The Deep Blue Sea Review

                   
               No, this is not the thriller about man eating sharks. Yes, this is an incredibly boring drama in the vein of most Merchant Ivory films. The film stars Rachel Weisz as Hester, who is married to a man significantly older than her and decides to cheat on him with Freddy (Tom Hiddleston.) You know where this is going.

              The main problem with the film is that it's so predictable that it quickly becomes uninteresting. The acting is wooden, the story elementary and basic, and the direction so bleak that it takes away from the movie's few interesting moments. There is nothing to like here except for two or three scenes that come off as slightly realistic, and therefore are more interesting than the rest of the film.

              We don't like Hester. Perhaps that's the point, but if it is..it's a weak and lazy point. We don't like Freddy...same thing. These characters go through emotional roller coasters and crises, but they are happy people, and we are not happy about this. I won't tell you whether or not they are happy in the end, but they are happy during the film.

              The Deep Blue Sea is a bad film, but it's also a respectable one. It tries to raise issues that happen in real life, but just doesn't get there. I will acknowledge why some people will like this film. However, if you have seen a Merchant Ivory film and have been mercilessly bored to tears by it (as I have) then just skip this one.
(1 and 1/2 Stars out of 5, The film is rated R for a scene of sexuality and nudity)

The Raid: Redemption Review

                           The Raid: Redemption is the new action film from Indonesia. It is also the best action film I have ever seen.....ever. This film is unlike anything you've ever seen before or will ever see again. This film is something I loved in ways one can not describe. It is so good, actually, that even as I'm typing right now..a day after I've seen it...I am dying to see it again.

                           The film follows a group of cops who are assigned to take down a ruthless crime lord, but not before first going through 30 floors of henchmen and residents who are to take these cops down. The premise is awesome, and it gets executed even better. The great thing about this film is that it is not all gun-toting and knife-wielding. This is a film that features head-banging (quite literally), hand to hand combat, and much, much more that I will not spoil for you so you will see this film. The film is also quite clever in its dialogue. This is a film that, unlike most action films, revolves around the story as well as the action scenes. Twists and turns are thrown at you left and right, and the dialogue is very intense and clever. Also, the bad guys, especially the main drug kingpin are awesome.

                         This is going to be a very short review due to the fact that I can't sit here and explain to you how much I loved this film. Writer-Director Gareth Evans, a Welsh man does a fantastic job at creating a great environment and a fantastic series of action sequence. Go see The Raid: Redemption.....now. Well, what are you waiting for? It's phenomenal to an extraordinary degree.

(5 out of 5 stars, The film is rated R for strong brutal bloody violence throughout, and language)

John Carter Review

                     I'll go against the grain here and admit that I was excited for John Carter. It looked like it would just be plain fun to me. However, John Carter is definitely the worst film I've seen this year, and straight up one of the worst I've ever seen. It reeks. It stinks. Every role of film that John Carter was composed of deserves to be burned to the ground. Everyone involved with the movie should be ashamed of themselves.

                     The film starts out in 1800-ish England where Edgar Rice Burroughs (Daryl Sabara) gets news that his uncle, John Carter (Taylor Kitsch) has died. We then follow John Carter to Mars in which he fights big monsters and falls in love. That's it. Nothing exciting ever happens throughout this film. We see John as he falls in love and leaps up into the air, but the audience must ask..what's it to us? The sad part is that this is not even the biggest sin of the film. The definitive sin of this film is that it expects its audience to be dumb as a rock. Without ever thinking about how insulting this might be to the audience, the film gives us laughable dialogue, a story that makes absolutely no sense, and cringe-inducing acting. Kitsch, especially, is terrible here. He is not fit for the role at all, and definitely shows that through his one-note performance. Willem Dafoe, Mark Strong, Thomas Haden Church, Dominic West, Ciaran Hinds, and Bryan Cranston all show up here. Why?????? These are good, even great actors throwing their careers down the drain by playing stupid, outrageous characters.

