The Sessions Review

    Sexual healing-Helen Hunt as a sex surrogate who helps a disabled man (John Hawkes) in The Sessions
                                       It is getting close to Christmas which means the Oscars are also fast approaching. The Sessions is a film that is aware of this fact. It churns out not two, not three but four of the best performances that are likely to be seen all year and tastefully presents a plot that could have been tasteless in lesser hands. John Hawkes, who is known for his versatility gives his best performance yet. Even 2010's independent hit Winter's Bone did not prove all that he had in him.Here-he takes a role that takes much physical, mental and verbal ability to pull of. Since this is Hawkes-it is needless to say that he does it beautifully. As well, Helen Hunt gives one of her best performances in years, William H Macy is fantastic as always and Moon Bloodgood proves to be a rising young star.

                                        In the film-Hawkes plays Mark-a man who has had Polio since his childhood and does not want to be a virgin anymore. He decides to talk to his local priest, Father Brendan (Macy) who concludes that he should see a sex surrogate. It is then up to his newly hired assistant, Vera (Moon Bloodgood) to get him to go. The sex surrogate is Cheryl (Hunt)-a married woman whom Father Brendan views as "no less than a prostitute."

                                         What the film does beautifully is shows that it cares about its characters. Mark is a nice guy who has led a life he wishes that he did not have to lead. The audience is engrossed with Cheryl because we know her intentions are good but also somewhat agree with Father Brendan. Father Brendan is just trying to help someone out even though it goes against his morals. Vera shows very nice character development throughout the film.We like all these people and are delighted to see them together. Part of the reason for this is the performances. As I mentioned before-everyone gives it their all and shows the audience what real acting is made of. Also-the movie is funny without taking any cheap shots. Writer and director Ben Lewin takes the disease very seriously but manages to spread some humor onto it. Lewin's screenplay and direction succeeds in spades because of this.

                                          Lewin-whose last film was an unknown 1994 romantic comedy called Paperback Romance makes quite a terrific comeback here. He proves that any director and/or writer can still make an excellent film no matter how long they have been out of the game. I highly urge everyone to go see The Sessions-there is magic in this gem of a film.
(5 out of 5 Stars,  The film is rated R for strong sexuality including graphic nudity and frank dialogue)

Fun Size Review

Sugar rush-Roosevelt (Thomas Mann) and Wren (Victoria Justice) search for Wren's little brother Albert in Fun Size
                       Can a movie be soul crushingly bad and entertaining at the same time? Fun Size answers that question with a big, fat yes. While being poorly made, badly written, totally immature and amazingly stupid...this newest film from the Nickelodeon cannon actually has a certain charm of its own. Sure-it is not even up to the standards of Disney's flop Prom but it does provide a nostalgia factor. That is to say it reminds both the adults and kids in the audience of an adventure they have had before.

                       The film stars Victoria Justice as Wren-a sweet, innocent high school student. Wren is friends with April (Jane Levy)-a not so sweet, not so innocent high school student. One night while Wren is trying to go to a party-her mom (Chelsea Handler) dumps Wren's little brother Albert (Jackson Nicoll) on her. Needless to say-Wren loses him. She then has to have nerdy guys Roosevelt (Thomas Mann) and Peng (Osric Chau) help her.

                        The film is stupid and depressing for many reasons. For one-Levy-a major talent on the hit ABC show "Suburgatory" is awful here. Her character is totally unlikable and you wonder why Wren wastes her time with April. Second-Albert is the most impish child ever put on film. Seriously-he makes Damien and Emily Rose look like angels by comparison. Therefore-we do not care what happens to him. Third-the lack of maturity comes in spades here and shows that the writers had no intentions of making any sort of a "good" film. Fourth-the subplot involving the mom feeling left out at a party she goes to with her 26 year old boyfriend (Josh Pence) is just a time waster. Finally-a subplot involving a convenient store clerk (Thomas Middleditch) and a dummy of a boyfriend (Johnny Knoxville) is just played for a few cheap laughs. Admittedly-Middleditch and Knoxville successfully get those cheap laughs. However-the film does earn a bit of respect for making me giggle a couple of times and keeping me entertained. I think it is because the film is so bad that I was so entertained. I was laughing at it without really laughing. Knoxville was not credited for his role and if I were to take a stab I would say that he did not want his name on the film because he was ashamed to be in it. If you are reading this, Johhny-trust me, I completely understand.

