| Movie | Rating | Review | Date | Your Rating | Match | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Surrogates - PG-13 | While not as good as District 9, which holds its place as best sci-fi of 2009, Surrogates plays well and feels like I, Robot, very Asimov. The storyline was tight with maybe one glaring plot hole involving the Surrogates network. The mentality behind people abandoning their human bodies for forever perfectly fit, coifed android bodies is realistic. It allows them to run away from their very real problems, like the tragedy in Greer (Willis) and Maggie's (Pike) family. While the effects are very organic, even the interesting way that everyone's surrogate moves in a stiff, robotic way, the amount of digital airbrushing on everyone's face is distracting. For any sci-fi fan, this movie is enjoyable and Bruce Willis is no slouch. There are more than enough action scenes to cheer him through. | October 10, 2009 | N/A | |||
| Zombieland - R | October 10, 2009 | N/A | ||||
| The Damned United - R | October 10, 2009 | N/A | ||||
| Whip It - PG-13 | There are a lot of young actors that get type-cast at every turn (Read: Michael Cera), but I'm thankful that Ellen Page is not one of them. This movie has a smart mouth, laughs, and heart. Not everyone ends up satisfied in the end, which makes this movie even better. Ellen Page's character does a little growing up in a believable way, and the supporting cast is awesomely written. The relationship between Bliss (Page) and Pash (Shawkat) was such a big part of the movie that I'm glad it wasn't saccharine or stereotypical. Plus, most if not all of the actresses did their own roller derby stunts! If Little Miss Sunshine was one of your favorite movies of 2006 and Juno was your thing in 2007, then Whip It is right down your alley. | October 10, 2009 | N/A | |||
| 9 - PG-13 | "9" begins in a dark place without being depressing. The storyline doesn't dwell too much on the dark past of the where the moppets originated from, although the audience does get a few glimpses. The characters are so resourceful but so small that my false sense of security didn't last for long. Loved the main concept of why the moppets exist, and The Machine almost seemed unbeatable, so the second battle with The Machine diffused the momentum of the movie a bit. As an adaptation from a short film, this feature-length version feels complete enough but I wish there were more to see! | September 27, 2009 | N/A | |||
| Shutter Island - Unrated | September 8, 2009 | N/A | ||||
| Sorority Row - R | September 8, 2009 | N/A | ||||
| Whiteout - R | September 8, 2009 | N/A | ||||
| Sunshine Cleaning - R | August 31, 2009 | N/A | ||||
| The Time Traveler's Wife - PG-13 | August 31, 2009 | N/A | ||||
| Julie & Julia - PG-13 | August 31, 2009 | N/A | ||||
| District 9 - R | Wonderfully written, this is what I feel good sci-fi should be. This movie brings current social issues to the forefront in a unique and engaging way. The tension was so palpable and there were so many emotions going back and forth, all I could do was stay on the edge of my seat to keep from cheering the aliens or jeering humanity at its worst. The dialogue is nothing profound, but the meaning behind it and the themes has infinite take away value. This movie is such good sci-fi that it transcends the genre. If you loved Children of Men, then this District 9 should be the next sci-fi movie on your list! | August 31, 2009 | N/A | |||
| Inglourious Basterds - R | August 31, 2009 | N/A | ||||
| Gamer - R | August 31, 2009 | N/A | ||||
| The Informant! - R | August 31, 2009 | N/A | ||||
| The Ramen Girl - PG-13 | Not as subtle or artistic in any way as Lost in Translation, this movie does hit a sweet spot with the fish-out-of-water story. An American girl gets dumped in Tokyo by her jerk boyfriend and has to fend for herself. Somehow she stumbles into noodle shop and gets it in her had that she should study how to be a noodle chef with a cantankerous old, disillusioned cook who doesn't understand a word of English. They are pretty much at each other's throats the whole movie, but there's a little Japanese romance with a cute boy interwoven with a little sympathy from the chef's wife. I got a little tired of hearing Brittany Murphy say, "I don't understand," and looking pitiful, but all the Japanese actors are dynamic enough to keep the story's momentum going. The lasting impression wasn't bad but it wasn't great either. | August 29, 2009 | N/A | |||
