Sherlock Holmes: Holmes Sweet Holmes. ***

I remember very clearly seeing the first preview for Sherlock Holmes at the beginning of the year; it was an amazing trailer and the fact that Guy Ritchie and Robert Downey Jr. were working together made me very excited. Ritchie's last two entries weren't his strongest but as this film panned out, he's returned to better form with his latest enstallment, Sherlock Holmes.

This film begins with such a stunning energy and this doesn't surprise me because Ritchie's caper films (Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Snatch) boast some very high energy antics and the director has revived Mr. Holmes with this energy. This high energy makes this a very fast moving film and at times this is hard to follow. The dialogue is full of wit and fun but sometimes the audience really has to sit and listen to know what exactly is going on and why; Ritchie has a hard time controlling this energy in this movie so some things may be lost in translation. There is good that comes out of this though; this makes this detective story fun and fast, with plenty of action to spare, and many more laughs along the way and the two leads are something to marvel at.

Robert Downey Jr. has a brilliant turn as Mr. Holmes in this film; he has such an uncanny wit and nailed down the whole antisocial attitude that Sherlock has always possessed, plus he's a blast to watch. His humour is fully utilized here and Jude Law only compliments this as Sherlock's counterpart, Watson. These two are so much fun together and both actors have brought new life into the franchise. Rachel Mcadams is always a treat and she does a good enough supporting role in this film even though her character gets stuffed under the shadow of the two leads almost every time she's in the movie. Downey Jr. has also brought a rough and toughness to Holmes as he's featured fighting in the film many times and when there's fighting it's very cool in this movie. Ritchie utilizes high speed camera many times in this film to catch the slow mo punches and excitement; this makes for gritty and exciting entertainment. Mark Strong as Lord Blackwood was decent enough; I felt that the director could've gone a little more into this awesome Holmes villian but he seemed like a mere puppet in this movie but he was done well enough to make a decent villian.

Overall this movie is a fun, upbeat, high energy, and also very dark turn by Guy Ritchie. Finally Sherlock Holmes isn't a fun kids story but it's a dark and mysterious franchise that has been breathed new life into. Downey Jr's. character was stellar and fun to watch and Jude Law did a fantastic job as well bringing two of the most beloved characters back to life. Lord Blackwood could've been more thought out and Ritchie could've layed the story out a bit clearer but what we get is a fun, cool, classy, mystery story made for pure entertainment and yes it was entertaining, but if you're looking for something a little more than fluff and fun then you might be disappointed. All I can say is, Holmes sweet Holmes, it's good to have him back.

Avatar: A beautiful Vision ****

This year was pretty decent for movies, once again we've had some masterpieces and we've had some heaps of crap but James Cameron wanted to end the year off with a massive entry into the film industry. It took him fifteen years to make this movie, as he had to invent the technology possible to make a movie like this and he'd promised some big things in the last couple of months. Now this film was hyped up pretty good and Cameron is good at hyping things up and he was just coming off of the biggest film ever made (Titanic) so how did this one measure up? Well let me say this film is something different and is a new kind of film that took me by surprise.

Avatar has a simple core story that is easy to follow, the story is the most lacking part of this film, it's so simple but at the same time Cameron manages to involve us emotionally so that we care what happens. He is a master of emotion and bringing emotion out of his characters and actors and here he does just that; this movie is filled with life and emotion, there are times where it's heartbreaking and gut wrenching but then there are times where you want to stand up and fight with these aliens because it's so epic in scale. Cameron approaches storytelling in a totally different way here though, he doesn't use dialogue to drive the story, but he uses his effects and the world he's created to tell the story and the 3-D element helps drive the story too. We have a classic story of humans expanding and endangering the Navi, and we have a classic villian who's just always badass, and we have a conflict that builds and builds until the exciting conclusion.

This movie is absolutly stunning; I've never seen special effects like this, the 3-D just immerses the viewer into this world, you feel apart of this world as you watch it, and this movie is pure imagination. Watching this film is like watching a moving piece of artwork, it's such a beautiful motion picture, frankly this movie could've had no story at all and crappy actors and I still would've watched it just because of it's beautiful colors, creatures, and environments. There are so many colors to wonder at, so many creatures to marvel at and the landscapes are truly breathtaking, there were times when my jaw hit the floor just because what I was watching was marvelous. The last 40 minutes features a massive fight between the humans and the Navi and this fight was amazing, breathtaking, and thrilling cinema, Cameron has delivered on multiple scales.

The acting was great, Sam Worthington was an excellent lead and the supporting actors were awesome as well, sci-fi great Sigourney Weaver was in this as well as some others and they all complimented each other greatly. Cameron used video logs to drive Worthington's character and I thought this trick worked great, it's something new, and it did drive the movie very nicely, the plot was predictable and the character's could've been a bit more dynamic, but they were easy to get attached to emotionally which is one of Cameron's big successes as a director. This movie had stellar action as well, the special effects are the best I've ever seen, and the fights were just huge, epic and breathtaking, everything you could ask for in a movie.

Overall this movie is extraordinary; it's huge and scale and exactly what we were waiting for and expecting from James Cameron. Sure the plot could be a bit better and the characters could be a bit better but this movie is a masterpiece in terms of technicality. The special effects were jaw dropping, the characters were beautiful, the environments were breathtaking, and the action was just awesome. Finally, Cameron has used his full imagination and we get to see it in action and it's beautiful, this movie is so captivating and fun to watch, this movie is a piece of art and a truly realized vision, it's a beautiful vision. What a great way to end the year.

The Twilight Saga: New Moon : Yawn...**

The Twilight Saga: New Moon has reached new popularity and has broken box office records (well the unimportant ones anyways) and has taken it's young stars to new levels but it comes in a package that is an improvement on the first movie but it still gets bogged down with it's major flaws which makes it a totally unmemorable movie.

Director Chris Weitz came on board the twilight train after the horrendous first movie was a sham in the view of the studios but people still loved it. The studio fired the first filmaker and hired a new one that has a great history in film; he's directed some classics like About a boy, The Golden Compass, just to name a couple, so I actually had high hopes for this one. The story with this film was way better than the first one; we have a firey love triangle and and emotional Bella as she contemplates losing her life because her beloved Edward left her and we also get to meet some nasty vampires (finally). It also takes us to new locations other than dumpy Forks, we go to Italy and see the lovely sun, and even spend a little time cliff jumping too. This movie was obviously visually more appealing than the first outing.

The special effects were one of the biggest improvements in this movie. The First Twilight the special effects were horrendous and laughable; it was like watching a really bad soap opera, that's how horrible the action and effects were but what we get here is much different. New Moon boasts some slick directing and awesome action and the special effects are beautiful, I could watch Jacob transform into a werewolf all day, it is noticable that the special effects were apart of the directors mind this time around. There wasn't enough action though, there is a sequence where Jacob is fighting his brother werewolfs and it begins but Bella runs off and we follow Bella and never see the end of the fight. I thought this was a little stupid but it's a very minor complaint. Overall this movie boasts some impressive effects and action.

The direction and plot of this film were very good, well as good as you can do with a story like Twilight, it was noticable that there actually was a skilled director behind the camera, the action was slick and thrilling, the vampires were a little darker and scarier, and some of the scenic shots in this film are beautiful. One of my favourite parts was a time lapse shot of Bella sitting in her room, as she sat the camera panned around her and when it reached the window there was a different season everytime, stuff like this really surprised me but the direction was a little sloppy in areas, there was stuff happening that I didn't know about and it just felt like a mess, I guess I have to read the book.

