Last.fm Presents: My Top Artists & Songs of 2014

As many of you already know, I am just as passionate about my music as I am about my movies. To keep track of my music, I use an amazing service called Last.fm

Last.fm uses an app, called the scrobbler, to not only track the artists, songs, and albums you listen to the most, but it also creates your own social media page with your own radio station! If you have a song on your device that is in the last.fm library, when you scrobble it, it gets added to your own radio station. People can then go to your page and listen to the music you listen to! Additionally, they let you know when your artists are playing in your area, when they release new material, and they'll even recommend similar artists you might really like, Last.fm really is a terrific service that is 100% free! You can check out my last.fm page and radio station by clicking the link in the links section.

Todd's Top 30 Songs of 2014:

1) New Medicine - Race To The Bottom

 2) Alice In Chains - Again

 3) The Donnas - Take It Off

 4) Buckcherry - Lit Up

 5) Seether - Fake It

 6) Linkin Park - One Step Closer

 7) Royal Republic - Be My Baby

 8) American Hi-Fi - Flavor of The Week

 9) Alice In Chains - Man In The Box

 10) Everclear - Heroin Girl

 11) Puddle of Mudd - Abrasive

 12) Lifehouse - First Time

 13) New Medicine - Laid

 14)  Limp Bizkit - Nookie

15) Marilyn Manson - The Beautiful People

16) Seether - Gasoline

17) Helmet - Pure

18) Saliva - Survival of The Sickest

19) New Medicine - Resolved To Fight

20) New Medicine - Rich Kids

21) Pearl Jam - Not For You

22) Pearl Jam - Spin The Black Circle

23) Seether - Fine Again

24) Local H - Bound For The Floor

25) Rob Zombie - Dragula

26) Local H - All The Kids Are Right

27) Alice In Chains - We Die Young

28) Rancid - Blast 'Em

29) Seether - Tonight

30) New Medicine - American Wasted 
 

Todd's Top 100 Artists of 2014:

TOP 25: 
1) Local H

 2) The Offspring

3) Buckcherry

4) Seether

5) Green Day

6) Foo Fighters

7) Anti-Flag 

8) Alice In Chains

9) Everclear

10) Papa Roach

11) Danko Jones

12) American Hi-Fi

13) Nickelback

14) Live

15) The Suicide Machines

16) AC/DC

17) Stone Temple Pilots

18) Marilyn Manson

19) Collective Soul

20) Puddle of Mudd

21) New Medicine

22) Shinedown

 23) Red Hot Chili Peppers

24) Silverchair 

 25) Bad Religion

TOP 50: 
26) Royal Republic 27) The Living End 28) MxPx 29) Tom Petty 30) Eve 6 31) Pearl Jam 32) Sick Puppies 33) Goldfinger 34) Nirvana 35) Marvelous 3 36) Fuel 37) Creed 38) Sugarcult 39) Bowling For Soup 40) Billy Talent 41) Hoobastank 42) The Donnas 43) Oasis 44) Saliva 45) The Smashing Pumpkins 46) Unwritten Law 47) Oleander 48) Goo Goo Dolls 49) Incubus 50) Sum 41

TOP 100: 
51) The Exies 52) Powerman 5000 53) Rancid 54) The Wallflowers 55) Ozzy Osbourne 56) Rob Zombie 57) NOFX 58) Finger Eleven 59) Lifehouse 60) Metallica 61) Bush 62) Fountains of Wayne 63) Our Lady Peace 64) Matchbox Twenty 65) Zebrahead 66) Lit 67) Madam Adam 68) Third Eye Blind 69) Stroke 9 70) Helmet 71) GOB 72) Linkin Park 73) Soul Asylum 74) Bon Jovi 75) The Pink Spiders 76) Josh Todd 77) The Bangkok Five 78) The Vines 79) Godsmack 80) The Rolling Stones 81) Disturbed 82) Vains of Jenna 83) Filter 84) My Chemical Romance 85) Limp Bizkit 86) Weezer 87) Kopek 88) Hinder 89) Less Than Jake 90) Three Days Grace 91) Sponge 92) Splender 93) Black Stone Cherry 94) 3 Doors Down 95) Hail The Villain 96) Rage Against The Machine 97) New Politics 98) Areosmith 99) Blink 182 100) Harvey Danger

All American Christmas Carol

Starring: Taryn Manning, Beverly D'Angelo, & Tristan Lake Leabu

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

I have always loved Charles Dicken's classic, A Christmas Carol. I have seen literally dozens of adaptations of it and I still find it to be one of the greatest things ever written. All American Christmas Carol is a redneck take on the story, and while it wasn't a bad film, it wasn't what I thought it would be. Cindy (Taryn Manning) is a single mother, who has three kids from three different men, and she's not even thirty. Her drunken, partying life style doesn't even cover the bills to keep her three kids, Harley (Tristan Lake Leabu), Skoal, and Cheese Doodle in their trailer. Her life and family are headed for disaster, when Harley's father, aptly named Jake Marley, dies in a paintball accident. After the funeral those three ghosts we all know and love show up and try to put Cindy on the right path. This film was unrated and had all the makings of another terrific raunchy Christmas film. I was expecting Bad Santa, instead I got it's Duck Dynasty-esq PG-13 cousin. Kill Theories, Taryn Manning stars and she was great, she was far more believable than any of the ghosts and really made you feel for her character. The other stand out in the film is young Tristan Lake Leabu, who plays her oldest son, Harley. Harley is the man of the house at the ripe old age of 13. With the hilarious redneck antics going on around him, it's hard to remember that he's doing a man's job at a child's age. Leabu played the both sides of this character and did so with the ease of an actor far beyond his years. This is not your typical Christmas Carol, it's not all that raunchy either, but for it was, I was pretty entertaining. I wish they had taken it to the next level and really gone all out with the comedy, but still it didn't take that much away from the film. Rednecks let this film be a warning to you, if you don't do more than drink and have sex, the ghosts of loved ones passed will haunt you and it will be hilarious.

