Jackpollins Reviews

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 (2011)

Forever is only the beginning..ain't that the truth?

[6 December 2011]

Roger Ebert, one of the most widely beloved film critics once had a quote about the infamous Larry Bishop gangster spoof Mad Dog Time. That quote went "''Mad Dog Time'' is the first movie I have seen that does not improve on the sight of a blank screen viewed for the same length of time." That's how I ultimately feel about The Twilight Saga Breaking Dawn Part 1. It is a terrible film that, despite its best efforts, turns into a big pile of nothingness. What did the filmmakers want to accomplish here? Well, there are a couple thing such as money, cabbage, and oh yeah, dough. This film was made on the assumption that millions of teenage girls are going to throw down their allowance to go see it. As I went to a public theater to see this and not an advanced screening, their assumptions was right. I was the only male in the theater. No boyfriends, husbands, males by themselves, ETC. May I also mention that there was a very limited range of females under 16 in the theater. Seriously, who thinks of this crap? This film can be summed up in a simple, short explanation-it's a soap opera made for young women instead of middle aged women. I'm not trying to sound sexist or derogatory but this is the way the world works..movies are made specifically for teenage girls to throw their allowance down. Unfortunately, this one, like most of them is petrifying to watch.

Jack and Jill (I) (2011)

Sandler & Sandler

[4 December 2011]

Jack & Jill is a film about nothing. It doesn't have a consistent plot. It is just an assortment of stupid jokes revolving around Adam Sandler getting annoyed with Adam Sandler in drag. They said the apocalypse was coming..and perhaps it is. Why do I say that? I kind of want you, the reader to watch Jack & Jill so you can see why I'm just rambling on and saying the apocalypse is coming. It is a film that has to be seen to be believed, and an unshakable experience. Neither of these things are meant in a good way. As someone who goes to a couple hundred films a year, it is, personally, the closest I have been to walking out of a theater in at least two years. Al Pacino, an Oscar winner and Michael Corleone is in this. Pacino is the best part of the film, and he's terrible in it for crying out loud. Pacino, one of the greatest actors of all time is in Jack & Jill. You thought De Niro in Little Fockers was bad? Wait until you see Pacino in this. I really wish I could like this film, or at least not consider it one of the worst films ever made. Sandler's actually a really funny guy when he wants to be. Don't believe me, watch Happy Gilmore. Sandler is also a pretty good dramatic actor. Don't believe me, watch Punch Drunk Love. With this in mind, this film involves Sandler screaming and talking in a weird lispy voice that's his interpretation of a woman. Jack & Jill is the worst film of 2011 so far. It is more dreadful than you could ever imagine. In other words, Jack & Jill doesn't go up a hill, but rather goes down one right when it starts.

The Descendants (2011)

About Matt King...

[4 December 2011]

Alexander Payne is a director who has done four very good films...About Schmidt, Sideways, Election, and the little known Citizen Ruth. Add The Descendants to that list. The Descendants is a film about a man named Matt King (George Clooney), a man living in Hawaii whose business happens to be very successful. After his wife, who he has been supposedly very distant with gets in a boating accident, Matt has to take care of his daughters. Thus begins yet another very realistic film from director Payne. The Descendants is touching and well acted, but rarely ever funny, and that's a good thing. The seriousness of this film is really what works. Sure, Sid, daughter Alexandria's friend has some very funny moments, but even he's a serious, complex character. Payne does a good job here of taking all the actors, veterans or newcomers, and getting them to shine. Also, as with his other four films, Payne shows a real life situation and shows us what happens in everyday life. Clooney is great here, tugging at our heartstrings and touching us without going over the top. Also, actors like Shailene Woodley and Nick Krause, who are not used to being the dramatic types are excellent here. All that's left to say is see The Descendants..it's not a perfect film, but it's a really good one.

