My Favorite Movies

Night of the Living Dead opened the door for many zombie films that we now see today; films trying so hard to become or even overcome in sheer brilliance, camera angles and horror production. The difference between this film and so many others is it's development in a time where a film like this has never been viewed. In the sixties, no one had imagined a corpse returning to life to consume the flesh of a human being. Yes, zombies were introduced in the thirties, but they weren't cast as being cannibilistic as Romero's; they were pretty much harmless and were restrained by whoever commanded them (voodoo).

The low-budget screening and harrowing storyline describes a group of people lead by a level-headed African-American man, trapped in a house while the undead slowly try to make their way inside for their flesh. The groups insistent battling amongst eachother is made readily available to us and shows how their arguements are the defining straw that severs their chances. Romero exposes that to us and brings forth a hero in Ben (Duane Jones) that keeps a calm hand among the fears that are obviously afoot in the group. Judith O'Dea provides backup as the catatonic Barbara who has given up long before she even reaches the house in which everyone is holed up in. After her brother Johnny (Russell Streiner) dies at the beginning of the film, she becomes useless and only a hazard to herself and the other occupants.

For Romero to cast a character in such a manner is maybe my only complaint because the other two females had their emotions in check. I've always had a problem with females in cinema that couldn't keep their wits in control when faced with a dilemma. I know most women in the sixties were described as mentally unbalanced when in a crisis, but Romero shouldn't have capitalized on the subject. Maybe having her character killed off in the beginning shortly after she reaches the house would have been more pleasing. The film also recieved flak for being racist on having a strong black man as the central figure in the film, then showing him being shot, killed and then dragged to a burning smokestack at the end. While I don't believe Romero was going for that particular accusation, the ending of the film is bold and unpredictable; allowing the viewer's hopes to be crushed if they believed any chance of survival was in the characters future. This kind of direction was impressive because it gave the audience fear that if something like this ever happened, there is no telling if you'll likely survive the ordeal.

Dario Argento's Suspiria delivers everything in suspense and horror. I found myself glued to the screen from the dramatic intro, which has the music itself telling the tale. I believe the music is where all the horror lies; it is beautifully captured, unlike many horror films today that seem to have that one overbearing note that doesn't need to be there.

"It's useless to try and explain it to you. You wouldn't understand. It all seemed so absurd. So fantastic. All I can do is get away from here, as soon as possible."

You just need to watch it. I found myself drawn to red even more; it's generously displayed and brought to you in the truest art form.

A film that tackles realistic issues in the modern world in relationships, High Fidelity surrounds itself with the sound of good tunes, bigotry and fallouts with the other gender. John Cusack is perfect in his role as Rob Gordon, a man who never seems to change up his style and is still stuck in his adolescent mindset, in his view, was caused from failed relationships with women. When his recent girlfriend leaves him, this causes Rob to reminesce and look up his past girlfriends to find out what he was doing wrong that caused their breakup. High Fidelity is a rather intelligent, but pessimistic film with some insightful info on a foray of music artists associated with the plot. The character of Cusack is an elitist music addict with his own brand of extensive knowledge on the subject, making High Fidelity, a film full of sarcastic undertones.

When you think of Robert De Niro's best roles in films, only a select few come to mind almost instantly. Among those few, is his role as Travis Bickle of Taxi Driver, quite possibly his finest role to date. The sheer verocity of his portrayal as Bickle, stands among the elite in the acting world. De Niro makes the character of Bickle his own; inviting his twisted, delusional train of thought in with open arms. But, contrary to what some might believe, the character of Bickle has a mindset of good intentions; desiring peace and thinking himself as some sort of vigilante for it. Taxi Driver is a gritty and morbid look into the life of one particular man, just out for a leisurely stroll looking for justice and obtaining it with reckless accord.