Christmas With The Kranks

Starring: Tim Allen, Jamie Lee Curtis, & Erik Per Sullivan

Rating: 3 1/2 out of 5 stars

With their daughter away in the peace core, Nora and Luther Krank have decided to skip Christmas this year, and take a cruise to the Caribbean. There is only one problem, their Christmas Eve party and elaborate decorations are a staple of their neighborhood, and when the neighbors find out that the family is skipping Christmas this year, they go out of their way to change their minds. This film is your typical goof ball, family, holiday film, except with a much better cast then these things typically have. The chemistry between Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis was terrific, and in my opinion make the whole thing work. Besides the big named cast, producers also included a ton of cameos from the likes of Cheech Marin, Dan Akyrod, and Felicity Huffman, just to name a few. Seeing a big name you really like, who is not listed in the credits, show up even for a small role, it always adds to the enjoyment of the film. This is not the kind of movie that is going to win any awards. It might not even be the kind of holiday film that is remembered ten years from now, but it's certainly entertaining, with some heartfelt moments, and it's good for a few cheap laughs. Christmas With The Kranks delivers everything you expect from a holiday movie, as it is something you can watch with the whole family and it will put you in the holiday spirit.

Hostages (TV Show)

Starring: Toni Collette, Dylan McDermott, Tate Donovan, Rhys Coiro, Sandrine Holt, Billy Brown, Quinn Shephard, Mateus Ward, & James Naughton

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

CBS's innovative and exciting new drama, Hostages, was chosen by critics to be the big hit of the 2013 fall season, but things didn't quite turn out that way. The show was much more than I expected and unlike anything else on network television, but the amazing story is both the reason people did and didn't watch it.

The problem with Hostages was that if people did watch it an it was renewed, where else could you go? Season 2 would have required a whole other cast and story or else it would risk just going around in circles. It's also the kind of show where you have to watch it from the beginning and see every episode to know what's going on, so either way the show was doomed from the beginning. Don't get me wrong, the story was phenomenal, and would have been one of the best mini-series ever, but beyond that there was nowhere to go and I think people realized that.

Dr. Ellen Sanders (Toni Collette) is one of the best surgeons in the country, and her day has come as she has been selected to operate on the President of The United States. The Sanders family are on top of the world, until one night a group of mercenaries break into their home and give her a simple task. Kill the President or we kill your family. From there the family is held hostage until the surgery is upon them. 

Toni Collette stars, and while she's been in a ton of things, this was easily her best performance since the Sixth Sense. She was so good that it seemed like the kind of role that was written specifically for her. The doctor had some wild ideas and took some crazy risks to try and find out who the mercenaries were and why they were really doing this. 

Collette is paired with veteran TV star, Dylan McDermott, who plays double duty as both her captor and as an FBI agent, who has a ton of other things on his plate. The story itself seems simplistic, but there are so many side elements that effect each character, but none more so than McDermott's charachter, FBI agent Duncan Carlyle. 

Hostages is edge of your seat excitement, with a cast that is top notch. There is so much more going on here than a simple hostage situation. Each character has their own story that could really be worthy of a film and the show goes in so many unexpected directions, it just really was outstanding in every sense of the word. 

I absolutely loved this show and watched all 15 episodes in a week, still the show was easily doomed to a single season, because of the complexity and inflexibility of the story.

Dark Space

Starring: Alana Dietze, Steve West, & Tonya Kay

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Dark Space was a small budget independent film, that came out last year. Even with it's small budget, the special effects were really cool, unfortunately, that's where they spent all their money. In the future, space vacations is big business, and six college kids on spring break have rented a ship to travel to one of the many off world locations. The ship is set to go the speed limit and that's not cool for the drunken students. After altering their ship, it flies out of control into an uncharted region, where the group crashes on an unknown planet. The story told in Dark Space is a good one and the special effects were the best I've seen in such an independent film, but the acting was awful! Alana Dietze is the lead and she literally sounded like she was reading from a teleprompter the entire film.  Even the emotional scenes and the action sequences were just so badly portrayed that it was like watching someone read the news. The male lead, Steve West, wasn't much better either has he gives a dry and uneven performance. Independent films are where a lot of people get their start, and to get recognition, they have to do things to help the film stand out of the rest. That is why they spent so much  money on special effects, but what good are the effects or even the terrific story, when you have actors that are so bad, you feel like your watch a middle school play? I liked everything about this film and with a more competent cast, it would have been terrific. If you like a good science fiction story, I'd still watch the film, but the cast just really doesn't cut it.

 NOTE: This is our 700th review!!!

Divergent

Starring: Shailene Woodley, Theo James, & Kate Winslett

Rating: 4 1/2 out of 5 stars

When I first heard about Divergent, I though the first Hunger Games rip off was upon us, and besides that the whole story seemed somewhat confusing. It is Science Fiction and Directed by Neil Berger, the mind behind Limitless, so I decided to give it a shot, and it was the best idea I had in a long time.

In a post war America, the city of Chicago is fenced off from the rest of the world, and has split into five factions of people. At the age of 18, all citizens must take an aptitude test, to determine where they belong. Beatrice (Shailene Woodley) is one of the girls taking the test as the movie starts, and her results show that she has an aptitude for all five factions, making her Divergent. Divergent's are highly intelligent, rebellious, and seen as a threat to the Government, so she hides her results and joins Dauntless, the equivalent of the National Guard in Chicago. During her rough training, the now renamed Trice, meets up with Four (Theo James) who she has an instant connection to, but who is also a threat to her secret identity. One thing that was never explained is why these people have to take the aptitude test, if they are allowed to join whichever faction they choose. It's a major plot hole and the only reason this film didn't receive 5 stars, as I really hate plot holes. Shailene Woodley stars as Trice, making the jump from TV to film, and she has done it with a bang. In much the same way Jennifer Lawrence was the perfect choice to play Katniss, Woodley was perfect for the role of Trice, and brought so much more to the film than I ever thought she would. Theo James is also terrific as Four, the mysterious trainer and love interest of Trice, and together the team is the perfect pair. Divergent is highly original, really well written, and introduced Hollywood to a whole slew of new stars, not to mention it's Director, Neil Burger, is on one hell of a successful run of films. Divergent has everything I look for in a film and in my favorite genre, and for that it is now one of our must see movies!

