers on the other hand shows just the opposite, that you don't have to be a legend to put on a great performance. This story is just so inspiring and unlike many other films, it's very real and believable. Overall, it was somewhat predictable, but in a way that you don't mind so much, because of how it is done. Mrs. Ritchie is fantastic and I'm thrilled that I gave it a shot.

A Christmas Story

Starring: Peter Billingsly, Darren McGavin, & Melinda Dillon
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

How many times do you watch it on Christmas? This movie certainly is a classic. I'm a sucker for flashback films told by a narrator and this is perhaps a primary example of these films. For those of you living under a rock and unfamiliar with this film, it's about a little boy named Ralphie and what he wants for Christmas. The cast is fantastic and it's hilarious without being raunchy. This is how comedies used to be and some would argue should be. No doubt this film is great, but what most people don't know is that there is actually a sequel, with the same narrator, made 11 years later. My Summer Story follows Ralphie and his family the following summer and while the cast is different, the story is equally as good. I'd suggest you check out both films and be careful not to shoot your eye out kid!

The Nightmare Room: Scareful What You Wish For

Starring: Shia LaBeouf, Kaley Cuoco, Justin Berfield, & Tania Raymonde
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

I really like going back and seeing how my favorite stars got their start. To be honest, I expected The Nightmare Room to be kind of lame, but it wasn't. It was written by R.L. Stein, for kids, but the stories are actually interesting and have some neat twists. I saw it as the PG version of Tales From The Crypt and I actually enjoyed it quite a bit. The stories range from evil tempers, to killer dolls, and even a story about what would happen if all a kids lies came true. Even early on Shia LaBeouf had an intensity about him and Tania Raymonde (Lost) had a quirkiness that you see in their future roles. The Nightmare Room isn't what I'd call scary, but I think kids will love it and unlike most children stories, I think many adults would enjoy this too.

We Wish You A Merry Christmas & A Happy New Year!

No matter what religion you are, this is a time for family, friends, and loved one, and I want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Balls Out: Gary The Tennis Coach

Starring: Seann William Scott & Randy Quaid
Rating: 0 out of 5 stars

I had high hopes for Balls Out. It's from the same team that did Dude Where's My Car and the first Harold & Kumar movie. Seann William Scott stars and he's usually pretty funny, I thought maybe this would be kind of like Happy Gilmore, I couldn't have been more wrong. Different people have different opinions on what's funny and what's not, but I really don't see how any sane person could like this shit! It's far past ridiculous and it's just as stupid as it gets. Scott's constant whining and narrating to himself is unbearable, but at least his character had a personality. The supporting cast was pretty much brain dead. Why anyone would want to produce this, is beyond me, seldom have I seen something this fucking horrible!

Keith

Starring: Jesse McCartney & Elisabeth Harnois
Rating: 3 1/2 out of 5 stars

There was something so sad, yet beautiful about this film. It wasn't just a love story, but rather a film about life, that shows us not only to appreciate it, but to appreciate the opportunity it affords us. The film is about the ability to choose what path your life takes and to appreciate the fact that you have a choice. I honestly didn't think this film would be very good, but Jesse McCartney was terrific in Summerland, so I decided to check it out. Jesse, you need to realize it's time to ditch the shitty pop songs and stick to acting, because you were truly great as Keith. Elisabeth Harnois was also very good as Natalie, and as I watched the movie, I realized I was feeling what her character was feeling, the textbook sign of an amazing performance. Honestly, it's a shame that big budget films get all the recognition, while something this magical is labeled direct-to-video and thrown in the $5.99 bin.

Morrison Murders

Starring: John Corbett, Jonathan Scarfe, & Gordon Clapp
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Morrison Murders was a made for TV movie, based on an actual case in Georgia. It was your pretty standard made for TV movie, with one exception, the cast. Usually these things are pretty poorly written, predictable, and a little slow. This movie was far from slow, however a lot of the lines were cheesy and I figured out who did it within the first ten minutes. Sex & The City's John Corbett was very solid as was NYPD Blue's Gordon Clapp. It's nice to see people we associate with one character, stand out and be something completely different in another role. It's pretty much your standard, low budget, made for TV movie. The acting was a little better and the story moved along well, but it was toned down for the small screen and far too predictable for me.

Book Review: The Power of Six

The Power of Six by Pittacus Lore
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Despite the fact that I read a couple dozen novels a year, almost exclusively Science Fiction, I don't review them. To tell someone about a two hour movie they might like is easy, they may even add it to their rental queue, and invest the time in, but books are different. Readers take weeks, sometimes months to read, and people are very particular about it. They often have a specific genre or list of authors they follow and they are very ridged about trying new things.

I am writing about The Power of Six, because it is one of the best books I've ever read, the second book in a series of six, that I discovered because of a movie. This book is the sequel to the book/movie I am Number Four. I am one of those picky, selective readers, but this movie was so interesting to me that I had to know the whole story. I had to see what they left out of the movie and of course what happens next! The movie did pretty well, but the chances of a sequel are diminishing by the day, and the book may be the only chance you have of learning what happens to John, Sam, Sarah, and Six.