One thing that didn't improve and that killed this movie was the acting; it was horrible, Robert Pattinson had the weirdest expressions and was stumbling over his lines everytime, I couldn't even hear him sometimes, it was horrible. Kristen Stewart was actually worse than him though, she looked constipated throughout the film, she was mumbling her lines, she had no reaction to anything what-so-ever and I just didn't care about her mopy annoying character or lack of character. She was brutal. These two cannot lead a film, I'm sorry, but this film died and lost steam everytime these two shared the screen, there were times when they were having dialogue and I tuned out because I was embarrassed for them and I just didn't care about either of them because these two were brutal. Once again, no chemistry at all, this is not a romantic film at all and it feels like I'm watching an arranged marriage. The supporting roles were a nice surprise though, Taylor Lautner was a nice surprise, he played a dumb character but he had the fire and ferocity of it and he can actually act, there could be a nice future for him in film. Dakota Fanning was an awesome vampire (probably the best in the film), she was so creepy and awesome, and Michael Sheen as the head vampire was awesome, these people were a nice surprise in this film.

Overall, this movie wasn't horrible, the directing was decent, the action was thrilling, the special effects were awesome, but the acting just killed this movie for me and there were times when the direction was sloppy and things seemed everywhere, and for a romance this movie sucked simply because there wasn't any chemistry between the leads simply because they cannot act if their life depended on it. This movie just proves that if you're good looking people don't care how quality you are or if you're good at what you're supposed to be at, Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart are nice looking therefore the world sees them as good actors. They aren't and it's a shame that they play these roles because without them, The Twilight Saga could've been a lot better. Oh well. I won't see this one again. Next...

2012: Fun Junk **

When director Roland Emmerich first read about the mayan's stopping their calendar in the year of 2012 I could imagine that it was like christmas for him; predictions of the world ending in this year have just risen and what an excellent way to make the grandest of all disaster movies. Roland Emmerich has a knack for blowing the world up but not a knack for film making and it really doesn't get any better with this picture but there are a few surprises in 2012 that made it a bit of a fun experience.

This movie cannot be taken seriously; when you have Danny Glover playing the president and Woody Harrelson playing a crazy bush wacker that can't wait for the world to blow, you know this is a special movie. There is a sense of the director making this movie so utterly ridiculous just to have fun and this makes this movie fun, even the director didn't take this seriously, well I hope he didn't. This story is just ridiculous, it's laughable crap, but it's a ton of fun. The special effects are awesome and the sequence when John Cusack is driving his limo through a falling building is just awesome; the action in this film is sweet, I recommend seeing this movie in the theatre otherwise it could be lame.

This movie proves that there are only two good actors on staff in this cast, John Cusack and Woody Harrelson, and this movie also proves that Amanda Peet cannot act if her life depended on it. The acting is stereotypical and static; these characters are just there so the special effects can be showcased. These special effects are wonderful; it's big, loud and epic as this movie shows that the earth can look good when destroying itself.

Overall this movie isn't the greatest tool in the shed; it's like that really annoying kid that shows up to the party but everyone likes him around because he constantly makes a fool out of himself. This is what 2012 is; it's annoying, dumb, loud and obnoxious but what makes it fun is that it embraces all of these attributes and runs with it to the fullest degree, plus the special effects are awesome. Don't expect much from this junk pile.

I Love You Man. How could you not fall in love? ****

Well I've been waiting to see this movie for a very long time and I had the pleasure of finally watching it the other day. I was excited for this one simply because of the leads that were in it; we have Paul Rudd who has played some great roles alongside the Judd Apatow vehicle and the same is with Jason Segel so I went into this movie hoping for greatness.

The Premise is so simple, sweet, and simple. We engage with two characters who have fallen in love and Peter has just proposed to his girlfriend, now the marriage isn't the problem in this movie but the problem is that Peter doesn't have any guy friends, therefore he will be without a best man on his wedding day. See Peter's character is so hilarious and Paul Rudd plays him absolutely perfectly, everything he said was hilarious, his little quirks were fantastic, if this movie didn't have a plot I could just sit there and watch this character live out his life, it's because of Rudd that this movie truly succeeds.

This movie is riddled with cliches that you're typical rom com would have but it's done in fresh ways that makes this an enjoyable flick. Segel's character is another purely opposite yet funny twist in this movie, when he's introduced there is a sign of fresh air, something new to laugh at and when these two ridiculous characters get together who knows whats going to happen? lets just say the fiance doesn't stand a chance.

Overall this movie is purely enjoyable fluff, lets chill with the dudes, or with your girl and have a great time at the movies, this is that movie. Yes there's a little bit of raunch in it but just enough to satisfy that type of movie goer, I call this the water downed version of a Knocked up or 40 year old virgin, but the performances make it a charming little flick, this is simply a good time.

I Am Legend: A bit of an overstatement. ***

A movie about a man living by himself in a monster infested city is nothing new these days; we've been blessed wth 28 days later and 28 weeks later and a number of T.V. shows to boot that hold this same notion, but that doesn`t damage the hype that was set around this flick. The first trailer for this film featuring a scared Will Smith walking into a dark room and having creatures running in the dark is bound to stir up some hype but the marketing fell through when they showed the monsters a bit too early and it leaked all over the internet, but oh well, lets get to the movie.

This movie opens brilliantly; there is no music at the beginning just some talking, actually a news program and as the opening titles roll through we finally get to an interview. A woman is being interviewed and it's amazing because it shows that a doctor has cured cancer. It's a triumphant moment that's tenderly acted and brilliantly conceived, it's so powerful that it will give you shivers, then the screen goes black and we are introduced to something very different. We see New York, three years later, no one is there and it's way too quiet, then we see Will driving a mustang through the empty streets. This part is so eerie and the special effects are really quite amazing; this part is so haunting that it builds a creepy edge to this movie. We finally tag along for the ride as Robert Neville searches for a cure. The suspense in the first half of the movie is phenomenal as it builds up so nicely and the eerie quiet gets creepier and creepier. The flashback system works well too here as the director is hinting a something that's very dangerous and looming, he has a surprise for us. The filming is uncanny and fresh but what's even greater is the acting of Will Smith. Will Smith does an amazing job at finding a character and reacting to his surroundings and he's so fun to watch. This movie is really a showcase for his great acting ability and if an actor can make a man talking to a mannequin seem emotionally empowering, then, he is a good actor. Simply brilliant. Once the monsters get introduced is when this movie becomes crippled and the director loses steam.

The beginning is amazingly suspenseful and builds up to what should be a rousing movie that will stand the test of time but when the monsters get introduced is when the movie simply falls short of movie greatness. First of all the monsters are not monsters; they are infected humans and they are done with CG, yes CG, not actors who are in make up but CG and if you don't know what that is it's computer generated effects. This CG wasn't great either at times these monsters really aren't all that convincing making the beginning look like a gimmick. There were great moments of intensity and suspense; walking through a dark building flashing a light in different places making every moment jumpy, this scene was brilliant or even when Neville gets tangled in a trap makes for a great run and gun scene. This movie loses steam in the middle as new characters are introduced and the monsters just become more and more irrelevant. The ending to this film is passable and predictable and borderline cheese-ball but it works and makes sense for the movie but you can tell a studio made it.

Overall, this movie wasn't horrible the beginning was amazing and ingenious but the director gets muffled has we hit the middle of the movie and he loses that vibrancy that was in the first half. This movie is the best acted movie by the star actor and a reason why any movie lover should watch this flick. The ending also contains the biggest cliches and dumbest allusions that are stolen from The Matrix and any originality that was found in the first half of this movie was lost by the end. Although the ending was predictable it was pretty epic and profound and it worked with the movie making this movie a good, solid watch. The monsters could've been better but the skilled filmmaking made for some pretty creepy and intense moments. This is a package that doesn't fully work as a whole but it has moments and parts that shine so brightly and that made this not a wasted watch. This movie is good, not amazing, and a bit of an overstatement but it works.

