(expand)

I am a huge John Woo fan, especially his earlier classics like Hard Boiled. I’ll admit it’s been several years since I last seen Face/Off, but I don’t have a reason why, as I remember really liking this movie then. At either rate now I have a copy of the movie to call my own, and a special two disc release at that. Let’s just hope that it is what I remember, but as a big fan of Nick Cage I don’t think I’ll be let down.

In order to catch him, he must become him. I couldn’t put it any better myself, Face/Off tells quite the eccentric story of revenge, devotion, and of course crime.

Read the rest of this entry »

Blade Runner: The Final Cut is the fifth version of director Ridley Scott’s 1982 film taking place in a dystopian future set in Los Angeles in 2019. Blade Runner is based loosely on Philip K. Dick’s novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? It places us in a grim future, in a dirty and overpopulated Los Angeles. The Tyrell Cooperation has taken genetic creation to a new level; they now have the ability to create a person. These people are called Replicants, and can be created to have more strength, endurance and intelligence than a normal person.

Read the rest of this entry »

(expand)

The Simpsons Movie is the long awaited trip to the big screen for everyone’s favorite American family. Matt Groening the creator of The Simpsons television series has been talking of making a movie since the shows fourth season and it has now just been released. Production on the movie started in 2001, with many of the shows best writers from the earlier season signing on. As a fan of television series I was very pleased that the movie was much more like earlier seasons with its irreverent humour.

Read the rest of this entry »

(expand)

Some of you may know Man on Fire as the 1987 film of the same name, or perhaps the 1980 novel, as well of the same name. But for the brunt of you when I say Man on Fire you are thinking of the same thing I am, the 2004 film staring Denzel Washington and Dakota Fanning. Personally I am growing tired of Hollywood’s sequels, prequels, and remakes, and right off the line I didn’t think this movie would be anything but unoriginal and stale. But since we were children we have been told not to judge a book by its cover, and God knows I have been wrong before, so lets see how Man on Fire plays out.

Read the rest of this entry »

(expand)

3:10 to Yuma makes its way onto Blu-ray disc, a remake of the 1957 film of the same name. Before I even knew what the film was about I was intrigued, as I have yet to watch a Christian Bale film I haven’t liked. Add the always entertaining Russell Crowe and this film has automatic potential. 3:10 to Yuma is directed by James Mangold (Walk The Line,Cop Land) which immediately gives it some credibility, but enough with the speculation, how does 3:10 to Yuma hold up?

Read the rest of this entry »

(expand)

I must be one of the few people who despite hearing positive things, did not see Transformers in the theatre this past summer. The main reason being I’m just not interested in transformers, but then again so were most of the people I know who loved the movie. Regardless, here I find myself holding a copy of this summer blockbuster on HD DVD, I’m sure it’s going to blow me away, but only time will tell.

Read the rest of this entry »

(expand)

There was a time when I hated Billy Bob Thorton and everything he was in. Since then I don’t know what has changed, but those same roles I used to hate him in, I can’t seem to get enough of. His laid back almost down to Earth style has really captivated me. It really doesn’t seem like he has to do much acting, maybe at one point, but by now he has to have spent more time acting as an alcoholic jerk than he has as himself. So hate him or love him, you have got to admit that his certain brand of humor is a sure floor kicker.

Read the rest of this entry »

(expand)

Since its limited theatrical release Rescue Dawn has caught my eye, mainly due to my curiosity regarding the Christian Bale, Steve Zhan combination but also because I’m a fan of the genre. Sure the Vietnam flick has been done a thousand times, but the fact that Rescue Dawn is based upon a real life account makes me feel better about it. Originally German director Werner Herzog made a documentary some ten years ago on the life of German-American U.S. Navy Pilot entitled Little Dieter Needs to Fly. Since then it has gained some notoriety and the compelling story of Dieter Dengler has made its way to the big screen staring arguably one of Hollywood’s finest, Christian Bale.

Read the rest of this entry »

(expand)

Ratatouille marks Pixar’s 8th feature film release, fresh off a $552,000,000 world wide box office intake it hopes to hit Blu ray with the quality we’ve come to expect from Pixar. Some of Pixar’s classics dating back to 1995 include Toy Story 1 and 2, Finding Nemo, and The Incredibles, so naturally I have high expectations for Ratatouille. The most noticeable difference in comparison to some of the past Pixar releases, is in the fact that Ratatouille doesn’t boast an A list cast of voice actors. Sure there are a few recognizable names and some respected old timers, but not the usual group you would expect from a Pixar film. That’s not to say anything negative about Ratatouille’s cast, just simply an observation. So with big shoes to fill, Pixar sets out for the second time with Brad Bird as director (The Incredibles) with hopes to engage us into the life of a rat aspiring to become a chef in Paris.

Read the rest of this entry »

(expand)

Back around the time I was born, and Tom Cruise had an ounce of sanity, a little movie called Top Gun swept across the globe raking in over $350,000,000 worldwide, as well as sparking an interest in the US Navy and everything Tomcat, Skyhawk, and MiG related. Ever since its original release Top Gun has kept a hold on its audience, being played almost weekly, and now it makes its way into the world of high definition with its release on HD DVD.

Read the rest of this entry »

(expand)

Very few of us know A Clockwork Orange as the 1962 novel by Anthony Burgess, instead we know it as the 1971 Stanley Kubrick film adaptation. Not only did Kubrick direct this cult classic, he also wrote the adapted screenplay and produced it. There’s no doubt that Kubrick put a lot into this movie, and by now we all know the results. A Clockwork Orange is a perfect example of Kubrick’s career, highly controversial. After the cult hit 2001: A Space Odyssey, it was crucial for Kubrick to keep the audience on the edge of their seats, and what better way to do that than adapt A Clockwork Orange. There are those who would call this movie trash, and of course there are those who absolutely love it, then of course there’s everyone in between. Well A Clockwork Orange isn’t new news to me, it’s release on HD DVD already looks to impress.

