sklose32 Reviews

Avatar (2009)

Probably the greatest viewing experience I've ever had!

[9/10 · 19 December 2009]

Before seeing this film I knew virtually nothing about it. For the last couple of years I sporadically heard about Cameron and "Avatar".. But nothing specific. The only thing I did know was that this movie was gonna be in 3D and that it cost roughly half a billion $.

With that in mind I reserved my seat a couple of days ago. Even though it was the 2 pm showing there was already a large crowd gathered at the movie theater. When I finally came to the counter I was asked to pay €12 ($17)instead of €11 indicated on the reservation form. Another € was charged as a "3 D Handling Fee". Just to compare "2012" which was of similar length cost me €9,6 ($13,70)..

Actually I wasn't mad after all that.. I just thought that after all the hype and the money I just paid this better be good..

The movie didn't waste a lot of time and jumped immediately into the story. Our hero "Jake Scully" is a crippled war veteran who was approached by some gentlemen and given a job offer since his identical brother died and they've already created an Avatar suitable to his (or rather his brothers) DNA. He awakens after a 6 year cryo sleep and lands on the planet. His brother was a trained PhD who was well suited for the mission. The mission being that this planet is inhabited by a race who is about 3 times the size of humans and co-exists with it's environment (an ability we sometimes lack).. The Teamleader, who is played by Sigorney Weaver is at first not happy about this but then again, they have this avatar ready to be used. So what is an avatar? An avatar is a artificially created entity, which in appearance looks like a local inhabitant of this planet and can be completely controlled by the human it was made for. Why do we have those? Simple, since the indigenous people of this planet are rather hostile when it comes to outsiders, it was thought that it might be a great Idea if we can be made to look like them. Why all the effort? Because they inhabit a part of the planet where directly under them is a large quantity of an immensely valuable substance. And nice people that we are, we first try to get rid of them with peaceful means.. But back to the story. On his first mission Jake get's separated from his colleagues and meets one of the locals, a female of course.. Well, I don't wanna spoil too much but they become great friend and he learns the ways of these people. I forgot their name because it wasn't really important..

What is the most important thing about this movie is that you forget pretty fast that you are watching a movie. You are inside these big forests who look nothing like forests here on earth because everything is illuminated and just looks magical.. The plot, while pretty slim, is rather engaging and you really want to know how it's gonna end..

Effects wise .. Hmm this is so hard because this movie feels more like a dream after you are finished. You see so many incredible things in that movie. During the movie I turned to my girlfriend and said "I can't believe this movie cost ONLY half a billion".. And I wasn't joking.. What you will see in this movie is unlike anything you have seen before and since it's so unique if you don't watch it you'll probably never see it again. Also, don't wait for the Blu Ray, because the 3D Effect employed was so great and is not doable on BD. You get Glasses from the Movie Theater but they are just slightly tinted.. Not red and Green like the cheapo ones you get with a 3D Movie you'll watch at home.. Well I tried to give you the main points of the plot.. But beyond that it's really rather difficult to explain.. It's even more revolutionary than T2 was in '91.. So if you have any love for movies at all, Go and watch "Avatar"!

The Keeper (I) (2009)

Steven Seagal is back on track. Excellent movie with great action scenes

[8/10 · 2 November 2009]

From about 2002 to 2005 Seagal was really not very good at picking movies. Or maybe those he made were the only ones offered to him. Lately though, his pictures are getting better and better with each one. The last ones like Against the Dark, Kill Switch and Driven to kill were all pretty good movies. This latest one might have even made it into theaters if Seagal Movies didn't retain a certain distrust from the audience. As for the Plot: Seagal plays a Cop who is betrayed and shot by his partner, but survives. Soon after he is discharged from the force due to medical complications. Moments after getting the dismissal notice he receives a Call from an old friend of his who is now a rich property owner in Texas begging him to help him out with a big security problem. His daughter was recently the victim of a kidnapping attempt and he begs Seagal to look after her. Of course the noble knight can't refuse a plea from an old friend. Well long story short he travels there fights a lot of bad guys, kills a bunch of them and the whole process of doing so looks really great.

Of course this Movie can't keep up with $100 Million Productions but it can easily keep up with such movies as "War" or the "Transporter"-Movies.

For Seagal Fans this should be a no brainer and for fans of decent action flicks you might wanna try it.

Dead Snow (2009)

Excellent, innovative, gruesome and funny

[9/10 · 11 September 2009]

As it says on the Box of the Blu Ray: "Zombies, Nazis, Blood on Snow... It doesn't get any better".

I wanted this movie so badly every since I heard of it at some festival I attended. My expectations grew and grew ever higher. Then the title was finally released in the UK on DVD/Blu Ray on August 31st. I got it about a week later.

By that my expectations were skyhigh. And let me tell you, I was not disappointed.

At first I was a little mad that the movie only came with English Subs and was in it's original Norwegian Language. But honestly. It didn't bother me one bit. You get used to it so fast when the movie sucks you in.