                      Fun Size does provide some entertainment value. However, this value is at the expense of talented people embarrassing themselves. Handler is the only one in the cast I actually think is untalented and should be in this film. As for the rest of the cast-fire your agents.
(1 out of 5 Stars, The film is rated PG-13 for crude and suggestive material, partying and language)

Smashed Review

The teacher who needs to be taught-Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Octavia Spencer as mutual alcoholics in Smashed
                                  You have seen her before. Whether it be in the comic book adaptation Scott Pilgrim VS. The World or the mediocre re-remake of The Thing-you have seen Mary Elizabeth Winstead before. However, you have never seen her give as great of a performance as she gives in Smashed. Earlier this year we got the over hyped The Master. Smashed is where Oscar season truly starts. Winstead gives a realistic, amazing and downright touching performance in what is bound to be a film that will get ignored by The Academy. However, Winstead does deserve a nomination for her performance while the supporting cast is excellent as well and the movie itself is a beautifully melancholic look at a desperate woman.

                                   Winstead plays Kate-a woman so obsessed with alcohol that many times it becomes dangerous to be around her. She is married to Charlie (Aaron Paul) and works as a first grade teacher. When the vice principal of the school, Dave (Nick Offerman) invites her to an AA meeting..she agrees to go. It is there that she meets Jenny (Octavia Spencer) who soon becomes her sponsor.

                                     Each of these supporting performances carry something special. Anyone who has seen Paul on the hit TV show "Breaking Bad" knows he is an excellent actor. As with his TV performance...Paul brings a mix of general creepiness and complete likability. He gives a chilling performance because you simply do not know what kind of guy he is...even at the end. Another TV regular, Offerman who plays the goofy Ron Swanson on TV's "Parks And Recreation" provides great comic relief. If you have seen him on TV...you know he is a very funny man. However, here he gets to bring a little more to the table. He is likable and funny but also gets to play a significant part in the progress of the film. Spencer, who is always great plays it straight here. However, Spencer is always so unbelievably connectable in her roles. This performance is no different as she gets to play a character we all know at least one of. The film also goes very much in depth with its message. This is a very good thing as we see the problems that are faced with Kate as she both drinks and stays sober. There are many painfully accurate scenes in the film including the end which is not predictable but does not come out of left field either. I will say there is one scene set in a convenient store that is hard to watch because in said scene you feel both bad for Kate and mad at her. This scene is a prime example of why the film works so well.

                                       Smashed does feel a bit too long even at 80 minutes. Perhaps that is the point. Just like alcohol addiction, perhaps the movie is intended to be something that slowly burns and can not just end right away. I will say the film will not be for everybody due to its subject matter. However, I will also say that you should definitely look out for Winstead this Oscar season...she is just magnificent.
(4 and 1/2 out of 5 Stars, The film is rated R for alcohol abuse, language, some sexual content and brief drug use)

Butter Review

    Do not spin into it-Jennifer Garner, Ashley Greene and Ty Burrell as a family of sculptors in Butter
                                 Butter is a political satire directed by Jim Field Smith. Smith last directed my ultimate guilty pleasure comedy She's Out Of My League. Unlike the latter-his new comedy manages to waste an all too great cast. This is not to say that Butter is a bad movie. I am simply pointing out that the film manages to fall under the weight of its own cleverness.

                                 The film stars Jennifer Garner and Ty Burrell as Laura and Bob Picker-a seemingly happily married couple. The key word there is seemingly. While on the surface they look like they have a good marriage...Bob is seeing a stripper named Brooke (Olivia Wilde), Laura is driving Bob crazy with her butter carving and their daughter Kaitlen (Ashley Greene) hates them both. Another plot involves Destiny (Yara Shahidi)-a young girl who has flip-flopped from house to house all her life. She gets two new parents (Rob Corddry and Alicia Silverstone) who support her skeptically in her ambitions to win the butter carving competition.

                                  These are talented people I have mentioned including Shahidi who is going to be huge one day. However, they are given nothing to do. Sure-the film is cleverly written but by being that way it seems to go for the goofball moments too many times. By this I mean it tries to be clever and wacky and ends up not being much of either. This can be seen especially with a dreadfully misguided cameo with Hugh Jackman as a sleazy car salesman.  There are too many scenes where first time writer Jason A. Micallef appears to think he is so clever that there is nothing else to do. The political backbone of the story is just there for the upcoming election season. I feel that the film would have been funnier if it did not try so hard. If Micallef wants to be a writer he needs to learn that a screenplay need not try hard-if it is good it is good and vice versa.