Happy Feet Two (2011)

Singing penguins....again

[4 December 2011]

Admittedly, I did not like the first Happy Feet. Now, there's Happy Feet Two, with more dancing penguins and another story involving one of the penguins. I'm not even going to go into the plot because I run the risk of sounding childish or cliché. I will, however, say that this is one of the most puerile films of the year so far. Nothing in Happy Feet Two works, and I mean nothing. The story is not only childish, but it's also all over the place. The voice actors, led by a very questionably talented cast are awful. Also, just like with my Puss In Boots review, I saw this at a legit I max 3D theater, and the I max added nothing to the film, and the 3D just made the film look worse. This is not to blame the theater for, but the film for. The fact that this is a film about dancing, singing penguins, I guess I should have expected not to have an awesome I max experience, but I at least expected a little something to be added. With all this hate I seem to have for Happy Feet Two, you would think I thought this was a terrible film. With this being said, it's not. Happy Feet Two will certainly amuse its target audience-kids, but it's the parents who'll have to take them to it I'm worried about. No one will accuse Happy Feet Two of being one of the worst films of the year, but even more so, they won't accuse Happy Feet Two of being one of the best films of the year.

Tower Heist (2011)

Ben Stiller & Eddie Murphy conduct a "Tower Heist"

[12 November 2011]

Tower Heist is like sushi...it's something that I can see why people like it, but I don't. The film starts out with a friendly manager named Josh (Ben Stiller) who finds out that a rich resident of the building he manages is being arrested. This resident is Arthur (Alan Alda), and he has stolen all the worker's money. Tower Heist then goes into an unfunny, non-thrilling comedy/crime caper in which Josh and crew decide to get their money back. Josh hires a criminal named Slide (Eddie Murphy) to help him steal this money. Now, before you blast me for not explaining myself why I found this film to be extremely lame, let me do so. First off, Alan Alda is the only one among a very talented cast who is actually good. I mean, you got Matthew Broderick, Eddie Murphy, Ben Stiller, Michael Pena, Casey Affleck, and Tea Leoni among others, and Alda is the only one who's good. Second off, Murphy did not need to be in this movie because he adds nothing to the heist except to get them started. Third off, I did not laugh once and was not thrilled by any of it. Fourth off, and finally, Alda is so good that you almost wish Tower Heist was a movie all about Arthur rather than a film just simply revolving around Arthur. I did not like Tower Heist, but if you're still interested in seeing it, check it out, you might end up liking it, I just didn't.

Puss in Boots (2011)

Spoiler: Shrek's not in this one

[2 November 2011]

Puss In Boots follows the origin story of, well, Puss In Boots (voiced by Antonio Banderas) and how he became who he was in the Shrek films. I've always liked Puss In Boots as a character and was really exciting to have fun with this film. That being said, this film is like mediocre Chinese food...it's just alright when you're experiencing it but after an hour, you'll feel as if you experienced nothing. This film feels like a lot of movies I've seen this year where one scene is set up just to provide balance to another scene. Also, the whole relationship between Puss and Humpty Dumpty is simultaneously confusing and stupid. I may be sounding cynical here, but the film does have a very funny moments and even a touching moment, but it's just not worth paying ticket prices for. Speaking of which, I saw this film as an Imax 3D experience, and the film is mostly dialogue, so the Imax didn't work, but the 3D was some of the better 3D I've seen in a while. Although I tend to write as long a review as possible, I really have nothing to say about this film except the film's best for a night when you want to distract your kids or you don't mind watching a very mediocre film to please yourself or your kids.

Real Steel (2011)

The director of "Big Fat Liar", and "Just Married" takes on "Real Steel"

[23 October 2011]

Shawn Levy is a director, who despite making some really bad films, has nevertheless managed to entertain me. Now, in the midst of fall, when the Oscar films are dropping, he takes on Real Steel. Real Steel is about a sleaze ball named Charlie (Hugh Jackman) who trains fighting robots. One day, his son, Max (Dakota Goyo) decides to travel with him through a series of tournaments involving the fighting robots. Now, I must say, Shawn Levy has had his first real big disappointment with this film. I feel like I might be in the minority here, but I felt it was a long slog for nothing. That's not to say that Real Steel doesn't have its fair share of really cool, and even touching moments. That's just to say that Real Steel goes on for over 2 hours and it doesn't ever really feel like anything was worth sitting through over 2 hours for. I might have been more pleased with the film had it been ninety minutes or so. That way, it wouldn't have felt so long, and therefore wouldn't have been such a long haul. Also, at ninety minutes, a lot of the unnecessary stuff could have been cut out. With all this being said, Real Steel is good enough movie, it just could have been so much better, and so much less of a chore to sit through some of it.