                  The other problem with this film is that it thinks it's something that it completely is not. Without the big budget, this film would be tossed in a trash can somewhere. However, the film thinks just because it has a big budget that it's a cool sci-fi action film. Haven't the filmmakers ever seen Waterworld? Waterworld is living proof that a big budget means nothing, Director Andrew Stanton, just like Brad Bird with Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol steps out of his realm of directing animated children's films. However, unlike Bird, Stanton proves that he should go back to the world of animation.

                  If John Carter doesn't end up being my least favorite film of the year, I've lost all hope in humanity. Why is this, you might ask. Well, it's because that will mean that there is a worst film than John Carter that has yet to come out this year.

(0 out of 5 stars, The film is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action)

Casa De Mi Padre Review

                                             The spoof movie is the hardest type of film to review. This is because the spoof movie does not follow characters or a plot, but rather it tells a series of jokes that come fast and furious. Airplane! was the primary example of this, while films like Disaster Movie and Date Movie have failed to have even one laugh. Now we have Casa De Mi Padre, or House Of My Father. It stars Will Ferrell as Armando Alvarez, a "dirty rancher" whose brother, Raul (Diego Luna) is going to married to the very beautiful Sonia Lopez (Genesis Rodriguez). This is as much as I can explain for a plot. Oh yeah, and Gael Garcia Bernal plays a drug dealer.

                                                While the film has many honest, hearty laughs, they are at the beginning and the end, and somewhat in the middle. I did not laugh consistently, and with a movie like this, you need to make the audience do so in order to be successful. Ferrell speaking Spanish was funny at first, but then it became normal, and was therefore no longer funny. Efren Ramirez shows up as one of Armando's friends, and is pretty funny. The film does not succeed, although there are a lot of funny moments. In fact, there is one of the funniest scenes in movie history at the very beginning. However, this quickly gets bogged down by dry patches that make the movie seem like it could had been so much more.

                                                The whole cast is solid,  the low budget look surprisingly cool, and the laughs too few and far between. Casa De Mi Padre will disappoint most Will Ferrell fans as it did me, but I feel like some will enjoy it more than I did.

(2 and 1/2 out of 5 Stars, The film is rated R for bloody violence, language, some sexual content, and drug use)

Friends With Kids Review

                      A realistic film about the nature of having a kid comes to life in the new comedy Friends With Kids. It stars Adam Scott and Jennifer Westfeldt as Jason and Julie, best friends for years who decide to have a kid as Julie's "ticking clock" counts down. Julie is a bit skeptical about the idea at first, while Jason really just wants to have a kid. Eventually, they both come to their senses.
     
                      The thing I really liked about Friends With Kids is the realism of it all. These are what everyday people go through, and while perhaps real people don't act like this, it shows the trials and tribulations of what they go through. Perhaps some people with a bit more life experience will disagree. I have never had a kid, and that might make me unaware of what happens when you have a kid. However, the film is very well acted, These are funny, albeit somewhat unreal characters. The other couples include Chris O'Dowd and Maya Rudolph as Alex and Leslie and Jon Hamm and Kristen Wiig as Ben and Missy. These couples are not exactly the happiest couples in the world. Perhaps it's due to the fact that they have kids? Well...this is what happens (maybe) when you have a kid.

                     Friends With Kids also provides an excellent example of character progression. Jason and Julie are likable throughout, but their beliefs become stronger and better as the film progresses. The film also features really solid performances from Megan Fox (yes...Megan Fox) and Edward Burns. While there are some uncomfortable scenes in Friends With Kids, I highly recommend it for the laughs and the likable characters.
(3 and 1/2 out of 5 Stars, The film is rated R for sexual content and language)
               

Jeff Who Lives At Home Review

                                      Jeff Who Lives At Home comes from The Duplass Brothers, who have managed to impress again and again. Every movie I have seen of theirs I liked. Even Cyrus, which I was very disappointed by, I still found some enjoyment out of. The film stars Jason Segel as Jeff, a 30-something pothead who still lives in his mom's basement. Jeff believes that everything is connected and everything happens for a reason. After a serious of strange occurrences, Jeff runs into his brother, Pat (Ed Helms). Pat's wife, Linda (Judy Greer) is mad at him, and Pat and Jeff soon go on an adventure to find out if Linda is having an affair.