Born Killers

Starring: Jake Muxworthy, Lauren German, & Gabriel Mann

Rating: 1 1/2 out of 5 stars

I never would have thought that I could be bored watching a movie about a pair of serial killers. Born Killers changed all that, as it is easily the worst serial killer film I've ever seen. Surprisingly enough, this film starts out pretty good and slowly descends into being unwatchable. John & Michael were left to learn about life from their father, a complete psychopath, so it's no surprise, that they turned out to be killers as well. John (Jake Muxworthy) is the quiet, good looking, methodical one, while his brother Michael (Gabriel Mann), is reckless, leaving John to clean up his mess. After we get the back story on the brothers, and see them in action, they go their separate ways, and the story focuses on John. Jake Muxworthy plays the quiet killer, who eventually meets up with a girl. He falls in love and tries to put his killer urges behind him to live the normal life. Muxworthy was the only reason this film got a rating at all. The film lacked the action I was hoping for and just turned into one conversation after another, but Muxworthy was as advertised, as this good looking, methodical killer, who not only plans things down to the last detail, but who also narrates the story. Born Killers wasn't bad in a way where the movie didn't make sense, the problem was how boring and slow moving it was. After the initial action, nothing really happens except for a lot of people doing a lot of talking, and if that's all I wanted to see, I'd just hang out at the mall.

Sleeper Cell

Starring: Michael Ealy, Oded Fehr, Henri Lubatti, Melissa Sagemiller, Alex Nesic, & Blake Shields

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

It is a common misconception that Sleeper Cell was cables first failed attempt to recreate the hit show 24, in a more extreme format, and that Sleeper Cell was the precursor to the smash hit Homeland. In reality, Sleeper Cell was a highly rated mini-series that was picked up for another year. The show was actually the inspiration for Homeland, as if one were to take Sleeper Cell and mix it with 24, the result would be Homeland.

The story follows Darwyn Al-Sayeed (Michale Ealy), the FBI's best undercover agent, who also happens to be a Muslim, making him the perfect choice to infiltrate the domestic side of Al-Queda. Darwyn poses as a recently paroled Islamic militant, who wants to strike a blow against the country that imprisoned him.

Through his prison contacts, Darwyn is connected to a mysterious man named Farik (Oded Fehr), who even the FBI can't identify. Through a series of tests, Farik introduces Darwyn to the rest of his cell and together they start to plan an attack on Los Angeles. 

Michael Ealy stars and played the role of Darwyn as if it were specifically written for him. Ealy is the kind of actor who is easily recognized from dozens of minor movie roles, but I've never seen him star before. The character he's playing, Darwyn, is basically Jack Bauer with a lot more self-control. He's cool and collected, but ready to take action at a moments notice, making for a great character.

Ealy is paired with Oded Fehr, of the Mummy series, and he too was terrific. Obviously you need an actor with a Middle Eastern background to play this role, but Farik isn't you're typical Al-Queda, as he is able to easily fit into the suburban community. Farik is a ruthless killer, but also has a peaceful, caring side, that really comes across in the episode where they go to Mexico. 

Sleeper Cell has all the action and edge of your seat drama that 24 had, and more, because let's face it, This was a cable show. Thanks to a top notch cast, some well known Directors, and a great team of Writers, Sleeper Cell was a sleeper hit on Showtime, that was easily overlooked, because it was only on for a short time. Besides only having 18 episodes, Showtime originally presented the show in a very strange way, airing all the episodes on back to back nights. This means that combined, both seasons were on the air for less than a month, and in a time before on demand had gotten popular. That is why this series was so overlooked, but thanks to Netflix, Me and thousands of others have been exposed to this hidden gem, that is worth every second that you put into to watching it.

Jesus Henry Christ

Starring: Jason Spevack, Toni Collette, & Michael Sheen

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

When you watch as many independent films as I do, you know you're going to come across a few weird ones. Jesus Henry Christ may take the cake though, as it was really out there. 10 year old Henry Herman (Jason Spevack) is a genius, with one of the highest IQ's ever recorded. This genius was actually a test tube baby, and his lifelong goal has been to find out where his genius comes from. It's certainly not from the Herman family, which is the definition of a dysfunctional family, so whoever it is, has to better than them. Henry will come to discover that his father is a college professor, who wrote a book about how to condition your children to be gay from birth. He has a sister too, who thanks to her father, is the laughing stock of her whole school. When the two halves of Henry come together, hilarity ensues in this screwball comedy. Young Jason Spevack stars, and while he's just a kid, his character was super annoying. If you hate people who think they are smarter than everyone, try watching a kid who knows he's smarter than everyone. Thankfully, there is more to the movie then the musings and rambles of young Henry. His Grandfather and half-sister are both hilarious, and easily are the best part of the movie. Unfortunately, they don't have huge roles, and the film is left with simply moments of hilarity. Overall, Jesus Henry Christ is a strange film, with a few funny moments, but generally it's pretty slow and uninteresting. Toni Collette of Sixth Sense fame is the only person of recognition in this cast, but her role was so insignificant, that she doesn't do much to help an otherwise young and inexperienced cast. While it's not a bad film, Jesus Henry Christ isn't great either. It has it's moments and the story is somewhat interesting, but unless the storyline interests you, I would go ahead and skip this one.

