MOVIES I SEEN

Power... Respect... JUICE. How far will you go to get it? Juice is a great story about four Harlem friends who crave the respect on the streets they call juice. The friends are tired of running from gangs, the police, security guards and so fourth. They decide they are going to earn the right to walk the streets they feel they should. So the gang of four decide to grab a gun and stick up the local convenient store. And all havoc breaks loose....? I don't want to spoil it for you. Includes a great cast of Omar Epps, Tupac Shakur, Samuel L. Jackson, and Queen Latifah. Go out and rent this movie as soon as you can. Wait scratch that go buy it as soon as you c

This film is one of the best spoof films i have seen in a while. The Wanyes brothers bring their unique comedy style to a great comedy. i suppose you have to have seen all of the films which they are making fun of to fully appreciate the comedy but once you have seen Menace II Society, Boyz 'n' the Hood, Friday And Higher Learning you will want to watch this film over and over again

I haven't seen this movie in years
The memories I have are blurry but I can say without fear of equivocation, that this was a fairly scary and creepy movie; specially for those who have clownphobia.

The premise was pretty good and interesting for a fast paced slasher flick. So three escaped convicts "hide" in a big classy house where three kids are left alone.

The atmosphere of the house was truly creepy. Accompained to that, there were also decent death scenes provoked by the convicts.
Overall this is an entertaining slasher flick that worths a watch... specially if you have clownphobia.

I am giving this a 6 out of 10 because the movie had enough going on not to make me want to shut it off half way through. With that being said, I must say I am disappointed on how the characters get into the house so easily. Seriously, most of us as viewers are not idiots, and with what had happened in that house, I know it would there would have been some type of guard or security company working there. Second, they could have made the reason for the house being evil a little better then the Indiana Jones deal. But, for a DTV this is an okay movie that I think fills in the void for lack of gore movies. There are some good blood and guts scenes. So rent it and take the movie for what it is.

The title of this movie could also serve as it's 1-word review. It is well worth watching if you are serious about films. But it very strong stuff that poses some serious questions about a subject that I don't like to think about; torture in the pursuit saving lives.

Samuel L. Jackson plays a shadowy U.S. Government operative who will go to any lengths to get info from a terrorist & his plot to blow up millions of people on our home soil. Michael Sheen (who memorably played David Frost in "Frost/Nixon") is that terrorist. Carrie-Anne Moss is an FBI agent caught in the middle of their deadly cat & mouse.

The movie's biggest strength is that we believe that Jackson's "H" is capable of doing ANYTHING to save innocent lives including the "unthinkable". Jackson, in words & action, really sells the role. This is some the best work he has ever done. Sheen shows why he is one of the most sought after actors today. Moss is strong as the movie's moral center -- a center that shows some very serious signs of disintegrating.

The tension is non-stop. The script is often heavy-handed, but for good reason. The direction is crisp & the editing sharp.

How this went straight to video echoes the question why last year's best picture Oscar winner got such poor distribution.

BE WARNED: the numerous torture scenes are very tough to take. They almost cross over into torture-porn (which I hate). I'm sure --I hope-- the filmmakers had plenty of debate about how far to take the violence. My usual disgust with such scenes was balanced by the way they drive home the debate of a very troubling issue.

This sensitive film tells the bittersweet tale of the relationship between a young blind girl and a black man she meets in the park one day. The catch is, she doesn't realise he is black, and her slovenly mother is deeply racist.

By the mid-sixties, Sidney Poitier must have been wondering whether he would ever get a movie part in which the colour of his skin wasn't a major issue in the film (After 15 years in movies, THE BEDFORD INCIDENT, released in the same year as this flick, was to be his first in which his colour wasn't an issue). However, if he was getting tired of this it certainly doesn't show, as he gives a truly excellent performance as the object of blind girl Selina's affections. The manner in which their increasingly serious relationship develops is believably handled without ever veering towards overt melodrama or sentimentality, and serves to make the rather downbeat ending all the more poignant.

All the major parts in this movie are a joy to watch, from Elizabeth Hartman in her debut role as Selina, to veteran character actor Wallace Ford (for who this would be one of his final roles) as her drunken grandfather. Shelley Winters is also superb as Selina's mother, a role for which she received a well-deserved academy award.

Highly recommended.

For the most part this is a cleverly crafted film which makes the audience think back and forth cause it can go both ways. Well at least half the film makes you keep thinking of what is really going on, than it leads the audience to decide and throws another reason for the audience to doubt their decision. The plot is this, a stupid girl played by Christina Ricci who is a school teacher gets into a accident. Which leads her body to be in a process of being prepared for her funeral and the person that takes care of her body to look presentable during the funeral is played by Liam Neeson who does a great job with the roles he is given most of the time. While this is going on her boyfriend is trying to seek out her body in order for him to get closure, because he personally thinks she is still alive. Christina Ricci wasn't bad in this role, but I never liked her or found her attractive and found her acting all cocky most of the time to be a bit annoying. But she played her character pretty well in this one although very stupid at times. The main highlight of this film is the constant guessing game, where it leaves it up to the audience for the most part of the movie. Of whether the girl is really dead or if the whole thing is just a sick game. The ending is pretty good and terrifying as well. Sure there are aspect of the film that doesn't make any sense, but it didn't get to the point it got irritating to watch for the most part.

***Spoilers below*** The title to this movie is misleading in a way. And I found it odd how there are hardly and emos or goths in this flick considering the ending and all. This could have also been another "Saw" movie with less blood and gore, but with the title "Saw" it's a dead give away of what is really going on.

George Tillman Jr.'s "Notorious," a by-the-numbers biopic about the life of Brooklyn rapper Christopher "Notorious B.I.G." Wallace (1972-1997), is sure to only please the members of his core fan-base, myself amongst one of them. I was 11 in March 1997 when Biggie Smalls was shot and killed in Los Angeles, California, just seven months after his friend and fellow rap artist Tupac Shakur (1971-1996) was shot and killed in Las Vegas; Tupac died the day after my 11th birthday in 1996.

Many thought that their murders were part of the whole East Coast/West Coast rivalry between rap artists during the mid '90s. Both Big and Tupac became the unlikely martyrs of gangsta rap and the violence that characterizes it. What's most shameful about that is that over a decade after their deaths, it seems that the hip-hop community has yet to learn a very valuable lesson.

But I'm getting off-track. "Notorious" is a well-made and well-acted movie. Unfortunately, however, it's too by-the-numbers and follows the tried-and-true methods of most biopic storytelling: it glamorizes the life of the character, goes from one success to another, and doesn't really shed anything new on the person the movie is about. Of course it traces the beginnings of Biggie's life, from growing up as a bright Catholic school student in Brooklyn raised by his loving mother Voletta Wallace (a perfectly cast Angela Bassett), to his dropping out of school at age 17 to sell crack on the streets to help feed his baby daughter, and his eventual being signed to the then-newly formed Bad Boy Records by his best friend Sean "Puffy" Combs (Derek Luke). The rest, as they say, is history.

I also forgot to mention that Jamal Woolard, as Biggie, who is also an aspiring rapper himself, is probably the best thing about this movie. He really captures the essence, and character of Big, and not only does he look like him, but he also talks AND sounds like him. And his skills on the microphone are undeniable as well. He lends some authenticity to the film's rhyming sessions, rapping to the songs of the real-life Notorious B.I.G., and he pulls it off magnificently. It's a star-making performance that unfortunately gets overshadowed by too many of the film's flaws.

The script (co-authored by Biggie's biographer Cheo Hodari Coker) skips from one success to another; that's the biggest problem with most biopics. Another problem I had was that the portrait of the main character was pretty one-sided. While I personally consider his debut record "Ready to Die" to be one of the most important and significant rap albums ever recorded - it helped return the East Coast rap scene to prominence - I'm not totally certain that he was truly one of the greatest rap artists who ever lived, especially after only two finished recordings. And I really would have liked to have seen more of Big's friendship with Tupac Shakur (Anthony Mackie), which I felt was one of the most overlooked and tragic aspects of his life during the East Coast/West Coast rivalries. (People often forget that not only were they friends early on, but they were very close friends.)

And while I'm quite certain that the sex appeal of Lil' Kim (Naturi Naughton) is one of the reasons for her success as a rapper, I also feel that one of the reasons she's here, apparently, is to show A LOT of skin and seem like the biggest, baddest 'ho in hip-hop (that's debatable). Big's relationship with wife Faith Evans (Antonique Smith) was not all that well-developed either, as was Big's friendship with Puffy, or the members of Junior M.A.F.I.A., who he helped to promote along with Lil' Kim, whom he was carrying on an affair with while still married to Faith. I also would have liked to have seen some of the paranoia and fear that gripped Biggie in the final months of life as well, and a little bit more on the aftermath of his murder.

Like I said earlier, I'm a fan of the Notorious B.I.G. myself, and so I'm sure that I'm one of those people that would have liked "Notorious" a lot more. That's the biggest tragedy about his life and this film. His short life and violent death made him one of the most important, and tragic, figures in hip-hop. I also think it's a disgrace that not much has been done by law enforcement officials to try to solve his murder, or Tupac's for that matter, and the questions revolving around the involvement of corrupt police officers in both killings have yet to be followed up in any significant fashion by anyone.

I'm not going to be to a cliché: I don't think he was one of the greatest rappers, personally, but the impact of his music on the industry cannot be denied: he helped the East Coast's rise back to the top of the rap scene in the mid '90s. As for the movie about his life, on the hand, it could have been better - a lot better.

Julia Roberts' considerable on screen charisma anchors MY BEST FRIEND'S WEDDING, a romantic comedy with a twist that may or may not have you cheering for our girl to come out on top. Roberts plays a food critic named Julianne who learns that her ex-boyfriend Michael (Dermot Mulroney) is getting married and he asks her to come to the wedding and be his "Best Man." Upon her arrival for the wedding festivities and meeting the bride-to-be, Kim (Cameron Diaz), Julianne decides that she wants Michael back and pulls out every dirty trick she can think of to break them up. This mission gets complicated when the fiancée asks Julianne to be her maid of honor. There are a lot of comic situations that arise from this premise, but it is a little unsettling as well because, deep down, we know that what Julianne is doing is wrong, but part of us wants her to win, whether we want to admit or not, because Roberts still manages to evoke our sympathies as Julianne especially when we learn that it is Julianne who broke off the relationship with Michael and that his new fiancée gives him everything that Julianne couldn't't...like the ability to be affectionate in public, but seeing Michael so happy ignites the Mr. Hyde in Julianne. She even asks her gay best friend, George (Rupert Everett) to pretend to be her fiancée to make Michael jealous. The scene where George tells Kim's family how he and Julianne met is hysterical. Whether or not Julianne succeeds in her mission should not be revealed here for those who haven't seen the film,but know that the film works for the most part thanks to some smart writing, a winning performance by Roberts and a scene-stealing turn by Everett as George. It's not PRETTY WOMAN, but if you accept that going in , it's a pleasant ride.

What can I say that hasn't been said? This immensely popular, modern fairy tale romance is a fantastic 'feel good' must see. I can't resist watching it every single time it comes on TV. To tempt you if you haven't seen it...it's the story of a feisty, good hearted hooker named Vivian Ward, who is hired for a week by a wealthy businessman, Edward Lewis, to serve as his escort at a number of business related social functions. Needless to say, the relationship doesn't stay 'just business' for long.

Rather than the plot itself, the beautiful Julia Roberts makes this movie...and not simply because of her 88 inches of leg! Always endearing in her roles, she is at her absolute MOST endearing portraying Vivian in this picture. She brings a real vulnerability to the role, showing us that just like everyone else, prostitutes do indeed floss their teeth! Richard Gere pulls off quite convincingly the role of Edward, the ruthless, calculating millionaire businessman, who takes over companies only to sell them off piece by piece, quite unmindful of the interests of any people involved. To give Gere credit, I was quite impressed that he actually plays the piano in one of the movie's scenes.

Naturally, given Vivian's membership in the 'oldest profession', there is sex early on...though I, old fashioned and strict as I am, wouldn't hesitate to let my young teen see this movie. (There's worse in TV commercials today!) Oddly, the most truly intimate moment in this film is not during the more explicit sex but rather, simply a kiss.

Ohhhh, lots of romantic scenes, from a picnic in the park to jetting off in a private plane for a Big Night on the Town. And etiquette lessons...Vivian displays charming, amusing, curious innocence when she experiences with Edward her first opera (all the while looking knock out gorgeous in a stunning red gown), her first polo match, and her introduction to escargots. As the movie progresses, she is transformed Pygmalion style, from the street smart hooker provocatively dressed in tall black boots and mini skirt, to a sophisticated looking, elegantly gowned and coiffed young lady. But it's merely appearance...Vivian's heart of gold and her vulnerability both remain unchanged.

The status conscious snobbery of Beverly Hills dress shops and ritzy hotels, judging people by wealth and class, is well depicted here. When Vivian goes shopping for a 'more appropriate' wardrobe at some exclusive Rodeo Drive boutiques, she is not 'well received' by the sales ladies, who like all too many of us, are overly inclined to judge by appearance. You'll want these snobs to get their comeuppance. Actually, perhaps the most touching relationship in this entire film is the one between Vivian and Barney, the quite proper but kind desk manager at the high class hotel (where she is sharing a penthouse suite with Edward), who is able to see beyond appearance. He develops a genuine fondness and even more importantly, respect for her.

Other characters of interest...Kit is Vivian's appealing and sympathetic room-mate, also a hooker (Vivian's a loyal friend), and Stuckey is Edward's sleazy and despicable business colleague, portrayed by Seinfeld's Jason Alexander, a TV show which I must confess is not my favourite.

As events unfold during the film, it becomes clear that, while Edward might not understand too clearly the meaning of 'prostitution', Vivian clearly does. And, it's another shining film illustration of that pearl of wisdom from Eliza Doolittle (of My Fair Lady) who enlightened us, 'The difference between a flower girl and a lady is not how she behaves, but how she is treated.' Or, in Vivian's own words, 'People put you down enough, you start to believe it'.

Great Cinderella movie...don't miss it.

My dad called me from Cincinnati to tell me that I had to see this movie. He brought it home with him. and we watched it together and he was absolutely right. It was "off the chain" as he says. It was so different from the standard fare that only substitutes different faces into the same tired story lines. We love it and I am now buying my own copy. I recommend it to any one that I know is a discriminating movie lover. I can't wait for the sequel. By the way , I'm a 22 year old dad of eight so it's not just for 20 something males. Willem Dafoe was over the top but absolutely perfect for this movie. My wife hates movies and any TV that doesn't have a ball and a score, but she actually loved this movie too. It kept her on the edge of her seat and she actually laughed out loud several times.

It's possible that any sequel ten years in the making would be bound to fall flat. "The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day" might have been destined to do so from the beginning. The cult following if not worshipping of the original beckoned creator Troy Duffy to bring us the McManus brothers once again, even if the first film suggested future chapters were likely. In terms of story and script, "All Saints Day" neglects most of what made the first film engaging from start to finish. Instead, style dictates the direction of Duffy's sequel and the objective to please die-hard fans, not as much those such as myself who really enjoyed the original's infectious bravado and rhythm and were hoping the sequel would at least provide as much.

I really liked the 1999 film, applauding its signature feel, unique characters and religious undertones to counteract any possible label of yet another slow-mo vigilantes with guns story. I've quoted "there was a firefight!" a good couple of times in the ten years since, but my love of the film only went that far. Only a small portion of me would receive satisfaction just by seeing Connor, Murphy and Il Duce back together again; the second would have to win me over just as much as the first had to.

The set-up is that the boys (Sean Patrick Flanery and Norman Reedus) are hiding out from the law in Ireland with Poppa (Billy Connolly) when they get word that back in Boston, a priest has been murdered and made to look like it was they who did it. That's all the motivation they need to shave their beards, grab their guns and get some revenge. It's a suspect motivation. Their characters are so much weaker in "All Saints Day" as a result. They're less funny and less believable to boot. The first film showed us they were human and simply had the gall to be vigilantes. This time they come across as untouchable. They also quarrel exactly like they did in the previous film and make similar jokes. These don't come across as "comforts" so much as blatant attempts to reap more benefits from the original film's success.

The supporting cast lent so much to the original as well. Clifton Collins Jr. overdoes everything and his character is such a poor man's version of Rocco to begin with. Julie Benz is a horrible attempt at replacing Willem Defoe's FBI agent. Her fake Southern accent is brutal and doesn't rise above stereotype. Defoe provided such a rich and unique character for the film to focus on. Instead, "All Saints Day" tries to rip off its predecessor once again by having Benz's Eunice listen to music when she reconstructs crime scenes too. The homage is given so little attention as is the case with most homages in the film.

I hate harping on why a film wasn't like the first, but "Boondock Saints" painted such a special niche for itself and Duffy tries so incredibly hard to recreate some of that film's success that the criticism is warranted. It starts with the script, however, which wasn't made to be good on its own so much as cater to the cult fan base. Mixing in Il Duce's backstory along with what was already going on was too much, for example. Mainly, however, is that "All Saints Day" lacks a true antagonist. Benz is actually an ally to the twins' cause for much of the film, so no true force keeps them in check. This also renders the slow-motion action sequences devoid of that payoff feeling you got from the first film. Instead, "All Saints Day" is all show and even then the entertainment value doesn't measure up.

Of all movies made of video game franchises, Resident Evil is by it's own right a fairly entertaining series of films. The games have always been a standout amongst others, so why shouldn't the film adaptations.

Extinction is by far the best of the three. Mulcahy was the right choice of director for this one. His atmospheric eye and fearless sense of close-ups take you for a 1 1/2 hour ride (that doesn't feel like you wasted your 8 bucks).

The attention to detail and finally plot that that resolutes, not to mention the film's tight editing make this an entertaining ride.

You finally care about why this event has happened, and most importantly you have characters who seem to care as well.

Not a perfect film, but reasonably close. Will there be a fourth installment? I am pretty sure we all know the answer to that.

Who will take the responsibility from here? That we must wait to see...

Just about everything I could have hoped for from a Simpsons movie including the heart the show has been lacking for several seasons now. If you like the easy breathing pace of the early years of The Simpsons you'll find a lot to like in the movie. The gags are leisurely and natural and even when they fail (Comic Book Guy comes to mind), another drops in to pick up the laugh. What's most surprising, in addition to a much needed return to consistent characters, is that the movie manages to balance the plot and the gags with near perfection. Regardless what you may think going in, it does feel like a "real" movie from beginning to end and not just an extended show. Albert Brooks once again steals the show as the Director of the EPA, though Tom Hanks does the best celebrity cameo the show has seen in ages. "tousle my hair Mr. Hanks!"

To be gifted with the ability to make people laugh is an honor, and with films, script writers can't know for sure what will evoke an uproar from the audience. A lot of times things are a hit in miss with humor. I'm not saying this movie isn't funny, because i did laugh. However, i didn't laugh as hard as i thought i would. The lack of giggles this movie inspired in me is enough to provoke me to label this movie as a letdown. It's not that this movie is bad, or an awful way to spend an evening. It's that movies are an art-form and there is no art to be found. I think a movie is great if two days later you're still actively trying to find someone to talk about it with. i was ready for the movie to end twenty minutes before the credits rolled.

I know what you're thinking. It is a comedy.It is not meant to be insightful. All this is true, but it still didn't meet the specific requirement that ever movie has to. It has to be worth the 8.50 cover charge, and it isn't. I recommend taking that money to a local bar, and buying a pretty lady a drink.

I don't like giving bad reviews for movies. Every movie has it's own better and worse sides.This one I believe can be summed up in one word "Incredicrap". Due to my habit of finding the good, let's see... I liked Rob Corddry swearing monologue in front of the camera at the beginning of the movie. The names of the cast looks good (before the movie)... That's it. The bad: Everything. First of all I did not understand to which genre should this movie be allied to: Drama - No, Comedy - No, Action - definite no. Story: As bad as it can be. Boring and quite stupid. Acting: Rob and Zack are the only two relatively decent comedy actors in it. The rest, for lack of better word, suck. Action scenes: Neither funny, nor appealing or effective. In conclusion,Advice to all people, do not watch this one - It's just not worth it.

I can witness why all the bad hovering reviews are floating around this film and I can see why everyone is so confused about that. This movie was OK could've been better but a little bit more peachier, Santa dies, the boy realizes that his mom won't be capable to get a new husband, and lots of crying. Could've gone better but in my opinion, it was alright. A young girl wants to get a new husband and suddenly, she and her brother realizes that they won't get the husband so he starts crying and Santa helps him rely on his crying to get through disappointing situations. It tells how he might get a new husband for them or not. This is an uplifting Christmas Spirit and very original but it's not really my fav. Could've been better...

They went too fast and all the characters talk like they're reading off placards. The computer generated stuff was good though but i got less than what i expected. What a waste of time and money. I'd rather had stayed home and watched the original cartoon instead.

The original cartoon is ten times better to watch. Even if i consider this movie as a unit in it itself, its missing a lot of story where a new viewer wouldn't be able to connect the points. Although it has good computer generated animation and stuff but you still get less than you'd expect. There are bits where you expect it to be funny and it ain't, no fun.

Anybody who has watched the original cartoon will tell you how much of it they have skipped in the beginning of the movie. The story line is completely shot, you cant tell whats really going on.