                                  There are a few funny moments in Butter but they are dragged down by the lack of energy. This director and these performers can do wonderful things with a script. She's Out Of My League did not have a very good script but Smith managed to make it work. As well-Burrell, Garner, Corddry, Silverstone, Jackman and Wilde have all had much experience in Hollywood and have proved they can act their way out of a bad script. However, here they seem to be lethargic in the way they present themselves. I will just say that it was a bad day for them and be done with it.
(2 out of 5 Stars, The film is rated R for language and sexual content)

Here Comes The Boom Review

A fighting chance-Kevin James as a school teacher and Salma Hayek as a school nurse in Here Comes The Boom
                   I have always found Kevin James to be one of the more likable actors in Hollywood. Sure...he is no Jason Segel or Paul Rudd but he always seems to fit well into nice guy roles. Here Comes The Boom-while being all too predictable continues my theory on just how likable James is. This is the kind of predictable, dumb movie that you can not hate because everything about it involves such a good heart. Sure there are too many plot conveniences and plot holes but when it comes down to it-there is not a more likable movie out there.

                  In the film-James plays Scott Voss-a lethargic and not dedicated at all biology teacher whose students do not appreciate him. When the school principal (Greg Germann) announces they are cutting the music program and Mr. Streb (Henry Winkler) will be let go...Scott immediately tries to save the school. Along for the ride is a hopeful US citizen (Bas Rutten) and the school nurse Bella (Salma Hayek) with whom Scott has been trying to date for years.

                 James gives it his all and does not pander to the fat guy shtick that he usually does while Winkler plays the sort of teacher every one of us has had at some point. Rutten is thoroughly charming as the foreigner who hopes to soon become a US citizen and Hayek is a good romantic interest for James even if their relationship is all too unbelievable. The film moves at a brisk 105 minutes and all of the jokes are pretty dumb but some of them stick with great comic force. As well-the film is surprisingly sweet in the way it treats its characters with respect rather than looking at them cynically. Where the movie fails is where it tries to be TOO cute. It begins to slowly degrade into a pile of sappiness that is hard to swallow. Fortunately-it *mostly* picks itself back up.

              With very few surprises but a decently touching and funny narrative and good performances-Here Comes The Boom may not be worth your hard earned eleven bucks. However, it is all too pleasurable for home viewing. I say wait until Netflix or Redbox. It is immensely likable but there are better nights out at the movies.
(3 out of 5 Stars, The film is rated PG for bouts of MMA sports violence, some rude humor and language)

Atlas Shrugged II: The Strike Review

Rand aid-Samantha Mathis and Jason Beghe as a couple of business people in Atlas Shrugged II: The Strike

                                   I will admit that I am one of the few people if not the only person who kind of enjoyed Atlas Shrugged Part 1. I mean-considering how supposedly impossible to make the book is-I thought the filmmaker and cast did a decent job. Despite how much the first one flopped-a new director and cast has decided to make  Atlas Shrugged II: The Strike. Now-before I get into how bad this film is I will say that I understand why this book is so impossible to make. Therefore-I respect that director John Putch and the cast even tried to make a second part because I simply could not do it. The last two feature length films of Putch were Beethoven's Christmas Adventure and American Pie Presents The Book Of Love-both of which went straight to DVD. I bring this up because I also want to remind my readers that this is Putch's first theatrical release since (I believe) 2001. 

                                      However, the film is so boring that it almost requires the audience to check the time at least a couple of times. At 110 minutes with both too much and too little going on the film feels like a five year old with too many ideas. The film also features terrible performances from a talented cast. Samantha Mathis, Diedrich Bader, Ray Wise, Esai Morales and Thomas F. Wilson among others are all extremely talented but they squander that talent by following the lousy script. The plot of the film need not be explained because everyone should know the plot by now. The only thing I will say about the plot is that the question "Who is John Galt?" is asked multiple times. The film has an unfinished twist ending that sets up for another film. However, there is no reason to sit through another film to find out the whole twist when IMDB is available.

                                     There are also too many laughable moments. These moments are not particularly laughable due to the content but are rather this way because director Putch is obviously trying too hard to provide said content. For example-there is a shot of a gas pump machine that is way too obviously trying to show the rise is gas prices. The beginning scene is also the end scene unfinished which is right out of the cliche barn. There are  also way too many dull moments. These moments are dull because they do not try hard enough. Like I said-too much going on and yet too little going on. For example-there is a scene involving Robert Collins (Thomas F. Wilson) and his employees arguing about what to do about the collapse of the economy. Teller  (Penn's partner) shows up for 30 seconds as a hotel clerk and actually talks. That particular moment feels as if the filmmakers are trying to find some reason-any reason to get people into the theater. Of course-Dagny (Samantha Mathis)-the main character is unlikable in every way possible even if Mathis makes pretty good eye candy. Still-she is one of the most likable characters in the film.