Neighbors (2014)

Starring: Seth Rogen, Zac Efron, Dave Franco, & Rose Byrne

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

From the Director of Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Get Him To The Greek, comes Neighbors, and you usually can't go wrong with a comedy that stars Seth Rogen. In this film, Rogen is actually playing a grown up, with a new baby and a new house. Life seems to be perfect for Mac (Rogen) and his new wife Kelly (Rose Byrne), until they get new neighbors, a fraternity house. They seem like they'll get along okay, until the couple finally calls the police on their neighbors, then all hell breaks loose. This film had all the makings of a great comedy and would have been terrific, if there had been less partying, and more fighting. While there were some extremely funny moments, most of the film either features the eye candy partying or Rogen and Byrne consistently interrupting each other during their long, loud, confusing conversations. This film really was the first time I understood peoples complaints about Rogen, as his rambling and interrupting was just ridiculously over the top. The surprise of the film was easily Zac Efron. I've seen him in several films before and he's good at what he does, usually playing this super attractive, really nice guy, in some love story or teen drama. I can honestly say until this point, I never really enjoyed anything he was in, except for 17 Again. This film marks a change in direction for the young stars career and he was really great. Most of the funny moments in this film, actually came not from Rogen, but from Efron. It was great to see, but still not enough to save this film. There is a lot of partying, drinking, pot, and eye candy, but when it comes right down to it, this film really wasn't anything special.

Europa Report

Starring: Anamaria Marinca, Michael Nyqvist, & Daniel Wu

Rating: 2 1/2 out of 5 stars

I've let my feeling be known many times on how I feel about these found footage documentary films, that use camcorders. They are lazy, usually have no storyline, and the constant camera movement is just nauseating. Europa Report is different, as the film is told through surveillance cameras, aboard a state of the art space ship. Europa is a privately funded mission to the sixth moon of Saturn, to investigate strange heat signatures detected by NASA, that could be alien lifeforms. The cinematography was better than most of these film, and there was somewhat of a back story, however Europa Report is really not much different than a million other similar films. Nothing really happens until they reach their destination, they find something strange, and then must decide if fighting for their lives is worth the potential for scientific discovery. I bet you can name a dozen other films that were similar. As for the cast, they were just like film, in that they were very average, with little to nothing of note. Science Fiction is my favorite genre and I'm always hoping these films will show me something new and excited, but as with Apollo 18, Mission To Mars, Sunshine, and Moon, I was extremely disappointed. Europa Report wasn't a bad film, but it wasn't unique in any way. If you haven't seen many films, you may be wowed by something like this, but if you're like me, all you're going to find is a very boring and unimaginative film. 

Arena (2011)

Starring: Samuel L. Jackson, Kellan Lutz, & Katia Winter

Rating: 3 1/2 out of 5 stars

Human trafficking is one of the most heinous crimes imaginable, but what if it was used for something other than sex or slavery? The story of Arena is of a rich millionaire, who wanted to blend the UFC with Roman gladiators. The people taken are all men in excellent shape, who believe they're about to have sex with a beautiful woman, when they are kidnapped, and forced to fight to the death on a highly popular internet site. Everyone from the rich to college kids bet on the fights and then determine the fate of the loser. To be honest, I wasn't expecting much from a film like this, but the story far exceeded my expectations. There is a huge back story to their most recent acquisition, a firefighter from Denver, who is dubbed as Death Dealer. Kellan Lutz plays him and he's one of these OC, Twilight, model types, who gives a surprising performance. This guy must have some kind of special fight training and portrayed this scary dude, who just wasn't going to give up. He's paired with the legendary Samuel L. Jackson, who was his usual hilarious, twisted self. Jackson is one of these guys who is just at a point in his career where everything he does is worth watching, and in a relatively small role, he really adds a lot to this film. Arena was a little better than I expected, until it reached it's conclusion. At the end of this film, there was a huge twist that would have made M. Night Shamalyan proud. I really didn't see it coming and the ending changes the whole theme of the movie. It's the kind of ending that makes you want to watch the film again, after you know the ending, to see if there were clues to figuring out the truth earlier than it was revealed. Arena is far from an award winning film, but it's got much more going for it then I ever would have expected. It's got some crazy violence, but there is also a pretty compelling story, with an ending that will absolutely blow your mind.

Deadly Code

Starring: John Malkovich, Vilius Turnalavicius, & Arnas Fedaravicius

Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

When used properly, John Malkovich is the best of the best when it comes to playing the bad guy. In his latest film, Deadly Code, Malkovich is playing the Grandfather of a Siberian crime syndicate and much like Brando in the Godfather, is used sparely to impart words of wisdom on his young decedents. Siberia is one of the coldest and most desolate places on the planet. When a criminal is too dangerous to even be put in the jail of a major Russian city, they are dumped into Siberia. Crime is rampant and everything is run by organized crime families, who's strict code of loyalty and honor puts even the Italians to shame. Kolyma (Vilius Turnalavicius) is the grandson and the film is split between Kolyma in the army, hunting down a wanted man, and his time growing up in a crime family under his Grandfathers guidance. Mafia movies traditionally follow a format and this film was no different, with the except of the setting, so when I heard it was the Godfather of Russian organized crime and started John Malkovich, I wondered how it was possible that I'd never heard of it, well now I know. There are these crazy rules and code of honor that these guys live by, making them gangsters who aren't really violent. They simply steal from the government to help their community. In a real sense, it's about sophisticated, responsible criminals, helping people, and avoiding the police. While honorable, it makes for an extremely slow moving film, add to that all the Russian actors trying to speak English, and you have a film that's somewhat hard to even understand. Subtitles and some more action would have helped, but so would a more experienced cast. Most of these guys have no other listings on IMDB and the inexperience shows. The story of Deadly Code seems like a good idea, but when you have a lack of action, mixed with inexperienced actors, speaking in a way that is barely understandable, you have a very uninteresting movie that is more than somewhat hard to watch.

