| Movie | Rating | Review | Date | Your Rating | Match | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I Love You, Man - R | This is your average Apatow-esque comedy of the day. It has several funny parts and I was giggling throughout the entire film but as far as the movie itself goes it's just average. The sex ingredients of this film are way overused but it's cleaner than it's predecessors. This film follows Peter (Rudd) as his wife is asking him who his best man will be in their approaching wedding. His answer is a blank stare as we realize that he has no male friends. His search for his best man beings and is failure after disaster until he meets Sydney (Segel). From then on Peter begins to develop as a human. He goes through years of friendship development and grows from childlike giddiness to mature decisions. It's well worth seeing if you are okay with seeing a "mature content" comedy but if you're offended at sex jokes then steer clear. As far as technicalities go (sound editing, cinematography, etc.) there is nothing specific except a good, old fashioned story. | April 18, 2009 | N/A | |||
| Synecdoche, New York - R | This movie is hands down in the top three of the year and maybe even in my top 50 of all time. It's easily one of the greatest screenplays ever written and is another home run, nay, grand slam for Charlie Kaufman. Everything he's touched was gold until now. When I heard he was writing it I was all over it. When I heard he was directing it there was nothing more I could do than giddy like a school girl who sees their crush leaving a love note in their locker. That's how I felt about this movie. Before I saw it my brother told me about it and I went nuts. I tried to learn as little about this film as to be completely taken away by everything and boy oh boy was I ever. The story follows Caden Cotard (Hoffman) and his plain and simple life - or so we primely think. Caden's wife leaves him and in has a very rough time with it loosing all sense of reality and of time and space. He becomes obsessed with occupying his time and decides to work with his newly gifted grant money. He decides to make another play. A play about a man with an ordinary life. Only the thing about life is "no one is an extra... they are all leads in their own play." It's the play about the everyman. No one is the star and the play seems to go on and on. It lasts well over 40 years. Each person is given a different conflict by Caden every day. It's phenomenally shot, brilliantly editing, astoundingly well written, witty and humorous, pleasant and real yet intense and unearthly. I can could go on and on about each and every scene, how the time progresses in real life and in the warehouse itself. How that characters are all individuals and how each understudy is the same character while being a different person. It's beautifully shot and makes gives the audience a sense of hesitancy while keeping to a repeated pattern to allow us to follow along. Some things are unexplained but that's what makes it Kaufman. It's brilliant. I cannot suggest this film highly enough. See it. Please do yourself a favor and see it. | April 10, 2009 | N/A | |||
| The Bridge - R | Pretty controversial piece. Eric Steel set up a camera at the Golden Gate Bridge for 2004 and watched closely as 24 people ended their life off of the "world's most popular suicide location." He interviewed family, people who witnessed the acts and officials. It's sad and slightly graphic but intriguing. Somewhat giving the audience an unsettling stomach but making us want to learn. Sure it's tough but is it good? Yes, it is. It's worth watching if like documentaries AND you can handle the subject matter. If you think you can't do either then definitely stay away from it. The cinematography is good and the editing is great. The subject terrifyingly enticing but not suitable for all audiences. | April 4, 2009 | N/A | |||
| Futurama: Bender's Game - Unrated | The worst of the "season five is just a bunch of movies that don't relate" idea from Groening. I'm a big Futurama fan and love everything else that has come out. This, however, is lame. The idea is that Bender has no imagination and accidentally creates a virtual "dungeons & dragons"-esque world that teleports everyone we love from the show into it. How it happens is never explained and why the movie is made with no funny jokes is never explained either. I laughed less than 6 times for this 1.5+ hour film. I laugh more than that in a normal 20+ min episode. If you love the series, skip this one and keep your faith in it. I wish I had. | April 3, 2009 | N/A | |||