                                     Without further ado, I will tell you that this is my favorite Duplass Brothers film so far. This is an excellent exploration into the mind of a man who is smarter than he appears to everyone. The great thing about the characters are that they are not cliche. While Jeff seems like a typical dumb pothead, he's so much more than that. Jeff believes everything happens for a reason, and let's just say his theory is right. Also, Susan Sarandon plays Jeff and Pat's mother, Sharon, and Rae Dawn Chong is her co-worker, Carol. There is an excellent plot involving Sharon's secret admirer and Carol's jealousy over the fact. The whole film explores people in the deepest manner. These are people who live and breathe and act just like us. Pat is a working man, and Jeff shares the same beliefs and actions that many people have.

                                    As the film progresses, we learn more and more about the everyday goings-on of these people. The film follows every little step of these peoples' lives and has fun doing so, and by the end, the audience feels emotionally involved with these characters. The film is acted perfectly by the entire cast, and The Duplass Brothers have an excellent directing style. Jeff Who Lives At Home is a phenomenal piece of work that should be seen by anyone who is tired of all the typical Hollywood films now-a-days.
(5 out of 5 Stars, The film is rated R for language including sexual references and some drug use)

The Hunger Games Review

                     The Hunger Games has been getting hyped up for over a year now. It has been getting so hyped up, in fact, that over a week before its release, it was sold out for many show times all over the world. However, while I hate to be "this guy", I have to admit that while The Hunger Games is not a bad film...it is not one worth all the hype it is getting. The film, while with excellent casting and a somewhat fun plot can not sustain its run time of 2 hours and 20 minutes. Gary Ross, who previously has directed Pleasantville and Seabiscuit, two significantly better films doesn't seem to know what he wants to do with the film. He makes it both a dark, violent action film for the later teens and a drama about family for, indeed, the whole family.

                    The fact that this film has been getting so hyped up makes me feel obliged to bring up the good first. The good stuff comes in two forms-the acting and the humor of the film. Woody Harrelson and Stanley Tucci are perfectly cast as the mentor and the host. However, Jennifer Lawrence makes a good Katniss and Elizabeth Banks makes a very good Effie. Harrelson and Tucci both bring some humor to the film, while Banks and Lawrence make good serious performers. However, with any film that is over 2 hours, my belief is that you have to keep my interest for at least half that time for me to recommend it. The Hunger Games fails at this. The film bounces back and forth between dark, comical, and dramatic so much that you don't know which one you want it to primarily be. The film also features a lot of bad writing in the form of overly silly dialogue and ridiculously convenient situations. I won't say what it is, but there is a tactic during the games themselves that is so conveniently placed it makes you weird watching something so convenient. Also, the film takes so long to get going that by the hour mark, I just wanted to see the games begin.

                   While The Hunger Games succeeds in some aspects, most aspects don't work. I would say see the film if you haven't been on the edge of your seat to see it. Even if you have been on the edge of your seat, you might end up liking, or even loving it.....I really just didn't like it.
(2 out of 5 Stars, The film is Rated PG-13 for intense violent thematic material and disturbing images-all involving teens)

Coriolanus Review

                              Ralph Fiennes has made a movie that is amazing in one way, and terrible in another. Everything about the film works...except how god-awfully boring it is. The acting is perfect...the direction is amazing....the script works wonders...the set pieces are beautiful...the editing is on key, ETC. However, Coriolanus is also excruciatingly boring, and I'm talking really excruciatingly  boring. It is a total contradiction for me to sit here and tell you I almost want you to go see this incredibly boring film due to the fact that everything else works about it.
                         
