Movie Review Report

Last night I watched and thoroughly enjoyed The Holiday.  You might not hear many 25 year old guys admit that, as it would probably be categorized under “chick flick” or “romantic dramedy”.

The Holiday has a great cast, and an interesting story. It’s basically two films in one, following stories on opposite sides of the world.

The film is about two women who are stressed out thanks to their troubled relationships, and decide to switch houses for a few weeks. One lives in LA, one in England. They’ve never met, but both are in desperate need of some new scenery, and make the unlikely switch.

The women are played by Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet, who both do an incredible job. Iris (Winslet) is a newspaper columnist, and after failing to get over her ex, moves in to Amanda’s (Diaz) beautiful LA home. She goes on to meet more than a few very interesting people that help keep her mind off the problems at home.

Amanda (Diaz) moves into Iris’ small England cottage. She recently broke up with her boyfriend (played by Edward Burns), and was looking to get away from the busy lifestyle she has. She happens to meet Iris’s brother, played by Jude Law. Even though the last thing she wanted was to meet a man, it’s obvious they are destined for some sort of relationship.

Like I mentioned, both stories basically feel like two different movies. I found myself a lot more interesting in the story surrounding Diaz’s character, but that’s not to say the other story wasn’t interesting.

Jack Black also appears in the film. I would definitely say Law was the stand-out of the movie. I loved his character, and he did an excellent job. It was nice to see Jack Black in a role that was more laid back, and I did enjoy it, but he didn’t have quite as much screen time as the other actors. It never really seemed like we got to know his character.

Women will love this movie, and guys… as much as you’ll want to act like you’re not interested, give the film a chance. It’s an enjoyable romantic movie, and one that she will love and that you won’t be entirely bored of.

My Rating: 7.5/10

I remember seeing the trailer for The Hitcher about a year ago and thinking, “wow, this could actually be a pretty good movie”. I really enjoy Sean Bean’s work, and he is perfectly cast as the bad guy in this movie. One Tree Hill alum Sophie Bush plays the unfortunate “hot girl” caught in the middle of a mad man’s serial rampage.

This isn’t anything new, and it’s similar to the many other teen suspense films, especially to the Paul Walker film, Joy Ride. Still it manages to bring something fresh to the genre. I hadn’t heard all that many positive things about the movie, but I went into it with an open mind.

The filming impressed me, as teen “horrors” often have horrible direction and look really campy. This one came off as well put together, and I was quite impressed with director, Dave Meyers. He had previously worked on mostly just musical DVD compilations for artists such as Jennifer Lopez, OutKast, Dave Matthews, Creed and Britney Spears.

The film does a good job at being quite suspenseful. You are continually tense waiting for what is coming next.

Like all movies of it’s genre, it does have it’s cheesy moments, but all-in-all it’s a fun, enjoyable film. It was exactly what I was in the mood for, and maybe that’s increased it’s rating for me.

If you’re in the mood for a suspenseful “teenagers hunted down by crazy serial killer” film, then this is a great choice.

My Rating: 7/10

Alpha Dog was a movie I was anxiously awaiting to see. I bought the film on HD-DVD a few weeks ago, and finally got around to watching it last night. I was interested to see how it would turn out, as it has an excellent young up-and-coming cast, and a director I am a big fan of.

The director is Nick Cassavetes, who also directed John Q and The Notebook. He wrote Alpha Dog, as well.

The film has a great ensemble cast, of which includes Emile Hirsch (The Girl Next Door), Shawn Hatosy (John Q, The Faculty), Ben Foster (Six Feet Under, X-Men 3, Hostage), Olivia Wilde (The O.C., Turistas), Anton Yelchin (Hearts In Atlantis), Dominique Swain (Lolita), Amanda Seyfried (Mean Girls), Justin Timberlake (yes, that Justin Timberlake), as well as Sharon Stone and Bruce Willis.

