[X] My Assistant

Week 77


W.
(IMG:[www.celebritywonder.com] http://www.celebritywonder.com/img/movieposter/tn/2008_W..jpg)
The Category: Biography
The Stars: Josh Brolin, Elizabeth Banks, James Cromwell, Ellen Burstyn, Richard Dreyfuss, Ioan Gruffudd, Thandie Newton, Toby Jones, Scott Glenn
Price: $19.99
Running Time: 129 min.
Rated PG-13 for language including sexual references, some alcohol abuse, smoking and brief disturbing war images.

This biography follows the world's dumbest prez Geroge W.(Brolin) and most of the previous years of his life. It starts out simple, with him going to Yale and causing alcoholic mischief. Then he meets his future wife Laura(Banks) and manages the Texas Rangers. Before you know it, W. is Governor of Texas, and then the president of the U.S.. Shown along the way are other well known characters during W.'s presidency like Vice President Dick Cheney(Dreyfuss), U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld(Glenn), U.S. National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice(Newton), and even Prmie Minister Tony Blair(Gruffudd). I was expecting this to totally ridicule Bush, but it sidetracked that and became a pure biography. There are some moments however where Stone does poke fun at C-Average president. The characters are plentiful and good impersonations, with Brolin as a great choice for W.. The movie does get ultimately boring. I thought I could easily sit through 2 hours of this, but I was wrong. It was tough, man! The DVD has commentary, deleted scenes, 2 featurettes, and the theatrical trailer. Don't expect it to be a comedy.

The Verdict: B
The Good: Great impersonations.
The Bad: Very boring.


Soul Men
(IMG:[www.celebritywonder.com] http://www.celebritywonder.com/img/movieposter/tn/2008_Soul_Men.jpg)
The Category: Comedy
The Stars: Samuel L. Jackson, Bernie Mac, Sharon Leal, John Legend, Mike Epps, Randy Jackson
Price: $19.99
Running Time: 98 min.
Rated R for pervasive language and sexual content including nudity.

Louis(Jackson) and Floyd(Mac) are backup soul singers, but they haven't spoken to each other in 20 years. They practically hate each other. But when Marcus Hooks(Legend), their lead singer, croaks, they unfortunately have to team up again in a memorial tour for Hooks that leads all the way up to a performance at the Apollo Theater. Also with them is fellow singer Cleo Whitfield(Leal). But could Cleo be the daughter of Floyd? This was a tribute to the late Bernie Mac(he died during filming) and truthfully, I found this movie entertaining. The gags are definite R-rated material and Mac and Jackson pull off some good tunes. The movie doesn't feel original though. And some of it just wasn't funny. The DVD has commentary, a behind-the-scenes, the theatrical trailer, 4 featurettes, and a tribute to Mac and costar Isaac Hayes, who also died. A good finish for Mr. Mac.

The Verdict: B
The Good: Great gags and acting.
The Bad: Unoriginal and sometimes unfunny.


That was all I managed to grab this week ladies and gents. But I saw "Miracle at St. Anna" in theaters and I have to say, it isn't one of Spike Lee's best. I give the film a C-. Sorry, Spike.

Next Week
"Quarantine"(Jennifer Carpenter, Jay Hernandez)
"Choke"(Sam Rockwell, Anjelica Huston)
"Changeling"(Angelina Jolie, John Malkovich)
"Body of Lies"(Leonardo DiCaprio, Russell Crowe)

Week 78


Quarantine
(IMG:[www.celebritywonder.com] http://www.celebritywonder.com/img/movieposter/tn/2008_Quarantine.jpg)
The Category: Horror
The Stars: Jennifer Carpenter, Steve Harris, Jay Hernandez, Johnathon Schaech, Columbus Short, Rade Serbedzija
Price: $19.99
Running Time: 89 min.
Rated R for bloody violent and disturbing content, terror and language.

Angela Vidal(Carpenter) is an LA news reporter and one night she and her cameraman Scott(Harris) film a report on the night shift of a fire station. Shortly after beginning, the night shift is called in on an emergency at an apartment building. Firefighters Jake(Hernandez) and George(Schaech) are sent to the building and bring Scott and Angela along. It turns out a woman was screaming insanely a while ago, but is now silent. when they open her apartment door, they find all is anything but well. The lady is infected with some sort of virus that has turned her into a blood covered mess. As they attempt to leave the building they are forced back in at gumpoint. Turns out the big ol' government is "quarantining" the apartment building, trapping all tentants, Jake, George, Angela, Scott, and two police officers. All you see for the rest of this film is the unfortunate events that lead up to Angela being dragged into the darkness, screaming in terror(see poster). based off of a 2007 Spanish horror film called REC, it seems we have another first-person film here. It is actually the most terrifying version yet. But it isn't the best. Sure the scares are constant, and the claustrophobic feel of the apartment building is effective, but the acting is weak and there's already one zombie-esque film, Diary of the Dead. It also suffers from that shaky camera(Motion sickness!!! (IMG:[invalid] style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif)). The DVD has commentary, a making of, and a featurette. Definitely something for a Halloween party, and anyone needing a real good scare these days.

The Verdict: B
The Good: Claustrophobic and scary as hell!
The Bad: Shaky camera and weak acting.


Choke
(IMG:[www.celebritywonder.com] http://www.celebritywonder.com/img/movieposter/tn/2008_Choke.jpg)
The Category: Comedy
The Stars: Sam Rockwell, Anjelica Huston, Kelly MacDonald, Brad William Henke, Gillian Jacobs
Price: $19.99
Running Time: 89 min.
Rated R for strong sexual content, nudity and language.

Victor(Rockwell) has quite the small life. His mother Ida(Huston) is in the hospital. He is a sex addict. And her is also a reenactor of Colonial America. His job wage isn't so good, so he decides to get money by "choking" in restaraunts and getting paid out of sympathy by his resucers. One day, while visiting Ida, he meets her doctor Paige(MacDonald). This might be the first girl Victor will actually like like. Based off of a Chuck Palahniuk(Fight Club) story, this is satirical yet dramatic. The role of Victor is hilariously played by Rockwell, and Brad William Henke is just as funny Victor's buddy, who's also a sex addict. The film is more adult than Fight Club, but unfortunately doesn't have a good third act like it. The last 25 mintues are disappointing I'm afraid. The DVD has commentary, deleted scenes, 5 featurettes, and a gag reel. It's still worth a good look.

The Verdict: B+
The Good: Hilarious and satirical with a great lead performance.
The Bad: A letdown third act.


Body of Lies
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The Category: Action
The Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Russell Crowe, Mark Strong, Golshifteh Farahani, Alon Abutbul, Vince Colosimo
Price: $19.99-single disc, $21.99 for 2-Disc Special Edition
Running Time: 128 min.
Rated R for strong violence including some torture and for language throughout.