The world around where Amelie (Le Fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain) centers itself is truly spellbinding in it's delivering of heartfelt emotions within it's viewers. The riveting storyline coupled by it's immense scenery of the beauty of Paris is mesmerizing and it allows the viewers to be enclosed in a soothing shell of light-hearted glamour. Audrey Tautou is beautiful as the protoganist Amelie, as she wanders around her hometown doing good deeds while being completely unselfish of her own desires. Her character emmits intelligence in her exploits, but when it comes to handling herself, she becomes confused and unable to comprehend her next move. My annoyance with that part is small, but her captivating smile completely eases the tension associated with that little quirk. Amelie (Le Fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain) is beautiful and richly detailed with colors that seem to be imagined only in our dreams and behind the curtains of realms that we wish existed in real life. To be able to walk into a world like this, splendid in it's expression, will be a dream come true.

Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho is undeniably the greatest psychological thriller ever made. Numerous slasher films have plagarized and added their own brand of flavor from this film. Most of them have become successful and spawned their own followers, while others should have been proof-read considerately. Whichever the case, Psycho leads a dedicated following with it's cinematography, dialogue, violin-esque soundtrack and memorable characters; which includes the ubiquitious Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins). With his boyish looks and keen eye, Perkins takes the character of Norman Bates to another level, and is the cause of envy for all the would-be slasher actors the world over. The beautiful Janet Leigh with her unforgettable and infamous shower scene still holds the torch for best kill even today. In all it's simplicity, no other death scene is more talked about than the one featured in Psycho. Hitchcock paints a rich visual of suspense and unorthodox screenplay, giving us a healthy dosage of uncompromising detail and obscure realisation. The world of Psycho is surrounded with creeping atmospheric mood-swings, commanding it's entry into the dark recesses of the human mind.

I'm a huge fan of gore films and Ichi The Killer expresses that rather profoundly. In other words, it's the XXX of the genre. Directer Takashi Miike doesn't hold back on it and brazenly distributes in a chaotic way. To first time viewers, the man on the cover is not Ichi, but Kakihara. Most of the film centers around him and his sado-masochistic nature. Where Ichi goes on his somewhat unconscious-like killing spree, Kakihara generally loves what he does to his victims and is aware of it. Sporting slits on the sides of his cheeks that are held closed by lip rings, he tortures and kills his way for answers. But, his true intentions lie on finding Ichi, and hoping he's the one person that can give him a just fight and death. Ichi's only drive in life is to get back at all the bullies he comes across. His character was kind of confusing and I found myself mad on some of the actions he took. He really didn't fit the persona of this "killer". The trauma he experienced when he was younger seriously took a toll on him and turned him into this coward that cried when confronted in an aggressive way. The complexity of Ichi The Killer starts to unravel at the end and will have most viewers watching it once more to figure it out. If you can't stomach the first ten minutes of the film, you might as well stop there.

Daughters of Darkness has that rich elegance to it's screenplay, rather beautiful and erotic in it's storytelling. Delphine Seyrig is amazing, she moves with such grace. I do love the way she carries herself and the manner in which she speaks, it's so hypnotizing. Andrea Rau's captivating presence can't be left out here, either. Daughters of Darkness is a grand achievement with provocative intentions; they don't make horror films like this anymore.

Any film that showcases the realistic nature of any culture, time, religion, person, to the extreme; is very high on my list as an absolute great film. Caligula is one such film, with it's obscenely graphic theme, storyline and maniacal characters; it provides a healthy dose of "questionable" scenes. Very harsh in it's depiction, Caligula showcases Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, in his sexual and perverse reign of Rome. This film does not skin any fat off the meat, it delivers it to you in whole. You will love, shy away, or hate it; I applaud it. For the full experience this film has to offer, watch the "Unrated" version; Tinto Brass is genius.

"They're coming to get you, Barbara. They're horny, Barbara. They've been dead a long time. Look! Look, there's one of them now," says Johnny (Bill Moseley); as he and his sister Barbara (Patricia Tallman) are attacked by a zombie while visiting their mother's gravesite. Johnny gets killed and Barbara is chased to a farmhouse where she encounters a couple of more zombies in and around the house. An African-American man named Ben (Tony Todd) comes to her rescue and dispatches the zombies and the two take shelter inside the house. They soon meet more survivors who have holed themselves up in the basement. Now it's a race against time as they try to find a set of keys to the gas pump before the overwhelming horde of zombies get to them.