Some of those names you may not be familiar with, but you will be very soon. Of them, I was most impressed with Ben Foster, Anton Yelchin and Justin Timberlake. Foster is an incredible actor, and I have been a fan of his work since I first saw him on Six Feet Under. He’s slowly starting to get bigger and better roles, and at this point in time, may be the most successful Six Feet cast member since the show’s end.

Anton Yelchin is a great young actor. He plays “Zach”, the young boy who goes “missing”. He has appeared in several TV shows, such as Without a Trace, The Practice, Law & Order and many others. He is a name to watch out for.

One of the things I was looking forward to seeing the most, was Timberlake’s performance. I enjoyed his work in the critically-panned Edison, and was interested in seeing what he’d do in a film with a good story. I was extremely impressed. The guy has serious talent, and has the potential to break out as a film star. He has incredible charisma, and seems so natural behind the camera. I’m not afraid to admit that I really enjoy his work, and feel he is one of the most talented individuals in the entertainment industry.

Now down to the film. It’s a true story, based on the life of Jesse James Hollywood, a drug dealer who became one of the youngest men ever to be on the FBI’s most wanted list.

Hollywood, who is re-named Johnny Truelove in the film, kidnaps the young brother of a man who owes him money. The film progresses from there, and it keeps you on the edge of your seat the entire time. The acting is excellent, as is the direction.

The pace of the film is wonderfully done, and it’s an entertaining journey, as you anxiously watch to see how the events will unfold. It has several hilarious segments, as well as some very touching moments as well. It’s also a harsh, knock you off your seat drama. It hits every type of genre, and stays entertaining from start to finish.

I would highly recommend it, as I feel regardless of your favorite flavor of film, you will enjoy Alpha Dog.

My Rating: 9/10

Black Snake Moan

This film stars Samuel L. Jackson, Christina Ricci and Justin Timberlake. Jackson is one of my favorite actors, so I was looking forward to this one even before I saw any previews. Well, once I saw the trailer, I knew this one was going to be great. It’s about a God-fearing black man and his relationship with a wild and crazy young white woman. This is a movie I’m sure you don’t want to pass up on.

Shooter

I went to order this (as well as Black Snake Moan) on HD-DVD today, only to find out the HD version of Shooter won’t be released until late July. So I guess I may have to wait a while extra to see this, but for those of you who want to see it now… the standard DVD was released today. This one stars Mark Wahlberg, Michael Pena and Danny Glover. Bob Lee Swagger (Wahlberg), a former marksman, gets lured out of retirement when he hears of a plot to kill the president. This looks like your typical, high-action thriller, and I’m veyr excited to see it. I love great dramas, but I love pure exciting blockbusters just as much.

Peaceful Warrior

Peace Warrior stars Nick Nolte, Amy Smart and with Scott Mechlowicz in the lead role (from Eurotrip and Mean Creek). Seeing as Mean Creek is one of my favorite movies, I’ve always been interesting in seeing anything that comes from the stars of that film. This film is about two strangers who meet, and of course this greatly effects the lives of both. It’s a sports drama, that focuses on a gymnist, but it’s not exactly like it sounds.

Gray Matters

The tagline for this film is, “a romantic comedy about a brother, a sister and the girl of their dreams.” Sounds… potentially weird. It’s really not as weird as it could be, as the film is about a guy and his wife, and when his wife meets his sister, the two women fall in love. The film’s a comedy, so there’s sure to be some awkward and funny moments. After originally seeing the trailer, I was looking forward to the film, but it’s nothing but bad reviews, so my interest has declined quite a bit. It stars Heather Graham, Thomas Cavanagh, Bridget Moynahan and Molly Shannon.

Half Nelson is a dark, dreary and depressing film. I knew this from the beginning, but it didn’t deter me, as these types of films are quite often my favorites. With the beautiful Summer weather taking a day off and allowing the clouds and rain to come out, I was in the perfect mood for a dramatic, not-so-upbeat type of film.

