Twilight (2008) (Blu Ray) - 1/10

Hahahahaha, I don't even know what to write on this one. I watched this in the background of working today just to see what all the fuss is about. Not only is this the most teeny bopper, emo music, goth-centric crap to come out in a while, it seriously dumbs down the vampire genre and only makes Hollywood pander to these crappy kids with more of the same fish out of water love story high school prom crap. Twilight should be banished from all schools and film history, I am sorry I even watched this at all.

Rec (2007) - 7/10

Rec is the movie that Quarantine was based on and even though it does bring the horror and realism a little bit better, it still underwhelms by the annoying secondary characters who basically are only there to be killed. I liked the documentary structure of talking to the camera and following the fire crews around but once the pathogen takes over and people start turning into infected flesh eaters, the sets really don't change and the attacks are pretty one note. Though the shaky cam works well to make it seem like the wounds and blood are happening in real time, the movie is ultimately too small and unrememberable to show any true action or enduring heroes. The main female even dies at the end which makes you wonder why you even were supposed to like her in the first place. Still interesting for it's subtitles and trying to change the genre but the small budget is felt and there's not enough light to see what's happening half the time.

Knowing (2009) (Blu Ray) - 6/10

For some reason Knowing didn't do it for me in theatres and once again looking great on Blu Ray, it didn't make any lasting impact other than the fact that I slowly am starting to hate Nic Cage. Alex Proyas has done some decent work with movie like Dark City but with this he's trying to take on the end of the world, aliens, and a set of numbers that predict all the major global disasters but he never gives us characters who we care if they live or die. The bad acting overpowers any of the dramatic action scenes and we're constantly being preached to by Cage's character as to what he "thinks" is going on, only to basically get creeped out and never have everything fall together until it's too late. This movie has an interesting concept and the BR audio and video are excellent but there is just too much fake CGI and laughably bad moments to take it seriously. Too bad..

Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade (1989) - 10/10

Saw Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade at Film on the Rocks tonight and it was glorious. Red Rocks is such a great place in the first place but when you add one of my favorite movies of all time, it gets epic. For me, this is the best of the Indy series and the one of the highpoint of John Williams/Speilberg collaborations, showing that you can bring together a great cast in exotic locations and still make it bigger than the original. Nothing much to say on this one other than I'm glad it didn't rain, and when will this be out on Blu Ray?!

Memento (2000) (Blu Ray) - 9/10

Memento is such a hard movie to understand that each time I watch it there is just something about the way it's structured that keeps you wanting more and engaged from start to finish. I listened to the commentary track by director Christopher Nolan and was glad to get inside his head to see how he came up with this backwards story and why he chose to give us an unreliable protagonist who by the end we clearly find out is the bad guy. This movie slowly gives us the details that we think are right only to constantly pull the rug out from under as we find out no one's intentions are genuine, something Nolan credits to the acting and script which he went over and over to make sure it could flow straight too. This movie really shows off the editing techniques Nolan likes and the story structure that is a lot different than the Dark Knight which I appreciate more for it's originality.

Coraline (2009) (Blu Ray) - 10/10

Coraline on Blu Ray is wonderful, having watched the PIP extras and commentary, it literally gets better every time. The stop motion animation by Henry Selick is the best he's ever done and hearing all the little details of how they created the realistic hair, casted actors for voice work, and how they used CGI to ehance some action scenes all made me appreciate this medium over newly computer animated films. Having read the book before I saw this in theatres, it's cool to see this film version look so good on Blu Ray and in 3D and have them expand on the characters to the point where you wish more hollywood types would take chances with such dark and original stories. Coraline is a must see and something I can tell I will revisit along with Nightmare Before Christmas every Halloween.

Super Troopers (2001) (Blu Ray) - 10/10

Probably one of the most quoted movies in the past 10 years, Super Troopers is Broken Lizard's masterpiece of comedy that never gets old. I watched it with a PIP commentary by the entire filmmaking cast and crew and it was awesome to watch them joke about the on set antics and shooting problems they encountered.

