Ghost Adventures

Starring: Zak Bagans, Nick Groff, & Aaron Goodwin

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Allow me to preface this by saying I do not believe in ghosts, goblins, demons, or things that go bump in the night. I do however find Ghost Adventures and similar shows to be highly entertaining and some of the best reality TV has to offer. I like the historical background, meeting the people involved, the investigations in the dark, and the reactions the people have to what they see.

Since the conception of Reality TV in the late 90s, we have seen a ton of these ghost hunting shows debut. We have Ghost Hunters, Paranormal State, Destination Truth, Ghost Mine, Celebrity Ghost Stories, and of course Ghost Adventures, but what is it that makes one show any different or better than the other? 

Ghost Adventures is the one that I enjoy the most and if I were a believer, it's the show that I would find to be the most compelling. Simply put, the ghost adventures team, goes to the best locations and captures more evidence than any one else does, so what does that mean? As I see it, it means one of two things. Either these guys really are the best at what they do or they are completely full of shit. 

The Ghost Adventures team is made of three guys, who claim to have been skeptics, until they witnessed things they couldn't explain. These three guys, without big crews, go into these haunted locations with camcorders, and are locked in overnight. To me that is the best part of the show, because in similar shows, you have dozens of people stomping around finding nothing and trying to disprove what people are saying. Zak, Nick, & Aaron aren't trying to do that, but rather they want to interact with whatever is going on in these locations and try to capture it on film. Is that the reason they capture more evidence? Is it the fact that it's just three guys with a minimal amount of equipment? I have no idea, all I know is that they find the most stuff! 

In recent years, almost every other ghost hunting show has had someone speak out against them and say that certain things were faked, the people were paid or coaxed into saying things that weren't true, but in the seven years that Ghost Adventures has been on the air that hasn't happened to them. 

So besides the evidence, what is it that makes this show the best? Well, you've got three young guys, who are ambitions, full of energy, and love what they do. The format of the show is also a big plus in their favor. 

Each show starts out with a historical background on the location they are going to investigate. That's followed by interviews with the people who live or work at the location. The team walks through with the people, listening to their stories, and marking down locations to investigate later. Then they move on to some extra-curricular activity that shows the audience that they're real people. Sometimes it's funny, sometimes it's just tourists, and other times it's boys being boys. It seems like filler, but actually these segments really help you connect with the guys and see that they aren't just science geeks sitting in front of their camera all day. Next, comes the investigation, which is done in a way that is completely realistic. If a regular person went into a place that they heard was haunted, and they went in with a camera and a tape recorder, they'd act and react in exactly the same way that these guys do. It adds realism to the show and is much more believable then a show that comes in with a giant truck and a ton of equipment. 

The one negative I will put on the show is that these three guys just went out and started doing videos, pitched it to a network, and got a TV show. They aren't scholars or scientists who have studied the phenomenon of haunting for decades. That being said, when they start going on about portals, residual spiritual energy, trapped souls, and demonic stuff, they really do sound like they are completely full of shit. 

Overall, I like the show, I love the format, and while I think there is some kind of trick to it all, I respect the hosts and how they feel about what they are supposedly seeing. Weather you believe in ghosts or not, the Ghost Adventures team gives a more compelling argument for life after death than any of it's competitors. The show is interesting and very entertaining, that's really all I need to watch it. I don't feel like I have to believe or think the same way they do. They aren't preaching to us like some of the other shows and they aren't talking down to us. They just go and do their thing, while taking us along for the ride and it's most definitely an entertaining one.

THIS is The Ultimate Movie Review's 500th post!!!!

Jack The Giant Slayer

Starring: Nicholas Hoult, Eleanor Tomlinson, & Ewen McGregor

Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

Jack The Giant Slayer has set a record that no one should be proud of. This film made the least amount of money, compared to the amount of money spent on it, in box office history! The film gives new meaning to the word bomb, as it cost the studio approximately 80 million dollars! The goal of this film was ambitious, but the problem was that it completely misses all of it's target audiences. The writers wanted to take the story of Jack & The Beanstalk and adapt it for more mature audiences. Parts of it almost seemed like they were looking to make it an epic adventure, like the Lord of The Rings, but the Lord of The Rings it is not. The problem with this film is that while they built up the intensity, they didn't go far enough to make adults want to see it. On the flip side, with all the added death and violence, it garnered a PG-13 rating, which meant that younger kids weren't going to see it either. Personally, I liked what they did with the story and I think Nicholas Hoult is a terrific actor, but the way they wrote this film was just a disaster waiting to happen. When they build up the suspense and something is about to happen, they don't show it, because it would be too intense for the kids. When they go the comedic route, the fart jokes, bees in the helmet, and gigantic bad breath is a turn off to the adults. At times I felt like I was watching a kids movie, while at other times I felt as though I was watching one of these three an a half hour epic trilogies. The film couldn't decide how it wanted to go and as a result, it didn't appeal to very many. You can't argue the fact that the film bombed at the box office and I think you can't argue the fact that it did so for a good reason.