The movie starts with 4 guys and 3 girls on their way to a secluded cabin where they want to spend their easter break. At night they get a visit from an old fellow who tells them that evil lives in that mountains since the time the people there had to cope with the Nazis invading their land and using it as a marine base and such. And they weren't really nice to the people living there. They abused them terrible. Until they had enough. They killed the Invaders and buried them in the mountains. After finishing the story the guy leaves with a warning.

Well from then on it's about 50 minutes of hardcore splatter action. Very well made one too. And funny at the same time like two guys hanging off a cliff with only the intestines of the guy who is still on top of the mountain to hang on too.

They find a lot of ways to kill the resurrected Nazis..

But it's not really a comedy. More a splatter movie (real hardcore) that doesn't take itself seriously.

I don't wanna tell you anymore but you should see that movie. It's just great.

Even with my skyhigh expectations.. I still found it really awesome..

Star Trek (2009)

Great Star Trek movie for today's audience

[10/10 · 9 May 2009]

I am a devoted Star Trek Fan since I was like 8 years old. Which is now about 25 years ago. Back then I watched the reruns every summer when I was out of school.

The were the movies.. I was still a bit young.

About the TV Shows: Then at 14 I discovered "Star Trek:TNG". I live in Austria and therefor everything on TV is in German. But I had one Satellite channel, SKY 1, back then which broadcast their stuff in English.. Well, so I began watching TNG every day at 9pm.. My English wasn't that great in the beginning but with Star Trek that improved rapidly. Because the Star Trek English is always very clear and understandable. From that grew my love for movies in their original Language. I haven't seen a film dubbed in German for about 15 years now and I am damn proud of that. Well, so I watched TNG. Began collecting the VHS Tapes. 2 Episodes for $35.. I owned (well Still do) all episodes of TNG, DS9 and Voyager on VHS.. You can imagine how much I spent for that. Then came the show "Enterprise" which I liked a great deal.. I was dead before it's time sadly..

As for the movies: I never saw the first one as a child or don't remember it. The second one, which is still my favorite I saw many times. The third one was okay but unnecassary.. 4.) Good fun 5.) WTF? 6.) Great reuinion and farewell of the original crew.. Excellent movie 7.) It was an OK movie but felt more like an expensive two parter of the Show.. Too many errors.. Like when Picard sits in his room and Riker enters through the Door that connects his room to the bridge and when Riker enters it's totally dark behind him.. Aside from such minor stuff I enjoyed that movie.. 8.) Man, Frakes made an awesome movie. This one is my 2nd favorite in the series.. It's just great 9.) Did they force Frakes with a Gun to make that movie? 10.) Well, OK movie but for today's audience a little too boring

And now the new movie:

After having seen the trailer I was going in with immense expectations. And they were surpassed. It was such a great movie. It was one of the very few Prequels that actually worked. It explained most things in a logical fashion.. Not like they did in Star Wars where the Force becomes some small organisms that live inside you instead of that spiritual thing we all adored. J.J. really did what had to be done to bring Star Trek across to todays audience. The only thing he might have overdone is that the story and therefor everything that happens hinges to much on improbable coincidences. A little like his show "Lost".. But aside from that we get some memorable characters.. Especially Karl Urban as "Bones" really captured DeKelly's Essence..

Also like some people claim according to a bunch of sources this isn't an alternate reality. This is how it always was and always will be. Although Chekov actually comes on board when the Ship is on it's mission for a already a year (See beginning of Season 2 of TOS)

But if you are a SCI-FI Fan or an old Trekkie like me, go and watch the movie!

10/10

The Getaway (1994)

Great remake of a wonderful Movie

[8/10 · 20 September 2008]

I usually hate it, when they go back and look for movies to redo just to earn some cheap cash.

In this case I feel differently though.

It begins with the cast. A lot of (then) hot actors like Alec Baldwin, Kim Basinger, Michael Madsen, James Woods... Need I go on?

Also they kept most of the basic plot and elevated it to a new level. The new version is bolder and should appeal to a new audience.

It's a classic tale of deception, love, and betrayal.

First our Hero, Doc (Baldwin) get's thrown in Jail. After a year his wife (his back then actual wife Kim Basinger) makes a deal with the crook turned respected businessman Jack Benyon. He's to rob a racetrack. For this Benyon already assembled a team. That includes the guy that was kind of responsible for Doc getting sent to jail for a year.

The heist goes off almost without a hitch but from that moment on everything goes south. first Rudy (Madsen) kills the 4th guy involved in the thing and then tries to off Doc and his wife. Doc's of course faster with the gun and hurts Rudy badly. He survives though, because he wore a bulletproof vest, which he usually doesn't. Then doc and his wife head up to Benyons place to split up the money. Benyon (Woods) of course has other plans. Plans that involve Docs Wife (a really hot looking Basinger). But she opts to go with her husband and kills Benyon. So no they not only have Benyons Guys on their tail but also the very pi**ed off Rudy.