Roger Ferris(DiCaprio) is a CIA agent who is currently trying to apprehend a powerful terrorist called Al Saleem(Abutbul) in Iraq. Meanwhile, his boss Ed Hoffman(Crowe) is busy watching Ferris...from the comfort of his own backyard. Hoffman is one manipulative S.O.B. and he has even assigned a fellow CIA operative named Skip(Colosimo) to get in on the hunt, without Ferris even knowing. After a major screw up by Skip, Ferris finds out and begins having a few second thoughts about Ed. He also slowly begins to fall in love with his nurse Aisha(Farahani). Straight off of that Oscar nominated American Gangster, Ridley Scott was ready to give us a grand spy/action film. But I felt somewhat scumped out. Sure the lead performances by Crowe and DiCaprio are good and the action is nice, but that seems to be the only fuel for this ride. The script is lame and the plot overall kinda reminded me of The Kingdom. Where was that overall feel-good feeling like in Gangster? The DVD is available in a 2-Dis Special Edition and has commentary, deleted scenes, and a featurette. Another disappointment for the books.

The Verdict: B-
The Good: Action and lead performances.
The Bad: Familiar and overall a real letdown.


Evilresident's Must Buy DVD of the Week is......"Choke" with a B+.

Next Week
"Changeling"
"Sex Drive"(Josh Zuckerman, Seth Green)

Week 79


Changeling
(IMG:[www.celebritywonder.com] http://www.celebritywonder.com/img/movieposter/tn/2008_Changeling.jpg)
The Category: Drama
The Stars: Angelina Jolie, Jeffrey Donovan, John Malkovich, Michael Kelly, Amy Adams
Price: $19.99
Running Time: 141 min.
Rated R for some violent and disturbing content and language.

Christine Collins(Jolie) loves her son Walter. But one day he goes missing and Collins is distraught when the police is corrupt and incompetent on finding her son. But hey, cops were like that in 1928 L.A.. Thanks to help from Reverend Gustav Briegleb(Malkovich), the police are forced into investigating the case and months later, Walter is found. But it's not the real Walter. Juvenile Division captain J.J. Jones(Donovan) insists it's the real Walter, but we all know the truth. Now Collins must try to find her real son and expose the corrupt LAPD, even if it leads her to a psychopathic ward(which it does later in the movie). Clint Eastwood gave a good pre-Gran Torino with this film. The acting is superb. Jolie was a good choice to play the desperate Christine and she even got an Oscar nomination for her troubles(she lost to Kate Winslet). The cinematography is great as well and they made a great 1920s depiction of L.A.. I also liked Eastwood's musical score. But the film is too similar to other films and is very long(Torino isn't even two hours long and it got better reviews). The DVD has 2 featurettes. Not the best of Eastwood, but it'll warm you up for Gran Torino.

The Verdict: B+
The Good: Great acting, sound, and depiction of a 1928 Los Angeles.
The Bad: Familiar and too long.


Sex Drive
(IMG:[www.celebritywonder.com] http://www.celebritywonder.com/img/movieposter/tn/2008_Sex_Drive.jpg)
The Category: Comedy
The Stars: Josh Zuckerman, Seth Green, Amanda Crew, James Marsden, Clark Duke, Katrina Bowden
Price: $19.99 for 2-Disc Unrated(and Cream-Filled) Edition
Running Time: 109 min. rated/129 min. Unrated
Rated R for strong crude and sexual content, nudity, language, some drug content and alcohol use - all involving teens.

Ian(Zuckerman) is a nerdy guy who can't get a girl, has a job that requires him to wear a goofy doughnut suit, and is always picked on by his older brother Rex(Marsden). The only way he can talk to girls is on the Internet, pretending to be a strong and suave fotball player. One day he meets Ms. Tasty and she wants to meet up with him. Ian agrees, but she lives all the way in Knoxville, Tenessee. Ian and his buddies Lance(Duke) and Felicia(Crew) decide to take the trip stealing Rex's Pontiac GTO Judge for transportation. But along the way they'll run into hicks, police, and Amish dude Ezekiel(Green) who seems to know a lot about technology. After College this movie looks twice as good. There are some funny grossout moments, but they're repetative. The characters are funny, especially Seth Green's character, but Ian and Lance are too comparable to the guys from Superbad. At least the plot is new. The Unrated version is, of course, the better choice. The DVD has the 109 minute version and the 129 minute version, commentary, a making of, and 3 featurettes. Just stop making Superbad knock-offs!!

The Verdict: B
The Good: Unique plot and some good characters.
The Bad: Still is like Superbad.


Evilresident's Must Buy DVD of the Week is......"Changeling" with a B+.

Next Week
"Australia"(Hugh Jackman, Nicole Kidman)

Movie buff asking: Is Gran Torino good?

One of Clint Eastwood's Top 5 best films in my opinion. It got buttfucked at the Oscars.

Week 80's solo review


Australia
(IMG:[www.celebritywonder.com] http://www.celebritywonder.com/img/movieposter/tn/2008_Australia.jpg)
The Category: Drama
The Stars: Hugh Jackman, Nicole Kidman, David Wenham
Price: $19.99
Running Time: 165 min.
Rated PG-13 for some violence, a scene of sensuality, and brief strong language.

Lady Sarah Ashley(Kidman) had to go to North Australia to get her husband to sell his cattle station called Faraway Downs. But scheming Neil Fletcher(Wenham) wants to take control of the station and he has Sarah's husband murdered. To protect her land from being taken, Sarah has to gain help from cattleman Drover(Jackman). But the spoiled Sarah soon develops a romance with Drover, and soon they'll experience something they've never seen before. On a high budget of $130 million, an epic romance event is what some were considering this to be. NOT!!!! It's a big disappointing event. The characters though plentiful are pretty weakly done, even by Oscar host Jackman. The length is incredible, running over 2 hours and 45 minutes. That's just enough time for you to get a good rest. It also seems to lack any real originality. But on the positives, the luscious land and effects of the bombing on Darwin(this was "something they've never seen before") are well done. Hey that's where some of the $130 mil went. The costumes were pretty good as well, garnering the film its only Oscar nomination. The DVD has only 2 deleted scenes. Tsk tsk.

The Verdict: C
The Good: Great effects, landscape, and wardrobe.
The bad: Unoriginal, long, the weak characters, and lack of DVD extras.


Next Week
"Transporter 3"(Jason Statham, Natalya Rudakova)
"Role Models"(Seann William Scott, Paul Rudd)
"Milk"(Sean Penn, Josh Brolin)

Week 81


Transporter 3
(IMG:[www.celebritywonder.com] http://www.celebritywonder.com/img/movieposter/tn/2008_Transporter_3.jpg)
The Category: Action
The Stars: Jason Statham, Natalya Rudakova, Francois Berleand, Robert Knepper, Jeroen Krabbe
Price: $19.99-single disc, $22.99 for 2-Disc Fully Loaded Edition
Running Time: 100 min.
Rated PG-13 for sequences of intense action and violence, some sexual content and drug material.