An American Crime

Starring: Catherine Keener, Ellen Page, James Franco, & Evan Peters

Rating: 3 1/2 out of 5 stars

In 1965, Gertrude Baniszewski, a single mother of six was asked to watch a friend children for the summer. Needing the money, Baniszewski, a mentally unstable woman, agreed but quickly decided that one of the girls, Sylvia, was a bad influence on her family. She locked Sylvia in the basement and for weeks allowed her kids and their friends to beat and rape the girl, until she finally died a month later. Baniszewski was convicted of murder and sentenced to life, but only served 14 years before being paroled. The details of the story were vividly described in Jack Ketchum's novel, The Girl Next Door, which was turned into a movie, in 2007. The film depiction of the book was wildly inaccurate and to be honest, just plain bad. Shortly after, another film was made, An American Crime. This film focuses on the case and tells the story through testimonial flashbacks, that are taken directly from the trial transcripts. This film was much better than The Girl Next Door was. As someone who has read the book and is familiar with the story, I can tell you, it was much more accurate. The story is well known and the film didn't offer up any surprises for me. The most interesting aspect for me was the cast. An American Crime features a ton of young Hollywood talent, most of whom got their big break in this film, and went on to bigger and better things. The film features the likes of Ellen Page, James Franco, Jeremy Sumpter, Evan Peters, Michael Welch, and a ton of other people who went on to much bigger roles. What was really interesting was seeing all this talent right at the very start of their careers. Knowing the details and knowing what was going to happen, I focused more on the performances than the film. Catherine Keener plays Gertrude and how she didn't win an award for the portrayal is beyond me. Keener was terrific in a very difficult role. She was probably one of the only people who could have pulled it off. Sylvia was played by Ellen Page, who of course later went on to become Juno. She was equally good, especially when you consider that she'd done almost nothing prior to taking this role. The story told in An American Crime is not for those with a weak stomach, it is violent and unbelievable, but it happened, and I'm glad that a second filmmaker took on the task of honoring Sylvia's memory by telling her story accurately, while at the same time giving a young cast the chance to prove themselves.

Fragments (2008)

Starring: Kate Beckinsale, Forrest Whitaker, Dakota Fanning, & Josh Hutcherson

Rating: 2 1/2 out of 5 stars

Most films that are split into separate parts and tell a story in pieces, come together at the end. All the characters converge, culminating in a terrific ending, but Fragments was different, in that all the characters were together in the opening sequence, and then the film splits into individual stories. The story is centered around a group of people in a diner, when a shooter comes in an opens fire. Following the shooting, we see how each person reacts and how their lives are changed by what happened. It sounds like a very good story and that's exactly why I rented it, however the reverse order of the film makes it somewhat anti-climatic. All the interesting stuff happens in the beginning of the film and what follows, just gets slower, stranger, and somewhat less interesting. The film really doesn't have a single person that you can put the label of star on, but as far as performances go, Forrest Whitaker easily gives the strongest one. Whitaker does almost exclusively independent films and is always overlooked because of it, but this man can honestly play any role and in my eyes is among the elite in Hollywood. On the reverse side, Dakota Fanning's character almost completely destroys this film. After what happened, this little girl finds God and starts preaching to the masses. I'm all for anything that gives people hope and makes their lives better, but when anyone, even a character in a movie, starts preaching to anyone who will listen, it gets very old, very quickly. Fragments is not a bad film, just an unusual one. With the story they had, following the traditional format would have been impossible, but that doesn't mean that this was the way to go. What started out as a terrific film, quickly turned into something that was nearly unwatchable.

Low Winter Sun (2013)

Starring: Mark Strong, Lennie James, Athena Karkanis, David Costabile, Erika Alexander, James Ransone, Ruben Stantiago-Hudson, & Sprague Grayden

Rating: 2 1/2 out of 5 stars

I needed a show to watch after Breaking Bad and the easiest thing to do is simply not change the channel, and that's how I discovered AMC's newest drama, Low Winter Sun. The show is an adaptation of the novel, Low Winter Sun by Simon Donald and if it sounds familiar to you, that because it has already been turned into a movie, back in 2006. While the show has a great time slot and a star who is already familiar with the role he's playing, the ratings for the show have been low and it's because the show has a lot of bark, but it really doesn't have any bite.

