Flyer78 Reviews

Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

A Two and a Half-Hour Adrenaline Rush

[8/10 · 18 October 2009]

When I went into watching Terminator 2, I wasn't sure how high my expectations should be. I had read some reviews from other users, and all of them were very positive, and everyone seemed to love this film. I was skeptical, because the whole idea of a cyborg battling another cyborg to save a boy, his mother, and humanity alike simply didn't appeal to me. In all honesty, it sounded like the type of movie you hear characters talking about in a Saturday morning cartoon. The Wachowski Brothers' first Matrix film is one of my all-time favorites, and it was roughly the same genre with a different concept. So naturally, that gave me the incentive to give T2 a chance.

When I watched it, I was blown away. It wasn't your stereotypical one-guy-against-another-guy with humanity's fate on the line film. Yes, it easily qualifies as action-packed, but it also contains an interesting, somewhat complex story. Because of this, everything that happens in the film occurs for a reason. This wasn't made by a director that decided he wanted to throw bigtime action scenes just to get a cheap thrill from the audience *cough Michael Bay ***COUGH COUGH*** Arnold Schwartzenegger (Did I spell that right? Doubt it) plays a very likable, well-developed character as The Terminator. There are a few actors in the history of film-making that are absolutely perfectly-cast for their respective roles (i.e. Samuel L. Jackson as Jules Winnfield in Pulp Fiction or Eli Wallach as Tuco in The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly), and I am going to say that Big Arnie has cemented a spot for himself in that league of actors. The only other option to play Terminator that I can fathom would be Jean Claude Van Damme, but even he simply would not be able to supply the same fire as Arnold.

Linda Hamilton and Edward Furlong are great supporting actors, and their performances also deserve mention. But as far as supporting actors in the film go, Robert Patrick takes the throne easily. He showed great range as he played the emotionless, cold-hearted cyborg known simply as T-1000.

Overall, this a film with little flaws to talk about. It has great writing, superb acting, a few scattered funny moments, and of course, pulse-pounding action. I would even go out on a limb and place it in a tied position with Fight Club as the greatest "guy" film of all time.

"HASTA LA VISTA, BABY!" -The Terminator

Inglourious Basterds (2009)

INglourious Basterds=GLORIOUS film.

[9/10 · 24 August 2009]

Okay, where do I start? This film was the epitamy of brilliance in every way. The acting, particularly that of stars Brad Pitt and Christoph Waltz, is above top-notch, and this was directed superbly by the man who I believe is the greatest director of the modern day and possibly the greatest of all time- Mr. Quentin Tarantino.

The opening sequence of the film is strikingly similar to that of spaghetti westerns, which is not surprising since Tarantino calls this as much of a spaghetti western as it is a war film. The sequence that takes place at the beginning of the film is rather long, suspenseful, and has a menacing sense to it. You have a dreadful feeling that you know exactly what's going to happen, it's just a matter of when it does.

Something else that Tarantino is reputed for doing so well is giving his characters the most unique of personalities. And although I'm sure I'm not the first to tell you this, he created a very funny and likable one in Brad Pitt's character- Lieutenant Aldo Raine, a hillbilly born and raised up in the mountains of Tennessee. Christoph Waltz's character, which happens to be the film's primary antagonist, known as Colonel Landa or "The Jew Hunter" does not deserve going unmentioned either.

This film is for the most part a War/Spaghetti Western/Drama, but there are a few shootouts, action scenes, and what not. When these come around, and there are a few of them, be prepared for tons of violence. As the trailer suggests, one of the main draws of this film is scalping. And when they say that, they mean it. What I'm saying is that there are a few scenes in this film that are rather disgusting, and forced me to turn away. Mind you, I'm not a squeamish person.

On the contrary, there are plenty of hilarious moments to balance out the equation that is this film. Lt. Aldo Raine has tons of memorable phrases used throughout the film, and he is a largely compelling character.

Inglourious Basterds is one of those films that manage to hold your attention with a vice grip for the entire two and a half hours that it runs, and it was truckloads of fun to watch. I think everyone should check this out, but be prepared to look away from the screen at a few scenes.

Before I finish, I must say that the only reason this film did not earn a full 10 out of 10 from me is for the reason that were LOTS of subtitles. This is completely understandable since most of the film's primary characters besides Aldo and his men are either French or German. Tarantino kept everything realistic, but that still doesn't change the fact that I spent more time reading subtitles that actually listening to the characters speaking in English.

But I must admit, being forced to read the subtitles made you give your undivided attention, and the film was all I was focused on for an entire two and a half hours.

Oh, and might I add, the ending is nothing short of brilliant. The whole movie was brilliant. But hey, Quentin worked on this script for TEN YEARS. What else can you expect? 9/10

Secret Window (2004)

Interesting....Very interesting.

[7/10 · 20 August 2009]

I'm a big fan of Stephen King's work, who is the man that wrote the short story from which this film is adapted. Anyone familiar with him and his style knows to expect anything and everything from his novels, as many of them feature completely unexpected endings and plot turns. Secret Window was no different.