                              Fiennes stars as Coriolanus, and Gerald Butler is Aufidius. They have been bitter enemies since the beginning of time. These are two fierce competitors facing off...neither of them scared of the other. Coriolanus, however, gets banned as ruler and has to form an alliance with Aufidius. The movie gets two great performances out of these two, as well as out of Jessica Chastain, Brian Cox, and Vanessa Redgrave. However, I was bored out of my skull throughout the whole thing. Watching these great actors do great things was simply not enough for me to recommend the film. Fiennes, in his directorial debut shows how obviously talented he is behind the camera, but really gives us nothing to be entertained by. Also, screenwriter John Logan, who has written gems such as the 2007 version of Sweeney Todd, the 2004 Howard Hughes biopic The Aviator, and Gladiator..yes..that Gladiator gives us much to be impressed by here, but uses too much modern day VS. old fashioned Shakespeare. In this, I mean he tries to make it modern day while simultaneously making it old fashioned, giving us a film that doesn't know what it wants to be.

                              Out of the greater good of my heart, I cannot tell you to run out and see this film. However, this film will be instantly available on Netflix due to a deal with The Weinstein Company in a couple of months..so go check it out then for everything else except the execution. This way it will be in the comfort of your own home.
(2 and 1/2 out of 5 Stars, the film is rated R for some bloody violence)

Undefeated Review

                     
                        What is there to say about a film so amazing and fantastic that I was literally out of breathe in shock of how great it was? Well...there's actually much to say about Undefeated, the absolutely unforgettable new football docudrama from first time feature length directors Daniel Lindsay and TJ Martin. The movie is brave in its storytelling and follows some of the most likable people you will see in a documentary or a work of fiction.

                         The film follows Bill Courtney, an incredibly caring coach who obviously loves his team-The Manassas Tigers. In fact, one of the best parts about this film is that, even as he's yelling at his team in a very harsh tone, he's obviously doing it out of love for his team. The film also follows the team members-primarily OC, Money, and Chavis. Each of these characters have their own thing that makes them truly remarkable. At one point toward the end of the film, two of these interact in such a way that it will bring a tear to your eye. I won't say which two team members it was-I will just say that it was during a speech in front of the whole team. If this film does not make you cry, whether it be from Courtney's love for the team, or what happens to some of these players both physically and emotionally, you my friend have no heart. The film is so excellent in portraying these kids and the coach and bringing them to life that you will never, and I mean never forget these four men. Also, there is a subplot about how Courtney has a family of his own and how he wants to spend more time with them, but can't due to coaching. This subplot alone makes Undefeated worth seeing but there's so much more boiling in the pot.

                      Considering how little you get paid as a high school football coach and yet how many hours you put in, there has to be something more than just dollar signs there. That is, you have to care about your team. Undefeated is not a film that does this to Courtney for movie's sake. If you meant Courtney in real life before this film even started getting made, he would definitely tell you that he loves his job. How do I know? Well, I've never meant the guy but it shows so much here that I have to believe that his six and a half years of coaching at Manassas truly meant something to him.
(5 out of 5 Stars, the film is rated PG-13 for some language, but it's definitely a film your whole family should check out, and there's only one or two pieces of language throughout the whole film)

21 Jump Street Review

                     Let's face it-----no one wanted this. Now it's here, being shown on the big screen and now here's my obligatory review of the new comedy based off the cop drama of the same name 21 Jump Street. To be quite honest, I was very skeptical about what was to come of this film as well. Honestly, it impressed me. Without giving any jokes or punchlines away (since 95 percent of them work), I will say that 21 Jump Street is comic gold in the most sickly twisted way imaginable.

                  In the film, Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill play Jenko and Schmidt. Ever since high school, these two were enemies. That is, until both discover the other's awesome talents when it comes to cop training. Now they're best buds. After a failed attempt at an arrest, Chief Hardy (Nick Offerman) sends them down to 21 Jump Street. There is a very funny line involving the fact that they get recruited here by Offerman, but I choose not to spoil it for you. Down on Jump Street, Jenko and Schmidt have to go back to high school to take down a supplier of the latest drug craze. Eco-friendly Eric (Dave Franco) is the main suspect, but there's more to this case than meets the eye.