This remake of the original Night of the Living Dead follows the same formula as the latter, but with some change of events towards the decisions the characters make throughout the film. The gore and creepy backdrop is raised up a notch and we're introduced to an array of different zombies that added the effect of helplessness to it's viewer. Tom Savini has imagination when it comes to horror and here is no different; each zombie sports it's own distinct characteristic on how they died (ex. an autopsy room zombie straight off the table, another with a heroin needle in it's arm). To this day, no other zombie film has had a more realistic take on the undead than Savini's remake. It was a shame that Savini was held back in the distribution of gore because of the MPAA and had to cut back on some scenes; in particular most of the head shots. In other words, this remake is somewhat tame in gore from Savini's other films. I, however, believe he did an amazing job on what he had to work with.

This film is the only solid telling that's almost equal to George A. Romero's black-and-white masterpiece. The soundtrack is also considerately better, with some choice samples of brooding chords that will strike up a chill almost immediately---the ending credits are a fine example of an excellent instrumental track. On top of that, the character that is Barbara was not as annoying as the version of Judith O'Dea's of the original film. Because the time of the release of the black-and-white version, women were looked upon as damsels-in-distress without any courageous attributes. It was great of Tom Savini to give the character of Barbara more brawn and killer instincts here. This remake, inspired by the godfather of zombie films, is a healthy dose of undead mayhem.

Many words come to mind when describing a film such as this; carefree, innocent, regal, beautiful, impeccable; but Roman Holiday wouldn't have been made possible if it wasn't for the two lead actors in Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck. The film introduces Hepburn in her first lead role as Ann, a princess longing for the freedom to do what she would like and doing just that, in rather reckless abandon. A chance encounter with Joe Bradley (Gregory Peck); an American reporter, at a street bench in her drug-induced stupor starts a heartfelt adventure between the two. Both characters hide their true identities from eachother and even when their adventure ends, still hold that secret until the final act of the film. There's a conservative and endearing atmosphere surrounding the city of Rome, displaying the generousity of it's people and the beauty of their city. The many panoramic shots of the city are captured in all it's ethereal glory, bringing out Roman Holiday to incredible new heights in the cinematic world. This film showcases what true filmmaking was all about in the fifties; well-written and so very captivating.

Audrey Hepburn and George Peppard put in some fantastic performances here. Breakfast at Tiffany's, with it's colorful, eccentric characters; has some well-written and stylistic dialogue, thanks in part to Truman Capote. Blake Edwards directs and casts his characters with such flair, that it brings Breakfast at Tiffany's to riveting heights. Audrey Hepburn's carefree nature lights up a film that wouldn't have it's charm if it wasn't for her. The film introduces New York City, lively and full of grace; having it's inhabitants charade among it's streets in lavish garments and inebriated stupor. Among them is Holly Golightly (Audrey Hepburn), living under a false name, owning a nameless cat and having commitment issues; all the while smoke-screening that disability with her urge for older rich gentlemen. In her malcontent daze, she meets Paul Varjak (George Peppard), a writer who moves in the upstairs apartment from her. They develop a quick and unorthodox friendship, that has the both of them intrigued with one another. Breakfast at Tiffany's is a gallant effort with a beautiful cast and smooth storyline.