Reviewing a book is a lot harder than I thought, I keep finding myself using spoilers and nobody wants that! Instead I'll give you a brief synopsis and you can decide for yourself if it's something you want to know more about. The Power of Six starts off where The first book and the movie leave off. It details the next step in John's journey, but at the same time introduces you to another of his kind, tucked away in hiding. This book focuses less on introductions and more on the journey and purpose behind everything that has happened, but as the authors say, this is only book 2 of 6, so they by no means answer everything. You are also left with another cliffhanger that won't be resolved until book 3, The Rise of Nine, debuts in August of 2012.

Like the first, this book has everything, love, hate, action, humor, drama, aliens, war, etc. It is simply put the most interesting thing I have ever read, and I did so in 10 days. This series is incredibly intelligent and thought provoking and has even inspired me in my own writing. I have never seen or read anything like it and it has truly encompassed me. I find myself talking about it to people all the time and even as eloquent a speaker as I am, I can't describe it with any justice. You just have to see it for yourself, and I can promise you, even if it's not your style, it will open your imagination and have you feeling like a teenager again, wishing you were fighting right along side John, Sam, & Six.

Die Hard 2: Die Harder

Starring: Bruce Willis, Dennis Franz, & William Sadler
Rating: 4 1/2 out of 5 stars

It's a sad commentary, but every year around the holidays I start thinking about John McClain. That is how ingrained media has become in our minds. This week I decided to watch Die Hard 2 for the 8 millionth time, because unlike most sequels, I found it to be better than the first. Not to say that the first isn't a classic film, but the second one has two things the first lacked. First, Director, Renny Harlan, who is the master of action films, completely unappreciated, and a man who has given me hours of excitement. The second thing is the supporting cast, which features the likes of Dennis Franz from NYPD Blue, Fred Thompson of Law n' Order, and of course veteran character actor, William Sadler. Willis once again is brilliant as John McClain and gave the 90's a true action hero! The Die Hard films are the frame work by which all modern action films are compared and if you skipped the second one, because it was a sequel, you're an idiot! This is a can't miss movie for action junkies.

Things That Hang From Trees

Starring: Deborah Unger & Cooper Musgrove
Rating: 1 out of 5 stars

I decided to give this film a chance, because it really is an intriguing story. Set in 1969, in a small town in Florida. An alcoholic father has abandoned his wife and child. The child is slow and has all kinds of problems, so the mother is forced to open up a business. In 1969 what kind of business does every small southern town need? You guessed it, a sex shop! It's a different plot and seemed like it would be a very interesting story, but looks can be deceiving. They hire writers to make the "official" description of the movie, so it sound great and you'll go see it, and in this case they got me. This has got to be one of the slowest and most pointless movies I have ever seen. Everyone is portrayed as stupid, the film is choppy and makes no sense, and on top of that it's just a total bore! They fooled me, don't let them fool you! Avoid this one!

Another Gay Movie

Starring: Michael Carbanaro & Jonah Blechman
Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

Ok... Leave your joke in the comment box, I'm sure it's hilarious. As for this movie, it WAS hilarious... at first... but it quickly got old. Its about four gay friends, the summer before college, on a mission to get laid. Along the way they meet their fair share of weird characters and it's pretty much the same as 1000 other coming of age teen comedies, except for the gay part... This movie has some really funny parts, especially the interaction with the lesbians, THAT was classic! Unfortunately, they continue focusing on the one subject, and the jokes just stop being funny after about twenty minutes or so. It's a cool idea, it's a gutsy film to make, and I give praise to everyone brave enough to be a part of it. It probably would have been good if it wasn't so narrow-minded.

Hesher

Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Devin Brochu, & Natalie Portman
Rating: 3 1/2 out of 5 stars

Hesher is a strange story that only works because of a terrific cast. The story follows a family who is suffering from a tragic loss. A mysterious stranger shows up and takes refuge in their garage and in his own twisted, fucked up way, tries to help. That's what we were told, but I didn't see Hesher as anything more than a nuisance to the them. It's unbelievable that no one would have called the cops on this guy! Anyway, ignoring the weak story and obvious plot holes, this movie was good because of its cast, plain and simple. JGL continues to be the most under-appreciated talent in Hollywood. I guess that's what happens when you start out on a sitcom. Newcomer Devin Brochu in his first major role was amazing as TJ, he's gonna be a big star one day. Even Natalie Portman, who I don't usually like, was great! Hesher isn't the best story ever written, at times it's slow, at others it just doesn't click, but the amazingly talented cast manages to keep your interest and makes this one worth seeing.