             While Tatum and Hill are the biggest laugh inducers in the film and have excellent chemistry together, everyone gets at least a couple of scenes in which they make you laugh out loud. Whether it be Ellie Kemper as the sexy science teacher with the hots for Jenko or Chris Parnell as the geeky drama teacher who doesn't trust Schmidt, everyone gets a laugh here or there. Also, the film points out all the stupid cop cliches we see in every cop film. 21 Jump Street also knows what it wants to be, and ends up being a great version of what it wants to be-a cop buddy film making fun of cop buddy films. 21 Jump Street is gold no matter which way you slice it, and is bound to be my vote for the funniest film of the year come December.

(4 and 1/2 out of 5 stars, the film is rated R for crude and sexual content throughout, pervasive language, drug material, teen drinking, and some violence.) 

A Thousand Words Review

                  The very first shot of Eddie Murphy's face you see in the new film A Thousand Words is Murphy with his mouth duct taped shut. When you think about it, this is the ultimate metaphor for what Murphy's career has become-a dead silent, never ending moment of nothingness.

                In the film, Murphy plays Jack McCall, a book publisher who will say literally anything to get what he wants. One day, a motivational doctor, Sinja (Cliff Curtis) plants a tree in his yard, and every time Jack talks  a leaf falls off. This could have been a funny movie had it starred someone else. The problem, in reality, is that Murphy is not funny anymore. I remember when Murphy was by far the funniest cast member on Saturday Night Live. The primary reason he was so funny was because of his manic way of talking. In this film, the point is that his character can not talk, therefore making Murphy not funny.

              The film, as well, does not know what kind of tone it wants to have. It quickly transitions from wacky comedy to dark drama to a family film that attempts to be touching. A Thousand Words also features Clark Duke, a very funny guy as Aaron, Jack's assistant. Duke, so good in films such as Sex Drive, Kick Ass, and Hot Tub Time Machine is wasted here as an obnoxious, offensive jerk.

              When Eddie Murphy was funny, he was really funny. However, now Murphy has been reduced to being a nobody in a land of somebodies. Murphy, at many times, feels like he's being wacky just for the simple sake of being wacky. A Thousand Words features absolutely no laughs, and by that I mean not one  laugh. Nothing works in this film, and it has the general feeling and smell of something not too pleasing.
(1/2 star out of 5, the film is rated PG-13 for sexual situations including dialogue, language, and some drug related humor)

Gone Review

 "Gone" is similar to a baby crying at a restaurant. It is in the way that in both you just want to enjoy what you're doing, but there's someone (or in this case something) preventing you from doing so. In the case of "Gone" it is a something....the script. The script is dated and predictable, and just like a baby crying at a restaurant, is not aware of how bad it is. While director Heitor Dhalia and screenwriter Allison Burnett both think that they have gold, the audience knows better. It actually makes sense when you think about. Burnett's last three scripts have been the mediocre romantic comedy Feast Of Love, the unbearable torture porn Untraceable, and the god awful remake of Fame. In fact, her two scripts I have not mentioned that I have seen are Autumn In New York and Resurrecting The Champ. These are also quite mediocre films. Obviously, Burnett is a mediocre, and sometimes shockingly bad screenwriter.
                                 
As for the film itself, the acting is horrible. Amanda Seyfried does not make us believe for a second that she cares about her sister or has any intention on finding her. Her character just seems like she's doing ambitious things for the sake of doing ambitious things. Also, Daniel Sunjata, so good on the hit TV show Rescue Me is horrible here as the main cop. In fact, the only good performance comes from Joel David Moore transitioning from comedy and stupid but fun horror films to thrillers. However, Moore is in it for the course of two minutes.