What's Your Number? (2011)

The ex-files

[13 October 2011]

What's Your Number stars Anna Faris as Ally, a woman who's tracking down her exes, and Chris Evans as Colin, who's helping her track down her exes. These are two very talented and funny actors, and I was hoping for something amusing when these two were put together on screen. Without further ado, I have to say that What's Your Number is lowest common denominator garbage. The film has only reprehensible characters and only bad things to say about them. It's the type of movie where no one person can have a conversation without talking about some sort of sexual activity. Humorist Erma Bombeck once had a quote that went "There is a thin line that separates laughter and pain, comedy and tragedy, humor and hurt." Unfortunately, What's Your Number is only the latter. This film feels like it doesn't even care, and therefore doesn't even try to get any laughs, and it doesn't. Not one laugh is presented in this film, not one smile is earned in this film, and a lot of anger is deserved in this film. What's Your Number goes through the cliché cycles that every other romantic comedy has been through this year. What's the point to all of this? Why waste millions of dollars and talented people to just make the same old same old? Why do movies like this get green lit? These are all questions that should be asked from studios after having seen What's Your Number.

50/50 (2011)

Definitely not a split decision on 50/50

[8 October 2011]

50/50 is a comedy about cancer. Yes, now breathe that in for a second. It has Seth Rogen, an actor mostly known for playing a wacky party dude (as he does in this film) and it's supposed to make you laugh. 50/50 is also, by every stretch of my imagination, a masterpiece. It is a film with everything right about it and nothing wrong about. The person with cancer is not Kyle (Rogen), the wacky party dude, but his friend, Adam (Joseph Gordon Levitt), a man who has done nothing in life to provoke cancer, but somehow gets a rare type of it. Levitt puts a lot of charisma into his role, and Rogen is flat out hilarious. Adam soon visits a therapist named Katherine (Anna Kendrick) who is not very experienced in the world of therapy, and the audience questions if she's a good match for him. Now, you may be asking yourself..what's so funny about cancer? The answer is nothing, but the way the characters react to cancer in 50/50 and the way that they learn to cope with it is both laugh out loud funny and touching. 50/50 is incredibly acted as well..everyone puts their all into their roles. 50/50 is not a cringe- inducing mockery of cancer like it could of potentially been, but is instead a comedy that makes my list of the best films of 2011 so far, and it may even be on the top.

Moneyball (2011)

Statistics VS. Raw Talent In "Moneyball"

[6 October 2011]

Professional baseball player Rocky Bridges has a famous quote that says the average man believes he can do three things...build a fire, run a hotel, and manage a baseball team. This quote, although I summarized it, describes Billy Beane in more ways than one. Moneyball is based on a book that is based on real life events and stars Brad Pitt as the one and only Billy Beane. Moneyball was the type of book no one would ever thought could be made into a movie, but it was and it is.

Now, before I go into depth about what I thought of Moneyball, the first thing I have to say is that this is Brad Pitt's best performance to date. With one of my least favorite movies of the year, The Tree Of Life being released this year, I was not looking forward to seeing Brad Pitt in another film, but I am surprised to see I absolutely loved him in this film.

Now, as for the movie itself, it's fantastic. The whole statistics vs. raw talent idea is smart and the movie is both funny and touching. It gets very funny when there is dialogue between Beane and Peter Brand (Jonah Hill), they park an irresistible and funny charm, and it is touching when Beane and his daughter, Casey interact. I also loved how the film balances these two plots with pinpoint perfection.

Moneyball is great from the first second to the last, and one of my favorite films of the year so far..so go check it out.

Courageous (I) (2011)

Must See Or Just A Courageous Effort?