                                      Honestly-there is no reason to go see Atlas Shrugged II: The Strike. As someone who sees every film under the sun....I may not even see the third and supposedly final chapter because simply-no one should care. It is a terrible film even if it is a respectable effort.
(1 out of 5 Stars, The film is rated PG-13 for brief language) 

Sinister Review

The horror!-Ethan Hawke and Juliet Rylance as a crime novelist and his wife and Michael Hall D'Addario as their son in Sinister
                                 I always hate having to see a movie waste potential. Sinister could have been an incredibly freaky film. It had everything there-a creepy concept, a strange villain, a coherent story line and a welcome performance from Ethan Hawke. While all this IS there-the film itself ends up just being scary enough. The main problem with the film is that it veers off into stupid, ridiculous territory all too often. Another problem with the film is that it goes on for way too long-but I will get into detail on both of those later.
       
                               The film stars the always good Ethan Hawke in what his actually one of his better performances. He plays Ellison Oswalt-a much maligned true to life crime novelist who, along with his wife Tracy (Juliet Rylance) and his kids Trevor and Ashley (Michael Hall D'Addario and Clare Foley) move to a house where multiple murders took place. As most have seen in the trailer-a creature named Bagul has something to do with every one of these and Ellison is dedicated to finding out what.

                               The film runs 110 minutes and it did not need to be anywhere close to that long. It runs out of steam at the 90 minute mark when it shows something significant. From then on-it feels as if the film is trying to take easy street too much. Despite an ending I will give the filmmakers props for-it feels as if the film tries to cover up its cliches by slightly tweaking them. For example-the character of Professor Jonas (Vincent D'Onofrio in an uncredited role) is the cliche of the all knowing person who informs the person investigating the horror story of why this is happening. However-they try to cover this cliche up by making him a guy who SHOULD be all knowing about the stuff that is going on. Another example is the starstruck Deputy (James Ransone) who is still the Deputy but is given a bigger role in the film than most of these types of  characters.

                              The film also is too dumb and ludicrous for its own good. Once the big reveal comes-the narrative becomes completely stupid while the rest of the film feels too hellbent on "gotcha" moments that are truly stupid. The "gotcha" moments I am referring to are the moments where they make you think one thing is going to happen but another thing happens instead. These moments also prevent the film from having a truly cohesive story line. Rather-it is a good story that never quite reaches its full potential.

                             Sinister is not terrible. In fact-I would give it a mild recommendation. However, I hated sitting there and watching a film that could have been great be just borderline good. It is scary in bits and spurts but when it comes down to it-the film is kind of a sitting duck for much of it. I would recommend seeing the film if you really want to or can find a cheap movie theater somewhere. Otherwise-wait until next Halloween.
(3 out of 5 Stars, The film is rated R for disturbing violent images and some terror)

Argo Review

     The declassified-Ben Affleck, Alan Arkin and John Goodman as fake filmmakers in Affleck's thriller Argo
                                    Argo is Ben Affleck's third film as director and proof that Affleck is officially the best up-and-coming filmmaker as of now. This time, Affleck tells a story that was declassified under President Clinton's administration and gives us a thrilling film. Sure-it is not as thrilling as his previous film The Town but what is? What I am trying to convey is that Argo is an exciting, terrifically acted thriller even if it does lose its footing a couple of times.

                                   In the film...Affleck plays Tony Mendez...a CIA specialist who tells the top gun (Bryan Cranston) his idea of how he wants to make a fake film to get six Americans safely out of the Canadian Ambassador (Victor Garber)'s house. It is with the assistance of make up artist John Chambers (John Goodman) and highly acclaimed producer Lester Siegel (Alan Arkin) that this film will "get made."

                                   The film gets the audience involved from the monologue to the very last second. There is much to like about this film but the best thing about this film is that Affleck keeps us on our feet with both the acting and directing. The performances are great-especially Goodman and Arkin who are extremely funny as "Hollywood types." The directing gives us much to admire especially in the final showdown involving an airplane. There is also a great amount of drama in this film. Yes...the film even manages to be touching at many points. The audience gets to know the six Americans and feels bad for what they are going through. The direction is pitch perfect in the way that it shows us every little detail without making them too obvious. There is significant stuff going on in the background but the audience does not realize this because we are too busy being invested in the great stuff at the front of the screen. As well, the 70's retro look of the film is impressively cool and accurate.