The Haunting in Connecticut (Blu Ray) (2009) - 7/10

When you get these movies based on real life events, it always feels like they're trying to hard to keep the realism without giving the audience enough suspense to feel entertained. The Haunting in Connecticut is an alright horror movie that has some cool make-up effects and interesting ideas of battling cancer but in the end strays too far from fantasy and instead becomes something that tries to scare you for pretending it happened. I don't deny that there are supernatural elements in the world but this exorcims and possessions seem a little far fetched. In the end, this movie is worth checking out at night but doesn't bring anything new to the table and instead tries to make you care for the health of the boy rather than worry about the actual demons. Could have been better.

The Royal Tenenbaums (2001) - 9/10

You either love or hate The Royal Tenenbaums and I am in the category of loving everything Wes Anderson does. From the weird yet familiar characters, the commentary really helped me understand the casting and creative process that came from such an ambitious movie. By writing in the acts like the screenplay, the movie is so structed and divided that it's easy to get confused as to who is who. But the way that you see everyone as kids then grown up really is a testament to the casting and scriptwork to have these underlying themes and motifs pop up that really go along with the great music he incorporates. This movie has such dry humor that you sometimes wonder if you should be laughing but to me it almost reminds me of Arrested Development in the dysfucntional family aspect and straight faced seriouslness. Anderson's commentary was a little dry but still got across some hidden articles and his childhood memories of forts, red jumpsuits, and the bird. Definitely a cult classic.

Robot Chicken Star Wars: Episode 2 (2009) - 8/10

Another great parody of Star Wars by Seth Green and the Robot Chicken folk. The extras alone are worth it.

Boogie Nights (1997) - 9/10

Watched Boogie Nights with the infamous commentary by and have to say, he definitely sounds drunk and curses a lot but it's a very worthwhile listen. What's cool about this movie is the great overlapping dialogue, ensemble cast, and the musical choices he uses to signify the beginning and end of the 70's vs. 80s. Anderson is clearly confident after making this movie and talks about the problems with the length vs NC-17 and how the studio only allowed him to choose one. I liked his references to other Altman or Demme movies that influenced him and casting of unknown Heather Graham and Mark Wahlberg that really let them evolve as characters. In the end, Boogie Nights is a great look at the backstage family that a porn business creates and it was interesting to hear how certain people laughed at parts that weren't meant to and why he kept idea in which helped flesh out all the overlapping stores. A must see.

The Unborn (Blu Ray) (2009) - 7/10

Watching Knowing for the hot Odette Yustman and found that even though it was written by David Goyer of The Dark Knight and has Gary Oldman, it's still a formulaic PG-13 horror film that is too cliched to matter.

Paper Heart (2009) - 7/10

Watched a screener of the new Overture film Paper Heart today and was not that impressed with the documentary type feel this gave off. The movie was just weird, I liked the kind of real documentary feel that changes as their relationship evolved but to me it felt borderline scripted and tried a little too hard to get them together. I guess I felt bad b/c one minute I was laughing at her then another I felt bad for her. The ending had me cracking up though, the whole biker chase when they go up on no wheels, really funny. But now that I’ve heard they broke up in real life it’s just sad, it seems this just tried too hard to be indie but there was never the songs that gave the scenes weight. Almost TOO realistic. 500 days of summer is still my favorite so far this year

Ong Bak (2003) - 7/10

For some reason I just felt like watchin kick ass Mua-Tai fighting so I popped in some Tony Jaa and his first movie, Ong Bak. I'm hoping to watch the sequel here shortly which i've heard is much better, but it's always cool to see the crazy stunts he performs and the actors he beats the shit out of.

Push (2009) (Blu Ray) - 6/10

Much worse than I expected, Push comes off like a bad episode of heroes without any hot chicks.

Jaws (1975) - 10/10

One of the greatest movies of all time and a favorite of mine, I wanted to just watch Jaws again to reflect on all the information I had gained from the amazing documentary I saw this weekend. Jaws holds up so well and it's so cool to remember that the problems they had with the shark not working actually helped the movie by making them improvise with barrels and such instead of showing the shark. This was the first blockbuster and a classic.

The Shark Is Still Working (2009) (Theatrical) - 9/10

A fascinating documentary on the legacy of Jaws and the real life people the movie affected.

Pitch Black (2000) (Blu Ray) - 7/10

A cheesy CGI fest that feels date even with Vin Diesel. Some of the ideas are cool but otherwise the secondary characters are so annoying compared to Riddick that it's a shame he doesn't get more screentime.