Finally a great action flick with the perfect combination of action, humor, story, and romance. The cast was fantastic and so was the overall feel of the film. I also really enjoyed how every detail wasn't just bluntly explained....i have a brain, thanks for realizing. Everyone in the theater seemed to love it, lot's of laughs...seriously, i haven't laughed that much at the movies in a while. And it also kept my complete attention throughout the entire film...and with some serious ADD that says a lot. So.. if i can close with anything..it's to just go see this movie. Don't over expect anything because this is my opinion, but definitely see it. I personally think you won't be disappointed.

goes without saying that his material is relentlessly foulmouthed and occasionally offensive but it rarely bothered me because he does manage to be consistently funny throughout the show. His topics are mostly in the realm of relationships in regards sex and women generally. This worried me a little bit because these topics hardly offered much in the way of originality but actually he did really well with it.
It wasn't that he avoided clichés (because he doesn't) but more that he manages to inject energy into his whole show. At times his material is very strong but even when he is being obvious and crude, his energy lifts it, engages the audience and makes it feel better than it is. I wasn't rolling with laughter all the time but I did really enjoy the show so, even when I didn't laugh at some bits, it wasn't really a problem but he was generally still amusing. Director Townsend doesn't really help him by having the camera tight on him so much either; Murphy's energy is in his whole body so the close shots reduce this somewhat - plus the whole setup makes it hard to appreciate the audience being in the room.

Overall though a funny and energetic show from Murphy. It isn't a classic by any means and his material is hardly original but he has stage presence and energy and that helps a lot. Maybe too crude and foulmouthed to be to everyone's tastes but if it is your thing then it is worth a look.

Eddie Murphy truly ruled comedy in the 1980's. He started on stand-up at age of 15 and just take a look at this. Murphy is completely hilarious, packing laughs every minute of this stand-up routine. His humor is what makes him who he is. This is his first stand-up recorded along with Eddie Murphy Raw, they both equally hilarious comedy treasures. The DVD to Delirious has just come out, so go buy now if your a Murphy fan, you will truly love to look back at him in his good old days in comedy. No offense but today Eddie Murphy isn't as Raw and joke cracking. So remember his good days with Delirious and Raw, which are what made him who is truly was in the 80's.

Don't dare spend money on this crap. As a matter of fact, don't even watch it for free. It was a total disappointment. We had to turn it off after to trying to sit through several horrible comedians.

"Orphan" was a movie that truly did surprised me. I mean I came into this movie honestly not having any idea which direction it would take me, I mean sure it looked good, but then again the 30 second previews made it seem a bit mediocre. When the movie went off I was very pleased by what I had seen. The things I love most about Orphan is how they present and introduce these characters so well. The minute I saw the main couple I couldn't help but take a liking to them, and Esther who very easily steals the show, is incredibly likable. As a matter of fact the thing I do love a lot about the film is how they take their time in the story, I loved how for the first half or so you see Esther adapting to her new surroundings, and I became extremely indulged into this. I also think they balanced out the character of Esther well. I mean this performance, and character, could have easily been portrayed as this over-the-top, annoying, non-intimidating, and non-believable character, but not once do you ever feel that. Also it is very entertaining, and you're hooked from the moment you see this little girl Esther. It was also clever at times, to where you feel a sense of danger as far as the story goes because it's literally like anything can happen. Even if does begin to make you mad for whatever reason, you still can't help but keep watching and wondering. At times it may feel predictable, but they've already presented these characters so well, that you can't but feel that maybe you haven't predicted it. I will say I wished "Orphan" HAD paced itself a little better, I mean they don't immediately jump into the story, but when they do it feels rushed and as if they fear the audience won't care about the characters, when it's not true. Also towards the end the characters start to lose liking, so much so that I couldn't help but look at these characters(in particular the mom and dad) and say "Who are you, and why are you being such an unlikable stereotype!" As a result of the characters acting stupid and stereotypical at this point in the film it just became predictable to an extent where you knew what was going to happen. Last you know I don't know how I felt about the twist, it was done well enough to where it would fit the storyline, but I feel it defeats the shocking, brutal, and thrilling nature of the film. Anyways, overall "Orphan" is one of the better thrillers you'll probably see this year, and even if you're not too big on these kind of films, I still recommend "Orphan"

When i read some of comments that have been posted on this movie i felt as though something was missing. Someone needed to comment on this film who was actually a part of the culture that is being shown in this film. I am a black male who went to see this movie the weekend that it was released. As far as the hood is concerned, this is a classic movie. The cast was perfect, especially for the time of it's release. It was a movie set in the East Coast, but Tupac was a stand out star, and the entire soundtrack was done by Death Row. Shakur gave a great performance through out, along with Dwayne Martin. Leon was also featured in another film celebrated by the black community more than anywhere else, The Five Heartbeats. Not to mention Marlon Wayans doing what he always does. Wood Harris, who later goes on to "The Wire" fame, portrays a very aggressive character. The comedic legend Bernie Mac is featured in a good role also. I know that movies aren't black or white. They are just movies, but it is evident that there are a slew of movies that are celebrated a lot more in the black community than anywhere else. Menace II Society, Juice, New Jersey Drive, Above the Rim, Belly, Paid in Full, and this film are "Hood" classics. If you want to even begin to understand the logic behind some of the themes of this genre, then this is a very good movie to start with.

Bob Clark, the director behind the collegiate slasher flick "Black Christmas" and the naughty sex comedy "Porky's" surprisingly went on to hold the reins of the charming, innocent, nostalgic holiday romp "A Christmas Story" in 1983. The film is seen through the eyes of nine-year-old Ralphie, and is frequently told through the older more knowing voice of Jean Shepherd, who wrote the source material "In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash" in 1966. The film takes place sometime in the early 1940s (Shepherd has been quoted as saying specifically 1940), although the tone and texture of the film allow for more of the uncertain "period" look. The film follows the struggles of our child protagonist, specifically his longing for a very specific BB gun, which he references nearly thirty times during the course of the film, explaining why the come back "you'll shoot your eye out" is so associated with this movie. "A Christmas Story" is a wonderful, relaxing, little movie that never seems to age.

"O Come All Ye Faithful!" It's that time of the year. Time to make the pilgrimage back home to the folks. Everyone has family and being home for the holidays is near universal comfort--or dilemma. This is one of the reasons why a film like this was released during the week of the Thanksgiving holiday comes early before the rush of the Christmas movie madness,and righteously so. Director/Writer Preston A. Whitmore II,taps into this common thread with verve as frothy as spiked eggnog. Whitmore's previous films were a formulatic sports movie Crossover(a disaster with the casting and the movie debut of Britney Spears)and the poorly conceived war film The Walking Dead. This time around and for good measure he's eschewed genre films for a family comedy/drama/romance that not only recalls his own experiences,but experiences from any and every family member that we come to know and love in the most joyous time of the year.

The result is a tumultanous holiday fete with a very personal feel and beguiling flair that will carry audiences over some arrhythmatic pacing. For the first time in four years,the Whitfeld family flocks to its Los Angeles home that has more bedrooms than the White House. The family matriarch,Ma' Dere (Loretta Devine) still resides here,thanks to a family dry-cleaning business that's on its last leg. She has put her kids through college and continues to give her youngest son Baby (Chris Brown)a roof over his head. Lisa(Regina King)arrives with her two kids and two-timing,domineering husband Malcolm(Laz Alonzo),who pressures Lisa to convince the family to sell their dry cleaning business to used the family's money for a financial scheme. Malcolm's the moral enemy of Lisa's feisty-independent sister Kelli(Sharon Leal). Claude(Columbus Short)surprises everyone;he's on leave from the Marine Corps. Mel(Lauren London),a perpetual college student,brings her latest boyfriend Devan(Keith Robinson). And Ma'Dere's lover man,Joe(Delroy Lindo),is the gentleman of the house;although he's living there on the down low. Presents are wrappedd. Dinner plans are made. Barbs exchanged. Love is in the air. Jealously and envy too. In between the holiday greetings,family drama and tangled relationships emerge. This is when the film goes from family-friendly perspective into a black soap opera. Its changes too when the family goes from season's greetings to season's ghetto.

Characters get bitten by the love bug in which Kelli falls for the Gerald,the firemen(Mekhi Phifer). While the eldest brother Quentin (Idris Elba),makes a guest appearance,this gives the house one more alpha male too many. Tempers flare. Words are said. Feelings are hurt. Thugs show up,unexpected. The police arrive. Half of the family members are arrested and thrown in jail. Merry Christmas! This a movie that has its sexy moments,but there is no nudity or offensive language. There is only a wisp of blood. Tangy enough to please an adult,but it is safe enough for the kids. With this many characters,and accompanying conflicts happening just around every corner,the excessive subplots weigh the film down especially with the cast the live-wires such as Loretta Devine,Regina King,Sharon Leal and Delroy Lindo. The only saving grace here that prevented this film from going into a fiasco was the acting debut of R&B sensation Chris Brown--who steals the show with his breathtaking rendition of a R&B Otis Redding classic. With other music from Aaron Neville,James Brown and Kool and the Gang,its worth watching.

This morning I turned on the television to find something with just the right atmosphere for opening Christmas presents. But in the 500-channel universe, could I find the Queen, or the Pope, or anything? I could find practically anything but Christmas.

The most inappropriate programme on wasn't the infomercial for the miracle juicer, no, it was the annual Parade of Expensive Children's Merchandise direct from Disneyland, in case there were some kids left who hadn't coerced a Mickey, or Terk, or Pumbaa from their beleaguered parents. One of the French channels did have a service from Notre Dame in Paris which was the right sort of thing, with an actual church and choir, but it was entirely in French. But then I found "A Charlie Brown Christmas" on one of the stations.

Once upon a time, "Charlie Brown" was just a prelude for its television viewers, most of whom would be attending church closer to Christmas Day. Nowadays, it's probably more than just the prelude; it's likely to be the whole concert.

Thank goodness Charles Schulz and company did such a fine job of crafting this programme back in 1965. Thirty-five years later, Charlie Brown is still as earnest and sympathetic as ever. He was even decrying the commercialization of Christmas back then, decrying in the wilderness, it seems.

Vince Guaraldi normally gets a lot of credit for his music, but there is far more to the show than just that. It is extremely well-written with a lot of charming and funny lines. I particularly like Linus as "an innocent shepherd", but even Snoopy as a penguin is sure to get a big laugh.

But at the midway point in the programme, the tone changes from quality seasonal fun to something very sincere and deeply held. Linus delivers his heartfelt sermon from the pulpit (the school stage). The Peanuts gang renews its faith (in Charlie Brown, at the very least). The congregation assembled there together raises its collective voice in the recessional hymn "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" as we bid them farewell and take our leave. It is these parallels from the church service, I feel, that contribute to the strong emotion many of us experience whenever we view this small triumph of television programming.

Would I say that everything in the story conforms to a higher design conceived by Charles Schulz? I won't hazard a guess, but I do like to feel that he felt a little touch of divine inspiration with this one.

The holidays are the hot time for those who love family to gather, and make merry. For the other 90% of the population it's a hassle, a burden, and frankly a pain in the butt. Without a doubt we've all experienced the "worst Christmas ever" but probably not like the Griswolds. This is without a doubt one of my favorite holiday films because even though family gatherings can be a pain, it's always there to (hilariously) remind me to be grateful.

This is without a doubt one of my favorite Chevy Chase movies, and it puts newer "National Lampoon" titles to shame. If you're a "deadpan comedy" fan and haven't seen this movie you owe it to yourself to wait until it gets cold, start a fire, and pop in this movie.

My family and I went to see this film today and we all enjoyed as it seemed that most of the other people in the cinema did too. I think some of the comments here are a little harsh, yes the film is not believable but the fun side of Christmas is all about "make believe". The characters are funny, Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis are great in there roles, especially the bot-ox scene and the honey roasted ham scene. A one time or another we all would like to skip Christmas and we all have had the mad dash at the last minute to organise things. This film just takes all of those moments and pokes fun at them. It also manages to squeeze in a small moment of being aware that sometimes other people's problems are greater than yours. The film is full of different emotions and they all seem to work well, we all left with a Chrismas feeling as the last few scenes of the film are just plain old feel good moments that we all want out of to have. Just take it for what it is, a Christmas comedy and enjoy. I will be adding it to my DVD collection. 8 out of 10!

After an unsuccessful mission, FBI agents Kevin Copeland (Shawn Wayans) and Marcus Copeland (Marlon Wayans) fall in disgrace in the agency. They decide to swap their bad position with his superior Section Chief Elliott Gordon (Frankie Faison) working undercover in an abduction case, disguised in the two spoiled white daughters of a tycoon, Brittany and Tiffany Wilson, getting in hilarious situations.

I like the silly and funny movies that Keenen Ivory Wayans directs. His formula, mixing gross, low level and racist jokes are hilarious and highly recommended for days when you are down and trouble. My soccer time lost the game in the afternoon and I was very upset. While watching "White Chicks", I laughed a lot and I really liked this comedy, which will never be nominated to an Oscar or to Cannes. But it is delightful to shutdown the brain and feel amusement and joy with this type of silliness to improve the humor.

saw this epic last night at the Empire Leicester Sq in London, which is a superb venue in which to view this film. Huge screen, excellent sound and an extraordinary Dolby, 3 dimensional image. The whole effect is mind blowing.

This is a 'Must see' movie, innovative, and extraordinary. I think it will be regarded by most cinema goers as another milestone in the history of the art. The level of realism achieved is remarkable, and although the film is relatively long in real time, it retains it's excitement and holds the audience's attention to the end.

Performances are good, but this is not the sort of film that dwells on big star value for the actors, although Sigorney Weaver does shine and delivers a very convincing performance, as do the rest of the cast. But as there is so much entertainment and action value on screen the human element does not dominate in the usual way.

As Writer/Director, James Cameron deserves high praise for this creation and in my opinion it will break box office records. I thoroughly enjoyed this film.

They're both approaching 30 and have found success in their different but equally demanding careers. He's a hip-hop producer/exec, and she's a magazine editor for XXL. Their relationship is defined by their mutual love of hip-hop, and for each other. His name is Dre (Taye Diggs) and her name Sidney (Sanaa Lathan).

It was three years ago that I fell in love with H.E.R. (a girl named Katie) and offered her "Brown Sugar" as a Valentine's Day gift and for her birthday (which was two weeks later). For most who fell in love with H.E.R., hip-hop started back in the '70s with DJ Kool Herc driving around the Bronx flatlands blaring the sound of a new era on his speakers. For me, I fell in love with H.E.R., hip-hop, the first time I heard "Walk This Way" by Run-D.M.C. and Aerosmith, which was recorded in 1986.

Director Rick Famuyiwa has a passion for the music, and it seems to have culminated with "Brown Sugar," a film that some have called an urban version of "When Harry Met Sally" with a hip-hop beat. Sidney begins nearly every interview with the same question: How did you fall in love with hip-hop? For her, it was July 18, 1984, when she discovered a music genre with break dancing, DJing, emceeing, and graffiti tagging - the four elements of hip-hop.

It's the passion for the rhythm and the beat that brought Sidney and Dre together as children. Early in their time in college, they both considered giving it a go at romance, but Sidney decided it wouldn't be right. Her close friend Francine (Queen Latifah) warns she's turning into a Terry McMillian character. Now, as adults with careers and goals, their romance lives have taken radically different courses. Dre has become engaged to Reese (Nicole Ari Parker), who is beautiful and not some monster as movies like this would require. There is a sense of sincerity in a scene where she and Sidney confront one another about Dre.

Dre, meanwhile, who works for Millennium Records, has been assigned by his boss (Wendell Pierce), who wants MTV rotation, to produce a pair of jokesters named Ren and Ten and who call themselves the "Hip-Hop Dalmations" - "they represent that whole unity (that's 'u.n.i.t.y.') thing." Dre quits Millennium after this fiasco and decides to start his own label by first signing Chris Shawn (Mos Def), who he believes is a real artist. Dre and Sidney both realize they have to keep their feelings for one another on the down-low, especially since she is now involved with professional ballplayer Kelby Dawson (Boris Kodjoe).

"Brown Sugar" works as a pretty sweet romantic comedy that also doubles as a metaphor for the loss of dignity in hip-hop. Sid and Dre's being in love is paralleled against hip-hop's acceptance into the mainstream, and its loss of any meaningful qualities. They both feel the beat, and the passion since that day in July 1984 when they fell in love with the same thing, and its growth over the years. But despite the over-commercialization of my favorite music genre, one thing is certain:

I still love H.E.R.

Having enjoyed Vince Vaughn and Jon Favreau in Swingers, I thought that this had a pretty decent chance of being a funny movie.

No dice. This film tries to be a zany comedy and a touching drama at the same time, and fails at both. It starts out well, but somewhere about 20 minutes in, seems to lose its way and it never comes back.

I have seen worse movies, and there are a few funny moments. But by halfway in, I was hoping it would end soon because it was just boring.

The best thing I can say is that this movie will have you wanting to visit Bora Bora because of all the beautiful scenery. Other than that.. meh.

I am very glad to see Tyler Perry come from where his very rough and abusive past to become a successful actor and entrepreneur. I have seen most of his plays and now all of his movies to date. I feel like he needs to slow down for a bit with making movies. I know what his intention is, at least I know what he says it is:to inspire hope in people to lead people to God, to have faith. I appreciate that but I think at some point, Perry has lost his focus.

This movie had animation from one particular character that was just so over the top, it wasn't entertaining but annoying. Janet gave a strong performance but it wasn't enough to save the movie.

Cameos from two of the best actors in the world made for a few minutes of relief. I wanted to transport myself into their characters.

Black love is deeper than this and their is clearly a scene from Soul Food in this movie. I thought, "OH-MY-GOD! NO HE DIDN'T!" I think that everyone who hasn't seen this movie yet should pause for the cause and if you just must see it wait to see it for a $1 from the Box or get it in a few months from your local library.

Hope you see a good movie soon!!

Like other reviewers of this movie, I can't believe the low ratings that some people gave it. I rented this movie as a lark. Other than hearing his name, I was really familiar with Tyler Perry and had seen alot of his other productions. My Lady (of 14 years) is out-of-town, and because we have only sons, I get out-voted a lot and thus don't get to see many "chick flicks." I discovered that this film is neither a "chick flick" nor a "black flick." It is a comedy-drama HUMAN interest film about four married couples who vacation together once a year to reaffirm their marriages. The situations that these couples face are those that anyone who's been married any length of time might relate to. I loved it! It made me laugh and cry and think. What more can you ask of a film?! It was beautifully filmed and the acting was top-notch. Sure there were a few weak spots here and there, but all-in-all, well-crafted.

This is the funniest movie I have seen in the longest time. It has become my all time favourite. I do not usually like to look at movies more than once but this movie has me going again and again. I have seen this movie no less than twenty times. I love the dinner scenes, especially Grandma on her recollections of her long lost "relations". It was really a scream at the Scream. I thoroughly enjoyed Reggie. He was unbelievable. So too was his singing. I hope the sequel is just as amusing. I think Eddie is a truly talented Actor in his own rights and I wish him all the best. I would really like to meet him though I hope he is not snubbish as are some actors/resses.

I expected to see lots of variations of the humor that The Nutty Professor (the Murphy version) used in the classic scene of the Klumps at the dinner table. Instead, what little humor this sequel had split time with disgust as the movie went mostly for sexy granny jokes.
The sad thing is, more fart humor would have been an *improvement.* This movie was boring. It was uninteresting. It missed numerous opportunities to have some fun. And it spent too much time showing off make-up and not enough time being entertaining.

Perhaps most painful to watch was Eddie Murphy just being Eddie Murphy (as Buddy Love). I never understand why some actors/directors think that if a character screams real loud and makes a face, it's funny. It is especially not funny when it happens 2-3 times. In the first movie, Buddy Love was funny (if cruel), and his observations were right on target. In The Klumps, Love is like a grown version of that Home Alone kid, when he grabs his face and just yells at the camera. Uh, if you are done shouting now, can we move on?

Janet Jackson was fluff. And I don't know what she has done with her chest, but it seems unusually huge here.

I suppose it would be appropriate to say how well done the make up is as Murphy plays his half-dozen or so characters. Yes, he makes them seem like different people, at least superficially. But none of the characters are really there, you know? They each have little tag lines, and maybe a quirk, and those lines and that quirk are used to death. Take the granny. Yep, she likes sex. She is a sex machine. She wants every man. OK, uh, so? We've seen that 20 times. Can we get to something new?

Overall, I feel sad to see the level Murphy's wit has been reduced to. He used to be more biting, more insightful and more, well, funny. Now he is a human cartoon. I gave this movie a 4.

If your life is going by too fast, rent this film - you'll think time has come to a stop! Nearly every scene seems to last forever. I can't believe we watched the whole thing, so beware - you'll either fall asleep like I did, or go so numb that you can't pick up the remote to turn this mess off. Lewis is a terrible actor and an even worse director. What are the French thinking? Take my word for it - just about any other film would be a better choice.

The intensely intriguing storyline of 8MM follows the haunting search by a private investigator (played superbly by Nicolas Cage) for the makers of a grotesque and disturbing snuff film in which a young woman is murdered. Starting by looking through endless missing persons files (in an attempt to identify the victim), Cage ultimately follows leads to the world of underground seaze films and the people who are involved in making them. Throughout his creepy investigation, Cage becomes more and more disturbed by the Snuff film and stops at nothing in an attempt to track down answers to what really happened. This film is So intriguing and suspenseful, there are scenes that will leave your heart pounding in anticipation of what's to come. I don't know if I have ever seen such an intriguing and suspenseful Drama/Thriller ever before! This film is so realistic, there are times when you feel as if what is going on is real, and you begin to feel more for the characters than you usually do in a film. The last 20 minutes of the film are heart pounding and breathtaking! Director Joel Schumacher delivers one of the most mind haunting dramas you will ever see and gives us a story that won't be easy to forget. It's dark, moody, creepy, brilliant, and disturbing! And when all the pieces finally come together, you'll be glad you went along for the ride. Wow, It's a sick world we live in!! I give this movie 4 out of 4 stars!