                                     Affleck is a director to look out for every time and Argo is further proof to back me up. It is intense, funny, sad, touching and engaging all at the same time. The film never lets itself down even if it does lose its way a few times. Either way-go out and see it this weekend...there is no way you will regret making that choice.
(4 and 1/2 out of 5 Stars, The film is rated R for language and some violent images)

Seven Psychopaths Review

Dog day morning-Colin Farrell, Christopher Walken and Sam Rockwell as dog kidnappers in Seven Psychopaths
                           I think anyone who saw it can mutually agree that 2008's In Bruges-written and directed by Martin McDonagh was a great film. It was a wonderful, hilarious comedy with a surprisingly great performance from Colin Farrell as well as Brendan Gleeson. Now-McDonagh teams up again with Farrell along with Woody Harrelson, Christopher Walken, Sam Rockwell and Tom Waits among others. The film at hand here is Seven Psychopaths and as with In Bruges-it is a brilliant gangster comedy that makes fun of every movie cliche.

                           In the film-Farrell plays Marty-a struggling screenwriter who gets involved with a dog kidnapping by a dangerous gangster (Harrelson.) He gets involved because his friend Billy (Rockwell) and his partner, Hans (Walken) kidnapped the Shih Tzu of said gangster. All the while-Marty is trying to write an original film about-well-seven different psychopaths.

                          The film is unlike anything you are likely to see. It is original both in the way it is presented and the way everything goes down/ It is a film that is guaranteed to be enjoyed by cinephiles across the country but pretty much anyone should enjoy this film. The acting is also quite excellent. Rockwell and Farrell are both excellent-bringing a comic force that just spills off the screen. Waits has a good scene as a psychopath who comes into play significantly late into the film. Also-need it be said that Walken and Harrelson are the two best parts of the film? If there are two people you can guarantee a great performance out of-it would be these two and they have never been better. This is Walken's best and most lively performance since 2003's The Rundown and Harrelson continues to get me to love him more and more with every performance. The film is uber-violent at times including a hilarious conversation about uber-violence in the first scene that sets up the rest of the film. However, if you can get past the brief spouts of this type of violence-it is actually killer fun to see heads explodes, bodies fall apart, ETC.

                           Funny, surprisingly touching and very, very different-Seven Psychopaths is the most fun I have had at the movies in quite some time. It is a film that should truly be enjoyed by the masses and gives the definition of "hilarious" a whole new meaning.
(5 out of 5 Stars, The film is rated R for strong violence, bloody images, pervasive language, sexuality/nudity and some drug use)

Sleepwalk With Me Review

Last comic sleeping-Mike Birbiglia and Lauren Ambrose as an aspiring comedian and his girlfriend in Sleepwalk With Me
                                         There are certain movies that are made that would make even the most cynical people feel good about life. Upon watching Mike Birbiglia's autobiographical comedy Sleepwalk With Me, I have discovered one of those films. It is a sweet, poignant film about sweet, poignant people. It is one of those films that you watch and think "how could this be so perfectly sweet?" It is not overly syrupy nor is it mean spirited...at all.

                                          In the film, Birbiglia plays Matt...a bartender looking to enter the comic world. When he finally gets his shot at the bar...he tanks. It is then that Matt finds an agent of a fellow comedian who was at the bar that very night. The agent sets him up to travel across the world which comes disapproved by his incredibly sweet and beautiful girlfriend, Abby (Lauren Ambrose.) The problem with Matt is that he would be an idiot to even hurt Abby yet he does not recognize that. At every opportunity to make things better...he screws things up. All the while, Matt's parents (James Rebhorn and Carol Kane) are aggressively trying to get Abby and Matt to marry. Oh...did I forget to mention that Matt has issues with acting out his dreams? Well...he does.

                                           Birbiglia is wonderful as a nice guy with good intentions who cannot help but screw himself over time and time again. In other words-he does some unforgivable things but he is so nice we cannot help but forgive him. Ambrose is thoroughly charming as Abby and brings a surprising amount of punch to the character. Rebhorn and Kane both bring an originality and likability to the role of Matt's parents. Birbiglia wrote the screenplay along with his brother Joe and it shows how smart these two are. The screenplay is witty but it is subtle about the wittiness it presents. As well, Birbiglia directed the film with co-director Seth Barrish and the film does present a cool look. The sleepwalking sequences are visually fantastic while the rest of the film has a certain glowing look to it.