The Kings of Summer

Starring: Nick Robinson, Gabriel Basso, & Moises Arias

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Everyone thinks their parents are crazy, but in the case of Joe, Patrick, & Biaggio, their parents really are nuts. Looking to escape the insanity of their every day lives, the boys decide one summer to build a cabin in the woods, where they can live off the land like men. Nick Robinson stars as Joe, and gives a performance that is out of this world. In a film that stars three kids in the woods, it would be very easy for things to turn stupid very quickly, but as the leader of the pack, Joe not only keeps the group together, but keeps the story together. No matter what this young man does over the course of his career, he will have a hard time duplicating what was easily a career defining performance. Robinson is paired with Disney star Moises Arias, who until now I thought was just this weird little guy they used to guest in their shows. Arias plays Biaggio, easily one of the funniest characters I've seen in a very long time, some of the things that come out of his mouth are just fall on the floor funny. As the kids enjoy their time in the woods, their parents really start to show their crazy, as they go on a hunt for the lost boys. The characters were all unique in their own way, but Joe's father, played by Nick Offerman, was far and away the best, leading the parents the same way, his son lead the boys. From gigantic wontons to turtles on kites, The Kings of Summer is an extremely enjoyable film and the rare instance of a film that I wish was longer. I truly loved every second of this smart coming of age comedy, for it's uniqueness and young exciting cast. Blending dramatic and comedic elements, The Kings of Summer is that perfect mix that takes you from laughter to tears and back again. For that, this film is an easy choice for one of our must see movies!

Sabotage (2014)

Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mireille Enos, & Sam Worthington

Rating: 3 1/2 out of 5 stars

Arnold is back, and at 67 years old he hasn't missed a beat. Sabotage is the Governor's third starring role since returning from his stint in politics, and it's easily his best one to date. Schwarzenegger stars as Breacher, the commander of an elite DEA swat team, who agrees to help his under appreciated team take part in the theft of millions of dollars, from a top cartel boss. The heist goes relatively smoothly, but when the team goes to retrieve their money, they discover that one of them double crossed the rest and had stolen the pay day. Everyone is upset and trying to figure out who it was, when the cartel shows up looking for retribution. As the cartel picks off the team one by one, the remaining members have to ban together to try and stop them, except this time, they have to do it knowing that one of them is a trader. Arnold isn't doing the crazy stunts or fighting scenes that he's become synonymous for, he's in more of a leadership role in this film, but he's still the man when it comes to action films. Here he's paired with the Killing's Mireille Enos, who as the only female member of the team, gives an amazing performance. I'm used to her always playing these quiet, reserved, troubled characters, and it was a real treat to see her break out as the wild girl on a team full of men. Sabotage is the rarest of Action films, as it is one with a great storyline, that is as gripping as any drama. The film isn't just about killing people and blowing things up, it has plenty of that, but in the case of Sabotage, there is a reason for all of it, and this film will really keep you on the edge of your seat.

The Monuments Men

Starring: George Clooney, Matt Damon, & Cate Blanchett

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

When I saw the preview for The Monuments Men, I was really excited. I've never been all that crazy about George Clooney, but I love Matt Damon, and the film is based on a little known tale from a famous historic event. Stories like this one, are often turned into some of the best films that Hollywood has to offer, and I was sure this film would be a can't miss. Clooney stars and directs this extremely large and diverse cast, which ultimately turns into it's downfall. When you have a large cast of talent, you need to be very careful about how you use them. In The Monuments Men, the cast is split up all across Europe, leading to short scenes, that jump from location to location far too quickly. When the crew is reunited towards the end, the film becomes much better, and in my opinion, this is how the story should have been told right from the beginning. The story centers around a community of art lovers, who are distraught about the Nazi's theft of historic works of art. As the war is winding down and the Nazis defeat is imminent, these men want to make sure that the worlds greatest works of art are protected, and their willing to risk their lives to do so. As I stated earlier, George Clooney stars and gives his usual performance. When Clooney first started doing movies, he was exciting and really gave audiences their moneys worth, but lately all he does is play the same character over and over again. Clooney is the mysterious, handsome stranger, who does a lot without saying much. Some people love that kind of thing, as for me, I find it to be lazy. If you just wanted to direct, there was more than enough talent to carry this film, and in fact, I would have preferred to see Bill Murray or John Goodman in larger roles. The story told in The Monuments Men is extremely interesting, but it's told in these fast paced, short scenes, that do nothing but confuse the audiences and squander the extreme amount of talent this film has to offer. Needless to say, while I thought the film was a great idea, I was far from impressed.

Frozen (2010)

Starring: Shawn Ashmore, Emma Bell, & Kevin Zegers

Rating: 1 1/2 out of 5 stars

No, not that Frozen, however this Frozen was also critically acclaimed, as one of the best Horror films of 2010. After seeing that it begs the question, were we watching the same movie? 2010's Frozen takes place at a ski resort, where three very unlucky skiers are stranded on a chair lift. Somehow, none of the cameras picked them up and none of the employees at the ski resort realized there were people stuck on their insanely high chair lift. There really isn't a whole lot you can do in a setting like this, so pretty much everything you'd expect to happen, does happen, with little in between. The setting is creepy and I'm sure that getting stuck on a ski lift is someone's worst nightmare, but a whole film just based on that? After the character introductions, this film turns into an hour of talking, with the occasional really bad idea thrown in, and that's it. The Following's Shawn Ashmore stars and he was alright, it's really hard to judge a performance when all the people do is sit in a chair and talk. I honestly don't know what the critics liked about this film and what prompted them to give it such a high rating, because unless you like watching people sitting around in a chair and talking, this film really has nothing going for it. Frozen is painfully slow and worse than that, it's predictable. If I haven't learned by now to ignore my fellow critics and just watch the films that interest me, I probably never will, but please take it from me, Frozen is a film that you can absolutely do without.