Whisper

Starring: Blake Woodruff, Josh Holloway, & Sarah Wayne Callies
Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

I chose this little known film for two reasons. First, for a B-Movie, the cast is terrific! Second, the best horror films are the ones with evil, sadistic, kids. What's scarier than a kid who goes around killing people? In Whisper, David is a kid of fortune, but very introverted. At his birthday party, he's kidnapped and held from ransom, but he's not really the prisoner, they are! I tried to like this movie, but honestly I didn't. The cast was excellent, but the film moves very slowly, very little actually happens, and when it does, you already knew it was coming. It wasn't an awful movie, and this cast is certainly appealing, but something just doesn't click. I'd avoid this one if I were you.

Prison Break: The Final Break

Starring: Wentworth Miller, Dominic Purcell, & Sarah Wayne Callies
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

For 4 years, Prison Break was the smartest, grittiest, best casted, and best written show on Television. While badly harmed by the 2007 writers strike and low ratings, this show never did get the recognition it deserved. When Paul Scheuring created the show, he wrote a story he'd planned to last six season, however in the middle of season 4, he pulled the plug. Scheuring decided that the show had become a farce of itself and would not longer continue. In the final 15 minutes of the last episode of season 4, they jumped ahead 3 years to the ending Scheuring had originally envisioned, and it left fans with millions of unanswered questions. They were outraged and besieged the network with letters. The result, the events of a hypothetical season 6 were condensed into a 90 minute movie. The movie was a return to the shows beginnings and was terrific! While season 4 did get stupid, this would have been a fantastic season and an amazing way to end the show. Of course when you condense 24 episodes into an hour and a half, it's going to be rushed and have holes, but they do a nice job of trying to explain everything and ultimately do give the fans the closure they desired. This was the smartest show I've ever seen and no matter what this cast does for the rest of their careers, it will never compare to the incredible job they did on this show and in this movie.

Confession (2005)

Starring: Chris Pine, Cameron Daddo, & Tom Bosley
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

This B-Movie gem is the first leading role for Chris Pine, and it may be his best role to date. Pine plays Luther, the "bad" kid at Catholic school who can get you anything you want. He is however caught and along with his roommate, he is quickly booted out of school. Luther becomes obsessed with finding out who turned him in and when he does, the boy mysterious turns up dead. At a similar time, someone confesses to Priest Michael Kelly, who now knows who and why, but can't say anything. As a result Kelly quickly becomes a suspect leading up to a tremendous finally. Pine, best known as the "new" Captain Kirk was just fantastic. It's a shame this is a B-Movie, because if it had been a major release, he would have gained the recognition he deserves a lot sooner. This film is tremendous, I saw it as a modern day Shakespearean tragedy. It has life, death, religion, intrigue, and much more. It's a great film that fell way under the radar!

Splice

Starring: Adrien Brody, Sarah Polley, & Delphine Chaneac
Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

Science Fiction is my passion. I write it, I read it, I watch it, & I love it, but movies like Splice are what keeps people away from the genre. This film is twisted, disgusting, and just fucked up. Two scientists decide they can splice human and animal DNA to create a genetically perfect being. This being would naturally produce cures to many diseases and could change the world. The whole time I was waiting for this thing to go crazy and kill everyone, but it doesn't quite happen that way. First, the scientists treat it like a pet, than a baby, than they fuck it... Oh no, I'm not joking! This film is disgusting! ...and how come everything these scientists make looks like a big penis? Seriously, I have never seen something that is just so pointless and disturbing. I can honestly say I wish I hadn't seen this film.

Little Odessa

Starring: Edward Furlong & Tim Roth
Rating: 1 1/2 out of 5 stars

Billed as another Goodfellas, Little Odessa is the story of a mafia hitman returning home to do a job, as well as seeing the poor immigrant family he left behind. The story is great, the movie is not. Tim Roth is fantastic as the disowned, disgraced, murderous son. Roth always gives a very strong performance and does so again here. Edward Furlong, one of my favorites, unfortunately does not do as well. I've seen him in enough things to know, it's not his fault, it's the writing. This film is so dark and painfully slow that I barely made it through. Very little is explained and the dialogue is laughable, even at times non-existent. There are huge plot holes to go along with an ending that makes little sense. The writer was trying to tell his story more through imagery and symbolism in a genre that is based on action. You can't pull off something like this without explaining more of the story and using it to move things along. It's not the worst film I've ever seen, but to be honest, I was bored from start to finish.

Bad Teacher

Starring: Cameron Diaz, Justin Timberlake, & Lucy Punch
Rating: 2 1/2 out of 5 stars

Bad Teacher is a bad movie. Billed as the raunchiest film since Bad Santa, my expectations were high. As far as I'm concerned, the raunchier the better, but seldom is a film that calls itself raunchy, actually raunchy. Cameron Diaz was terrific, but the story was extremely weak. There is zero character development, I wanted to punch most of the supporting cast, and as far as being funny, it's only good for a snicker here and there. It's a predictable story about a gold digging whore seeking money to get her boobs done. Parts of it are painful and the rest of it is just stupid. Honestly, if it wasn't for the word fuck, this movie would be rated PG-13. Diaz is a fantastic actress and the story had so many possibilities, but they were all overlooked. The result, another mediocre, overrated comedy billing itself as raunchy.