Invasion of the Body Snatchers: Pure, creepy, classic sci-fi. ****

This remake of the 1956 original scared a lot of people at first because it was treading into a territory that easily could've made this movie something less than the original, but, this movie simply is better and an extraordinary addition to the sci-fi genre.

This classic theme that hasn't aged what-so-ever is a great idea and leaping point for this movie, this is a commentary on how we live our lives, and how media dictates our lives so that we lose our individuality. The story is simple, we meet some scientists and health department investigators who discover some strange happenings going on in the city of san francisco. They then have to survive these biological attacks brought on from outer space through weird plants or pods. Basically these main characters try to avoid these parasitic attack and what we get is a very smart but very entertaining piece of film that is chilling right to the bone.

This film pays tribute to that old style of film noir as each frame captures a particular classic moment in film history, we have hitchcockian moments, cameos from the story's creators, an ageless Leonard Nemoy and simple yet effective camera movements. We have sequences with incredible shadow effects and running sequences that are as thrilling as a high speed car chase and even some of the city walks will make you're head spin and make you believe in the paranoia that this movie emplies. The acting is top notch too featuring a rather young Donald Sutherland and a more chill, sympathetic Leonard Nimoy that is a joy to watch during this flick, until the end that is. The story of this movie is very plausible too as the aliens represent something more than extra terrestials; like I said earlier this movie is a direct comment on how we need to keep our individuality otherwise our world will turn into a creepy sensational world that is rather dull and scary.

Overall, this is a classic film that has made it's mark and is still continuing to make it's mark in the lives of viewers old and new. It's a creepy revelation and comment on our lives but it never ceases to entertain or even show us some heart. The characters are believable and well conceived, and the sound design and visual design makes this movie all the more creepy. This sci-fi flick has stood the test of time and will for a very long time simply because it's a poignant film that scares us with very simple ways that can affect anyone and are not dated. This is a classic film noir and every movie lover should have this in their library. Movies aren't made like this anymore, it's a shame.

Kill Bill vol 2: Speechless is what I am. ****

We've seen the glorious first entry to this sprawling two part epic and I have to say it was very entertaining but I didn't know what to expect with the new entry from Quentin Tarantino.

The movie begins in a brilliant manner giving The bride the honor of letting us know what has happened in the first movie and this is one of the most brilliant monologues I've ever seen on film. It's shot in a black and white film noir style and is a fitting tribute to everything Tarantino grew up on and loves. Then we get into the movie after an epic beginning that promises a new type of film and not everyone was expecting that. The movie carries on with the last remaining members of the Deadly Viper Assasination Squad and quest to kill them all just for sweet revenge but this movie is so very different than it's predecessor. This movie doesn't have flashy action or gory anime sequences or a group of crazy 88's either but it has something different and something that makes this movie soar above it's predecessor. This movie slows down and moves the action out of the way and replaces that void with heart and emotion, for the first time we see The Bride get emotional and start to waiver on her path, we see a motherly side to her and this inspires a connection from the audience to the bride, Tarantino is breaking new ground here. This is the first time in any of his films that an emotional connection has been established and he threatens to sacrifice his style for this connection, but his style still remains in full force here and this has evolved his film making.

We still get homage to all of Tarantino's favourite things in this film, everything from the classic villian "Pai Mei" to his fetish for comics, to his love for B-movies everything is in full scale in this flick and once again it's weaved together so brilliantly. This movie is more dialogue ridden than the first one but the pay off from this film is all the more worth it. Tarantino has started his series with a bang and a statement and he kills is vicious villian off with a simple pound on the chest. The most climatic part of this film isn't when Bill fights The Bride but it's when the Bride finally see's her daughter and has a conversation with her arch enemy Bill. This is totally ironic and yet brilliant on the director's part as he's weaved a sprawling epic, Tarantino style.

Overall, this movie rises above the predecessor simply because it delivers a different kick, an emotional one, it's a matured adaptation of the revenge policy that the first one established and he does it in such flair and style, a different style, but in style nonetheless. This movie is so so good, the direction is controlled, and the pace is not as fast as the first but it pays more attention to the heart of the characters. These are violent and vile characters but we can sympthasize with them in this movie and this only because of the writing and directing of the film. Even if you don't connect you can pay attention to the incredible style that this film has and marvel at it's brilliance. This is an amazing piece of film and appreciating it is an understatement, Speechless is what I am, I am Speechless.

Black Hawk Down: War is hell ***

War movies have become a huge part of North American culture and many filmakers, actors and producers have jumped onto this bandwagon to reap the benefits and of course the fans love them too. America has been accused of loving these war movies a little too much making every single movie about war successful at the box office. Some of these films have prevailed as excellent movies but some have just floundered in the midst of junk film making but Black Hawk Down is a surprisingly awesome movie that criticizes war but also pays tribute to America's hero's and yet it never glorifies the violence.

Well first and foremost, you know that whatever Ridley Scott directs is going to be special, the man behind some of the most classic films in the history of hollywood was sent to direct this war epic and that was a very interesting choice. This film is the most graphic war flick since Saving Private Ryan and filled to the top with sprawling action from start to finish. This film starts with the audience meeting a group of American soldiers and we see how they live in the country of Somalia as they try to capture an infamous warlord that has caused the country extreme famine and yes of course this is all based on actual events. The direction of this movie is simple and straightforward, we meet the soldiers, get to know them a little bit, then they fight for their lives, but it's the way we connect with the soldiers and the reality of their situation that makes this movie hit home.

Scott uses his huge ensemble cast to his advantage giving them all unique characters that share the same passion for war and some even have a bigger passion to help this poor country from killing itself. This cast is lead by Srg. Everson (Josh Hartnett) and Josh barely pulls through this one; he acts the most stereotypical way he can but it works and he squeezes out a little bit of emotion at the end that makes his performance passible. As actors go, he's the weakest link in this film, and the movie as a whole is everything but passable. This film takes a little mission and little situation and reaches for the stars and what we get is a rather gruesome and intense depiction of war that pays tribute to those men that lost their lives that day.

The action is stellar, it's gritty, sometimes repulsive and it's electric as bullets whiz around the screen and explosions are numerous. There is a build up to the start of the mission, this build up is rather intense and sweeping shots of the black hawks makes Michael Bay's films look rather lame. When the action hits the screen its awesome and rough around the edges; you're not going to get glossy Bayish crap here, what you get is rough, brutal, war that is rather intense and emotional.

Overall, this movie isn't a sprawling epic like some other war flicks but it achieves what it has strived for bringing brutal and awesome action to the screen and we can sympthasize with these characters as well. The only downside to this movie was giving Josh Hartnett the leading role, maybe getting Ewan the main role would've been a little smarter but Hartnett gives a passable performance. Well Black Hawk Down is a war movie that rises above the crowd because of it`s tribute to war veterans and it`s interesting look at how war never really changes, yeah maybe weapons and commands change, but the art of war has never changed just like Plato said "only the dead have seen the end of war". War is hell.

Kill Bill vol 1.: A bloody good show. ****

Quentin Tarantino has a knack for making a lot of people angry with his films because of the violence, suggestive dialogue, and criminal or juvenile things his characters do. Well, he isn't stopping with this one, Kill Bill is probably one of the most stylish films I have ever seen and yes one of the most violent ones too but once again Tarantino has created a world that is superbly crafted and very entertaining, Kill Bill is his fourth film and it's a worthy entry into his forray of movies.