Now, I'm as big a fan of Johnny Depp's as I am a fan of Stephen King's, and I consider Depp to beyond a shadow of a doubt be one of the all-time great actors, even in the leagues of the likes of De Niro, Eastwood, etc. So going into a film that starred my favorite actor, which was based on a story written by my favorite author, I had high expectations. Maybe just a little TOO high.

This had a menacing nature to it as most of King's stories do, and the entire film kept you guessing, all while slowly feeding you information and clues that progressed the story. It tells of a successful author named Mort Rainey (played by Depp) who is living alone following a separation from his wife. One day, he suddenly hears a knock on his front door, and opens it to find another author by the name of John Shooter, who claims that Mort "stole" his story that he wrote. When Mort insists such things did not happen, he shrugs off the events involving the strange man and moves on with his life. But John Shooter will stop at nothing for "justice" and the lengths he goes to over the course of the film for it are shocking.

This had a big surprise of an ending that if you are like me, you will not see it coming. It's one of the most underrated endings of all time in my opinion, and believe me, you will be surprised.

7/10

Taxi Driver (1976)

CAUTION- This film may give cab drivers newfound energy.

[9/10 · 20 August 2009]

I watched Taxi Driver for the first time last night after hearing and reading lots of great things about the film. Even my personal favorite director, Quentin Tarantino, listed it as one of his favorites. So naturally, I sat down to watch this movie with very high expectations. And even with my high expectations, this film did not disappoint.

But how can a film directed by one of the all-time great directors in Martin Scorsese, and starring arguably the greatest actor ever in Robert de Niro possibly be a letdown? The answer to that question is- it virtually can't. Now, I'm the type of person that generally hates dramas and finds them quite boring. Prior to watching this, the only one of the few dramas I had watched and enjoyed recently was Gran Torino. Little did I know that there was a film this awe-inspiring out there to be seen.

The story centers itself around a war veteran named Travis who works as a cab driver in New York. Coming back from the sights and environment of the war he had fought in, Travis immediately sees the differences in the war and New York, noticing all of the disrespect and sleaze that lives in the city and the people who inhabit it. The everyday sights of these terrible things slowly drive Travis to the edge, and he decides to take action, all while trying to save a young prostitute named Iris (who is brilliantly depicted by a young and promising Jodie Foster) from the degenerate pimps that own and control her life.

I won't say anything other that that, but I will say that Taxi Driver is one of those rare films that after the credits begin to roll, you realize that your outlook on things has been forever changed.

9/10

The Haunting in Connecticut (2009)

Some scary sequences, but far too cliché

[6/10 · 16 August 2009]

I sat down to watch Haunting in Conneticut last night, and my expectations were not what you would call awfully high.

The first thing I noticed was that the acting wasn't really up to par. Virginia Madsen seemed like she was almost off-and-on throughout the movie with her acting. Sometimes she would be pretty good, and then there were other occasions when her acting left some to be desired. But other than that, the acting in this was pretty good.

This had plenty of "jump" moments and sequences that got your heart racing, but as for the story, it was way, way too cliché and predictable. If you want a good little scare, go ahead and check it out, but don't expect an intriguing story to follow.

6/10

The Matrix (1999)

The Kurt Cobain of films

[9/10 · 2 August 2009]

The Wachowski Brothers first Matrix film is one of, if not THE most revolutionary film of all time. The special effects, CGI, story, every aspect of this film is something fresh and original, even today, ten years after it was originally released. To use an analogy, The Matrix is what I like to call the Kurt Cobain of films, as my review title says. Any fans of 90s rock music should understand my comparison.

That being said, if you are like me, you won't find this film to be anything truly special the first time you watch it. It's kind of like The Godfather, in a sense. The more times you view it, the more things you will pick up on and you realize that you missed so many things when you watched the movie the first time around. The first time I sat down and watched The Matrix, I finished it and said to myself- "Okay, that was good. Great? Not so much." Then, a couple months later, I watched the film for the second time. When I re-watched The Matrix, I came to realize how truly great it is. There were several things that I came to understand that I didn't understand when I first watched The Matrix.

The acting is excellent in all three Matrix films, but it was easily superior in this installment in the trilogy. Keanu Reeves plays Neo well, you simply have to love Laurence Fishburne in his role as the enigmatic Morpheus, Carrie-Anne Moss did well as Trinity, but the show was stolen by Hugo Weaving, who is completely AWESOME as Smith.

These films aren't for everyone. But if you are looking for something original and revolutionary, The Matrix is the way to go.

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)

The greatest movie ever made. Period.

[10/10 · 28 July 2009]

Where do I start? Good Bad and Ugly was such an awesome, awesome film. From the second it began, I was glued to the screen, continuously wondering exactly what would happen next. Having watched it for the 2nd time last night, I am still unable to get this amazing piece of art out of my mind. There is no way possible that Sergio Leone is not the greatest director of all time. But enough of me rambling, let me give a reason for my madness.....