Volcano (1997)

Starring: Tommy Lee Jones, Anne Heche, & Don Cheadle
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

The story is ridiculous, a volcano in the middle of L.A.? It's hard to believe and kind of hard to follow. The story starts out very strong, but descends into chaos as everything happens at once. A lot is going on and it's a jumble of impossible acts, which include stopping lava with a bus, a blown up building, and finally the sewers. At points it's more than just impossible, it's ridiculous! The only reason I liked this movie is Tommy Lee Jones, I love Jones and he once again shows that he can carry a film on his back. He's done it before, he'll do it again, and he did it here. Without Jones, this movie stinks, it's his distinctive, energetic, and authoritative personality which makes this film interesting. The movie is utterly ridiculous, yet Jones keeps you interested. Volcano may not be a movie you run out and buy, but if it's on cable, Jones will definitely keep your attention and get you to watch it.

Couples Retreat

Starring: Vince Vaughn, Jason Bateman, Kristen Bell, & Kristin Davis
Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

Why do I keep watching Vince Vaughn movies? Some people find his stuttering, fast-forward speech, and gravelly voice endearing, however it gets on my last nerve. Add to that a strange story and a talented, yet underperforming, cast to the mix, and it was a recipe for disaster. The story is really stupid and full of plot holes, no one wanted to go, but Vaughn gets roped into it and they all go? Everyone's getting divorced, than they dance and are in love, than they argue and are getting divorced, enough is enough! This movie sucked! It wasn't funny, it was weird and predictable, and stars Vince Vaughn...who should never play guitar hero in public again!

Igby Goes Down

Starring: Kieran Culkin, Ryan Phillippe, & Claire Danes
Rating: 3 1/2 out of 5 Stars

I really love these weird independent comedies, that you have to be somewhat intelligent to understand. They are so much different from all the repetitive crap that we are subjected to over and over again. This is the story of a kid from a privileged family who just doesn't fit in. He sees the hypocrisy of it all and decides to run away to NYC, where he meets some unique characters that you'd only find in New York. The middle Culkin brother, Kieran, stars and was incredible. Simply put, sometimes the story is good, but the movie is made by its star, and Culkin gives one of the best performances I've seen in a film like this. Igby Goes Down has a ton of stars, it's a clever story, and you really connect to the characters. I really enjoyed this film, but be warned, it's not for everybody. I honestly believe when it comes to this type of film, you need a personality that relates to some aspect of the film. Without that connection, you might not get as much out of this film as others did.

Ghosts of Mississippi

Starring: Alec Baldwin, Whoopi Goldberg, & James Woods
Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

This is one of my favorite historical movies ever made. What I really love about this film is just how accurate it is. The film is based on a book written by the prosecutor, Bobby DeLaughter, and before the film was made, all the actually people involved were interviewed and allowed to give their input into how their characters were developed. The story takes place in 1990 and is about the third re-trial of the man accused of killing civil right leader Medger Evers in the 1960's. Alec Baldwin portrays the prosecutor, and while I am by no means a fan of his, he was truly great in this film. I wish he'd stick to roles like this instead of trying to be funny, because he's not funny. Whoopi Goldberg, remains one of the most underrated actresses in Hollywood and was just amazing here. This is a top notch, historically accurate drama that every history buff needs to see. I honestly can't recommend it enough!

Bridesmaids

Starring: Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, & Rose Byrne
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Ever since this movie came out, I've heard great things about it, still, I was hesitant to see it. I mean bridesmaids, a wedding, I just wasn't sure. It was however produced by Judd Apatow, and that alone made me give it a chance. Basically, Bridesmaids is a girls version of The Hangover meets Knocked Up, with an almost trip to Vegas and without the hangover. Kristen Wiig is the writer and star of this film and she was great! I'd never even heard of her before this film came out, but after seeing it, I want a lot more. It seems pretty hard for a woman to make it in comedy, it's a fairly rare event, but she's got a tremendous future ahead of her. As for the story it's pretty solid, it's a comedy, so you're not really looking for realism, just something cohesive that you can follow and this definitely fits the bill. If you're looking for something funny, but different, I'd highly recommend this film.

Little Manhattan

Starring: Josh Hutcherson & Charlie Ray
Rating: 3 1/2 out of 5 stars

For those of you who don't know the name Josh Hutcherson, you will soon. He is a big Sci-Fi fan, and in his short career, has been in Journey To The Center of The Earth, Bridge To Terabithia, and he has also recently landed the lead in the upcoming Hunger Games trilogy. Little Manhattan was however the film that got him started. It's a simple story about a ten year old boy and his first love. Basically, I saw it as Sex In The City from the adolescent males point of view. (It even features Cynthia Nixon and Willie Garson.) The film was cute, but it should have been so much better. The kids were acting way way WAY too mature for ten year olds. I was a ten year old boy once and nothing like THAT ever crossed my mind. The parts are written for much older kids, nevertheless, Hutcherson and Charlie Ray both do a fantastic job with their respective roles. This should have been a comedy about the awkwardness of first love, instead, it's just a cute story. It's enjoyable, but they could have done so much more with this story and this cast.