Saw this film as the first part of a double feature with the far more anticipated Shutter Island following, so my attention was only half there. That's about all the attention I needed, though, as it's a typical buddy cop movie through and through. Not that I expected anything different, mind you.
The whole reason I and likely 90% of the audience were there was for Tracy Morgan. And it was a "classic" Tracy Morgan performance, by which I mean he's his usual off-kilter self, some of his scenes work well and some of them fall flat on their face in awkward silence.

A 50% success rate is more than I can say for Bruce Willis, though, who looked so disinterested I was half expecting him to break character at any moment and announce he had to leave the set because he had a plane to catch for another movie he was filming.

The supporting cast of the underrated Sean William Scott and Jason Lee were their usually amusing selves, while the Latino gang villains, led by Guillermo Díaz of The Shield and Weeds fame, are absurdly over the top and clichéd, almost to the point of offensiveness.

It's a movie you'll probably see on cable while nursing a hangover one morning, or something you watch on a plane because it's light and there aren't many better choices. Hard to recommend it past that.

This was the first "Ernest" movie, I think, that I watched and I was surprised that it wasn't as stupid as I thought it was or the title convinced me it would be. It really wasn't "stupid" until the last 20 minutes, but a lot of movies get really dumb in the last half hour.

For most of the movie, it was nice, lighthearted fun that - cliché aside - is fun for the "whole family." There is nary a bad one word in this movie and it's old-fashioned slapstick fun and about as innocent as it gets.

Having said that, I realize a lot of people would still consider the movie as a dumb one but I always liked Jim Varney and laughed at the most of the stuff he did, beginning with those famous TV commercials of his.

In the last 30 years, how many comedies do you see without a tons of sex and profanity? Almost none......so give "Ernest" some slack.

Millions reinforces the fact that Danny Boyle cannot be pigeonholed as a director. One does not expect to see the director of acclaimed drug abuse and zombie movies come out with such wholesome entertainment. Though this is accessible for the family, do not let that mislead you into thinking the movie does not have weight. The sincerity of this film saves it from becoming too lovey, and Boyle's personal connection with Manchester certainly adds to the depth of the environment. The story is told from the children's' point of view, bright with color, and those children give extraordinary performances. The use of stop-motion and accelerated exposures is characteristic of a style Boyle enjoys, and it accents the scenes where it is employed well. I highly recommend this film, and only wish it had been released for the past holiday season.

I don't usually feel the need to leave comments, but this movie was just to well done not to. I went in expecting more football, more hits & highlights & as a huge football fan that was one of the main draws of the movie. The football actually takes a back seat to a wonderful story that is well executed by everyone involved. I've always thought Sandra Bulluck has been over-rated, but she nails this role & deserves some recognition down the road. The movie is so fantastic that anyone and everyone can relate and feel connected to the characters. The ideal target audience for this movie is children and adults alike. This movie should be an Oscar contender but I know these types of movies rarely ever win. Definitely deserves my vote!

Beverly Hills Cop was a big hit in the 1980's. The film was loved by many action fans, as well as comedy fans and movie buffs at the time. It is still being admired by many people as one of the funniest cop movies ever made.

The thing I love about this movie is that Eddie Murphy was perfectly cast as the Axel Foley character. Originally, Sylvester Stallone was considered for the role. Thank God he wasn't! Eddie Murphy was perfect for the role, because he can be a clever cop, and can at the same time be very funny! Another great thing about Beverly Hills Cop is its smashing soundtrack. There are some great hit songs from the 1980's featured in the soundtrack, as well as an excellent musical score which can be heard throughout the movie (to me, the musical score is the Beverly Hills Cop "theme song").

Perhaps the only downside of Beverly Hills Cop is that it can be pretty slow in certain scenes. Hardcore action fans would probably be disappointed by this. But let's face it: Beverly Hills Cop is not an all-out mindless action movie. It is actually a clever comedy with elements of action present within.

To conclude, Beverly Hills Cop is arguably Eddie Murphy's best film since he fits the Axel Foley character perfectly. There are many funny scenes featuring Eddie Murphy that will have people laughing (even the action scenes can be cleverly funny)!

P.S: Look out for cameos by Paul Reiser, Bronson Pinchot, and Damon Wayans!

Beverly Hills Cop III is the worst in what was a promosing action comedy franchise. Murphy was in a carrer slump and I guess he made this film to help out his carrer but it didn't help just sunk it deeper. The film is full of mistakes such as the loss of Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckhiemer a weak script and a lack of action. John Landos who worked with Murphy before and made good films fails here. The film needed a good action director like Renny Harlin or Dwight H. Little or even Karthyn Bigelow. Skip this one even if you're a die hard Murphy fan.

Even if the Hollywood directors would love to have their movies uncut and unedited like the uncut version of American Psycho and Hostel one and two. Even if the Motion Picture Association of America could not approve uncut versions of movies because they want to be more edited Restricted versions and not Unrated or No Children Under Seventeen versions even though that sounds unfair to the director. The uncut versions of Hollywood movies should always be on DVD and Blu-Ray. Banned From Television should be great on DVD and Blu-Ray even these shocking scenes would look like uncut movie scenes theatres find too shocking to be shown.

Saw II follows on the heels of Saw, as another taught, tense thriller. The mark of a great thriller/shocker/horror movie is the number of twists and turns, and this is what identifies Saw II as one of the better members of its genre.

This is NOT a movie where people walk backwards into dark rooms. This is NOT a movie where people pull sheets off bodies. That's all too predictable for Saw II. In fact, there's virtually nowhere in this film, where you can say that you've got it figured out.

Few movies keep me on the edge of my seat. This was one of them. There was no one dozing off during this flick. And the number of folks who walked out to take/make cell phone calls was the lowest I've ever seen.

Like Saw, this sequel is more than a little bloody in some places, but that's to be understood. It was never promoted as a walk in the park. If you're in the mood for a thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat, this is worth a try.

And this movie left more than a few folks in the audience waiting for another sequel.

Who would've thought that a slasher horror film franchise, after three sequels, could STILL be one of the best things Hollywood has to boast today? Not I, that's for sure. The intricate, original, crowd pleasing, absolutely shocking, riveting, suspenseful "Saw" wowed audiences in 2004 and a very solid sequel did the same in 2005.

I still remember seeing Saw and Saw II for the first time and realizing how amazing they were. Yet, I was unhappy with Saw III along with many others for reasons being: it focused more on violence than plot, there was no twist, and the ending was very unsatisfying.

I know for a fact I wasn't the only person who thought the "Saw" franchise was officially over, judging by the very disappointing third film...yet, I still possessed a strange love for these films and couldn't wait to see the fourth when it hit theaters. I wasn't expecting a masterpiece at all...but I got one.

"Saw IV" is not the average horror flick. If you're a Saw fan that likes the series for its blood and guts, you're going to despise it. If you're not willing to completely concentrate on the film's every little detail, you're going to despise it. If you feel like just kicking back, watching a nice gory horror film, and not spending a night analyzing the film, racking your brain until you drive yourself insane, you're going to despise this film. Quite honestly, that's why so many people hate this film: because they were expecting something completely different. Make no mistake--the Saw franchise as we know it is now going in a completely different direction.

Here's where the line's drawn between Saw IV and it's predecessors. With the deaths of two main characters in Saw III, you can't possibly think of how Saw IV could really be close to a decent film. Instead of a basic storyline of traps, unlucky individuals who don't appreciate their lives, and suspenseful jump scenes, Saw IV delivers a completely different premise: it's darker, edgier, scarier, more complex, more intricately designed, and more controversial than its predecessors. In some ways, the most horrifying thing about the film is instead of watching people being tested on screen--YOU, as a viewer, are tested--challenged to see what Jigsaw sees, feel what Jigsaw feels...judge how Jigsaw judges. The traps aren't there to entertain, or to make you recoil in disgust...they're there to make you THINK.

Even if you don't want to, or don't feel like it, Saw IV will whisk you away into a land of nightmare where you're forced to make the choices to what happens to the individuals on screen--you're the one in control. By the end of the movie, you'll be so shaken up you won't be able to move. For me, this one "Saw IV" HUGE points because it's actually scary, unlike II and III! It's not a body-count movie--it's a riveting, mind-boggling psychological thriller in the sense of the first film. The film feels like it balances a huge amount of plot and story and a huge amount of gore and ends up taking the cake. The film is exceptionally, brutally violent (even more so than Saw III) and some scenes are very, very disturbing--not because they are violent, but because stuff so horrifying is happening you just want to vomit your brains out. Saw IV is NOT for the faint of heart and there is some very disturbing sexual violence in one scene and another massively disturbing scene where five people in my theater got up and left...and this scene has haunted me since I came out of my theater.

Though horror veterans James Wan and Leigh Whannell, the original creators of Saw, did not write Saw IV--it almost seems better. Darren Lynn Bousman's exquisite directing incorporates a dire sense of urgency throughout the whole film, making it feel like you're watching a "24" episode.

I will warn you now the ending will confuse the hell out of you, which apparently is another reason for people to completely, wrongly condemn this film. Me and my friends spent a good two hours discussing the film afterwards and it made much more sense to us. Be prepared to watch this film with an open mind and be ready for some serious post-viewing discussion afterwards. The ending is very much like that of "The Prestige," and you may have a desire to watch "Saw IV" again the minute it ends.

If you're a Saw fan that was disappointed with the lack of psychological horror in Saw II and Saw III---fear not. Saw IV has what you're looking for and will take you to hell and back...but hold onto your dinner. I have no idea how this film made it past the MPAA without an NC-17 rating. Along with your dinner, try to hold onto your sanity while watching the film...good luck with that.

Enjoy which, is in my opinion, one of the best treats of the 2007 movie season.

Saw III did for Saw II what Matrix Revolutions was supposed to do for Matrix Reloaded. It made the sequel to the first installment a better movie.

The plot of Saw III revolves around what happens in all three movies, so be aware that watching the first to parts is highly recommended before watching this movie. But if You have already watched parts 1 and 2 then Saw III will be like Christmas to a child - full of wonders and surprises.

I had counted myself to those people who thought the second part to be lame. How could such a weak girl like Amanda become a successor to someone like jigsaw, who by all means seemed to have shuffled off all his mortal coils? It didn't make sense to me. But Alas, now it does.

Of course You will be left thinking how they will ever make a fourth one, but hey, maybe they won't.

Movies like Saw are the ones that makes us believe in the horror genre. It is because of such movies we like to see horror/thriller movies. Let me tell you that after watching Saw I wanted to buy the ticket and watch it again because after a long time I got to see a real gripping and tightly directed horror movie. The movie is very exciting and has a lot of goosebumps. However, if you are a faint of heart please do not see this movie as it has a lot of gore/violence in it which will make you jump out of your seat. I just can't wait for the DVD to come out as I really want to buy it. My recommendation to all of you is to watch Saw and have a good time like I did. Also, the movie has a great twist.

I watched Saw V with a good opening night crowd here in Ohio. I've enjoyed all of the Saw films, predictably liking some episodes a lot more than others, and Saw V is, again, very watchable, with some intense moments and no shortage of grisliness. But I'd still say it's the weakest entry in the series to date. The trouble is that the main narrative addition for this episode, which has to sustain half the running time, turns out to be a dramatically weak one. I don't think a Saw film ever previously failed to create excitement or new meaning via one of its big twisty revelations, but Saw V's add next to nothing. The knowledge gained doesn't force any re-evaluation of the past events it concerns; you just see and know a bit more about them, and to no great effect, except for the fact that Tobin Bell's performance is always compelling, maybe even more so when he's talking to people who aren't stuck in Jigsaw's deathtraps.

The Saw films have demonstrated an unfeasibly high success rate over time in terms of pulling off twist after twist and having them nearly all hit home. With this track record, it seems inevitable that there'd be a significant stumble at some point. They've never been bulletproof films (and thrillers are the genre that are hardest to bulletproof), but I'd say Saw V is definitely the stumble. In spite of this, it still keeps in enough with the series in general for me to be ready for Saw VI in 2009 - which I hope will be better work.

I honestly can say the Saw VI has restored my faith back into the series.
I thought V was ok, and the twist was...well, non existent. As far as VI goes, there are SEVERAL twists and turns, and its exciting to see the spirit of the first trilogy back in the last film of the second trilogy.

The acting was pretty good except for a few parts, (although I still maintain that Betsy Russell can't act...sorry) and the main character was more fleshed out than most of the other players from past films...Which brings me to a new point..

I think this was the most mature saw film since the first one...This one, with the exception of opening with a gruesome trap, spent more time with the characters, and allowed them time to develop better than in the previous installments. I really hope they decide to have Kevin Gretuert (sP) do Saw VII, instead of Hackl (no offense). I don't know if it was Hackl's fault or the screenwriter's for Saw V being such a weak entry, but all I know is Gretuert knows what he's doing, and is a much more decisive and talented director. I hope he does more than Saw films in the future! The only thing that disappointed me was no mentioning of the events (with the exception of Hoffman as the new Jigsaw, and Strahm's death) from Saw V...For instance, what was the point of the people in the traps in V? I know that was more than likely intentional to keep the suspense going for future sequels, but DAMNIT, I want to know what happened to Julie Benz's character, and why that game was so important.

To put this in context, I am 22 years old and I have to say that this is the best film I have seen without doubt and I don't expect it will be beaten as far as I am concerned. Obviously times move on, and I acknowledge that due to its violence and one particularly uncomfortable scene this film is not for everyone, but I still remember watching it for the first time, and it blew me away. Anyone who watches it now has to remember that it actually changed the history of cinema. In context- it followed a decade or more of action films that always ended with a chase sequence where the hero saved the day - you could have written those films yourself. Pulp had you gripped and credited the audience with intelligence. There is not a line of wasted dialogue and the movie incorporates a number of complexities that are not immediately obvious. It also resurrected the career of Grease icon John Travolta and highlighted the acting talent of Samuel L Jackson. There are many films now that are edited out of sequence and have multiple plots etc but this is the one they all want to be, or all want to beat, but never will.

Morgan Freeman made himself into a star with this film, and also made the movie a hit with his great performance. He IS the movie playing fascinating real- life high school principal Joe Clark. He's just fun to watch all the way through.

All the characters in this movie all have the same trait: tough on the outside, soft on the inside. Here is a bit of a warning for people who want to show this to their kids and don't know the material: there are at least a half-dozen abuses of God's name in vain and some unneeded sexual remarks. Also, they dealt with teen pregnancy a little too liberally but didn't dwell on it. ("There are alternatives," Clark says to a young girl after she confesses she's become pregnant.)

Other than that, solid acting and an interesting based-on-a-true life story made this a deserved hit film. A year later, Freeman solidified his status as a "star" with "Driving Miss Daisy."

Many reviewers here have stated that this movie isn't realistic because 'Salt doesn't get bruised enough' or 'no one her size could...' Have these people ever been to an action movie before? NO ACTION MOVIE IS REALISTIC. They are all written to be over-the-top because that's what makes them entertaining. We suspend disbelief to enter the world of the action-hero (or heroine) and we go along for the thrilling ride that is sometimes so over-the-top it's ridiculous! But that's what makes it fun. If action movies were realistic, they would be slow and boring. This movie does not cross the line anymore than any other action movie.

Salt delivers exactly what is promised -- a solid 100 minutes of action. It keeps you watching, it keeps you guessing (even when it turns out you were right in some cases), and it entertains from start to finish. If you like the action movie genre, chances are you will enjoy this movie.

As for the reviewers who criticized the way Russians are portrayed, the action genre plays to comic book-like caricatures. The villains are no more realistic than the heroine! This isn't a documentary!

If you like action movies, give Salt a go. Angelina won't disappoint.

If you are looking for a light, funny and action packed movie, it doesn't get much better than this. The A-Team is very, very easy too take in, but never boring, has action-scenes that will blow you out of your seat and is stuffed with plenty of damn funny moments.

Also very nice for a change: this action/comedy film doesn't take itself too seriously. Which is quite refreshing if you take a look at all the 'comedy with a message' crap Hollywood produces these days.

The new B.A. (Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson), Murdock (Sharlto Copley), Hannibal (Liam Neeson) and Face (Bradley Cooper) are all great at their roles. Props for Patrick Wilson as the slick C.I.A. agent Lynch and Jessica Biel is lovely as always. Joe Carnahan, who wrote and directed this movie, simply did a great job and gives the audience exactly what it needs.

I'd say it was definitely worth my money.

There is one thing in film that I can't stand especially in the last new millennium is the spoof genre. The ridiculous, over the top, disgusting humor that forces jokes into a tired story by making fun of various types of movies that don't deserve being made fun of. Scary Movie brought stupidity to a whole new level. The quality of films in the spoof genre shrank to the worse level of stupidity after the nineties leaving behind the Naked Gun films, Airplane and classics like that. All this being said imagine my shock when Dance Flick actually turned in a reasonably less stupid, and actually funny (even if it was guilty pleasure laughing) with a decent story no matter how silly it might be. The films they poke fun at actually work into their story and they use the teen dance flick "Save The Last Dance" as the basis of their story and that works too. The cast really meld well together and the toilet humor is in full swing which is almost a given with this type of movie, in some ways it always has been. But repeatedly I found myself laughing and shaking my head at the pure silliness but yet still entertaining me so bravo to them.

Relative newcomer Shoshana Bush leads the cast as dancing hopeful and awkward clutz Megan. In true comedienne style Bush uses physical comedy and terrific facial expressions to really bring home the laughs. She likely has a promising career in comedy if she gets out of this spoof genre because as okay as this movie is...it's not likely to get her anywhere. Damon Wayans Jr. continues the Wayan's shaky ground career in spoof movies, lord knows the Scary Movie films were enough to make me never watch a spoof movie again. However Wayans Jr. does a decent job of not overdoing the slapstick comedy, a mistake his father made on numerous occasions. Wayans Jr. And Bush are kind of cute together but then don't have a lot of chemistry. Essence Atkins plays Wayans Jr's sister Charity and she is hilarious. Her over the top performance really stands out in this cast and she is ridiculously funny. Veteran young actor Affion Crockett is also good, very funny, and not overused as the best friend A-Con.

If I sound like I'm talking this movie up like it's a must see treat of the year then let me back pedal. I still hate spoof movies and if I could go back in time I probably would have saved the Microsoft points (I rented it on Xbox 360) and not paid money or currency for this. That being said if you stumble onto it via cable or someone else rents it and forces you to watch it then you won't be at a complete loss of an hour and a half or less. Fortunately like many spoof films it has a mercifully short run time. The ridiculousness will make you smile despite yourself and the cast is decent enough to make it work. So if you can lower your intelligence or if you actually enjoy parody/spoof movies then this one is at least redeemable and that is saying something. 6/10.

I just watched Rocky Balboa.
This film is a truly beautiful character piece that deserves tremendous praise. For those of you who have written off Sylvester Stallone as an actor - you are in for a re-awakening of his talent. The writing is phenomenal as is the truly inspirational feeling you will get watching this - much like the first Rocky movie. Stallone wore three hats during the filming as screenwriter, director and star. Burt Young makes a terrific return as Paulie. Another highlight is Geraldine Hughes as Marie. Personally, I couldn't have hoped for a better conclusion to this legacy Sylvester Stallone has left for American culture known as "Rocky Balboa."

First off this is one of those movie where you either hate it or love it. I loved the movie. I found it to be one of the better urban movies to come out in the 90's not better then boyz n da hood or menace II society. But It was the best one that centered around life in New York's crime underworld. I also think it's DMX's best movie so far. The movie is stylishly filmed by Director Hype WIlliams and the characters are extremely realistic. The dialog is also realistic. The movie might fall short when it comes to how the plot is set up and the overall development of the characters. That is not to say that the movie doesn't have an overall significant meaning because it does. It addresses some of the problems that face inner city youth today. Most people that don't like this movie fail to realize this fact. The minister character in the movie is not important but rather what he is saying is. With that said I feel that the movie takes bold steps to show how certain ways of life are wrong and why they should be changed. The movie is also not your typical crime/drug movie however it does have some of those moments that could have been rethought to be a bit more interesting. With all that said I recommend the movie to be at least watched once because if nothing else the movie does have a great soundtrack and decent plot.

The title of this movie should have been a give away of what was to come. Belly 2: Millionaire Boyz Club. There was a made for TV movie called Billionares Boys Club in the 80's. Changing billion to million and boys to boyz doesn't cut it. Belly by Hype Williams is a crime classic hands down.

Belly 2 is nowhere close to the original. The Game is a talented music artist, not an actor. On screen he doesn't seem comfortable. Check out his role in Street Kings for further proof. DMX and NAS in the original Belly have a presence. Us movie fans can't see what is happening behind the scenes, but it looks like every director pushes The Game to act over the top as a criminal. They might as well have him wear a hat and shirt that screams I AM A GANGSTER! It doesn't fly with movie fans. DMX and NAS had a subtle edge to them in Belly.

If this movie was not called Belly 2 movie fans may have not expected as much. It was not close to the original.

This movie was marketed extremely well. When it was released in '97, during the middle of Master P's fame and success anything and everything with his name on it was selling off the shelves. That's why it's no wonder this underground urban drama sold over 250,000 copies and still goin'.