Director Clive Barker is the master of his craft. Doug Bradley as the lead Cenobite, Pinhead, gave me nightmares as a child, so much in fact that I wanted to be him when I got older. Weird complex, huh? I'm rating this film from my nostalgia point of view as a child. Even now when I view this film, it still brings me back to my childhood sitting in front of the television wondering if this world Barker created was real or just an illusion. The creepy atmosphere surrounding Hellraiser is demanding of your fears, with the power of the film coming from it's characters; namely the Cenobites. These otherworldly beings were neither good nor evil, in which Pinhead stated, but explorers in the further regions of experience. They can either bring you pain or pleasure, it varies for many. This type of information makes you wonder on whether how much pain or what kind of pleasure these beings can introduce to you. But, the horror surrounding this film only shows the pain they dish out, so the pleasure part becomes irelevant. The lighting distributed gives you that spine-tingling feeling as the gore factor resonates the time of it's creation, being a bit dated, but still fantastic---Uncle Frank's resurrection being one of the standout scenes in the film. Hellraiser is a Pandora's Box-like tale of horrific proportions; the chills from this film are a welcomed treat. One of the best horror films Clive Barker ever directed.

"We just cut up our girlfriend with a chainsaw. Does that sound fine?"

Warning to the first time viewers of The Evil Dead series. Watch the first film ,The Evil Dead, before this and when you get to this one, skip past the first 7 minutes. They tell a completely different story from The Evil Dead. It's like it never took place. Ash (Bruce Campbell) is pretty indestructiable, even surviving going through a car front window into a tree. Then still have the energy to get up and run through the cabin and knock down a door while outrunning the evil chasing him. The gore factor has been updated and the comedy that was suspected in the first part is all over this one. The creepiness that made The Evil Dead so famous, has been taken down a notch. I guess the comedy thrown in was the problem. But, I'm not complaining. It still is a very entertaining film and a great addition in The Evil Dead series. I still can't get over the fact on how Ash always gets hit in the face with blood. A firehose amount of it too. The demons sure do have a sense of humor here.

Amazing performances from Harvey Keitel, Michael Madsen and the late Chris Penn; I've always enjoyed his characters in films. Steve Buscemi was quite loquacious in this film, but it wasn't to the point of lunacy. Even though, his character does make for some outrageous conversation. Reservoir Dogs screenplay has a downright personality complex, and shows us scenes in a discombobulated sense, leaving you in a state of confusion. But, what's great about that is it actually works for the film. Quentin Tarantino has always been an unorthodox director/actor, and Reservoir Dogs shows us that quite generously. Another thing that I enjoy about his directing is the choice of music he picks for his soundtracks; he has an ear for music. Reservoir Dogs is a well-written, dialogue driven ride of a film, that may not be interesting to those with a closed mind to cinema.

"At the birth of the sun and of his brother the moon, their mother died. So, the sun gave to the earth her body from which was to scream all life. And he drew forth from her breast the stars. Stars he threw into the night sky to remind them of her soul."

Michael Mann paints a rich picture on war, love and tragedy. The sight of beauty can make a man conquer anything and give him a cause to fight even harder in the face of certain death. Daniel Day-Lewis and Madeleine Stowe's love for eachother captivates this perfectly.

Not to leave out other characters of the movie, Magua, the rebel war captain of the Huron, has his own sad story which fuels his vengeance that blinds him of rational thought. Steven Waddington's jealous rage on Lewis and Stowe's love for eachother is also prominent. But, in time, his love for her actually turns out to be the most heroic scene in the movie when he gives his own life to save her from the Huron. The battle scenes are set in beautiful terrain, even on the final one in the wilderness. But, what really held the movie together was the music score. Without that, the movie wouldn't have had the gripping emotion that it did.

My favorite scene would have to be the final waterfall battle where Daniel Day-Lewis quiet mohican brother plowed through Huron men to try and save the younger sister of Stowe. The witnessing of his death also caused the younger sister to kill herself.

Vincent: "Jules, look. What happened this morning, man, I agree. It was peculiar. But, water into wine..I..I..

Jules: "All shapes and sizes, Vincent."

Vincent: "Don't fucking talk to me that way, man."

Jules: "If my answers frighten you, Vincent. Then you should cease asking scary questions."

Vincent: "I'm going to take a shit."

Favorite quote in this movie. Many memorable lines here, though. All star cast. Quentin Tarantino's finest.