Surf School

Starring: Corey Sevier, Miko Hughes, Lee Norris, & Harland Williams
Rating: 1 1/2 out of 5 stars

...What can I say about Surf School? In the history of teen/twenty-something comedies, there may never before have been a movie as cliché as Surf School. Following the genre formula to a tee, there are a ton of cheesy jokes, ridiculous situations, and good looking people wearing very very little. Three guys, Three girls, a quirky old couple, a veteran comedy actor making a cameo, it has it all, and it's absolutely as cheesy as it gets. The movie isn't funny, the story isn't good, and the acting is very bland. It was pretty much everything I expected when I added it to my queue. Sometimes you add these comedies and you find a gem, like National Lampoon's Barely Legal. Other times you get a "Surf School." It really is just a waste of time.

Camp Hell

Starring: Will Denton, Bruce Davidson, & Connor Paolo
Rating: 1 out of 5 stars

What the fuck did I just watch? The only scary thing about this film is that there are really religious freaks out there, who are willing to send their kids to camps like this. The producers of this movie must have known how awful it was, because they put a big picture of "The Social Network Guy," Jesse Eisenberg on the cover, and list him as the star, when he's in the movie for all of 2 minutes. The star is Will Denton, who you may remember from the short lived TV series, Kidnapped. He was pretty good, so was Gossip Girls, Connor Paolo. It's too bad they didn't have an actual script to work with. It really just blows my mind that things like this get made. No one in their right mind would consider this movie worth their time.

Forget Me Not

Starring: Carly Schroeder, Cody Linley, & Bella Thorne
Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

I had been waiting a really long time to see this movie. It was an indie release that took almost 2 years to come out on DVD, but it finally did and I couldn't wait to see it. The reason is simple, the amazing young cast. I knew nothing of the writer, director, or story, but I saw that they got every up and coming young star in Hollywood to star in this thing and that alone should have made it a good film. Unfortunately the story is very very simple. It's not a bad movie per say, but it's just nothing different from a thousand other films in the genre. The cast was great, but the film was honestly just done. There was no surprises, nothing especially scary or violent, it was just a very simple and familiar film.

Monthly Poll

Our last poll was in August and we asked you what your favorite Leonardo DiCaprio movie was, the overwhelming winner getting 23 of 80 votes was....

TITANIC

Not my choice, but not a surprise either....

This month we've got a new poll for ya! This month we'd like to know...

What's your favorite scary movie???


Log into Facebook to vote and to comment!

Abduction (2011)

Starring: Taylor Lautner, Alfred Molina, & Sigourney Weaver
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Well, teen heart-throb, Taylor Lautner, finally has his own feature film, and while the story sounded pretty good, I didn't expect much. To be honest, the only thing I've seen him in were the Twilight films and I fucking hated them! In Abduction, Lautner shows that he's more than just a pretty face. Not only can this kid act, but he's a martial arts expert too! The story is super strong and he is supported by some great veteran character actors, like Sigourney Weaver. The story follows a boy, who while doing a school project, finds a picture of himself on a missing person website. It leads him into an unbelievable story, full of twists and turns. It's unbelievable, yes...but still good! It's an action film, with a very solid background story and some fairly big names. Don't let the big name Teen Idol starring in it, keep you away. If you love a good action film, like I do, this one's a winner!

Return To Sleepaway Camp

Starring: Vincent Pastore, Michael Gibney, & Paul DeAngelo
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

It takes a good actor to play a bad one, and that's really the point of Return To Sleepaway Camp. Many critics have given this movie a terrible review, because they just don't understand it. Back in the 50's and 60's B-Movies were terrible because they had a very small budget. The actors were bad, the effects were ridiculous, and the story was rushed. Today's B-Movies have 100 times the budget of their predecessors. Return To Sleepaway has bad acting and terrible effects, not because they had no budget, but rather to pay homage to the B-Movies of the past. If you look at it in that context, this movie is actually pretty good! The kids are great, there are some really funny lines, and the cheesy effects are hilarious. It's just a simple, funny, old fashion B-Horror movie, that I enjoyed quite a bit.

Reeker

Starring: Devon Gummersall, Tina Illman, & Eric Mabius
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

The majority of this film is your typical, basic, B-horror movie formula. That is, lots of gore, good looking people, and very bad acting. For most of this movie, I was unimpressed, thinking that it wasn't bad enough to turn off, but wasn't good enough to ever see again. I decided to finish it and that's when I got hit with one of the best endings I have seen in any horror film ever! I never even had a clue that it was coming. It tied up all the loose ends and weird things that I had just associated with it being a B-movie. Like I said, the acting is nothing special, the story is nothing different, and for the most part this film is "OK", but that ending, I just can't get it out of my mind, it really makes this one worth seeing.