Half Nelson was a movie I have greatly anticipated since I first saw the trailer probably over a year ago. I really enjoy Ryan Gosling’s work, and was very interested in his role as a crack addicted teacher of inner-city kids. He was nominated for Best Actor for this role, and that solidified my intent to see this film.

So, like I mentioned the film is about a heroin addicted History teacher and his connection with a young girl that he teaches. Gosling plays Dan Dunne, a young man who it seems became a teacher in hopes of changing the world, and making it a better place, and had grand views of what he would accomplish. His realization that this, of course, will not happen and that he is spending his time teaching a bunch of kids that have no interest in what he’s talking about, has turned him to drugs. With his newly-found depression, he uses his addiction to get him through a life he did not envision.

The film is mostly a downer, and not one to get you psyched on life, but as you painfully watch this young man fight to get through every day, you can also see how he is quickly finding you don’t need to change the world; that changing one person’s life can be quite the accomplishment in itself.

Ryan Gosling is incredible in this film, and is rightfully deserving of his Best Actor nomination.

If you liked Thirteen, The Machinist or The Woodsman, I would highly recommend checking out this movie. Or, if you simply appreciate a great performance and an extremely well-made film, then you can’t miss out on Half Nelson.

My Rating: 8.5/10

I really enjoyed Knocked Up, which you would have already known if you had read my Review about a week back.

Writer/Director Judd Apatow is quickly becoming a favorite of mine, and I’m anxiously awaiting his next project.

I have been a huge fan of Katherine Heigl for a while now, but surprisingly Knocked Up was the first movie I had ever seen her in. I had, of course, watched the first two seasons of Grey’s Anatomy so I was familiar with her work before seeing Knocked Up.

Seth Rogan is absolutely hilarious, and I think he could be one of the biggest up-and-coming young comedy stars around. He fits the “lovable loser” role to a tee.

However, saying all of that, one of the people that was the biggest scene stealer for me was Leslie Mann. She played “Debbie”, Heigl’s sister in the film. She was absolutely perfect in her role as the somewhat psychotic, but loving mother and wife in the midst of a mid-life crisis.

If anyone can play the perfect late-30’s nut job, it’s Leslie Mann.

You may also recognize her from some of her previous comedy roles in films such as The Cable Guy, She’s the One, George of the Jungle, Big Daddy, Orange County, Stealing Harvard and The 40 Year Old Virgin.

A note of interest is that her husband is Knocked Up Director Judd Apatow, and her two real life children played her kids in the film.

You can see her next in Drillbit Taylor, a film co-written by her Knocked Up co-star, Seth Rogan. It’s about two kids who hire a low-budget bodyguard to protect them from bully’s on the playground. The film also stars Owen Wilson.

I hope we see her in more films in the future. I find her absolutely hilarious, and I hope she starts to get the credit (and roles) she deserves.

This was one of my most anticipated movies of 2006, and I finally got around to seeing it. I love the plot idea of this film, and am surprised we haven’t really seen it before.The movie takes place in 2027, and the entire world has been infertile for 18 years, with the youngest living person being 18 years old. It’s a pretty scary thought, actually. In 2027, the entire world has pretty much fallen apart, except Britain. People are flocking to Britain to try and be apart of the only surviving country.

A miracle has happened, however. A young girl has become pregnant. So, of course, she is of huge importance, and must be kept alive throughout the obstacles the characters face in the film.

Like I said, I had huge expectations going into this film. I would say they were probably, if not very closely, met. The film was very good, and although slightly different than what I expected (less action and more drama), it didn’t make the movie any less enjoyable.

Clive Owen and Michael Caine are great in this film, as well as newcomer Claire-Hope Ashitey.

The film isn’t the action-fest that the trailers imply, but it is a great film, and does have a few pretty incredible action scenes in it. But overall, it is more of a drama/thriller than an action film.

I enjoyed the movie, and would definitely recommend it.

My Rating: 8/10

This is Lauren Ambrose.