Goal II: Living the Dream (2007) - 8/10

Cool soccer movie sequel with all the big name altheletes like Beckham, Zidane, Ronaldo that make it much more realistic than i expected. Man, I wish I was a rich famous athlete in Europe!

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (2009) (Theatrical) - 9/10

Great movie, bad adaptation.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007) (Blu Ray) - 8/10

Watched the last HP Blu Ray this afternoon to refresh my memory right before we went and saw the new one. This installment has an awesome ending that makes up for the parts where it drags.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005) (Blu Ray) - 8/10

The fourth film in the series has a more rushed feel and it almost cheesy in the way it presents the relationships of the characters but I love the 3 tasks and the creativity of the dragon sequence as well as the creation of Voldemort.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) (Blu Ray) - 9/10

The third movie is by far the best in the series and a very complicated piece of action, time traveling, and humor that blends so nicely you can't help but want to continue with these characters.

Jarhead (2005) (Blu Ray) - 8/10

Sam Mendes's third film is a very intersting take on war and based on a book of the same name written by the guy who experienced all this, it's cool to see it from their perspective. Listened to commentary by Mendes and another by the screenwriter and the real life "Swoff" character who wrote the book, they examine the details of being a marine and how the director was learning as they went in how to show the realism of relationships and horror they encountered along the way. It's hard to think that they were so bored during this war but the quote that says these soldiers were the actual casualities is important to understand as this movie tries to paint war as something that changes people for the worse and can bring out the animal in people who learn to kill and when dont' have that opportunity, turn on eachother. The comedic side is fun at times yet you can't help but be amazed at the ILM digital work of the blazing oil fields and mirror shots that give this movie a type of sadness that these soldiers didn't get the stories they wanted in the end.

Delicatessen (1991) - 7/10

A truly weird movie that caught me off guard. A post apocalyptic apartment complex where they are so hungry they start chopping up travelers and selling their parts at the local butcher unaware to the new guy trying to work there. French dark comedy that is a must see for the lighting and quirky characters.

The Mask (1994) (Blu Ray) - 8/10

A perfect vehicle for Jim Carrey, I checked out The Mask on Blu Ray with commentary this afternoon and was intrigued by all the benchmarks this film represented to CGI in the film industry. Based on a darker and more violent comic strip, director Chuck Russel and a variety of technical and animation advisors go through tons of details of how this movie was the first of it's kind integrating live action people and realistic animation in ways that would pave the way for even bigger films to come. Hearing from ILM was cool with how the tornado technique used in this was the blueprint for Twister or the way lighting was being used on this to help with Jurassic Park. I like that this movie kind of is in it's genre where it's borderline violent yet uses terrific CGI to emphasize the comedy aspect which they say had never been done before. The casting of the unknown Camerion Diaz was also a highlight for them as well as the talented dog who they said needed to have no hair b/c it would have been impossible for them to create an animated version of it when it puts on the mask. From the over the top comparisons to looney toons cartoons, this movie is all about the physical comedy of Jim Carrey and the one liners are great to where he really gets to unleash his fury of craziness and quote tons of other movies. Overall, the blu ray was fun to revisit and I learned how big of a gamble the filmmakers took on this movie's technology so it's a testament to how well it holds up today that it exceeded expectations and is hilarious every time.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) (Blu Ray) - 9/10

After watching Year 2 of the HP marathon, I realized each film gets better and better with the technology available and can't help but get caught up in this world of Hogwarts even more.

Casablanca (1942) (Blu Ray) - 9/10

Felt like watching a classic in between Harry Potters today so I dove right into the Casablanca Ultimate Edition and watched hours of documentaries as well as listened to a film historian commentary to try and get a better understanding of what makes this movie so important. It's interesting because I don't particularly like older movies but I understand their significance for the patience and lack of technology they had to still create gripping stories and camera movement. I guess I just didn't grow up with Bogart and Bergman to fully appreciate their screen presence but I admire the cool way they talk in this film and the way he acts like he doesn't care when he really does. But the commentary discusses a lot to digest from the casting process to the history of the WB studio during the wartime so that it was a hard movie to get made and carefully censored. The dark characters and flopping sides help set up the frantic tone towards the end and it was fun to hear each scene examined closely for how it was created like a huge plane with midgets or the unforgettable Cafe Americano Rick owns. So after hearing all the familes and people talk about how important this film is, I'm on board but not totally sold it's as rewatchable as say the Sound of Music or the Wizard of Oz. Either way, Casablanca is a complicated melodrama that benefits from it's great cast and wartime themes to make it a product of it's time.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2000) (Blu Ray) - 8/10