The script is lacking to an enormous degree. Within the first ten minutes of the film, I knew who the killer was and what was going to happen in the final showdown. There is no charm or wit anywhere in the script. In fact, the script is way too dark for its own good. The whole film feels forced and ridiculous. "Gone" could be a contender for my least favorite film of the year so far, but by tomorrow, I'll forget that I even saw it.
(1/2 star out of 5, the film is rated PG-13 for violence and terror, some sexual material, brief language, and drug references)

Being Flynn Review

                           The opening line of the new film, "Being Flynn" is Robert De Niro saying "there have been only three truly great American writers-Mark Twain, JD Salinger, and myself, Jonathan Flynn." Jonathon's disposition can be summed up by this opening line. Jonathon is a down on his luck guy who believes he's a great writer, even though, in actuality, he's just a mess of a man. Enter Nick (Paul Dano)-Jonathon's son who gets kicked out of his house and moves in with a black man and a homosexual. I characterize who he moves in with because blacks and homosexuals are the two things the character of Jonathon hates the most. Being Flynn then tells the story of the relationship between Nick and Jonathon through all its ups and downs, but mostly downs.

                          Where Being Flynn works is in its script. It's a touching script, and it actually tugged at my heartstrings. Where the film fails is its execution. While there are great performances by De Niro, Dano, Julianne Moore, and Olivia Thirbly, the rest of the execution is trying too hard to make us relate. As a writer, I can relate, but the fact that it tries to speak to everyone, and I mean everyone, takes away from me being able to relate to it. The fact that it tries to relate to everyone is also bad for the fact that the film would have worked better if it was distant, not in your face. However, the performances and script save this film from being bad. In fact, the film is actually pretty good because of these two factors.

                       Based on the memoir Another Bullshit Night In Suck City by son Nick, Being Flynn is a good film that could have been so much better. If not for the fact that it tried to be for everybody in such a gargantuan way, it would have been a film that more people could enjoy. However, because of the fact that it tried to be so fathomable, it actually becomes quite esoteric. As a writer, I liked this film. However, as a writer, I should have loved this film.  

(3 out of 5 stars, Being Flynn is rated R for language throughout, some sexual content, drug use, and brief nudity) 

Charlotte Rampling: The Look Review

     
Charlotte Rampling: The Look can be summed up in one simple sentence: Charlotte Rampling is not interesting in the slightest. There---the sentence has been revealed. While a great British actress, Rampling is, as a personal subject, all dressed up with nowhere to go. She talks throughout this film about her career and how much she loves herself, and neither sides of this coin are interesting. Her career in films is kind of like buying a good looking car that doesn't run. It is like this in that it appears that it's all good from the outside, but realistically, it sucks. She's been in a lot of great films, but the fact that she goes on and on about her films makes them less interesting as it gets deeper and deeper. Also, the fact that a lot of her career stuff is either personal gimmicks or movie clips is less interesting than, say, the making of the films she's been in. The other side of the coin is her talking about how much she loves herself. Just like with Patti Smith's documentary, Dream Of Life, Rampling is so obviously full of herself that it's hard to be interested in such a self-centered person. The Look is advertised as being seen through other's eyes, but it is not so. The fact that Rampling tells most of the story makes it really boring. It would have been more interesting if other people were talking about her. The ultimate testament for a documentary, to me, is whether or not they can get you interested in the subject when you know little about them personally. Buck did a great job of doing this. I knew little about Rampling personally, and after watching this, I don't want to know anymore about her.
(1/2 star out of 5, Charlotte Rampling The Look is not rated, but contains a lot of nudity, sex, language, and other adult content)

