The Visitation

Staring: Edward Furlong, Martin Donovan, Kelly Lynch, & Noah Segan
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

From T2 to modern day B-Movie star, Edward Furlong continues to be mesmerizing on the big screen. His performance in The Visitation was amazing and overlooked, because of its small budget and direct-to-video status. This film is what every horror movie aspires to be, truly scary! There are no blood or guts in this film, but what it does have is a great story and talented cast. A man shows up in the small town of Antioch and starts performing miracles, but for what purpose? He quickly wins over most of the local people, but not all of them. The story follows this friction to an unbelievable conclusion. The Visitation isn't just a scary story, it's actually got a plot. I wasn't expecting to like it as much as I did.

28 Days Later

Staring: Cillian Murphy, Naomie Harris, & Megan Burns
Rating: 3 1/2 out of 5 stars

28 Days Later is the brain child of Director Danny Boyle, who has might quite a name for himself over the last few years. It is also another post apocalyptic film that plays into people's fear of the end of the world. Most of these movies suck, but Boyle knew this and made sure his movie didn't. 28 Days Later follows the life of a survivor (Cillian Murphy) who wakes up in an empty hospital after an accident. He has no idea what's going on, but soon learns the horrible truth. Boyle decide to film the movie as if he were following this stranger from a distance, with an outdated camcorder. It gives the movie a grainy, dark, 70's style and fits right into the story. Cillian Murphy is great in his first leading role and you can see why he's now a name in Hollywood. Overall, it's pretty bloody and predictable, but defiantly not your typical end of the world film. The acting is top notch and the way it was filmed and directed make it something special.

Snakes On A Plane

Staring: Samuel L. Jackson & Julianna Margulies
Rating: 3 1/2 out of 5 stars

What I really like about this film is that FINALLY, the people involved realize how absurd the plot of the movie is, and they completely play into it. They say and do the same things that most of us would do in that situation. They fully understand, that even thou it isn't a comedy, they are in a completely ridiculous film, not meant to be taken seriously by anyone. Samuel L. Jackson is fearless, hysterical, and terrific as FBI Agent Neville Flynn. The supporting cast, of mostly newcomers, is also great, playing off the example set by Jackson and Margulies. Lets also not forget that while many of the attack scenarios were computerized, there were still a few dozen de-fanged venomous snakes with them at all times! I don't know how you can possibly concentrate with cobras and rattlesnakes at your feet, even if they are non-venomous and used to humans. If you're looking for something simple and stupid that you don't have to think about, go for Snakes on a Plane!

Charlie Wilson's War

Staring: Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, & Phillip Seymour Hoffman
Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

When I sat down to watch Charlie Wilson's War, I thought it would be a can't miss. A true story, covered up by the government, starring Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts!? How could that be bad!? Well, for a change, Tom Hanks isn't playing a likeable character. Charlie Wilson is portrayed as a sex addicted man whore, who follows his dick more than his brain. As for the film, it was just so confusing to me, they jump from scene to scene so quickly and introduce a ton of characters so fast, that by the time they got to Julia Roberts, I was already sick of the film. I didn't even get through the whole thing to be completely honest with you. It's an unbelievable cast and a pretty cool story, but I was not happy with the way the movie was done. It was not easy to sit through or follow.

The Closer

Staring: Kyra Sedgwick, Jon Tenney, J.K. Simmons, & Robert Gossett
Rating: 4 1/2 out of 5 stars

The Closer is a top notch police drama the likes of which television has never seen. For the past 6 years, Kyra Sedgwick has played Chief of Major Case Squad, Brenda Lee Johnson. The series starts out when an old colleague, Chief Pope (J.K. Simmons), asks her to come from D.C. to L.A. to run a brand new division within the LAPD. She accepts and nobody is happy about it. They resent her for many reasons, such as, her past relationship with Pope, the fact that she's an outsider, the fact that she's a young woman, take your pick. Her job is to improve the closure rate on high profile crimes, but at the same time she's fighting her own people just to get things done. Sedgwick is absolutely amazing as Brenda Lee Johnson. She is such a smart woman and it shows in the way she portrays the Chief. The supporting cast are all terrific, and are in fact veterans of such successful shows as Oz, Law & Order, and MASH. If you like cop shows, crime dramas, or even just a good old fashion mystery this is the show for you! It's 7th and final season begins on TNT in late June and it's gearing up to be the best one yet!