If I were to continue telling you the plot there would be no need for you to watch the movie.

Just let me tell you that it's a great remake that tops the original in several aspects. The acting is top notch by almost all the major characters. The action is fast paced and very violent. (I base this on the unrated HD-DVD).

So if you have a few bucks lying around. Get this movie, I am pretty sure you can get it for under $10 in about every big store..

Wanted (2008)

Great popcorn entertainment

[9/10 · 8 September 2008]

The story is about Wesley Gibson. A loser, stuck in a boring job. His best friend is fu**ing his girlfriend. But that's all going to change. On day he learns that his father was a top assassin, belonging to a secret organization that disposes of people who deserve it. While being in a convinience store Wesley is rescued from an assassination attempt by the the ultra cool Fox (Angelina Jolie). After that he quickly realizes his destiny and gets trained in all the deadly arts. What follows is a thrill ride that contains action that is so over the top that it's almost unbelievable. But it looks great and is entertaining.

Also the plot of the movie has a few interesting twists.

Morgan Freeman is the only cast member who seems kinda out of place as he is obviously unchallenged by the material. He is too good an actor for the insignificant role he is given.

Aside from that little flaw the movie is almost perfect Action Entertainment. With stunts that make it hard for you to not cry "WOW" out in your theater seat. If you like action, you will certainly not be disappointed by this movie.

My recommendation: Shut off your brain and go and enjoy this movie

The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (2008)

Great entertainment. Over the top action, good humor

[9/10 · 15 August 2008]

As a fan of the first two installments I was happy to hear that a 3rd one was gonna hit theaters. Then I checked IMDb and saw that it only got a rating of 5.4/10. Still, as a fan of the first two I went into the movie with high expectations. And oh boy, I wasn't disappointed. The plot in short: O'Connells son digs up the remains of an ancient evil emperor. Who, if brought back to life, will bring havoc to all mankind. So after a few twists he enlists the help of his father (Brandan Fraser and his wife) who are both retired by now but happily come back for one last mission. It's hard to describe the movie because it's one thrill after another. You go from a chase on the streets of china to a battle in the mountains and then to an really epic battle in the desert.

What can I say, the movie is really, really entertaining, it contains a lot of great humor and also features special effects which are rivaled by no other movie I have ever seen.

So despite some bad reviews this movie is definitely worth seeing. It delivers fun for the whole family.

Don't let yourself be bothered by some fan boys who gave this movie a bad review. Go out and watch it and decide for yourself. If you liked the first two you will love this one.

The X Files: I Want to Believe (2008)

Halfway decent Thriller. Has nothing to do with the X-Files though

[4/10 · 25 July 2008]

I went to the first show on the first day they showed this movie. Even though I heard beforeheand that there wouldn't be any aliens or conspiracies I didn't expect that kind of "movie".

In the beginning they ask Mulder to help with the search of a missing Agent. Telling him that all would be forgiven if he did so. (Which is kinda strange, if you remember the last episode of the show: He was convicted of murder and sentenced to death by lethal injection but he escaped).. Well Mulder accepts, Scully, who norw works as a full time doctor sometimes also helps out a bit. Then we have a child molestor who has visions..

I don't wanna give away too much but this movie doesn't deserve to have "X-Files" in it's title. It wouldn't even have been a good two-parter of the show.

In my opinion this movie is about as good as your run in the mill "Made for TV-Thriller".. They could have made an x-files special on TV out if it but they tried to cash in. Which I am pretty sure will not work because word of mouth will kill the Box office.

If you are in the mood for a regular thriller than you might like it. But there have been much better efforts than this. Honestly, I expected much more of Chris Carter.

Only good thing: You get to see Mulder and Scully again.

Rambo (2008)

Possibly the best Rambo yet

[8/10 · 7 June 2008]

The Plot: Rambo drives a few Christian Samaritans into Burma with his boat. They get captured. He joins a group to rescue them.

So much so good.

The story is kept simple as we are used to from previous Rambo Movies.

The movie is a bit different from the rest of the franchise. This movie really concentrates on the misery of the people in Burma. It goes a long way actually to show their suffering. In doing that the movie becomes very gory. I am actually pretty bloodthirsty when it comes to action movies. I really love violence. What I saw in this movie though, was actually a bit much. I did hear before that this movie was pretty violent but nothing could have prepared me for that kind of violence. Still, it does do it's job in conveying the misery of the people.

The movie is also a drama.

Actually the action part of the movie is mostly concentrated to a big slaughter sequence at the end. Before that there are only a few short action beats.

Still, this is a really good movie. If you enjoy violence then this is the right movie for you. If only to check out how far people dare to go these days.

Pistol Whipped (2008 Video)

"Pistol Whipped" is almost an A-Movie

[9/10 · 31 May 2008]

First a few words about the plot. Steven Seagal is Matt. An Ex-Detective who is addicted to gambling and also does drink quite a bit. He is divorced and has gambling debts all over town. A mysterious stranger buys all his debt in exchange for Matt's services. Which are to eliminate some bad guys. The final target is someone though, who is quite close to Matt.