Frank Martin(Statham) is still on his transporting gig. But this next contract will be a bit different. He has a proximity bomb attached to his wrist and if he goes more than 75 feet away from his car, BOOM!!!!!! His task is to transport Valentina(Rudakova), the daughter of Minister Leonid Vasilev(Krabbke). This whiole wrist bomb deal is by a man named Johnson(Knepper), who works for a company that Minister Vasilev didn't want to business with because of their harm to the environment. Aided by his old buddy Inspector Tarconi(Berleand), Frank will have to play by Johnson's rules while trying to get rid of the bomb and keeping Valentina safe. And of course, occasionally kick ass. The thrid entry of this film series has a real lack of originality and most of it reminds of the first film. Rudakova is completely annyoing and Knepper is a laughably horrible bad guy.This is basically another film to show Statham's strength and manpower. The DVD has commentary, amiking of, behind-the-scenes, and 3 featurettes. Getting real bored, real fast.

The Verdict: C
The Good: Some impressive action.
The Bad: Same old with new annoying characters.


Milk
(IMG:[www.celebritywonder.com] http://www.celebritywonder.com/img/movieposter/tn/2008_Milk.jpg)
The Category: Biography
The Stars: Sean Penn, Josh Brolin, Emile Hirsch, Diego Luna, James Franco
Price: $19.99
Oscar Stuff: 2 wins
Running Time: 128 min.
Rated R for language, some sexual content and brief violence.

This is the story of Harvey Milk(Penn), a homosexual who stood up for gay rights and later beacme the first openly gay official in California. Along th way he finds love in gay men Scott Smith(Franco) and Jack Lira(Luna), as well as become a mentor for Cleve Jones. This also includes Dan White(Brolin), the cowardly Supervisor who would later shoot Milk. The performances are strong in this one. Penn is in the lead and got an Oscar for his incredible portrayal as Milk. Brolin is also deliciously evil as White, even getting an Oscar nomination for his troubles. Even though I'm not gay, I found myself cheering Harvey on in his political speeches and campaigns. The only problem is of course the running time. The DVD deleted scenes and 3 featurettes. Jolly good show.

The Verdict: A
The Good: One of the best biographies made.
The Bad: A little long, leading to some boredom.


Role Models
(IMG:[www.celebritywonder.com] http://www.celebritywonder.com/img/movieposter/tn/2008_Role_Models.jpg)
The Category: Comedy
The Stars: Paul Rudd, Seann William Scott, Elizabeth Banks, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Bobb'e J. Thompson, Jane Lynch
Price: $19.99 for Rated/Unrated Version
Running Time: 100 min. Rated/ 103 min. Unrated
Rated R for crude and sexual content, strong language and nudity.

Wheeler(Scott) is the partier who enjoys life, while Danny(Rudd) is the exact opposite. Together they are spokesmen for Minotaur energy drinks. But one day Danny takes his negativity way too far when after getting his company's truck towed, he tries to take it back but ends up getting arrested along with Wheeler for destroying school property. But they can get out of jail if they serve 150 hours communtiy service being role models to kids for Sturdy Wings, run by Gayle Sweeny(Lynch). Danny gets the uber nerd Augie(Mintz-Plasse) while Wheeler gets the foul mouthed Ronnie(Thompson). Somehow these guys are going to have just grow up and Danny will have to learn to get a positive outlook on life. This has zip to do with Judd Apatow, but it's just as damn funny as his films. Rudd is perfectly droll while Scott is the usual loudmouth funny guy. Mintz-Plasse continues his good streak after McLovin but the real scene stealer is KC native Thompson who is just laugh out loud hilarious as the sneaky, insulting Ronnie. The laughs can get a little boring and too low brow though. The DVD has both the 100 and 103 minute versions, commentary, deleted scenes, bloopers, and 3 featurettes. I hope these guys never grow up and lose their funny.

The Verdict: B+
The Good: Funny as hell.
The Bad: A tad boring.


Evilresident's Must Buy DVD of the Week is......"Milk" with an A.


Next Week
"Seven Pounds"(Will Smith, Rosario Dawson)
"Punisher: War Zone"(Ray Stevenson, Dominic West)

Week 82

Seven Pounds got pushed to March 31, so it's just Punisher: WAr Zone this week.


Punisher: War Zone
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The Category: Action
The Stars: Ray Stevenson, Dominic West, Doug Hutchinson, Julie Benz, Colin Salmon, Wayne Knight, Dash Mihok
Price: $19.99-single disc, $22.99 for 2-Disc Special Edition
Running Time: 103 min.
Rated R for pervasive strong brutal violence, language and some drug use.

For six years Frank Castle(Stevenson) has killed off hundreds of criminals as the vigilante The Punisher. One night he attacks mobster Billy Russoti(West) and throws him in a glass recycling machine to die. Unfortunately, Castle also shoots an undercover fed. Now Castle is depressed and wondering if he should really continue as The Punisher. He might want to consider that when Billy survives his attack, but with his face completely destroyed and fixed up like a jigsaw puzzle. Undergoing the name Jigsaw and with his insane brother Loony Bin Jim(Hutchinson), he wants to repay the favor Castle did for him. Marvel went for the third try to make Punisher a successful franchise, but in terms of gross it was shot dead. That's probably because it's so damn drak and gory. The violence is graphic with exploding heads, chairs shoved into eye sockets, and even some poor bastard getting his face punched in. The dialogue is weak and lame, not good for a Marvel movie. Stevenson is an alright Punisher, but the best one still goes to the 2004 Thomas Jane version. The movie does retain some faith to the comics, with Castle's family dead from a mob hit and noticeable characters like Detective Martin Soap(Mihok) and Punisher's weapons supplier/friend Micro(Knight). The action is also great including a scene where Punisher hangs upside down from a chandelier while firing two machine guns. This is pretty much the second Rambo film on roids. The DVD is available in a 2-Disc Special Edition and has commentary, a making of, 4 featurettes, and the theatrical trailer. It has its good moments, but unfortunately this Punisher falls short.

The Verdict: C+
The Good: Actiony and faithful to the books.
The Bad: Graphic, weakly scripted, and no Thomas Jane as Punisher.


"Bolt"(voices of John Travolta, Miley Cyrus)
"Twilight"(Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart)
"Quantum of Solace"(Daniel Craig, Olga Kurylenko)

Week 83


Twilight
(IMG:[www.celebritywonder.com] http://www.celebritywonder.com/img/movieposter/tn/2008_Twilight.jpg)
The Category: Drama
The Stars: Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, Cam Gigandet, Peter Facinelli, Elizabeth Reaser, Billy Burke, Edi Gathegi
Price: $19.99 for 2-Disc Special Edition
Running Time: 122 min.
Rated PG-13 for some violence and a scene of sensuality.

