January 2012
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50/50 - Review #34 of 2012
Seth Rogen and Joseph Gordon-Levitt are fantastic on screen together in 50/50. There is a nice mix of sad moments and comedic moments in this realistic take on Caner. Michael Giacchino’s score is what helps to set the tone of the film. Seattle plays another character in this film directed by Jonathan Levine. If you skipped seeing this in theaters because you were not sure how you could...
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THE GREY - Review #33 of 2012
This movie would have been great to have been released during the summer, because the large amount of snow chilled me to my bones. Neeson is great in just about every movie I have seen him in (aside from Clash of the Titans). He has such commanding presence on screen as a wise, troubled man forced into a situation where he has to lead. His character reminds me of John Locke in LOST. Just like the...
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TEXAS KILLING FIELDS - #33 of 2012
Killing Fields takes audiences into what seems like a different universe, much like Winter’s Bone did when it was released. The mist and sticky humidity of Louisiana does a wonderful job of doubling for Texas. Having lived in the South, I can attest that things move at a slower pace, which is evident in the film. The cast did a great job of capturing the essence of the South, and it’s...
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MAN ON A LEDGE - #32 of 2012
A convoluted story and a poorly written script are at the top of my list of complaints. Ed Harris is so much better than this film. If you want to see him play a bad guy, I recommend you watch/re-watch A History of Violence. Hollywood, If you are going to cast Anthony Mackie in a movie please make more use of him onscreen. I would rather have seen him in the part that Ed Burns played. Worthington...
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THE DOUBLE - #31 of 2012
The Double has a decent mix of intrigue and suspense, but this film misses the mark on the pacing and action sequences, which are few and far between. One of the biggest problems was the lack of character build up in the story. If I can’t get to know a character, there is no way I can decide if I like them and want to root for them. Character development does not have to happen with each...
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GROUNDHOG DAY: Mini Review #30 of 2012
Groundhog Day is my favorite Bill Murray hands down. There are certain movies that I can just put on and have them playing over-and-over - Groundhog Day is one of them. Bill Murray’s line deliver is awesome, but what makes this movie is the great cast of character actors. The cool part for me during watching this movie again, is that I noticed that Michael Shannon (Boardwalk Empire, Man of...
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KINGDOM OF HEAVEN - Mini Review #29 of 2012
Ridley Scott’s epic film Kingdom of Heaven has just catapulted itself to the top of my favorite medieval epic battle movies. This is in part thanks to Scott’s beautiful visual style and scope. This film is one I would love to see on the big screen. I watched this for the second time all the way through, and was reminded that Liam Neeson starred in this. The cast is full of other great...
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REAL STEEL - Mini Review #28 of 2012
I saw this film in theaters and was pleasantly surprised. I was not sure how well Levy could do with a film that is more action than comedy, but he pulled it off. The film’s pacing was a bit slow at times, but the fight scenes were well-worth the price of admission. The film was shot digitally, and it looked wonderful on the big screen and Blu-ray. While watching the Bonus Features, I was...
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HAYWIRE - Mini Review #27 of 2012
Haywire is not non-stop action, but it is the kind of espionage thriller that I enjoy. Gina Carano may have made a name for herself in the MMA world, but she has definitely gained Hollywood’s attention with this role. Steven Soderbergh delivers a wonderfully shot and nicely paced film, that is full of A-list stars. Soderbergh picked Carano specifically for this role, and built the movie...
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THE PERFECT HOST - Mini Review #26 of 2012
Nick Tomnay wrote and directed this unique thriller that stars David Hyde Pierce (Frazier), Clayne Crawford and Nathaniel Parker. A criminal on the run cons his way into the wrong dinner party where the host is anything but ordinary. Anything but ordinary is the perfect way to describe this film. There were so many moments that it could have ended, but it kept going and going into a direction...
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JURASSIC PARK III - Mini Review #25 of 2012
I love the Jurassic Park franchise, and really enjoy this film because of Sam Neill and William H Macy. I wish that Laura Dern had been on screen more, but at least she was on for a bit. The dinosaurs, as always, were great in this film. I love the life-like movement. I like Jeff Goldblum, but Macy is much better of a comedic addition.
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DIE HARD WITH A VENGEANCE - Movie #24 of 2012
This is one of my favorite DIE HARD films in the franchise. I love Jeremy Irons as the villain, second best villain aside from Hans Gruber himself - Alan Rickman. One of the biggest plot-points of the film would be obsolete with today’s technology. Everyone has cell phones, and there are very few public phones. Some of the best scenes were Samuel L Jackson and Bruce Willis running from...
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CONTRABAND - Movie #23 of 2012
Contraband was a let down. but that is what I get for seeing a movie I was told was bad. I had hoped it would have been better than I expected - I hoped wrong. The cast is decent, but the pacing is horrible. This movie was marketed as an action film, and it has very little action. There is one really cool action sequence in the middle of the movie. The majority of the film floats aimlessly like...
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DIE HARD 2: DIE HARDER - Movie #22 of 2012
I love the Die Hard franchise - yes, even the most recent one. Bruce Willis is part cop and part superhero with some great one-liners. I was thankful that Willis was given shoes in this high-flying sequel. What the film lacks in action sequences, it makes up with some edge-of-your-seat thrills. AMC has been playing the first three films this week, which has given me some great films to check out....
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DIE HARD - Movie #21 of 2012
Tons of action, a healthy dose of comedy and a great script with some great one-liners make Die Hard a badass movie. I can literally watch this over and over again and never get bored. I remember seeing this movie when I was just a kid with my dad, and having a blast. I am a fan of the entire franchise to date actually. The most recent film was not too great, but I am hopeful that the next film...
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MARGIN CALL - Movie #20 of 2012
I love ensemble casts, and Margin Call has one hell of a strong cast. It was good to see Kevin Spacey on screen in a role that reminded me of how great he was in Swimming with Sharks and Glengarry Glen Ross. Stanley Tucci, Paul Bettany, Zachary Quinto and Jeremy Irons are equally great. This was a perfect Redbox rental, so check it out. I also recommend you checkout Too Big To Fail, which deals...
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MIDNIGHT IN PARIS - Movie #19 of 2012
I put off seeing Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris in theaters for some reason. Mainly because I did not have enough funds to see a lot of movies on the big screen. The film is definitely one of Allen’s more accessible films. It has a solid cast of interesting characters and a wonderful story. Even though I loved seen the Parisian locations, I am not any more interested in visiting the...
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STRAW DOGS (2011) - Movie #18 of 2012
This movie did not last long enough for me to see it in theaters, and I am actually happy for that. This is not a movie I would have been happy to have paid theatrical prices to see. Redbox prices, that is another story.
Rod Lurie’s film is an unnecessary remake. If you have not seen the original film starring Dustin Hoffman, avoid this film until you have rectified that situation.
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