If you are a fan of No Limit back then or even now check it out. It has a few old school phatty videos and don't get me started with the freaky deaky strippers at the bonus Ice Cream Party. So what I got to say to all the people who don't like Master P or No Limit Records don't watch it because it isn't for you and don't bother voting on it because you're only going to deter TRU no limit fans from renting or purchasing this video with your low votes. It gives me great joy to have acquired this movie. This is one of the best movies I own, and I hope the guy I borrowed it from does not come over and remember I still have his tape! But don't get me wrong, this could be the worst acting I've seen to date and the plot was...well...HORRID, but that is the beauty of it. To enjoy this movie it must be viewed solely for it's unintentional humor. It's so bad you will literally be entertained looking for those shining moments, my personal favorites are any scenes with Silk the shocker's attempts at acting. I recommend watching this with a friend, so the laughter came be shared and ya'll can team up to crack on noteworthy scenes. I haven't seen all of Master P's movies, but I highly recommend his "Last Don" movie if you enjoy "I'm Bout it" like I do. Sure the audio and the special effects are not there, but this movie is as raw as it gets. The characters are a bit extreme and the acting is not good, but this is a movie for gangstas from the streets.

After watching a movie like this, I just want to go out and pull a caper or hit the 'crilla'. The themes are very intense and if you're going to watch this movie, be ready to see what life in the streets are like. Life in New Orleans ain't no joke and this movie will show that. I definitely enjoyed watching the music videos that accompanied the movie. The soundtrack that was associated with the movie was very fitting too. Watch it at your own risk.

I do not think that this movie deserves the low rating that most will give it. It's one of the best "teenager" horror films I've ever seen; and that's saying a lot. Nothing is left without an explanation to back it up, the characters and plot break countless horror movie stereotypes, and it has got nothing to do with some other horrible pieces we've been submitted to lately. (A clear example is the mindless "Saint Ange".) The first 30-40 minutes might be downright boring with the exception of the beginning, although some minor light mistakes can be easily spotted. After the arrival to the village, though, the horror -a different, twisted kind of horror- begins.

With the plot and the details, goofs are minor; the characters are this movie's strongest point, given that so many clichés are broken in it. For example, the two main male characters, Nick and Wade, are not by any means the idiotic types we're used to; although Dalton might fit better in this stereotype, not is he the only one to pay for this lack of consciousness. Some scenes are truly, satisfyingly horrible, making up for tense moments scattered around all the film. And, in the end, and although everything is decorously explained, it's easy to see that things won't go so easy to the surviving characters.

The only errors I can see, and which do not imply continuity (IE, Carly not finding her own cut finger in the unconscious Bo's pockets) is the illumination, which is somehow annoying during the first, boring 30 minutes. Although, plot and effects-wise, everything is drastically and cruelly twisted with the arrival of the main characters to Ambrosia, that little village in the midst of nothing, so I'll give it that. It's been pretty much argued that about 70% of the movie is illogical; "How can two people build an entire house of wax?", "Where do they get all the wax from?". These wouldn't be uprising questions if people would have paid more attention to the movie. The Sinclair brothers did not build the House of Wax; their mother worked making actual wax figures, and they were exhibited at the museum. And the scenario where Paris Hilton's unfortunate character meets her untimely death is the answer to the second question; what is with all the personal objects (mobile phones, cars, clothes) of the dead people? Using their third brother as a connection with the exterior, it's pretty much arguable that the Sinclair twins should obtain the money necessary to buy the wax, in a WWII-type fashion.

So, that aside, I think the movie deserves a lot more than it gets, and nobody should lose the chance to watch it. So go see the House of Wax. Right now.

This was a surprisingly good comedy, despite the predictability of it and the typically-sappy Hollywood ending. Nevertheless, this film has a bunch of laugh- out-loud scenes and jokes and Martin Lawrence is a likable guy. He has the ability to make us laugh just by making goofy faces. His best were when he was trapped in the bathroom behind the shower curtain when the real "Big Momma" (Ella Mitchell) was taking a dump a few feet away! The looks of Lawrence's face during that period were hilarious!

Lawrence eventually dresses as a big fat woman and provides laughs doing so. Ever since the early days of television and Milton Berle, people have laughed at men dressing up imitating women. Pretending to be a 300-pound woman makes it even funnier.

Throw in a pretty female lead (Nia Long) and a little drama to go along with and it winds up being a decent movie.

If you want to have a party in your mind, where just drift far far away. Than look no further, because writer/director Reginald Hudlin has made not only one of the best Afro-Americans based film. But also one of the most copied haircuts in recent history.

Play(Christopher Martin) is having this banging HOUSE PARTY with buddy Bilal(Martin Lawrence) DJing. But their best friend Kid(Christopher Reid) can't go because he's Pops(Robin Harris in a terrific performance) grounded him. So he sneaks out to join the party, but face neighborhood bullies(Full Force) and the fact that two girls(Tisha Campbell & A.J. Johnson) like him and wants him to choose between them.

The dance scenes are amazing and the songs are still hype. The acting is great, especially by the late Robin Harris, who will have you laughing at every scene he's in. And George Clinton's cameo is absolutely funny as hell. So enjoy the movie that gave birth to SOUL PLANE, and of course CLASS ACT in some ways.

Hailed by movie critic, Roger Ebert, as one of the best gangster classics of all time alongside "The Godfather", and "Scarface", "New Jack City" is an instant and extraordinary classic. Though many movie critics in the past and now have failed to see the true art of this film, other movie critics have understood the film's powerful message about the crack epidemic that became rampant during the late 80's. In addition, this film not only struck a cord in Hollywood with it's shocking message, but helped to establish the careers of actors Ice-T and Wesley Snipes and definitely put successful black films on the map, which helped to usher in the new black film movement paving the way for other "hood" classics that would dominate the screen during the early 90's. Moreover, director, Mario Van Peebles, though never given any credit for his work, is an excellent filmmaker doing what he does best by displaying his excellent camera work while, at the same time, teaching the African-American youth the dangers of drugs and how it leads to a person's downfall. The message of this film was plain and simple: Crack can lead a person nowhere in life and can damage the lives of others. If we do not continue to fight the war on drugs, then drugs will continue to destroy our country. This message along with the film, itself, should deserve mention in any film that has a positive message, and "New Jack City" will always be an extraordinary gangster classic that will continue to teach people about the choices that we make and how it will determine whether or not we will reach our downfalls.

"Training Day" was a very good movie. I like movies that shove it in your face and make you deal with it...movies like, "Black Hawk Down"...no clichés, no touching moments, just brutal, bitter realism. "Training Day" was such a movie. However, the one thing that made this film really shine was the performance by Mr. Washington. To me, a good actor is someone who just IS a character...if it isn't obvious that they are acting than they are doing a good job. That was the case with Washingon. He just was Alonzo. Every pantomime, every word, every glance was performed masterfully. Did Mr. Washington deserve his Oscar? Absolutely. 200%. Some people say, "not Oscar material" and I must wonder, what film...what performance were they watching?

This is one of my favorite films, even though it has some problems.

The film caused controversy with some of the gay crowd (who didn't like the negative press) and for the graphic sex (with bedroom violence). It became a box office winner, that made Sharon Stone a star, and yet was basically p****d on by the critics! The word is the film is better than your average B movie skin flick, only by the quality of the actors, and Verhoeven's ability. I feel the film is still not given the respect it's due.

I first saw the R-rated version, which is very good, but now you can get the even better Unrated Director's Cut, which has even more graphic content! If you don't like erotic-thrillers, then don't see it. But anyone with taste will enjoy the thrill ride of events that take place in Basic Instinct. The script by Joe Eszterhas was highly thought of in Hollywood, and if not for the graphic nudity, a top star like Michelle Pfeiffer would have taken the role made famous by Sharon stone.

Does the script go too far at times? Yes, but that's part of the films charm, and after all, the now 'classic film moment' of Sharon Stone's leg spread interrogation, likely would have been dropped in a conventional film. Still though, I wouldn't have minded seeing a few less people getting killed off, to keep even more suspense and realism.

The score is also beautiful, and fans of Hitchcock's great "Vertigo" can appreciate the homage that Paul Verhoeven has included. The film has a lot of eye candy, but Jeanne Tripplehorn deserves special mention for her impressive supporting role (sadly she hasn't done much of note since). Michael Douglas does a solid job also, but I can't help wondering if a better actor like Clint Eastwood could have brought more to the table. The dialogue is not up to the level of "Pulp Fiction", but it's still interesting and fun.

I highly recommend this film for fans of adult mystery.

This movie might very well be one of the best horror movies of all time, together with movies like "Poltergeist", "Dawn of the Dead (1978)" "The Exorcist" and "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)".

I didn't expected it to be but this movie was just brilliant. Certainly the best slasher movie ever made. There are several things that make this movie a good horror classic. Of course the classic 'killer' Freddy Kruger is one of them. Another thing is the concept. Yes, the story of course is just simply ridiculous at times but it's the perfect concept to fill a movie with, with some scary scene's and brutal killings with tons of blood.

The movie has the same scary gritty atmosphere like a horror movie from the 70's, when the horror genre was at an all-time high.

The actors are giving their best but some of the dialog is just plain cheesy. Still I think that the actors should deserve more credit then they are getting right now, especially Johnny Depp made a impressive movie debut. The talent was already showing, back then. His role in this movie was way bigger than I expected it to be by the way.

Really entertaining horror classic. Some things might look cheesy, especially the ending (I really laughed my butt off!) and the story in general but the atmosphere, gore and Kruger make up everything! Guess you have to be a fan of the genre to fully appreciate it though.

10/10.

Rarely do I enjoy animated films these days: I find the animation (mostly computer generated) to be colorful but banal, and the action angles are selected by the programmer's eye, not the way a natural observer would have seen the shot (like we saw in classic cell animation of years past). "Happy Feet" is different. The combination of rotoscoping (now advanced motion capture), intense attention to detail and organic POV make this film extraordinarily enjoyable to watch. The sound quality was top-notch, and the music loads of fun for anyone with a pulse. The character voices from Robin Williams, Elijah Wood, Hugh Jackman, and others was perfectly matched to their characterizations. Savion Glover's performance as Mumble's ecstatic feet was not only good as a an animated fanciful Emperor Penguin, but also valid as a fine, skilled tap dancer; one of the finest. The continuity was good, impressive editing, and the message clear: celebrate our differences, adapt to change when necessary, and don't be afraid to take on challenges, even when they seems insurmountable. That's a great message for anyone at any age.

I was blessed to have seen this movie last night. It made me laugh, it made me cry and it made me love life.

This movie is a great movie that depicts a love of a father for his son. Will Smith did an incredible job and deserves every accolade available to him. His son also did a fantastic job.

There is a great lesson that is learned in this movie and it truly shares the struggles of everyday life.

This movie was heart felt and touching. It was truly an experience worth having. Thank you for making this movie and I look forward to seeing it again.

I went to this movie on the day it came out in Cincinnati expecting to see something which was like the first and the 3, but maybe had a little change, maybe a twist from the original 3.. But i was left disappointed as it is the same as the previous 3 and is just obvious and you can just tell whats going to happen. When this situation develops, you are just going to the movie to see gruesome deaths which just send a tingle down your spine of utter disgust. This movie gets 4 stars because of the following 2 stars- 3D 2 stars- acting of Nick Zano (hunt) I don't recommend this film, but if you are a big fan of The Final Destination and are ready to see gruesome deaths based on the same concept in 3D then this movie is for you.

To be honest, I hadn't expected too much from "Final Destination 3" as the 2nd installment disappointed me. While the 1st part was refreshing and suspenseful, the following one was repetitive and went over the top. What about "Final Destination 3"? It's a some kind of combination of two previous installments. In the film seriousness coexists with comedy, while the latter is more frequent than the first. Comedy, most of all, stems from characters with very low IQ. One of them shouts with superiority something like "death will never defeat me" and then dies in most ridiculous way. Thus, the film is intentionally laughable at times. What's more, the flick abounds with awesome deaths and these quality gore scenes are probably the biggest virtues of this horror movie. Besides, the script is rather superficial and repetitive. I only liked an idea of photos depicting how victims will die. That's it. Other feature ideas were taken from previous parts. To sum up, this flick is worth watching especially with your mates.

When you go to watch a movie like Final Destination, which is obviously a teen horror movie, you take your chances. You could get something genuinely creepy yet tongue-in-cheek, like Scream, or you could wind up seeing something like Darkness Falls or They. You just never know. When Final Destination came up on my Netflix list, I didn't know what to expect. Would it be something original and scary, or just some lame dud? Thankfully, it turned out to be the former.

Alex (Devon Sawa), along with about 40 others, are all set to take off on a plane destined for their senior trip in France. Right before it is set to take off, however, he has a premonition that shows him that soon after takeoff the plane will crash and everyone on board will be dead. He and others are forced off of the plane, and, sure enough, the plane crashes with everyone else on board. While everyone thinks that Alex caused the accident, he knows that they were supposed to die on board. Soon, everyone who was supposed to be on the plane start dying one by one.

Knowing that this was written and directed by the same team who did Willard, I knew that a lot of the movie wouldn't be just needless blood, but that there would be some sort of a creepy atmosphere to it all. And, by gum, there was. Although it wasn't as atmospheric as the aforementioned movie, and it relied a lot on sudden violence, it was still creepy. It seems like horror movies today rely on quick jumps to scare the audience. Final Destination sure had some, but also the music and the general movie itself was thrilling. When you could see that something was going to happen, you wanted to yell at the character to not do so-and-so. Then you sit back and enjoy the ride.

Something else that surprised me was how many special effects were needed. That was one major drawback. At times, the special effects didn't look real AT ALL (re: the bathroom scene), or there were too many when less is more (re: the final, climactic storm). One other thing that upset me was the constant need to do odd lighting. Because of the off-again, on-again lighting, it's sometimes impossible to tell what's happening. In Final Destination's pursuit to become something ultra-modern, nifty camera movements are tried, but for the unnecessary reasons. For example, a long, overhead tracking shot is used when two people are going to the bathroom. Very unnecessary, if you ask me. I just realized how much Glen Morgan and James Wong are fascinated with people going to the bathroom. There must be a few scenes of that in Final Destination, and one quite humorous one in Willard

I also thought that the movie took too long to get started. We understand that Alex will see the plane crashing, but for about the first half hour that's all that's `implied'. It's very annoying. Thankfully, the characters aren't as stupid as they usually are in teen horror movies, and I did like all of the talk about `death's pattern', etc. Overall, get on board to Final Destination and it won't crash.

My rating: 8/10

Rated R for violence and terror, and for language.

You know that feeling you get when you're watching America's Funniest Home Videos and the oblivious son hits his hapless father in the crotch with an aluminum bat? It gets a quick reaction, like, ooh, I feel your pain man.

FINAL DESTINATION 2 is a 90 minute or so string of those painful shots, as each character one by one meets an unfortunate death by household appliance. Bodies are slammed by trucks, heads are impaled, and limbs fly through the air. When one of the characters dies when her car's airbag explodes out of nowhere, I blurted "Yeah! Wow, did they do that??? Yeah, they DID do that. Right on!"

Although the film has a very serious atmosphere about it, what with the creepy score and people sincerely freaking out and everything, it still retains a campy humor about it buried beneath its high-budget exterior. Many movies would shy away from smashing up plastic ketchup-filled dummies, opting instead to avoid the gore. Not FINAL DESTINATION 2! This movie is an honest approach to movie-making, hearkening back to the day when you got together with friends and said, "Okay, in this scene we cut to the dummy falling off the building, it's run over by a Mack truck, and it splatters chunks of blood all over that Oldsmobile over there."

As for the premise behind FINAL DESTINATION 2, how do I put it into words? A.J. Cook has premonitions that people died in a nasty pileup on the highway. Thing is, this never happened. And ... she continues to have premonitions that those same people will die in due time. Those people eventually die. Did I get that right? The universal law of nature is that, well, Death sometimes misses its mark and has to fix its mistakes (which usually involves electrical equipment getting wet and other freak accidents of home improvement). If this all sounds convoluted, watch the movie. You'll see what I mean.

The premise of FINAL DESTINATION 2, as much potential as it might have, doesn't make much sense and is pretty hokey, but if you medicate your inquisitive mind with heavy sedatives, you'll be able to look past the flimsy premise and enjoy the movie. I'm definitely looking forward to a Final Destination 3.

Arnold Schwarzenegger and Ivan Reitman make a great team! This is such a great film, and it has everything in it, action, suspense, comedy, romance...everything! At first glance this film looks like a movie made for kids, but I assure you, it is not. This film was made for adults.

The comedy in this film is spectacular! I've seen this film many times, and every time I see it a can't help but crack up at certain scenes. The comedy is just great!

Surprisingly there is a fair amount of action in the film as well, and those scenes are done very well. Like I said, at first glance you would think this is a movie made for kids, but there are definitely some adult themes in this film. This film is rated PG-13 for a reason.

The cast in this film is very good. Arnold Schwarzenegger pulls off another great performance! Penelope Ann Miller, Pamela Reed, Linda Hunt, Richard Tyson, Joseph Cousins, Christian Cousins, and all the children in the film do great jobs with their roles. I would imagine that a film like this would be a nightmare to direct, with all those little kids running around. So, I've got to give some extra props to Ivan Reitman for a job well done.

I would definitely recommend this film to anyone and everyone. I didn't think there was anything to dislike about the film. So, when you do see the film, I truly hope you enjoy it.

Action from beginning to end. I saw this with my sis and bro-in-law last night. We are all 50-ish grandparents and we loved it. Keanu Reeves is always getting bashed by the critics because he refuses to advertise his private life like Tom C. The man deserves his privacy, just like the rest of us. All the acting was top-notch, nothing over the top or wooden. Real testosterone, just like the law enforcers I know. You have to have the balls to be a cop these days. The Disco character was acted just like a brave newbie cop in over his head. He was not "wooden" If you like action from start to finish, go see this movie. This deserves to be a blockbuster!

It's John Travolta like you have never seen him before. Here he is Mister Action, the ultimate Tough Guy, the new Bruce Willis but with more flair. The story itself is not particularly noteworthy. But there is lots of action as Travolta shows everyone who's boss in this action-packed special effects extravaganza. Also there is non-stop violence with Mr. Travolta leading the way. If you like movies with stories that feature nonstop violence, then this movie is for you. If you like John Travolta, this movie is for you. But in terms of the story, don't expect too much from this movie. Remember: it's a commercial product so at some point artistic merit inevitably gives way to the usual dose of special effects that Hollywood spews out like clockwork. Hooray for John Travolta and Hollywood!

Clint is great as Highway, a rough and tough Marine who takes a bunch of punks and turns them into soldiers who go out and fight in Greneda. Clint spouts off some beautiful lines in this film and at times, the movie is almost a comedy. The ending is great; Clint sees his woman, they smile, and walk off as a parade is playing Halls of Montazuma. Does he kiss her? No. Because Clint is cool and doesn't do puss roles like Kevin Spacey or Brandon Fraiser.

This movie is great from start to finish. The characters are well developed and Andrew McCarthy(The Joy Luck Club) and Jonathan Silverman(The Single Guy) play wonderfully off of each other. The Dialogue was better then that of any modern made comedy I have seen. This is a dark comedy but for the family which is something I have never seen done before. This movie is unique and over the head of anyone who didn't like it.

I'm surprised at the disappointing reviews of this film. I can agree that Jason Lee wasn't the perfect person to play Dave but he still did a pretty good job. I mean, let's be honest here and admit that none of the acting is great in this movie. It isn't horrible but it isn't great either. The thing is that the acting is on par for 90% of kids films. Also, how much can we really expect when it is a story about 3 singing chipmunks? The delight of the film and what people (my family anyway) want to see is the chipmunks get down and boogie. This movie in my mind accomplished everything and more that it might have set out to accomplish. It is extremely funny at times and also has a few heart felt moments. The overall story was very good. There are some morals taught here and you don't always see that with these types of movies. If you are in for some slapstick chipmunk boogie and rock and roll then check this out. I can almost guarantee you that any kid under 12 will love it and it is still enjoyable for adults.

I was expecting this movie to suck, but what I got was a pretty good slasher/gore film. Most of the death scenes are adequately brutal. The teens are decent, with Penny McNamee definitely the best of the bunch. Rachael Taylor looks like a young Christie Brinkley, but doesn't bring much to the movie other than that. Kane was good as the killer, and is totally believable as a fearsome juggernaut. I saw the "twist" coming from miles away, but I still enjoyed the movie.

But what really stood out to me was the direction. Gregory Dark might actually have a career in legit film ahead of him. Aside from overusing the horror film "speed cam"(you know, where like the guy's face shakes all fast?), there's some good shots here. The camera angles and environments really emphasize Kane's size, making him look even bigger than he actually is.

If you're looking for deep story or characters, this ain't it. But that's not what slasher films are about. If you're looking for some good violence, or if you're into gory films, go check this out!

Starring: Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson, Demi Moore This movie is for people who like lawyerly stuff and military type stuff. This movie is an episode of Jag on crack. This movie was made by Rob Reiner. Really, after that last statement, need I say more? If you didn't know that Rob Reiner did The Princess Bride, then hang your head in shame now.

It starts out in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, when a couple marines enter the room of another marine, stuff a rag down his throat, duct tape his mouth shut, duct tape his hands behind his back, duct tape his legs together, and so on. Then the credits roll and we cut to D.C., where we find out that the marine getting gagged and tied died that night. The two marines that were doing the gagging and tying are charged with murder and flown out to D.C.

The task of lead counsel is assigned to Daniel Kaffee (Cruise), a lieutenant junior grade with a track record for plea bargaining and smooth talking. Lt. Cmdr. Jo Galloway (Moore) is assigned to be co-counsel, despite the fact that she tried to get in as lead counsel. They start the investigation down in Cuba where they meet Col. Nathan Jessup (Nicholson), the man who ordered the two men to give Private Santiago the Code Red, which accidentally led to his death. Of course, Jessup doesn't tell this to Danny or Jo. Why would he? He'd look pretty bad for it, right? So when they get back to D.C. and do some legal maneuvering with their clients and the prosecution, Danny manages to get a deal for a mere two years of prison time, where they are actually home in six months. And the two that are charged turn it down on principle, because they still believe they have done nothing wrong. Danny decides that he wants to get a different lawyer assigned to the case because he doesn't want to go down with them, but then has a change of heart after talking to a few people and thinking about it.