Good Deeds Review

Good Deeds is like Chinese food..it tastes good when you're eating it, but after about an hour, you feel hungry again. Tyler Perry, who has a lot of haters as much as a lot of fans directs, writes, and stars in the film. Perry plays Wesley, a painfully predictable person who one day gets his spot stolen by Lindsey (Thandie Newton). Lindsey is in deep financial trouble, while Wesley owns a big company that was handed down to him by his father. The movie then follows a relationship between married Wesley and single Lindsey that becomes dangerously romantic. The movie is sweet without being too syrupy most of the time, and most people can relate. The movie is also very well acted by Perry, Newton, and Gabrielle Union as Wesley's wife Natalie. However, the film is also very forgettable. While I was very touched by the end, it is also predictable and pretty dumb. I hate to sound contradictory here, but this is how I feel. Wesley and Lindsey are both very likable characters, but there is a subplot involving a very unlikable character that mostly falls flat. That plot involves Walter (Brian White), Wesley's  unlikable brother who wants to steal the company away from Wesley. This subplot is so cliche and while being a subplot,takes up about thirty to forty percent of the film. The cliche and boring subplot really made me not like the film as much as I wanted to. I am a Tyler Perry fan, and while I had no beef with Good Deeds, I would only recommend for your Netflix queue. 

(2 and 1/2 out of 5 stars, the film is rated PG-13 for sexual content, language, some violence, and thematic material.) 

Act of Valor Review

Act of Valor is a film that has been marketed as starring real Navy Seals. The marketing doesn't lie. This film does star real, active duty US Navy Seals. However, don't get too excited because the film is also an incredibly boring, offensively stereotypical, and badly acted to a laughable extent.

    I  have more respect for the US Navy Seals just about more than anyone. What these men do for our country everyday is amazing. However, that does not mean I want to watch a two hour video game starring them in which they blandly spurt out increasingly stupid dialogue. The film is wrong on so many levels I don't even know where to start. First off-the main bad guy. The main villain in this film is a terrorist. Who else to play a terrorist but a guy with a big beard who talks in an Iranian accent? How offensive to stereotype like they do in this film. Also, the film uses way too many night vision, someone's point of view, and other video game tactics. Why not just shoot an action scene normally? On top of all of this, the film, although starring real US Navy Seals does not show what they actually go through everyday. It plays like an unrealistic video game opposed to an actual tribute to the US Navy Seals.

    However, as much as I hated this film and want to continuing bashing it, I can't. The reason being that I can see why certain people like this film. For example, if you're a video game buff, you can't really complain about the video game shots. Also, something happens in this film that will hit certain people emotionally. I can not recommend this to people who don't like video games or don't know anyone fighting for our country, however. If you like video games or know someone fighting for our country, go ahead and see it. If not, then skip it because you will be bored to death, as was I.

(1 out of 5 stars, the film is rated R for strong violence including some torture and for language)

Tim and Eric's Billion Dollar Movie Review

No matter what you think of Tim and Eric's Awesome Show: Great Job!, there's no denying that Tim and Eric have an admirably strange charm about them. There's also no denying that it's a love-it-or-hate-it show. And so is the film.

On one end of the spectrum, you have people who completely get this particular—and peculiar—humor. These people are the fans of the film and show. On the other end, there are those who have no idea why Tim and Eric are even trying to make the audience laugh. These people despise the TV show and film.
I'm sure that there are going to be people who love the show who hate the film. Why? Well ... I'll get to that in a moment. But first things first: I loved this film.
I thought Tim and Eric did a great job (no pun intended) at making me laugh my pants off. However, the film will not be viewed as hilarious by many. In fact, about ninety percent of people who see this film will hate it . . . guaranteed. This is because the film, while trying to keep a consistent, solid plot, keeps trailing off into weirder and weirder territory. So it ultimately ends up feeling like a series of sketches—or rather, four episodes of the show put together—rather than a film.