Well the title of this movie says it all; Thurman's character, The Bride, get's killed at her wedding but one thing hinders that from being a possibility, she isn't dead. She's actually very much alive and very angry because her daughter is dead so she's going to seek revenge on the people who did this. Now this plot is super thin and not all that eventful but what makes this movie soar is the style it's done in, Tarantino is making a tribute to all of those kung fu classics that he absolutely loves, and yes he does it in Tarantino style. We get a plot line that's scewered, funny and witty dialogue, and a whole lot of cool kung fu. This movie doesn't slow down for plot development or even character development it's just straight up a cool ride. I think this director is one of the only directors that could get away with making a movie that doesn't develop; this movie is just too much fun.

Tarantino films in a couple of styles throughout this movie, we see an anime sequence that's about twenty minutes long that tells the story of O-ren Ishii (Lucy Lui) and yes it's ultraviolent as well, there's the classic villian just like in the old movies where we never see Bill's face, we hear his voice, see his sword but never see his face. There's the whole film noir piece where The bride is in the hospital and Elle Driver (Darryl Hannah) comes walking down the hallway whistling a really creepy song; we then get a split screen view of the reason why she's at the hospital, simply brilliant. Then we have the epic samurai sequence where we learn how important these swords are in Tarantino's world and then we get to see why they are so important in a classic kung fu ending, Tarantino style. Now when I say Tarantino style I mean this; this sword rips through eighty-eighty bodyguards and we see every bit of it but when the sword cuts someone the blood sprays out like a supersoaker spraying everything in sight. This last sequence is ultraviolent and a brilliant tribute to everything the director loves.

Overall this movie won't change you're life but it's such a fun ride filled with incredible style. We get a classic revenge flick that quotes klingon proverbs and has blood spraying across the screen. At the center of it we have a man who has grown up on kung fu movies and finally has made a tribute to all of them. We get a bloody good show, Tarantino style, with funny dialogue, cool characters and some very deranged characters as well. This movie is a blast for many different reasons and you will be thoroughly entertained. Now if only we could see the second half...

Inglorious Basterds: Cinema doesn't stand a chance. ****

In the month of november of 2008, a good friend sent me a trailer to watch containing a moustached Brad Pitt and of course my favorite director Quentin Tarantino at the helm, let's just say it was an early christmas present. Now it's finally here; I wasn't getting to excited, just in case it wasn't living up to expectations but what I got was something special, something more. Remember that little movie, I think it was called Pulp Fiction? Yeah well Quentin basically redefined cinema and pop culture with that hit and quite frankly, he has done it again. Wait a second, okay, I'm not comparing this new flick with that old one, I'm saying that this one is a new breed, something that this world of cinema hasn't seen yet, Tarantino has done it again.

This movie begins so brilliantly, it's unbelievable, we open to a lovely countryside and we meet a lovely family and the evil Nazi regime shows up; but you would think there would be guns a blazing right away right? Remember Tarantino has written and directed this so instead of having a showdown with their guns they have a showdown with some good ol' suspense and brilliant dialogue. This scene has the most incredible suspense and build up as we sit in on this conversation and we get some french, some german, and some english being spoken in this scene, it's a brilliant opening for a very brilliant film. We meet an evil general; that will soon see the wrath of the Bast*rds, yes the bast*rds, the 12 famous, angry, jewish, Nazi killing machines that only exist for one reason, killing Nazis. Brad Pitt plays the leader of this crazy clan and he only wants one thing, Nazi scalps, and "he wants his scalps." This clan is crazy and very violent; yes there is a scene where Eli Roth bashes a general's head in over and over and over again, like I said the casting was perfect.

Tarantino's play on language and dialogue is so perfect and at times satiracle; there are moments when subtitles don't match dialogue and times when we have no idea what anyone is saying and times when the characters refer to famous cinema as historical events. The director's love for cinema is at the very center of this movie as the characters use a movie premiere to kill the Fuhr, sorry, Hitler and there are many references to european film and even Tarantino's own films. Now this movie contains elements of every Tarantino movie known to man, we see classic fonts from Pulp Fiction, music from Kill Bill, random cameo's and cop references to Resevoir Dogs, and yes there is a moment for Sam Jackson to give a pleasant narration, but it is brief. This movie contains everything the director loves and he weaves it all in a very entertaining package. This movie is so charming and funny and it is also terribly violently and gleefully cavalier. I could tell as Tarantino wrote this he had a giant smirk on his face.

Well this movie is something new; it comments on a war that was brutal and violent and mocks a leader who loved himself, it also shows Tarantino's hatred for germans and pays tribute to all of cinema no matter what country it's from. The writing is uncanny and full of pop references that people can laugh at and the dialogue is witty and full of life and there is so much to listen to. Tarantino also weaves brilliant suspense throughout the film and rewards us with brutal and gleeful violence and you can really tell that this film is close to his heart. As Aldo Raine puts it at the end after carving the Nazi symbol into a general's head: "I think this is my masterpiece." Yes Quentin, I have to agree, thank you.

District 9: Finally...****

Usually the summer is the best time for movies; these couple of months are known as the blockbuster months as movies that excite us and make us love movies generally hit the screen. This summer has been the most disappointing summer for movies in a very long time; the best movie so far has been Star Trek and that came out before the summer. I remember seeing a little trailer about this movie and being for excited especially after seeing the junk that has hit screens so far this summer; but I didn't want to get my hopes up, finally a summer worthy blockbuster has found it's way into our theatres and boy is it ever wonderful.

As this movie opens we get introduced to the world of District 9 and we see a man that is so excited to get promoted to the ranking officer in charge of the clean up of the alien district. We see aliens like we've never seen them before; coexisting with humans on earth. We get introduced to offensive alien terms, humanitarian rights regarding the aliens, and why the aliens are here. This sets the stage for something that is very special and very original. The rest I cannot tell you; you'll have to go and see it for yourself but I can tell you this, it'll blow you away and you will be pleasantly surprised. This movie has heart, action, originality, and is filled with emotion as we see into the lives of humanity and aliens as well. This is a true science fiction masterpiece that weilds violence and action together. This movie is rated 18A for a reason; humans explode, aliens are shot, and blood hits the camera plenty of times. This is cloverfield on drugs.

This movie was so exciting to watch and at the same time it hit hard on the emotion without losing that excitement. It was pure action heaven, yes better action than the two action movies of the summer so far, and a throwback to all of the classic science fiction tales of the last couple of decades. This movie is powerful as well with emotionality unlike anything I've seen before in a science fiction movie; I fell in love with everything about this film.

Overall, this movie is the best movie of the summer so far, maybe even the best of the year, it is powerful, fun, witty, original, and filled with eye popping action. If you want something new and exciting; watch this, but if you want the generic hollywood blockbuster you can go watch Gi: Joe instead. This movie is a classic.

Eagle Eye: Watch out! **

The latest actioner from Shia Labeouf has promised to be a satisfying thriller that will take our minds off of the worries of this world. What we get is a movie that not only has a soul but is simply overdone and not all that surprising but there are elements of this movie that are special and that make it watchable; one time through that is.

The premise of this movie is stellar; as the preview showed us Shia walks into his apartment and finds a wack load of weapons and ammunition that was placed there and yes just in time the cops are there to catch him "red handed." What makes this special though is that a girl calls him on his cell phone telling him to run for his life. Now this girl does the same thing to Michelle Monagon's character as well and the two are forced to work together to figure out what is happening and how to fix it. Good premise right? The execution is rather lackluster instead of blockbuster though. The thrill of this movie is simply trying to figure out what's happening and for the first half it works well; there is suspense and excitement but as the movie progresses the lack of direction potentially ruins this movie. The major twist of the film is pretty easy to figure out; and this movie never tries to come up with new ideas it just tries to run on the steam of the twist that comes just about halfway through the movie and this makes it suffer. The audience is taken right out of it because we know what's happening, why it's happening, and how it's happening before the characters do; this is amateur directing. There is good in this movie though.

