Bedtime Stories

As with all comics that get older, Adam Sandler is making a transition. Richard Pryor, & Eddie Murphy have shown how a blazing hot comic can sell out later in their career and make horrid out of touch movies ie: Pryor’s “See no Evil, Hear No Evil” & “Critical Condition” Murphy has shown this as well with his string of flops, the latest being “Meet Dave” Sandler has a formula, frat boy comedy utilizing 80’s hits and his same crew of comics in every movie. It has worked and every movie he has made with this formula has made $100+ million. He is now making a Disney movie?!? (sell-out?) There is a young beauty that is the center of attention however Sandler’s getting older and his off kilt character does not work well here. This is a children’s movie yet kids under 5 years old will not be able to follow the movie. Bedtime Stories will make $100 million but don’t expect an Adam Sandler movie.

Verdict: With “Zohan” and his poorly produced “The House Bunny” it looks like Sandler is heading down the “not cool anymore” road of Eddie Murphy. He’s very rich but he should go out and do stand up and find out what’s funny. This movie is not.

Top 10 Movies of 2008

1) Cloverfield: The most original monster movie in years.

2) The Dark Knight: The Joker truly was Wild in this movie. A great performance by Mr. Ledger.

3) Wanted: Best summer action movie, more action than Batman and awesome in IMAX.

4) Wall –E: Pixar’s ET. A loner that needs someone and finds a companion.

5) Sex and the City: I was a fan of the show and the movie was better than I expected. Minus the Jennifer Hudson part. Why Jennifer Why?

6) Iron Man: Robert Downey back in rare form. Have not seen him this good since Chaplin.

7) Man on Wire: Hey I’m a New Yorker. Forgetaboutit! This was a cool documentary.

8) The Bank Job: A true Story and Jason Statham equal a great B+ movie that should have had "A grade" marketing muscle behind it. JS will have a breakthrough role soon.

9) 21: This story has been done before but not this good. I have seen it 3 times in packed houses and enjoyed watching it with the audience.

10) Redbelt: One of the most underrated movies of 2008. Chiwetel Ejiofor is one of the best actors out there today. The movie is about discipline and sticking to what you value.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

This movie is a movie where actors are on point and on top of their game.
Brad Pitt has grown as an actor and gives his best performance to date. Rent “Meet Joe Black” and then watch this movie and see how much he has improved. He deserves an Oscar for the role of Benjamin Button. What else can anyone say about Cate Blanchett, she is a brilliant actresses and she will take Meryl Streep’s throne when she is done. Remember Julia Ormand? She was the “It Girl” back in the 90’s and she shows up in this movie after the studios tried to make her a star. Remember “First Knight”, “Sabrina”, and the nail in her coffin “Smilla’s Sense of Snow”? Well she does a good job in this movie as a character actress, which is what she does best.
The movie has it’s slow points but it’s Pitt’s “Forrest Gump” with New Orleans set as the background.
Tariji P. Henson, who was outstanding in “Baby Boy” does an great job as Benjamin’s mother. Thank god they did’t give this role to Queen Latifah.

Verdict: Great escapism, Brad’s best role to date.

Valkryrie

This movie was made a year ago when Cruise left Paramount because Sumner Redstone’s wife did’t like his antics on Oprah and on the Today Show. It sat on the shelf for a year because the movie stinks. Guess what? Cruise is back at Paramount, but he’s promoting this movie as if it was made yesterday.
Don’t see it. If you want to see a good Nazi film rent “Black Book” directed by the man who brought you “Basic Instinct” and “Robo Cop”, Paul Verhoeven. Carice van Houton who plays Tom Cruise’s wife in Valkyrie is the star of “Black Book” Her talent is wasted in Valkyrie. “Black Book” has all the gore, violence, and sex you would expect from a film about Hitler and the SS. It also has a story which helps.
For an excellent documentary the best that I have found is, The Nazis - A warning from History ~ Samuel West, Fritz Arlt, Rudi Bamber, and Gerda Bernhardt (DVD - Jul 19, 2005) which can be purchased at Amazon.com. It has footage that you have never seen regarding the concentration camps and Hitler.

Verdict: Tom has lost his MOJO in this puppy. See Tom in “Tropic Thunder” and see why he is still a star.

"I am Legend" the greatest movie ever made??

This non-movie critic Ben Lyons, son of a good movie critic Jeffrey Lyons, thinks "I am Legend" is one of the greatest movies ever made. Read from an article posted in the LA Times Sunday Calander edition 12-28:
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-ca-lyons28-2008dec28,0,3485043.story

The Worst Movies of 2008

1) Speed Racer: Where do I start? This movie failed on every level. I can’t believe these guys made the Matrix. What happened to their talent?