In the town of Forks, nothing really happens. Bella Swan(Stweart) ends up moving to the boring Washington town but she finds she is fascinated by Edward Cullen(Pattinsion), who warns her that they shouldn't be friends. Turns out Ed's a vampire from a family full of the bloodsuckers. After Bella makes this discovery, she and Edward practically fall in love. But trouble arrives in the form of a trio of nomadic vamps led by James(Gigandet), who wants to kill Bella just for the sheer sport of it. But Edward won't have any of that. Cue some horrible dialogue, weak action sequences, and you have the novel equivalent to that The Day the Earth Stood Still. Actually, that was even better than this. I'll bite that I didn't read the book(I do hear about it everyday from co-workers), but no I never will cause they say the apple doesn't falll far from the tree. The acting is laughable, and that whole "spider-monkey" thing was completely idiotic. At least I give props to Summit Entertainment, since they tried making a success off of a tiny budget(their latest offering is Knowing). The DVD is available in a 2-Disc Special Edition and has commentary, deleted scenes, music videos, and 2 featurettes. Tsk fucking tsk.

The Verdict: C-
The Good: Gave an effort.
The Bad: Horribly acted, weak script, and an overall sorry adaption.


Bolt
(IMG:[www.celebritywonder.com] http://www.celebritywonder.com/img/movieposter/tn/2008_Bolt.jpg)
The Category: Comedy
The Stars: Voices of John Travolta, Miley Cyrus, Mark Walton, Susie Essman, Malcolm McDowell
Price: $19.99-single disc, $21.99 for 2-Disc Deluxe Edition
Running Time: 96 min.
Rated PG for some mild action and peril.

Bolt(Travolta) is a canine star of an action show called, well, Bolt along with his human owner Penny(Cyrus). In the show, they try to stop Dr. Calico(McDowell) and his schemes. But Bolt has taken this too seriously and actually thinks the show is real life. After a samll series of mishaps, Bolt is accidentally shipped from Hollywood to NYC. Bolt teams with bullying cat Mittens(Essman) and Bolt's #1 fan, the plastic ball engaged hamester Rhino(Walton). These guys pretty much will have to try to reunite Bolt with Penny. It's not Pixar, but it's still damn good. The animation is great and detailed, and there is actually a good script. The movie has some nice funnys, mostly from that hamster Rhino's obsession with Bolt and TV. The thing is, mostly people under age 10 will like it and that's almost it. The DVD is available in a 2-Disc Deluxe Edition and has deleted scenes, a msuic video, 4 featurettes, and a short starring Rhino. A great family film.

The Verdict: A-
The Good: Well animated and funny.
The Bad: It's for the kids really.


Quantum of Solace
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The Category: Action
The Stars: Daniel Craig, Olga Kurylenko, Mathieu Amalric, Gemma Arterton, Jeffrey Wright, Judi Dench, Joaquin Cosio
Price: $19.99-single disc, $22.99 for 2-Disc Special Edition
Running Time: 106 min.
Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, and some sexual content.

James Bond(Craig) wants revenge for the death of his former lover, Vesper. He finds out those responsible are from the organization known as Quantum. MI6 shows particiular interest in Quantum member/environmentalist Dominic Greene(Amalric), who is scheming to take over Bolivia's water supply. An angry Bond teams with Russian agent Camille Montes(Kurylenko), who's family was killed by Greene's partner General Medrano(Cosio), to stop the madman. Immediately following the grand Casino Royale, Craig once again proves he's the best Bond since Sean Connery. Bond is a dude you really feel bad for, with his girlfriend dead and MI6 after him. The action is great, with suspenseful fights and one scene involving Bond chasing a traitor MI6 agent across Sienna, Italy. The plot is kinda botched though(Water supply?) and Amalric is the most pathetic villian, probably of all time. The DVD is available in a 2-Disc Special Edition and has 7 featurettes, theatrical trailers, and a music video. A good Bond entry that's shaken, not stirred.

The Verdict: A-
The Good: Craig and the action are better than ever.
The Bad: A silly plot and a bad villian.


Evilresident's Must Buy DVDs of the Week are......"Bolt" and "Quantum of Solace", each with an A-.


Next Week
"Marley & Me"(Owen Wilson, Jennifer Anniston)
"Seven Pounds"(Will Smith, Rosario Dawson)
"Slumdog Millionaire"(Dev Patel, Freida Pinto)

Week 84


Marley & Me
(IMG:[www.celebritywonder.com] http://www.celebritywonder.com/img/movieposter/tn/2008_Marley_and_Me.jpg)
The Category: Comedy-Drama
The Stars: Owen Wilson, Jennifer Aniston, Eric Dane, Alan Arkin
Price: $19.99-single disc, $21.99 for 2-Disc Bad Dog Edition
Running Time: 115 min.
Rated PG for thematic material, suggestive content and language.

John(Wilson) and Jenny(Aniston) are married, but they're not sure if they're ready to raise a family yet. Thanks to advice from his friend Sebastian(Dane), John decides to buy a dog as a test and he picks yellow lab Marley. But behind Marley's innocent appearance lies a holy terror full of mischief. But Marley will aso be there for the troubles John and Jenny face. It's definitely a good kids movie, and some adults can actually enjoy it. The movie's main success comes from its title character. This dog causes so much chaos, it's almost equivalent to Beethoven. The dramatic parts work well too, suprisingly. But the actors need to be a little more upbeat, especially former suicide Wilson. This is also pretty damn long if you ask me. The DVD comes in a 2-Disc Bad Dog Edition and has deleted scenes, 5 featurettes, and 2 features from Purina, which is basically Marley's sponsor. A quality mutt to bring home sometime soon.

The Verdict: B+
The Good: Marley stirs up the laughs.
The Bad: Needs better characters and a shorter running time.


Seven Pounds
(IMG:[www.celebritywonder.com] http://www.celebritywonder.com/img/movieposter/tn/2008_Seven_Pounds.jpg)
The Category: Drama
The Stars: Will Smith, Rosario Dawson, Barry Pepper, Woody Harrelson, Michael Ealy
Price: $19.99
Running Time: 123 min.
Rated PG-13 for thematic material, some disturbing content and a scene of sensuality.

Ben Thomas(Smith) is an IRS agent who is seriously grieving. It turns out two years ago, he accidentally caused a car crash that took the lives of seven people. Now Ben wants to find a way to make things even out by finding seven people with various problems, like the blind Ezra(Harrelson) and Emily(Dawson), who has a heart problem and later falls in love with Ben. Now Ben will make the ultimate sacrifice to save seven lives for the seven he took years ago. This is a movie where I'm not going to side with the critics(they hated it). I find this to be one of Smith's most dramatic films ever. Smith is once again in prime form and shows plenty of emotion. The plot is great and the big twist near the end is something I didn't really expect(to the people who already saw this, you know what I mean) and was carefully played. The only major problem was that it was way too grim. Come on, this is from the director of The Pursuit of Happyness for crying out loud. The DVD has commentary, deleted scenes, and 4 featurettes. Sad and moving.

The Verdict: A-
The Good: Powerful lead perfomance + a good story + a big twist = a great drama.
The Bad: Too damn dark and grim.


Slumdog Millionaire
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The Category: Drama
The Stars: Dev Patel, Freida Pinto, Anil Kapoor, Madhur Mittal
Price: $19.99
Oscar Stuff: 8 wins, including Best Picture
Running Time: 120 min.
Rated R for some violence, disturbing images and language.