So much so good. It sounds like a regular Steven Seagal movie. It's not though. Let's begin with the production values. Despite costing only about 10 Million $ the movie looks pretty good. It seems that Seagal earned his was back in the states as his recent movies are no longer shot in Bulgaria or Romania but rather in the states. The camera work in this movie is top notch. Really stylish. The camera-work alone makes the movie look like it cost about 20 million more than it actually did. The score is also great. Not just for Seagal standards. It actually holds up even against real movies. The acting is also pretty good. In this movie Seagal doesn't look like he really doesn't wanna be there like he did in a few other DTV titles he did. The other extras are also above average. Lance Herniksens short appearance in the movie is also memorable.

Like I said, this movie looks good enough to be in theaters. Just a few little things here and there could be better. Overall, it seems that Seagal got back whatever it was that he lost.

So I give this 9 out of 10. (I gave Indiana Jones 4 only a 7 out of 10. Both movies I rated in perspective to the previous ones).

If you enjoy Seagal even a little, you won't be disappointed with this one.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)

A lot better than expected

[7/10 · 30 May 2008]

I wasn't sure what to expect when I walked in "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" today. There were plenty of bad reviews for sure. So I really went in with pretty low expectations. What was delivered on the other hand, was a solid Indiana Jones movie with all the right ingredients. I will not waste time with telling you the plot again. To be honest, the movie really has everything a fan would expect. A lot of action, some comedy, memorable bad guys (or bad girls in this case). My only beef with the movie is that it sometimes tried to do a bit too much. There are things happening in this movie where you kinda think "No way in hell". I know, that we kind of expect that from this kind of movie but some stuff was really out there. It was also nice to see Karen Allen again. Without telling you anything about the movies plot I can safely say, that if you liked the first three outings you will like this one too.

Until Death (2007)

I don't believe it. Van Damme actually can act!

[9/10 · 22 May 2008]

I really was pleasantly surprised by this little movie. I guess most of you know the plot already. Van Damme is a pretty good, but sadly heroin addicted cop. His wife is gonna leave him. Everything is turning south. Then he get's shot and falls in a coma for 6 month. Then he awakens and rebuilds his life. Sadly his old nemesis hasn't let go. So it all comes to the inevitable showdown. What sounds like the plot to a nice little action movie is actually more a drama/thriller than just a simple action movie. To be exact, there isn't really that much action in the movie. Is it still worth watching? Definitely. Especially because Van Damme really delivered in this movie. Some of the other cast sadly seem a bit lost during the whole thing. Aside from that the movie is really compelling and you can really get into it. It's a real departure from the regular JCVD movies. The movie has a few negative aspects too, sadly. First and foremost the production value seems really low. The movie cost about 15 Million but actually looks even cheaper. It really shows that most if it was filmed in Bulgaria. Many people have complained about the end of the movie. I saw the European version which had the dramatic ending, not the mega happy ending. So I was pleasantly surprised that the ending even made me feel something. Final words: If you are looking for a cheap action movie, you better go with a recent Steven Seagal Film. This one is actually a compelling Drama with action Elements. Definitely worth watching.

Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007)

Not too bad - for a B Movie

[6/10 · 1 May 2008]

I was aware from the beginning that the movie was supposed to be pretty bad. So I didn't have really high expectations. To be honest, I kinda liked this movie. Finally a movie that doesn't try to be PG-13 at all cost. It's hard to say anything about the movie since it has almost no plot. It's kind of a teenager splatter movie. With a bit of sci-fi in the mix. What I really didn't like about the movie was, that it mostly took place during the night. Which resulted in the fact that you mostly don't know what's going on. There are a few very nice splatter scenes. They would have been even nicer if the screen wasn't dark though. I am not gonna talk a lot about the plot, since most of you do know it already.

So my recommendation is the following: If you look for a gory movie that doesn't make you think too much AVP: Requiem might be the right movie for you.

The Simpsons Movie (2007)

I don't know what they could have done better

[10/10 · 22 August 2007]

I won't go to much into the plot of the movie. I guess everyone knows it by now. Homer causes bad pollution. The city is put under a dome and faces destruction. Now Homer has to rescue it. That's besides the point though. I found it really strange, that some Critics gave this movie a C Rating. The jokes in this movie are enough to serve about 30 regular movies. And still make all of them better than average. It was a really great experience to see this film at the movies. Everybody loved it and most people were laughing throughout the movie because there are rarely more than 15 seconds between major jokes. I wont even start with all the little subtle things. I can really and honestly recommend this movie to EVERYBODY. A cinema full of entertained people even furthers the great experience. I guess it won't be so extremely good an experience when the movie comes out on DVD and you watch it alone at home. The movie is enjoyable even if you don't like the TV Show that much. (Which I don't really anymore..) The movie is really great and doesn't have even one weak moment. ***Possible Spoiler starts here*** The only thing that I found strange is that everything was dumped in the lake and nothing happened. Then Homer dumps a few pounds of Pigpoo in there and suddenly Springfield is the most polluted City in the entire US?? I know it's a comedy. But the movie had like 150 writers or so.. They could have come up with something better.