                                             Sleepwalk With Me-simply put-is one of the best films of the year. I know this is a comedy but I still think Birbiglia should get an Oscar nomination for something. The film manages to be funny, sad, touching and dramatic all at the same time. The ending is both spot on and uplifting as well. Even if you are not a fan of his....Birbiglia has done something magical with this film and you should go see it right away.
(5 out of 5 Stars, The film is Not Rated)

Frankenweenie Review

A boy and his dog-Victor (Charlie Tahan) brings his dog Sparky back to life in Tim Burton's Frankenweenie
                                              Frankenweenie is the newest film from master of horror animation Tim Burton. It is entirely in black and white and is based on a short film of Burton's of the same name. In fact-said short film was Burton's first film and starred Shelley Duvall and Daniel Stern. Now we have a full length feature based on this short.

                                              The film follows Victor (voice of Charlie Tahan)..an awkward boy whose dog, Sparky gets run over by a car and dies. It is not soon after when his science teacher, Mr. Rzykruski (Martin Landau) tells the class about bringing living things back to life via an electric shock. Naturally...Victor's love for Sparky prompts him to bring the dog back to life using this same method.

                                              Although Burton does take his time with the pace (it is an 85 minute movie that feels more like two hours,) the film is great fun. It is shot in black and white yet is presented in 3D which provides both an old fashioned and cutting edge look to the film that makes it visually mesmerizing. There are also many nice allusions to other horror films of yesteryear. Towards the end...there is a Godzilla reference among others. The film also fits the bill as far as heart goes. It is a surprisingly heartfelt exploration of someone's love for another living thing. As well, there are many times when the movie is surprisingly funny. Yes...even though this is darker than your average kid's movie it has humor that both kids and adults will enjoy thoroughly.

                                              While I would not recommend taking anyone ten or under to it....I would recommend Frankenweenie for older kids, teenagers and adults alike. The main target of the film is movie buffs who will get the references at hand. With that being said....even if you are not a film buff...you are bound to find some enjoyment in Frankenweenie. 
(4 out of 5 Stars, The film is rated PG for thematic elements, scary images and action)

V/H/S Review

    Things that go bump in the night-Helen Rogers and Daniel Kaufmann as a web chatting couple in V/H/S
                          V/H/S is a disturbing film-a hit or miss affair where even the misses are so sickeningly gory that you cannot help but watch. The film is like pizza-even when it is bad-it is still better than none of it at all. The film is compiled into five segments with a sixth running segment involving amateur crooks stealing a rare VHS tape from a spooky house. I can only talk about the segments to a minimal degree because-to be honest-the segment's twists are most of the plot itself.

                          The first segment, and by far the worst is about three party boys-Shane, Patrick and Clint who experience a night they will never forget-so to speak. The second is about a couple named Sam and Stephanie who get a mysterious knock on their hotel room door one night but is it what it seems? The third is about a group of friends-Wendy, Samantha, Spider and Joey who go hiking in the woods but this is not just any ordinary part of the woods. The fourth and definitely the best is about a couple who web chat every night named Emily and James. Emily experiences supernatural entities although James is skeptical but what is making James so unsure about Emily's claims? The fifth and final one is about a group of friends named Chad, Paul, Tyler and Matt who are driving up to a party When they arrive they find some strange things happening-none of which are a party.

                         The film does do some daring things including some look away or be sick to your stomach moments. These involve skin, blood and naked bodies among other things. The film does use way too much shaky cam, however and often feels as if it is trying to be sickening just from the camera work alone. The whole group of unknown actors do a nice job of making everything believable even if the whole found footage style does become a bit much. There are also some nice things done with the fact that the film is called V/H/S. It really does have the look of an old Tales From The Darkside/The Twilight Zone episode. Also-the film moves at a nice pace even if two hours is a bit too long for a film such as this.