[1 October 2011]

Religion is a flower that does not bloom in everyone's garden. Now, you may be asking yourself..why'd I start off with that sentence for a movie review? My response to that question is that people will end up not seeing Courageous because it is a Christian film. Because it is a Christian film, people who won't see the film are either non-Christians or just plain not religious because they're afraid of hearing the religious undertones of the film. Normally, when writing a review like this, I would say you're right, no matter how much I liked the film at hand, but not this time. Courageous is about a group of 30-something cops and their struggle to deal with both their professional and personal life, and their ways of dealing with it..through God. Now, I will have to say Courageous is an excellent film. It doesn't cram any God stuff down the audience's throats, even though it is present. It is also very well acted and well directed by star and director Alex Kendrick. Courageous makes every character likable except for those who aren't supposed to be. It is also never gets boring or preachy even with a running time of over 2 hours. There is really nothing I can fully complain about in Courageous...it is a film that teaches you a great lesson without throwing it in anyone's face. I could talk endlessly about how good Courageous is..but I will just say that it is a must see you should go watch right away.

A Good Old Fashioned Orgy (2011)

Jason Sudekis and friends have "A Good Old Fashioned Orgy"

[26 August 2011]

A Good Old Fashioned Orgy stars Jason Sudekis as Eric, a 30-something loser who's never quite grown up. Him and his buddies, including Duquez (Martin Starr), Adam (Nick Kroll), McCudden (Tyler Labine), Willow (Angela Sarafyan) and Alison (Lake Bell) among others find out that Eric's dad is selling the beach house in which all of their ludicrous parties take place. When Eric figures this out, he wants to throw a final labor day bash, a party so ridiculous that it will make all their other parties look mellow. So Eric and McCudden decide to have an orgy with them and their closest friends. This plot is about as raunchy of a plot as you can get, and I am glad to be sitting here telling you that A Good Old Fashioned Orgy delivers on this premise. With so many comedies this year like Bad Teacher and Hall Pass really holding back the raunchiness and trying to play it safe, it's refreshing to see a film that just goes for it. This film isn't as raunchy as some might expect from its title, but it's pretty damn raunchy, as well as daring, funny, likable, and even a bit touching. Everyone in the cast, from Sudekis to Starr to Bell to Sarafyan to Labine is hilarious, and there's not a bad character in the film. Will Forte and Lucy Punch play newlyweds with a kid who the group decides not to invite to the orgy, and they're great as well. Now, while this film is probably the funniest film of the year so far, it's pretty predictable. That's my only VERY minor complaint with the film. Overall, if you like any of these cast members and you like your comedies raunchy and daring, then go check out A Good Old Fashioned Orgy.

30 Minutes or Less (2011)

From Zombies to Bank Robberies

[12 August 2011]

There's something strangely appealing to me about movies that aren't based on or inspired by a true story, but seem to just fall into that category of film. That's the case with 30 Minutes Or Less, a surprisingly comedic film about a pizza delivery boy who has to rob a bank or be blown up. If you haven't heard the story, in Erie, Pennsylvania, a REAL pizza delivery boy tried to rob a REAL bank and REALLY got blown to pieces. I wouldn't blame people if they didn't go see this movie because of that. With all that out in the open, I am here to say I thoroughly enjoyed every second of 30 Minutes Or Less. The things that keep 30 Minutes Or Less from being just another raunchy comedy for the summer is that it's not a raunchy comedy..it's a dark comedy. Sure, you could say that Horrible Bosses was a dark comedy..but 30 Minutes Or Less actually deliver on the dark part (that's not to say I didn't also enjoy Horrible Bosses). Moving at a very smooth and very fast 80 minutes, director Ruben Fleischer keeps things going. Fleischer also directed another fairly short, very enjoyable action comedy called Zombieland. While his previous work would appeal to just about anybody, this film really depends on if you like any of the stars or not. If you can't enjoy any of the stars, don't even bother. Speaking of the stars, the bromances between both pairs of guys are greatly constructed, bringing a real chemistry and heart to the film. Jesse Eisenberg as the pizza delivery boy who is faced with having to rob a bank and Aziz Ansari (one of my favorite comedians, just so you know) as his recently ex-best friend are great together and their different comedic styles work really well together. Same goes for Danny McBride and Nick Swarsdon as the two completely idiotic psychos who put the pizza delivery boy in the predicament. McBride and Swarsdon both have goofy comic delivery, but Swarsdon is happy goofy and McBride is vulgarly goofy, making for some great laughs. Also, Michael Pena plays a hit man, and while Pena was really funny in another dark comedy, Observe And Report, and while he's not as funny here, he brings 30 Minutes Or Less a fair amount of its enjoyable darkness. 30 Minutes Or Less may not be for everyone, but if you want a very dark, very funny, and sometimes very heart felt end of the summer treat, then go see it.