Jamal Malik(Patel) is 1 question away from 2 million rupees in the Indian version of Who Wants to Be A Millionaire, hosted by Prem Kumar(Kapoor). But here's the thing: Jamal is no everyday person. He is but a simple slumdog, and the only reason Jamal has gotten this far is by mere chance. But why's he on the show? Well that involves getting the attention of his love, Latika(Pinto), who is being held by Jamal's brother Salim(Mittal). What follows is a series of flashbacks going all the way from Jamal's childhood to the moment he entered the show. First, there was Trainspotting. Then 28 Days Later. Now Danny Boyle has permenantly left his mark in cinema history with this surprise spectacle that took Best Picture at the 81st Annual Academy Awards. This was better than all of Boyle's previous work combined. The direction is excellent. The choice of characters that are really down to earth kept me to enjoy all 2 hours. The sound is also incredible, with an even catchier Indian soundtrack, including Best Original Song, "Jai Ho". There was actually absolutely nothing wrong with this entry in Boyle's history of successes. The DVD has commentary, deleted scenes, a making of, and a featurette. Go see the feel good movie of 2008, NOW!!!!!

The Verdict: A+
The Good: Well acted, directed, and scored. An overall masterpiece.
The Bad: Nothing at all.


Evilresident's Must Buy DVD of the Week is......"Slumdog Millionaire" with a perfect A+.


Next Week
"Bedtime Stories"(Adam Sandler)
"Yes Man"(Jim Carrey, Zooey Deschanel)
"The Day the Earth Stood Still"(Keanu Reeves, Jennifer Connelly)

Sorry, I had a little economic trouble last week. Here's the express reviews for the 3 I missed:

Bedtime Stories: B-
Yes Man: B-
The Day the Earth Stood Still: C

Now onto this week's solo review. But don't get your hopes up on it.


The Spirit
(IMG:[www.celebritywonder.com] http://www.celebritywonder.com/img/movieposter/tn/2008_The_Spirit.jpg)
The Category: Action
The Stars: Gabriel Macht, Samuel L. Jackson, Eva Mendes, Scarlett Johansson, Sarah Paulson, Dan Lauria, Jamie King, Paz Vega
Price: $19.99-single disc, $22.99 for 2-Disc Special Edition
Running Time: 103 min.
Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of stylized violence and action, some sexual content and brief nudity.

Denny Colt(Macht) was once a rookie cop. But now he's something different. After being presumed dead, Denny came back to life and began anew as the red tie wearing Spirit, protecting Central City from crime. Now he's out to take on the Octopus(Jackson) a man who has eight of everything, but he also wants immortality. But he'll haveto kill off Spirit to complete that task. But when he's not going after Octopus, Spirit is hitting it p with the ladies, including surgeon Ellen Dolen(Paulson) and Spirit's old flame, Sand Saref(Mendes), who's now helping Octopus. But it'll take more than bullets to take down this guy. After good stuff like Sin City and 300, I thought Spirit would be enjoyable. Wrong!!!!! Sure it has some nice visuals, but that's not all a movie shoud be about. There's acting: the characters are more boring than a chemistry teacher. Then there's the script: The faggot who wrote this should be shot, I'm afraid. Then there's also the directing: Miller, why have you done this to your fans?!! The DVD is available in a 2-Disc Special Edition and has commentary, 2 featurettes, the theatrical trailer and an alternate ending. What a waste.

The Verdict: D
The Good: Some nice visuals.
The Bad: Bad acting, scripting, and directing for starters


Next Week:
"Notorious"(Jamal Woolard)
"The Wrestler"(Mickey Rourke, Marisa Tomei)

Week 86


Notorious
(IMG:[www.celebritywonder.com] http://www.celebritywonder.com/img/movieposter/tn/2009_Notorious.jpg)
The Category: Biography
The Stars: Jamal Woolard, Angela Bassett, Derek Luke, Antonique Smith, Christopher Wallace Jr., Anthony Mackie, Naturi Naughton
Price: $19.99-single disc, $22.99 for 2-Disc Unrated Director's Cut Collector's Edition
Running Time: 123 min./ 129 min. Unrated
Rated R for pervasive language, some strong sexuality including dialouge, nudity and for drug use. Also Unrated

This biopic follows the life of late rapper Christopher Wallace a.k.a. Biggie Smalls a.k.a. The Notorious B.I.G.(Woolard). It starts out with Young Chris(B.I.G.'s son Wallace Jr.) in Brooklyn with his mom(Bassett). Then it follows his drug deals, rap battles, and his eventual turn into that big-time rapper you know very well. Along the way he meets other important figures like Sean "P. Diddy" Combs(Luke), Tupac Shakur(Mackie), and ladies Faith Evans(Smith) and Lil' Kim(Naughton). Fans of B.I.G.: you will be pleased. Anybody else will just push it off as another ho-hum biography. Woolard does a very good portrayal of the rapper, and Bassett does equally well as his mother. But it lacks that real feel that makes bios like Milk so damn good. The DVD is available in a 2-Disc Unrated Director's Cut Collector's Edition that has a 129 minute version, commentary, a making of, deleted scenes, and 6 featurettes. It's for the fans, really.

The Verdict: C+
The Good: Great lead performance will please all B.I.G. fans.
The Bad: Not much for anyone else.


The Wrestler
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The Category: Drama
The Stars: Mickey Rourke, Marisa Tomei, Evan Rachel Wood, Ernest Miller, Judah Friedlander
Price:$19.99
Running Time: 111 min.
Rated R for violence, sexuality/nudity, language and some drug use.

Randy "The Ram" Robinson(Rourke) was once a big wrestling star in the 80s. Now Randy is struggling, wreslting only on weekends for independent promotion and working as a box lader at the grocery store. He also visits stripper Cassidy(Tomei) and constantly tries to woo her, but to no avial. He hasn't even seen his daughter Stephanie(Wood). When people want Randy to do a 20th anniversary rematch between Robinson and his biggest opponent named Ayatollah(Miller), he findsthis as a chance to get back into the big time. I quote a critic: "Witness the resurrection of Mickey Rourke...". That is 100% grade-A true. Rourke gave, in my opinion, the true performance of the year and he should've won that Best Actor Oscar(he did win the Golden Globe though). He makes Randy Robinson so realistic and shows the how the wrestler suffers from things like nasty wounds, steroids, and cocaine. He does especially well in a scene where he breaks down in front of Wood's character. Marisa Tomei is excellent as thw woman Randy can never have and Evan Rachel Wood is even better as Randy's daughter. The wrestling action is great, with matches as realistic as Rourke's performance. And let's not forget that incredible Golden Globe winning song called "The Wrestler" by Mr. Bruce Springsteen. The DVD only has a featurette and a music vid of Springsteen's song. One of THE best of '08.