2) The Happening: M. Night Shamalamading dong! Why is this guy still making movies? 3 strikes and you are out.

3) Hancock: It made a ton of money but would you watch it again?

4) Quantum of Solace: If you can review this movie and tell someone what it is about then you are SuperBad.

5) Forgetting Sarah Marshall: A Saturday Night Live skit that goes on for 2 hrs.

6) The Visitor: The so called critics said it was great and I could’t wait for it to end.

7) Fool’s Gold: Looks like Kate Hudson & Mac Man decided that the Caribbean was a great place to go on location and make a movie. Did they read the script, and better yet do they care about the audience? They are better off sticking to the Rock Hudson/Doris Day type movies similar to their one and only hit together “How to Lose A Guy in Ten Days”

8) Semi-Pro: Will Ferrell is still funny but this movie was not.

9) The Hulk: A second version with Ed Norton and they still can’t get it right?!? Please don’t try again.

10)You Don’t mess with the Zohan: Very painful to watch. Sandler, stick to your formula.

Gran Torino

This is not the movie you think it is.
Clint Eastwood is not trying to be Sylvester Stallone or Harrison Ford by trying to play one of his former action hero's i.e: Dirty Harry, now that he is an AA RP member. Clint plays it smart and without giving away too much he plays his age. It’s amazing and scary to see how he has transformed from a pretty boy to the Crypt Keeper. Seeing him grow old is painful to watch. I have been a Clint fan to the core since I watched him in the spaghetti westerns with my father. His character, Walt Kowalski, in this movie is endearing even though he is constantly spouting racial slurs.
I did’t figure out how it was going to end until the end. I am not one of those jerks that sits behind someone figuring out each scene and spouting out to their date, or into the air how the movie ends because they have figured out the movie. I focus on and love seeing the development of character. If you also like movies of this nature then you will enjoy Gran Torino.
There is also a very annoying young priest, played very well by Christopher Carley, in the movie and you wonder why does Clint have to deal with this character? In the end everything ties together. The screenplay by Nick Schenk delivers.

Verdict: Good movie but SLOW. Go and see it on a lazy, Sunday afternoon.

Seven Pounds

OK, I decided to give Will Smith another shot. I am sorry I did.
Every year Will has a blockbuster summer movie. Now he is shooting for an Oscar by coming out with a heart tugging, sappy movie at the end of each year to qualify for an Oscar (see the Pursuit of Happyness).
We all know that he will one day get an Oscar due to his box office power however this is not the film.
There were times throughout this movie I felt that I was watching a TV Pilot for a new CBS drama like the Mentalist or that boring ghost TV show with Jennifer Love Hewitt. Without Will Smith this could have been a Lifetime movie.
Will has also taken a page from the Tom Cruise school of acting. In every movie have a scene where you are running, even if it does not make sense, just run. You’re a leading man, run.
Even with the run this was a major snore fest. This movie is tied with “Wild Wild West” as Will’s worst movie. It made my top ten of 2008 worst movies right after “The Happening”.

Verdict: Don’t even waste your time renting it when it comes out on DVD.

The Day the Earth Stood Still

Take a classic 1951 SCI-FI movie, put Kennu Reeves in it and what do you get?
Well if you have a low budget you get “C” grade special effects you start to fall asleep. What happens when you take Will Smith’s son, Jaden Smith, and try to create a role for him? You get Will Smith’s son trying to be cute knowing for 1 hr. and 32 minutes that the only reason he is in the film is because he is Will Smith’s son. Will please spare us, give your kid some acting lessons.
Oh, wait a minute, Will Smith still has not taken acting lessons (see Ali, and the crying scene in the Pursuit of Happyness) now I know why his son can’t act.
Getting back to the original classic, when it came out the special effects were “A” grade and the story suited the time. Today we have seen so many movies with aliens coming to earth with updated stories. This is a movie they should have not remade and recreate the story.
Finally Kathy Bates has lost some of her acting chops since "Misery" when she won and Oscar & her awesome role as the Unsinkable Molly Brown in "Titanic".

Verdict: Charisma does not equal talent, and when actors are on their game it’s exciting to watch.
This movie, game was not on for all involved.

