The Bay

Starring: Kether Donohue, Will Rogers, & Kristen Connolly

Rating: 2 1/2 out of 5 stars

The Bay is a message hidden within a film, similar to 2008's the Happening, The Bay tells of the consequences of destroying our environment. In this film, dumping into the Chesapeake Bay has caused a harmless fish parasite to evolve into a human killer. What makes this film unique is the way in which it was shot. The film is shot as a documentary that was posted on a fictional Wikileaks type site, and tells the story of the outbreak in a small Maryland town, on July 4th. The cinematography is made up of everything you'd see at a small town festival, camcorders, cell phone cameras, news footage, police dash-cams, and security cameras. Through a collection of footage from the day, we are told the story of the outbreak by one of the only survivors, who had to let the world know of this tragedy that was covered up by the U.S. government. The different angles and the fact that their really weren't any main characters also make this film unique. The story really isn't much, as it just like a million other horror films. Everything is normal, until people start getting sick, and chaos ensues. It's not the story or even the actors that keep you interested in this film, it's the different pieces put together in documentary form by the narrator, Kether Donohue. Without the narration, it's just a collection of web clips, but there is some interest in finding out what happened to each of the people we see and in seeing them figure out what's going on at the same time that we do. It's not a great story and there aren't any stand out performances, but the film itself is done in such a unique way, that it will be like nothing you've ever seen before. Yes, The Bay is another way of telling us about the dangers of not caring for our environment, in a story that is severely lacking imagination, but it's worth seeing, simply from a stylistic point of view.

The Monster Squad

Starring: Andre Gower, Robby Kiger, & Duncan Regehr

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Back in the late 80s, Sean (Andre Gower) and his friends were middle school kids with a fascination for monsters. Their love of old fashioned Horror ran so deep that they started a club in their tree house, calling themselves, The Monster Squad. Everything is just child's play until one day, real monsters start showing up in their small New England town, and it's up to the Monster Squad to stop them. When this film came out, not many people took notice of it, it wasn't until Lionsgate bought the rights and re-issued it. that Monster Squad became somewhat of a cult classic. This film is pure 80s, a time when kids were actually played by kids. Today, we're so afraid of traumatizing these kids, that we have 16-19 year old teens playing much younger kids. Back in the 80s, when the part called for a kid, they found a kid, and being that this was the first film for the vast majority of them, the amount of energy and excitement they brought to the film really kept it going, in what is otherwise a ridiculous story. The actors were the age of the characters they were playing and when they cursed or talked about adult themes, I found it hilarious, it was so much better because it was real. The story isn't anything to write home about, just a bunch of cheesy lines and bad special effects, and I'm sure you could figure out what's going to happen from the description on the box, but to me the best part of the film is the realism given by the cast in a movie that was anything but real. The dynamic between brother and sister, the kids who actually did something imaginative, instead of just playing video games all day. It isn't until you see a film like this that you realize just how much family films have changed. This would be a great film for kids to watch, but if it came out today, the kids would be played by college students and it would get an R rating for some of the language. In the 80s, this would have been the textbook definition of a family film, by today's standard's, it's rating has been upgraded to PG-13 and it's filed under Horror. The more things change, the more they stay the same, what was unacceptable in the 60s and family friendly in the 80s, is now not suitable for children under 13, a sign of the paranoia of the times we live in.

Jimmy & Judy

Starring: Edward Furlong & Rachael Bella

Rating: 1 1/2 out of 5 stars

Since gaining popularity as a young John Connor in Terminator 2, Edward Furlong has done a whole string of B-movies. Jimmy & Judy is one of the lesser known direct-to-video films he's done and with good cause. From the cover this film looks like some modern version of Bonnie & Clyde and it's from the writers behind Natural Born Killers, so I was expecting good things. My hopes for a good film were immediately dashed when I found out that this low budget film was shot by the actors holding camcorders. I know some people love these types of films, but the constant movement just makes me sick. If that wasn't bad enough, as it turns out the story has basically no plot, as the story follows Jimmy's courtship of his parents friends daughter. The whole first half of the movie features a ton of sex and nudity and plays like a really high end porno, from there the story gets a little better, but not by much. It's your typical boy and girl falling in love in a matter of days and stick together no matter what happens. The performances are as sloppy as the actors amateur camera work, Eddie Furlong is one of my favorite actors, but he really had nothing in this film, it was lazy, sloppy, and just really didn't keep my interest. There's a funny scene here and there and most of us wouldn't say no to some gratuitous nudity, but this film just never came together as anything more than a bunch of shaky home movies pasted together, you really won't be missing anything by skipping this film.