Started my Harry Potter Blu Ray marathon last night and had a blast going back to year one to see all these character when they were just babies. What's amazing to think about as I start to get into this world of Harry Potter is to see how much the actors have grown up over the course of 9 years and 6 movies so it's a testament to the casting director of this first film to see the potentional of them all to stick with the series all the way through. This first film is definitely dated yet still has that sparkle of fantasy and adaptation that works so well that you can't help but be transported into Hogwarts and the magic within. I like the way it balances the humor witht the CGI and weird characters to give you a organic feel to the surroundings as we see the school for the first time. Introducing all the teachers and other students feels so weird after we've been with them for years now that it must be weird for them to go back and see how kidlike their performances were. Nonetheless, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is a terrificly fun film that is a blend of everything you're looking for in a series and a remarkable feat to bring that chemistry off the screen. I'm looking forward to seeing all these in a row again though wish there were commentaries to go along.

Away We Go (2009) (Theatrical) - 7/10

I was looking forward to seeing Sam Mendes' new film after Revolutionary Road called Away We Go but left ultimately underwhelmed by a story that tries too hard to be realistic that it takes out any suspense or emotional climax we were hoping for. John Krazinsky and Mia Rudolph are cute as the in love couple expecting a baby yet their trip across the country to find a new home is so sporatic and disjointed that you never know how long they're gonna take in a certain place that just when you're comfortable, they change the scenery. I liked the supporting characters like his mom and Dad or the friends they see in each city but I was just waiting for some sort of rising conflict to occur or have the baby put in danger so that we are actually worried about their future. Instead, we're treated to a bunch of sappy indie love songs and unlikabel characters so that we have no choice but to try and identify with the leads who I couldn't b/c I believe in marriage and don't have a pregnant girlfriend. The scenes b/w the two when they're alone work great because we see the humor in him trying to get mad or excited the heart rate of the baby but when we see how unhappy they are at the end still, I feel like they didn't learn anything from anyone. Overall, a letdown only because I like Mendes' more dramatic work than this love story type realism where it shows how shitty parents and drunk friends can be when you're just trying to find your way in the world. Depressing to say the least.

Big Fish (2003) (Blu Ray) - 9/10

You have to admire Tim Burton for creating a truly unique movie experience in Big Fish, a movie that uses the voice over narrative and circus-like storytelling to bring the viewer into a world where anything is possible. Watching this again with the commentary by Burton, I couldn't help but be caught up again with the balancing plots of the relationship with his dying father and the tall tales he tells where we see Ewan McGregor experience the weirdest people imaginable. What I like about this movie is the use of color and eccentric characters to cement his story beyond that of a normal fairy tale but one that exists in the real world and in the imagination of his family. The great performances by all the secondary characters give the world a believeable lived in quality and Burton explains everything from the blending of CGI elements to camera tricks to make actors seem tall, short, or young. By keeping the bulk of the story told in the past as a backstory for his adventurous life, Big Fish has such an emotional punch that when you go back to the present, it means even more. There's just something about this movie that screams originallity and I admire the passion Burton has for giving even the smallest details to the background characters as the foreground ones, showing that every character that comes on screen means something to the lead and can be enjoyed for their uniqueness to the story.

12 Rounds (2009) (Blu Ray) - 8/10

Under the WWE trademark, this by the numbers action film is actually pretty fun, John Cena stars as the unstoppable cop who must get through 12 Rounds of obstacles to stop the madman who has his wife captive. Even though some of the dialogue is a bit cheesy, the action set pieces and stunts are top notch and you have to give credit to the screenwriters for an all over town romp that destroys everything from trolly cars, bridges, buildings, and helicopters. The tasks he must solve/do don't ever get too repetitive and are completed so fast that you never get caught up wondering why it was put in at all. Overall, a mindless flick that is great to just turn off your brain and watch a meathead run around punching people and jumping off rooftops. The fact that John Cena is afraid of heights makes it funny to know such a big tough wrestling guy still can be scared shitless. Better than expected.