| Over Her Dead Body - PG-13 | Paul Rudd is hilarious and is the only reason worth seeing the movie. Sure the cute jokes will make you laugh but as far as a good movie goes this one is not it. I mean, what are you expecting - It's a movie about a girl who dies on her wedding day, the husband hasn't gotten over her for years, the sister sends him to a psychic to contact her, that fails, the sister gives the psychic the dead-fiancé's diary in order to make Rudd believe their "connecting," he believes it, the psychic falls for him, BUT WHAT'S THIS?!? The dead-fiancé has come back as a ghost that only the psychic can see?!? WHAT?! CRAZY!!! Not really actually. It's just a cute chick-flick that will entertain you for a while but leave with nothing more than a temporary smile on your face. It's a good date movie, let's put it like that. Worth seeing if you like chick-flick rom-coms or if you and your bf/gf/potential life partner need a movie to watch (this is one you want to watch though and not just make out the whole time. It's not that terrible. Watch "Ghost" for that one). | April 3, 2009 | N/A | |||
| Stop Loss - R | My main draw to this film was that I heard that was "The greatest way for the current generation to understand the Iraqi war" and that it was directed by Kimberly Peirce (Boys Don't Cry). All the guys in the movie are super buff and stereotypical military personalities. All the girls are attractive and dramatic. It's an MTV Films production if you haven't already guessed. The story follows Sgt. Brandon King (Phillippe) as he is supposed to be discharged and allowed to go back home. Happy, King never sees the potential of being "stop lost" and is ordered back into active duty in Iraq. Hating this more than anything in his life he goes awol and heads to Washington to complain. Of course he is delayed by his wife not understanding, his best friend and fellow army member who continually punches and yells at him, and his family who annoyingly begs him to come home. He finally finds a way to escape the country since D.C. didn't work out and... does he take it!?!?!?!?!?!??!?!?!??!?!? OMGZ! Let's watch and find out! No, you don't have to. He goes back into the army because it's the "right thing to do" or whatever. The plot has holes and is nothing more than a satire/mockery of the military and it's rules. It's not really worth watching if you catch my drift. Sure it's nice to learn about the reality, psychotic tendencies and PTSD of army members who have served in Iraq but as far as the movie goes it's not worth seeing. Learning about their behavior is the only reason I gave this movie 2 stars. If you want to learn about their behavior or the influence of the war on their lives then heck yeah watch it. Or even if you're in the military you should watch it as well. If you want a good movie, steer clear. | April 3, 2009 | N/A | |||
| Confessions of a Shopaholic - PG | This is a "cute" chick-flick that has some really funny parts. Sure it's predictable and cheesy but as far as these go, this one is bearable to watch. John Goodman and Joan Cusack are really the best part of this film to be honest (even though I still hate "Roseanne") but they play less than a small role in it. The characters are "cute", the story typical, and the plot somewhat interesting. The film follows Rebecca Bloomwood (Fisher) as she is rapidly running out of money and credit and needs a job stat. She wants to work for her fashion idol's magazine, "Alette," however she can only land a job in the same building as the magazine. Her goal is to do so well at this job (which happens to be a financial magazine - hence the irony) that word will spread and that she will get to work her dream job. Of course she knows nothing of finance and puts her own spin on the ideology - making common sense of financial wordings. The story continues as her conflict is found out and choices are made. Overall it's nothing more than... "cute." Everything about it from a technical standpoint is substandard and in no way will receive any award nominations but at least your girlfriend will like it! | April 3, 2009 | N/A | |||
| Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist - PG-13 | So I'm a rather big Michael Cera fan. I love the fact that my generation has the perfect awkward teenager. It's always a hit... when it's properly used. Adequate character development is necessary for each and every movie even if you have an actor that plays the same character over and over. Let's take Jim Carey for example. Sure most of his characters are the same, static and use the same facial expressions but most of the movies he is in allow for the audience to learn who his latest character is. Ace Ventura and Lloyd Christmas and The Grinch are very similar but they are each an individual. Now Michael Cera can make any situation awkward in films and he's darn good at it - as he should be! It's funny! But letting our previous knowledge of this youngster count as your movie's character development... that's not allowed. Sorry Peter Sollett. The rest of the movie is indie-humor with a killer soundtrack but nothing more. The characters aren't memorable, no dialogue or one liners will get the crowd talking. The humor is present but scarce in it's content. Everything about it, technically speaking (cinematography, editing, sound editing, etc.), is average. So this movie is good if you and your girl/boy want to watch a time-passer with good music. Other than that, not really worth a see. Replay Value - 2. | April 3, 2009 | N/A | |||