This film has some of the best acting you will ever find from an allstar cast. Clint Eastwood returns in his role as The Man With No Name, or as he is referred to in this particular film, Blondie, and he plays the role flawlessly, supplying lots of memorable quotes in the process. And then there is Eli Wallach playing the comical bandit called Tuco. Tuco is one of the most hilarious characters ever in movie-making, and there are plenty of scenes where he makes an absolute fool of himself, as well as making others look like idiots in a very funny manner. Finally, there's Lee Van Cleef playing the role of ruthless hit-man Angel Eyes. Van Cleef does superbly in getting the audience to really despise the character he plays because he obviously puts so much emotion into playing the merciless Angel Eyes, who doesn't hesitate to kill ANYONE.....for the right price, that is.

But it has been proved numerous times that good acting alone will not make a movie a classic. And fortunately, Leone's masterpiece features one of the most clever plots ever. The story revolves around gunslingers Blondie, Tuco, and Angel Eyes looking for a treasure of gold buried by Confederate troops in a remote cemetery. But here's the interesting part- none of them are able to find the gold without one of the two others. See, each of the three men know a vital fact about the location of the gold that the others need in order to find it. Tuco knows the name of the cemetery, Blondie knows the name of the grave the gold is buried under, and Angel Eyes, like Tuco, knows the name of the cemetery. With an innovative story like that, a director like Sergio Leone, and a stellar cast of actors like Eastwood, Wallach, and Van Cleef, you know ahead of time you are going to see something special. Everything unfolds at such a smooth pace throughout the film, and there are lots of interesting twists that keep you guessing.

But there are two things about this film that stand out to me, even above the acting and story. And those two things are the musical score done by Ennio Morricone and the ending climax of this film. I won't say anything other than they are two things that need to be heard/seen by everyone. Awe-inspiring stuff.

So going back to my original statement, Sergio Leone's The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly is without a doubt the greatest film ever made.

10/10

Twilight (I) (2008)

Enjoyable film, but nothing you would go out of your way to see.

[6/10 · 27 July 2009]

Twilight is infamous for being infested by mindless fangirls, and for being a saga without a decent plot. I was one of the people that had a tendency to talk down on the ultra-popular phenomenon. But then I decided I would give the film adaptation a chance, and I wasn't disappointed. I was underwhelmed, to be more accurate. But to be fair, it's very easy to be underwhelmed by a film of this nature because it received loads of hype. So when you sit down and actually watch it, your expectations are very high. This film, as predicted, did not reach those expectations.

My first gripe about Twilight was that it seemed too long. Telling the story of how an adolescent girl finds out that an adolescent boy is a vampire, then falling in love with him should not take over 2 hours. But then again, it's understandable because the book is fairly long, and there would be lots of complaints if certain scenes did not go into the movie adaptation. But still, somewhere around 115 minutes would have been better.

The acting surely isn't the best you will ever see, but I've seen lots worse as well. The film had a good cast of young actors, and Robert Pattinson was the film's standout. I think if he stays focused and keeps his head on straight, Pattinson might just be one of the acting elite in the future. Kristen Stewart's acting was nothing more than okay, and left a lot to be desired in my opinion. Everyone else did a pretty good job.

This film also had some pretty cool action scenes, but nothing in the league of The Matrix, Kill Bill, or anything like that.

Twilight has its flaws, but on the plus side of things, it's entertaining and original.

6/10

Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004)

One of my all time favorites, Tarantino at his best.

[9/10 · 24 July 2009]

Kill Bill Volume 1 was a very enjoyable and fun film for me, but one of my main complaints was the same complaint many others had- The movie relied on vicious action, and told little of a story. Quentin has always been my favorite director, but even I thought that the only reason Volume 1 received so much praise was because it was a Tarantino film, and that fact somewhat blinded people of its true essence, and that was a standard action film with gallons of blood, although in fairness, it had one of the greatest action scenes of all time featuring The Bride vs The Crazy 88.

But Volume 2 on the other hand is much different from the original Kill Bill film. You can truly see what Tarantino's purpose was when making these two movies, and he did not disappoint. Volume 1 set up all of the questions, and gave vague reasons why exactly The Bride wants to murder her former boss and ex-lover, Bill. And now, Volume 2 answers all of those questions, and goes into deeper detail as to why Bride feels such a strong need to kill Bill. To use an analogy, Volume 1 opened the box and dumped out all of the pieces to the jigsaw puzzle, scattering them all about, and you know very little concerning where to go from there. But Volume 2 joins up all of those puzzle pieces, and by the end of Volume 2, all the pieces are together, and it creates a beautiful picture.

If you are one of those people who only enjoyed Volume 1 for the action and the actual storyline does not concern you, don't expect to enjoy Volume 2 as much as the previous installment. The second is much more intriguing and tells a much deeper story, as well as developing the characters much more. Don't get me wrong, there a few fantastic fight scenes in this film, but this is by no means an action-packed splatterfest.