Frankenstein (2004) - 6/10

Based on a continuing series of novels by Dean Koontz, I wanted to watch this DVD of book one just to refresh my memory of this modern retelling of the classic story and get ready for the third part to be released later this month. While the books are just plain awesome and revolve around police detectives tracking down a serial killer while also getting the help of a thousand year old giant who has survived to track down his nemesis, the immortal Victor Helios who is the title character that uses modern day technology to clone his girlfriend and survive. The problem with this movie is the lenght, at only 89 minutes, they cut far too much from the book to fit into this short narrative which is edited so spotty you can see that they originally wanted it to be a TV Series. Although the small characters are still here, the pace feels rushed and open ended that I really hope they make another one to give this mythology it's due. Either way, a letdown.

He's Just Not That Into You (2009) (Blu Ray) - 7/10

Another movie that you feel like you've seen it 10 times before, He's Just Not That Into You tries so hard to be outside the Rom Com scene where normal people talk to the camera about the rules of dating but this movie just falls flat because of the cliched structure and ending that tries to leave the viewer on a happy note. I liked the chemistry of the cast sometimes in this movie, particularly Ben Affleck and Justin Long, but the female characters in this movie were so annoying and batsht crazy that I actually hoped all the guys would get out of it all together and just hang out. Cheating on your wife, calling back, and how to market yourself are all ideas brought up yet I guess I haven't grown up enough yet to be worred about marriage and getting too old for kids. Either way, there are some amusing moments but the use of facebook and myspace date this movie so that it will probably seem old in just a few years. Overall, a harmless movie that tries to think outside the box but falls into the same traps as 99% of others. If you wanna see a good movie, go see 500 Days of Summer.

Rushmore (1998) - 9/10

We watched the Criterion version of Rushmore at the Film in the Forest monthly film series and I had blast talking about this movie for the weird, wonderful fable it is. Wes Anderson's sophomore effort after Bottle Rocket is a movie that I find gets better every time you watch it, something that has such a good script that it doesn't need to get changed at all so that even Bill Murray would do it for free. I like the way the music changes to emphasize each scene and Max character almost makes his own rules to bend the world as he chooses. The kooky characters and scene of the perfect private school all work to balance the play aspect with the idea of coming of age, a rare feat that has as many one liners as effective life lessons. What's cool to think about is the way this movie switches the roles of Schwartzman's and Murray's characters from childish humor to acting all adult so that when they're both swooning over the same girl, you really don't know who to root for. This movie is not for everyone and has a sort of dry humor throughout like you're not in on the joke, but the way that characters all try so hard and are so empathetic make this a truly classic movie.

JFK (1991) (Blu Ray) - 9/10

A remarkable achievement in epic historical filmmaking, Oliver Stone provides a great commentary for this 205 minute analysis of all the conspiracies and facts surrounding one of the most important assasinations in history. Stone talks about all the details he was allowed to include in the film from filming in the actual library where they think Oswald shot from to the actual offices of the politicians. What makes JFK such an all encompassing view on this great event is the incredible ensemble cast that are so many you can't even name them on here. Costner is great as the energetic man trying to bring to light all the mysterious details of how the government changed facts and created the patsy's for what we still don't know the truth to. I enjoyed listening to the terrific score by John Williams and the commentary provided great depth to the extensive research and actual transcripts of the courtroom scenes they brought into the screenplay to give multiple sides of the same incident. Eventually winning the oscar for editing, JFK is a triumph of a balancing act, giving me so many facts that it makes you think they were really onto uncovering the truth while making this. Towards the end Stone refers to this as his "Godfather' and Nixon as his "Godfather 2" and I say I have to agree with him. Movies like these are so much harder to put out nowadays b/c the government probably has even more to hide and censor.

Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun Li (2009) (Blu Ray) - 4/10

Quite possibly the worst movie i've seen all year, Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun Li packs one hell of a punch on the Blu Ray audio side, but other that that everything in this movie is laughably bad. Not only is the story completely outside the Street Fighter mythology, but the special FX and acting are so unprofessional that I literally contemplated turning it off a quarter of the way through. Chris Klein should be given the razzie right now for the most over the top, out of left field horrible performance i've seen in years. Please stay away from this if you know what's good for you.