She was a star on one of my all-time favorite television shows, Six Feet Under. I miss the show a lot. I never watched it when it was on TV, but I did pick up the entire series on DVD, and at one point last year I watched all five seasons in a row.

I still say the series finale of Six Feet Under is the best series finale I have ever seen.

I haven’t seen Lauren Ambrose in anything other than her role as “Claire”, on Six Feet. I loved her work, but unfortunately, she hasn’t had a lot of high profile roles since finishing the series.

The picture above was recently taken in New York, after the opening night of the Shakespeare in the Park 2007 production of “Romeo & Juliet”. Ambrose plays Juliet, which I think is a very fitting role for her.

You can see Lauren in the upcoming Tonight at Noon, which stars Ethan Hawke, and in A Dog Year, which co-stars Jeff Bridges.

Let me first say, that I watched this movie on HD-DVD. It’s the first movie I’ve watched on my HD-DVD player, and saying I was impressed doesn’t even come close to covering it. The quality and crispness were incredible. It was so detailed and the colors were so rich. It made my viewing experience so much better.So, onto the film.

Happy Feet was a great movie, and I enjoyed it a lot. It has some of the cutest moments in a film that I’ve ever seen. It’s really, really funny as well, and it also has a great message behind it. Although it’s basically just the animated version of “March of the Penguins”, they are still able to bring a lot of originality to it.

The film centers around “Mumble”, a penguin that’s a little different than the rest of the group, or “waddle” as they’re called. He has “happy feet”, and this is where the title of the film comes from. All penguins have great voices and love to sing, but Mumble loves to dance.

The voice actors for the film are Robin Williams, Hugh Jackman, Brittany Murphy, Nicole Kidman, Elijah Wood, and even Steve Irwin (who the film is dedicated to) voices a character.

It’s a great movie for kids, although there are one or two pretty scary parts. There are some serious moments that could be a little sad for kids, but overall, it’s a great message and a movie anyone could enjoy.

My Rating: 9/10

It’s Tuesday, and here are the new DVD releases for the week…

Bridge To Terabithia - The Children’s novel comes to life in this film. Great for kids I’m sure, but I’m not really sold on it. I often enjoy family films, but this one hasn’t sparked my interest. It did receive pretty decent critical reviews, so I’ll have to check it out.

Reno 911: Miami - A film based on the semi-popular comedy television show. I’ll be honest and admit I’ve never seen it, but based on the trailer, it looks like it’ll good for a few laughs. If you like ridiculous over-the-top comedy, you’ll probably like Reno 911.

Miss Potter - A true story about the woman who created the children’s popular literature character, Peter Rabbit. This one stars Renee Zellweger (pictured) and Ewan McGregor. I’m gonna have to say, this one doesn’t sound all that interesting. I’ll probably pass on it. Feel free to urge me not to, if you enjoyed the film.

The Bridge - This is a documentary about “jumpers”; people who have attempted suicide by jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge. Director Eric Steel placed cameras on the bridge in 2004, in order to capture people attempting suicide. The film sounds quite morbid, but still it would be an interesting topic.

It’s a pretty ugly week for new releases. Next week should be much, much better.

5. Toy Story

For a film that was made twelve years ago, the fact that the animation is almost up to par with movies made today is simply incredible. This was the first ever CGI film that I saw, and it started my love of them. A great story and something, as a young boy, you always wish would come true.

4. Monsters, Inc.

Monster’s, Inc. is almost the forgotten Pixar film. It was popular, but not up with there with some of the other gems such as Toy Story or Finding Nemo. I think it should be. It’s an excellent film, in both writing, animation and voice acting.

3. Toy Story 2

Another rare achievement, as I found Toy Story 2 to be better than the original. Barely, but I did like it slightly more. The animation improved slightly, and I liked the storyline a little more. Such a great movie, and I can’t believe it’s already 8 years old.

2. The Incredibles

Although it is a slight rip-off of the “Fantastic Four” idea, it becomes it’s own film, and does a great job in doing so. I love superhero movies, and I love computer animated films, so the fact that I like this movie is pretty obvious.