The infamous Gecko brothers, Seth (George Clooney) and Richie (Quentin Tarantino), are on the run to Mexico, from the FBI and the Texas authorities, after a bank robbery that left several people dead. After stopping at a motel, they take Jacob Fuller (Harvey Keitel) and his two kids, Kate (Juliette Lewis) and Scott (Ernest Liu), hostage and force them along for the ride. When they finally cross the border, they arrive at a dive bar called the Titty Twister to meet up with Seth's contact, Carlos (Cheech Marin). Of course, this is no ordinary bar and they soon find out that it is a host for evil-looking vampire's who have been feeding on the bikers and truckers that roll through their territory for years now. From Dusk Till Dawn is probably Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino's best collaberation to date. The film is filled with sarcastic humor, excellent special effects and a phenomenal music score. The look of the demon's/vampire's are eerie and provide the best atmosphere to a film such as this. Nice dreary touches were included here and there to give the film that dying, inebriated look. Clooney is in top form here and pretty much takes control of the entire film. Salma Hayek as Satanico Pandemonium, played her most drop-dead, sexy role ever. Much like her character in Desperado, she seems to glide across the screen like a cloud. It's so mesmerising to see her move and she does a lot of that here. The film is also held up by it's incredible music score, which has Chicano Rock group Tito & Tarantula, bringing the notes like an ascending wave of pleasure. It all works so very well for the film, it's a shame that the next two releases never held up as good as this one.

Going into this film, I knew nothing of Frida Kahlo. Frida is quite provocative in it's storytelling and is lavish with colors straight from her pallette. Julie Taymor was correct on casting Salma Hayek for the role of Frida. Even with her healthy uni-brow, Hayek is ever beautiful. Maybe her most erotic film yet. Alfred Molina played a great role in Diego Rivera, Frida's womanizing husband. I also found his face to be a bit more feminine than Hayeks. Maybe it's just me, but I found their marriage to be a bit rushed. Then again, their illicit affairs with other people, especially Fridas', kind of made that part irrelevant. They even shared the same women. Their relationship was very open in the sexual department. I also found the imagination on Frida to be entertaining. Even when some of the animations randomly came on screen. Maybe some of the most captivating performances by the many actors gracing this film.

The soundtrack alone gives this film five stars, Brandon Lee is and will always be the only true character of The Crow. Alex Projas directs and paints an incredibley, sleek and stylized world within The Crow. It really is amazing how morbid everything seems to be, with characters having a menacing and perverse intentional background. The atmosphere surrounding each scene leaves a lot to the imagination, letting it's viewers build their own story as the film moves along. One scene that I really enjoyed was the "extended" guitar bit, with Brandon Lee atop a rooftop. The sheer simplicity of that riff, coupled with the brooding atmospheric mood, makes for a truly unforgettable scene. Sadly, this will be the final film Brandon Lee will ever be apart of, so there's sort of a sublime bubble surrounding The Crow. However you wish to look at it, this film is an example of excellent filmmaking.

Trainspotting centers around the addiction of heroin and how the users see the world while under the influence of this certain type of drug. It follows a group of young British men, and their exploits around their town, trying to survive and support their habit; and even come to cope with themselves. The pessimistic nature of Trainspotting adds to the backdrop of the storyline, giving off some rather realistic tones to a morbid tale. Contradiction sets in, bleeding out on all corners while revealing the dark recesses of the city of Edinburgh for the central characters. Even though, Trainspotting hits some serious corners in the society of the drug world, the film comes off as a tasteful look into the lives of the users involved. For a film to be this intense is superb and intriguing all at the same time. I was impressed on how Danny Boyle presented this film and the choosing of the actors displayed. Ewan McGregor and Robert Carlyle give some powerful performances which showcase their true acting ability; a diamond element in their roster of films. My loquacious persona can span on for decades on this film, but I'd rather cut it short and sweet; I'm still waiting for a baby to crawl on my cieling and wake me up out of my depersonalization trip.