Walz With Bashir (2008) - 7/10

A very cool looking animated film from an Israeli director that is actually based on a true story of how he remembers the war he served in and the people he met along the way. Although the computer generated, non-rotoscoping imagery is interesting from a technical side, this oscar nominated foreign language movie feels distant and cold, something I couldnt' identify with this second time and it feels just to weird for my taste. Still, it's worth seeing just for the look.

Bruno (2009) (Theatrical) - 9/10

Saw Bruno at an advanced screening tonight and can confirm that it is even more outrageous, offensive, and gut wrenchingly hilarious than Borat. Sasha Baron Coen is a master of disguise, a one man army that is totally in character that you have no choice but to believe he is the gay austrian fashion expert who gets blacklisted from europe and comes to the USA to become famous. What makes this movie so revolutionary, as did Borat, is the way that he uses humor to break the ice in these uncomfortable situations and turns the hidden bigotry found all over to full light by interviewing such racist and ignorant people that you can't help but cringe. There are so many funny situations in this movie that it's impossible to spoil, using gross out full frontal nudity, terrorism, baby commercials, and talk shows to oust people's fears of the gay reporter. Bruno was better than i'd hoped and had the audience reeling throughtout, a real feat given that people know this is a schtick after Borat. Cohen manages to trick celebrities and normal folk alike into thinking he is someone he's not and in the process uncovers such real life stupidity that you almost wish that it WAS scripted. Either way, Bruno will be on repeat watch for me and I can't wait to see this again with my friends.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005) (Blu Ray) - 10/10

I remember reading the book for The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy and thinking there was no way they could ever make it into a movie. But after I've seen this movie a couple times now and once again today with commentary by the director and cast, I have to give this movie huge props for actually getting better with time and more fun than I could have ever imagined. What's so cool about this movie is that it integrated all types of CGI, matte paintings, practical, cartoon, and just about every weird editing technique in the book. The comedic tone for such an event as the earth being destroyed is what makes this movie so fun, taking the weird ideas and expanding on them with such creative energy that I can't help but be swept away in the quirkiness. The commentary was hilarous if just for the stories from the cast about bad wigs, the huge puppets, and the way that they would compose the music first and then edit the shots around it. From descriptions of how they filmed on location in Wales and on stage, you can tell everyone involved had a blast on the shoot and really enjoyed bringing their characters to life. From the littel details of wanting to use CGI mice vs real or the blue screen scenes or props to Sam Rockwell, this movie has such an original tone and british sense of humor that you really wont' find anything like it coming out of the states. I absolutely love this movie and can see it becoming an annual watching event.

Beverly Hills Cop (1984) - 8/10

Decided to go for some old school comedy this morning so I watched Beverly Hills Cop with commentary by director Martin Brest. Eddie Murphy became a star in this great blend of action and comedy where he gets paired up with a couple of cops and ignores every law in the book to take down the bad guys. I love the scenes where he uses the race card to his advantage and the way he can change his attitude and tone to smooth talk almost everyone in the movie. Commentary was interesting to talk about the car stunts that went wrong, the soundtrack, casting of Judge Reinhold and others.

Moon (2009) (Theatrical) - 9/10

A truly fascinating and original Sci-Fi movie that has me thinking way after i've left the theatre. Sam Rockwell is fantastic as the lone worker on the lunar station on the Moon where he harnesses solar energy to be sent back to earth in the near future.

Confessions of A Shopaholic (2009) (Blu Ray) - 6/10

I figured this movie would be dumb but with Jerry Bruckeheimer's name attached I thought I would give it a shot to at least research the extras for work. Although Isla Fisher is pretty hot, in this movie I had no emotional connection to her at all and couldn't identify with any of her "shopaholic" tendencies. There were way too many cliches in this movie and unnecessary secondary characters that never show up towardst he latter half of the film which confused me, not to mention the humorous way they portrayed people as addicts of shopping instead of treating it like a serious disease like alcoholism or other things. A scene where she tries to dance is unintentionally funny, but in the end this was a cheap knockoff of Devil Wears Prada and didn't have enough hotties to keep me interested. Oh well...

Che Part 2 (2009) - 8/10

Che Part 2 picks up a year after the great battle scene of the first movie and instead see the landscape change to Bolivia where he fights against another army in some really cool senes.