The Devil's Double (2011)

"I made you Latif..I made you"

[11 August 2011]

Set in war-torn Iraq, The Devil's Double tells the story of Saddam Hussein's son, Uday, and his highly look alike double, Latif. Uday is a psychopath who doesn't care who he hurts, or even kills, he just cares that he gets what he want. Latif is a laid-back guy who just wants to do the right thing but is forced into being Uday's double. While these two characters are pretty different, both are played to perfection by the same actor. That actor is the incredible Dominic Cooper, who you may have seen in such films as An Education & Breakfast On Pluto (both of which he was also fantastic in.) While I've seen some great performances this year, such as Christopher Plummer as a gay father in Beginners and Owen Wilson as an excited Paris visitor in Midnight In Paris, Cooper gives the best, and most Oscar Worthy performance of the year. As for the movie itself, it's fantastic. Director Lee Tamahori has been known for directing such independent films such as Once Were Warriors and Mullholland Falls and bigger budget films such as Next and Die Another Day directs this perfectly. It's a film set in a war-torn, dirty country, but Tamahori still manages to make it a beautiful film. Also, the film is really exciting..it grips you to your seat and never lets you go. I say see The Devil's Double, preferably in the theater if you can, but if it doesn't end up coming to your area, then it will still most likely be fantastic on DVD.

Page One (2011)

A documentary about a dying industry

[7 August 2011]

Page One is a documentary that follows the newspaper business, a business that is being beat out by the internet and mobile devices. The film follows one year at The New York Times and the people who work there. The main focus of the film is David Carr, a journalist with a rough exterior but a good heart and a great wit. Carr is a former drug addict and a New York Times reporter for many, many years. Carr has been writing for so long that he even says during the film "If you write about media long enough, eventually you type your way to your own doorstep." Carr is a fascinating character. This summer, we have gotten Thor, Captain America, The Green Lantern, Mr. Popper, ETC, but nothing beats watching a real guy with real strengths and genuine flaws go through every day life. Carr is an incredibly smart and humorous man with quick responses to just about everything. There is a scene, for example, when David Carr is looking at an I Pad with a fellow employee. Carr says "Wow, this is a great reading experience," in which he follows up with "you know what this reminds me of?..a newspaper." There are a lot of funny lines like that from Carr throughout the film. While there are a lot of people we get to meet and share experiences with in Page One, Carr is the only one worth reviewing because he is the only one who brings a realism to his role as a reporter. I must add that seeing how all of these people live is fascinating, but Carr is truly the only one who makes Page One worth reading into.

Crazy, Stupid, Love. (2011)

From Michael Scott to Ladies Man, From Blue Valentine to Crazy Stupid Love

[29 July 2011]