7 Dwarves: The Forest Is Not Enough (2006)

Not the best - not a worthy sucessor to the pretty good first part

[3/10 · 27 March 2007]

Despite what a lot of other people thought about the first movie, I really liked it. This one however. How to sum it up in one word?: This movie is (and here comes the word): CRAP!

But let's look at it part by part: Here is the plot: Finally the old queen has been removed from her castle, but her successor: Snow white has problems of another sort: The Court-Jester, Father of her son, has gone astray, as the super, Spliss, goes to the extreme, to battle his gray hair and sells the royal offspring for some blond and full hair. In her desperation Snow white seeks the help of Bubi (Otto Walkees),who must first find his other six dwarf companions and then try to find the royal offspring or at least try to find the name of Rumpelstiltskin.

The whole plot seems to have been written on a weekend, where the writers were very drunk but were just under pressure from the studio to write the screenplay.

Yes, there are some good jokes. Even for fans of the first part, or for fans of any of the other actors, it's really not worth buying the the DVD. Believe me.

The only thing, that at least kind of saves the movie from complete oblivion, are the performances of some of the actors. That's why I gave the move 3/10. Sadly, the script is so bad that none of the actors or all of them combined can make up for the bad story.

For example, at one point, they even cross over in our reality, and sadly.. they don't do anything funny while being here.

Still, a lot of great actors in this movie: Otto Waalkes, Ralf Schmitz, Martin Schneider, Nina Hagen, Cosma Shiva Hagen, (Especially funny): Rüdiger Hoffmann as the mirror, Helge Schneider and many more but sadly all these comedians aren't able to bring this really bad script to life.

Maybe it is a treat for some hardcore fans but for regular movie goers or by now DVD Renters or buyers it's not worth the money.

I even regret renting the movie.

My Führer (2007)

A lot more than I expected

[9/10 · 17 February 2007]

Before writing my commentary, I should tell you that I went into the Movie theater not really expecting a Movie that I would call a total smash hit. The reasons for my low expectations regarded mostly the lead, "Helge Schneider". If you were unfortunate enough and saw one of his previous works you know what I probably expected. In this movie however, he proved that he actually can act. (And quite well if I may say so). The story starts 5 days before the End of 1944. Berlin is totally destroyed and Hitler (brilliantly portrayed by Schneider) is supposed to give a new years speech. The Minister for Propaganda, Joseph Goebbels, however feels, that Hitler lost his touch. So he enlists a Jewish Professor to help him get Hitler ready for the speech. It's a long story why exactly this person is chosen, so I won't bother you with it. After being freed from the Concentration Camp he and his family (who also has been freed) he begins tutoring Hitler. The movie contains a lot of these scenes which, once again, showcase the brilliance of "Helge Schneider" (Hitler) and "Ulrich Müehe" (Prof. Adolf Israel Grünbaum). There are a lot of other small story lines throughout the movie but I am really trying to give you an Idea of what's going on in the main-story. The final Information I will give you about the plot is, that 'Goebbels' isn't convinced that Adolf Hitler can actually do what's required of him, so he comes up with another plan. So much for the story. Now for the movie. The movie is packed from beginning to end with jokes about Hitler, their need to greet themselves with "Heil Hitler" all the time, the excessive bureaucracy in the third Reich also provides a LOT of very good jokes. Well, I guess the only way for you to find out is to go to the Movie theater yourselves, which is was reluctant to do. I paid so off though, that I watched this movie. There is not a single minute in that movie where you are not forced to laugh, sometimes even out loud. I know that there is a lot of controversy surrounding this movie, but I can only say the following about it: Go and decide for yourselves. My opinion is though, that this movie doesn't take the matter at hand too lightly and shouldn't threaten anyones believes. It was time that a German Director had the guts to make a Comedy about this. Finally I want to say that this Film is by far not as tame as commented by some.

An Evening with Kevin Smith 2: Evening Harder (2006 Video)

Still interesting but not as fun as the first one

[9/10 · 24 December 2006]