The Changeling

It seems like almost every year at this time Clint Eastwood comes out with a solid movie.
The Changeling is Angelina Jolie’s best work to date and she should receive an Oscar nomination for it.
She had a great year with “Wanted”, “Kung Fu Panda”, and now this movie.
The story is true and it’s about a woman who’s son is missing. This happened in the 1930’s when children were not being abducted to the extent that it’s happening today. There are many layers to this event and Eastwood ties in an excellent soundtrack and great performances that will reach for your heart.
It’s amazing to me that this movie is not getting the promotional muscle it deserves because I would’t be surprised if it is nominated for best picture.

Verdict: If you liked "Mystic River" & "Million Dollar Baby" you will love this movie. Angelina Jolie will win her second Oscar.

Transporter 3

The word on the street is that this is they guy that should be playing James Bond.
I agree, not only was this movie better than Transporter 2 it was better than the current Bond flick.
This is a pure popcorn movie and there is never a dull moment with Jason Statham on the screen.
There are times during the movie that it reminded me of The Professional, and sure enough the producer, Luc Beeson, of this movie was involved with the creation of The Professional.
So without giving too much away, there is a Russian girl, Natalya Rudakova , that the Transporter has to protect throughout the movie. The actress, is not interesting at first but later in the movie she starts to grow on you and you realize why she was picked for the role.
Robert Knepper , better known as Monsieur Tea Bag in France, is good in this movie as Johnson. Check out "Prison Break" Season One on DVD to see how excellent an actor he is.
Verdict: Perfect escapism movie. Go see it instead of Quantum.

Twilight

Good looking film, good looking people.
I liked it. I did not read the books and I don’t like vampire movies because I find them boring.
I got caught up in the hype and went to see this the first weekend. There were multiple kids in the theater between the ages of 5 and 8 years old. Why?
The movie starts off very slow however the lead unknown actress, Kristen Stewart who plays Bella Swan, keeps you interested in the story. I later find that she was Jodie Foster’s daughter in “Panic Room”.
The cinematographer gives the film a clean, cold feel which was appropriate for the movie. Robert Pattinson does a solid job as Edward Cullen. His chiseled look had me thinking that he looked like one of the Thunderbird puppets from the 1965 television show, or for an earlier reference a puppet from Team America USA.
He may be the next James Dean, jury is still out.
Peter Fancinelli finally is in a movie that shows off his acting chops. He sucked in McG’s weak ass Miami Vice ripoff television show called “Fastlane” a few years ago. Cam Gigandet is not given much here. Check out “Never Back Down” to see how bad he can be.
Verdict: Good movie. Kristen Stewart is the one to watch.

Quantum of Solace

Daniel Craig’s sophomore turn as Bond is disappointing.
Roman Polanski is now popular since his excellent documentary "Wanted and Desired" aired on HBO. Given that, we now have a villain in Quantum of Solace that could be his twin brother.
Looking and sounding like Roman Polanski does not set the stage for someone who is going to be a threat to Bond. This is the weakest villain of all the James Bond movies. He doesn't appear to be a threat at any time.
After seeing this movie try and recap it with a friend. You will have a very hard time explaining what the movie is about. During my viewing many viewers were going to the bathroom and checking their watches. That is usually a HUGE RED FLAG. I was falling asleep halfway into it. I went to a 11am viewing.
Daniel Craig continues to be charmless and bypass on making love to many women which was part of the franchisee’s winning formula for many years.
It cost $200M to make this movie and it will make it back from worldwide box office take. Domestic take will falter due to word of mouth.
Verdict: Skip this and wait to see if Daniel Craig loosens up in his 3rd effort.

"W"

Oliver Stone seems to have lost his edge on how to make a good movie.
This movie has an excellent cast of actors: Elizabeth Banks, Stacey Keach, Scott Glenn, Richard Dreyfuss, & Thandie Newton. Mostly all of these actors never get to show their strengths in their respective roles except for Ricard Dreyfuss. Dryfuss plays Dick Cheney and does an interesting take on the vice president.
“W” also has great acting from Josh Brolin which should earn him an Oscar nomination however I don’t think Academy voters want to see a movie about George Bush.
The movie itself jumps around from Bush’s college days to post 9/11 and how Bush deals with the aftermath. The audience is left wanting to see more. I learned more about the man from Michael Moore’s Fahrenheit 911 than from this movie. I am sure there will be other bio pixs on this president.

Verdict: I went in with high expectations and was slightly disappointed.

Saw V

If you are a fan of the franchise you will love this movie. It does not disappoint. Every year you keep wondering how they will bring Jigsaw back and the writers figure out a way to make it happen. They probably have 5 more layers to reveal until the entire story is given.
Julie Benz from Dexter and Megan Good are two of the players that try to escape the maze of horror.
For those of you who have not seen the first 4 movies you will not have a hard time following the story. This is the best horror film I have seen this year.