This movie has plenty of cheap thrills to make it fun; and Shia is very funny as he spurts out random lines that are funny and charming; seeing these two actors together is great but the director never utilizes the talent he has here and these actor's simply become puppets for this movie. It seems these characters are never paid attention to for the entire film until one moment where these two characters are stuck in a box together; we see a very special and tender moment that is emotionally charged and well acted. For the first time in the movie we care for these characters; just a little bit and that is what makes this movie bearable to watch. It's just a shame that this movie couldn't pack that emotional punch throughout the entire film as that would make this movie so much better and more memorable.

Overall this movie isn't brutal; it has moments with awesome action, creepy stalkerish type stuff, funny lines, and charming characters but the movie itself gives everything away way to fast and therefore it makes it hard to sit through this one without falling asleep. There isn't anything new and inventive here and quite frankly if you want to watch a better movie about this sort of thing; watch Enemy of the State . For entertainment, this movie passes, barely, and for anything more than just throw-away fluff, look somewhere else.

GI Joe: Rise of Cobra: is it over yet? *

Well I was excited for this movie. I really was because it got so many excellent reviews and looked like the ultimate summer movie flick and after the disappointment of Transformers: Revenge of the fallen; I was so excited to see a good, fun, solid action movie. What we got was something very different.

This movie was so bad I don't even know where to begin and this review won't be too long; I won't want to wast my time on this movie any more. The story was totally non-existent and if it was it was so poorly told; I didn't know what was going on at all. The action was just so poorly filmed I couldn't even see what was going on; what looked like it could be cool wasn't because the filming was so poor. The special effects were brutal as well. I've never seen special effects that were this bad; it looked so horrible everytime the action was taking place I couldn't even watch because I was so embarrassed of the special effects. The writing was stupid too, nothing smart being said here, and the acting was just so so poor; like watching an amateur film at a cheap festival, such a trashy movie. There was nothing redeeming about GI Joe, well actually there was one good thing about this movie:

Sienna Miller; she is very good looking and I love her. Other than this the movie sucked. The biggest piece of crap I've seen all summer long. I was very disappointed. and bored.

Resevoir Dogs: Something Special ****

Little directors come out of the starting gate by doing exactly what they want and quite frankly, they don't care if you don't like it. This is the attitude that Tarantino had when he started his film career with this little movie. Now, his newest film, Ingloroius Basterds, comes out on August 25th and to show my excitement I'm going to review every movie that Tarantino has written and directed. This movie is special.

This movie is little, low budget, and all about the characters and how they will make the most important decision of their lives: who do I trust? This is one of the best crime movies made; yes I would even say that this movie if not succeeds it, but is at the same level as The Godfather. This is a form of filmaking that no one had ever seen before and no one has duplicated this very special vision that Tarantino has unleashed. This movie makes the plot totally irrelevant by showing you the middle first, then the beginning, then flashback, then a bit of the end, then the very beginning, then the very end, and as this is happening the story is told so well and the direction is so perfect that we know what's going on the entire time.

The acting is very good in this movie, featuring a cast of Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Harvey Keitel, Tarantino, Steve Buscemi and many more, this cast is so much fun and simply a blast to watch. But when the acting is top notch there is another aspect that simply will help any movie succeed, writing, and not just how the writing is good but the writing in this movie is absolutely brilliant, Tarantino as a scribe has a rythym to his script and the language is pop culture language as well and many complain about swearing in his movies but Tarantino uses this way of speaking to comment on how people swear a lot. This is simply a comment on society and he simply has hit the mark on this topic spot on, absolutely brilliant. Seeing this movie play out is a joy everytime as you'll laugh, and take part in some very intense drama, and just laugh at some really different characters.

Well this outing by Tarantino is bold and new and something that no one has ever seen. This film has some classic lines and scenes in it and contains a story that is so simple but with the direction and flair makes it so much fun to watch. This was the start of something special as Tarantino was introduced to America and simply put, America will never be the same again. This is a classic.

An American Crime: A Righteous Anger

As you read the title; you notice that this movie has no stars and yes there is a reason for that. I'm not going to critique this movie because I finished watching this; I had so many emotions running through me. I'm a christian, I know that God is real, I know that Jesus is real, and I know that the bible is the word of God and it is truth.

"Whoever welcomes a little child welcomes me(Jesus). But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large milstone tied around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea" Matthew 18:5-6

This verse is dubbed "The Greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven" Kids are valued by the God I worship.

Watching this film was so hard. I do think this film is very important because it exposes child abuse and how easy it is to get carried away really fast; I think people should watch it and learn from it. I'm glad the lady who was guilty of this died. She was selfish, inconsiderate, and she playfully tortured and killed an innocent girl.

I think God has given me a righteous anger because I love kids and watching someone playfully destroy one just isn't my type of thing. I hope she's in hell. Sorry God, I know I'm judgemental, please forgive me. How can people be so evil? Not only was she violent but she facilitated violence towards an innocent girl and encouraged her kids and others to "punish her" so not only did she ruin one life (literally) but she ruined a whole slough of lives. These kids never recovered; one even died of lung cancer at 21 because she got him into smoking.

Let's watch this and learn and never forget Sylvia's story. I will never watch this film again; but I will always fight child abuse and abusers because of her.

I have a righteous anger brewing inside of me.

Funny People: sit back, relax, let's laugh about death...****

Well, Judd Apatow, director of two very successful and very funny movies delivers his third venture and let me tell you, I've been waiting for this day to come. When I was in the theatre waiting for the movie to start; I had such a smile on my face and I couldn't wait to see Sandler and Rogen together. When the movie started rolling, I got something a little different, something a little more than my expectations. Yes, I was in comedy heaven and yes this is still Apatow's good ol' raunchy comedy but this movie has a couple of lessons that it's at least trying to teach.

The acting in this movie is great; all of these comedians together PLUS the random celebrity cameos really filled me with joy. This movie was so relaxing to watch even when dealing with issues such as divorce, love, and death but when this movie comes across these issues it really does take them seriously. These actors are so real; they feel like friends or distant relatives, they have problems, they have sick humour, they also think through life from time to time; these characters are so absorbing and fresh that we can simply connect with them. Sandler's character though is simply a treat. A comedian loved by the world but still cannot find the satisfaction in his personal life; a man with a talent but with really nothing to show for in his life and his quest to find that satisfaction. This movie really made me appreciate my friends and my family; it reminded me of the people who love me and why family is so very important because George Simmon's is so far away from all of these people in his life and he's miserable. What a valuable lesson.

This movie is ambitious and it's full of candid moments that are acted so well and at times so outrageously; Eric Bana was simply hilarious and Adam Sandler was so perfect for this role. Yes the movie is flawed, the ending leads them right back where they started, nothing is really solved, but it's a great ride with plenty of laughs. I laughed so hard. This is a very different movie from Apatow it's grown up; dealing with major issues but after dealing with them it makes you laugh pretty hard. This is a very ambitious film that hits the mark in some places but misses and other's. If you can stomach the raunchfest; this may be the perfect summer movie event for you, it's a relaxing movie that will make you glimpse into people that have problems just like you and me, they just make jokes about them.

Watchmen: Who's gonna save us now? ****

As I went to this movie I had no idea what to expect; I read a couple of reviews online and this movie seemed like it was gonna be an ultra pornographic romp-house sudo-masochist bdsm film. It wasn't. Yeah there's some nudity, a sex scene that is totally pointless, and you'll see a giant blue penis, but seriously grow up. This is probably the best movie I've seen all year so far; and it's also a brilliant study of why we created these people called superhero's. But it is also very bleak and a very dark look at humanity that at times seems hopeless; this is not everyone's cup of tea. By the way Titanic had more nudity than this flick.