1. Finding Nemo

This is probably the most beautifully colored film I’ve ever seen. The animation is so vibrant and amazing, it’s often used as the sample film to show off big screen TV’s. So yes, it’s a visually appealing film, but that’s not what makes this film great. It’s one of the funniest movies I’ve ever seen, and to be able to pull off funny with a “G” rating is a unique accomplishment. A great story, Finding Nemo is the complete package for not only a CGI film, but any film.

I don’t watch many television shows, at least not on the day they actually air. I do, however, own several shows on DVD, as that is my preferred method of viewing. I find when watching shows on cable TV, I don’t enjoy them as much thanks to the many commercial breaks, extended time in between episodes, and not being able to see every single episode withing missing one.

TV on DVD was a wonderful invention. I now watch all my shows on DVD. Of course, the one downfall is I have to wait a little longer, and try incredibly hard to avoid hearing spoilers, but in the end, the positives outweigh the negatives for me.

So, this leads me to my review of The O.C.- Season 4. I just finished the final season last night. I enjoyed the first three seasons quite a bit, but not nearly as much as most of my friends who were practically obsessed with the show. Saying that, while finishing the 4th season, I felt this sense of emptiness. Maybe I did enjoy this silly teen drama series a lot more than I thought I did. I didn’t want it to end. Now that it’s over, I want it back. You really become close with the characters over the course of a show’s run.

I found that Season 4 was one of the best season in the series. Season One was excellent, Season Two wasn’t that bad, and Season Three had its moments, although was easily my least favorite. Season 4 is right up there with the opening season. A lot of the story lines seemed fresh, whereas in previous years they got very repetitive. I liked Taylor’s increased role a lot, I liked the addition of Kaitlynn and was happy to be done with the Ryan/Marissa drama that plagued the early seasons.

The show did a good job at happily sending off each character, while also leaving some of the characters future open for you to decide on for yourself. Having it end with Ryan coming across a young boy that resembled himself when the show began, takes the series full circle, and was a perfect way to cap it off.

Season 4 was only 16 episodes, whereas the previous seasons were between 24-27. That didn’t really hurt the show, as the show was less repetitive than it usually becomes.

For those of you that gave up on this show before finishing it, I suggest going back and picking up the DVDs for the seasons you missed. I think you’ll be happy that you did.

I went and saw Knocked Up, the new film from the writer/director of The 40 Year-Old Virgin. For a comedy, it was receiving some pretty decent reviews, so I had pretty high expectations going in. I’d say the film definitely met those expectations.

The film is about a pot smoking, party-loving, unemployed guy named Ben (Seth Rogan), who out of pure luck, ends up having a one night stand with a gorgeous woman named Alison (Katherine Heigl). She ends up getting pregnant, and wants to keep the baby, so the unlikely couple decide on trying to make the relationship work.

The movie obviously has several hilarious situations and many over-the-top sequences. However, like The 40 Year-Old Virgin, it’s not just slapstick humor, it also has a great story. The film remains entertaining from start to finish, as well. There are several laugh-out-loud moments.

Seth Rogan is excellent as the lovable loser, and Katherine Heigl is her usual incredibly sweet and beautiful self.

After recently watched the first two seasons of Grey’s Anatomy, I practically fell in love with Katherine Heigl, and she continued to impress me in this film. She’s a great up-and-coming comedic actress. Paul Rudd was hilarious in his role as well, and the two young kids who play his children (Director Apatow’s real-life children) are so adorable and funny.

If you liked 40 Year-Old Virgin, you will love this movie as well. I found Knocked Up to be a better film, and it’s equally as hilarious.

Will Smith’s newest film since last year’s “Pursuit of Happyness” is on it’s way. Unfortunately it’s still about 6 months from hitting theaters. “I Am Legend”, will be released December 14, 2007.