When Steve Carrell left The Office, I was about as sad as I have ever been about a TV show. When Ryan Gosling struggled in both Half Nelson and Blue Valentine, I was about as sad as I have ever been about a movie. With those two statements being said, I really wanted a light romantic comedy, I was tired of all the sadness. I am glad to report I actually did not get that, at least not out of Steve Carrell's plot. I could have never imagined this film working as a drama..but now I could never imagine it working as a comedy. While Gosling is charming and does create a good amount of laughs in the film, the main focus is on Carrell's character, who's just a sad sack character. That being said, I loved not only Cal (Carrell's character), but I also loved Carrell himself in the film. Now that James Spader is joining The Office, and now that Carrell is throwing himself into a dramatic role, and doing a very good job at it, I could see myself really not missing Michael Scott much at all. Also, there are a lot of attractive women in this film, such as Emma Stone, Julianne Moore, and Marisa Tomei. They all have really good plots as well, especially Marisa Tomei. Kevin Bacon is also quite funny as Moore's co-worker/new boyfriend. To end my review, I must mention Robbie (Jonah Bobo) falling in love with Jessica (Analeigh Tipton), which I may have even liked more than Gosling or Carrell's plot. It's such a sweet plot, and Tipton and Bobo are rising young stars. Overall, don't go into Crazy Stupid Love expecting Carrell's next Date Night or Gosling's next Blue Valentine, go in expecting something in between those two. If you wish for either of those two and not the other, you're going to be disappointed, otherwise, just like me, you'll love it.

Cowboys & Aliens (2011)

Han Solo meets James Bond

[29 July 2011]

Cowboys & Aliens is a very hard movie to critique, but here's my attempt at trying to do so. Let me start off with the plot-a nameless man (Daniel Craig)wakes up in a western town with an irremovable bracelet on his wrist. Then, after meeting Percy (Paul Dano), town sheriff Woodrow Dolarhyde(Harrison Ford)'s incredibly obnoxious son, the whole town discovers there's..drum roll..aliens. Now, what did I think about the film, you may ask? Well, with such an original premise and such a ridiculous, but cool hybrid, this should have been so much more. Director Jon Favreau has always had an eye for even the most subtle visuals, even in films that don't need good visuals (Made, Elf, ETC). That being said, while Favreau continues his streak of visually stunning films with Cowboys & Aliens, nothing happens, and by that, I mean NOTHING. That being said, while nothing happens, I had a fun time with this film. This is one of those rare occasions in my years and years of movie going that I had a fun time in a movie where nothing happens. Ford & Craig are great, not only as their own characters, but they also play well off each other, and the supporting cast including Olivia Wilde, Sam Rockwell, and Dano are great as well. Overall, Cowboys & Aliens will make you happy you saw it, but it won't leave you with much to think about, or hell, even remember.

Friends with Benefits (2011)

The D**k in a box guy and Meg from Family Guy are "Friends With Benefits"

[27 July 2011]

In early 2011, we got No Strings Attached, a film I liked, didn't love, may I remind you, but liked. Now, not much further down the road we get the exact same premise. Don't believe how similar the premises are? Well, this movie is called Friends With Benefits, and No Strings Attached's tag line was "friendship has its benefits." Now, you're probably wondering...as an overall romantic comedy..how does Friends With Benefits compare to No Strings Attached? Well...they're almost the same..almost. I liked, but didn't love both of them. That being said, Friends With Benefits is fairly smarter, funnier, and more touching than No Strings Attached. This fact probably comes from the fact that No Strings Attacked was much more puerile, albeit funny humor, while Friends With Benefits is more mature about its sense of humor. Now, that was the first part of my review. I'm sorry if people found it pointless for me to compare one movie to another, but they're kind of asking for it. The second part of my review will consist of Friends With Benefits as a movie on its own. Now, I got to say, Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis work very well together. The chemistry is very fun here, and create a lot of raunchy laughs. That being said, Richard Jenkins as Justin Timberlake's father adds some much needed heart to the film, because you can't have a romantic comedy without having some heart. I also really liked Jenna Elfman as Timberlake's sister. That being said, there's such an unneeded amount of predictability and a lack of originality here. Overall, Friends With Benefits is a nice movie, whose central premise is not very original, but all the really solid performances and chemistry amongst its stars keep it afloat.