As for the acting, in a word, extraordinary. Uma Thurman outdid herself as The Bride, Michael Madsen did great as the character Budd (one of the best characters in all of films, might I add. He's so mysterious in a sense), and Daryl Hannah was fantastic as Elle. But folks, let me tell you- the late great David Carradine stole the show. He is nothing short of ideal for the character of Bill.

Tarantino's Kill Bill movies are not for everyone, but then again, none of Quentin's films are for everyone. But I found this a very enjoyable film, and I think everyone who enjoys an intriguing story with heartpounding action, and a touching ending should without a doubt watch this film.

Oh, and did I mention that the musical score Robert Rodriguez did was incredible? The only thing I can think of that was better was the score Ennio Morricone did for Sergio Leone's Dollars Trilogy. But let's be honest, will that score ever be beaten? You bet not.

But back to Kill Bill. Awesome movie, watch it.

9/10

The Dark Knight (2008)

An anomaly in the superhero genre, a very good anomaly.

[9/10 · 22 July 2009]

I saw this film when it was playing at my local cinema, but for some reason, never got around to reviewing it on here. So here goes.....

Dark Knight is NOT your average superhero movie, far from it. If you're used to Spiderman coming from out of nowhere to save Mary Jane or anything of that nature, be prepared for something truly different. Something that sets itself apart from other superhero films in many, many ways.

First off, The DARK knight is very DARK indeed. This isn't the movie that all the dads in America take their little boy to the Saturday matinée to see. There are plenty of aspects in this movie that could have easily earned it an R rating, so I would say the minimum age is around 12.

The second thing main thing that makes Dark Knight unique is the sense that it is just as much a crime flick as it is a superhero one. There are mobsters all throughout the movie, as well as heists and other things of that nature.

And now to talk about the acting......yeah, the acting. Hmmmm, don't mean to sound biased or anything but HEATH LEDGER WAS PHENOMENAL!!! Ledger played the best Joker ever, beating out Jack Nicholson. He gave the character a much darker, sadistic side to it, and that's what made the character so compelling. But at the same time, the character sticks to the things that made the character so famous in the comics such as laughing hysterically in the face of obvious peril, while at the same time giving lots of memorable quotes and having a much more brutal side to him. But enough about Joker. Christian Bale was great as Batman, but my one complaint is whenever Batman spoke, it was sometimes difficult to understand what he was saying, because he was talking in such an odd voice. But then again, something like that makes logical sense, because it decreases the chance of anyone finding out Batman's true identity- Bruce Wayne. Aaron Eckhart, Michael Caine, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Gary Oldman, and last but certainly not least, Morgan Freeman all deserve mentioning for their superb acting jobs as well.

The film has a good amount of twists throughout the almost two and a half hours, and there is no spot in the film where you find yourself bored and wanting the movie to end. The climax of the film was nothing short of awe-inspiring, and the ending was ideal for setting up a film to follow this.

9/10

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)

A unique film that can be enjoyed by all ages

[7/10 · 21 July 2009]

Many people tend to bash this film and call it a "terrible remake", but I disagree with those statements. Roald Dahl is the man responsible for one of the most creative and likable stories ever written, and seeing it get transformed into the vibrant film adaptation that this is was truly amazing. Yes, there was another film adaptation years before this one was released, but are people so blind that they can't see the obvious differences in special effects technology that this movies possesses? Speaking of the special effects, they were simply fantastic in this film. They made Willy Wonka's land of candy look so much more colorful than it did in the original film, and it made everything simply fun to sit there and stare at mindlessly in the sheer awe of its beauty.

But pretty and cool-looking special effects do NOT make a movie great (See Ultraviolet). But however, this film has FAR more to offer than special effects, believe me. Johnny Depp's performance as Willy Wonka was absolutely stellar, as I believe everyone expected it to be, since Depp is known for playing off-beat characters so very well. Freddie Highmore did excellent with the role of Charlie also. This kid could really be bigtime in the future.

This film had it all- Uniqueness, Diversity, Comedy, and as mentioned, Great Acting. If you're looking for a fun film that will please all age groups young and old, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is the ideal choice.

7/10

The Italian Job (2003)

Phenomenal action, Somewhat generic story.

[6/10 · 20 July 2009]

There are movies that you absolutely MUST see before you die (Shawshank Redemption, Good Bad and Ugly, etc). There are movies that are very good, but one little factor kept them from being classics (The Bourne Trilogy). And then there are movies that you kick back and watch on Friday night. Italian Job is the latter.

This was a very fun movie to watch, and the action in it was very well choreographed, no doubt. This had some of the best chase scenes I think I have ever scene. The acting was good as well. How could it not be? Modern greats like Wahlberg, Theron, Statham, and others were all cast in this movie in ideal roles for their style. But the thing that keeps this movie from being something truly special is the most important element in a good film- the storyline.