| Arranged - Unrated | This is such a sweet movie that offers interesting insight into two different cultures that turn out not to be so different after all. The smart, natural dialogue made this movie flow and ebb with some interesting turns. This movie did a good job in showing that even the good-intentioned ignorant ones can be just as offensive as the malintentioned ones. The pressure that built behind Rahul's matchmaking woes had me cheering for her to find her own way. I'm also glad the movie didn't fall into the stereotypical plot of a girl tasting freedom and never looking back, but there was a character there to portray that side of life all the same. | August 21, 2009 | N/A | |||
| Cashback - R | Most of this movie is dreamlike with moderately montage-style scenes that had me enthralled. The lead, Ben, has the ability to slow time to a standstill but uses it in an unexpected day. As an artist Ben is lost in his own world and so out of touch with reality that the other people in this movie feel like oddities in their own right. There were also funny slapstick bits with the employees at the store along with deep romantic slant. I was completely charmed by this movie and it's definitely one of my favorite new-to-me flicks I've seen this year. If you liked Primer, this movie is right down your alley. | August 20, 2009 | N/A | |||
| The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 - PG-13 | The girls are back in this so-so sequel about friendship and the sisterhood. The pants take a backseat to the contrived drama between the girls and their failure to be there for one another. This seems to be a needless sequel, even though I was prepared to say otherwise. The actresses are charming and the dialogue not too sappy but the core synergy between the girls that was there in the first movie was absent from this one. This film's okay to have in the background but probably a little dull if you pay too much attention. | June 7, 2009 | N/A | |||
| Up - PG | June 6, 2009 | N/A | ||||
| Primer - PG-13 |
The plotting for this film is like an interesting cat's cradle of storylines. There none of the flashy bells and whistles of a big budget time-travel flick, but the trippy, smart writing kept things interesting. The main characters, Aaron and Abe, seem above average and trustworthy guys who want to do more with their lives. Because of the setup, I really got behind the characters without realizing it until the subterfuge and time-traveling set in. When the different subplots really got going, all I could do was hang on and hoped I didn't get lost! Loved the overall affect of the film, but of course, time-travel movies are my film candy. After a once-through I still want to go back and re-watch this one just to put together more of the puzzle. This is not light watching so be prepared to actually invest yourself in this one and to still have some questions in the end that can only be answered by watching the movie again more closely. Similar Movie Recommendation: Time Crimes (Los cronocrÃmenes) |
June 3, 2009 | N/A | |||
| Crank 2: High Voltage - R | Like the first Crank, Chev Chelios is stuck in another outrageous situation after another while trying to stay alive and give the Triads a run for their money. The crazy hand-held camera work, quick cuts, and intermittent crazy inserts (i.e. a Godzilla-like fight sequence with exaggerated prosthetics) only make sense because this is Crank. This movie is a guaranteed hit with anyone who is a fan of Die Hard and Lethal Weapon if those two movies were put in a blender with a little speed. The hysteria, cameos, and fun quips make this a good watch even the second time around. There was a lot more flavor and color with the different interpretations of how Chelios sees the world in the first Crank, but this sequel definitely holds its own. | May 24, 2009 | N/A | |||
| Dance Flick - PG-13 | May 24, 2009 | N/A | ||||
| Night at the Museum 2: Battle of the Smithsonian - PG | May 24, 2009 | N/A | ||||
| Angels & Demons - PG-13 | The frantic pace of the plot really cost this film dearly in terms of leaving the audience in the dust. Tom Hanks is likable enough but watching him pause, solve a clue, rinse, and repeat got old fast. The puzzles in this Dan Brown adaptations were far from multifaceted, as they were in The Da Vinci Code, and I could have done without the horribly cheesy red herring looks on every main character. The movie is beautiful shot and the bookend opening titles and end titles were nice, but overall this movie left me unimpressed. If the Illuminate hit man would have had more of a role and justification, then I would've been more behind the church versus science debate. Right now, the so-called battle was more of a farce than anything else. Although, Ewan McGreggor really delivered with his Pope-In-Training role. Only the laurels of The Da Vinci Code made me see this movie in theatres when I should have just waited until DVD. | May 24, 2009 | N/A |
1040 ratings
309 reviews