So the trial starts, and that's when the movie really picks up speed. The skill that Danny has as he strides around the courtroom asking all the right questions and probing in just the right ways is phenomenal. It almost makes you want to be a lawyer.

There are some major setbacks along the way, some things go right, a lot more go wrong, but eventually everything turns out okay in the end. But like so many movies where we know how it's going to end, it was never really the ending we were banking on, but the fun of getting there.

Bottom Line: 4 out of 4 (own this movie)

This movie is a laugh riot. Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau play two neighbors that have known each other their whole lives. They have been arguing about anything and everything for the last thirty years. The still vivacious, Ann-Margret moves into the neighborhood and now the fun really begins. Both old grumps try out doing the other in order to get the possible affection of the new comer. Burgess Meredith plays Grandpa and just about single handedly steals the show. Playing cardboard parts are Ossie Davis, Kevin Pollak and Daryl Hannah. Buck Henry is as always...funny. You will laugh till your sides hurt. And don't miss the hilarious out takes during the closing credits.

This movie was okay. It made me laugh out loud more than once. It was however VERY slow moving in parts. I fell asleep watching it on Friday night, but it was decent enough that on Saturday morning I found where I dozed off and continued watching it.

A good point is that the movie manages to be moderately funny without being crude or overly sexual... That's hard to find these days. The biggest negative is that virtually the entire plot occurs in one spot, and you get very little change of scenery throughout the entire movie.

If you're looking for continuous laughs, this may not be the movie for you. But if you can endure the slow parts, the humor will sporadically appear.

First of all, I'd like to say that this movie is not "8 Mile" or "Hustle & Flow." This is not the kind of movie that shows how a rapper makes his music. If it was, people would be complaining about how it was another "Hustle & Flow." I think that people are saying the plot is "too common" because there have been a slew of rap movies out lately. This movie crosses genres and really should be considered more of a gangster film. Besides, if people were tired of the same story, then why is there another "Pride & Prejudice" remake? What stories have been told that have not already been told? It's in the quality of film-making and how the movie is done that separates it from the rest.

This is the semi-autobiographical story of Curtis Jackson. As such, it is a success. It has tones more reminiscent of "Scarface" in that it shows a gangster's rise to power. Unlike most films in the gangster genre, the gangster does not die in the end. And why should he? As a social commentary, I think Sheridan is trying to say that this is what is "idealized" in a capitalistic American society. In a world where "Justice" can screw you, I think Sheridan is saying it takes a very confident man--an artist with a sense of what it takes to be an entrepreneur, hard work, luck--who can survive through all that hardship. A man who knows himself and accepts his past will be a success.

The ending is sort of anti-climactic, but it has a right to be. This movie is not really about success due to violence or gang ties, but about gaining a sense of oneself and rising above all the crime and chaos to a profound sense of individual freedom. Marcus is not afraid to face the world exactly as he is in the end, shown by his taking off his bulletproof vest at his concert.

50 Cent is "Young Caesar," nicknamed Marcus. He is the head of a new rap empire, and most people are afraid of those with power and success. That's why modern society has coined the term "hater." Marcus was born on the Fourth of July, an American holiday that epitomizes independence. The birth/death of Marcus montage is so powerful.

People coming into the movie without trying to gain a sense of the underlying themes that Terrence Winter and Jim Sheridan have brought to the movie are depriving themselves of a great piece of work. I think that they tried to imbue the movie with a sense of something more than just senseless violence and music video rap scenes. The writer and the director obviously put much thought into the making of this movie. They talk about how hustling is like making minimum wage, the search for a lost father, and how respect in the hood is measured by life experience and, occasionally, your shoes. I mean, look at all the women out there who parade name-brand purses. Everyone wants to climb the social ladder, garner respect, and have something to show for social status. You can relate to the story if your from the hood or not.At least one person has experienced at least one of the struggles that Marcus goes through.

I was very pleased by 50 Cent's acting. He basically embodies the rough, hood gangster with his confident body language and square jaw. If you look, all his emotion lies in his eyes. Trained to show no emotion because "love with get you killed," I think that the vulnerability that lies in his eyes and the powerful raw emotion that shines through is a skill that cannot be taught. Sure, Terrence Howard is a great actor--but he's had time to refine his skills. As a debut film for 50 Cent, I think he was excellent. I think Sheridan did a good job of pulling a wonderful performance out of 50 Cent. The most emotional scenes for me were the confrontation between Charlene & Marcus over life, morphine, and their son and the meeting between Marcus and his father in jail shortly after his hospitalization.

This film definitely has many layers to it, and I will watch it again to pick out the subtleties I may have missed the first time I saw it. Don't let bad critical reviews hinder you from seeing or enjoying the movie because most of those people seem to have already slated it in the negative before even watching it. Jim Sheridan has an obvious respect for both 50 Cent and rap music, and I think that movie reviewers should do the same before passing on "Get Rich or Die Trying'."

Ghost is one of my favorite films. It is romantic and touching. Ghost shows the love that transcends even death. The chemistry between Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze is incredible. The way they look at one another is sexier than any of those very graphic "love scenes". They make a real romantic connection just through their eyes. Ghost not only has wonderful, likeable characters in Sam Wheat, Molly Jensen, and Oda Mae Brown, but it has an engrossing plot that moves right along. Entwined in all this is a beautiful score. The theme song "Ghost", written by Maurice Jarre specifically for the movie, is enchanting, and, of course, an oldie, "Unchained Melody", adds another magical touch to a magical film.

It's hard to walk into a picture these days without knowing every detail about the movie. Trailers have shown too much story, reviews have jaded your perspective, or friends have refused to see it - movies get spoiled. Yet, sometimes, knowing the story is a far cry from seeing the event. For many, the story of the crucifixion is something they've grown up with, lived with, as far back as memory serves. I tell you this, no matter what you've heard, no matter what you know - you will be stunned by The Passion of the Christ.

From the opening shot to the falling credits, this film demands full control of ones body and emotion. So visually spectacular and physically gripping, this film had me literally convulsing as I attempted to watch what was onscreen. Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ, starring Jim Caviezel, is a retelling of the last hours of Jesus Christ. Believe me when I say that this production is more than a story, more than a movie; this film can only be described as an experience.

This movie is fantastically brutal. From beginning to end, blood drenched flesh is smeared across the screen in a ghastly fashion. Gibson defends his incredibly graphic depiction by noting that the bible states Jesus was beaten beyond recognition. I assure you, beaten beyond recognition hardly describes soft tissue being torn to be the bone as blood drips into puddles on the ground. The violence shown in this movie is unlike other Hollywood violence - it's uncomfortably personal. The scenes are so believable, the violence so real, that the scenes appear to take place in your very presence; imagine before you a man being torn to bloody shreds; your helpless to do anything, you're a spectator - utterly horrific.

As any appreciator of the finer things in film might see, The Passion of the Christ is artistic genius. Mel Gibson stated that his film follows the last 12 hours of Christ in accordance to the gospel, and although biblical scholars have confirmed this to be true, it is also true that a certain artistic license was taken to particular moments in the story. Nothing anti-biblical was added, but inside a sense deep meaning was inserted through symbols and actions not actually recorded in the gospels. This artistry serves to aid the story and engage the audience - artistically and culturally, expect nothing less that a film superbly crafted. Set your expectations high, this one can handle them.

Unless you've been avoiding the media in recent months you've heard accusations of anti-Semitism against this movie: its going to rekindle a hate for Jews, its depicting the Jewish leaders of the day as monsters, and its showing that the Jews were solely responsible for the death of Jesus. I trust that once the movie is seen by the general public all of these statements will fade into the shadows; this movies greatest defense will be itself. It is true that the Jews were involved in the crucifixion of Christ, just as it's said in the bible for nearly two thousand years. Hearing this story doesn't swell up a hatred for the Jewish race, no more than watching Schindlers List makes one hate current day Germans. This film is going to be many things to many people - anti-Semitic is not one of them.

No matter your background, no matter your race, no matter your beliefs on the afterlife, this movie needs to be seen. The art, the culture, and the magnificence - see The Passion of the Christ and you will have seen the fantastic. Ten out of ten.

I saw this one a while back in the end of 2001, and I was very interested as it was the true story of the drug game in the mid eighties. This movie is actually AZ's side of the story(AZ is Ace played by Wood Harris[Above The Rim, Remember The Titans, The wire]). well, it tells the story of drug kingpins AZ(Ace), Rich Porter(Mitch)and Alberto "Alpo" Martinez(Rico). Cam'ron really displays some actin' skills in his part as the trigger-happy, O-Dog reminiscent Rico("alpo"), Wood Harris gives a very different performance from his previous roles in Above The Rim and The Wire as the laid back Ace. but this one belonged to Mekhi Phifer(8-Mile, Clockers) as Mitch(Rich Porter) he really came out and busted out Rich to a "T"! the certain flare that was necessary was there... And havin' DJ Brucie B all in the movie really put the icing on the cake for a rugged street feel, VERY Authentic...

underrated movie - this needs to be seen.

Home Alone is arguably one of the funniest movies ever! Its really good. The cast is very good! It was sweet to see John Candy in it! The team work of Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern is just not insanely hilarious but its also incredible that the two are so good together and I like how their scenes of punishment is followed right after the other!
I like Catherine O'Hara, she is a fine actress! Look for Larry Hankin and Roberts Blossom! John Williams has another great score here!This is a perfect movie for people to watch around Christmas and if you need a big laugh watch this as it will crack you up!
I strongly recommend Home Alone.

"8 Mile" is the new film that features controversial rapper Eminem in his first starring role. The film itself is loosely based on his life growing up in Detroit. Eminem plays Jimmy Smith, Jr. a.k.a. "Rabbit", a young man who is struggling to make things better for himself through "battles", which are freestyling rap contests that are usually held at a local nightclub. Rabbit chokes when it is his turn to take the microphone for the first time. His best friend, Future (Mekhi Phifer) is the host of these battles and strongly believes Rabbit has potential, but the problem is that Future often makes his decisions before consulting with Rabbit first. Rabbit's home life is not much better. He's broke, has no place to live, he's stuck in a dead-end job at a steel mill, and his girlfriend Janeane (Taryn Manning) has fooled him into thinking that she is pregnant. Rabbit's mother (Kim Basinger), is on the verge of being evicted from her home and is slutting around with a man who is about the same age as her son. Things in Rabbit's life take a turn for the better when he later falls in love with Alex (Brittany Murphy), an aspiring young woman who dreams of becoming a model and moving to New York to start life a new.

"8 Mile" certainly is a moving and very touching drama. Eminem proves here that he really can act and in fact may have a future in motion pictures. This does not mean we will be hearing him thanking his producer Paul Rosenberg next year at the Oscars, but we can expect to him to receive a lot of praise for future movie roles. It's quite obvious that some people will not like "8 Mile", just because of Eminem's controversial history. The film also has one of the best soundtracks I've heard in a long time. Eminem's hit single "Lose Yourself" really does have a lot emotion put into it.

Eminem, since he burst onto the music scene in 1999 with his critically-acclaimed/lambasted album "The Slim Shady LP", he has been met with a lot of controversy, as well as praise. Despite the often humorous content of his songs, there are many dark under tones in them as well. In my opinion, too much has been made about his lyrics, most of which revolve around topics like homophobia, murder, and his failed relationship with his on/off wife, Kim. Despite all of this, I think that people have overlooked the fact that he said the only thing that truly matters to him is his daughter, Hailie Jade. Also, if people believed Eminem really was a homophobic, do you still think he would have agreed to perform "Stan" with Elton John?

As a longtime fan of Eminem and his music, I try not to let such criticisms get to me, but sometimes you just have to say "What the hell? Are they really necessary?" I don't think so. The problem is that people today are just too biased when it comes to people like Eminem. He's not another Vanilla Ice and "8 Mile" is not an attempt to cash in on his success like "Cool As Ice" was.

I have a list of grievances that people need to realize about Eminem:

- First of all, do not disrespect this man. I feel that many of the people who hate Eminem have never actually listened to one of his songs. In my opinion, they have only listened to small clips that have been played on some discussion about his controversial lyrics. If you actually listened to some of his songs, you'll realize that he is a very distraught young person with a lot to say.

- Don't watch "8 Mile" with a predetermined mindset. People who have already made up their minds about Eminem's talents are less likely to enjoy themselves much more than people who believe in him.

- To non-believers, if Eminem really did not have any talent, like so many people seem to think now, how is it that all of his records: "The Slim Shady LP", "The Marshall Mathers LP", "Devils Night" (with group D-12) and "The Eminem Show" together have grossed more than $12 million? I think that it is a clear sign of TRUE TALENT.

- Also do you believe had Eminem been black and rapping about such "controversial" subject matter, that he would be famous like he is now? No, because most likely no one would dare even produce him. That said, I'm African-American and I don't care that Eminem is white and is rapping about such things.

- I think that too many people have made his race too big of an issue. Eminem knows that he is white and will be nothing else. He does not display to us a "thuggish" image that some people think that any rapper should have. Also, he does not rap about the things that some people seem to think is destroying rap music.

Eminem does have quite a future in store for him. I'm sure that we can expect to be seeing a lot more of him later on.

I saw this movie a year or so ago on television. I had never even heard of it before but when I sat down to watch it I thought it was a pretty funny movie that did a good job of capturing the holiday spirit. I see that there are a lot of sandler enthusiasts on here who think this movie sucks because they have to compare this movie with all of his other work. I don't think I would even place a movie like this in the same critical category as his other films. With that being said I thought the movie was original in perspective and outright hilarious. Whitey Duvall makes me laugh every time I see his odd shaped feet and hear his squeaky voice. This film has a pretty mature sense of humor and wouldn't be suitable for small children but if you have teenagers i think it's great for a family laugh.

I don't know why so many people out there absolutely hated this movie. I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it. As a matter of fact, I felt like I have been missing out on one of Dan Aykroyd's best performances. It was obviously a dark comedy and one that I plan to add to my collection! I admit, I was expecting a lot more old school comedic humor between Dan, Chevy, and John but I was pleasantly surprised at the end of the movie how much I enjoyed their individual performances. Also I must mention that Demi did a great job too! I was certainly expecting her to be the one to hose the synergy between the fellas but she was great. Heck, I even liked Humpty and 2 Pac!!! Definitely recommend this movie to anyone who is interested in watching a well written example of what a dark comedy should be.

Awesome movie folks!!! Favorite line: "Thanks for the espresso maker...and the bag of $H!T"

I saw this film after becoming addicted to 'Boyz n the hood and 'Higher learning', I think John Singleton is one of the greatest filmmakers working today and Poetic Justice is a great example of a truly dedicated and talented filmmaker. The story starts off with Justice (played brilliantly by Janet Jackson, what a surprise)who witnesses the slaying of her boyfriend at a movie, justice becomes very depressed with life and feels nothing but loneliness. She expresses this by writing poems in a notebook to reveal her pain for her lost love and for the pain of living in America's South central l.a district. Lucky (again played greatly by Tupac Shakur in i feel his most personal and greatest role from 'Juice' right up to 'Gang Related')is a postman with nothing to look forward for in his life except to look after his daughter and a dream of rapping his pain for the hood. Together they go on a road trip with two other friends and learn on how to live again and to find their way in life. The performances are great, Singletons direction is wonderful. If your a fan of other 'hood' movies than this you might find a little different from the others. But nonetheless a deep hearted gem.

One never knows what to expect out of rock films. Going into Tupac: Resurrection, I half expected another mediocre blaxploitation groaner. The other half expected a gushy MTVish drool-fest out to promote the soundtrack artists, including current corporate media darling 50 Cent.

Resurrection is neither. The producer is not some slick Hollywood mogul with no understanding of rap except as a source for making a quick buck. Instead, Afeni Shakur, the late rapper's mother, takes charge. As both executive producer and the dominant force in her son's short life, her personal agenda impacts every frame. Like all documentaries, this is an extremely one-sided account, and it is likely due to her input that the movie downplays the darker aspects of Pac's self-destructive downward spiral after his move to Death Row Records. Nor is the film harsh enough on Tupac's seemingly endless capacity for paranoia and irresponsibility.

Fortunately, she also makes the crucial decision not to dwell on more tired hash-rehash of so called East Coast/West Coast rap war, which the movie clarifies as less of a reality than a media event. Nor does it choose to linger on the numerous rumors and conspiracies surrounding Tupac's murder.

Shakur and director Lauren Lazin wisely decide to let Tupac's voice carry the film. Lazin wisely refrains from using the masterful, propagandistic gimmicks of a Michael Moore documentary. There are no distracting interviews or massively-edited montages. As a result, the movie has a lyrical, sacred tone. History has mystified Pac as a martyr for West Coast gangsta rap, although during his lifetime he only released one such album. Few choose to remember that Death Row was the twilight of his life, that he spent the first half-decade of his career recording in the East where he grew up. It is here that the film takes its cue.

Resurrection lays bare a magnetic, arrogant, charismatic spirit that immediately affirms why Pac remains one of rap's only true megastars. Though the film is not hard enough on how his growing obstinacy may have hastened his demise, it does not shy away from the controversy, the premonitions of death, the sex abuse conviction, and the inflated ego. The result is a well-drawn sketch of man aware of his genius but haunted by demons, a tortured soul navigating a realm more thuggish than he was at his core, a contradiction which plays as a general commentary on rap's manufactured images.

This movie's production value alone easily outclasses nearly every other cinematic work that has ever pretended to be about hip-hop. It bears little resemblance to How High or Belly or to the shameless self-promotion of the vanity project 8 Mile, which was so sanitized as to kill any revelations it might have made about its star Eminem, the most high profile rapper to yet arise. I don't understand how someone could praise 8 Mile for its beauty and honesty (it isn't) and then criticize this film.

By contrast, the sincerity of Resurrection solidifies Pac's reputation as `the only rapper that matters.' It shows why he is peerless and maybe the greatest artist the genre has yet produced: whatever can be said about his music, as an intelligent personality there is simply no one else in his class. He is so much more painfully relevant than all star rappers, and the sharpness of his observations on everything from politics to poverty leaves dust in the eyes of all his contemporaries. He represents a paradigm that has become all-too-rare in a musical form now dominated by cartoon images: a constructive rather than destructive point-of-view.

A ball of contradictions, Tupac is finally much more complex and brilliant than most people would expect. People are uninformed and uninterested in hip-hop probably will get little out of this movie. Those who know will realize that the biggest tragedy is that not that Tupac died before reaching his full potential, but that other young black men with similar sensibilities rarely reach his level of visibility.

John Singleton's Boyz n the Hood remains one of the best fictionalized and most poignant summaries of some of America's toughest internal problems - racism, violence, poverty, and drug abuse. This is not a hip-hop film, nor a detached and dehumanized story about "gang violence" (the great over-simplified scapegoat of the issues treated in this film), its a story about growing up fatherless or motherless in a war zone with a faceless enemy, where people do not value each other's lives at all and value their own lives only slightly more.

Laurence Fishburn leads one of the best casts of the early 1990s, in his memorable portrayal of Furious Styles, a father trying to raise his son (Cuba Gooding Jr) well in an environment where murder and substance abuse are day-to-day realities - South Central L.A. The film follows his son, Tre, and his friends, from the hardships of childhood in an irrelevant educational system and a neighborhood which doesn't allow kids to be kids, through to the realities of making decisions about the value of life and the development of responsibility and hope as young adults.

The cast disappears into their characters and brings each one to life in a unique and powerful way. losing the identities of big personalities like Fishburne and Ice Cube is no mean feat. Many of the performances recorded here are award-worthy - Fishburne, Bassett, Chesnutt, Gooding, and Ice Cube are especially memorable. For me personally, this is the film that convinced me that Ice Cube was destined to become a major personality in American cinema. While I had enjoyed some of his music prior to this film, it was here that I was first exposed to his versatility and intelligence as an actor.

While some may see some of the film's messages as heavy-handed, and others might have issues with the fact that the film deals with so many of the problems of inner-city life in a very 'in-your-face' almost archetypal manner, I find these criticisms impossible to justify.

This is a great film about real issues, sensitively portrayed and thoughtfully examined. Every American who cares about the vast untapped potential of our people ought to take a long, hard look at this one. These are not 'black problems', they are everybody's problems, and their solutions will require everybody's understanding. I could think of far worse places to begin developing that understanding than Boyz n the Hood.

One thing comes to mind after watching this movie. Redbox! If you must see this movie, please don't spend $10 and 2 hours on this. Wait for the DVD release.

While I am happy that some folks are working and got a check for making this movie, this story is not worth full price. This is a story of what would happen if a young guy won the lottery in the ghetto. Word gets out about Kevin's (Bow Wow) winning, but because it is the 4th of July weekend he can't redeem the ticket until after the long weekend. So he has to try to hold on to the ticket and dodge gold-digging girls, thugs and drug dealers.

The storyline was predictable and the premise is weak. I guess I am supposed to care how a young man from the projects would spend his winnings, but I don't. There are some serious after school special undertones here. The writers are trying to tug the heart strings and the conscious. The heartstrings by highlighting the good girl/bad girl ideology will Kevin choose the good girl Stacie or the hot gold digger. Attempting to make the audience think, does money really solve all your problems? As was said earlier...don't care.

There are a lot of the stereotypical 'hood characters; the bible thumping grandmother, the local gangster, the hot hood rat, the good girl, the loyal best friend and the wise old person. None of the characters were interesting. If you miss The Lottery Ticket, you won't miss much.