Zack & Miri Make A Porno

Staring: Seth Rogan, Elizabeth Banks, Craig Robinson, & Jason Mewes
Rating: 4 1/2 out of 5 stars

I am not a Kevin Smith fan, however Zack & Miri is one of the funniest movies I've ever seen. I like the cast and finally gave it a shot. Let me tell you, this movie gives raunchy a new meaning! How in god's name this film didn't get an NC-17 is beyond me. From its raunchy plot to it's great one liners, to it's awesome cameos, Zack & Miri is two hours of pure comic genius. Seth Rogan & Elizabeth Banks have amazing chemistry together, it seemed as thou they've been working together for years, despite only doing one other movie together. Jason Mewes and Craig Robinson are hilarious as always, and the plot is pure genius. A lot of movies like this get buried due to poor acting or too much stupid, on the contrary, Zack & Miri is an absolute classic!

The Cure

Staring: Joe Mazzello & Brad Renfro
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

The Cure is a very unique and touching drama from Children of The Corn director, Peter Horton. The film takes plays early on in the AIDS crisis, before there were effective drugs, in a time when it was thought that only homosexuals and drug addicts had it. Dexter (Joe Mazzello) is picked on to the point where he can't go to school and the only one who will talk to him is Erik. (Brad Renfro) While the film wants you to see Erik as pure and open minded, the truth is he's a loner who I don't think really understood the origins of the disease and why the other kids picked on Dexter. Both Mazzello and Renfro give outstanding performance for what must of been a hard film to work on, especially at such a young age. Horton defiantly made the right choice in selecting two young actors, who had been in major films prior to The Cure. An inexperienced cast probably wouldn't have gotten as involved in the role as these two did. Overall, the story is strong, the acting is top notch, and it's definitely a tearjerker, that's well worth the price of admission.

The Beach

Staring: Leonardo DiCaprio & Tilda Swinton
Rating: 1 1/2 out of 5 stars

The Beach should have been called The Cute Guy From Titanic Takes His Cloths Off. "Leo" got a very big following after being in the then best grossing film of all time, Titanic. It was an amazing film and he did a great job, but unfortunately for us horny Americans, there wasn't enough skin. That's where The Beach comes in. This was a rush job plain and simple. The movie has no flow or plot, it's big sell was Leo DiCaprio on The Beach wearing very little. Honestly he should have just done a magazine shoot and saved us the time, because this movie isn't worth the film it is shot on. Unless you want to see lots of Leo with his shirt off, this movie is a definite pass.

The Bank Job

Staring: Jason Statham & Saffron Burrows
Rating: 3 1/2 out of 5 stars

The Bank Job is a good movie based on the legendary 1971 London bank heist. While I enjoyed the fast paced action this film offers, it jumps around so much and so fast, that it's pretty hard to keep up with. I found myself quite confused at many different points in the film, especially at the end, when I had to rewind 3 or 4 times. Jason Statham is far and away the top action star out there today. What's so great about him falling under the radar is that he gets to do what he wants to do, instead of getting stuck with nothing but big budget disasters with no plot. The story behind The Bank Job and what led up to it, who was really involved in, was really interesting and made for a great plot. The constant jumping from place to place made for a confusing film, that while good, wasn't nearly what it should have been.

Youth In Revolt

Staring: Michael Cera & Portia Doubleday
Rating: 3 1/2 out of 5 stars

Michael Cera has to be the gayest man in America. He is so awkward in these romantic comedies, that he actually comes across as loveable. It is by shear talent that he thrives in these types of movies and that they become as good as they are. In order to be with his new girlfriend, Nick Twisp (Cera), needs to get kicked out of his house. Through a hidden persona he didn't know he had, he gets his wish, and that's when the adventure really begins. This movie makes up for a story that's been done, by throwing everything they've got at you. There are a ton of cameos, one liners, strange twists, mushrooms, and even some animation. Romantic comedies, definitely not my thing, but Youth In Revolt is something different. The writer really goes out of his way to make his simple story and his ordinary character something special. It actually turned out to be a pretty entertaining movie.