A Million Ways To Die In The West

Starring: Seth MacFarlane, Charlize Theron, & Liam Neesson

Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

Seth MacFarlane is a comedic genius, who has succeeded in everything from musicals to fart jokes, but could he pull off a romantic comedy, taking place in the wild west? MacFarlane plays Albert, a sheep farmer, who has a reputation for being a coward. After backing out of one duel, he is forced into another, after falling for a woman he didn't know was married to a psychopath. With Seth MacFarlane, you know there is going to a range of comedy from ingenious to low-brow, but this recent film is completely the latter. It is impressive that he got such a large cast to star beside him, but unfortunately they all have very little comedic experience and it shows. Writing, Directing, Casting, and Starring in a film is an admirable feat, but it is completely wasted when the film is a stupid as this one. If your film is going to be rated R, why not go all the way with it? If you take out the sheep fornicating and the fowl language, A Million Ways To Die In The West, is nothing more than an awful kids movie, full of potty jokes, and misleading heroes. The story here is very simplistic and half the time it's not even funny. The parts that are meant to be humerus, turn out to be little more than jokes for the young teens that watch Family Guy. When I saw this film, I was hoping for another unique MacFarlane comedy, like Ted. That film was hilarious and extremely unique. By comparison, A Million Ways To Die In The West is about fifteen minutes of content, and an hour an half of complete and utter nonsense. I suspect some of the big stars in this cast wish they could remove this film from their IMDB page, because it really was that bad.

13 Sins

Starring: Mark Webber, Rutina Wesley, & Ron Perlman

Rating: 3 1/2 out of 5 stars

It really bothers me when I like a film that is clearly a rip off of another film. 13 Sins is nothing more than a horror writers take on 12 Rounds. There are no wrestlers in this one, although I'm pretty sure Ron Perlman would have made a great one. This film is about a game, millionaires have played for decades, a game that has become more prolific and a lot more fun, with the advent of modern technology. A seemingly random person receives a call telling them that they've been selected for a game show. The subject completes simple tasks and starts earning money, but as the prize goes up, so does the danger. Once the subject is a wanted felon, they must finish the game and earn the grand prize or they could be spending the rest of their lives behind bars. Veteran character actor, Mark Webber, stars in 13 Sins and he was a very odd choice for a leading man. Webber is this small nerdy guy, who seems like he wouldn't be the type to play this game, no matter the reward. Like many others, Webber is suckered in an soon becomes a wanted man, he is being chased by a local detective, played by Ron Perlman. The casting created a very awkward dynamic, as the "good guy" is this huge scary guy, and the "bad guy" is this little nerdy guy, but somehow it works. 13 Sins is certainly more horrific and crazy than 12 Rounds was, however the similarities between the two are so similar that I'm surprised WWE Films didn't attempt to halt it's release. I loved the idea of 12 Rounds and 13 Sins is just taking the same idea to an extreme, but despite the clear similarities, and the odd choice of casting, it's still a thrilling film that was definitely entertaining.

Snowpiercer

Starring: Chris Evans, Ed Harris, Jamie Bell, & Octavia Spencer

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Comedian Daniel Tosh calls Snowpiercer, the worst movie he's ever seen. I however disagree, as it is both highly original and highly imaginative, but set in a very odd location. When global warming has become too much for the planet, top scientist create a cure, a new chemical that will stabilize the planet, however there is a miscalculation leading to a global ice age, which kills off most of the planet. Earth's remaining inhabitants are left stranded on a single luxury train that is forced to continually circle the earth. I understand that this train was a billionaires dream and has this state of the art engine that will last for decades, but why a train? I'd think if the world was ending, these people would put their money into an underground civilization or some super generator for the worlds largest building, because too me, a train doesn't make a whole lot of sense. When the engine fails, you're dead and if the ice causes a derailment or an avalanche crushes the tracks? There are so many things that could go wrong with this idea, that it's virtually impossible, that for 18 years, nothing has gone wrong. Captain America, Chris Evans stars and he is really terrific. I can't believe I never heard of this guy until a couple of years ago. He leads as if he's been doing it for years and Evans is assisted by a unique cast of characters, one stranger than the next, but their goal is all the same, to leave the crowded, filthy, back of the train, for the luxurious front. Every car brings with it new challenges and they must fight for their lives, before they can even worry about their freedom. The fact that this whole movie takes place on a train is intriguing and makes from some pretty unique scenes. Snowpiercer is one of the most imaginative films to come along in a long time and it features a huge cast of talented actors, that span multiple generations and ethnicities. To even my surprise I really enjoyed the film and couldn't wait to see what lay ahead in the next boxcar, but for as much as I liked the film, a thought kept gnawing in the back of my mind, why a train?

Radio Free Albemuth

Starring: Jonathan Scarfe, Shea Whigham, & Alanis Morrisette

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

From Philip K. Dick, the mind behind the Terminator, Blade Runner, & Total Recall, (just to name a few) comes one of his most abstract and best reviewed novels, Radio Free Albemuth. Since being released in the early 80's, Science Fiction fans and literary scholars alike have analyzed it over and over again. They seem to think there is a deeper meaning, but to me the meaning of the story is simply that every single person can make a difference and change the world, if they are inspired to do so. Radio Free Albemuth is Philip K. Dick's biography, only in an alternate universe. Dick is a Science Fiction writer and the narrator of the film, who tells the story of his friend Nicholas Brady  (Jonathan Scarfe). Brady is an ordinary guy who one day starts receiving visions of the future. Most people think Brody is crazy, especially his wife, until all of his predictions start to come true. Brady moves his family to L.A., where he becomes a record executive and that's where the story really takes off. The world these people live in is a police state, cause by the hysteria brought on by terrorism and The Cold War. Brady comes to realize that he is the key to changing the world for the better. All he has to do is find out how to do it and who or what is instructing him to do so. The alternate Phillip K. Dick, played admirable by Shea Whigham, is a witness to the events and makes it his mission to chronicle the work of his friend. Like most writers, Dick was known for being more than a little eccentric and many have questioned where this story came from, and weather or not Dick believe he was experiencing the same types of messages that Brady was. As for the film, it is just so well done, and I've always love stories that take place in alternate realities. The story is as much political as it is scientific, and when you throw in the inspirational message that anyone can change the world for the better, you've got one hell of a story. From beginning to end, the cast is terrific, especially the mysterious Sylvia, played by Alanis Morrisette of all people. I knew she was in Dogma, but I had no idea just how good and actress she could be, isn't it ironic? Radio Free Albemuth has everything I look for in a movie and then some, and it is written by one of the best there ever was, I can't possibly recommend it enough.