Let's be honest. How many times have we seen movies that revolve around a group of criminals that go after someone else that in most cases double-crossed them? This storyline simply does not have anything unique in it that sets it apart from any other action/crime film.

Reservoir Dogs had the unique characters and unpredictable story. Godfather was sheerly epic. Italian Job was......just a fun little movie.

This was one of those movies. We've all seen them. They have so much potential to be something great, but they don't have anything truly original in them, and they end up becoming nothing more than a standard action flick. I'm not saying this is bad, because it's a very fun movie to watch. I'm just saying if you are looking for something special that will leave you in awe, this isn't it.

6/10

28 Weeks Later (2007)

Not as good as the first, but still enjoyable.

[6/10 · 18 July 2009]

28 Days Later, which is the prequel to this film, completely revitalized the zombie genre, in my opinion. The followup, 28 WEEKS Later, is still a very entertaining and scary film, but I find it unanimously inferior to the first film.

28 Weeks Later revolves around a man named Don and his two children- Andy and Tammy. The film reveals to us that the Infected have all died of starvation, but in this film, the virus makes an unfortunate return and begins to spread once more in a way that I won't reveal to you, for it would spoil the film.

This film takes some unexpected turns and keeps you guessing for the most part, and is a great deal more brutal than the original film.

So it's up to you. But I would only truly recommend this film to you if you are a bloodthirsty, hardcore fan of the zombie genre. Otherwise, check out some of the vintage zombie films such as Dawn of the Dead.

The Bourne Identity (2002)

The best all-around action film you will find.

[8/10 · 18 July 2009]

Bourne Identity tells the story of a man named Jason Bourne, who is a former assassin running from agents that were convinced he was dead. When the film opens up, you have absolutely no idea what is going on,but the film gradually feeds you information, and by the end of this thrilling movie, everything has pieced together brilliantly.

Matt Damon did a great job as always, and the rest of the acting was for the most part very good, so not too much to say about the acting other than that. The story keeps you involved, and everything flows very nicely. You never know what's going to happen, and this is one of the key factors as to why this film is so enjoyable.

The action scenes? Top notch. It's a mix of shootouts as well as hand-to-hand combat, not to mention spectacular car chases. The action scenes are very well placed throughout the film, and it manages to not feel like a mindless actionfest, while at the same time having a good amount of action to keep your adrenaline pumping.

I wouldn't call Bourne Identity one of those great films, but it's something that all fans of the action genre should go out of their way to see.

Jeff Dunham: Spark of Insanity (2007 TV Special)

Jeff Dunham is the most ingenious comic......ever.

[10/10 · 14 July 2009]

I am a big fan of guys like Ralphie May, Gabriel Iglesias, Larry the Cable Guy, Ron White, etc, but Jeff Dunham absolutely is the most talented standup comic out there. It's simply amazing how the guy manages to give inanimate objects such diverse and strong personalities. It almost feels like if you saw one of them thrown out beside the highway some where you would yell- "Hey, there's Walter!" or "Oh my God, it's Achmed!" The thing that separates Dunham from any other comic out there is because most standup comics each have unique routines, but they mostly rely on a single catchphrase- like Blue Collar's "HERE'S YOUR SIGN!" But Jeff Dunham each gives the puppets a unique personality, and each and every one of them are hilarious in their own way. He even sticks out among other ventriloquists, as well as other standup comics.

I could say much, much more, but I will condense everything by saying simply Jeff Dunham is a genius!!!

28 Days Later (2002)

A bright ray of originality in the otherwise repetitive zombie genre

[8/10 · 11 July 2009]

28 Days Later is one of those movies that grabs your attention the instant it begins, and holds it with a tight vice grip until the end credits roll.

Just the sight of London completely deserted, and the chilling silence as the main character Jim, who is played by Cillian Murphy brilliantly, is walking through the once famous city turned ghost town, is enough to really get you thinking. For a solid three minutes, all you see is Jim walking through the city and exploring the places he has come to know, which have all been completely left behind. It may not sound like anything too special, but sitting for three minutes and watching someone walk through a deserted city with complete silence around them is pretty freaky in itself.

From that point on, everything unfolds at a perfect pace, and when you are introduced to the zombies of the film, which are labeled simply as "The Infected," you can feel your heart pulsating in your chest, constantly alert for any moment when one of the Infected will come jumping into sight, and in many ways, it feels like you are smack in the middle of the film, staying on your toes and watching for any Infected that may come bounding recklessly towards you. And believe me, that feeling makes this film very, very fun.

I don't have an awful lot to say about the acting, other than it was great, particularly Cillian Murphy and Naomie Harris.

To be honest, I think this film wasn't quite deserving of the R rating. In my opinion, it could have been one of those PG13's that pretty much walk the borderline, because pretty much the only things that got the big fat R slapped on this were the brutal and gory scenes (especially towards the end), plenty of F-bombs, and a few scenes containing brief nudity.

But in all honesty, who cares? It was a great movie, and I think any horror junkie will have a great time.