The film is dotted with big Hollywood names: John C Reilly, Will Ferrell, Zach Galifianakis and even a cameo by Jeff Goldblum. Robert Loggia also pitches in a neatly crafted performance as the villain. However, this is Tim and Eric's movie, after all, so none of these very funny people really get a chance to do anything funny. There is a scene involving Will Ferrell and his obsession with a film that is by far the funniest scene in the movie, but Tim and Eric really give us the big laughs.
I wouldn't actually recommendTim and Eric's Billion Dollar Movie to anyone as a night out at the movies. But if you like your humor weird and don't mind watching a film that fails at having any sort of plot, check this film out when it comes to DVD.
3 out of 5 stars
The film is rated R for strong crude and sexual content throughout, brief graphic nudity, pervasive language, comic violence and drug use

The Lorax Review

"The Lorax" is eye candy in the most literal of terms. It is an empty film, a film without substance, a film that picks you up and slaps you around with its environmentally friendly message. It is a visually stunning film that really has nothing else to recommend about it.

    In The Lorax, two stories share screen time. One of the these stories is about a boy named Ted (Zac Efron) who is trying to impress a teenager named Audrey (Taylor Swift). Ted decides to go to The Once-Ler (Ed Helms) who tells him the second story about how he summoned The Lorax (Danny DeVito). The main problem with this film is that, although there are two stories, it all feels so empty. Within the two stories, nothing happens. It feels like something's missing in this film that could have made it more fun than it actually was.

   Perhaps, it is the non-presence of The Lorax, who is played with great voice talent by DeVito. The Lorax is barely in this film..most of the film is the story between Ted and The Once-Ler, or Ted and Audrey. These stories that take up most of the film are pretty boring, both with an excessive amount of lame song and dance numbers.

  On top of all this, the 3D is only alright with the first thirty minutes being the only times you really get to see 3D, but you see it a lot. Also, the fact that these animated kids films are getting released in I-Max is, for lack of a better term, dumb. The fact that none of these animated films work in I-Max is bad enough, but the loudness of the sound system and the largeness of the screen will probably scare very little kids, who are the target audience for this film. Don't get me wrong, the film looks good on an I-Max sized screen (I mean, what movie wouldn't), but it isn't worth fifteen to twenty dollars, depending on where you see it in I-Max, especially if you have kids.

 Overall, I can not recommend The Lorax to anyone...it doesn't keep the Seuss spirit we've all come to know and love, and most of it is just plain boring. It will probably be a good distraction for your kids on DVD or Blu Ray, but don't waste your money driving to the theater and throwing down ten bucks to see it. (2 out of 5 stars)


(The Lorax is rated PG, but may be too dark for your little ones, and runs 86 minutes)

Project X Review

             
"Project X" is a hard film to review as most people will either love it or hate it. I found "Project X" to be quite in the middle. Project X starts out slow and you don't like any of the characters. However, about half an hour into the film, the party gets started. This is when I started to like the film. The party is thrown by Costa, a sex crazed high schooler, JB, a fat, socially awkward, but sweet guy, and the birthday boy...Thomas, a quasi-weird but ultimately nice guy.

  The main thing that works in this film is the chemistry between the three. The film has no plot whatsoever....it's just a great party. You wouldn't think that the chemistry would be too good here, do you? Well..Costa, Thomas, and JB make it easy to have fun with them as they throw this awesome party. The film also features a lot of heart. When a film can revolve all around a party and still find some time to have character development, you can't really complain.

  From this review thus far...you might think I thought this was a great film, but I did have a few complaints with it. Obviously, as previously mentioned, it starts out slow. My other complaint is that, although the film is touching, it also sets a bad example for kids and teens. I hate to be the guy who points this out, but the way the film ends says that it's fine to throw an extremely dangerous party because everything will be fine in the end. However, this is somewhat forgiven because of its R rating, which means that the film makers are trying to keep anyone who will be easily influenced by this film out.

  While perhaps a little too raunchy for its own good, and not as fast paced as it should be, "Project X" succeeds in the area where it most counts for a comedy-it's funny. If you never see this film, you won't be missing the new "Casablanca" or "Citizen Kane", or more up this movie's alley, the next "Animal House," but it is a good time.  I suggest you see this film if you want to have a good time only to not remember what you just saw.