Breaking Bad

Starring: Bryan Cranston, Anna Gunn, Aaron Paul, Dean Norris, Betsy Brandt, R.J. Mitte, Bob Odenkirk, & Giancarlo Esposito

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

AMC's Breaking Bad is a terrific show, that has won an unprecedented number of awards, but it's one that is extremely difficult to get into. The show is centered on High School chemistry teacher, Walter White (Bryan Cranston), who discovers he's dying from cancer. Determined not to leave his family with nothing, White teams up with his former student and local drug dealer, Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) in an attempt to process and sell crystal meth. Producing the drug isn't the hard part, it's distributing it while staying out of trouble. That's easier said than done, especially when your wife is on your case 24/7, and your brother in-law is a DEA agent. 

This show is terrific and worth every second I've spent watching it, but I almost missed out. The pilot episode was not a strong one, in fact, many fans of the show have called it the worst episode of the entire series. If you can make it passed that, the first season isn't much better. The first season is extremely dark and depressing, focusing mainly on Walt's illness and the effect it has on his family. It really wasn't easy to watch, especially if you've like me, and have had family go through the same thing.

The good news is that after the depressing 7 episode first season, the show gets much much better. The network or the producers had to have to seen the same thing that everyone saw and the attention of future episodes is centered around Walt and Jesse's growing business and the problems they have, including nosy family members, the DEA, seedy people looking for a taste, and of course rival dealers and gangs. The show really picks up in the second season and starts to evolve into the award winning crime drama it has become.

Bryan Cranston plays Walt and how good is he? He has won 3 Emmy's, and has been nominated every season the show has been on. The man he plays is so complicated that you really needed the very best actor you could find to play him. Walt White is a mess of emotions, concealed within a strong persona, it's this concealment that also helps to keep his conscience at bay, most of the time. 

Jesse Pinkman is played by Aaron Paul who is also very good. Paul himself has been nominated for four Emmy's, winning twice, and will now and forever be required to call people bitch. Paul is a very good actor and does a great job playing a character who I find to be extremely annoying. Jesse is always managing to fuck thing up, he's always putting them at risk by saying stupid things and doing stupid things. To be honest with you, I don't care much for the character, but the fact that the character, as opposed to the actor, annoys me, shows how strong his performances is. 

Walt's family is also a main stay in the show, his wife Skyler (Anna Gunn), is as strong a housewife as I have ever seen. There is nothing Skyler White won't say and she is often Walt's morale compass, albeit one that is remarkably nosy and unappreciative. His son is played by newcomer R.J. Mitte whose  handicapped angle is actually real. Mitte was born with cerebral palsy, which effects his speech and movements. He admits that he over-dramatizes the effects for the show, but he is still handicapped in real life and one hell of an inspirational person. Through it all he has never let anyone tell him he can't do anything and he has been open and upfront about his condition to anyone who has asked him about it. He's really an inspiration kid, who took a handicapped and used it to his advantage.

Finally, Walt's brother-in-law, DEA Agent, Hank Schrader (Dean Norris), brings much needed comic relief to a show that can be hard to watch sometimes. Besides being a great cop, Schrader has a personality that is larger than life. Even in the context of a show, where the cops are the bad guys, you find yourself drawn to Schrader and rooting him on.

Breaking Bad has won a total of 7 Emmy Awards and is one of the highest rated shows in cable history. The show most defiantly fits into the category of addictive television, but unlike it's neighboring show, The Walking Dead. The acting is as believable as it gets and the story just gets better and better every season. If you can make it through the slow and depressing first season, you will find an unbelievable show that may very well be one of the best that cable has ever seen.

The Ultimate Poll!

So lets face it, whenever I ask people what they think of this blog, they are usually a friend or colleague, and 99.9% of the time they tell me it's amazing...but I want to know what you really think, where you found out about us, and what we can do better, so please take this very short 6 question survey and help me find out where we're getting out followers from and what I can do to make this site better for you!