The first difference you notice is that this is not material cut from several Q & A's he did. On Disc 1 you will see a show he did in Toronto. From start to finish. On Disc 2 you will find a Q & A he did in Great Britain. That fact is important because you notice that he is very aware that this is a show that is coming out on DVD. So he desperately tries to come up with somewhat interesting stories and also he really tries to be funny and doesn't just let the stories evolve. On the first 'Evening with Kevin Smith' Edition you didn't get the impression that he was under some kind of pressure to produce a certain product. You will notice that he even mentions the title 'Evening Harder' a couple of times. But aside from that there is nothing more to say, just 4 hours of Kevin Smith talking. If you are a fan you will enjoy it. Even if you are not a fan it is funnier than most stand-up's that are currently circulating. There is one thing though that I didn't like and no other Smith Fan could possibly like: The Material shown to us on this 2-Disc Set is pretty out-dated. The producers could have made an effort to bring us some more up-to-date material. Aside from that, what can I tell you? You see Smith standing on stage for about 4 hours telling stories that are funny and often interesting but have sometimes (quite often actually) not much to do with the question asked. A welcome surprise was to see an, obviously, drug-free Jason Mewes on stage. Of interest to those people who know the first 'Evening with Kevin Smith' should also be that he does a couple of follow up stories. As for me, I really enjoyed it and I guess every Kevin Smith Fan will too. 4 Hours of listening to Kevin Smith is still funnier than watching a regular comedy flick. PS: You see him come up and perform the Lord of the Rings bit that ended up as a scene in Clerks 2.

Ghosts of Mars (2001)

A pretty solid Action/Horror Movie

[8/10 · 8 September 2006]

First of all let me say, that I usually like Carpenter's Movies. Especially this one and Vampires were great. But lets get back to 'John Carpenter's Ghosts of Mars'. It has a pretty original (we somewhat original) plot. In which the inhabitants of a small mars outpost are turning into vicious killing machines. I especially liked Ice Cubes performance. The movie starts on the premise that a security detail is supposed to bring "Desolation Williams" (Ice Cube) back to Chrisey to stand trial for murders he supposedly has committed. The cast includes some well known names, such as 'Pam Grier', Jasaon Statham'the previously mentioned Ice Cube and finally Natash Henstridge. I must warn you though, the movie is nothing for people who want to see just another Sci-Fi Movie. It is very, very Brutal. The story reveals that the miners discovered some sort of a quasi dead life form that can possesses other people. Well that said you can guess what comes after that. The team has to fight them and safely get back. I don't want to spoil the movie for you but it is a very gory sf horror movie by John Carpenter, a Director that brought as such good movies as: Vampires, Halloween, Escape from N.Y. and L.A and so on...

Knockaround Guys (2001)

Not all that bad

[6/10 · 11 August 2006]

The story is pretty simple. The son of a wiseguy trusted his friend to bring like 500.000 $ back from somewhere. But his friend, who was flying the plane got a little high on coke and got a little paranoid, so he placed the bag with the money somewhere while he had his plane refueled. Sadly the bag got on another plane by mistake and well.. He and his friends go to the Town the plane went to. I mean it has interesting characters played by great actors like Dennis Hopper, John Malkovich, Vin Diesel and finally Seth Green. The movie consists of a lot of profanity, a bit of drug use, a little bit of violence. (something for everyone).. Well and it's just light entertainment. You can't expect too much of this movie. The main problem is that the movie itself isn't sure what it wants to be. I mean, is it a comedy or a thriller or what? My final thought: Even though it's produced by Lawrence Bender (Tarantinos Producer), it is NOT a movie that inherits the qualities of most of his other producing ventures. But it is still watchable and a nice avocation so lets say 6/10

Envy (2004)

A movie about 'Envy' and what it can do to people

[7/10 · 27 May 2006]

Well, I guess you know the Story. Just a short refresher: Jack Black plays 'Nick Vanderpark', a guy that does pretty much nothing all day. Working at the same company as his friend who I am about to describe. Black is playing opposite Ben Stiller who is portraying 'Tim Dingman' a pretty regular guy who goes to work. Earns his pay. Which ain't that much but it is his. But one Day 'Nick' has the Idea of a spray that would vaporize Dog Pooh. Well, this Idea when implemented into a real working product makes 'Nick' rich over Night. But he decides to stay in the area. Just with a house that is like 50 times bigger than all the other houses there. Well 'Tim' is getting more envious by the minute (hence) the title. To be honest I think a lot of people were bias when seeing this movie because of the bad press. Hence it's poor B.O. But let's finish our story first. One Night 'tim' get's really drunk and shoots 'Nick's' White Horse by mistake. The very skillfully and funny played Charakter of Christopher Walken helps 'Tim' to dispose of the animal. But from that point on everything is turning bad for 'Nick' People are beginning to ask "Where does the Poo go?". There are even Rally's held be people who are asking the question mentioned above. After having made 'Tim' a partner in his company they are addressing people near a river and explaining where the poo goes and the horse is floating by. After it's examination it is concluded that it was in fact not killed by the arrow but instead by the chemicals included in 'nicks' product. Which in fact means that they are broke. Because of course after finding that out the product is removed from the shelves and everything follows. But the movie ends with them sitting somewhere (I think it was and airport) and this time 'Tim' had and idea. So it is more or less a happy ending. Well, this concludes the story. And even though most people didn't like the movie I found it a rather refreshing comedy with lot's of gags included. and a lot of chances to laugh out loud. So if you don't want to commit to buying the DVD just rent it at your local Videostore and then decide. I mean Jack Black and Ben Stiller. What can go wrong. And btw: in the credits you find out what the new product is.