7.5/10 rounded up to an 8 by IMDb.

300 (2006)

The most visually innovative film I've ever watched.

[10/10 · 7 July 2009]

I cannot begin to praise Frank Miller enough for his work with 300. The film adaptation of the comic series looks completely awesome visually. All of the textures are so thick and gritty, and the style is perfect for a film of this nature.

The acting is amazing, especially the work Gerard Butler and David Wenham. Both of them play very likable characters, especially Leonidas, who is one of the greatest bada**es in the history of film. And what many people take for granted is the fact that this film is pretty much a nonfiction with a few tweaks to the story. The story of King Leonidas and the brave 300 spartans is indeed true, and it happened thousands of years ago. Most of the time, I don't necessarily enjoy films based on real events, but this, along with Tombstone, Public Enemies, and a few others was an exception to the rule. A BIG exception. I have an enormous level of respect for our brave soldiers in the Middle East fighting for our country, but the things that the spartans and other alliances did in the ancient times were nothing short of unreal.

My only gripe with this film is a very minor one, and it's the fact that I wished the film could have been just a little longer and expanded. 130 minutes would have been perfect. But like I said, that's a very minor flaw with any film, much less a film of this caliber.

But the single thing that amazes me the most about 300 is the fact that this film can bring out every last one of your emotions. The action scenes will excite you, the visuals will put you in a state of awe, and the ending of this had me absolutely bawling. And there is one scene is this film that gave me chills because of its sheer greatness. Even if you have not watched this film, I recommend going to YouTube or any video site you please and watch the "What is your profession?" scene. Awesome, AWESOME stuff.

So to sum things up, 300 is one of the best films ever made, and it deserves much more recognition than it receives. It's labeled as a guy film, and in truth, that's what it is. But if you ask me, male AND female alike can get something from this movie and enjoy it. So that's the end of my review for this epic masterpiece. GET OFF OF YOUR COMPUTER AND GO PICK UP 300. You will NOT be disappointed.

Wanted (2008)

Very entertaining film, but the action is a little too zany.

[7/10 · 7 July 2009]

The thing I love most about Wanted is the dialogue. It's incredibly witty in several cases and very sharp. And the best part is it's not just a singular character that supplies all the memorable quotes, either. The characters played by James McAvoy, Morgan Freeman, and Angelina Jolie respectively all have their moments in the film's script.

But you will notice in my title it says that the action is too zany, and here's what I mean. The first car chase with the Viper is brilliant, and it has lots of phenomenal driving- just enough to set it apart from other chase scenes without making it look corny. But all the action from that point on is simply too wild for me. There's just no way in the laws of physics that someone is going to launch a car in the air, rotate around in a rolling motion, all while shooting the person in the car you are flying over dead. It just doesn't happen, and neither does someone shooting a pistol at an angle that lets the bullet curve all the way around the perimeter of a circular room. I have no limits when it comes to films having zany or over-the-top plot lines, but I think every movie needs to abide by the laws of physics, unless it is a fantasy or science fiction, which Wanted is not.

But other than all of that, Wanted is a great film, and is very underrated. All three of the main cast members deliver stellar performances that go together nicely with the several witty lines that you will hear in this film. Wanted also has a very satisfying ending that will make you say when you get up from your favorite movie chair- "Man, that was a fun movie."

So if you don't mind tons of violence and LOADS of cursing,and you can get past the over-the-top action (although some may like the style), you won't be disappointed by Wanted.

High Crimes (2002)

Morgan Freeman absolutely saved this movie.

[5/10 · 7 July 2009]

As the title of my review suggests, if Morgan Freeman had not been cast into this film, this would have been completely unwatchable garbage. I've never been the biggest Ashley Judd fan, and the rest of the acting was so-so. But as always, Morgan Freeman delivers and makes this a MUCH better movie than it should have been, even though I'm still giving it a five. I think that goes to show how utterly abysmal this film would have been.

First off, the film advertises a big "shocking twist," but I had concluded what it was before the movie has even half over, and it was entirely predictable from that point. But even with me knowing what the twist was put aside, the story failed to grip me, and the movie seemed much too slow paced for my taste.

Like I said, Freeman did a superb job in this movie like he always does, but if you, like me, are a fan of his work, there are tons of other movies where he also did even better like Shawshank Redemption, Wanted, or others. Skip this one.

2 Fast 2 Furious (2003)

A fun little fast paced flick, nothing more.

[6/10 · 5 July 2009]

I really enjoyed the first Fast and Furious film with Vin Diesel, but I think this one fell a little flat.

The acting of Paul Walker, Tyrese Gibson and Eva Mendes was good, but left a little to be desired in my opinion. The dialogue felt boring at times, except for Tyrese's lines, which were often funny. Ludicrous deserves mention as well for his role as Tej, which he did a pretty good job with.