The Simpsons Movie

Starring: Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, & Nancy Cartwright

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Many fans of The Simpsons Movie were very critical of it. While I understand why, the fact is that many of them just don't realize that this film wasn't made for them. Criticism range from the film not being edgy enough, to the fact that the film didn't take place in Springfield and didn't utilize the side characters much, but again, the film wasn't meant for the die hard Simpsons fan. While the show has been on for more than a quarter century, prior to the films release, ratings for the show were in the toilet, and it was only being kept alive by syndication and merchandising money. The point of the film was to be childish and geared towards a younger audience. While fans of the show were expecting the film to be extreme like the South Park movie, what they got amounted to little more than a children's movie. The fans were upset, but the studios gamble paid off, as the ratings went up and have continued to be much better. For those who didn't see it, the film focuses on Homer, who made the mistake of polluting the town, to a point where the EPA put a big dome over Springfield to separate it from the rest of the country. As angry town folks form a mob, intent on getting Homer, the family escapes and goes on the run. The film is far from being the best the Simpsons has to offer, but it served it's purpose in attracting younger viewers and raising the ratings. Fans may have been upset with Matt Groening, but what he did saved the show for who knows how many future seasons. The film isn't spectacular, but it was good for introducing new fans to the characters we all know and love.

Odd Thomas

Starring: Anton Yelchin, Addison Timlin, & Willem Dafoe

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Based on the novel by award winning writer, Dean Koontz, comes the wildly successful Odd Thomas. This story was so popular, that it's become an entire series, one that Koontz has worked on almost exclusively since it's release. This unique story focuses on a unique man, with a unique name. Odd (Anton Yelchin) is a short order cook in a small California town, where he lives a relatively normal life with his girlfriend, Stormy. Odd is no different than any other twenty-something in town,  except for the fact that he sees the dead, specifically people who died prematurely and under suspicious circumstances. They can't talk to him, but the spirits lead Odd to the evidence he needs to find the truth. When a strange man comes to town, the spirits lead Odd to be suspicious, and with good cause. Anton Yelchin stars and once again shows off his loveable charisma. There is something about him that makes Yelchin the guy that everyone wants to be friends with, an ability that comes across in every character he plays. Odd is no different, as he is this complete weirdo, but with an innocent quality, that just makes people want to like him. Here he's more than just a lovable goofball, but he's also an unofficial detective and hero, that people turn to in there time of need. Everyone knows he's weird, but few know his secret, one of those being the Chief of Police, played by the legendary Willem Dafoe. Dafoe usually portrays the bad guy, and it was interesting to see him take on a different challenge. Odd Thomas is smart and extremely well written, with a terrific cast, that really brings the story alive with their own unique style. The story may seem like it's a little out there, but it's not just science fiction, it's a story that crosses many genres and has something for everyone, an easy choice for our list of must see movies!

NOTE: As per the requests from our loyal followers, I will now be including a banner that will inform readers of which movies are currently streaming on Netflix!

Retreat (2011)

Starring: Cillian Murphy, Jamie Bell, & Thandie Newton

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Retreat is one of those rare instances, of a film that is slow moving, with a simple story, but strangely fascinating. Films like this are completely reliant on the cast and most times simply don't work, but for some reason, I was really into Retreat and had to know if it was going to end the way I thought it would. As I said, the story isn't that unique, as it features a young couple, who try to reconnect on a secluded island off the cost of England. The island is a rich persons retreat and features one large cottage, that is occupied by one couple at a time. Martin and Kate think that it will be the perfect spot to reconnect, after the recent loss of a child, but the ideal retreat, soon becomes a hell on earth. A member of the army, a man named Jack (Jamie Bell) shows up in bad shape. When he wakes up, Jack informs the couple that a virus has taken hold over the mainland and if they leave the cottage, they could catch it. At first the couple goes along with Jack, but as his behavior becomes more irrational, the couple starts to question weather or not he's actually telling the truth. When you break the film down, it's three people in a cottage on an island, which doesn't sound very interesting, and the only reason this film works is Jamie Bell. The young star who got his start in Billy Elliott almost 15 years ago, has become a modern day Da Vinci in Hollywood, as he is seemingly everywhere and takes on all kinds of roles. Bell is as much an enigma as this film, as the last film I saw him in was some comedy, that was so bad I turned it off. A few months later, he's in this film and outshines everyone. If it wasn't for Bell's character and the fascination in finding out, what's in his head, this a film that would have gone nowhere. Jamie Bell is the key and really does give one of his best performances. Looking back and thinking about this film, it really wasn't anything special, except for one actor who makes all the difference. If you're into great performances, then Retreat is for you, but if you're more into the story then you might want to skip this one.

Good Morning, Vietnam

Starring: Robin Williams, Forest Whitaker, & Chintara Sukapatana

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Throughout his whole career, Robin Williams was known as the guy who could carry a film simply by being a part of it. Good Morning, Vietnam is once again an example of this extreme talent. Not all of Williams' films were great, and as was the case with Dead Poets Society, when you break down Good Morning, Vietnam to the basics, it's simply a story about a raunchy radio DJ pissing off his superiors. The story isn't very deep and there isn't much to go out aside from an out of this world performance by the late Robin Williams. In this film, Williams portrays armed forced radio DJ, Adrian Cronauer, who in 1965, took a job with the Army as a radio host. In the 60s there was no satellite radio or TV at the touch of a button, so stations like this were the mens only connection to home. Most of the time these stations played soothing music and gave the news, but Cronauer gave the men something they desperately needed, some humor in an otherwise terrible situation. He was definitely one of the first shock jocks to ever hit the airwaves and Williams portrayal was absolutely terrific. Much of the radio bits featured in the films were never written in any script, as Williams simply went up to the microphone and did what he does. The rest of the story is unfortunately not as interesting, featuring Cronauer befriending the local populations and falling for a young Vietnamese woman. Good Morning, Vietnam is another one of Williams films that you must see simply because it was one of the best performances ever recorded on film. In all honesty, without Williams, this film would have fallen flat on it's face. This is why, films like this would pay Williams to come in and do his thing, because he took films like this one from ordinary to extraordinary.