Read the rest of this entry »

(expand)

Smallville, although well shot and portrayed has never been a favorite series of mine. Growing up I was a Marvel comics fan, I hardly ever crossed into the DC market and if I did, it was for Batman, never Superman. Of course, for those of you that don’t know Smallville follows the life of a young Clark Kent in the years prior to him becoming Superman. Of course it started out in season 1 with Kent in high school, very unsure of his potential but six seasons later he’s very Superman esque.

Read the rest of this entry »

(expand)

Surf’s Up is Sony Pictures Animation’s second and latest film, and is directed by Toy Story 2 co-director Ash Brannon and Chicken Little’s Chris Buck. Although it was considered a box office failure, Surf’s Up has since been applauded by critics and fans alike. I have to say, normally I’m a sucker for CGI films but lately there has been a flood of them on the market, and frankly they’re starting to decline in quality. But Surf’s Up does something different, it’s actually a CGI mockumentary on surfing documentaries, and with quite a list of voice actors. The list includes Jeff Bridges, Zooey Deschanel, Jon Heder, Shia LaBeouf, James Woods, Diedrich Bader, and more. So does this film break free from the recent rut the animated film genre seems to have found itself in?

Read the rest of this entry »

(expand)

Some portions of this review regarding general show information are shared with the Season 1 and Season 2 reviews.

After watching the first two seasons of CSI Miami I was pleased with the shows story arc, and although the latter season was starting to get a bit dull with regards to the character development, the case loads were just as engaging and bizarre. As I’ve said before, I hope that in Season 3 a few of the weaker aspects form the past two season can be rectified like the sometimes endless dialogue.

Read the rest of this entry »

(expand)

Some portions of this review regarding general show information are shared with the Season 1 and Season 3 reviews.

Before I saw Season 1 of CSI Miami I was quite skeptical about the shows ability to live up to the original. After watching the first season I was impressed with most aspects of the show, ranging from character development to entertaining and interesting cases. I don’t want to over praise the show though, because it does have its flaws, and can drag on a bit at times, but I’m hoping that Season 2 might just improve on these aspects.

Read the rest of this entry »

(expand)

Some portions of this review regarding general show information are shared with the Season 2 and Season 3 reviews.

When the original CSI was put on the air, I was a huge fan. At the time it was totally unique, entertaining, and to a certain degree educational. Not to say that hasn’t changed over the years, but it has certainly lost its uniqueness over the course of two spin-offs. However I won’t judge the quality of these spin-offs because I’ve never actually watched them before, who knows maybe they still have the integrity of the original show. But when you have a show staring David Caruso, it’s going to be hard to win me over, so I’m hoping for some developed storylines and engaging character arcs.

Read the rest of this entry »

(expand)

I have to admit, other than a scattered few second clips Tekkonkinkreet is the first time I’ve set my eyes on anime. That’s not to say I have anything against anime films, how could I, I’ve never seen one before, I just haven’t felt compelled too. Regardless, I do enjoy animated films and I hope this isn’t an exception, after all I’ve heard good things about the Japanese animation studio, Studio 4°C.

Read the rest of this entry »

(expand)

Dirty Sanchez, the Welsh Jackass, or at least it’s something like it. Like Jackass, this little British show started on TV and has since made its way to the big screen, that of course is not where the similarities end. Dirty Sanchez, ‘They make Jackass look like the Royal Shakespeare Company.’ Well that’s what the say anyways, I disagree but they are definitely just as careless and insane as the Jackass crew.

Read the rest of this entry »

(expand)

It’s hard for me to believe that Darkman comes from a time when Sam Raimi was fresh off directing Evil Dead 2 and Liam Neeson was a little known Irish actor. A lot has changed since then, but a true classic can stand the test of time, and although I was very young when I first saw this movie, I remember it being very unique. Of course my perspective on films has blossomed since the time I was watching Rugrats, and it has literally been that long since I’ve seen Darkman. Nonetheless I’m pleased to finally get the chance to watch this Liam Neeson classic, and in HD to boot.

Read the rest of this entry »

(expand)

Notting Hill is a bit of a spin on a Cinderella type story, only Cinderella is William Thacker (Hugh Grant, About A Boy) the owner of a break even book store. Nothing seems to be going his way until fate would have it that Anna Scott (Julia Roberts, Oceans Eleven) the worlds most respected and loved actress enters his store. William having a hard time coping with his recent divorce can’t believe the glimmer of hope placed before him.

Read the rest of this entry »

(expand)

I love horror movies, but lately Hollywood hasn’t done it for me, and Wrong Turn wasn’t an exception. So I wonder how a low budget sequel is going to manage to be better than its phony prequel. But I won’t judge this one until I’ve seen, lets just hope its nothing like The Hills Have Eyes 2, or The Grudge 2, etc.

Wrong Turn 2 takes off shortly after the events of the first film. Right away I’ll let you know that other than the mutant freaks of the first film, this movie has no other links to the first installment, i.e. characters.

Read the rest of this entry »

(expand)

There are those of us who love Will Ferrell and just about everything he’s done lately, and there are those of you who can’t stand the guy. Read that last sentence carefully and you’ll be able to determine which one I am, but I’m sure you won’t have to read much past this sentence to figure it out anyways. Starting back with A Night at the Roxbury and ranging to Old School and Anchorman, comedically I can’t get enough of these nonsense full movies. Surprisingly I didn’t check this one out in the theatres, but I eagerly welcome the opportunity now.

Read the rest of this entry »