| Rambo (Rambo IV) - R | Surprising. I was more interested to see the evolution of John Rambo in modern times than I was to see this actual movies because I have always been intrigued by the shallowness of action characters. First Blood was sweet. I know it isn't very good but I like it. Especially since only one person dies in the entire film. 236 in this one by the way. Anyways, on to the movie. It's surprising. Sure it's action packed, it's explosive, it's bloody and it's loud... but is it good? That is the real question here. We all know action movies - their reputation almost seals every movie of the genre's fate and audience. This film however is slightly different. Maybe because I have been studying Rambo, maybe because I was in a mood for some carnage, I dunno. Who does? The point is I liked it. It's simple, it's easy to watch, it's a man-fest and if you like "BOOM!" then you'll like Rambo (IV). The plot follows John (Stallone) as he takes a boat of missionaries into a jungle war zone. Once they are missing, his mission is to rescue them, keep his reputation and battle himself for love and the wild. Okay, so maybe not that deep but you get the idea they are trying to convey. Simply put: It's fun. If you are having a guys night and need a new flick to cheer about: Rambo. If you want something with substance then why would you even consider watching something with Stallone in it in the first place? | March 25, 2009 | N/A | |||
| The Day the Earth Stood Still - PG-13 | Keanu Reaves in his best role yet! An emotionless, static, boring alien! ACE! Seriously, this movie is terrible. I never saw the original unfortunately but I imagine that the CGI is just as good as it is here. The go green message is present in both movies I know but why does it have to be so... there? This is seriously not even worth it. The film follows an alien encounter that threatens the Earth's existence. No big deal. | March 25, 2009 | N/A | |||
| Flash of Genius - PG-13 | The plot line to this movie really intrigued me when I first heard about it. It follows Robert Kearns (Greg Kinnear) and his invention in the blinking eye wiper or as we know it, the intermittent windshield wiper. He invents this masterpiece that Ford Motor Company immediately sweeps interest in. After he makes a deal and leaves his idea with them they steal it and leave Kearns high and dry. His fight is his legacy as much as the invention is. It's a great, great story and a true one at that. The characters are static but real and the acting par. The first half of the movie is POORLY edited and almost misleading. The second half however, when the court case begins, this is when the movie really gets good. The first half is so bad though that it simply ruins the rest. It's overall okay but really, not worth it because of the poor editing. Replay Value: 2 | March 25, 2009 | N/A | |||
| The Uninvited - PG-13 | So this is a typically terrible horror movie. There is NOTHING special about it and in fact there are plenty of things wrong with it. The only positive thing about this film is that Ellen Page is in it. Seriously, it's not good at all. The story follows Anna Rydell (Page) and her release from a mental institution. She goes home to find her father is dating so soon after her mother's death. She hates the girlfriend, plots against her, tries to expose her, ends up getting caught by the "psycho"GF, ends up being all in her head, nothing is real. You know how it goes. The "surprising twists" at the end are lame and unexplained and the overall movie is a blah. Overall, not worth it. | March 24, 2009 | N/A | |||
| The Bank Job - R | So I'm not the biggest Jason Statham fan but I decided, "Hey, I'm in the mood for an action flick and this guy seems to be hot right now." I was pleasantly surprised. Based on a true story, this flick starts out with quite a bit of character development. Surprising for an "action" movie. The story quickly develops and the conflict is obvious yet somehow, despite being familiar, somehow had a freshness to it. Like we knew what was going to happen but were still caught off guard. I like that in a film. The story follows a typical bank robbery with classic characters and behavior but I always love it when by the end of the movie the audience is rooting for the thieving protagonists. Everything is pretty average about this one except for the acting and a few plot points. This however is not your typical action movie. It's slow(er) paced and doesn't have as many explosions. The overall mood of it however is that of the genre. Regardless of the genre it fits into, it's good and worth seeing. I'd easily watch it again. Nothing profound but easily enjoyable. Replay Value: 4 | March 24, 2009 | N/A | |||
| Coraline - PG | March 24, 2009 | N/A | ||||
| Watchmen - R | March 24, 2009 | N/A | ||||
| Duplicity - PG-13 | March 24, 2009 | N/A | ||||
