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.