                         In the end-I enjoyed V/H/S. The film itself is no great shakes but it is intense, original and effectively creepy horror anthology. I can see why something like The Apparition goes wide while V/H/S goes limited. This is due to the fact that the latter is too daring and not tame enough for most people. However, if you are a true horror film fan then give V/H/S a shot. It is significantly more original than the mainstream horror films of today.
(3 and 1/2 out of 5 Stars, The film is rated R for bloody violence, strong sexuality, graphic nudity, pervasive language and some drug use)

The Perks Of Being A Wallflower Review

If at first you don't succeed...-Emma Watson, Logan Lerman and Ezra Miller in The Perks Of Being A Wallflower
                        High school is a tough time for many people. This is why that The Perks Of Being A Wallflower is going to speak to many people. As far as my opinion goes...it is one of the best films that I have seen all year. It manages to be sad, funny, nostalgic, perfectly acted, extremely well written and uplifting all at once. The film is written and directed by Stephen Chbosky who is also the author whose book the film is based on. This brings a more personal point of view to the film and therefore makes the film much better than if someone screwed around with the script and direction.

                       The film follows Charlie (Logan Lerman)-a high school freshman who meets Patrick (Ezra Miller) and Sam (Emma Watson)-two high school seniors. Soon enough Charlie is being let into their group of friends and their misadventures.

                       By far my favorite film about this film is that it does not let any one of the characters off easy. It shows their strengths and weaknesses in their best and worst light. We see that Charlie is a nice guy but also cannot socialize as well as others. We see Sam is a very nice, pretty young woman who also has some issues regarding her life experiences. We see Patrick is a perfectly sweet guy but we also see that he is not exactly satisfied with his life choices. Also...the film has much to say about high school life. We see stuff that goes on in high school everyday and anyone who has been through high school or is in high school can relate.

                      The film also features a nice subplot between Charlie and his English teacher (Paul Rudd). As well-the plot about Charlie's aunt (Melanie Lynskey) who died a couple years ago is very sad and yet somehow simultaneously uplifting. The casting-both main and supporting is perfect. All of the actors knock it out of the park and 99% of the population can relate to it. The film was going to be rated R but got a PG-13 on appeal and I am glad it did get a lower rating because I think people of all ages, genders and kinds should see it. If you must see one film this weekend make it The Perks Of Being A Wallflower-it is a truly magical film.
(5 out of 5 Stars, The film is rated PG-13 for mature thematic material, drug and alcohol use, sexual content including references and a fight-all involving teens)

Taken 2 Review

     Why can't we be friends?-Liam Neeson has to kill yet again-this time a vengeful father in Taken 2
                      Where do I begin? Taken 2 is an absolutely horrible film. It is also the most split I have ever been on a film in my life. This is due to the fact that not only is it horrific but it is also frighteningly entertaining. The film makes so many errors, is so stupid and predictable and yet keeps a certain charm throughout the entire ninety minutes.

                        Liam Neeson returns as Bryan Mills who had to retrieve his daughter, Kim (Maggie Grace) in the first film. This time-Bryan, Kim and Lenore (Famke Janssen) go to Istanbul for a family vacation. It is here that Lenore is kidnapped and Bryan must fight off the father of one of the men he killed in the last film.

                        I thought this was going to be an ideal plot for a sequel. While I can say it is better than most plots of sequels I have seen-I cannot say that the film felt any different from the first. Liam Neeson, who is usually a reliable actor tries to act with a bad script and kills some people. This is what happens in both the first and second film. The difference with these two films, however is that I can recommend the first as just a dumb, fun action film. I can do this because it is not completely awful. This one is so awful that I cannot recommend it despite its charms.
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                          Taken 2 is more of the same old same old that was in the first film. However...if Tim Burton is not a director you like and you just want to have fun this weekend go see Taken 2. That is assuming you leave your brain at the door and do not expect anything good from it.
(2 and 1/2 out of 5 Stars, The film is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action and some sensuality)

House At The End Of The Street Review

Street dumb-Jennifer Lawrence and Max Thieriot as neighbors in the thriller House At The End Of The Street
                           House At The End Of The Street claims to be a horror film. Up until the last half an hour....that claim is false. Yes....despite an excellent performance from the beautiful and charming Jennifer Lawrence and an alright villain in Max Thieriot the film fails to provide the goods necessary to making a good horror film. It feels as if first time feature director Mark Tonderai is trying to impress us with his knowledge of horror and building suspense but just ends up boring the audience.

                          In the film...Lawrence plays Elissa..a high school student who moves in to a new house with her mom (Elisabeth Shue.) Due to an incident that happened at the house next door years ago...everyone is afraid to go near either house. This is when Elissa meets Ryan (Thieriot) whose sister caused the incident and who may be hiding a secret of his own.