Of course, the FAF films are known for, and always will be known for the adrenaline-pumping car chases and street race scenes. And fortunately for the film, it did not let me down in this area. There were several fantastic and pulse-pounding driving sequences that featured an array of different cars in different categories such as probably the top street racing car- The Lancer Evo as well as the ever-rare muscle car- the Yenko Camaro.

In many ways, this film felt slightly rushed to me, but even so, there were a good amount of twists towards the climax, and this made the story entertaining. And if you, like me, are a fan of chase scenes, the end part of this film features one of the best chases I have ever seen in film, not to mention an INSANE ending to the chase. I won't come out and spoil it for you, but let's just say.....the water's fine! But aside from all of the driving sequences, this film had a satisfying and cool ending that made me smile. So bottom line, if you want to simply kick back, grab a snack, and enjoy a fun film, 2 Fast 2 Furious is the ideal choice.

Public Enemies (2009)

Wanted Dead- JOHN DILLINGER.

[9/10 · 5 July 2009]

I have always been a fan of the director Michael Mann, and I thoroughly enjoyed his 1995 film Heat, which is known for having arguably the greatest action scene in the history of film making. So naturally, I was eager to see what he could do with telling the story of, in my opinion, the best criminal of all time- John Dillinger. And let me tell you, he did NOT disappoint.

As expected, the acting was superb. Johnny Depp is always great, and he did a fantastic job playing John Dillinger, and Christian Bale was awesome in his role as Agent Melvin Purvis, especially with that old-school accent. I was previously unfamiliar with Marion Cotillard, but she impressed me with her role as Billie Frechette. All of the supporting cast did a good job as well, but Depp and Bale are the ones that truly made this film.

From the instant the film opens, you feel yourself submerged in the movie, and you truly want to know what happens. This movie has a good amount of very intense and adrenaline-pumping shootouts, and the camera will often go to angles that are over the shoulder of one of the gunners, and it often makes you feel as if you are right in the middle of the firefight.

I have read some reviews that said this seemed rushed, but I disagree with those statements. The film ran just over 130 minutes, and for a film of this type, that's the perfect duration. Perhaps it would have been nice for the film to open with a flashback depicting Dillinger's rough childhood, but the film pretty much covers the main details of his childhood in all the conversations Dillinger has with the various characters in the film. The movie covers all of the main points of Dillinger's criminal life, and that's what I would have done if I had been director. There's no need for all of the minor things that have nothing at all to do with the main story, and that would have thrown wasted time into the film, and I think it would have made it an overall inferior film to what we got.

I would only recommend this to people who enjoy crime films with a good amount of action, so basically what I'm saying is this- Public Enemies is a 100 percent guy film, so if any of the guys are looking for a compelling, testosterone-filled thrill ride, head over to your local cinema and check out Public Enemies.

America's Got Talent (2006– )

A pretty entertaining show

[7/10 · 1 July 2009]

This show has had a different host every season, which I don't really mind, because I actually kind of enjoy having a different host to freshen things up every year. But I am really enjoying Nick Cannon as the host so far, and I hope he will stay around, unlike Philbin and Springer. He adds a nice comedic touch to the show, if you ask me.

First of all, America's Got Talent is a very diverse show, and it features all kinds of talents, if you can actually call some of the acts "talents." My main gripe with this show is every single episode, except for the final few of course, are structured exactly the same way. They will open up with a pretty good act, but you know they don't really have a shot at winning. Then there will be a slew of horrible acts that will most likely get X'd out by the judges, but there is always a great act in between that may have a legit shot at winning the competition. More bad acts follow this, and they finally close out the show with a single jaw dropping act. I think this can somewhat take away the element of surprise from the show, because you pretty much know ahead of time who's going to be good, and who's going to be not so good. And on top of that, most of the time when someone is going to be great and get high reviews from the judges, they will show the contestant giving a pretty in-depth explanation of their past, and things of that nature. It always gives the shows a good close, but like I said, it sometimes can feel slightly predictable.

The judges are pretty much the stereotype of the trio from any show like this, but I like them, and they all have their own personality. Hasselhoff is open-minded, yet honest with the performers. Sharon is always nice about her feedback, but is not afraid to criticize, and then there is Piers, the no-nonsense Brit who either loves your performance or despises it. If he doesn't like it, he will ridicule you to the death, but if he likes it, he will praise you greatly.

Many people complain about the fact that there is always a singer in around the final five contestants, but I find those people to be ignorant. That's not the shows fault, people. America votes for the finalists, and the show itself has nothing to do with who goes into the finals. And by the time it comes down to the final two, there is always a talent that is unique compared to all the previous winners of the competition, and all the winners are set apart.

Most people will prefer American Idol to this, but I happen to disagree. Those people are too biased to see that American Idol is, for the most part, one of the most repetitive shows on television. The only thing you see every single year is singers. But on America's Got Talent, you are exposed to many different talents, and that's what makes this show so good.

The Boondock Saints (1999)

Far from an ordinary action film

[10/10 · 30 June 2009]

If you are a big action fan, but you are getting somewhat tired of the standard action movie car chases, fights, and explosions that seem thrown into the movie so it can be called an action film, this movie is ideal for you.