Set in the bankrupt city of Detroit, Low Winter Sun, tells the story of two police detectives, who murdered a third. The dead man, Det. McCann was dirty and was putting the whole department at risk and they did what they had to do. The murder of a cop in Detroit is big news and the Mayor wants it solved by the two best homicide detectives they have, who also happen to be the killers themselves. The men are being watched by internal affairs and the mayor, so they have to make it look like they are really trying to solve the case, but a third party keeps getting in the way. This party who unintentionally keeps popping up, is the mob affiliated group that had McCann on their payroll. Their activities threaten the investigation which could ultimately lead back to the two detectives.

The story makes for a good movie, but if this show is somehow renewed, which direction does it go it? Much like the Killing, this show is centered on one murder, but here the two main characters are the killers. Either they get caught and the series has to start a new in season two or the same story will just keep repeating itself until nobody cares anymore.

The lead in the show is Mark Strong, who also played the lead in the 2006 film. The role calls for a smart, yet emotional character with a scared past, and to me the man just doesn't fit the role. Strong is a big tough guy, who is seemingly emotionless, and while he appears to be a smart cop, he just really doesn't fit or appeal to me as the lead detective.

His partner is played by Lennie James, better know as Robert Hawkins in Jericho. This guy is one of the best law enforcement actor they could have gotten. James has been in a ton of things, always playing some type of law enforcer. He is experience and really terrific in everything he does. If it wasn't for him, I don't know if I'd be watching this show right now.

The cast is rounded out by Sprauge Grayden who has gained some notoriety from the Paranormal Activity films. She is the missing link, caught in the middle between the mob aspect and the cops, having connections to both sides. She's really playing both sides and could ultimately hold the key to what is going to happen, as the first season comes to a close.

Overall, Low Winter Sun isn't bad, but not great either. The story is strong and would make a good movie plot, but it seems like there aren't many places to go after they tell the initial story. The intensity they advertise in the commercials has yet to appear, and the show really doesn't have a way of getting people hooked on the story. I've been watching it because I'm a fan of Lennie James and it's on after Breaking Bad. If it wasn't for the time slot, I probably wouldn't have continued after the first episode and I suspect that others feel the same way, as the show has cancelled written all over it.

The Marine 2

Starring: Ted DiBiase Jr., Lara Cox, & Michael Rooker

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

When people hear WWE films, or see that a wrestler is starring in a movie, they are automatically turned off, and I never understood why. We tend to see wrestlers as muscles heads, running around in their underwear, but the truth is that wrestling is fake. These guys are all actors who every week need to learn line and choreography, just like an actor does! When WWE films was launched in 2006, a lot of people snickered, but the truth is, we've gotten some pretty films from the company, including 12 Rounds, The Call, See No Evil, and The Marine. Much like other Action films, the plot of the Marine 2 is somewhat thin. The story features a highly decorated, U.S. Marine, on vacation with his wife, when the resort is overrun by terrorists. The Marine (Ted DiBiase Jr.), has to take it upon himself to save his wife and the other hostages, when it becomes painfully obvious that the local military isn't equipped to deal with the terrorists. DiBiase Jr., a third generation wrestler, is the star of this film, an unlike John Cena in the first film, DiBiase really seems to have some type of military training in his background. The action and fight sequences are much better in this film then they were in the first. DiBiase Jr. really seems to know what he's doing and it made the story that much more enjoyable. What DiBiase Jr. lacks in acting skills, is more than made up for with the terrific action sequences. He is also aided by some fairly big names for a film like this, including Michael Rooker of The Walking Dead and Star Wars, Temuera Morrison. The first Marine film was a debut for a studio and lacked the bite of most Action films. The second installment was much better, featuring a more experienced cast, and much better fight sequences. You may not want to see this film, because it's a WWE production, and I can respect that, but in all honesty, you'll be missing out on a more than decent Action movie.