Penny Dreadful

Staring: Rachel Miner, Michael Berryman, & Mimi Rogers
Rating: 0 out of 5 stars

The After Dark Horrorfest (AKA 8 Films To Die For) are always really good or really bad. When it comes to Penny Dreadful, the title says it all. It's a boring film that was much too long, a ridiculous story, with horrible acting, and laughable text. A girl whose parents were killed in a car accident when she was a kid is now afraid of being in cars. To get over this fear she is going on a road trip, with her psychologist, where a creepy man they hit with the car comes after them. I know most horror films aren't written by Pulitzer Prize winners, but this is honestly the dumbest, most ridiculous story I've ever seen. Unless you want to waste 2 hours of your life, avoid this piece of shit!

Let Me In

Staring: Kodi Smit-McPhee, Chloe Moretz, & Richard Jenkins
Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

I hate vampire movies and the whole concept of vampires in general, but I had to see this movie based on the strong buzz it was getting. Based on an award winning Swedish film, Let Me In, tells the story of a lonely 12 yrs old kid who is befriended by a vampire, who moves in next door. Chloe Moretz was amazing as Abby, following her role in Kick-Ass, this girl is definitely going places. I didn't like Abby much thou. I found her very manipulative, not to mention how creepy it is that an ageless vampire, who looks like a little girl, is hooking up with a 12 yrs old kid. While the critics loved this film, I saw it as a dark, slower, more gory version of Twilight, except with younger kids. To be honest with you, the whole thing kind of just weirded me out.

Disturbia

Staring: Shia LaBeouf, David Morse, & Sarah Roemer
Rating: 4 1/2 out of 5 stars

Disturbia is a remake of Alfred Hitchcock's classic, Rear Window. When there is 50+ years in-between the original and the re-make you know it's going to be so different, that they are hardly the same movie anymore. The only similarity in fact, is spying on a neighbor whom the lead suspects is a serial killer. Shia LaBeouf shines in what is his first major leading role. Right from the beginning you can see how likeable he is on film, destine for stardom. David Morse is also great as the neighbor. Morse is always very intense and makes every movie he is in that much better, he is an extremely underrated supporting actor. The story is strong, the cast is strong, and I can guarantee you will be on the edge of your seat, this is a good one!

They

Staring: Laura Regan, Marc Blucas, & Ethan Embry
Rating: 1/2 out of 5 stars

THEY are part of one of the worst movies I have seen in years. I'm not even sure who the fuck THEY are! Usually Wes Craven doesn't put his name on something unless it's decent. This isn't even close to decent. This is the slowest, most boring horror film I've ever seen! "Hey remember that shit that scared us 19 years ago, when we were kids, well all of a sudden it's back, so ummm call your childhood psychologist." Laura Regan is laughable, getting more upset by some crap on her finger than her friend blowing his head off in front of her, and it's just downhill from there. There is nothing scary about this film. I really have to question how shit like this even gets made.

1408

Staring: John Cusack & Samuel L. Jackson
Rating: 3 1/2 out of 5 stars

1408 is one of those movies you're either going to really love or really hate. It's long, and at times, not easy to sit through, but if you're a fan of Stephen King, you should be used to that. This is vintage King and it's done right! When people don't like the movie, right away they go after the writer. They don't realize that a lot of times things are drastically changed to make them more visually appealing. In a horror flick, that's usually means tits and/or gore, which are out of place in a King story. 1408 has none of that, it's just a good old fashion horror story about a room that possesses it's residence. The acting isn't going to blow you away, there aren't very many surprises as far as the story goes, but it's a scary story, done the way the master of horror intended and I liked it!