Texas Killing Fields

Starring: Sam Worthington, Jeffery Morgan, & Chloe Grace Moretz

Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

Texas Killing Fields is a movie that should have been a TV series instead. There is way too much going on here for a simple two hour movie, leaving things confusing and unsettled. Based on a true story, Texas Killing Fields tells the story of an area outside of Texas City known as the highway to hell. Since 1970, more than 60 bodies have been found dumped in this desolate area and most of the crimes have never been solved. This film follows the arrival of a New York City Homicide Detective, who has moved to the area and starts investigating a recent series of crimes. If this film had stuck to the story, it would have been terrific, because there was a lot to work with. Instead, the film jumps between three different crimes, in two different jurisdictions, which leaves a team of detectives separated and working on their own things. There is absolutely no background story on the detectives, the victims, the suspects, or the fields, and when the cops are talking to people, it feels like you've missed a whole lot of background information. Everyone knows everyone in these small towns, but the writers seem to have forgotten that we don't know anyone and were left extremely confused. There are a dozen suspect and a new victim every half hour. With each cop working on his own, we are thrown back and fourth to the point where the film becomes unwatchable. Avatar's Sam Worthington stars and as with that film, he's really nothing special. The guy is an interesting side character at best, but definitely not ready to be starring his own film. His partner is played by Jeffery Morgan, who eerily looks like he could be Javier Bardem's twin. Morgan was somewhat better than Worthington, but again the performance was uneven and hard to judge, because it was simply impossible to keep up with what was going on. Texas Killing Fields had a real life story to play on, but too many good ideas for it's own good. The producers try to pack in as much as they could into 105 minutes, which wasn't enough time to tell the story, and left the audience scratching it's heads.

McCanick

Starring: David Morse & Cory Monteith 

Rating: 3 1/2 out of 5 stars

On the surface, McCanick is a simple story of a cop going after an ex-con who he has a history with. As the film progresses, the lines begin to blur, leaving the audience to question who is really the good guy and who is actually the bad guy? This film is notable, as it is the last thing Glee star Cory Monteith worked on before he died, and it was a definite change in direction for the young star. The story starts on Eugene Wellington McCanick's birthday, a happy day that should mark a reunion with his son, but instead marks a day where he learns that the biggest bust of his career, acquiesced killer Simon Wells (Cory Monteith) had been paroled. McCanick is ordered to leave the situation alone, but he can't rest while this man is on the street and McCanick goes looking for trouble. This is a very dark and methodical drama that really seems to have no depth whatsoever, until you see both sides of the story presented in flashbacks. David Morse stars as your typical tough loner cop, whose life is all about the job. The kind of cop that takes his job personally and will do whatever it takes to bust the people he sees as a threat to his city. When I think tough guy, David Morse is not the first person who comes to mind, but he has a history of playing both the good and the bad guy, making the role of Eugene McCanick perfect for him. He's paired with Cory Monteith, who as a teen heartthrob, has never really been seen as more than a sweet, loveable guy. Simon Wells is anything but sweet an loveable, as he's been severally damaged by a life on the streets, but the question becomes just how bad a guy is he? McCanick is the kind of film where everything seems to be laid right out in front of you, the kind of film where you're not expecting a surprise, but that's the whole premise of the film. The whole purpose of the film is to make you question everything you believe and it really turns into to something very unique and special. McCanick doesn't have a cast or a preview that screams out to you, many people are just going to skip it, but if you do, you'll  be missing that special kind of movie that leaves you thinking about it long after it's over.

5ive Days To Midnight

Starring: Timothy Hutton, Randy Quaid, & Kari Matchett

Rating: 3 1/2 out of 5 stars

Professor J.T. Neumeyer (Timothy Hutton) and his daughter have never fully recovered from the loss of their wife/mother, but try to live a simple life of solitude in suburban Seattle. After 10 years, J.T. is finally seeing a women, who he really likes, and things seem to be going good for the family, until a mysterious briefcase shows up. J.T. opens the case only to find an old police report, dated five days in the future. The file is an unsolved murder case in which the victim is Professor J.T. Neumeyer. 

5ive Days To Midnight was a very unique and entertaining story, but for some reason, it was given to the SyFy channel and turned into a four part mini-series, rather than a movie. It's problematic, because to fill the extra time, they have to come up with a lot of side stories that never fully resolve themselves. Sometimes with Science Fiction, things are never resolved, because they simply can't be explained and I'm okay with that, but simple things that can be resolved should be, otherwise the story leaves more questions than it answers. That is the case with 5ive Days To Midnight, it's really well written and has an outstanding cast, but being that it's four hours long, there wasn't any reason to leave parts of the story unfinished. The conclusion was therefore the best and worst part of the whole thing. The ending was fast paced and exciting, real edge of your seat type stuff, but as soon as it was over, there was a small two minute conversation, and then that was it. With all the time the writers spent on the back story and the introduction to the characters, to just leave us with a story that basically just abruptly ends, was defiantly disappointing to me. 

What doesn't disappoint is the other three hours and forty-five minutes of this mini-series. I find that with mini-series, a lot of times the description and preview are actually better than anything else, but that's not the case here. This is a well written mystery, with some great action sequences, mixed with Science Fiction, and there is even a mob element to the whole thing. Timothy Hutton stars as the professor and gives the performance of a life time. How does one investigate their own murder and protect their ten year old daughter at the same time? His character was in a unique situation that really came off well. The whole package is outstanding, which is why the disappointing ending really bothers me more than it probably should.