The story is told from three different perspectives, so you have to think about what's going on. But don't get me wrong. It's not the type of complexity that makes you frustrated to the point where you have absolutely no clue what's happening. You just have to keep up with the three perspectives, and I found it pretty fun seeing the main story from the three different characters and how they all found out different things at different times.

The main perspective focuses on Agent Smecker,a very intelligent, yet somewhat crazy detective who handles organized crime murders and things of that nature. He basically tries to track down the twin brothers, and tries to figure out all of the clues to the murders they commit.

The secondary perspective (although some consider it the main perspective) revolves around two twin brothers named Conner and Murphy who are avid Christians, and they believe that they are saints and God wants them to rid the world of evil so all of the innocent can thrive. So the two twins eventually decide they will kill all evil people in the world like mobsters and pimps until the world has been "cleansed".

And lastly, there is the story as told from the perspective of mob boss Papa Joe. He is the main target of Conner and Murphy, and he has organized the murders of several men.

All of the perspectives and details I have mentioned sound pretty ordinary and generic, but I didn't want to give any spoilers, because there are plenty of twists and turns, as well as more characters that appear, so if you want to know all of the bigger details that shift up the story, you're going to want to watch this for yourself. Everyone plays a unique part in the story, and by the end, everything comes together perfectly, and you realized that you have just watched easily one of the most creative movies of the past decade.

10/10

Supernatural (2005–2020)

My favorite series of all time, and with good reason.

[10/10 · 29 June 2009]

Supernatural is such a beautiful show for so many reasons.

The thing about it that stands out to me the most is that every single episode is entirely different from the previous one, because every episode brothers Sam and Dean are handling an entirely different monster or entity. But all the while, as they go through all of these different things that go bump in the night, the main story is still progressing.

Most TV shows have episodes that seem to begin immediately after the events of the previous episode, and it often seems like one big, extremely long episode of one series. Not for Supernatural! This is one of those shows that you would think would get old and repetitive after about the end of the second season, and that would seem right, but the contrasting personalities of the two main characters really keep this entertaining the whole way through.

Sam is innocent and goodhearted, but can be vicious when his brother or other loved ones are depending on him. Dean, on the other hand, is very rebellious, yet cool and collected and seems to have little care for his own well-being. Sam is often doing all of the necessary research on whatever monster they happen to be searching for while Dean is kicked back on the couch with a beer in his hand. But despite their heavy differences from one another, the two brothers have an unbreakable bond and they will fight for each other to the death, and that's what makes them so great.

There is also a ton of other allies for Sam and Dean that appear as the series progresses, as well as a slew of villains that want the two brothers dead and buried.

The last thing I have to say about Supernatural is that the series starts off fast and intense, and let me tell you, it doesn't slow down. And the brothers eventually find themselves doing much more than simply hunting down demons, vampires, shapeshifters, you name it. They find themselves fighting for each other's lives, especially when all of the interesting twists come in later on in the series. And when they come, believe me when I say that you will most definitely be into it. You get attached to these characters immediately, and you find yourself rooting for them constantly.

So if you're looking for a series where the episodes will all be different, yet the main story keeps moving forward, and you're interested in the paranormal or urban legends.......What am I saying? If you have a PULSE, this is the series for you.

The Rise & Fall of ECW (2004 Video)

The best documentary I have seen in quite a while

[9/10 · 29 June 2009]

This, as the title suggests, is all about the former wrestling promotion ECW, which went under back in 2001 after owner Paul Heyman filed for bankruptcy.

It features many of the former employees along with owner Paul Heyman and producer Ron Buffeon speaking on the promotion and what it stood for. They cover all of the things that made ECW famous such as the great story lines, the hardcore brutality, and the outstanding scientific wrestling, as well as Lucha Libre. As well as that, they shoot on the not-so-appreciated and controversial aspects of the promotion such as the defiant and counter-culture angles and incidents such as the infamous Mass Transit Incident and the storyline with Raven and Sandman.

It also talks about how it was before ECW was bought by Heyman and went "extreme." I learned a lot about the era when it was owned by Tod Gordon. I hadn't even previously known that ECW hadn't started off as being a hardcore promotion.

Another aspect of this documentary that I liked is how they take the time to split up the first section of it into taking time to talk about all of the company's most famous wrestlers, such as RVD, Raven, Sabu, Terry Funk, Sandman, Mick Foley and many others.

They talk about the Monday Night Wars and the Invasion angles as well, and I found it very interesting to hear the different sides of the story from WCW's Eric Bischoff, WWF's Vince McMahon, and ECW's Paul Heyman.

This is 320 minutes, but I would say the documentary itself minus the bonus matches lasts around 265 minutes. That may seem like a very long time, but I watched this in one sitting, and it was a 4 and a half hours that felt like 2.

This also had a great moral and a very conclusive ending, so it's well worth the time spent. Long live the original ECW!!!!!