Faster (2010)

2.5 / 5  Aug '11
Tagline:  Justice is swift. Vengeance is faster.
Directed by:  George Tillman Jr.
Written by:  Tony Gayton, Joe Gayton
Actors include:  The Rock, Maggie Grace, Billy Bob Thorton
Genre:  Action, Thriller
Length:  98 minutes
Banned:  Nope

Review: 
Well, I'll start with the pros, which include that it's violent and that it's a revenge movie.  Ahem, the cons...well that's a slightly longer list.  The acting was laughable (seriously why is The Rock an actor again?), and the plot was hilariously predictable and eye rollingly cliche.  The plot is about a fellow called Driver (the Rock of course) who gets out of prison and then goes for revenge!  See turns out that he and his brother are shot up by some bad guys so he's gonna get them back come hell or high water.  We also have Officer Billy Bob Thorton on the prowl trying to solve the case.  They at least try to throw a few surprises the way of the viewer, however I wouldn't say they were very effective nor surprising.  Just the same if you want a simple shoot 'em up revenge flick you could do worse I suppose.

Availability:  on Blu-Ray & DVD

X-Men: First Class (2011)

3.5 / 5 Jun '11
Tagline: Witness the origin
Directed by: Matthew Vaughn
Written by: Ashley Miller, Zack Stentz
Actors include: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence
Genre: Sci-Fi, Action, Adventure
Length: 132 minutes
Banned: Nope

Review:
I wouldn't say I'm a big fan of the series, though I've barely explored it. I saw the first X-Men movie back when it came out, thought it was alright but never bothered with any of the sequels. Luckily for me this is filmed in such a way that seeing the first film was all I really needed. It goes back to the '60s when Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr were friends and learning to use their powers together. Together they recruit other mutants and start teaching them to use the power within to try to stop a missile crisis that could blow destroy everything. Be prepared for a ton of neat action sequences, some cheesy montages, and of course some neat mutant activity. They also did a rather good job of tying it into the first movie (heck even Wolverine makes a cameo which is the best part of the film) and yet it didn't feel like they were retreading. I did feel it went on a little long, and a bit of trimming from the beginning wouldn't have hurt, but for the most part it was satisfying and it covered a lot of territory. It's made me curious what I've missed with the other sequels, that is for sure.

Availability:  Still in theatres currently

Priest (2011)

3 / 5  May '11 
Tagline:  The War is Eternal. His Mission is Just the Beginning.
Directed by:  Scott Charles Stewart
Written by:  Cory Goodman, Min-Woo Hyung
Actors include:  Paul Bettany, Cam Gigandet, Maggie Q
Genre:  Thriller, Horror, Action, Western
Length:  87 minutes
Banned:  Nope

Review:
Well, this was my first ever 3D movie in the theater, and unfortunately it didn't really utilize this tool very effectively but it did add a nice touch or two.  The particularly stellar part was the Gothic animation in the beginning sequences, it's too bad they didn't use more of this throughout the film.  What they did use were CGI vampires that resembled Marilyn Manson, ridiculously laughable script ("Kill 'Em All") and some of the most implausible action sequences (oh I'm talking about you stones thrown into the air that were used as steps) I think I've ever seen.  Conceptually it's decent enough, it's about a war that occurred between humanity and vampires and Priests were the saviors of humans.  They have since disbarred and been outcast in society and must work demeaning tasks.  The vampires were supposedly vanquished (note I said "supposedly") which leads us to our next problem.  A family are brutalized and a daughter Lucy held captive by vampires, of course the way this works is that a Priest is related to her.  He must leave his Priesthood in order to kick some butt and save Lucy with a little help from a fella called Hicks.  Anyhow it is filled with action...and if you like scenes were people glide around on bikes in the snow for long stretches...you will love this movie.  There were at least a few redeeming qualities to this, the visuals were striking and the plot was okay.  Maybe not exactly my cup-o-tea but not worth writing off entirely.

Availability:  Still in theaters

Hanna (2011)

4 / 5 May '11 
Tagline:  Young. Sweet. Innocent. Deadly
Directed by:  Joe Wright
Written by:  Seth Lochhead, David Farr
Actors include:  Saoirse Ronan, Cate Blanchett, Eric Bana
Genre:  Thriller, Action
Length:  111 minutes
Banned:  Nope

 Review:
I hadn't really heard about this film before going to see it, but I sure was glad that i did.  It does echo Leon (The Professional) in subject matter, but stylistically it's quite refreshing and unique.  The story is about a sixteen year old girl named Hanna (shocked aren't you?) who is raised out in the wilderness to be an elite assassin.  We watch her be tested physically, emotionally and intellectually daily in preparation for what is to follow.  It's fascinating as she was raised basically in isolation there are the challenges of modern day and other people to contend with as well as the struggle for survival.  The visuals are very crisp, much of it was filmed in desolate snowy Finland which is quite breathtaking.  It's rather well paced (though a little condensing wouldn't have hurt) as well as decently acted and I really thought it was quite entertaining, definitely recommended.

Availability:  In theatres still

Hobo With A Shotgun (2011)

3.5 / 5  May '11
Tagline:  Delivering justice, one shell at a time...
Directed by:  Jason Eisener
Written by:  John Davies, Jason Eisener
Actors include:  Rutger Hauer, Brian Downey, Molly Dunsworth
Genre:  Action, Exploitation, Crime
Length:  86 minutes
Banned:  Nope

Review:
Ahhh some Canuxploitation that delivers exactly what one might think judging by the title.  It's pretty much non-stop action and violence, prepare for buckets of red stuff and plenty 'o deaths by shotgun of course.  The plot is pretty simple, Hobos are getting beaten, tortured and killed by criminals that are running the streets.  One particular Hobo (Rutger Hauer) goes all Death Wish on the the thugs along with his trusty Prostitute companion Abby (Molly Dunsworth).  It's very simple and revenge is a rather trusty theme for Grindhouse pictures but this was entertaining to the hilt and jam packed with fun.  Some of the bonding between Abby and the Hobo could have been whittled down a tad but really that is my only big criticism.  If you are looking for a nice graphic little splatter film to pass the time, this is well worth checking out.