                            The film does have a couple of great twists and some general suspense in the last half an hour but it takes so long to build up to there. It just becomes boring after a while watching these people talk that I wished it would have just started being suspenseful. It is never a good connect the dots mystery because you do not get any hints at the twists. Also...Shue is terrible as the concerned mother and all the scenes between her and Lawrence are painfully boring to watch.

                            Overall....House At The End Of The Street is not very good. It is cliche but not all that predictable and is almost always weird. I would say pay half the price for the last half an hour..you will feel less ripped off that way.
(2 out of 5 Stars, The film is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and terror, thematic elements, language, some teen partying and brief drug material)

Dredd Review

    Court is adjourned-Karl Urban and Olivia Thirbly as a judge and his partner in the action film Dredd
                                   I never thought I would say this but Sylvester Stallone did it better. Yeah...1995's Judge Dredd was cheesy and did feature Rob Schneider but it was fun and for once Stallone pulled it off. Now we have the remake that is Dredd and this time in 3D. I, however saw this in 2D and was glad about it for many reasons. For one-I did not have to pay five extra dollars for this truly boring and simultaneously head ache inducing mess. Second off...I did not have to see quite possibly the ugliest looking film I have ever seen in a dimension that makes it even more ugly. There are no redeeming qualities about this film. I take that back...Olivia Thirbly and Lena Headey make good eye candy. Other than that.....Dredd is one of the worst films of the year thus far.

                                     Urban portrays the title character...a cop or as they are called in the future...judges. Along with a rookie named Anderson (Thirbly)....he attempts to take down drug kingpin Ma-Ma (Headey.) The film then becomes a gruesomely violent film with no substance. Yes...I am one of those people who needs some substance with their violence. This film does not fill that need. The film features people's heads exploding and skin getting cut off. However....none of this has anything to do with the film itself and just ends up being gross.

                                       The film also features terrible performances. Yes...even the eye candy give performances worthy of a Razzie. None are as bad as Urban, however. All the performers give the impression that they are reading right from the script. Also...there are way too many conveniences just for the sake of the plot. The definitive example of this will give away some of the film so I will not talk about it just in case anyone reading this wants to waste money on this garbage.

                                        No one will be accused of falling asleep in Dredd but that is only because the film is so loud that you can hear it from outside the theater. I advise anyone to skip this film. Even if you like your action down, dirty, stupid and redundant...it is still a terrible film.
(1/2 out of 5 Stars, The film is rated R for strong bloody violence, language, drug use and some sexual content)

Won't Back Down Review

You've got to fight for your right to learn-Viola Davis and Maggie Gyllenhaal are mothers against schools in
Won't Back Down
                                   When filmmakers want to prove themselves...they pick a topic that will *hopefully* make the audience think about said topic and simultaneously entertain them. I suppose that this is what director Daniel Barnz who previously did Beastly and Phoebe In Wonderland  was trying to do with Won't Back Down. I believe that Barnz was trying to prove himself by going from a movie aimed at preteen girls to a movie aimed at teenage girls to a movie aimed at full grown women. Rather...Won't Back Down is a film that thinks it is better than it really is. The whole film is unappealing and yet it thinks the audience is going to go with the flow.

                                  The film stars Viola Davis as Nona and Maggie Gyllenhaal as Jamie. Both of these women have kids who are struggling in school due to the lack of skills that teachers have at dealing with kids. Nona is one of the few good teachers in the school where Jamie's daughter goes. One day, after losing a school lottery run by Principal Thompson (Ving Rhames in a laughable role)...these two women decide to start a petition against the schools. Then there is the gooey and totally unneeded romance between Jamie and teacher Michael Perry (Oscar Isaac.)

                                   The main problem with the film is that it takes a serious issue that needs to be talked about and completely undercuts said issue. Gylllenhaal and Davis have been good before but their characters are too over the top and obnoxious to care about. Speaking of which...Holly Hunter shows up as the woman determined to take these two done. Sure...Hunter is also not at all good here but the other two rub us the wrong way so much that we start to wish she will stop them. The worst part about the film, however is that it acts as if it is building up to a big climax and then it just ends on something totally insignificant. The film is also way too long. Yes...at exactly two hours...I dare anyone not to check their watch before the film reaches its end.

                                   Won't Back Down is a terrible film. It makes you wonder why you are watching such a boring film about our school systems when the fabulous and compelling documentary Waiting For Superman is out on DVD. Do yourself a favor and back down from seeing this mess.
(1/2 out of 5 Stars, The film is rated PG for thematic elements and language)