The Verdict: A+
The Good: Rourke, the acting, Rourke, the wrestling, Rourke, the songs, and did I mention Mr. Rourke?
The Bad: Only has a lack of DVD extras.


Evilresident's Must Buy DVD of the Week is......"The Wrestler" with a perfect A+.


Next Week:
"Bride Wars"(Anne Hathaway, Kate Hudson)
"The Uninvited"(Emily Browning, Elizabeth Banks)

Week 87


Bride Wars
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Directed by: Gary Winick
Distributed by: 20th Century Fox
The Category: Comedy
The Stars: Anne Hathaway, Kate Hudson, Chris Pratt, Bryan Greenberg
Price: $19.99
Running Time: 89 min.
Rated PG for suggestive content, language and some rude behavior.

Emma(Hathaway) and Liv(Hudson) have been best friends since childhood. Now the two of them are finally getting married. But here's the problem: THey both have their weddings booked for the same day. Since they can't agree on switching dates, these two unleash their inner Bridezilla and through a series of sabotages, they try to destroy the other's wedding. That's basically all you got. It's like the three most amateur Bridezillas episodes were put together. Women may enjo this but dudes, please stay away. It's basically just a series of pranks that make Hathaway and Hudson look like 7-year-olds. It's just plain annoying and downright awful. The DVD has deleted scenes, an alternate opening, and a featurette. It'd be funny, if it tried.

The Verdict: D
The Good: Women might like(though the ones I asked didn't really like it).
The Bad: It has the entertainment of watching the printing of money.


The Uninvited
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Directed by: Thomas and Charles Gould
Distributed by: Dreamworks
The Category: Horror
The Stars: Emily Browning, Arielle Kebbel, Elizabeh Banks, David Strathairn
Price: $19.99
Running Time: 87 min.
Rated PG-13 for violent and disturbing images, thematic material, sexual content, language and teen drinking.

Anna Rydell(Browning) has just been released from a mental ward she went to 1 year ago due to the strange death of her mother. When she gets back home, she realizes her father Steven(Strathairn) is dating Rachel(Banks). But Anna is very suspicious and thanks to creepy visits from her mother's ghost, she thinks Rachel had something to do with her mom's death. Along with her sister Alex(Kebbel), Anna needs to find the truth before more people die. This is yet another remake of a horror film with it being based on a Korean film. When it said it was from the people of The Ring and Disturbia(both I really liked), I was really interested. It does have its creppy moments, and Browning and Kebbel add a little Fatal Frame 2-esque creepiness to the mix, but that's it. It'smajor fault line is that it's too damn predictable. You'll know what I mean. The DVD has deleted scenes, an alternate ending, and a featurette. I'd invite this movie into my house, but only for a few rentals.

The Verdict: B-
The Good: Very creepy.
The Bad: Predictable.


Evilresident's Must Buy DVD of the Week is......"The Uninvited" with a B-.


Next Week:
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"(Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett)

Thank you for your devotion to letting us know that hollywood still sucks at making movies.

Week 88


The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
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Directed by: David Fincher
Distributed by: Paramount
The Category: Drama
The Stars: Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Taraji P. Henson, Tilda Swinton, Julia Ormond, Jason Flemyng, Jared Harris
Price: $19.99-single disc, $22.99 for 2-Disc Special Edition
Oscar Stuff: 3 wins
Running Time: 166 min.
Rated PG-13 for brief war violence, sexual content, language, and smoking.

Benjamin Button(Pitt) was born unlike in other person. He was born as an old man and it seems that he ages backwards. At age 7, he's practically in a wheelchair. To most people, this is terrifying. But not to his adoptive mother Queenie(Henson). Over his years, Benjamin will get into various events of the 21st century including World War II. He'll also meet various people as well like tugboat captain Mike(Harris), swimmer Elizabeth Abbott(Swinton) and even his real father who abandoned him when he was born. But the most important person is Daisy(Blanchett), who has a romantic realtionship with Benjamin for most of his life. But as she gets older, he keeps getting younger and younger. If you liked Forrest Gump, you'll like this. If not, you won't. Know why? Button is practically a semi-rehash of Gump. That's because screenwriter Eric Roth wrote Gump and Button. trust me, you'll find the similarities. I liked the effects and Pitt's performance, but that all too familiar feel from Gump kept me from fully enjoying this. The DVD is available in a 2-Disc Speical Edition and has commentary, a 4 part documentary, and trailers. It'd be better, if only it were more original.

The Verdict: B+
The Good: Great effects, idea, and lead performances.
The Bad: It's too much like Forrest Gump.


Next Week:
"Underworld: Rise of the Lycans"(Rhona Mitra, Michael Sheen)
"Taken"(Liam Neeson)

Sorry, computer fucked up. But I gave Underworld: Rise of the Lycans a C+ and Taken an A-. This week was "Paul Balrt: Mall Cop", "Valkyrie" and "My Bloody Valentine 3D", but I only got ahold of Blart and Valentine.


Paul Blart: Mall Cop
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Directed by: Steve Carr
Distributed by: Columbia Pictures
The Category: Comedy
The Stars: Kevin James, Jayma Mays, Keir O'Donnell, Raini Rodriguez, Shirley Knight, Bobby Cannavale, Adam Ferrara
Price: $19.99
Running Time: 91 min.
Rated PG for some violence, mild crude and suggestive humor, and language.

Paul Blart(James) is a mall security guard who has dreams of being a New Jersey state trooper, but he always fails the physical exam. However, things look up for Blart when he falls for mall worker Amy(Mays). Things go downhill again when a group of theives led by Veck(O'Donnell) take over the mall on Black Friday and of course, it's about money. But they forgot one thing: Blart. He's also in the mall and will stop at nothing to protect it, his friends, and Amy. This is another one for the kids. James does manage to be pretty funny and there are those near PG-13 jokes. It's premise was really silly, but managed to at least semi-work. The worst parts are when James loses the funny and brings in the lame and corny. The DVD has commentary, deleted scenes, outtakes, and 10 featurettes. Think King of Queens- the PG-13 humor and the help of Jerry Stiller.

The Verdict: B-
The Good: Great for kids and overall pretty funny.
The Bad: Gets lame and is too kiddish.


My Bloody Valentine 3D
(IMG:[www.celebritywonder.com] http://www.celebritywonder.com/img/movieposter/tn/2009_My_Bloody_Valentine_3D.jpg)
Directed by: Patrick Lussier
Distributed by: Lionsgate Films
The Category: Horror, 3D
The Stars: Jensen Ackles, Jamie King, Kerr Smith, Betsy Rue, Tom Wilkins, Edi Gathegi, Megan Boone, Kevin Tighe, Richard John Walters
Price: $19.99-single disc, $22.99 for 2-Disc Special Edition(both have the 3D version).
Running Time: 101 min.
Rated R for graphic brutal horror violence and grisly images throughout, some strong sexuality, graphic nudity and language.