From flirtacious dialogue, to sarcastic-like humor; comes a film based on a Elmore Leonard novel. Out Of Sight is such a sexy, cool, calm demeanor of a film and also one of the better performances from Jennifer Lopez. Don Cheadle also shines playing Maurice "Snoopy" Miller, a boxing enthusiast and rival inmate of Jack Foley (George Clooney), a down-on-his-luck bank robber. But, it's in Clooney where the film truly has it's strength. Charming and reckless Jack Foley, will not let anything get in his way of seeing Karen Sisco (Jennifer Lopez), a US Marshall he fell for while escaping prison and holding her hostage. I read somewhere that Sandra Bullock was going to play the part of Karen Sisco, but I'm glad she didn't; Lopez was perfect for it. Out Of Sight is a sleek and steamy ride down a gritty, opposites attract-filled road.

A mariachi continues to seek revenge on a druglord who murdered is lover. Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek heat up the screen in this outlandish shoot-em-up directed by Robert Rodriguez. Banderas charms his way through the ensuing madness as "El Mariachi" while carrying his trusty acoustic guitar case filled with an assortment of deadly weapons; all befitting his knock-around character quite remarkably.

A truly astonishing scene has Banderas jump backwards off a high building to the one below while shooting two henchmen and landing unscathed in the process. His character makes it seem like he does this kind of thing often. Salma Hayek is a dream and seems to take control of the film whenever scenes change in her favor (I wouldn't mind having a film solely based on her character). The soundtrack, with music from Los Lobos and Tito & Tarantula (some others as well, but these are the top musicians for myself), was an excellent choice by Rodriguez and carried the films plot in a rather mesmerizing way---we hear it again in From Dusk Till Dawn with Salma Hayek also taking center stage once more, literally.

Yes, most of the fight scenes come off as cartoonish in nature; screaming blind luck, but that's what you're going to get with a director like Robert Rodriguez. I mean, who doesn't enjoy a little over-the-top mayhem in their cinematic experiences? The film has that predictable essence where you know that the protagonist is going to come out of it alive, no matter how unorthodox his situation is. And with a film like Desperado, we're given front row seats to a wildly, entertaining thrill ride with tons of far-fetched near-falls and disposable bodies galore.

Desperado shot Banderas into Hollywood stardom, at the time, and it makes you wonder if the film would have been just as huge if original "El Mariachi" actor Carlos Gallardo (he also makes an appearance as Campa, one of two friends of "El Mariachi") helmed the role. Unfortunately, the following installment in the "Mexico Trilogy" was a failure and only threw Banderas out of the spotlight and into obscurity, strengthening the persona of Johnny Depp in the process (as if he needed it). Desperado was a grand achievement by Robert Rodriguez and the best film in the "Mexico Trilogy".

Truck driver Jack Burton (Kurt Russell) helps his friend Wang Chi (Dennis Dun), recover his fiancee Miao Yin (Suzee Pai) from the clutches of sorcerer Lo Pan (James Hong) and his gang the "Wing Kong". Because of her astonishing green eyes, Lo Pan needs Miao Yin to marry him in order for his curse to be lifted. Big Trouble in Little China might be a bit absurd in it's screenplay, but it's a hell of a lot of fun. The action doesn't let up and it begins almost instantly, immediately drawing you in. Director John Carpenter presented a film that was smooth, as well as incredibly witty. Kurt Russell, while being the sidekick to the character of Dennis Dun, siezed the whole film for himself. His character was immensely garrolous in his dialogue, spitting out one-liners after another. Dennis Dun decided to go the "Bruce Lee" route and only spoke when it was time to let out some buddha-like wisdom. Kim Cattrell, as Grace Law, was annoying as hell and needed less screentime than initially given to her. The battle between the "Chang Sing" and the "Wing Kong" at the beginning of the film was maybe my favorite scene, giving off colorful characters left and right. That scene encapsulated the whole film, bringing all the main characters together in a tidal wave of epic proportions. Big Trouble In Little China is a bold, outrageous and action-packed film that was a ahead of it's time in production.