The Help (2011)

Starring: Emma Stone, Viola Davis, & Bryce Dallas Howard
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Yesterday, I had a 3 hour break in-between classes, and a free movie on my AMC Stubbs card, so I went to the movies. Unbelievably the only thing playing at my time was one of the movies I didn't want to see, The Help. Isn't it funny how the movie you never want to see always turns out to be great? The Help is based on a book by the same title, and follows a young writer, in the mid 1960s, looking for an idea. At a party, she notices how horrible people are to the African American help and decides to write their story. Of course it's a scandalous idea that can get them all killed, but Skeeter finds one woman brave enough to tell her story. This movie is funny, heartwarming, and inspirational, not to mention the acting is top notch. Viola Davis deserves an Oscar nomination for her performance, which is one of the strongest I've seen all year. The Help is an amazing story, with a terrific cast, and a big upside. It has a unique and inspiring story that takes us back to a very tumultuous time in American History, and I can't recommend it enough!

American Heart

Starring: Jeff Bridges & Edward Furlong
Rating: 1 out of 5 stars

Edward Furlong is one of my favorite actors. Jeff Bridges is one of the top actors in Hollywood, and while not on my top 10 list, he's still a brilliant actor. So, American Heart should have been an awesome film! I knew from reading reviews, that it was gonna be strange, but while most people liked it, I did not! The story follows an ex-con trying to restart his life, and his estranged, runaway son, that he just can't get rid of. The background is great, but the film sucks, seriously all you see is these people going about their everyday business! Nothing really happens, you feel no connection to the characters whatsoever, and there is really no reason to care about what is happening!? Just go follow two random people on the street for a couple days and watch them go about their everyday life and you'll know what this awful film was like.

Virtuosity

Starring: Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe, & Kelly Lynch
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Virtuosity was a big budget 90s film, that despite having a great cast, was a big flop. After I watched the film, it's fairly easy to see why. The premise of the film is that a police training, virtual reality serial killer, programmed with over 200 personalities, gets put into a robotic body and reeks havoc on LA. Having no one else to turn to, they turn to a famous cop, in prison, to catch him. The deal, catch Sid 6.7, get your freedom. It's a pretty cool idea, but after you get all the information in the beginning of the film, it turns into one big chase. That's it, a back and forth hunt, with no real substance, dialogue, or anything more than explosions and gun shots. The cast was excellent and if they had focuses more on the technology and the scientific aspects of it, the film would have been awesome, but instead it's just another plain, boring, shoot out.

The 50 Worst Movies Ever Made

Starring: Carlos Larkin
Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

We all know there are some really terrible movies, that should have never been made. This documentary attempts to highlight these films and tell you just what was so bad about them. I liked how they told you unknown information about these movies, that made them seem even more ridiculous. What I didn't like was how narrow minded the documentary is. Released in 2004, it mainly focus on Science Fiction and Horror films, made between 1940 and 1980. While ignoring all other genres, as well as the last 30 yrs of film, the documentary also rushes through, ending in just over an hour. Seeing all those old films and learning about how crazy some of the things they did was really interested, but it was simply rushed and narrow minded. Maybe in the future someone will expand the search criteria and give a more accurate picture of what truly bad is.

Runaway Jury

Starring: Gene Hackman, Dustin Hoffman, & John Cusack
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Like most John Grisham stories, Runaway Jury takes place mainly in the courtroom. Unlike his other stories thou, this movie follows the behind the scenes of a trial, what goes into selecting a jury, and what happens when someone throws a wrench into your plans. What once was unimaginable, can quickly become possible when millions of dollars are on the line. The cast, well just seeing those names up there should tell you, that they were all top notch. All the main characters had two different sides to them, inside and outside the courtroom and it was great to see who they are on the surface as well as who they really are on the inside. Like all Grisham films it comes down to a verdict, which was the result of information we didn't previously know. Runaway Jury follows the genre John Grisham has created to the letter. If you liked his other films, you'll like this one even more, because of its outstanding cast.

My 9/11 Story

On September 11, 2001, I was off from work and decided to sleep in. As is the case when I don’t have anything else to do, I slept until about 11. That is when the phone rang. It was my doctor’s secretary saying my appointment for a routine physical had been cancelled and she didn’t know when I could reschedule. I asked her, “why not?” Her reply; “Have you turned on your television at all today?”

I turned on the TV and to my horror saw the two main towers of the World Trade Center crumbling to the ground. I knew none of my family or friends were in that area, yet still I was speechless. My first thoughts turned to the thousands of people who might have been in those buildings and then to who and why.

About 10 minutes later, I got another phone call. This one was from the woman I baby-sat for. She said that she and her husband were all right, but because of the tragic events they were stuck in Manhattan and could I be there when their kids got home from school.