Che Part 1 (2009) - 8/10

I've been waiting to watch Soderbergh's opus on Che Guevera for a while now and was excited to get into this great biopic starring Benicio Del Toro. This first movie immediately brought me into his world and onto the emotional triumph as he battled Batista's army in Cuba for his friend Fidel Castro.

Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009) (3D Theatrical) - 8/10

After rewatching the first two Ice Age movies, I was ready for this new one in beautiful 3D and state of the art animation. At first I was worried by the clunky dialogue and jump right into it plot continuation but by the time Buck the weasel played by Simon Pegg shows up and the action starts right about the half way mark, I was hooked. For some reason, this movie saves all it's steam for when they actually get into the realm of the dinosaurs so the first half of the movie drags and preaches about raising kids and being a responsible parent. But once the danger starts in the 3D really kicks into high gear with huge aerial fighting scenes and some great camera work within the environment to give a sense of danger and space that I thought the first 2 movies lacked. The jokes are more physically oriented then pop culture punchline which was nice, yet there is the scent of a kid's movie throughout that you just can't get rid of. I love animated movies though and it was refreshing to see these characters in full 3D this time. Overall, better than I expected but still has some slow parts that preach to make sure you check your adult brain at the door.

Year One (2009) (Theatrical) - 5/10

Easily one of the worst movies of the year, I was excited to see this stupid comedy by Harold Ramis for Jack Black and Michael Cera's pairing but alas the script and story were way too dumb to even let these guys thrive. To me the worst part of the movie was how it had to play on the edge of PG-13 so it wanted to be dirty but couldn't b/c they thought an R Rated comedy wouldnt' do well. Hangover, cough, Hangover. Either way, the story is ridiculous and the jokes are so far between that I actually was looking forward to the next movie of the day, Ice Age 3D. While I did laugh a couple times just at Jack Black's forced facial expressions, Michael Cera seems to play the same character in every movie and the girls they lust over were not even that hot. Over the top acting and parody of biblical stories just isn't my cup of tea. Life of Brian did it way better back in the day.

Spaceballs (1987) (Blu Ray) - 8/10

Watched the new Blu Ray release of Spaceballs this morning and not only does it look great, but the commentary by Mel Brooks really helped appreciate this classic comedy like never before. There's something about the way this movie makes fun of Star Wars, Aliens, and other sci fi movies that makes it so hilarious, from the huge helmet Rick Moranis wears to the ludacrous speed joke.

Inkheart (2008) (Blu Ray) - 6/10

Wow, Inkeart was even worse that I thought it'd be and that's saying a lot. Not knowing exactly what genre it wants to be, the movie is like a bad Harry Potter mixed with Dungeons and Dragons to create something so boring and far fetched that I actually didn't even care what was going on which almost never happens. For some reason, Brenden Frasier thinks being in a kids movie with a lot of special FX automatically gives him a reason to act like a bumblig idiot but this movie takes the cake. With a supporting cast of Helen Mirren, Jim Broadbent and Andy Serkis, this movie could have been a Princess Bride type of thing where what you read in the book comes to life but instead it was all about him and his daughter trying to find their Mom who got sent into the book when he read something out of it. By trying to incorporate shitty CGI of every imaginable create in a book like flying monkeys, unicorns, minotaurs, etc, the movie never can keep up with making them seem realistic when the characters are constantly moving on to the next scenario. I didn't care for the villians or even the plot about finding the Inkheart book to send his friend back into it so much that I was hoping they'd all die by the end. A huge flop and a movie that has so many pacing issues and bad dialogue that I couldn't even remember one action scene after it was done. Be glad you didn't see this yet.

Hamlet 2 (2008) - 5/10

Hamlet 2 is definitely one of the worst movies I've seen in a while with it's cliche racism and call-out references to Dangerous Minds. Steve Coogan was funny in Tropic Thunder but is just surrounded by a bunch of immature high schoolers here as he tries to put on a play so offensive that the media comes to protect his first amendment right as the drama program is being shut down. This movie was beyond bad and I almost turned it off if it wasn't for the over the top climax where they actually perform the play that has Jesus, jumping cars, and rock n roll all rolled into one. The stage performance and over the top acting was actually alright towards the end and I have to give the filmmakers credit for putting their entire budget towards what the movie is essentially about, but the first 3/4 of this movie has such bad pacing and dialogue that by the time you actually watch the play you're wondering why the rest of the movie wasn't this good. Avoid this one at all costs.