The Hangover Part II (2011)

The wolfpack is back..,kind of

[6/10 · 27 May 2011]

Two years ago, a movie came out that was so original and hilarious that it became the highest grossing r- rated comedy of all time. That movie was The Hangover, and now it's time for the obligatory sequel. With this sequel comes the most disappointing film thus far this year. That's not to say The Hangover 2 doesn't have its fair share of laugh out loud moments, and that's not to say it's the worst film of the year so far...it's just to say I was expecting so much more. The Hangover 2 is an exact copy of the first one except in the aspects of originality, humor, and just plain fun. In the original, Alan, Stu, and Phil lost the groom, Doug (who was left out of the gang again in this one...which felt really forced.) Now, Stu's getting married and they lose Teddy, Stu's fiancées younger, much more successful brother. Just like the first one, they have to go find out just what happened by going through a series of wacky events, but these events aren't wacky, they're just forced which ruins the whole point of the film. I won't tell the many people who are going to see this anyway no matter what I say what ends up happening to Teddy, but let's just say it's pretty mean spirited and dull. Also, Ken Jeong returns as Chow, which feels really tacked on and ruins every scene Chow is in. Overall, The Hangover 2 is very disappointing if not at times laugh out loud funny. At the average of $10 a ticket, it's just not worth it to see it in theaters. I'd say wait for Redbox or Netflix, if even that.

Fast Five (2011)

When The Rock and Vin Diesel throw down

[9/10 · 17 May 2011]

When Friday The 13th hit part 5, everyone had one word in mind-pathetic. When Saw hit part 5, only their most loyal fans stayed around. By the time Star Wars: The Phantom Menace (part 5 of the series) came out, everyone was booing. Now, you may ask yourself, what's the point of this little rant? Well, the point is that it's hard to keep a movie going with 4, or hell, even 3 sequels (just look at Scream 4.) That being said, Fast Five is the best in the series. Vin Diese, returns as Dominic, who escaped from jail and is sentenced at the beginning to more jail time. He promptly escapes and teams together a group of cons, thieves, and most importantly, car drivers for one last mission. Also returning are brother and sister Brian and Mia (Paul Walker and Jordana Brewster). All the veterans are really good, and Ludicrous is very funny as Tej, a newcomer who helps the guys out on their last mission, but the scene stealer here is Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson as Luke Hobbs, a cop who always gets his man. He's simultaneously funny and intense, and when him and Diesel throw down, everyone in the theater will be cheering. Fast Five is an exciting mix of action, comedy, and even a bit of drama. See Fast Five on the biggest, loudest, screen possible. It's the start of the summer movie season, and it's looking pretty solid.

Bridesmaids (I) (2011)

Knocked Up meets The Wedding Planner

[10/10 · 17 May 2011]

It's not easy to have a movie that appeals to both genders of audience. A couple films have successfully done it this year-The Adjustment Bureau, No Strings Attached, Win/Win, ETC, but Bridesmaids is the tip of the iceberg. As written by star Kristen Wiig and directed by Paul Fieg whose only other 2 movies include the flops I Am David and Unaccompanied Minors, Bridesmaids is a movie whose excellence I simply am having trouble translating to words, even as I sit here typing right now. The film stars Kristen Wiig as Annie, an unsuccessful bakery owner who is asked to be the maid of honor at her best, and only friend, Lillian (Maya Rudolph)'s wedding. There she meets the bridesmaids, rich and snobby Helen (Rose Byrne), married Becca (Ellie Kemper), unhappy mother Rita (Wendi McLendon-Covey), and sex-crazed, wacky Megan (Melissa McCarthy, who walks away with every scene she's in.) One of my favorite things about Bridesmaids is that there's not a bad apple in the bunch. By that I mean everyone, from the bridesmaids to the supporting cast, adds their own little special touch to the movie. Not a lot of movies have made me wish they were longer, especially at 2 hours, but Bridesmaids falls right into that short list. Bridesmaids may not be the best film of the year so far (Win/Win and Bill Cunningham: New York top that category,) but it's the funniest film of the year so far, and even, in years, and one you absolutely need to check out.