Another 48 Hrs. (1990)

Not as good as the first, but still entertaining

[8/10 · 6 May 2006]

The Movie begins with a meeting of a few bikers. Then a some cops arrive and get killed. (who could have guessed). Then you see a racetrack where some money-exchange is taking place. After a shootout between a guy and Jack Cates (Nick Nolte). There is a little explosion but they don't find the other guys gun. So Jack is in big problems because he is likely to be charged with manslaughter. Jack visits Reggie (Eddie Murphy) in prison and tells him that he only gets his money (which Jack stored for him) if he helps him. Reggie gets really mad. BTW: Reggie says he was in prison for 7 years which gets explained later. Because in Part 1 they always talked about (I think) just a few (like 2 or so, but don't hold me to that) years. Oh and on of the bikers, who are supposed to kill Reggie is the brother of the bad guy in the first movie. Well, Reggie gets out of the Prison and is on his bus. while that happens there is an attempt on Jack's Life. Because he is on the search for a ominous Drugdealer called :The Iceman. (BTW: I missed something before: Reggie was in his cell alone and singing to his James Brown tape. Looks exactly as it did in Part one. When the movie came out, I read that this Scene was put in to compensate Eddie Murphies Wishes. But it was funny one time. The second time it looks kinda out of place.). All that happens in the first 10 minutes of the movie. So you can imagine that there is a lot of action in this movie. After a while they get to be good buddies during the movie again. It's very similar to the first movie. And a lot of scenes are kind of just copied from the first one (I mean storywise) Since Walter Hill had 8 Years to come up with a new and entertaining and sometimes funny story. But the movie just hasn't the charm of the first movie. Though if you enjoy either Eddie Murphy or Nick Nolte You'll like it I will not spoil the rest of the movie for you if you haven't seen it yet and tell you who the iceman is. Now it get's explained why Reggie was in the Can longer. He was framed for illegal money possession in Jail. Since Jack doesn't give Reggie his Money they have to work together, and Reggie isn't happy about it. Nobody from the Force believes Jack about the "Iceman"... Well the story develops as you might think.. They go through a lot and become good buddies again. I am watching the Movie right now. The revelation who the "Iceman" is, that is the only real surprise in this movie, the rest is real predictable. Well it's a typical "Buddie Movie" as they did back then (like from the middle 80ties to the beginning of the nineties)... like the first Lethal Weapon Movie. First the two don't like each other and during the movie they become best friends.(It's sad that they, for the most part, don't make 'em like this anymore).. If you like these kinds of movies you will like this one.. I like them from back when they were new, so I still do. But if you are used to Movie like they make 'em today , I really don't know if you will enjoy it. But it is a pretty good movie. Watch it and decide for yourself. And if you haven't seen Part 1 (48 Hours) get that one too. O.K. I will watch the rest of the movie now and enjoy myself. One last thing: I really think, the movie is worth 7 out of 10 points.

Scary Movie 4 (2006)

Great Movie - Extremely Funny

[9/10 · 28 April 2006]

To be honest, when I went to the Movie Theater I wasn't expecting that this one is even more funny and outrageous than the last one. When the franchise was passed from Wayans to Zucker in the previous one I was a little disappointed, but already with Part 3 David Zucker proved me wrong, because his first take was already very, very funny. (It's just sad that they went for the PG-13 rating (Parts 3 & 4)) . But this one, oh man! It's so funny you sometimes don't catch a joke because you are still laughing from the previous one. When I went to see it, there where only like 8 people in the theater but like after a minute or so I seemed like the room was full. ( I am from Austria (where the language is German), but I of course went to a Theater where they showed it in English, because when they dub, it they always try to change the jokes, of which they think people don't get, so they change it to something similar from the country the movie is dubbed for (And you never know what the original gag was about. ). So you have to watch it in English. And you must be up-to-date with American pop-culture to get every joke. But there is one thing I was wondering about. They recreated most of the key sequences of 'War of the Worlds' (which here looked sometimes even better). And this movie only cost like 45 Million $. 'War of the Worlds' cost 132 Million $. Just wondering where all that money went. (Guess to Tom Cruise). Back to Scary Movie 4: The "Saw" stuff was also extremely funny. And what they managed in this movie what they didn't manage this good in the previous one was combining all the spoofs and have a constant story line that included all the spoofs and yet having a solid story line. And for those who are wondering: You don't have to have seen all the movies they make fun of to enjoy it. It's still funny if you don't know the source material. Like I haven seen 'the Grudge' but I still got the jokes. And one of the funniest short sequences, in my humble opinion, is the 'Brokeback Mountain' spoof. They must have put that in in the last minute. If I would tell you which movies they made fun of I still wouldn't spoil it because you don't know what they do with it. So after blabbering for a while I can only give you one advice: WATCH IT!!! And by the way: You don't need to see and of the previous ones. Except for some names, nothing remains from any of them. I hope you enjoy the movie as much as I did. Can't wait for some sort of Special Edition DVD. Enjoy!!! Greetings from Vienna.