Watchmen takes place in 1985 and Nixon is in his fifth term, yes Nixon, you read it correctly; what if America won in Vietnam? what if Nixon didn't screw up? This is what kind of world the Watchmen live in. Now all of these superheroes have no superpowers but they are heroes with masks that beat people up and have fun doing that; that was until Nixon told them that it was illegal to be a masked vigilante. So now the Watchmen are no more and the only one with superpowers, Dr. Mannhattan, is developing his own super weapon. Now Dr. Mannhattan can do anything, he's can manipulate matter and create stuff out of it, so he is compared to God. This movie touches upon how the human race is a disease and how we don't deserve to be saved but many times these characters touch upon how God really does care about us; and others say that God is long gone. So these superheroes take matters into their own hands as Russia is believed to be nuking the U.S. at anytime.

Watchmen is all about how these hero's are tainted, the comedian is the worst of all of them; he's done everything wrong in his life, killed pregnant ladies, killed innocent people, raped woman and hits on his daughter and he's supposed to be the funny one. So why do we idolize this "hero"? Because America is exactly like him well that's what the comedian says; this the comment on american culture and society and the comedian dies at the beginning; so is this culture really just gonna kill itself? This is a brilliant depiction of our north american life and a scary one at that.

Well this movie has an excellent plot that comments on theology, philosophical issues, and why we created tainted superheroes just like the Greek gods in a sense. This movie is our mythology for a new generation but at a simple surface level Watchmen is a fun adult superhero extravganza filled with amazing imagery and brutal content in a sense some of this movie would be considered a horror movie. I also love this movie because there isn't a movie like this that has ever hit cinema and it's so brilliantly complex that everytime I watch this movie I get something new out of it. This is a brilliant film filled with fun characters and disturbing themes that will make you think about how we live our lives. And it's a different America that we've never seen on film before.

Who's watching the Watchmen? Umm..well I'll be glad to. Best film of the year. So far.

Pineapple Express: A huge blockbuster comedy. ***

Seth Rogen and the boys are back in action for their latest installment of ridiculous over the top comedies and this one is a stoner-dy. Okay I'm sorry that wasn't cool but this movie is pretty cool and it's a whole lot of fun as well. The idea is ridiculous and the only guys that could really pull this off were the ones that were in this film so hats off to them.

The movie opens with Seth's character driving down the street smokin' a joint serving people and not in the nice kind of way; he gets sworn at, yelled at, threatened and well it's all in a days work. We then learn that he's dating a highschool girl and that he is a complete loser that sits and smokes weed all day but all that changes when he witnesses someone getting shot in the head in a mob boss' house. Him and his drug dealer (franco) pursue on a thrill ride of a lifetime and learn some valuable lessons along the way; like selling weed to minors is bad, even smoking it is bad, and just thinking about your dreams won't make them happen. This is possibly the cleanest Rogen movie that has come out which is always a plus but that doesn't mean there isn't swearing because there is still here and there.

This movie has no brain power; it just works off of hilarious gags that run over and over again and each time they do they get more and more ridiculous and this is funny. When you have James Franco's character getting is foot stuck in a windsheild while being chased by a crazy girl cop and flying through the air and screaming isn't funny enough then how about Gary Cole purple nurpling Seth Rogen in the middle of a giant weed factory? If these stupidly hilarious gags make you laugh then you will love this movie and aside from the laughs the action is very good too.

Overall this movie isn't an oscar worthy movie but it is tons of fun. The humour is top notch where as the zany characters make this a joyous and pleansant movie experience that won't challenge your brain a whole lot; I just had a blast hanging out with these guys, this movie is hilarious.

Revolutionary Road: Suburbia Hell ****

When I first watched the Trailer for this movie; I was so excited because well an amazing filmaker with ttwo of the best Actors around, how could you not be excited? Well sadly I wasn't able to see this movie in theatre but now I've finally got around to seeing it. All I have to say is that I think Kate Winslet is my favourite actress around these days.

The movie opens with the two lovers meeting for the first time at a theatre convention. Frank (Dicaprio) looks over and see's April (Winslet) sitting at a bar smoking a cigarette; they play eye games. As this happens music from the time period of the 50's blasts and all this reminds me of is classic hollywood. It reminds me of an era where hollywood was classy, not sleazy, and where glamour truly existed. Winslet looks utterly glamourous in this scene and it's a sweet opening to a very dark film. We learn about Frank's dream to go back to Paris and we hear of April's dream to become part of a theatre group and become a great actress. The very next scene show's Frank and April married after a few years; at a very low budget production showing how April really can't act. Her dream is crushed and we soon learn that his is too; they have kids and its nearly impossible to move across the ocean with those. Then we see absolute boredom.

We see a struggle in this film between two people who love each other but life's struggles and boredom get the better of them. Frank becomes so bored with his job and feels like a failure because of his dream that he let go and April she's right through the fake reality that everybody sees in suburbia. She can't stand her friends and she hates the way she lives. This affects their marriage greatly and we see a struggle between two people who once loved each other. It's a sad reality but a beautiful movie in regards to how these two try to strive for the best. They end up planning on heading to Europe and they are so happy and excited but something happens that keeps them grounded.

This movie is so beautifully made; it's very simple but very powerful and I loved it. It makes the 50's look glamourous but disturbing and dull and seeing these two in a grown up love story is amazing. Two of my favourite actors doing what they do best; the acting is brilliant, directing uncanny and the vision unmatched. This is a bold little movie that is very powerful and very sad and it shows us a glimpse of what Suburbia Hell is really like. A very excellent film.

JCVD: Humanity with muscles ****

Jean Claude Van Damme isn't taken very seriously these days with laugable films like Street Fighter, Blood Sport, and the horrendous Desert Heart this guy is one horrible actor. All he can do is fight his way into your heart; all of his films are unintelligent and obnoxious, until this one. This one is very different, it seems a bit desperate at first, but watching it unfold is something special.

This movie reminds me of a classic old style noir film with a soundtrack that Dick Tracy could use and a look that's so awesome and classy. In this film JCVD plays himself in a documentary style picture about himself and a day in Brussels that will inevitably change his life. He gets held up in a middle of a bank robbery and gets blamed for it because he's at the end of his rope; he's losing his daughter, can't pay his lawyers; why wouldn't he rob a bank? But soon the audience finds out that he is a victim in the robbery with these three guys holding up the bank, and of course they are fans of JCVD. This movie is so original and it works not because of the film making but because of Jean-Claude's sincere performance. He's not really acting because he's playing himself; but he gives a performance that is full of heart and this is what makes JCVD work.

The Story is simple; bank heist, that comes to a thrilling climax, but in the middle of that we take part in a bit of Jean-Claude's life. We don't see a tough fighter but we see a struggling human being trying to get his family back and we see a man that simply wishes he took a different life.

This movie is a gracefull depiction of the man we loved because of his garbage movies and awesome fighting but this movie isn't loud or obnoxious like his old ones. This one is brilliantly and originally made; with a heart of gold and man telling the world that he want's a second chance and a man who loves where he came from. We get a shot of JCVD's heart and we see the man of steele not as a cry baby but as a real human trying to fix his life so that he can finally enjoy it. The ending is so ironic too; the place that gave him a second chance is jail; where he gets to spend time visiting with his daughter and he teaches guys how to fight, we see a man full of heart and grace. This movie is brilliant and sensitive and true fans of JCVD will cherish this film, I cherish it and I hate the man's movies, not anymore.