A disfigured face as a result of a tragic accident, and unresolved suspicions, result in a life of hermitage for Justin McLeod. His past life as a teacher becomes reawakened by 13 year old Charles, who is on a mission to become educated well enough to pass a military school's entrance exam, and he pleads with McLeod to become his tutor.

McLeod's dark past and Charles' unrelenting motivation become unlikely allies as the two of them begin a relationship born of the common thread that each are misunderstood by others.

This is an outstanding movie, which is much misunderstood by many viewers and reviewers alike. It's a simple case of an adult taking an interest in and making a difference in a young man's life. The movie is even more poignant because McLeod loses the safety of the anonymity he had worked so hard for, when he opens his mind and heart to young Charles.

I have read all of the reviews on this site for this movie and object to those who attempt to review both the movie and the book at the same time. The movie should be reviewed here, and the book at a site for reviewing books. To do both at one time is akin to going to Burger King and ordering a Big Mac.

You don't need to be a Mel Gibson fan to love this movie, but you do need to have an open mind and an unfettered agenda. This is a powerful performance by actors Mel Gibson and Nick Stahl, one that will leave your heart happy and your mind engaged.

Both thumbs up from me for this movie.

I saw Precious at the New York Film Festival yesterday. As you may know, Precious is the only film to ever win the Audience Award at both the Sundance and Toronto International Film Festivals. The film has been highly hyped since January and I was afraid I would be underwhelmed. Well, I sure wasn't! Precious is a powerhouse piece of cinema that will rip your heart to shreds. The acting is pitch perfect from everybody and the film-making is unusual.

Precious is about Claireece 'Precious' Jones, an overweight girl who has already had a child with Down's Syndrome from when she was raped by her father. Her mother constantly abuses her and she's already pregnant with her second baby. When she gets kicked out of school and is forced to go to an alternative school to help her get her GED, she realizes that there may actually be hope for her.

The acting is easily the most important and best thing during Precious. Newcomer Gabourey Sidibe will absolutely be famous and definitely deserves the Best Actress Oscar. Her performance was so real and searing that you're just forced to sympathize with her. Other cast includes Lenny Kravitz, Mariah Carey, and Mo'Nique who are all unfamiliar to the genre, but still perform very well. Mo'Nique gives a really great performance as the abusive mother Mary and should definitely win an Oscar as well. Mariah Carey's performance is a bit dry, but her character is not very major. Paula Patton, the actress who plays Blu Rain, Precious' teacher, gives a believable and loving performance as well. Also, the girls in Precious' class are all great. I actually was sitting behind them at the screening and got the them to sign my Playbill. They were all very excited.

The crowd seemed to love the movie. At Toronto, people laughed at serious parts, but the New York audience ate it up. People clapped for Precious, cried at the right parts, and even gasped at the screen over some of the violence. The violence is often so abrupt that it feels as if you too could have just been hit over the head with a pan. Everybody was so engaged in watching it even Gabourey Sidibe herself who had already seen it three times. Even she had trouble watching some parts. At the end of the movie, everyone in the audience stood up and gave Lee Daniels and his cast about a ten minute standing ovation. Everybody loved the film. Precious is definitely one of the best movies of the year and will definitely at least be nominated for Best Picture if not win it. It may be a bit bleak, but Precious gives me and everybody else hope. Lee Daniels wrote a quotation at the end of the movie that said "For precious girls everywhere". This is what really put the icing on the cake. Precious is a magnificent and disturbing movie.

We loved this film! It's original, fun & real, with so many interesting levels that really gets one thinking, especially about life! The cast was phenomenal and Christianity was so refreshing! Definitely not your typical Hollywood pump-out film, thank goodness.

The world and Hollywood needs more creative people like Tyler Perry. We loved the writing, plots and all the sub-plots, which served up a swift kick of reality versus fantasy. We don't want to be negative here, but this film blows Elizabethtown right out of the water! Tyler Perry definitely got it right, with so much more. I would love to shake his hand one day!

If you're looking to pee your pants laughing, then this is the movie for you. Spike Lee is a genius no matter what anyone says. This happens to be one of my favorite movies in the world. You couldn't ask for a better line-up. I had a new found respect for each of these comedians after watching this movie. I strongly recommend you buy this movie. It is worth every penny. If I have to add any criticism, I would say that Cedric "the Entertainer" could have been a little funnier. However, he still gave a great memorable show. After watching his act, you'll understand why they call him "the enteratiner. Awesome movie no matter what the critics say.

As others have said, this is the best stand-up performance ever recorded. It sounds like an exaggeration, but it's not. Pryor is a comedic genius, and you can see his influence in every comedian since. He sets the standard. His facial expressions, acting abilities, delivery, etc., are all top-notch, and he can make even mundane topics such as walking through the woods pee-your-pants hilarious (in fact, he spends a long time talking about the woods, which is a bit puzzling, but hey, it's funny). He also covers completely unrelated topics such as dogs, drugs, family life, boxing, and sex... all the while being hysterically funny. The guy is amazing, and I recommend this to anyone who enjoys stand-up comedy.

Jody is a unemployed immature young man who isn't committed to anything or anyone but himself. He has two children out of wedlock he does not financially support. He leeches off his mother living at home. He tries to act like a gangster in the streets. That act does not fool anyone in his neighborhood. He's thought of as soft.

His mother takes up with a veteran gangster called Mel. Jody feels left out as Mel becomes the man of the house. Mel tries to school Jody on how to be a real man. Jody doesn't take the lesson. Mel and Jody have a fight. It's like when a older stronger lion chases a weaker younger out the pride to fend for themselves. Jody is out on his own.

He shacks up with one of his kids moms. She has some kind of relationship with a hard core gangster that beens in prison called Rodney. When Rodney comes home he causes problems for Jody. It's time for Jody to be a man and face this hard core gangster. Jody unable to kill him only wounds him, but it sends a strong enough message he will protect his own. Shook up and scared he turns to Mel who without words understands what Jody is going through. Mel uses his street mentality to put Jody back together and calm him. The two share a bond now. Jody leaves his mother's house to become a man on his own with one of his mother's children. The one he loves.

Tyrese Gibson was stellar as Jody. Great performance. As a viewer I got caught up in his story because I thought he was an immature punk at times and felt sorry for him other times when Mel and Rodney backed him down. Ving Rhames gave a powerful showing as Mel. When he has Jody in a headlock letting him know what he would do to a weak man in prison was real to the bone. Ving Rhames commands every part he is in. Snoop Dogg was low down dirty Rodney. Snoop Dogg's best acting I've seen. He owned that part. He played the bad guy to perfection.

John Singleton's best movie. Much better than Boyz n the Hood. More real and powerful with heart. I expected Mel was going to have to deal with Rodney. Singleton did not go that route and out smarted this viewer.

After getting the Leprechaun trilogy as one of my gifts for Christmas, I decided to watch them all right away, because I had been dying to view the first. Leprechaun 3 was just overall so much more enjoyable than I expected it to be. The cast and crew just had so much fun with all the material and since they knew they weren't going to make a star-studded masterpiece, they went with the best option and created a hilarious and exciting "camp gem", unlike the second one which took itself too seriously, and look how that turned out.

Leprechaun 3 is just non-stop laugh out loud entertainment. With rhymes like the leprechaun makes in this one, you can't help but laugh your tail off at how cheesy and humorous the whole film is. Also, I guess since the acting wasn't as low as you can get in some movies of this caliver, it made the movie even more tolerable and likable, and since the leprechaun was more lovable, the film was more lovable. Plus, the main guy in this film is not too bad on the eyes, such as eye candy Jennifer Aniston in the first.

Overall, there has got to be something anyone and everyone could like about this film. It deserves higher appreciation than the first and second put together for being so incredibly fun and humorous, like I have already mentioned, and is worthy of any positive reception it receives in fact, in honest my opinion.

Wow. Just wow. And I thought Batman Begins was excellent. This... this piece of art... its PHENOMENAL!! From the scale, to the acting, the atmosphere, the music, the action, it's all art. I have not experienced this level of greatness in the cinema for a long time. This film is the darkest Batman, as well as one of the darkest, violent and gripping films, ever made.

I'll start off with the actors. Christian Bale has done a tremendous job as our beloved Caped Crusader, who has a flawed personality that hangs on the balance between righteous and crazy. His perception of justice causes an emotional and personal shift, whether he is a rich guy who fights crime in a suit or just a regular guy who is sick of all the injustice in Gotham City and decides to give the psychopaths a dose of their own medicine. Because of this, and Bale's tremendous acting, the Bruce Wayne character is justified, and we, the audience, emphasizes with Bale's flawed hero more than Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, George (shudder) Clooney, Kevin Conroy, or God forbid Adam West, ever will. If there was an excellent Batman, this is the real deal. The theme of righteousness and insanity is played well with his character here.

But of course, the real star of the show is the late and great Heath Ledger, who steals almost every scene he's in as the villainous Joker (Nicholson, step aside). This Joker is not like the other renditions; he is the best. Downright evil, corrupt, insane, psychotic, terrifying. In every sense of those aforementioned words. More scary than funny, he shows audiences the Joker is undoubtedly Batman's most nefarious foe and his perfect nemesis, challenging him all the way. With a cynical smile, he proclaims in a scene where Batman is a freak to the public, like the Joker himself. This also explains the balance of righteousness that Bruce Wayne is going through. The Joker is downright evil, and Ledger makes this performance legendary. I agree with the critics, sign me up for the petition where he deserves a posthumous Oscar win.

The rest of the cast is excellent and star-studded. Aaron Eckhart does his Harvey Dent/Two-Face character justice, with a strong sense of righteousness/betrayal/twistedness up his sleeve, as well as Bruce Wayne's rival in love. His acting is strong here. Maggie Gyllenhaal is a great replacement for Katie Holmes as Wayne's love interest Rachel Dawes, as she shows more sensitive and caring side towards Bruce, other than Holmes' nearly flat performance. Michael Caine as Bruce Wayne's loyal butler Alfred delivers, as well as Morgan Freeman as the CEO of Wayne Enterprises. Gary Oldman does an excellent portrayal of Lt. James Gordon, who aids Batman in his quest for justice. And a special mention goes to Eric Roberts as a crime lord, who surprisingly does a great acting job. The rest of the cast can take a bow, they can be proud of their being in this film.

The cinematography is possibly the most sublime scenes ever chosen. Gotham and Hong Kong are wide, and yet, there is this dark aura of crime and corruption all around them. It really blends in well with the film, giving it a distinct and unique look. Quite simply, this is the best Gotham city in any Batman rendition. Wally Pfister has done an excellent job.

To accompany the atmosphere is the tremendous music score by movie music maestros, James Newton Howard and Hans Zimmer. With talents like these, the score is unforgettable. It is tension-building at times, and throbbing and glorious yet dark/moody during others. It deserves an Oscar.

The very loyal screenplay is written very, very well by Jonathan Nolan (director's brother), who has done a masterful job. The characters are (pardon the pun) rich in character and the story has not a flaw in it. For a comic book film adaptation, this film is not at all fantasy-like. It is quite realistic in a way and this is what gives the film more credibility. Also, the fact that the script is realistic is unbelievable, as you expect a superhero film when you walk in the cinema, and walk out realizing you have just seen an epic crime saga. Yes, CRIME SAGA. It deserves to be mentioned in the same sentence with "GoodFellas", "Heat", "The Untouchables" and even "The Godfather". I kid you not, this film has the power. The fact that this is an epic is further proved by the film's length - 2 hours and 32 minutes. Yes, it's that long. But it goes by so fast because you end up wishing for more.

But of course, none of this is possible without the genius that is the other Nolan, director Christopher. As per Memento, he knows how to direct a film. The dramatic scenes are engaging and the action sequences are crisp, thrilling, and will blow you out of your seat. Nolan's direction is tense, whip-smart, kinetic and smart. All of the action sequences are realistic, "boombastic", and CGI is used only when necessary (Steve Spielberg and George Lucas, take note). The new vehicle and some gadgets look cool and stylish and do not take away the film's credibility and realism. There are a lot of action sequences to boot, some of them combining themes from above. You will have to see them to believe them. The brothers Nolan have done it again.

In short, it's a masterpiece. One that will knock you out of your seat. It is the best Batman film ever, the best superhero film ever and the best film of 2008 thus far. If there ever was a possibility of a summer film winning Best Picture at the Oscars (like Titanic and Lord Of The Rings), this will join their ranks. It is rightfully deserved. Do yourselves a favor and see this piece of art. Repeated viewings highly recommended.

Nice feel-good movie comedy that had me laughing and crying at different parts. Fantasy but everyone could relate. It rings as true, or could be true in a positive way. Queen L. carries the show as a hardworking everyman who is good at her job but finds out she only has 3 weeks to live. She decides to take her money and spend it all on the ultimate vacation before she dies. Timothy Hutton is a believable jerk who plays his part as the owner of the company just right without overdoing it. Latifah runs into Hutton and his rich friends who don't know who this mystery woman spending all the money is at the luxury resort but Latifah shows that she has more class than all of the rich guests put together.

This movie had no particular agenda, really, which in itself, is great. It didn't pretend, just proceeded to assemble the parts of a down-to-earth crime story. This gritty drama possesses a sense of validity that its glossy, slick, higher-budget counterparts often lack. This made for a refreshing difference. Lots of surprises from a well-written story that builds the plot deliberately.

Adam Rodriguez, of CSI Miami fame, did an excellent job of acting. We're accustomed to expect this from him, but for some reason a lot of television actors encounter difficulty doing as well in movies. Better-than-decent acting, and excellent "street feel", added to the production values by 50 Cent.

I particularly enjoyed the local flavor of the Michigan scenery. Felt almost like New England, in some ways. I had to give a look at the production information to tell where it was shot, to be certain. There was no overuse of cop-props, or crash scenes, but still plenty of action as things unfolded. I think the whole cast, and everyone involved, deserve a "pat on the back" and congrats for this one. Worth a watch, even two.

MK 1995 is a fine, just fine adaption. But, sometimes movies based upon video games can be crappy sometimes. Well, this one was more than OK. No need to tell anything except a few things... a few good things. The acting crew is great Robin Shou (Liu Kang), Linden Ashby (Johny Cage) and Bridgette Willson (Sonya Blade) were great in their parts, Christopher Lambert was fine as Rayden, but his acting was a bit wooden as always. Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa was excellent was Shang Tsung, his performance was... well somehow... inspiring. Talisa Soto (Kitana) was also good, but I really found most entertaining none else than Trevor Goddard (Kano), his Kano was very fun! His Australian accent and charisma were just solid! Love this Kano! The martial artist that played Reptile, Sub Zero and Scorpion were amazing in what they do best - kicking some butt! Fights are excellent, the atmosphere is good, the locations and studio sets were good, CGI, well not that great, but OK. It's a great fun! Watch it!

For those interested in martial arts -skip it. You will hate this.For the rest of us this is a hilarious bad film that everyone should have a good laugh at.This film has so little to offer in terms of film but it could show a lot of bad expensive films how to reach a level of drivel that you just have to watch it.This film could never be accused of being an average film because it stands out so much.Exceptionally Bad is all I can say.

his is a beautiful little movie that just fun to watch. Okay it's full of clichés, predictable in some places, the dialogs are funky sometimes.

But who cares?

If you have nothing to do on a saturday night and your boyfriend/girlfriend just dumped you this movie will get you right up! You've got good vibes coming from all over this movie.

The dancing scenes are really tight, the casting has been done beautifully especially casting Jessica Alba. God she likes shines of the screen.

Go and see this movie, it's fun...

Oh but there is one thing that I kept noticing. And that was that the movie resembles "Glitter" in so many ways. I see that the scriptwriter Kate Lanier worked on both projects.

The mood this movie creates is wonderful. I literally cried for this movie. I'm not someone who cries often, especially not because of movies, but this one moves me. Seeing both side of family love the boy so much. What pain it must be for them to lose him to someone else. Great plot and great cast, too, except for the father.

I got to see the movie " On Thin Ice" on the television in Cincinnati on Lifetime.. I must say the movie was really well done, and really sent a chill down my spine.. the basic story makes me ponder what makes certain addicts decide to move on where as others still remain addicted...

however, I felt that Diane Keaton was at her best... the scene where she has cravings, and begins rummaging her home for cocaine... was the best... the two boys are good, and Lynda Boyd also showed what a good actress she is....The script is well done as is the cinematography and direction.. and casting

A must must watch movie..... for everyone

This was a pretty good movie. Elvis starts out working on a boat but gets fired and works for the Hilton. Interesting story, that he used to be in a circus, but due to a tragedy no longer is with the circus. I like the way he has two love interests in this movie, one being Ursula Andress. It's cool the way he gets his confidence back.

I don't know about "Mangold the Auteur", and might need a bit more proof that this is really a director worth paying attention to, but this is a pretty watchable film. I found the story and film-making a bit predictable, like the usual bio-pic formula that you might expect if you've seen, say, coal miner's daughter, or any other bio-pic of someone you love. What makes this movie stand out is the two lead performances. Reese is unbelievably convincing as June Carter Cash. She almost disappears into the role. And her singing! Who knew???

And Joaquin! We've been waiting for him to deliver a really spectacular performance for some time, and this is finally it. I, for one, resisted the idea that ANYONE could portray the man in black, but he does a pretty fine job. Not just an impersonation, but actually a performance worth watching. Really fine.

Watch for the Jackson duet. Really awesome.

Yeah, it must be Darren Aronofsky, at it again. I'm certain I've just seen a brilliant piece of filmmaking, but at the same time I feel like I've just been run over by a convoy of trucks. It will be a while before I calm down enough to sleep, so here I am.

Not everyone is as big as of an Aronofsky's style as I am, but one thing that can't be denied is that he is great at working with actors. Ellen Burstyn, Mickey Rourke, and now Natalie Portman are all very accomplished actors who have found a new level and delivered transcendent performances under Aronofsky. In Black Swan, Natalie Portman's turn as Nina Sayers is, hands down, the best acting performance of 2010-- male or female. If you'll forgive the cliché, I completely forgot Nina was Natalie Portman about five minutes into the movie. As Nina goes deeper and deeper into her role as the Swan Queen, Portman only becomes more and more captivating. The entire cast is excellent, but Portman alone makes this movie a must-see.

Darren Aronofsky is at his boldest heading up Black Swan. His depiction of Nina's struggles as she succumbs to growing pressures from her director, her mother, her rivals, her physical ailments, her personal need for a perfect performance.. it is intense, thrilling, exhausting, and truly gripping throughout. Part of what makes it work is that we are completely along for the ride with Nina. We see what she sees, we experience what she experiences, and sometimes it is truly distressing stuff.

As great as the first 60-70 minutes are, man oh man, nothing can prepare you for the final 30. This finale takes you to places I can't even describe. I dare say it's on par with Requiem for a Dream's devastating third act. It's a masterfully crafted climax that only Aronofsky could deliver.

I am glad Aronofsky is able to do what he does. His brutal and uncompromising style is definitely not for everyone, and it's not box office gold, but for those viewers who connect with what he's doing, the experience is truly something special.

Normally i would dismiss this type of film as an arty farty snore feast, but the director has created a world with little dialogue and a questioning plot...i found myself questioning characters like no film before, and was awash with conflicting emotions of wanting to both mother Rapture (brilliantly played by Ruben Bonsie Shellman) and marry him!...the films soundtrack and visuals create an impressive doco drama canvas that perplexed me with it's subtle power...living in a city it's all street scape that is familiar yet distant, and Graffiti artist yielded a welcomed insight...after watching this brilliant film i found myself desperately wanting a hug and will always ponder the artist behind graffiti i encounter...please see.

In my opinion the movie didn't exist. This Animated version of the Streetfighter story is a zillion times as good. The characters are stronger and although there are quite a few of them they are all developed enough for us to sympathise/hate them. It seems as if the makers of this film paid extra attention to every area of production in order to make a film that couldn't possibly be improved upon. They almost succeeded.

Unfortunately I saw the "Americanised" version of the film which replaces an awesome musical score with grunge rock music and cuts out Chun Li's nudity before her fight with Vega.

Speaking of Vega, doesn't he remind of Jason Voorhees. He was definitely a cool character. They all were apart from M. Bison. He is the only fault the film has because for a central villain. He doesn't do much apart from stand statue still and say in a very deep (that MUST make him evil) voice that he is superior to everyone else and that they are all "weak pathetic fools" and that his henchmen must "seize them". Boring. It is such a shame that a great movie had such a lame villain.

But it's the set (?) pieces that make this film stand out from other Anime movies. The fight on the wing of the plane is ultra cool. Ken Masters is just driving thru the Pacific Northwest countryside when this huge plane comes out of nowhere and he is suddenly fighting M. Bison on top of it. The final battle outside Honda's shack in the mountains is also very cool. I reckon Honda is my fave character.

The ending was a little suspicion tho. Just what is the deal with that truck? Anyways, the Streetfighter franchise knows it's full potential and I recommend that you check out all of the DVDS that are available out there.

Aside from Jean Claude van Damme's traditionally wooden performance, this movie is quite entertaining - that's because it is planned as a funny spoof of fighting movies rather than a cruel beat'em up. This is also what the game on which it is based was originally all about - fun rather than violence, parody rather than blood. Unfortunately, the movie attracted mainly people who expected cruel, violent massacre and were angry not to see it - an audience obviously not high enough to see and appreciate dozens of little jokes scattered throughout the movie (there are some, which are quite obvious - such as the parody of Japanese monster movies from the 1950s - and others, which require a more careful look - such as the lovely scene with the drawing, a parody showing Bison as Hitler, with a similar "creative" ambition and similarly ridiculous results!). The script was apparently too good for most of the audience who expected more of a violent fight such as "Mortal Kombat the Movie" - which those people obviously liked more. However, unlike any other "fighting" films, this one you might show to your kids and people who dislike "fighter" films - that is because Street Fighter is a harmless fighting comedy rather than a violent fighting action feature.