The Lincoln Lawyer

Staring: Matthew McConaughey, Ryan Philllippe, & Marisa Tomei
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

The Lincoln Lawyer is based on the best selling novel by Michael Connelly and he isn't the typical lawyer you've seen portrayed in every John Grisham/Law & Order wannabe. Matthew McConaughey is great as Mick Haller. This guy is unbelievably smart, charming, and refreshing. McConaughey takes the brains from a Time To Kill, throws in the swagger of Sahara, and adds in the stellar writing of Connelly, (who mixes old school wit and modern ideals), to create a character that is easily the best of his career. It honestly seems to me like the role was written for McConaughey, it is that good of a match. Ryan Phillippe plays Haller's client in the film and continues to blossom from the shy southern boy in White Squall to a guy who will one day be a major player in Hollywood. It's hard to review a film like this without spoilers, all I can tell you is this. The Lincoln Lawyer is one of the smartest movies I've seen in a long time. The writing is phenomenal, the acting is top notch, and in a slow year for movies, this is a hidden gem!

Starship Troopers 3: Marauder

Staring: Casper Van Dien & Jolene Blalock
Rating: 3 1/2 out of 5 stars

Johnny Rico (Casper Van Dien) is back in part 3 of the Starship Troopers saga! Following a horrible direct to video sequel, the franchise needed something in order to get people to start watching again and Van Dien certainly does the trick. After our update as to what's going on in their world, we see a transport ship, carrying the Sky Marshall, crash on a seemingly deserted planet. It becomes Johnny Rico's job to mount a rescue and newcomer, Lola Beck's (Jolene Blalock), to keep the Marshall safe. Beck was a major character in the original comics, but was never introduced into the film series until now. Essentially, she is the ultimate bad ass, and makes this movie worth seeing. The story wasn't bad, Van Dien wasn't much more than an extended cameo, in order to get viewers, but it was Jolene Blalock as Lola Beck that makes this movie worth seeing she really was fantastic. It's certainly not the original, but it's much better than the second one. If you're a fan of the series, you won't be disappointed.

Do The Right Thing

Staring: Spike Lee, Danny Aiello, Ozzie Davis, & Ruby Dee
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

I didn't understand the first hour and a half of Do The Right Thing, but things get serious and cleared up in a heartbeat. This controversial film is about no matter how well we know each other, there is still racial tension living right under the surface. All it takes is some pointless argument about a picture on the wall or a radio being played too loudly, for racism to rear it's ugly head on both sides. Then what happens? People are dead, businesses are ruined, and communities are rioting. Over what? The argument is but a mere spark, racism is the issue. Had the argument been between two black men, instead of a white man and a black man, things would have turned out much differently. That's the point of this film, very wisely and overlooked, Spike Lee is saying who cares what color the person is, step up and do the right thing in every situation. It's a message we should all take to heart.

Jesse Stone: Death In Paradise

Staring: Tom Selleck, William Devane, & Viola Davis
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Based on Jesse Stone Novel #3, Death In Paradise, was probably the best Jesse Stone book to make into a movie. On a cold rainy day, the body of a young, abused, teenage girl is found floating in the lake and Jesse gets obsessed with finding out why. As with most Robert B. Parker novels, the story is very solid, and this one was especially good, because it brings Jessie Stone right to the edge, and I feel like you really get to know him more intimately from this story. Tom Selleck, AKA Magnum P.I., once again is in a familiar role and makes the story that much stronger. I can't say much more without giving stuff away, but the ending is quite unexpected.

Jesse Stone: Stone Cold

Staring: Tom Selleck, Mimi Rogers, & Viola Davis
Rating: 3 1/2 out of 5 stars

I am reviewing Stone Cold first, because it is the first film in a series of seven, chronicling, Robert B. Parker's detective, Jesse Stone. I am however glad that this was not the first movie in the series I'd watched, because to be honest, if I had, I don't think I would have continued on with the other movies. Jesse Stone first appeared in 1997's Night Passage. The book was a huge success and went on to spawn ten other books, four of which were made into movies, and three original movies, co-written by Tom Selleck. Stone Cold is the first movie, but the second book. They did the second one first, because of an event that takes place, pivotal to the life of Stone. It is something newcomers to the series need to know, but it should have been added on to the end of Night Passage instead. If you haven't been reading Jesse Stone for years, like I have, this film is going to confuse you a bit. It's also not the strongest story in the set. Tom Selleck is amazing as always, and shines in a role that seems to be written for him. Playing a Detective is not something he's unfamiliar with and he comes across very strongly in every film. If you want to get into these films, (which I recommend you do), start with Night Passage.