Verdict: This franchise has not jumped the shark yet. I want to see it again.

Quarantine

The trailer was great, the movie was not.
Here is the classic trap where all the best scenes of a movie are in the trailer. So when you see the movie you have already seen the best parts.
The movie utilizes the shaky camera technique where a main actor is talking into a camera that started with Blair Witch Project and recently used cleverly in “Cloverfield” to maximum effect.
I missed the first 10 minutes of this movie due to traffic. I stayed for the next showing to see if I missed anything and I wish I did not. The first 10 minutes tries to give you insight into the characters however all you get is a review of Firemen and their station. This movie was a remake of a Spanish movie by the same title.
Jennifer Carpenter, who is good in the Showtime show Dexter, gives an amateur performance. She has the “It” factor but her acting is weak. Other actors such as Columbus Short, who was good in “Stomp the Yard”, and Greg Germann from Ally McBeal, are wasted in this movie.
I was hoping that this could have been the “SAW” franchise for the Halloween season, however Quarantine 2 will probably go direct to DVD.
Verdict: This movie should have been Quarantined from theaters.

GQ Magazine Megan Fox slideshow & video

http://men.style.com/gq/features/landing?id=content_7458

Miracle at St. Anna

Not Spike’s best, not his worst (Girl 6 was), and Spike should not hold his breath for an Oscar.
This is one of the best movies that has captured black soldiers in World War 2.
It should not be compared to Saving Private Ryan and other big budget movies that have been made regarding the war.
As always Spike uses Terence Blanchard to create a heart tugging soundtrack and Spike's cinematographer Matthew Libatique is on point.
What drags the movie down is the editing done by Barry Alexander Brown. Spike is always careful about developing his characters so that you care about them when something happens. However he takes way too much time on this and the movie does not pick up until the 3rd act.
There is plenty of violence and body parts galore so if you have a squeamish stomach skip this one. Derek Luke gives a solid performance and hopefully gets a breakthrough movie soon.

Verdict: Nice effort but not his best. “Do The Right Thing” is still his greatest movie.

Lakeview Terrace

Samuel Jackson is one of the best actors on the scene today period. He should have won the Oscar for Pulp Fiction when he was about to kill the drug addict in the diner at the end of the movie but let him go.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fd4VSkj0Wks&feature=related
Anyway he did not win and he will probably get an award when he is as old as Morgan Freeman.
Given the above this is what prompted me to see this movie. This crazy cop premise has been done before in Bad Lt., Unlawful Entry, etc.
Back to the movie: This would have been a Lifetime movie if Samuel Jackson was not in it. That’s how weak and predictable it is.
Verdict: Don’t waste 1 minute on this one.

The Family That Preys

I have never been a big fan of Alfrie Woodard but while watching this movie I realized that she is the most underrated actress in Hollywood. Most of Tyler Perry's serious movies are predictable and this one you can figure out from the very beginning. I do feel that this is his best serious movie to date with "Why Did We Get Married" a close second. Robin Givens is still on the scene and she has held up amazingly well since the 80's. I guess Mike Tyson had an eye for beauty back in the day. Givens is cast in a role she normally does not play and for once she shows that after all these years she can act.
Back to Woodard, she is not the most attractive woman in the movie but her scenes of endearment have feeling and makes you care about her and her best friend.
The ending is typical but there are many loose ends. Rockmond Dunbar, the fantastic actor from Soul Food and Prison Break, is wasted in this movie. I could imagine him reading the script and asking questions about his character. Maybe he just wanted to be in a Tyler Perry movie. There are many "A" List black actors and actresses who do. He is the Spike Lee of this generation.

Verdict: If you thought Oprah and Gail driving across America was cool, then this movie is for you. Everybody else needs to wait for "Madea Goes To Jail."

Pineapple Express

"Let's do a weed action movie"

This is what Judd Apatow supposedly said to Seth Rogen and the result is a very funny movie.

Seth Rogen is great, all he has to do is play himself in every movie and I am there. He is like a cartoon character. Yogi Bear comes to mind and in this movie James Franco is BooBoo.

This movie is like a Cheech and Chong movie on steroids. There are no slow parts and a lot of funny scenes. I would love to see these characters again in another movie.

Will Smith should have made another movie with Kevin James (great chemistry) however Will Smith makes bank on rubbish like Hancock.

Rosie Perez who has been missing from the scene for years shows up as a cop. For a cool Rosie action flix check out on DVD "Dance with the Devil" 1997.

Verdict: See again on DVD.

Grand Opening

Today is opening day of my site. To celebrate check out the BABY!