Eleven years ago in the small town of Harmony, Tom Hanniger(Ackles) accidentally caused a cave-in at his father's mine, leaving 6 miners trapped. Police eventually got to them but found all but one, Harry Warden(Walters), dead by the blunt force of a pick-axe. This was Warden's doing but he went into a coma. Then next year on Valentine's Day, Harry woke up. He murdered over 20 people that night in his miner suit with a pick-axe and even was about to kill Tom when he disappeared. Now ten years later, Tom has come back to Harmony to inherit his late father's mine. He also finds his ex-love Sarah(King) married to his ex-best friend and town sheriff, Axel Palmer(Smith). But things go wrong when a man in a miner's suit starts killing off people again, and it just might seem Harry's also back in town. I expected another complete piece of shit horror remake like Prom Night, but I actually got a great movie! In 3D, that is. That's what the major talk is about this movie. But how does it get most of its 3D? From the gore, of course! This movie is EXTREMELY ciolent and bloody(hence the title) and it takes full advantage of our 3rd dimension with eyeballs popping out blood showering, and even a jaw ripped out and tossed at the audience like some gruesome souvenir. But it als pokes fun at the slasher genre a la Scream and features some funny moments including a 5 minute scene involving a completely nude and completely visible Betsy Rue. What could be better than 3D boobies? In 2D however, it's just average. The DVD has both the 2D and 3D versions, 4 pairs of 3D shades, commentary, deleted scenes, an alternate ending, a gag reel, and 2 featurettes. It's a cheesy, blood soaked 3D ride of pure gory glory. Take that, Prom Night!!!!!

The Verdict: B+
The Good: Violent 3D fun and boobies!!!
The Bad: Average 2D experience and your everytime helping of cheese.


Evilresident's Nust Buy DVD of the Week is......"My Bloody Valentine 3D" with a B+

Next week I'll do "Valkyrie" since there's nothing else coming out.

Week 91


(IMG:[www.celebritywonder.com] http://www.celebritywonder.com/img/movieposter/tn/2009_He's_Just_Not_That_Into_You.jpg)
Directed by: Ken Kwapis
Distributed by: New Line Cinema
The Category: Comedy-Drama
The Stars: Ben Affleck, Jennifer Aniston, Drew Barrymore, Jennifer Connelly, Kevin Connolly, Bradley Cooper, Ginnifer Goodwin, Scarlett Johansson, Justin Long
Price: $19.99
Running Time: 129 min.
Rated PG-13 for sexual content and brief strong language.

This is bascially a combination of four love stories. The first involves Gigi(Goodwin) getting dating advice from Alex(Long), even though it proves unsuccessful on her dates. The second involves Janine(Connelly) and her husband Ben(Cooper), who's cheating on her with yoga instructor Anna(Johansson). The third involves Anna casually dating Connor(Connolly). But Mary(Barrymore) may also like Connor. The fourth and final involves Beth(Aniston), who is unsure if Neil(Affleck) will ever marry her. That's what it is. Of all of the acts, the final one involving Aniston and Affleck. The worst was the one involving Barrymore, Johannson, and Connolly. It doesn't get really good until the second half. You might be too bored to get that far, since this is almost as long as a Die Hard film. The DVD has deleted scenes. Just skip to the second half.

The Verdict: C+
The Good: A great second half.
The Bad: A boring first half.


Defiance
(IMG:[www.celebritywonder.com] http://www.celebritywonder.com/img/movieposter/tn/2008_Defiance.jpg)
Directed by: Edward Zwick
Distributed by: Paramount Vantage
The Category: War
The Stars: Daniel Craig, Liev Schreiber, Jamie Bell, George MacKay, Alexa Davalos
Price: $19.99
Running Time: 136 min.
Rated R for violence and language.

This true story involves the four Jewish Bielski brothers: Tuvia(Craig), Zus(Schreiber), Asael(Bell), and Aron(MacKay). In 1941, their parents were killed by police who followed German rule and they had to hide in the forrests of East Europe. In retaliation and an act of defiance, the Bielski brothers decide to stage raids on the German forces, while protecting other hidden Jews. In the end, their efforts will save over 1,200 Jewsih people. This movie was actually entertaining. I expected all dramam, but there were some great action scenes with the Bielskis and some Soviet partisans attacking the Germans. The best part is the film's fantastic score by Oscar nominated composer James Newton Howard, whose work includes I Am Legend, The Happening, The Dark Knight, and Batman Begins. The bad news is it's too long and aside from Craig and (believe it or not)Schreiber, there's no real good acting. It's also still pretty long, even though it's a war film. The DVD has commentary, a making of, and 2 featurettes. It's still good, but it could've been better.

The Verdict: B
The Good: A great score, somenice action, and some of the leads are great.
The Bad: Too long and not too many more good actors.


Evilresident's Must Buy DVD of the Week is......"Defiance" with a B.


Next Week:
"Fired Up!"(Eric Christian Olsen, Nicholas D'Agosto)
"The International"(Clive Owen, Naomi Watts)
"Gran Torino"(Clint Eastwood)

Week 92


Fired Up!
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Directed by: Will Gluck
Distributed by: Screen Gems
The Category: Comedy
The Stars: Nicholas D'Agosto, Sarah Roemer, Eric Christian Olsen, David Walton, Molly Sims
Price: $19.99(Theatrical or Unrated)
Running Time: 90 min./91 min.
Rated PG-13 for crude and sexual content throughout, partial nudity, language and some teen partying. Alos Unrated.

Shawn(D'Agosto) and Nick (Olsen) are two of the most popular guys in high school. They're also on the football team and get pretty distracted by the cheerleaders. Soon they learn of a cheerleader camp in which over 300 girls will be attending. Shawn and Nick then decide to say the hell with football camp, they want to be with the ladies at cheerleader camp. They make it into the camp, much at the behest of head cheerleader Carly(Roemer), who Shawn quickly falls in love with. Now Shawn and Nick are also going to learn care for their fellow squad members, not just fall for them. The movie sounded utterly stupid, but it actually made it to average terrritory. It's more tame than most teen sex comedies these days. It's like Wedding Crashers meets Bring It On. But that tameness also makes it a lot less humorous, as you have to deal with more boundries. They should've sticked with R, in my opinion. It still has a few funny bits, but that's about it. The DVD is available in an Unrated version and has commentary, a making of, a gag reel, and 2 featurettes. It'd be better, only if it were more immature in its category.

The Verdict: C
The Good: Some Funny moments.
The Bad: Not as funny as it could've been.


The International
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Directed by: Tom Tykwer
Distributed by: Columbia Pictures
The Category: Thriller
The Stars: Clive Owen, Naomi Watts, Ulrich Thomsen
Price: $19.99
Running Time: 118 min,
Rated R for some sequences of violence and language.