Hanna (2011)

I was bored

[2/10 · 28 April 2011]

Saoirse Ronan is a good actress...a really good actress. Kids who can kill people in movies are awesome if done right (just look at Hit-Girl). That being said, Saoirse Ronan playing a kid who can kill people was, well, to put it nicely, the biggest letdown in years. It's a sad day in movies when I can say the only good thing in a movie is the score by The Chemical Brothers. Going in, I was expected a smart action-revenge-thriller, but what I got was a movie that obviously did not have a lot of thought going into it. It's a mess in which Saoirse Ronan tries to attempt a Hit Girl meets James Bond character but it just ends up being a film about a dull meets duller character. Hanna never leaves the ground. It just stays there hoping you will be entertained by both mindless violence and mindless dialogue (both of which I was entertained by in many movies.) Even though I was entertained by both of these things in many movies, I wasn't in Hanna. The reason for this being that it just wasn't done well enough in Hanna. The talented performers Cate Blanchett and Eric Bana are also in it, but they're wasted as characters that don't really get their chance to shine. Hanna may leave a lot thinking it was quote on quote "cool", but I was bored, and if you have a mind for movies, or that matter, a mind for anything smart, you'll be bored, too.

Scream 4 (2011)

Don't mess with the original..ain't that right

[4/10 · 28 April 2011]

During the first ten minutes of Scream 4, I had hope. It seemed like it was going to be a good time that will poke fun at itself along with other movies. That being said, after that, the movie's plot starts. Yes, the first ten minutes are a fun poke at those horror movies we're all sick and tired of, but after that, it's the same thing as the first Scream, just not as much fun. The Ghostface Killer is back ten years after the original Woodsboro murders and this time he's out for everyone-both newcomers and veterans of the original series. I had some fun with the newcomers, especial Kirby (Hayden Panettiere), a perfectly sarcastic high schooler, and Robbie and Charlie (Rory Culkin and Erin Knudsen), two film buffs who know what the killer's up to. That said, this film focuses mostly on the veterans, who are so dull. I suppose these veterans, such as Courtney Cox, David Arquette, and, of course, Neve Campbell are tired after four of these movies, but that's no excuse for being so lethargic on screen. There's also a lot of stuff in Scream 4 that doesn't connect, and by that I mean contradicts the last 3 films. It might be a fun enough rental, but if it's playing at your local multiplex, which it probably is, don't pay movie theater prices to go see it.

The King's Speech (2010)

a performance driven masterpiece

[10/10 · 11 February 2011]

This year James Franco had to act against a rock and Jeff Bridges had to rehash The Duke himself but nothing beats Colin Farrell having to stutter. This is the performance of the year if not the decade and it having come out in theaters in the Christmas season of 2010 I almost had to wait 10 more years to make that statement. Colin Firth plays the stuttering King George VI whose wife The Queen Of England hires Lionel a speech teacher fantastically performed by Gwoffrey Rush. Lionel's an offbeat guy who has certain methods (the only ones that happen to work in all of England) to stop King George VI's stuttering. These could of easily been annoying performance that could have both been way over the top but both Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush mix the right amount of goofiness and heart into their performances.The King's Speech comes without flaws it's beautifully directed terrifically executed but most of all it's acted to the highest degree. This is the best acted film of this year and I can't see anyone else but Colin Firth winning best actor..he throws himself into the role and is painfully realistic.

Little Fockers (2010)

Yay, it's stupid, but come on, you all know you laughed at least a little

[6/10 · 3 January 2011]

Little Fockers is the third in a series of films that star Robert De Niro, Ben Stiller & Teri Polo. First, Greg met Jack, his girlfriend Pam's dad, then Jack meant Greg's parents. Now, a random assortment of jokes have been compiled with no real plot or point. That being said, for a movie like this, this is not a bad thing. Little Fockers is like leftover cake, it feels similar and you know it's bad for you, but you just can't help but enjoy it when you're eating it. The movie consists of a set up of jokes that never stop, some funny, some bland, some in between. By far my favorite thing about these movies is Robert De Niro as Jack, Pam's father. De Niro is hilarious and does not care what other people think of him on screen. Of course, seeing both De Niro and Dustin Hoffman as Bernie, Greg's father. Two great actors such as De Niro and Hoffman sharing the screen together is just magical, no matter how stupid the movie is. The whole cast plays well off of each other and it makes for quite a funny movie. Overall, Little Fockers is a fun time at the movies regardless of how stupid it is and I think if you don't mind some stupid with your comedy, then you should definitely check it out.