| The American Mall - Unrated | So my girlfriend and I watched this movie because she likes High School Musical. Let me say that even though I can't stand that one either I would GLADLY watch that one over this one EVERY time. This movie was atrocious. The singing is exactly how you expect it to be and the acting even worse. The cinematography is average at best, the sound is off, and the costumes outrageous. The story hardly makes sense and the plot even less than that. Autumn Reeser is in it so I thought "Oh cool, The O.C. girl!" but no, she is terrible in this one. Not as bad as the main characters (and their lame friends) but still bad. The story follows a singing janitor in a mall where an aspiring piano playing singer/songwriter catches his eye. Of course they can't be together or give each other what the other needs to succeed so thus lies the conflict - love or success? With misleading editing, incoherent plot lines and terrible acting makes this movie a TOTAL bust. The reason for the extra half star is because the transitions from day to night are actually pretty cool. However, let this not distract you - it's terrible. Honestly. T-E-R-R-I-B-L-E! Replay Value: 1 | March 24, 2009 | N/A | |||
| Slumdog Millionaire - R |
As this story starts out, I had do idea what was happening. A Hindi version of "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?" with a common tea-fetcher as its succeeding contestant is now turning into a nationwide frenzy of wanting this under... excuse me, slumdog to succeed. The acting is a little shy but it doesn't distract so it's okay. It's cinematography however, is excellent, the characters are captivating, the culture intriguing and the overall style of the past experience explanations kept me very in-tune and following the story. Overall this is easily one of the best movies I've seen this year and over an astounding film. I can definitely suggest this film to, truly, anyone. Replay Value: 4 |
March 24, 2009 | N/A | |||
| Doubt - PG-13 | So let's just talk about how freaking blown away I was by this movie for a second. All I knew about it was that it was for a more mature audience and that Phillip Seymour Hoffman was in it. Only knowing that I obviously had the expectation of a good acting experience but not one, nay, two of the best of the year! Every actor/actress BLEW me away with powerfully believable performances. This film follows Father Flynn (Hoffman) as he befriends a small boy in his parish. Upon paying such close attention, two nuns (Streep and Adams) suspect foul play on the Father's part. Upon attempting to prove him guilty the nuns examine their own lives as closely. The suspense-filled ride this flick takes you on will have you laughing, wide-eyed and happily confused. The only reason I didn't give this film 5 stars is because there are several shots taken at odd angles that more distracted me than added. The character development is phenomenal and you can 100% believe every action and somewhat guess the reactions. Even Viola Davis', the boy's mother, scenes, despite being so short, make me want more and more. It was also nice to see Amy Adams in a none-childish/chick flick role. She really as a perfect fit for her character. Just wait until you see Hoffman and Streep go toe to toe in the office. It'll make you squirm and smile. The story is great and the plot flawless. The acting - by far superb, the music is great, the dialogue is great, there is substantial comic relief that never distracts from the overall tone and there is enough seriousness to both keep us attached without overbearing. Its mastered balance only adds to the intensity and fullness of the film... making me long for more while being apprehensively satisfied. This film is without a doubt a must see for everyone and I can and will recommend it to you all. | March 24, 2009 | N/A | |||
| The Visitor - PG-13 | Wow. Talk about a heavy story man. "The Visitor" follows a few days of change in the life of Walter Vale (Jenkins) and does not come lightly. These characters offer accessibility to all who watch them and I would challenge you to not become emotionally attached. I know I couldn't do it. This is seriously one of the best representations of average life and average (and actually believable) relationships between the characters. The development of the characters and the plot are near masterful as is Jenkins' acting. My word what a phenomenal job by Jenkins. The cinematography constantly adds to the scenes, the sound is good, the art direction commendable and the directing an overall success. I would easily suggest this film to anyone who is looking for a heartwarming drama but is still suited for a little pain. I cannot say one negative thing about this film - see it. | March 13, 2009 | N/A | |||