The International Bank of Business and Credit is one of the most powerful in the world. But it also has a dark side. It actually deals in funding terrorist activities. These dasterdly deeds include money laundering and arms trading. It evens commits assassinations. Determined to put an end to this evil is Interpol Agent Louis Salinger(Owen), who plans to catch the IBBC's CEO, Jonas Skarssen(Thomsen), in the act and expose him. Salinger soon teams with Manhattan Assistant D.A. Eleanor Whitman(Watts) to being Skarssen and the IBBC down to the ground. This was actually pretty fun to watch. A killer bank. How many times have I actually heard that before? I don't recall of any. Owen is also in tough guy form once again, just not shielding a baby from Paul Giamatti this time. There is some good action sequences, all the way to the final rooftop confrontation. On the negative, even though the plot's unique, it's downright absurd. The DVD has commentary, an extended scene, a making of, and a featurette. Great if you don't give a damn about plots.

The Verdict: B
The Good: Great action and unique in a way.
The Bad: A downright laughable plot.


Gran Torino
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Directed by: Clint Eastwood
Distributed by: Warner Brothers
The Category: Drama
The Stars: Clint Eastwood, Bee Vang, Ahney Hur, Doua Moua, Christopher Carley
Price: $19.99
Running Time: 116 min.
Rated R for language throughout and some violence.

Walt Kowalski(Eastwood) is your everyday old grump. He's mean, rude, and disrespectful. He is a racist, belittles Father Janovich(Carley), and even considers his relatives as spoiled and self-absorbed. But Walt's had a rough life. Not only was he in Korea, but he lost his wife as well, and has since then failed to fufill her last wish; for Walt to go to confession at the church. One night, Walt's Hmong neighbor Thao(Vang) is caught trying to steal Walt's prized 1972 Gran Torino Sport, as part of a forced on initiation into the local gang run by Thao's cousin Spider(Moua). After his failure, the gang attempts to beat Thao, but Walt saves the day. As an apology, Thao's family gives Walt gifts and make him work with Walt for a week. But Walt actually bonds with the boy. He soon realizes he has to put aside his prejudice in order to keep Thao, his sister Sue(Hur), and the rest of their family sife from Spider's gang. From the opening scene right down to the teary ending, this is by far one of the best films of 2008, and definitly in the Top 5 greatest Eastwood films. Eastwood gives his best performance ever as the rude old Walt. He manages to make Walt both funny and sad. He makes you laugh when he belittles people, but he also makes youe emotional when you realize he's just a sad old man with a terrible past. The acting of Vang and Hur as Walt's teenage neighbors is also well done. There was absolutely nothing wrong in what Eastwood has called his final performance. Already? And I think Torino got robbed at the Oscars not only for Best Actor, but for Best Picture. The DVD has 2 featurettes. A grand finale for one of films greatest actors.

The Verdict: A+
The Good: Practically perfect in every way.
The Bad: N/A


Evilresident's Must Buy DVD of the Week is......"Gran Torino" with a perfect A+.


Next Week:
"Madea Goes to Jail"(Tyler Perry)
"Friday the 13th"(Jared Padalecki, Danielle Panabaker)

Week 93


Madea Goes to Jail
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Directed by: Tyler Perry
Distributed by: Lionsgate
The Category: Comedy-Drama
The Stars: Tyler Perry, Keisha Knight Pulliam, Derek Luke, Sofia Vergara, David Mann, Tamela Mann, Vanessa Ferlito
Price: $19.99
Running Time: 103 min.
Rated PG-13 for mature thematic material, drug content, some violence and sexual situations.

Madea's(Perry) in trouble now. She's always been known for her big temper. But after flipping over a woman's car with a forklift, Madea is sentenced to 5 years in jail. But there she meets Donna(Ferlito) and Candace(Pulliam), two girls Madea decides to protect. Meanwhile, Mr. Brown(D. Mann) and Cora(T. Mann) try to get Madea out with the help of Brian(Perry), the lawyer son of Madea's brother Joe(Perry). Just because the title character is Madea, don't think that this is a funny film. Some of the TV spots call it really funny, but they're liars. It's more drama, especially around the characters of Candace and assistant D.A. Josh(Luke), with whom Candace was once in a relationship with. It's just more of those drama films Perry does and less funny. Only the parts with Madea's outbursts offer only a little bit of humor. Look's like House of Payne is the only full comedic thing Perry can throw out. And the fact it's more of the same old blab makes it more predictable and also boring. The DVD has 6 featurettes. Yawn.


The Verdict: C
The Good: Madea's back and it's a little funny.
The Bad: Way too much same old, same old.

WARNING: This review contains minor spoilers of the new Friday the 13th film.

Friday the 13th
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Directed by: Marcus Nispel
Distributed by: New Line Cinema
The Category: Horror
The Stars: Jared Padalecki, Derek Mears, Danielle Panabaker, Amanda Righetti, Aaron Yoo, Travis Van Winkle
Price: $19.99 for Theatrical or Extended Killer Cut
Running Time: 97 min. Rated/106 min. Unrated
Rated R for strong blood violence, some graphic sexual content, language and drug material.

After his mother was killed back in 1980, Jason Voorhees(Mears) now haunts the area known as Camp Crystal Lake. Anyone who goes near never returns and Jason proves this by slaughtering a group of teens searching for, and this is 100% Grade-A true, marijuana that is actually growing in the campsite. Six weeks later, a new group of teens arrive near the camp; Trent(Van Winkle), his girlfriend Jenna(Panabaker), Bree(Julianna Guill), Nolan(Ryan Hansen), his girlfriend Chelsea(Willa Ford), and jokesters Chewie(Yoo) and Lawrence(Arlen Escarpeta). Meanwhile, Clay(Padalecki) is searching for his sister Whitney(Righetti), the sole survivor of the earlier slaguhter, as she reminds Jason of his mother. Clay runs into the group and now they'll learn the legend of Jason Voorhees is all the more true as they're picked off one by one. Okay, so Jason carving up teens: same old stuff. Jason running and setting up traps: now that's what I want, baby! That's right, this reboot features a tougher, smarter, and faster version of the iconic killer. Basically, this reboot is like a mash up of the first 3 films. Jason does start killing with the sack over his head like in Part II, but he also earns his hockey mask from a freshly killed redneck. As for the teens, Padalecki actually does better than his Supernatural counterpart, Jensen Ackles, who starred in another slasher remake, My Bloody Valentine 3D. And as a surprise, Yoo is acutally pretty damn funny. He reinds me of Shelly from Part III, only better. Now the violence is pretty insane. Some deaths include a bear trap, machetes right to the fucking temple, and screwdrivers through the neck. But if you take away the new Jason, you get that standard old Friday massacre as usual. The DVD is available in an Extended Killer Cut and has a 106 minute version, deleted scenes, and a featurette. It's predictable, but that new Jason still kicks ass.

The Verdict: B
The Good: Jason is redone almost perfectly and the acting is at last acceptable.
The Bad: Still same old.


Evilresident's Must Buy DVD of the Week is......"Friday the 13th" with a B.


Next Week:
"The Pink Panther 2"(Steve Martin, John Cleese)
"Confessions of a Shopaholic"(Isla Fisher, Hugh Dancy)

This post has been edited by evilresident: Jun 17 2009, 19:21

I can never why you like gore... eh... <3