The children came home, knowing their parents were all right, but it didn’t stop them from asking a million questions, most of which I couldn’t answer. Then a thought occurred to me. If these kids are that frightened and upset, what are the kids who lost somebody like and who is around to answer their questions?

Over the next couple of days I looked online for ways that I could help. I’m not particularly strong and I’m not the bravest person in the world, but having worked for The Boys and Girls Club and in various rec. centers and camps since I was 15, I knew I could do something. About a week later, a doctor and family friend who worked for South Nassau Communities Hospital called me and told me about the 9/11 Family Center they were opening in Rockville Centre.

The Center, as it would be come to known, started out as a place for anyone affected by 9/11 to come in and talk to a psychiatrist, social worker, or crisis counselor for free. It was also just a place where they could drop their kids off for a while and maybe even get them to talk to somebody.

For the next eight months I volunteered, almost eight hours a day and it was nothing like I thought it would be. My expectations were of depressed kids and kids crying out of control, but on the surface, just days after losing a loved one, these kids seemed like normal kids. Over my time there, I would learn that kids grieve differently than adults and I would have to interpret their behavior to find out who was more affected than others and who needed someone the most.

One child who stood out to me the most was a 3 year old boy whose father was a fireman. For confidentiality reasons, I can’t use his name. However, this young boy seemed to me to be absolutely oblivious to what had happened. For days I thought he didn’t know or understand what it meant that daddy wasn’t coming home.

Then one day his mom said she was going to get something at Rite Aid and would be right back. She wanted to know if I could keep an eye on him for 20 minutes, I said no problem. Literally two minutes after his mother left, he ran to the back to show her a picture he had made. When he didn’t see her, he said “Where’s mom?” and I told him she went to the store and would be right back. He dropped the picture, grabbed hold of me as hard as he could, and just let out the most horrific scream you have ever heard and then broke into tears. This wasn’t just your typical baby crying; this kid was absolutely terrified, and it was then I realized, not only does he know about his dad, but he must think the same thing just happened to his mother.

There are dozens of stories like that, but as the months went by and things started to settle down, so did the kids and their families. They will never be over what happened, but the initial shock of the situation had worn off and we started planning trips and events. Eventually I would receive a paying job and become the Youth Activities Director, a position I held for the next three years.

Those kids started out to me as a random group of victims that I was trying to help, but they became family members. Every time they cried, I wanted to. Every time they felt pain, I felt it. Working there wasn’t just another job. For the first time in my life, I feel like I was actually making an impact on the life of another human being. It was a feeling I have tried to duplicate in my everyday life, but so far I haven’t been able to. While I feel really good about myself for having worked there and for everything I did, it wasn’t about me and if I could, I would trade it all for the lives of their loved ones back or even to just give them the chance to say goodbye.

Hereafter

Starring: Matt Damon, Cecile De France, & Bryce Dallas Howard
Rating: 1 out of 5 stars

From Director Clint Eastwood comes the tale of three people's near death experiences, and the psychic who they turn to, to explain it all. Why do I keep watching movies directed by Eastwood? They are almost always much too long and a complete bore. This film, like many of his others, was supposed to have a hidden meaning, but I didn't get anything out of it. Eastwood is a legend and at this point can pretty much make anything he wants. Hereafter, even managed to get a decent cast, but the film itself is pure shit. Seriously, if anyone but a world renowned, Academy Award winning Director decided to make something like this, they wouldn't get in the studio gate. Oh yes, it is really that bad. This is one film you can avoid like the plague!

Apollo 18

Starring: Warren Christie, Lloyd Owen, & Ryan Robbins
Rating: 1 1/2 out of 5 stars

This film is shot on old cameras, in a 70s style documentary, that someone would have made on an old camcorder. Someone uncovers the tapes of this secret, classified, NASA mission, that was buried and turns it into this film. Apollo 18 shows how the astronauts came into contact with extra terrestrial life. I was expecting this to be a trippy Sci-Fi movie, it wasn't. I also thought maybe the aliens would be hostile and it would be an action packed horror flick, not really. The truth is, it's hard to say what this was besides bad! First of all, the look they use for effect, hampered the viewers, the constant interruption and flashes were just fucking annoying! The actors really have no dialogue outside of their work, meaning we know basically nothing about them, so there is no connection with the audience. The dialogue is bland, the effects are cheap, and the cinematography makes you want to vomit. It's not Paranormal Activity, nor is it the Blair Witch, it's a cheap rip off of both, that's not worth one minute of your time.