Availability:  On DVD & Blu-Ray

 

Shutter Island (2010)

4 / 5 Oct '10
Tagline: Someone is missing.
Directed by: Martin Scorsese
Written by: Laeta Kalogridis, Dennis Lehane
Actors include: Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley, Leonardo DiCaprio
Genre: Thriller
Length: 138 minutes
Banned: Nope

Review:
Many people seem to have been recommending this to me at work lately, that or complaining about how confusing it. I figured I need to find out which side I'm on, I liked it. I thought it was rather easy to follow and rather well made (despite the fact that the digital clearness of the picture sort of detracted from it somehow...it should have been foggier or something). The story is hard to describe without giving things away, but it takes place with Leonardo and his partner going into an island asylum called Shutter Island. The inmates are divided up into separate wards, A+B for the regular nutters and then C is for the extreme cases. Leonardo (with a bad Bostonian accent) and pal are investigating a missing persons case, a woman named Rachel vanished from her cell. It takes a bunch of twists and turns along the way and yes it is somewhat predictable but they at least tried and threw a few surprises in I thought. It did to a good job of creating atmosphere, particularly in C ward, the mental patients are rather creepy too but that is to be expected of course. My only real complaint is that they could have made it a bit more satisfying, but I'm not necessarily disappointed either. Still a rather gripping mystery that I think most should enjoy providing you go in with an open mind.

Availability:  On DVD & Blu-Ray

Insidious (2010)

2.5 / 5 Apr '11
Tagline: It's not the House thats Haunted.
Directed by: James Wan
Written by: Leigh Whannell
Actors include: Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, Ty Simpkins
Genre: Horror, Fantasy, Thriller
Length: 103 minutes
Banned: Nope

Review:
I really did have high hopes for this 'un and I wanted to like it...I truly did. The plot (although derrived heavily from Poltergeist) is a relatively interesting one. A young couple move into a house with their two boys and one of the boys goes into some sort of unmedically explainable coma. Also ghosts start appearing and making Mom (Rose Byrne) appear crazy, but when they move the ghosts seem to follow! Of course they have to start calling in the stereotypical Paranormal experts to come up with the real reason for the coma. It is filled with Lewton Buses and it does go for the jolt for the viewer (it's just not something that I find works the best on me). Also the ghosts reminded me of Darth Maul, Ozzy, and of course some characters from the "Black Hole Sun" video which made me giggle more than it should have. It definitely seems like people are split on this one so I say see it and decide for yourself, it's effective for a particular sort of scare...I just wish I weren't immune.

Availability:  Still in theatres but I'm sure DVD and Blu-Ray will follow

Black Swan (2010)

3 / 5 Jan '11
Tagline: N/A
Directed by: Darren Aronofsky
Written by: Mark Heyman
Actors include: Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Barbara Hershey
Genre: Thriller, Drama
Length: 108 minutes
Banned: Nope

Review:
I was actually really excited about getting to see this, the first movie I'd seen in the theatre in a long time, but I thought it was quite disappointing. Yes, it's about ballet, lots of ballet, I now know the plot to Swan Lake (yay me). I seems like it's attempting to be like The Wrestler in that it's showing the dark side of ballet but this is more about obsession and striving to be perfect. Natalie Portman plays a ballerina selected to play the lead role of the swan both the dark sides and the light, the dark she has more trouble with. Mila Kunis plays another ballerina who is more on the dark side and is free spirited. The most interesting part was demented Mom to Portman Erica Sayers (Barbara Hershey who appears to have had bad plastic surgery), but it wasn't enough to keep it interesting. I do give credit for some of the effects in this, and conceptually it was kinda neat, it just didn't deliver and I thought it was insanely disappointing. Most people seem to adore this one, and I know I'm in the minority but I'd say if you want a good thriller this isn't it, if you want a strange ballet film then proceed.

Availability:  Not on DVD & Blu-Ray yet

Machete (2010)

4.5 / 5 Jan '11
Tagline: Robert De Niro as The Senator
Directed by: Ethan Maniquis, Robert Rodriguez
Written by: Robert Rodriguez
Actors include: Danny Trejo, Robert De Niro, Jessica Alba
Genre: Action, Comedy, Exploitation
Length: 105 minutes
Banned: Nope

Review:
Sure this was created from a fake trailer from the Grindhouse release, and I remember at the time thinking that this would have made a cool movie. It did, it lived up to it's preview and then some...mind you abandon all ye who seek a major plot or some sort of well written script. This is immediately exciting splattery action at it's best featuring the mysterious Machete (Danny Trejo) who's wife is brutally killed in front of him, and his daughter taken. He then is forced to try to assassinate an evil Senator (Robert De Niro) who believes in killing Mexican immigrants and building an electric fence to keep them out. Things don't go as anticipated and soon Machete on the run and ends up finding his way to the rebel forces and so forth. It's as bloody as possible (which I love), and it's violent from the beginning to the end. I also liked the little homages to various classic exploitation films like Ms .45, and Thriller - en grym film [Thriller: They Call Her One Eye]. The one liners were priceless like "Machete Don't Text", I never realized how like Machete I was until that moment hehe. It got the spirit of the grindhouse down pat, it was very entertaining and I'm sure it will offend many, sure it went on a little longer than maybe necessary but I enjoyed every minute of it.

Availability:  On Blu-Ray & DVD