Click here to take survey

We're The Millers

Starring: Jason Sudeikis, Jennifer Aniston, Emma Roberts, & Will Poulter

Rating: 3 1/2 out of 5 stars

Well, I could have done without seeing the ginger kids uncircumcised penis, aside from that this was a pretty fun movie. Jason Sudeikis is one of these guys who just gets better and better with every film he does. I used to be a hater, but now I'll see anything that he's in, and We're The Millers is his best movie to date. This story is about a local drug dealer who gets in trouble with his supplier, and the only way out is to become a trafficker. Dave Clark (Sudeikis) decides the best way to do this is to recruit a fake family to make it look like they're just on vacation. Clark recruits his neighbor, a stripper, and a local homeless teen to make his fake family complete and the Millers are born. This film is non-stop laughs, as I said earlier Sudeikis was hilarious, but surprisingly so was Jennifer Aniston. There are a lot of knocks against her, especially when it comes to comedy, but whenever Rachel plays a fowl mouthed, raunchy character, I see her in a whole new light, and she was terrific in this film. Will Poulter is another stand out from the film, he's been acting since a very young age, but to my knowledge has never been in a comedy before. Here he plays a loveable geek that would easily fit in with the cast of the Big Bang Theory. Out of all the funny scenes and outrageous moments, it's Poulter's that made me laugh the hardest. Is this the best movie I've ever seen? Not even close, but it's one of those comedies that just keeps coming at you and never stops. While the story is a bit ridiculous, I promise you will still laugh until you're sides hurt, because We're The Millers is the best new comedy I've seen all year.

42

Starring: Chadwick Boseman & Harrison Ford

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Everyone knows that Jackie Robinson was the man who broke Major League Baseball's color barrier in 1947, but few know why he was the one that was chosen. Robinson wasn't the best black player out there, he wasn't even a superstar, what he was, was well educated and understood that people attacked him out of fear and ignorance. He never took it personally and knew fighting back would accomplish nothing, and against all odds, no matter what was thrown at him, Robinson was able to brush it off. In 42, he's portrayed by newcomer Chadwick Boseman, who wasn't just fantastic, but also gracious for the opportunity to portray a true American hero. I am a big Jackie Robinson fan and through everything I've seen, Boseman has given the most clear and accurate portrayal of the man to date. His co-star is Harrison Ford, playing the legendary Branch Ricky. Throughout his life, Ricky was outspoken against segregation and didn't just help in breaking baseball's color barrier, eight years later, he broke the Latino barrier as well. What I love about Harrison Ford is that he's so predictable, you know you will always get a tremendous performance out of him and that he will go to extreme lengths to be as real to the story as possible. This film was outstanding, from top to bottom, but my one knock on 42 is that it didn't go beyond the 1947 season. Robinson played for nine years after that and was a key member of the civil rights movement after baseball. I would have liked to have seen how in 1955, at age 36, he led the Dodgers to their only championship in Brooklyn, with an improbably steal of home against the Yankees. I also would have liked to have seen how he became the first black broadcaster, or how he marched with Dr. King in Washington. 42 is one of the clearest, most accurate depiction of two years in the life of Jackie Robinson, and while it was terrific, I would have like to have seen them take it a step further.

Manic

Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Zooey Deschanel, & Don Cheadle

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Lyle Jensen (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) has a few issues with anger management. Most of the time, he's in complete control, but one day, during a baseball game, he loses it and almost kills someone. Lyle's not quite eighteen yet, so he's sent to a psychiatric hospital, where he learns that compared to others, his problems are nothing. I've said it before and I'll say it again, Joseph Gordon-Levitt is the single most underrated and under appreciated actor in all of Hollywood. I've seen a lot of his films, some are great and some are awful, but the fact remains that he always gives a strong performance and makes even the worst movie that much better. Manic was a rare inside look at a youth psychiatric facility, but there wasn't much of a story behind it. Of course we meet Lyle and the other patients, finding out why they're there, but there really isn't a point to it. The quality of the film further decreases with the way it was filmed, as every scene features constant movement from numerous angles. Similar to these camcorder films, I honestly found it pretty distracting, not to mention nauseating. The best part of Manic though is clearly the performances. This was released in 2001, before any of the stars were household names, however after seeing the film, it's easy to see why they all became popular. Don Cheadle is another actor that doesn't get the recognition he deserves, playing the Doctor in Manic, he is the glue that brings everyone together. Even with JGL's performance, this film is a mess of nonsense without Don Cheadle. Manic is somewhat disturbing and filmed in a way that makes it hard to watch, but the performances are just about as good as it gets and make this film worth seeing.