Bereavement

Starring: Michael Biehn, Alexandra Daddario, & Spencer List
Rating: 2 1/2 out of 5 stars

I was really looking forward to this prequel to 2004's Malevolent, but was sadly disappointed. The premise of the movie is great and right up my alley. A twisted gore fest about a serial killer who abducts a child, in the hope of making him his predecessor. Sounds good, but in actuality, it was very slow and extremely predictable. I kept hearing about how scary and messed up this film was, did they watch what I just watched? There are a few bright spots here, mainly the cast, which was terrific, and the end of the film, which while predictable, was still really cool to see. Spencer List stars as Martin, the serial killer in waiting. At the ripe old age of 13, this kid has become a B-Horror star! He's this cute, quiet, innocent looking kid, and before you know it he's killed you. He has this way about him, in these types of movies that make it seem real, and he is truly scary. The cast was great, the last twenty minutes was cool to watch, but really there's not much else here.

Strange Days

Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Angela Bassett, & Juliet Lewis
Rating: 3 1/2 out of 5 stars

In a futuristic world, black market virtual reality is all the rage. Ex-Cop Lenny Nero (Ralph Fiennes) is the guy you go to for all your virtual dreams. He can get you anything from the ultimate vacation to porno and everything in between. Nero's world is soon to be turned upside when on the eve of the millennium, he receives a tape which contains the murder of someone he knows. Many people don't know this, but Strange Days was actually written by famed Director, James Cameron, shortly before he did Titanic, a stark contrast from one project to the other. The mystery of Strange Days, as well as the machine, are cool as hell. What's not is how it ended, because once you find out who and why, you can pretty much figure out the rest, making the last half hour of the film unnecessary. Fiennes is the star and does a pretty good job, but the one who really impressed me was Angela Bassett. She plays his bad ass partner, Mace, and she was really something to see. Strange days is something different in many ways, but it's also predictable, repetitive, and anti-climactic in others. It's a cool film and a different story, but most of the acting is weak, and the story repeats itself leading up to its predictable ending.

Three Blind Mice

Starring: Edward Furlong, Emilia Fox, & Chiwetel Ejiofor
Rating: 1 1/2 out of 5 stars

How would I describe this film? Choppy, confusing, ridiculous, and done! The story is simple, a young guy witnesses a murder on a webcam site, which leads back to a group of millionaires, who pay to witness real murders on the web. That we know, but the big question becomes whose behind it? Who cares?! By the time you get to the "who done it", you're head is spinning and you don't know what the fuck is going on anymore! I rented this thing, for one reason, Edward Furlong. He is one of my favorite actors. When he was younger, he was in huge movies like Terminator 2 and American History X. Since then he's flown way under the radar, doing mostly direct-to-video films, many of them winners. While Eddie was great, the writing and directing of this film is such that you're bored, confused, and finally just fed up and frustrated.

Meskada

Starring: Nick Stahl, Jonathan Tucker, & Rachel Nichols
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Meskada is another direct-to-video feature I knew nothing about ahead of time. I choose it because the story sounded interesting and I love the cast. In these cases, the film is usually hit or miss, with no in-between. In the case of Meskada, it's definitely a hit! The story follows a local detective, investigating the death of a child, during a home invasion. What makes Meskada different from the rest is that 15 minutes into the film, you know who did it and why, it's not a mystery. Nick Stahl who I usually don't like and Jonathan Tucker who I've always liked are both fantastic in this film. It's roles that neither is really used to playing and both stepped up to the challenge. The story wasn't all that strong, but the acting was, and what I really liked about this film is how it came at a common story in an unconventional way. It's defiantly worth checking out!

Annapolis

Starring: James Franco, Tyrese Gibson, & Jordana Brewster
Rating: 4 1/2 out of 5 stars

Even thou he was in several things before Annapolis, I consider this to be James Franco's breakthrough role. Just the training and studying alone, must have been as intense as the film itself. Franco plays Jake Huard, a first year student at the Naval academy. The story takes you inside one the hardest and most secretive schools in America, showing you just what it takes to even make it past your first year. The story itself is very inspirational and the acting is top notch. This isn't just a good film, it's one that you know took a lot out of everyone involved. I was entertained, excited, and inspired by an underdog who just wouldn't give up. This is a tremendous film that fell under the radar, because of a then, unknown cast, but it really is a must see for fans of inspirational, military and sports dramas.

Rise of The Planet of The Apes

Starring: James Franco, Andy Serkis, & John Lithgow
Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

Two stars is generous for this film! I didn't really want to see this overhyped prequel, but my friends felt otherwise, and we went. For the first 40 minutes, the movie actually has a plot, is on genre, and was surprisingly good! Unfortunately, it goes way downhill from there. As the apes get smarter, the reality of the film decreases, and gets to the point where it becomes laughable. I loved the first half, but by the end of the film, I couldn't wait for it to end. First time director, Rupert Wyatt, really doesn't know when enough is enough! Some of the scenes just went on and on, and of course, they were the more ridiculous ones. Andy Serkis, who played the main ape, did a nice job with what must have been a difficult role. I give him props for that, but it's a good performance wasted in a ridiculous film, that was much too long, one that eventually becomes a farce of itself. Seriously, ignore the hype and save your money, this film is a waste of time.