I am proud to say this is one of my favorite comedies, and I normally don't even like the "American Pie" type of sex comedy. The humor is raunchy, but in a good-natured way, and all the actors look like they're having a blast. The odd thing is that there doesn't seem to be any real reason why it's taking place in the 50's, except maybe to get across the message that teenagers have always been, and always will be, horny. Also, to the people who say this is "dated"... you guys do realize it's taking place 30 years before it was made, right?

It's not the funniest movie you'll ever see, except for a few truly hysterical scenes, but you have to love the way it captures the fun irresponsibility of high school. I think a lot of people can relate to this no matter what generation they're from, making it a definite classic. My advice is to steer clear of the upcoming remake, which will undoubtedly be raunchier and ruder, but probably have ten times less heart.

Not much to it but a validation of small town values and the embracing of a mentally challenged young man into its heart.

I read some of the reviews and was surprised at some of the hostility it engendered. I felt Cuba Gooding handled the part with dignity and respect unlike Sean Penn's drooling fool portrayal in "I am Sam."

The fact that this is based on a true story makes it all the more heartwarming. Sports are taken seriously in small town high school America (and elsewhere, I suspect) and I felt the portrayal of these competitive students opening their hearts to one less fortunate rang true, at least for me.

The coach was never forced to choose between his daughter and Radio but rather came gently to the decision himself under Radio's loving and open ways. Very well done to all. 7 out of 10.

TRON: Legacy has been one of the most promoted films of the year. With a monstrous budget (around $200 million) and reports saying that Disney is worried that the film isn't tracking as well as they'd hoped, the initial thought process from these rumors is that the TRON sequel will open to a disappointing first place weekend much like the most recent Chronicles of Narnia film. As of this writing, I haven't gotten around to seeing the original film. I wanted to, but thanks to Disney it was pretty much pulled from every retail store imaginable whether you wanted to rent or purchase the film at least until next year. The urge to see TRON: Legacy didn't really sink in until around the time the third trailer was released. While the Daft Punk score has interested me from the beginning, TRON: Legacy just seemed like another overrated piece of eye candy that fan boys were getting excited about. The thing about first impressions though is that they always have the opportunity to be wrong.

The glorified TRON sequel is getting a lot of mixed reviews from most movie critics. The problem seems to lie within the way the film is written and its screenplay. To tell the truth, you don't see a movie like this for a great story alone. The special effects are the main attraction and boy, do they deliver. The way programs disintegrate when they're disposed of, the light cycle battles, airborne chases, and the many fight sequences in the film are just a small example of the dazzling display of some of the most exceptional and impressive special effects ever seen in a cinematic feature. As with most films that have been presented in 3D lately, the 3D effect probably isn't necessary to enjoy a film of this magnitude. It'll be just as entertaining if you save yourself the extra $4 and see it in a conventional theater.

The writing didn't seem as bothersome as much as other reports say. It certainly wasn't the best, but it seemed like enough to add just the right amount of depth to TRON: Legacy and give it more of a background than most films revolving around spectacular special effects. There were a few lines that bothered me. The main one being when Alan first visits Sam and Sam says something about his father probably either being dead or chilling in Costa Rica...or both. Wait, what? It just gives you this Weekend at Bernie's flashback with Bernie being replaced with Kevin Flynn's limp carcass. Some of the lines Jeff Bridges muttered just made him seem way too much like The Dude from The Big Lebowski, which seems awesome but really has no place in the TRON universe. Saying things like, "Check this out," or, "Radical, man," followed by that stoner laugh of his really didn't help matters much. The weak points of the way the film is written are rectified with the way the film never lets your attention out of its choke-hold. You'll be drawn to the screen the entire film; that's practically a guarantee. The right mindset for a film like this can make or break your opinion of the film. If you don't have inflated expectations and don't expect much more than impressive special effects, then you'll probably walk away pleasantly surprised. I actually had a similar mindset during Avatar, which seemed to also suffer/take advantage of groundbreaking special effects being more consuming than the story and had a similar result.

The cast is about as developed as can be expected. The real star of the film is Garrett Hedlund, who does a pretty decent job of carrying the film and being generally astonished that not only was his father alive but the extraordinary world he always talked about actually existed. Jeff Bridges' performance isn't nearly as strong as his portrayal of Rooster Cogburn in True Grit, but he does have his moments. He seems to shine during his reunion with Hedlund and his strongest scenes are with Hedlund alone while being rather flat the rest of the time. Olivia Wilde's Quorra is interesting, as well. There's an intriguing twist to her character, but her fascination and curiosity revolving around the world Sam is from is what gives her character heart. Michael Sheen did seem a bit too over the top at times as Castor, but that may have been the point. The biggest surprise was seeing Cillian Murphy cameo. Given his strong outings in films like Sunshine, Peacock, and Inception, it just left me wanting to see more of his character in future installments assuming this film does well enough to warrant a sequel (or sequels).

TRON: Legacy is certainly the special effects extravaganza it's been made out to be all year. Its fantastic effects certify the sequel as being the most visually appealing film of the year. While the writing of the film isn't quite as polished as the special effects, there certainly seems to be a good enough balance to keep the film afloat and deliver an extremely entertaining way to kill two hours. As far as eye candy goes, TRON: Legacy is an incredible and all around awesome experience.

Dougie, a less then mentally stable 9 year old, is heavily into a video game entitled 'Satan's Little Helper', so much so that when he spies a murderer in a devil costume he hardly bats an eye before asking to be his minion and asking if his new 'friend' can kill his sister's new boyfriend (Dougie wants to marry his sister himself, but that's neither here nor there). Things soon spiral horribly out of control, as they are apt to do in these scenarios.

I haven't been too kind to ol' Jeff Lieberman in the past, I haven't enjoyed his films since "Blue Sunshine" & have on one occasion even drew the ire of the man himself who wrote to me on here. But with that said, I have to give kudos to a film when I feel that it warrants them and I did find this film does just that. Yes it's silly, but it's still likable in it's own demented way (until it starts to lose steam a tad in the final act)

Joshua Annex steals the movie as the main baddie not even having to say a word, the rest of the cast, including a bizarre acting turn by Amanda Plummer, fare not so well (but again that's not a real slight against the film, as that's a small part of the charm) All in all it's a perfectly capable small black comedic horror film.

Eye Candy: Melisa McGregor shows T&A

My Grade: C+

Gamer takes place in the near future where video games and virtual chat rooms are, quite literally, a reality. Any human can control another in gaming environments. Kable seeks to regain his independence and freedom from the game, whilst hunting down the creator of the game.

Before I sat down to watch Gamer I knew I'd be torn on my ultimate decision. I genuinely don't know if I liked this movie or not. I can't say that it wasn't extremely entertaining, but I can't say that it's a thoroughly enjoyable film to watch.

Gamer features non-stop action from start to finish. Gerard Butler is fantastic as Kable, the star of one of the games and pulls off the action hero stereotype yet again. But Gamer, as a whole isn't completely satisfying. Many of the less action-filled scenes seem to either further confuse you or bore you. I wouldn't say this movie is as awful as it's made out to be in any way. The action is there and that's all the audience really wants. It's also all the movie offers. The sheer pace seems to be rushed, only to slow down close to the end to a fitting and entertaining ending.

Would I recommend it? Well that I'm not sure about. If you want the action, watch it. But if you want an interesting and multi-layered story, avoid at all costs.

Reading Iron Man 2's plot summary, things sound bleak for our characters. But not at all. This is a breezy, light-hearted, inoffensive affair that saunters at a magnetic pace, with emotional discomfiting a far thought. Which is pretty refreshing, to say the least. In fact, Iron Man 2 is the complete of antithesis of recent comic book movies. For one, it certainly isn't darker than its predecessor, absent its slow-burning first half and latched-on social commentary. It also gives itself the poetic license to stretch credulity. This is a movie about a man who flies around in metal suit, blasting away multicolored-haired Russians with electric whips. Realism simply doesn't apply, and thankfully director Jon Favreau and writer Justin Theroux take affectionate liberty with the bonds of belief. Yes, Ivan Vanko can secretly build super technology unbeknownst to his suppliers. And yes, the only way to incapacitate a drunken Tony is to beat the crap out of him in a Iron Man suit. No complaints here!

Iron Man 2 is also very much Iron Man's superior, although partly by default. The first movie was stuck with a pedantic origin story. However, the sequel had no shortage of possible paths to take. Which did it choose? The way you should always go; the road of characterization. Rather than tediously expand upon its universe, Iron Man 2 simply reprises its dramatis personae and sticks them into situations graver than before, upping the ante but reiterating the overall heart and spirit of its predecessor. The characters are well-etched, each snappy exchange rendered with a mature pathos that contrasts with the spurious scenarios that they feature in between of. Iron Man 2 could easily be called a comedy, but the naturalism of the comedy is seamless; you get the sense that it would be impossible to write this movie without having these vibrant characters joke and jeer.

To bring the clever screenplay to life is the phenomenal cast. Robert Downey, Jr., as always, is effortlessly captivating. Charisma defined and an scandalously unsung master of versatility (he's not just playing himself, people!), it's no breaking news that he's still one of the most watchable actors ever. He is the perfect Tony Stark, and a more-than-worthy representative of the thinking man's action star. His chemistry with Gwyneth Paltrow as the pragmatic Pepper Pots is electric, and she too turns in a fine performance. Wistful, but by no means a damsel in distress, she is probably the realest character.

The baddies, just as essential as the hero, don't disappoint either. Another wrong from last time round successfully remedied is the lack of genuinely menacing villains. Jeff Bridges honored us with his always-welcome presence in Iron Man, but his warm affability was anything but menacing. This time, however, Mickey Rourke and Sam Rockwell (oddly, both novices to blockbuster attention) are on duty, offering more than enough bang for your villainy buck. Rourke as Anton Vanko/"Whiplash", supplements a composite of the unintentionally hokey showman, supercilious mastermind, and the seemingly unstoppable behemoth. This effectively fends off one-noteness, and Rourke perfectly embodies the duality of Vanko's deceptively boorish visage and surprisingly vast intellect, while still indulging in the welcome irreverence that comes with the comic book villain (his Russian drawl is humorous but gives him an otherworldly conviction).

Rockwell, on the other hand, is flat-out comic relief as Stark's weaselly rival - though not necessarily a threatening one - Justin Hammer. He is excellent in the part; an absolute delight to watch, whether irascibly mugging in a loss for words with his insubordinate partner Vanko or, in one of the movie's best moments, shamelessly accolading his own (faulty) inventions with juvenile zeal.

Unfortunately, with all these characters butting heads for screen time, co-stars Don Cheadle and Scarlett Johansson as Tony's pal Colonel James "Rhodey" Rhodes and eventual partner War Machine and alluring temptress of a new assistant Natalie Rushman, respectively, are given the short straw. Both are more than able of carrying a scene, but while the script lavishes Tony with many moments in which to brood his way into some fine character development, and to convey Pepper's many grievances, neither supporting character is as lucky. Cheadle's moments of potential are all obstructed by the War Machine suit, and everything otherwise requires him to lucidly voice reason as a foil to the devil may care Tony. Johansson is a non-event, her Natalie Rushman an amoral nothing role, and her Black Widow guise is not so much daring femme fatale as listless sex symbol. She acts as merely a vessel for fan service, be it in her skintight suit for the general audience or that she represents another stepping stone to an Avengers movie for esoteric comic book fans.

The movie is inter cut between the scenes of terse characterization and octane action. The latter is a dizzying combination of rapid vicissitudes and toe-to-toe skirmishes, high on CGI, low on genuine peril. In fact, Iron Man 2 could quite possibly have been a masterpiece of the genre had it lived up to its first forty minutes of exuberance and intrigue. But once the clumsy pugilism of Iron Man and Whiplash takes place, the movie falls flat. The power play is nonexistent, because it's hard to believe anyone could stand a chance against ol' Shellhead. And if no sense of alarm can be conveyed when Iron Man is caught in an unusually melee showdown, the flight sequences leave no impression. Yes, the special effects are astounding, but it's all for nothing if there's no dramatic undercurrent.

Otherwise, please, don't mistake my raving for fanboy hyperbole; Iron Man 2 is great. It's well-written, well-acted, and simultaneously a loving throwback to comic book norm and a break from recent tradition.

If you aren't sure what to expect going into this think Rambo, only there are five Rambos instead of just one, and two of them know karate.

If you do have high expectations going in (as I did), you will start to wonder if perhaps this movie isn't going to be what you were expecting as you watch it. The first hour gives you the two 'big' cameos, which weren't worth the hype (or any hype for that matter), and an out of place Mickey Rourke emotional moment but not much else.

The real payoff comes in the last half hour or so of the movie which is a beautiful symphony of mindless violence, and more than makes up for the beginning.

Overall the movie seemed a little rushed as far as the story goes and I won't be surprised to see a extended cut when this comes out on DVD but it is a solid action movie and worth the watch. And hats off to Randy Couture who actually steals the movie a little bit during the big action scene at the end.

I had my fear going in, but it was all shattered. What a blast. This is a must-see for every MJ fan and even non-fans to understand why he was so popular and deserved every bit of the title King of the Pop. A consummate artist, a perfectionist, and a visionary. The film is overflowed with his energy, passion, and dedication. If the rehearsals could be this good and engaging, one could only imagine what the concerts would've been. His voice sometimes showed his age, but his dance moves were not, at all. Also the young female guitarist was not just good looking, but crazily good with the guitar as well. Smooth Criminal segment is probably my favorite, but they're all very excellent. I don't feel the film is exploiting his death in any way. It's simply paying the tribute and gives fans something they deserve to see.

"Resident Evil" was a smart and scary game. The darkness and the surprises were huge scare factors. In that famous game, you find yourself trapped in a mansion crawling with the undead because of a mistake made by the Umbrella Corporation.

Director Paul W.S. Anderson makes a fast, dark guilty pleasure of a film from this game with "Resident Evil".

Milla Jovovich is Alice, who wakes up in a creepy, poorly lit mansion at night in a remote forest. She has no memory of who she is or why she's here, but after a group of soldiers bursts in and takes her to a hidden lab underneath the mansion with them, she quickly begins to realize a terrible secret. She and the others find themselves locked in "The Hive", an enormous, elaborate underground structure that was sealed by the supercomputer controlling it. It soon becomes evident that an experiment called "The T-Virus" escaped into the air and killed everyone. But nobody really stayed dead. Now the remaining survivors must fight their way back out of The Hive before the door seals permanently... and at the same time they must contain the virus before it reaches the surface.

The film moves at a breakneck pace, with some elaborate sets and great cinematography that sets the dark mood well for this atmospheric sci-fi thriller.

The opening beach assault sequences were the most violent, realistic, and upsetting filming I've ever seen; looked as though the thing was actual combat footage. The shushing noises of rounds cutting through the air was the most chilling part of all. Perfect portrayal of the insane stupidity of war and the anguish of all who enter this most foolish of enterprises. A must see.

Being afforded a life of independent means can be a blessing in some regards, perhaps, but it can also be the definitive test of one's character. If one chooses to use such a situation toward altruistic ends, or at the very least a venture that can provide some personal fulfillment, it says something about who that person is. On the other hand, if one squanders the opportunity on a totally self-absorbed, shallow existence, it says even more. And while taking the latter path may provide some interesting moments, it's a cosmetically created, external bubble that serves no other purpose than covering up an empty life, and sooner or later-- to anyone with even a modicum of intelligence-- that bubble is bound to burst; and when it finally happens, when the wake-up call comes, how one responds to it is the ultimate test of character, which is what happens to a such a man in `About A Boy,' directed by Chris Weitz and Paul Weitz, and starring Hugh Grant.

As far as Will Freeman (Grant) is concerned, he has the perfect life; he lives comfortably, if not extravagantly, on the income provided by a certain kind of inheritance. On the surface, at least, he's happy. Admittedly, however, he's the very epitome of `shallow,' who makes a conscious and concerted effort at avoiding any commitment in relationships, or even attempting to accomplish or achieve anything at all. He merely takes from life, gives absolutely nothing back and has always been content with it. But of late, his relationships have become a bit `sticky.' Women are becoming too demanding, the break-ups too messy. He needs a new conquest, a relationship in which he can flex his shallowness anew, with a woman who will give him everything and demand nothing in return.

Fortuitous circumstances provide him with just what he's looking for; fortuitous, however, in a way he doesn't realize, as it leads to a relationship through which he encounters a young boy, Marcus (Nicholas Hoult). And it's a meeting that is destined to have an enormous impact on his life, as Marcus becomes the catalyst that changes Will's entire perspective. For the first time, Will begins to question who he is, and what he's doing-- or not doing-- with his life.

Telling this story (adapted for the screen by Peter Hedges and the Weitz brothers, from the novel by Nick Hornby) presented a challenge to the filmmakers, in that it's nothing really new; the history of the cinema is filled with stories of individual epiphanies, many along the same lines as this one (recently, `The Kid,' with Bruce Willis, for example). So a fresh approach and presentation, including the kind of performances they could extract from their actors, was essential for this film to attain any distinction whatsoever. Which it does, and splendidly. And, moreover, they succeed on all fronts. The screenplay is intelligent, and the characters-- especially Will and Marcus' mom, Fiona (Toni Collette)-- are convincingly well developed. With Will, there is no sudden leap into who he becomes by the end of the film; it comes though a gradual recognition and realization of who he is, after first establishing a starting point from which the character can grow. The same is true of Fiona. There's detours and set-backs which-- as in real life-- prevent a direct journey from point A to point B, and create the proverbial sticky wicket along the way. Weitz and Weitz set a good pace, and most importantly, manage to give their film some real heart without lapsing into any melodramatic, maudlin sentimentality. Rather, the sentiments and situations they express are real and believable, and presented in such a way as to afford the audience any number of elements to which they can genuinely relate.

As Will, Hugh Grant gives arguably his best performance ever. In some respects, Will is similar to other characters Grant has created (most notably Daniel in `Bridget Jones's Diary'), but there's a depth to Will he's never previously managed to achieve, and without question this is his most three-dimensional, fully developed character yet. Grant has a natural charm and a charismatic screen presence, but his presentation is often tinged with a bit of pretentiousness that is entirely absent here. He does an especially nice job of effecting Will's transition in very real and credible terms, and by the end, it's obvious that this is a side of Grant we have not seen before; with this role, he has effectively expanded his range as an actor. In the final analysis, it's a performance with real substance, and it makes Will a truly memorable character.

The young Hoult brings Marcus convincingly to life, as well, with an extremely natural performance, in which he commendably manages to avoid the trappings of stereotype into which this character could easily have fallen. Some credit must go to his directors, of course, but it's Hoult who makes it especially believable in the way he responds, for instance, to certain given situations that typically seem to evoke a particular reaction when being depicted on screen (his rather introspective response to the taunts of his school mates, for example; quite different than what is usually portrayed in film). And in their scenes together, Grant and Hoult strike a chord of reality that finally assures the overall success of this film.

The supporting cast includes Rachel Weisz (Rachel), Isabel Brook (Angie), Sharon Small (Christine), Victoria Smurfit (Suzie) and Nat Gastiain Tena (Ellie). Entertaining, as well as insightful, `About A Boy' gives a truly fresh perspective to an element of the human condition that has been explored before, but rarely as effectively. The Weitz Brothers make the subject of their film accessible to a wide audience, and in a way that is engaging and satisfying. This film is going to be a pleasant surprise to many who see it, in that it delivers a whole lot more than most would expect. And that's the magic of the movies.

I loved this movie. He appeared to have a great time with his part as Chandler Jarrell and he should never care about what the critics say, if he had fun doing it - and most of his audience enjoyed it! And, it WAS fun to watch as it combined some great fantasy tension with Mr. Murphy's great comedic style. You have to keep in mind that 'Golden Child' is a 'fantasy' film - just an imaginative work of magic and wonder amidst the 'real' world. During the time this film was released, I was working in a video rental store. This was one of the most popular with all our customers. Every single time, we put this one up on our monitor, ALL the copies we had went out fast with wait-list requests that kept it on the queue for months! Everyone who rented it loved it! I was the resident film critic and all my regular customers would ask my opinion before they rented - this was one of my favorites and I knew the taste of my customers so I highly recommended this one to most of them. I really feel that this film is a Sleeper - it may not have done too well at the box office - due to very poor marketing - but it hit a high in the video rental and purchase market later! (YES, I did buy this film for my own video library!). I adored the little boy who played the 'Golden Child' - J. L. Reate - but after looking at his profile in IMDb, I noticed that he never did any more films. That is sad, because he definitely had an on-screen aura and could have continued with a film career. I also adored Victor Wong, who played the Old Man (I LOVED him in his part as 'Egg Shen' in 'Big Trouble in Little China' - 1986). At any rate, this was a great film. The only drawbacks that didn't seem to fit with the theme were some of the parts that got a bit more 'adult' in nature - such as 'Chandler's rather sexual remarks about the serpent lady that was presented to him as a silhouette. It was funny, but it still was out of sync. OK, so there were a few suggestive gratuitous scenes - those were put in for the mind-set of the day perhaps. This was still an adventurous and escapist type of film which we do need today to get away from all the hard core reality and depressing fluff that we are hit with from Hollywood. Now that's Entertainment!