True Blood: Season One: Welcome to the Freak Show. ***

HBO's brand new series, True Blood, hit T.V. last summer and took everyone by storm, T.V. never stood a chance. I guess Allan Ball was sitting watching Twilight and realised how crappy it was so he wanted to give a special gift to the world of entertainment and well he couldn't leave out his social satire either; so what he gave was a T.V. show with it's own twisted agenda.

Anna Paquin stars as Sookie Stackhouse, a nice barmaid who believes in the good of this world during a time where vampires of come out from hiding oh yeah she can read minds too. This is a world where vampires are living with humans and a synthetic blood called True Blood is created to supply the vampires with their means of "living" so they don't have to feed on humans. A vampire walks into Merlotte's bar where Sookie works and this is where the series takes off.

We meet many character's, Tara is a black girl that has a drunk for a mother and thinks everyone on this planet is racist, Jason Stackhouse is Sookie's brother but he's the lesser half of the family as he jumps from girl to girl within the town and is suspected for murder constantly because of his sexual-horn dog nature. Laffoyette is a black-gay gangster who is also a drug dealer as well as a really great friend to Sookie; Sam is the lonely bar owner with a mysterious vibe about him. Sookie seems to be surrounded by characters that are disturbing and frightening but she seems satisfied and seriously believes in the good in all of these characters. Then Bill walks into the bar, he's a vampire, and Sookie can't read his mind, the connection these two have is stunning. Twilight can learn a lot about chemistry between these two characters and how they actually have an emotional connecting. When she walks into the bar and sits next to him; this whole scene is stunning as the emotion blazes off of the screen, the acting is amazing. Bill also shows a side to a vampire that is complex and a hint of human and Sookie believes in the good of Bill rather than the fact that he is a blood sucking vampire.

Now this show gets pretty weird as it runs down some rabbit trails like possession and excorsism and redemption from the darkest of places. This show show's a pretty bleak and dark side to humanity but it's all seen through the eyes of optimism that is Sookie. Now the reason why this show only has Three Stars is because of the sexual content of the show; if you watch this show you will see your fair share of sex and nudity. As we see Jason diddly daddling through the town's girls for the first few episodes we get to see the disturbing side of his sexual antics. This is the only bad side of the show; the sexuality is pretty graphic and random but it ends near the middle of the season.

Overall; this is a funny-biting satire of humanity and how we live with each other, then they throw vampires into the mix. There are twists that are totally unpredictable, and moments that will have you saying "is this really happening?" This show has a personality that not everyone will like, but the romance is beautifully done. This is a scary show with moments of true fear and truly disturbed moments that only the greatest horror movies possess. This is the best portrayal of vampires I have seen in a long time. "Let the right one in" was the last and to have both of these forces of entertainment to come out around the same time is a blessing the the world. This is a twisted, disturbing, social commentary on humanity that will keep you guessing and leave you wanting for another bite. You've never seen anything like it.

Garden State: The Ultimate Romantic Comedy. ****

Garden State is an amazing little movie that deserves much more praise than it has ever recieved. Zach Braff's debut film is far from perfect but it's so loveable and so real that it is an amazing romantic comedy that actually achieves that status of being a romantic comedy.

We meet Andrew Largeman as he's late for work and emotionally detached from the world not really caring about anything, even his job. We see him in his room trying to sleep but he simply can't; his room is a blank white colour and totally boring, this is a perfect depiction of Andrew's life and where he's coming from. Oh yes, by the way we get a quick glance at his medicine cabinet as it's filled with every kind of prescription drug. He then gets a call from his father telling him that his mother just died. This is the best thing that's ever happened to Andrew. We then go back home with him and meet his friends and his former life and then we meet her. Sam is played by Natalie Portman and catches Largeman's eye right away. This chemistry between these two characters is unlike anything we've ever seen in a movie. Where he is reserved and to himself she is totally blunt and honest about how she lies all the time. We have two really honest characters who flourish throughout the movie because of each other; it's beautiful.

This movie is so well done too; the direction is impeccable and Braff spends just enough time with his humour as well as the development of the romance between the main characters. He also creates a social commentary on what home really is and why we long to have a place called home.

This is a great little movie that paints a beautiful picture of what love looks like in real life Largeman is surounded by different forms and kind's of love, romantic love, brotherly love, and love from a family; he rediscovers what life is all about and begins to 'feel' life again rather than being numb to the whole idea of life. He rediscovers this because of a girl named Sam; and that is the most romantic notion of any romantic comedy I have ever seen.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen: Robot War Heaven. **

Well the wait is over; it's finally here and the teenagers, young adults, and kids were waiting for this moment for their entire lives. Now does this movie live up to it's predecessor? Oh it sure does, it's bigger, louder, more obnoxious, but the action is just too awesome to pass this one by; once again Michael Bay brings a movie full of more crap, but has a lot of fun with it.

No one can take this movie seriously, okay, when you're going to go and watch a movie based on a hasbro toy about action figures that Transform are you really expecting an oscar laden movie filled with poignant filmaking and great acting? I went to this movie to just see tons of action and I got my wish. The movie begins with an action sequence that's ten times bigger than the finale of the last movie, yeah, it was huge! During the entire sequence I had a huge smile on my face and autobots dismantled the decepticons with robots flipping over stuff; to cars splitting in half, to Optimus destroying the Devastator, it was sweet. There were some things that I really didn't like about this movie though.

Now most people are gonna think I'm going to rip this movie apart because of it's garbage acting, stupid plot, silly characters, and no development but I really didn't care about that stuff with this movie, this is simply a popcorn action flick to keep us entertained during these summer months and it does just that but it sinks to a new low with it's adolescent humour. Hasbro made Transformers for kids so the first movie was appropriate for kids (barely) but this movie really isn't and I was really upset by that because Kids love these movies too. The college scenes featured half naked girls that are only trying to have sex all the time; come on Michael Bay are you really that perverted? Almost every robot too said something in-appropiate if it was a little monster truck calling Megan Fox a b**** multiple times and robots saying A**H*** multiple times; to see these robots saying that really sucked. I don't think I've seen so many ball jokes and humping jokes in my life either; continually the dogs that the Witwicky's own are humping each other and they even give a robot Testacles? What the crap is Bay thinking? It felt like these jokes were generated by my Grade 8 buddies from high school.

Another thing that I was upset about was flaunting Megan Fox like a piece of meat to a horde of horny boys showing off her in her panties and a slow motion run where her breasts are flopping around slowly; Michael Bay really is using this sex symbol in a movie that really doesn't need that especially if kids are going to be watching. Watching Fox trying to spurt out her lines is brutal too, her acting is horendous and she sounds like she's hung over all the time. Now I'll give praise to Shia Labeouf because he did a fantastic job in this movie; showing emotion and great control over his humour in this movie, he really shined and I think he's a great action star, keep them coming Shia. This movie also felt a little dragged on as the running time of this one almost hits three hours. There are times when you can feel the director stalling with stupid jokes or plot filler; seriously please just give me some more sweet action.

Overall this movie was great; the action was unbelievable and everytime I saw these robots fighting or Transforming or just simply saw them I had a huge smile on my face. The movie was funny throwing out cheap gags that are inappropriate generally; total boy humour I guess but giving a robot some junk was a bit too far. Shia was hilarious while Fox had way too much make up on; put on some clothes! This movie lived up to the hype of being an action movie without brains, again and the action it dishes is simply awesome. I left the theater satisfied but don't forget that all I was expecting was a whole lot of blowing up.

Transformers: Pure Popcorn Action Heaven.****

Well I'm going to go and watch Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen tonight and I thought to celebrate this momentous occasion I'd review the first Transformers so here we go.