Street Trash is a sleazy 80's dark horror comedy about bums who purchase and drink this liquer called Viper from a neighborhood liquer store for $1. Little do they know that this drink is like acid which turns them into multi-colored goo within seconds of their first sip. The gore effects are really quite impressive, but it's in the comedy where the film truly lies. Like I said before, it really is quite sleazy and offers some nude scenes, an almost shot of bum gangbang, some necrophilia and even some hot potato with a random bums dick which was chopped off by self proclaimed bum leader Bronson (Vic Noto) because he accidentally pissed on him. I found the shopping center scene with Burt (Clarenze Jarmon) quite hilarious when he has a verbal dispute with an old lady and a associate of the store about shoplifting meat out of the frozen food section. Street Trash doesn't really stay on the plot of the Viper liquer that much and offers short stories into the various characters throughout the film. It basically doesn't center around one specific character. Something that makes Street Trash stand out among the dark comedy genre.

A military truck loses a barrel of Trioxin that is opened by two young boys who release toxic gas, reanimating the dead. For some reason, the zombies in this film remind me of Michael Jackson's Thriller video (even having one look like him in the final segment of the film). I'm not saying that it's a bad thing, though. I believe the zombies on that mini-film were shot very well and captured the horror factor it was aiming to deliver. You also have some returning actors from The Return of the Living Dead in the graverobbers, James Karen and Thom Matthews. It would have been nice to cast two different actors in their place; just to change the film around a bit. They perished in the first film and to say "Part II" is pretty dim-witted. It's like the director was going for a series similiar to The Evil Dead; keeping the same numerals, but changing the introduction. Return of the Living Dead Part II upgraded on everything, giving us more laughs than on it's previous venture. The gore is still quite lively, as is the intelligence from the undead; giving us more personality when it comes to describing them. The zombie scenes were pretty chaotic and random providing added ingenuity in what they did---one having a ghoul stop to watch some girls do aerobics on TV and operating a vehicle, for example. The film is a vast improvement over the first part, dealing with more imaginative settings and a slew of colorful undead individuals.

Quite possibly one of the best performances by Kate Winslet. She plays an illiterate 36 year old woman named Hanna who has a relationship with a boy of 15 in Michael (David Kross). Their relationship starts fast upon their meeting after her seduction of young Michael. She becomes intrigued by him and has him read to her in exchange for sex. Deep feelings arise quickly, mostly with Michael, and then ends abruptly when Hanna gets a promotion at work at a desk. She leaves without notice for fear of anyone finding out about her illiteracy. How she managed to hide it all her 36 years is beyond me. Skip 10 years later, and Michael is now a law student at her murder trial of 300 Jewish women when she was an SS guard. Ralph Fiennes plays the older counterpart of Michael and pretty much the protagonist of the film. Even though Kross has equal screen time as well. The story leads you down an emotional ride with a tragedy of an outcome. The Reader had a lot of mixed reviews, most of them good, which I'm happy for. The way it was brilliantly captured and not as overbearing as one might think upon first glance of the film. And when I mean overbearing, I'm talking about the sex scenes. Controversial for the close minded, but if you look deeper you'll find a great romantic drama in The Reader.

One of the best roles from Emile Hirsch. He plays Christopher McCandless who right after graduating from uni, abandons his current life and possessions for the open road. To start anew and make his way to Alaska. Along the way he meets a colorful bunch of individuals who offer advice, shelter and even work. All the while he writes down everything he does and meets in a little journal. He also changes his identity to Alexander Supertramp, so not to be found by his family. Sean Penn directs a superb film in Into The Wild. From the captivating scenery to the lush storytelling and the unforgettable characters, Into The Wild is a story about survival, finding one's self and tragedy.

Planet of the Apes has the best makeup for a film of it's time. Even now, after all these years, I'm still impressed by it. The remake by Tim Burton was horrible and I wish he would of spent more time on it, considering his great film creations. Charlton Heston will be the only true Taylor. The same goes for the beautiful Linda Harrison as Zira, Taylors love interest. Her beauty captivated the screen and made Planet of the Apes all the better. The apes showcased some intelligence and also a fearful take on realisation of another civilization unlike their own. Much like humans who are dangerous when presented with something different. It makes no one better than the other. A formidable film, Planet of the Apes has maybe the best twist on an ending I've ever seen. The many sequels this film has spawned will never live up to this one.