Now i've heard some mixed reactions to this movie, and I must say I don't think that. American Gangster is a perfect gangster film. A rise and fall film, but it is done better than both Empire and Carlito's Way put together. Where Empire fails, American Gangster prevails where historical accuracy is needed as well as a good background story. It's violent and sometimes shocking, but being an avid gangster/crime fan i know that compared to others this is almost nothing.

A brilliant biopic of New York gangster Frank Lucasm the film also utilises Lucas's relationship with the Italian Mafia perfectly, giving you almost a two way view of the city's underworld. Denzel Washington excels at the part as Lucas, and Russell Crowe as the cop out to get him is almost blinding. Crowe does a great American accent, as well as portraying a cop out to just do his job but can't properly. It's a a film about Lucas's rise to fame in New York's Heroin business, and his fall due to both Crowe and police persistence.

Like with most gangster films, you are always put off by either the acting or the story. But here this is not the case, you have a true story that does not mask Lucas's violent life but rather portrays it as a life of both murder and violence. It does not glamorise his life in any way, it's a film that says criminals never get away with what they've done. Both Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe are perfect in the criminal and cop relationship.

I would say now do not listen to the negative reviews of this film, they do no justice for the film. I'd recommend this film to fans of crime flicks and those who just want a riveting film to watch.

Mark Millar whom started out in the British Comic Book industry, writing for 2000AD and Sonic the Comic has become one of the biggest comic book writers around, writing for Marvel and DC with major characters like Spider-man, X-Men, Wolverine and Superman, before being able to create his own comics. His first film adaptation was the weak, dumbed down version of the Matrix, Wanted: but luckily Kick-Ass is a lot better.

Dave Lizewski (Aaron Johnson) is a typical New York teenager, who is a comic-book fan, and not in any particular group in High School. He is ignored by girls, including Katie (Lyndsy Fonseca), the girl he fancies. Dave however fantasises about what it would be like to be a superhero and he makes an effort to make it happen. After his first attempt at vigilante justice Dave ends up having a big accident and his nerve endings are damage. But this gives him a high pain threshold and after being videotaped fighting three men at once Dave becomes a internet sensation and his alter-ego, Kick-Ass is born. But Dave as Kick-Ass gets in over his head when he meets two real heroes, Big Daddy (Nicholas Cage), and his young girl Hit-Girl (Chloe Moretz), a brilliant martial artist and skilled assassin. Big Daddy sets out to bring down the crime lord Frank D'Amico (Mark Strong), taking down his organisation from the bottom up. As Kick-Ass Dave is brought into their violence world. As well as these superhero actives Dave has to hide his identity, whilst using his fame in the internet age to help people out through Myspace. He also finally get's Katie's attentions, but for all the wrong reasons.

The director Matthew Vaughn had been touted to direct comic book conversions before. He was offered the chance to do X-Men: The Last Stand but left because of the rushed production and weak script, and missed out on directing Thor when his script turned out would have cost too much. He has proved to be a skilled director, having done the great gangster film Layer Cake and the fun fantasy romp Stardust. With Kick-Ass he is able to make a stylist, colourful comic-book conversion. It is fast-paced, action-packed, violence and very funny throughout. Vaughn was able to make a live action comic, with stylist vision trick, compared to Ang Lee who tried and failed with Hulk. An excellent film in vain of Frank Miller films like Sin City and 300. Vaughn shows how an action sequence should be directed, with Hit-Girl and her wide range of weapons making excellent viewing. Vaughn made the film like a violence parody of Spider-man, following similar plot elements, scenes like Dave designing his costume, having a similar score and basically plays on wider superhero conventions. But this was a parody which pays tribute and respects the genre it's lampooning, not aiming for cheap laughs.

Aaron Johnson offers an excellent performance as Dave/Kick-Ass. He is like Tobey Maguire's Peter Parker, going through similar issues, using a voice-over throughout the film, and even sounds like Maguire. He is an actor with a bright future ahead of him. Vaughn is able to assemble a good supporting cast. Nicholas Cage is a known superhero fan and he missed out playing both Iron Man and Superman in the past. He is excellent as the man of action as Big Daddy, and is a deranged but loving father. He is one an important quest to take down Frank D'Amico. Mark Strong has been making headway in Hollywood recently, being in films like Body of Lies and Sherlock Holmes. He plays an effective villain, a gangster slowly becoming more violence and erratic because of the Kick-Ass phenomenon. He too is a deranged and loving father despite his business. But the real star out of the supporting actors is Chloe Moretz as the foul month 11-year-old assassin who is hard as nails, but also at times a sweet-natured girl and it is wonderfully played when the two characteristics are compared. She is one of the most fun characters in a film this year.

Kick-Ass is not perfect, and it will not cater to everyone's tastes, but it is easily one of the most fun films of 2010.

My first impression was "Gangsta flick with chicks." And, to some extent, that's what I got. But there was a lot more, and I was deeply impressed with the realism, with one exception. The exception comes near the end and I won't give it away, but it involves police officers taking shots at a suspect with a bus full of people in the background.

One of the recurring themes of this film is how innocence and good intentions can turn into a nightmarish reality.

A bank teller is confronted by a robber that she knows from childhood. She can hardly believe what is happening, and she doesn't react in the manner in which all bank tellers are trained. A hostage dies, and she loses her job. A slow reaction leads to a death, accusations, and the loss employment.

A bright young man gets a haircut that is identical to a robbery suspect's. The police surround him. He has a champagne bottle in his coat that he doesn't want to break and tries to pull it out. They think it is a gun. An innocent mistake leads to a death.

A loving mother can no longer afford a babysitter. She has to bring her child to work, and he gets into some cleaning supplies. A mother's good intention turns into a hospital trip and a custody battle.

There were other instances where one mistake led to dire consequences, but I found them all believable, and none of them gave me the impression of being mere vehicles to advance the plot.

I enjoyed some of the other representations of Life as it is. One being the inclusion of a lesbian (Latifa) in the cast without making a big deal out of it. Although exhibiting some stereotypical lesbian traits (denim overalls for example,) she wasn't overly "butch." And homosexuality wasn't used as a plot device to include nudity either. Speaking of which, the sex in the movie was pretty well done. When there was love, the sex was passionate. When Stony was doing it for money, she looked ready to burst into tears. For the most part, the sex came without nudity: disappointing in some ways, but adding credibility to the movie in others.

I did have a few problems with this movie. One is a failing that I see in many movies. When a character's friend or family member is killed, he or she expresses initial shock and pain, but later on exhibits no outward mental stress. There is also the "I would have done it differently" factor. I felt this a few times, the first being the opening scene where Frankie (Fox) is being held up. Or when Cleo (Latifa) is stealing get away cars and tossing the previous owner's CDs out the window. Both of these are cases in which one needs to move fast and do what is needed to move on. You don't have time to stare blankly at your old friend. You don't have time to select the proper driving ambience. But these flaws didn't take too much from the general feeling.

"This ain't no funeral parlor. This ain't the terrordome. Welcome to HELL mothaf*#%@!" In not too many words I want to express my respect for one of the most underrated horror movies of the 90s. Like The Twilight Zone it is a segmented film (although all directed by Rusty Cundieff) that spans across a good variety of horror genres. The real horrorshow here, though, is the domestic/racial issues against the black community. Cleverly (and without being preachy or offensive to white people), Cundieff disguised his agenda with rich characters and a bone chilling conclusion.

The HIGHPOINT of this movie for me is the film's proverbial ringleader- a funeral parlor director. The man, brilliantly and hilariously underplayed by a bug-eyed Clarence Williams III, finds a stack of drugs he wants to sell to three young hoods. As you watch you begin to wonder what eerie agenda he really has in store. These scenes tie all the vignettes together.

Also, the final segment is a very profound statement on gang violence (although beware, this is the preachiest segment). I like to call it A Clockwork Black because it applies Anthony Burgress's idea of reversing violence onto the offender onto a gang leader called Krazy K. Those K's in his name aren't a mistake either! Cundieff underlines a necessary argument about between black-on-black violence by comparing K to a neo nazi.

Like any memorable work of horror, Tales remembers to keep its monsters metaphorical. Police brutality, domestic violence, racial profiling, and gang violence are the most hideous creatures found here. I complement Rusty Cundieff on a job well done there. Excessive campiness and at-times generic camera work keep this from being great, but nothing stops its relevance in the genre.

This is one of the best horror movies I've ever seen. It may have been direct to video, but it was theater worthy. It has everything a great horror movie needs: a great plot, the wonderful and chilling music, the great acting, the amazing death sequences, and the villain Tony Reno (Alexis Arquette) gives the movie life. It deserves higher than viewers give it. If it were up to me, i'd put it in the top 250.

The first film is good, but it was too happy for me. The third is good, but really should have been a stand alone film. This is a more accurate version of King's story, including a ritual from the story that never made it into the first film.

If you want a good horror film, watch this. You'll be happy you did.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a film unlike any I've ever seen and probably ever will. A true epic that left me utterly speechless. It accomplished so much through such simplicity. Everything was top notch from the elegant directing to the subtly wonderful performances down to the magical score. The film demands you to feel not only for the death we witness, but for the incredible life we discover. It prays on the obvious morality issues we all deal with but also dangles the idea in front of us that everyone goes through the same joys and grievances, just not in the same way. This is a momentous tale that deserves nothing less than the title of brilliance.

This visually and emotionally rich movie recalls the life of a very peculiar man born in the early 20th century who ages backwards. His tale unfolds through a diary read by the daughter of his love, Daisy. Throughout life he goes through the same things we do, growing up and eventually growing old. He's a thoughtful observer, discovering life from all different angles. But it is not his life that makes him unique. His love is what makes him special. He spends a lifetime trying to understand how his love for Daisy works and still only gets a few incredible years really loving her. As their lives tell us, the years of frustration and hardship are all worth it if only for a few moments of happiness.

The direction in the film is almost flawless. Hopefully, Benjamin Button will garner David Fincher the recognition he deserves. He winds this clock so well and with such grace that the movie has this undeniable flow that is enjoyable from start to finish. At nearly 3 hours, there is not a minute wasted. Every shot is jaw dropping and while some will find issue with the time, it is used wisely.

The acting is also a thing of wonder. This is by far Brad Pitt's best performance. He is so believable and realistic throughout. His nuances are spot on and despite the heavy use of make-up and CGI used to portray his character, it is Pitt who makes Benjamin that much more curious.

I left the theater astonished that some one could review this movie badly. It is an extremely graceful depiction of life, love, and the things we lose. After so much anticipation I was certainly not disappointed. This movie is probably not for everyone though. It's not your average drama that spoon feeds it's audience their emotions. It is something of awe and astonishment, an absolute gem. What makes our lives memorable are the moments we never seem to grasp long enough before letting go. Life in itself is indeed very, very curious and Benjamin Button is no less of a wonder.

If you want an action film in which the hero has a personality, and the bad guy has an even better personality, take a look at Broken Arrow. John Woo's choreographed action is not as dramatic as the Matrix-clone films that are so common today. He is great at creating interesting relationships between heroes and villains, and this film is a good example.

John Travolta is terrific. Christian Slater breaks typecast by playing a nice, sane soldier doing his duty. The love interest isn't an idiotic supermodel playing a nuclear scientist or something, but a park ranger, also doing her duty. She is cute, earthy, and actually believable.

If you want a film that will repeat every aspect of every other military adventure film you have ever seen, you will be disappointed. If dialog bores you, skip this film. If you like action movies filmed entirely in parking garages and spooky allies, then you will not appreciate the settings in this film in America's majestic West.

John Woo knows, if anybody, how to make good, stylish action. And that's exactly what this film is; good, cool, stylish action. The plot is great; fairly psychological and quite interesting. It has a fast(and remarkably even) pace, I don't think more than 30 minutes passes at any point in the movie without a giant action scene. All in all, I'd guess there are about four or five major shootouts, and two chase scenes which are each several minutes long(without getting repetitive, fortunately). The acting is excellent; every single major part is well-played. John Travolta, Nicolas Cage, Joan Allen, Alessandro Nivola, Gina Gershon, Dominique Swain... all give great, entirely believable performances. The best are definitely Travolta and Cage, though; fantastic, truly stellar performances. The characters are all well-written and credible, right down to the most minor one. The action is cool and very stylish, in every single action-scene. The theme of the film is great; of course, the story is completely unlikely, with the face-switching and all, but once you get past that, once you suspend disbelief, you'll most likely enjoy the film thoroughly. The script is excellent, plenty of action, drama, and thriller parts. Also, you gotta love the sharp contrast 3/4's into the movie, with the kid listening to sugary pop-music, while people are shooting intensely at each other. Great film. I recommend it to any fan of John Woo, Nicholas Cage, John Travolta and action films.

I saw the movie last night and I really wanted to like it. My expectations for the movie had been going up and down ever since I heard it was being made. Some days I'd see something spectacular and some days I'd be disappointed.

Yet being the kind of fan I am, I had high hopes for this movie but in the end I was sorely disappointed.

While I love the Richard Donner movies I didn't like their sometimes campy nature or the changes they made to Superman's character and his powers.

Singer however chose to take the worst elements of the Donner movies and put them in his version.

While his Lex Luthor is slightly darker he's still nothing more than a shyster, a conman and a common criminal. He's no more intelligent than when Gene Hackman played him. Kevin Spacey does his best to play Luthor well but ultimately he falls victim to shoddy writing and unremarkable dialog.

His henchmen are more two dimensional than even comic book henchmen. Most of them literally have no dialog in the movie.

****SPOILERS AHEAD**** Kitty Kowalski is almost exactly the same character as Ms. Tesmacher. She seems to be as evil and cold as Lex Luthor but she proves to be just an underling who melts after seeing Superman in trouble and quite predictably betrays Luthor.

The biggest disappointment in the movie was Frank Langella as Perry White. I wasn't a huge fan of the over the top Perry White in the Donner movies but at least he had a soul. He was after all said and done, a veteran reporter who cared about the truth and a good story. Langella's Perry White is nothing but a corporate stooge. He wants everyone to concentrate on the Superman related stories because they sell papers even though every other paper is doing the same thing. He doesn't care about the real stories, the real mysteries like the black out and what Lex Luthor is up to now that he's out of prison.

The worst thing about Langella is that he's DULL! Some actors can be quiet and sober and yet have an undercurrent that lets you know that still waters run deep. Frank Langella is puddle.

Brandon Routh is not a bad actor. He's OK but again there is not a single memorable line in the whole movie. Not the actor's fault. His movements are clearly meant to look graceful, like even the slightest movement of his fingers effects the way he flies. But it still looks choreographed and artificial.

Lois Lane while badly written was surprisingly well acted by Kate Bosworth. Unfortunately, again, for a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and writer, she is about as eloquent as any teenage on Dawson's Creek.

James Marsden was my favorite actor in the whole movie, mostly because he looks more like Superman than even Routh. Without any superpowers he manages to figure out Lois Lane's message, flies a plane to the location, gets on board Luthor's yacht and rescues Lois and her son.

The only moving moment in the movie is when they are all trapped pantry as it is flooding with water and the ship is sinking. You see them slowly going being immersed in the water. You know Superman's going to come by at the last moment to rescue them but still you can't help but feel sorry for them.

As I said before the plot is very haphazard. Unlike Singer has said, this is not a movie about a superhero returning and trying to find his place in the world. As soon as he returns the world welcomes him back with open arms. Lois is the only one who's not happy to see him back. Even Luthor is happy to have Superman back because it gives him a chance to settle the score with the man of steel.

Superman is shown to be probably one of the dumbest heroes in the universe. A big green piece of meteorite is stolen from a museum, Lex Luthor is out of prison, he now has knowledge about Superman's powers and weaknesses, and yet he's still not able to connect the dots enough to know Luthor would be using kryptonite against him.

According to the movie the only thing Superman is good for is lifting really, really heavy things. The action sequences are all incredibly predictable.

A trailer for this movie made me think that it was going to be garbage. A year or more later I watched it on BET and I couldn't stop laughing.

This movie should not be taken seriously. It contains tons of jokes.
If you are bored and in need of a new comedy, this comes highly recommended.

It is definitely worth the time and you will not regret watching the movie. I want to high-five the creators of this movie and party with them.

"Spielberg loves the smell of sentiment in the morning. But sentiment at the expense of narrative honesty? Nobody should love that." - Lucius Shepard

"The Color Purple" takes place in the Deep South during the early 1900s, and tells the story of Celie and Nettie, two African American sisters. The film opens with the girls playing in a field of purple flowers, an idyllic haven which is promptly shattered by the appearance of their stepfather. This motif - innocence interrupted by men - permeates the entire film.

The film then launches into a series of short sequences. Celie is revealed to have been twice impregnated by her stepfather, gives birth in a dirty barn, has her newborn child taken away and is forced to marry a local widow named Albert Johnson, a violent oaf who rapes her repeatedly, forcing her to cook, clean and look after his children.

All these horrific scenes are given little screen time, and are instead surrounded by moments of pixie-dust cinematography, a meddlesome symphonic score, incongruous comedy and overly exuberant camera work. The cumulative effect is like the merging of a Disney cartoon and a rape movie, a jarring aesthetic which caused Stanley Kubrick to remark that "The Color Purple" made him so nauseated that he had to turn it off after ten minutes. Ten minutes? He lasted a long time.

The film is often said to deal which "racism", "sexism" and "black culture", but this is not true. Alice Walker, the author of the novel upon which the film is based, claims to be a bisexual but is actually a closet lesbian. Her book is a lesbian fantasy, a story of female liberation and self-discovery which paints men as violent brutes who stymie women. For Walker, the only way out of this maze is for women to bond together in a kind of lesbian utopia, black sisterhood and female independence celebrated.

Spielberg's film, however, re-frames Walker's story through the lens of comforting American mythologies. This is a film in which the salvific power of Christianity overcomes the natural cruelty of men. A film in which Albert finds himself in various ridiculous situations, moments of misplaced comedy inserted to make him look like a bumbling fool. A film in which all the characters are derived from racist minstrel shows, the cast comprised of lecherous men (always beaming with devilish smiles and toothy grins), stereotypical fat mammies, jazz bands and gospel choirs.

This is a film in which black people are naturally childlike, readily and happily accepting their social conditions. A film in which black people are over-sexed, carnal sensualists dominated by violent passions. A film in which poverty and class issues are entirely invisible (Albert lives in a huge house) and black men are completely inept. This is not the Old South, this is the Old South as derived from "Gone With The Wind", MGM Muscals, "Song of the South", Warner Cartoons, "Halleluha!" and banned Disney movies. In other words, it's the South as seen by a child raised on 50s TV. It's all so cartoonish, so racist in the way it reduces these human beings to one dimensional ethnic stereotypes, that black novelist Ishmael Reed famously likened it to a Nazi conspiracy.

Of course, in typical Spielberg fashion the film ends with family bonds being healed. This reconciliation was in Walker's novel, but Spielberg goes further by having every character in the story reconcile with their kin.

Beyond Walker's hate letter to black men and Spielberg's bizarre caricaturing of black life, we are shown nothing of the black community. We have only the vaguest ideas as to how any of these characters make a living and no insight into how they interact with others in their community. Instead, Spielberg's camera jumps about, desperately fighting for our attention (Celie's kitchen contraptions seem like they belong in a cartoon or "Home Alone" movie), every emotion over played, the director never stopping to just observe something or to allow a little bit of life to simply pass by. Couple this with Quincy Jones' ridiculously "white" music, and you have one of the strangest films in cinema history: an angry feminist tract filmed by a white Jew in the style of Disney and Griffith, scored by a black man trying to emulate John Williams.

Problematic too is the lack of white characters. Consider this: the men in this film aren't portrayed as being rough to each other, nor do they dominate women because they are brutalised by a racist society which reduces their manhood. No, they are cruel by nature. And the women, whether quietly suffering like Celie or rebellious and tough like her sister, persevere and survive only because the men are too stupid to destroy them. A better film would not have focused solely on the oppression of women as it occurs among the oppressed, rather, it would have shown that it is societal abuse which has led to spousal abuse, that enslaved black women are forced to perform the very same tasks as their male counterparts (whilst still fulfilling traditional female roles) and that African American domestic violence occurs largely because of economic factors, women unable to support themselves and their children alone.

And so there's a hidden ideology at work here. Late in the film one character tells another that since he didn't respect his wife, she wound up getting severely beaten and imprisoned by whites. The implication is that blacks need to return to their African roots to restore their own dignity and that it is their fault that whites unjustly crush them. ie- Respect one another in your poor minority community and you won't run afoul of the dominant white culture.

As good as the songs are, the movie is disappointing. I didn't really expect much from the story, usually in music films it acts merely as a backdrop against which to set a handful of songs. Purple Rain however tries to tell an intellectual story about one person's emotional conflict with himself and the world. Such a premise may work in a feature film drama, but not in a half-million dollar rock film with no actors or acting. Prince hardly even plays himself in this movie. Unlike Micheal Jackson in his short film 'Thriller', Prince is a bore. Even when he rocks out, he never really comes alive, and neither does the movie.

The Revolution is the hottest band on the block, until their star messes up the gig and reputation when he hooks up and breaks up with a local girl who is looking for work as a singer. During the first and second acts, Prince keeps rejecting a song idea proposed to him by his band mates, until his father dies one night, and in a moment of deep emotion, he writes a new song using the rejected lick and some of his father's piano compositions, and the song of course is Purple Rain. The build up to the climatic performance of this song is clever, but when we see it happen, it is a bit of a letdown. The whole scene is shot from one camera angle, and has no creativity to it. It is a touching moment though.

Ignoring all the controversy about Prince's wealth and ego problem (in reality), at his peak, he was one of the best. Having seen this movie however, I cannot help but think slightly less of him. The songs are good, but they don't save the movie.