| Max Payne - PG-13 | "Based on a video game." These words of death are always a clear sign to movie goers that disappointment is imminent. I'm a pretty big fan of the video games so I definitely wanted to see this film when I heard about it. I now regret my decision. This film is terrible. It honestly deserves one star but the extra 1/2 is because I like the idea of video game moves and I like Max Payne - do not be fooled by it. This flick follows Detective Max Payne - A renegade cop out for revenge. There is but one thing positive to mention cinematically here: one shot that lasted about 4 seconds and wasn't even well used. The camera was attached to the held gun and it looked really cool except Payne (Wahlberg) was just spinning in an already cleared hallway. The editing is terrible, the sound is below average at best and the art direction is near nonexistent. Everything was so freaking dark! I get it, Max Payne is tormented by demons and his past so we have to make the movie goers feel his pain. NO! You failed there pal (John Moore also directed the 2006 remake of The Omen if that hints towards anything). Now, as far as the video game to movie transition goes: no painkillers, one (poorly placed) bullet time shot and no creepy dreams! The whole story revolves around Payne trying to avenge his wife so at least they got that part right. The plot, however, is atrocious. A hallucinogenic drug that somehow leads back to a major pharmaceutical company that Michelle Payne worked for. The twists are expected, the ending a huge let down and the movie a dud. Avoid this one at all costs. Even if it means killing someone. | March 12, 2009 | N/A | |||
| The Wrestler - R | I equate good acting with not being able to tell if the actor is aware he is on screen - becoming one with the character. Mickey Rourke is one of, if not the best actor of the year with his star performance as Randy "The Ram" Robinson in "The Wrestler." In the 80's, The Ram was a star wrestler. Nowadays he lives in a trailer park, is washed up and works in a local grocery store to make ends meet. His legacy is the only that keeps him in the ring. Fans recognize him as The Ram holds himself as being just as famous as ever... in the beginning. Yet as the movie progresses, Rourke transports through the decay and depravity of this character. His all star performance matched with Aronofsky's signature cinematography and editing (both of which add to the intensity and flow of this movie) is a feat worthy of Academy success. The sound editing is great, the story is phenomenal and the plot grows more and more intense as the crowd begins to surge. I would easily watch this movie again and cannot wait to delve deeper into the second go around. You cannot miss this star role in this star film. | March 11, 2009 | N/A | |||
| Gran Torino - R | Okay, okay, I get it. Clint Eastwood is Bad-A but why would such a renowned actor, producer and director choose such TERRIBLE acting? I'm not a racist person and try very hard to uphold equality and avoid stereotypes. However, this movie was 97.5% Asian, 1.5% white, and 1% black. The acting in this movie was 99.5% terrible, atrociously distracting even. The ONLY "good" actor in the film was Eastwood himself. Sure the cinematography was mentionable and the editing well done but I cannot tell you how terrible the acting was in this movie. I found myself laughing at Her and Vang's "emotional" performances and too distracted by everyone else in the film to laugh at the jokes. This film follows the story of a veteran who fought against the Japanese who ends up living in a predominately Asian part of town. The conflicts are obvious as Eastwood realizes his duty to protect the neighborhood from its own kind. If this film had better acting, even decent acting, it would have been great. The story sure is - why couldn't the movie have been? You can easily miss this one UNLESS you want to see Eastwood cry and be the only man possible to put a beer on a coaster and still look hard. | March 11, 2009 | N/A | |||
| Marley & Me - PG | This is the movie that made me slightly respect Owen Wilson a little more... thanks to the fact that he wasn't a total idiot in this film. Sure he played his normal role but more maturity (is Owen the new Luke?) gave his role more believability and a slight memorability. Anyways, surprisingly Marley & Me follows the relationship between Aniston and Wilson, not the dog. Sure the previews paint this flick to be a heartfelt puppy show but in reality, this movie is more about how to deal with a struggling relationship than how to train your dog. Sure the dog represents simultaneous actions (i.e. the actions of the dog are symbolic of the relationship) but seriously guys, don't be misled. Sure the flick is good but don't expect anything more than to be entertained and emotionally attached. This movie is nothing more than it presents UNLESS it convicts you to examine your own relationships - beware though. This means you have to put up with the crap jokes though. Nothing to say in regards to the technical aspects of the film. Regardless, it's slightly below average but still okay to watch. | March 11, 2009 | N/A | |||
| Surfwise - R | I've come to realize that I'm a sucker for average life. This is a well shot documentary about a captivating family: the Paskowitz. They are just average people who have an interesting story. This surfing bunch was raised in a small camper and traveled where ever and whenever they please, surfing and living life. As the kids got older they suffered problems having never had education. The dad's methods of parenting cross lines while opening the eyes of the audience to new ones. It's a good documentary and well worth the time spent. | March 10, 2009 | N/A |
1855 ratings
453 reviews