Today You Die (2005 Video)

Well, if compared to the latest Seagal movies this one is great

[9/10 · 11 October 2005]

Seagal, once again he wants out of something. Usually it's the Cia or the Military. This time he wants to quit being a thief. But on the first day of his new job as a driver for money a diamonds it seems that he is being set up. Well.. so he tries to split, destroying a lot of cop cars during that attempt. Well then he leaves the car with 20 Million $ somewhere and gets picked up by the police. Suddenly he finds himself in Jail. (Without a trial I mind you). In the Penetentiary he makes a fried who helps him escape. And further a bad thing for him: He kinda forgot where he stashed the money. And the guy he is now after is kinda involved in the setup but he needs the money also. And of course nobody knows if the the Guy, called Max by the way, is still alive or not. (I becomes clear later on but I don't want to spoil it for you). Well and then there is his girlfriend having visions. Why and what for.. nobody knows... Oh and there is a lot of stuntman replacement for Seagal even when it's not necessary. BUT: Compared to his last movies like Submerged, Into the sun and other, well not so really good movies this one is a real masterpiece. So I rated it with 9. But that's on a Seagal Scale... On a regular Scale it would be 3 or 4.. Oh and for the Actionfans: there is a lot of it and really bloody.. so if that's what you are looking for you are gonna get it... regards, Stephan

Detention (2003)

Man, this is a bad movie

[6/10 · 19 September 2005]

To slightly correct my summary line: It's not all bad. It begins portraying a High-School in what I can, as a European Citizen, a very bad neighborhood. Every Kid has an attitude. Well after a phone call it gets clear that Lundgren got a very good offer for another job in a good neighborhood. So he gives his resignation immediately. The Pricipal sticks him with Detention for some very bad kids. Well then some drug dealers arrive and are planning a big deal and have a good plan for an exit. Which would by the way be totally unnecessary in real live and is completely a lot of stress for nothing.. I don't know why they planned that. Well what shall I say.. Bad guys in the school (since they want to make there drug deal there because they think nobody would suspect anything). Well guess what: Dolph Lundren and the brats (well older ones but still brats) unite to get out of school alive. In the beginning nobody likes anyone else but then.. well guess what.. They find a way to work together and do what is always being done. Kill one of the bad guys after the next. Since the badguys wisely go around alone... They would have a much greater chance if they went together in higher numbers they could take their enemies. But of course then the kids couldn't take them and the movie would be a lot shorter. But now: 1 Guy against some kids plus sometimes Dolph when he is not alone doing, well what he does.. Oh and I forgot: In the real beginning.. when the DVD Player says: 00:00:01 you begin to see him as part of a special unit in bosnia ten years ago where he is helping children out of a building that's going to be bombed. But with one kid he is too late, the kid is taken by a terrorist.. Well after that it switches to the school and so it begins... regards, Stephan from Austria But: It's not boring to watch.. you just have to sit there and watch. You don't have to think.. If you are looking just to be entertained, well this movie is kinda like Die Hard, but cheaper.

Miami Supercops (1985)

The last call for the long lasting Team of Bud Spencer & Terence Hill

[7/10 · 27 August 2005]

I have to admit, writing about this movie is kind of sad. But there is one thing I have to say upfront. Don't watch it in German, because what they speak there has nothing to do with the original.. Which I, by the way could not figure out in what language it was made, but I guess it was Italian. At the beginning you see Bud Spencer flying in a helicopter, if you switch to English his voice and the lips are in complete sync.. as for Terence Hill you have to switch to Italian to get the perfect sync, but aside from that let's begin: Well they are both pretty were getting older.. Bud was 56 at the time and Terence was 46. If you don't watch it in German, Miami Supercops is the only movie of them where there is a real big Plot and only one big fight at the end. But even without the stupid German dubbing, where every sentence has to be funny there are a few very, very funny scenes.. And this movie has, as I said a plot, pretty complex for Bud/Terence Standards... (Oh, and If you look above, you'll see that on the amazon board it says that it's not available in Germany on DVD. That's an Error. It is under the name, under which it was released in Germany back in 85: Miami Cops, available on DVD for 10,95 Euro)... Since I don't have to tell you what the movie is about.. You can read that in the details of the movie just let me say: It's by for not their worst movie. The music is appropriate to the mid-80's (kinda like Miami Vice).. Well it's an o.k. Movie and well worth the 10,95 Euro at Amazon.de .. To best describe it.. A funny Action Thriller.. And the last with both Actors in it.. And now I don't think they will act together again.. So if you wanna get only one movie of them, get that one.. (It's both of them and only 1 real big stupid fight) Or if you like the fights you can get any of the others... ANY!!! But you see that they are both tired of making their movies.. But if you check for them you will see that they both made something after their "Buddy Movies". Well, I like it. Oh and you can watch it in German if you are real drunk.. Then you will laugh like hell.. That's about it.. Can't thing about more to say about this movie Stephan