Todd's Birthday Card!

Hey guys, I'm J_awesum, I'm not much of a writer, but I do the small amount of graphics and HTML work that Todd needs for the review. I don't know if you've heard, but today is Todd's Birthday and I dunno about you, but I think he's a really cool dude and an awesome writer! I'd have no freaking idea what movies to watch if it wasn't for Todd. I just wanted to publicly wish him the best day ever and share with you some of the messages are more famous followers have left! I chose those, not to show off, (well, to show off a little bit) but because the Twitter account for the review, that we both use, has gotten over 100 Happy Birthday messages for Todd and I think that's fucking cool as hell. It's not too late for you to leave Todd a message or buy him a beer!

Todd's Celebrity B-Day Messages!

Seth Issac Johnson - Actor - The Killing - @sethissacjohn - HAPPY BIRTHDAY Todd :)

Richard Harmon - Actor - Percy Jackson Films - @richardsharmon - Happy Birthday!

Noah Syndergaard - Pitcher - New York Mets - @Noahsyndergaard - I put it in my calender, Happy Birthday man.

Gavin Casalegno - Actor - I Am Gabriel - @gavster99 - HBD TODD!

Jonathan Jackson - Actor - Nashville, Days of Our Lives - @Johnathanjackson - Happy Birthday! Blessings!

Sam Strike - Actor - M.I. High - @samstrike01 - Happy Birthday to my mate Todd!

Darren Evans - Actor - Summer Scars - @Dazzaaaaa05 - Have a good one buddy!

Will Rothhaar - Actor - Battle of Los Angeles - @poetiqrothhaar - Happy Birthday Brother Todd! I hope you have an epic day! :)

Josh Feldman - Actor - The Closer - @joshericfeldman - Happy Bday!!!

Mitch Allen - Singer - Sr-71 - @mitchallen - Happy Birthday Todd!

Matt Friction - Singer - The Pink Spiders - @mattfriction - Happy Birthday Todd!

Billy Milner - Actor - X-Men: First Class, Son of Rambow - @bill_milner - Happy Birthday! Have a great day

Bella Thorne - Actress - Shake It Up! - @bellathorne - UR the best Todd! Have a great day <3!

Brandon Russell - Actor - Smitty, Tosh.0 - @illinoisactor - Happy Birthday Too You!  🎉🎂🎈🎁

Paul Butcher - Actor - Zoey 101 - @thepaulbutcher - Happy Birthday Todd! :)

Asher Monroe - Singer/Actor - Fame - @ashermonroe - Happy Bday!!!

Riley Smith - Actor - Drive, 90210 - @rileysmith - Happy Birthday Bro!

Ultimate Fakebook - Band - @UFBrocks - Todd don't need no cigarettes, cuz he's that cool! Happy Birthday man!

Nic & Tristan Pueshe - Pro Skaters - @pueshetennis - Happy B-Day Todd!

Chris Demetral - Actor - Dream On, Blank Check - @chrisdemetral - Have a tremendous birthday, may your day be blessed!

Adam Butcher - Actor - Saint Ralph - @adambutcherstar - Happy Birthday Todd, have a great one!

"Alec" - Actor - Alec In Wilderland - @alecinwilderland - Happy Birthday Dude, may you have a wild birthday and receive many gifts!

Oleander - Band - @oleanderband - We realize we're not Ashton, but would a "Happy Birthday" from us suffice?

Braeden Lemasters - Actor - @braedenlamaster - Happy Birthday!

....ok fuck it, I decided while I was doing this to change the post a bit! MOST of you aren't celebs, but you're our followers and you're ALL important to us, so let's make this TODD'S OFFICIAL BIRTHDAY CARD from his followers and continue the Birthday wishes in the comments of this post!