This movie is a perfect summer blockbuster movie and Michael Bay is the perfect director for this kind of movie. This movie has barely any story, unintelligent characters, cheese-ball humour and characters we could care less about; so what possessed me to give it four stars? It's a ton of fun to watch; this movie has loads of amazing eye candy and a really fun attitude that makes this a summer blockbuster to remember.

Like I said the story is minimal and plain but it seems like the director knows this so he spends very little time with it; he doesn't try and develop insane and stupid plot twists but he just tries to go with the flow and make sure the audience has a good time. This is the same with the acting as Shia LaBeouf gives a funny performance and Megan Fox being the ultimate eye candy as well as being tough as nails; these characters aren't believable but they are fun and we kinda wish they were real. haha.

This movie isn't very intelligent at all but It's a ton of fun with some of the most amazing action sequences I've seen an a movie. If you're looking for the perfect getaway movie with no thinking required but a ton of sweet action? This is the one. This isnane attention to detail within the action keeps the movie enjoyable and fresh and I have to admit everytime I saw one of these robots Transform I had a huge smile on my face. This movie brought out the kid in me as I stared in wonder at my favourite robots duking it out. The action was just so incredible I have no choice but to give this movie four stars.

Overall this movie isn't special when you read this; the acting is okay, the story isn't really there, the humour is cheesy, but this movie has done something very few movies can do, it takes all these bad qualities and runs with them. Plus it throws in incredible and sweet action that will make you drool. This movie accepts it's campy script and makes it enjoyable and funny. This movie is a fun summer movie that will be considered a classic; I'm sure of it.

Eden Log: Say What? *

Well this movie was part of the six shooter film series which was a bunch of directors from parts of the world making their own versions of what they call horror movies. We got "Let the Right One In" from Sweden, "Donkey Punch" from Australia, and "Eden Log" from France. Now this movie was more of a sci-fi than a horror or what I got from it anyway. This movie was so sparadict and everywhere that it was so hard to follow not only the dim plot but the cardboard acting made it all that much harder too.

Well lets get the story out of the way first; this idea is a very cool and imaginative idea and its done in a new and fresh way. The beginning is amazing because it starts off by just showing different parts of this dark cave and a man covered in mud; it's a rebirth in a sense and it's cold, eerie and disgusting. As this beginning rolls on all I was thinking was "what the heck is the movie about" and I was filled with curiousity but soon that curiousity dimmed away and all that was left was complete confusion. I don't know what happened but stuff started happening; monsters came out of nowhere, crazy dudes in suits started showing up and telling people about plants, and a random elevator ride with a guy wishing that he could rape some girl occured. This movie made no sense. The ending climax had nothing to do with anything and as the credits hit the screen I was so confused that I didn't want to give this movie a fighting chance.

The camera work in this movie is so amateur; I see that they were trying to be gritty and edgy but seriously when you can't see whats happening and wondering if what you see is a monster or a rock it's bad filmaking. The execution of this movie seemed so rushed and amateurish that really itls not a fun movie to watch. The special effects at the end aren't great either making the ending really all that more stupid.

The acting in this movie sucks. Wow. Please I don't even know what else to write; the script was so cheesy and there was barely any dialogue and when there was I shook my head in distress. What a terrible acting job.

Overall this movie had an interesting idea; but the execution of that idea wasn't great at all, it plays like a loud video game with no meat to the story and just utter confusion with what's going on. I still have no idea how the ending related to this movie, what the heck was going on? I still don't know that's why I'll never watch this stupid movie again.

Doubt: Three Huge Performances ****

Doubt is a movie thats generally dark, always engrossing, and intellectually sound. There are no gimmicks here, no massive special effects, no camera tricks, and no plot constraints this movie is simple and engrossing as it shoots straight for the heart and explores one of humanities most controversial issues: Doubt.

The movie opens with a morning mass as priest Flynn (Philip Seymour Hoffman) preaches about doubt and he points out that even though we doubt we ALL doubt together therefore, never feel alone or that you are the only one who doubts because we all do. This is a very positive start to this movie and it shows a little bit of Flynn's character but then we're introduced to another character. This character demands the spotlight and grabs our attention right from the get go; Sister Aloysious (Meryl Streep) plays a Nazi type character being overly strict with the kids and shows no compassion at all. These two characters drive the film as they battle for supremecy of this little catholic school. Sister James (Amy Adams) is caught right in the middle and she's an innocent Nun who just wants to make these kids lives a little better and she also wants to share her love of teaching with them. This is a nice warm center to a very cold and upfront movie that goes head on into the issue of the Priest touching a boy named Donnald Miller; the only black boy of the school.

Things heat up when Sister Aloysious confronts Priest Flynn and accuses him of doing these things but the only problem is that she hasn't the slightest bit of proof, just faith. This movie because to throw a finger at religion and how its dealt with; it exploits the workings and mis-workings of the catholic system and shows a racial tension as well and how people desperate are in this world; its startling and engrossing but most of all things will happent that you will not agree with and thats the whole point of this movie.

The acting in this movie is unbelievably incredible; we are so priviledged to watch three of the best actors in the business and each actor focus' on their own characters rather than comparing to others. Amy Adams does an amazing job not worrying about her powerhouse companions but she just focuses on her own character and brings a wonderfully innocent portrayal to the screen.

This movie is amazing because its so powerful in a subtle way that most people will overlook but if your wililng to look at the details in this movie you'll be rewarded greatly. This movie has marvelous acting and a brilliant idea that I've never seen before, wholly original, and great acting, and very thought provoking; this movie is Oscar worthy, no doubt about that.

NIck and Norah's Infinite Playlist: Movie Magic ****

The First thing I noticed about this movie just from the opening is that this movie has really good music and thats a good thing because the catchline for this movie is "Every night has a soundtrack".

We are introduced to Nick (Michael Cera) Who is an awkward teenager madly in love with a girl who recently dumped him. He loves her so much that he makes mix cd's for her still and she simply chucks them out and another girl named Norah (Kat Dennings) Picks them up and listens to them weekly; she has the same music taste as some dump lonesome dude she's never met. Now this movie doesn't really have all that much of a plot and you can guess what's going to take place in this movie but what is unpredictable and spontaneous is how the characters develop and get there. Now don't get me wrong the acting in this movie is sub-par, the writing is hip but flawed, and its generally predictable but what saves this movie is the quirky characters and how brilliantly directed they are through this fun little adventure.

This movie has really no plot in it; there are no huge twists that reveal hidden agendas and there's no development what so ever so the plot is really non-existent. The acting is okay but the attention to the characters is very evident. I feel that these young actors didn't really shoot for believability but they were shooting for really just bringing these weird characters to the screen in a presentable way that people would feel affection for by the end. These characters are really original; even Cera's character is a little different from his other movies and when he isn't different he's just plain funny. This method of acting generally doesn't work or win awards but this movie pulls it off because of the quirky writing and impeccable directing.

This film has incredible direction and when its watched it doesn't feel like this movie is going anywhere but its fun to stick around and she it land in home base even when we know where its going to land. See its a predictable movie but its so believable and charming that we really don't care if we can see things coming; it just makes us feel good. The director put just the right touch on this movie that its not over-the-top; but its not overly subtle either, it has its own weird feel and thats what makes this movie special, the originality.

Well overall this movie is just fluff and people won't learn anything new or be affected to much by whats going on here but if you're looking for a good time to relax, laugh a little, and fall in love then this is the perfect feel good movie that has interesting and daring gags and a quirky sense of humour filled with a stellar indie soundtrack. This is the Teen version of Alice and Wonderland that fills us with wonder and magic. When the last scene arrives and the titles so up on the screen with a bustling New York city in the background and the last note is played in the final song; its a little like movie magic, its satisfying and poignant without making the audience feel daring. This is a comfortable watch. Over and over again.