“Robert Neville is the last man alive. He busies himself with preparing for a nightly attack from the rest of the world - all of which have transformed into blood-thirsty vampires”, is the plot outline, according to IMDB.com.

Just a few days ago the first trailer for I Am Legend was released. I just watched it today, and based on the trailer, the film looks like it’ll be an entertaining movie, if anything. It should be along the lines of Independence Day or I, Robot. A super-blockbuster, large scale action film.

Will Smith is quickly becoming one of my favorite actors. His recent performances have entertained and amazed me. He has proven to be one of the best dramatic actors around, and his track record for successful blockbuster films is almost perfect (and would be if it weren’t for a certain blemish called Wild, Wild West).

I Am Legend is the only film in 2007 for “Big Willy”, and it will be almost 2008 before it opens. Will does, however, have two movies scheduled for 2008 releases. The first, Tonight, He Comes, which co-stars Charlize Theron and Jason Bateman, is about a down-and-out superhero hoping to repair his image. It has July 2, 2008 attached as the opening date.

Next, is Time Share, which co-stars Nicolas Cage. It hasn’t been given a release date at this point.

Click here to check out the new I Am Legend trailer on YouTube.

The Summer 2007 Box Office is filled with sequels and blockbuster films. We’ve already had Spider-Man 3, Shrek 3, and Pirates of the Caribbean 3: At World’s End.

Still, there are quite a few good films yet to come. Here are the best of the rest, as far as I’m concerned:

5. Live Free or Die Hard

Release Date: June 27, 2007

Starring: Bruce Willis, Timothy Olyphant and Justin Long

Why do I want to see it? Well, everyone loves a good action film once and a while. Bruce Willis’ Die Hard franchise is practically the definition of action. Each of the previous films were nothing if not entertaining. Sure, the movie is full of cheese… but that’s not always a bad thing. Car explosions, witty last words, ridiculous chase scenes… I can’t wait!

4. Evan Almighty

Release Date: June 22, 2007

Starring: Steve Carell and Morgan Freeman

Why do I want to see it? First of all, it’s Steve Carell. In my opinion, he’s the funniest guy in entertainment right now. The Office is one of my favorite TV shows, and I loved The 40 Year-Old Virgin. The original, Bruce Almighty, was a fun and enjoyable film, and Carell’s supporting role was the highlight of that film. His character, “Evan Baxter”, is tasked by God to build an ark. It should be a good one!

3. The Simpsons Movie

Release Date: July 27, 2007

Starring the voices of: Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright and Yeardley Smith

Why do I want to see it? A film nearly 20 years in the making. I’ve always been a big Simpsons fan, so wanting to see this movie goes without saying. I’m sure Matt Groening and crew have come up with something special in this long, long awaited big screen event. There is a lot of secrecy surrounding the plot and film itself, as the producers keep releasing false information and scenes that have nothing to do with the actual movie. Expectations are huge, but I have a pretty good feeling that they will be met and possibly even exceeded.

2. The Bourne Ultimatum

Release Date: August 3, 2007

Starring: Matt Damon, Julia Stiles and Chris Cooper

Why do I want to see it? I loved the first two Bourne films. In what is seeming to be the pattern for 2007, this is another third installment of a popular series. The Bourne films are a completely different type of action film. They’re darker, the filming is different, and the plot is much more serious. There’s not a lot of corny moment in this series, which is a rare thing for an action film. Matt Damon is great in the role of Jason Bourne, and I can’t wait to see how this film turns out.

1. Transformers

Release Date: July 4, 2007

Starring: Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel and Jon Voight

Why do I want to see it? Anyone that knows me personally knows the answer to that question. I have been Transformers-obsessed since I was three years old. I had all the toys as I kid, I have all the old episodes on DVD, I have the original Transformers animated film, and I even have a huge framed Transformers lithograph on my wall. Yes, I am a huge TF geek. So, with saying all that, I have been anxiously awaiting the live action film for over twenty years. I will be the guy standing first in line wearing an “Optimus Prime” costume.