Remarkable Power

Starring: Kevin Nealon, Evan Peters, Nora Zehetnet, & Tom Arnold

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Remarkable Power is a unique and interesting movie that I really wish hadn't been an independent film. It was such a unique idea, that I really would have like to have seen how audiences took it. The film is categorized as a dark comedy, and while there are several very funny scenes, I didn't really find it very funny, however it was such a solid story that it maintained my interest throughout. The film is separated by four different sub-stories, that come together in the end. The main focus is based on one man's actions following his introduction to a set of self-help tapes, called, Remarkable Power. The other, on a former child star, turned TV talk show host, who is about to lose his job, and needs a miracle in order to salvage his career. The film has some of my favorite comedic actors in it, but it tries so hard to be funny, that it turns out not to be. What saves this film, is how compelling the story becomes, I mean they throw everything at you from murder, drugs, and the mafia to sex, Hollywood, and even superhero cops. Evan Peters from American Horror Story is the one person who seems to be in the middle of everything and they made an excellent choice. This guy really has some tremendous ability, as seen both here and in his television show. Even if this movie doesn't sound appealing to you, Peters performance alone is really something to see. Kevin Nealon is also terrific, as he continues to try and get from the label as just a funny secondary character. Nealon really takes the lead in the most compelling part of the story and comes up with a plan to save his talk show, that really is ingenious. Remarkable Power isn't what they make it out to be and the writers tried way too hard to make this into something it wasn't, but I will say this, the performances were outstanding and the story is far from predictable. It wasn't the comedy I was expecting, but by and large it was still very entertaining.

From Within

Starring: Elizabeth Rice, Thomas Dekker, & Kelly Blatz

Rating: 1 out of 5 stars

Ever since the release of movies like the Grudge and the Ring, a decade ago, we have been flooded with these similar movies and aren't you tired of them by now? The movie studios are, that's why all the recent ones have been direct to video releases with little to no promotion. I really don't understand why they keep insisting on beating us over the head with the same story over and over again. From Within is exactly like all the others, people start dying, most everyone sees it as strange coincidence, except for a hand full of people who see something supernatural. This time it's suicides in a small town, a bland, predictable take on a story that has been done to death! From Within has the distinction of being even worse, because of it's awful cast. This film proves that as long as you are good looking, someone, somewhere will be willing to put you in a movie, regardless of weather or not you actually have any talent. I choose this film, because once again, the description they wrote for it made it sound like one of the coolest horror movies of all time. Instead, what I got was boring, predictable, and a complete waste of time!

A Murder of Crows

Starring: Cuba Gooding Jr., Tom Berenger, & Marianne Jean-Baptiste

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Sometimes a film is so well written, that even though you know what's coming, you're still on the edge of your seat. A Murder of Crows is an independent film with some big time star power, that makes a terrific story that much better. The film focuses on Lawson Russell, (Cuba Gooding Jr.) a successful New Orleans defense attorney, who suddenly finds his conscience. A series of events leads to his disbarment, so he begins life a new in Key West. Once there, he meets a lonely old man looking for a friend. The old man insists that Russell read his crowning achievement, a novel. Russell is more than impressed with the book and goes to tell his friend about it when he finds that the old man has died. Russell then suddenly loses his conscience again and decides to pass the book off as his own. Russell's life seems to be back on track until the FBI shows up and arrests him. As it turns out, the murders depicted in the book weren't fiction and Lawson Russell is the prime suspect. From there the film turns into a mystery, who was this old man? Why did he set Lawson up? Who is the real killer? As I said the story is ingenious and very well written, unfortunately, I watch a lot of movies and actually figured the whole thing out, twenty minutes into the film. It wasn't that the film was predictable, most of the other reviews I've read seem to suggest that most people were shocked by the ending. I have no idea why I figured out what was going on so quickly, but this film is so good, that even knowing what was going to happen, I still loved it. Cuba Gooding Jr. was just off the charts good in this movie, he brings such energy and charisma to this role, that it easy rivals his Academy Award winning performance in Jerry McGuire. The rest of the cast is terrific as well, but all the other parts were seemingly bit parts that centered around Lawson Russell. This movie was the perfect fit for Cuba Gooding Jr. and was one of the best written films I've seen all year. A Murder of Crows proves that you don't need a big budget, with huge special effects, in order to make an extremely entertaining film. Gems like this one are rare, but ultimately are the whole reason I watch Independent films.

Baby Blues (2008)

Starring: Colleen Porch & Ridge Canipe

Rating: 0 out of 5 stars

This is one fucked up movie! I don't care how true the stories is, who in their right mind wants to sit and watch a film about a crazy mother who picks off her young children one at a time? This film was just so disturbing on so many levels, that I had to turn it off. I can't believe that a studio would actually produce something like this! Besides the horrifying plot the film goes way over the top with the blood and gore, as if the story wasn't disturbing enough. As for the acting, well it's about as horrific as the storyline, I honestly think the children may have written some of their own lines. If that wasn't bad enough, the film is shot in a way that looks like it was produced at the dawn of color television in the 1950's, and being that most of it takes place at night, you could hardly see what the hell was going on half the time. This was one of the worst movies I have seen in a very long time and I don't think anyone in their right mind should waste their time on it!