A Clockwork Orange has got to be the best film Stanley Kubrick has directed. I know this might be a biased opinion considering this film is the better known of his roster, but I just can't get over the atmosphere surrounding it. The storyline is unorthodox, the dialogue careening on maniacial and hypnotic; hold the key to a worthy film with some unforgettable performances by its actors; mainly Malcolm McDowell. What am I saying, he IS A Clockwork Orange. I don't believe this film would have had the notoriety it had if it wasn't for him. The rather controversal take on how he approaches his films, is a benchmark for pyschopathic chivalry; it gets even better on the film Caligula. Kubrick offers us a visual escapade which can be formed in our own minds while leaving food for thought. The man is a genius when it comes to surrealistic cinema and A Clockwork Orange delivers with a royal flush from the deck.

Sean: Thought about what you said to me the other day, about my painting. Stayed up half the night thinking about it. Something occurred to me... fell into a deep peaceful sleep, and haven't thought about you since. Do you know what occurred to me?

Will: No.

Sean: You're just a kid, you don't have the faintest idea what you're talkin' about.

Will: Why thank you.

Sean: It's all right. You've never been out of Boston.

Will: Nope.

Sean: So if I asked you about art, you'd probably give me the skinny on every art book ever written. Michelangelo, you know a lot about him. Life's work, political aspirations, him and the pope, sexual orientations, the whole works, right? But I'll bet you can't tell me what it smells like in the Sistine Chapel. You've never actually stood there and looked up at that beautiful ceiling; seen that. If I ask you about women, you'd probably give me a syllabus about your personal favorites. You may have even been laid a few times. But you can't tell me what it feels like to wake up next to a woman and feel truly happy. You're a tough kid. And I'd ask you about war, you'd probably throw Shakespeare at me, right, "once more unto the breach dear friends." But you've never been near one. You've never held your best friend's head in your lap, watch him gasp his last breath looking to you for help. I'd ask you about love, you'd probably quote me a sonnet. But you've never looked at a woman and been totally vulnerable. Known someone that could level you with her eyes, feeling like God put an angel on earth just for you. Who could rescue you from the depths of hell. And you wouldn't know what it's like to be her angel, to have that love for her, be there forever, through anything, through cancer. And you wouldn't know about sleeping sitting up in the hospital room for two months, holding her hand, because the doctors could see in your eyes, that the terms "visiting hours" don't apply to you. You don't know about real loss, 'cause it only occurs when you've loved something more than you love yourself. And I doubt you've ever dared to love anybody that much. And look at you... I don't see an intelligent, confident man... I see a cocky, scared shitless kid. But you're a genius Will. No one denies that. No one could possibly understand the depths of you. But you presume to know everything about me because you saw a painting of mine, and you ripped my fucking life apart. You're an orphan right? You think I know the first thing about how hard your life has been, how you feel, who you are, because I read Oliver Twist? Does that encapsulate you? Personally... I don't give a shit about all that, because you know what, I can't learn anything from you, I can't read in some fuckin' book. Unless you want to talk about you, who you are. Then I'm fascinated. I'm in. But you don't want to do that do you sport? You're terrified of what you might say. Your move, chief.

Will Hunting (Matt Damon) is a genius, a prodigy, a tough guy who doesn't let anyone into his world. He hides behind his intelligence, which is quite advanced and rare, and his cocky attitude while working as a janitor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge. A very prestigious school, might I add. He has a problem with trusting people and being abandoned. He tends to get out before all that happens. Before he gets too comfortable and hurt again. Will has had a lot of run-ins with the law, but always got out of them because of his brilliance in the courtroom. All that comes to a halt when he strikes an officer and is sentenced to jail with a very high bond. He's given a way out by Professor Gerald Lambeau (Stellan Skarsgård) from the Institute he works at as a janitor. His offer is for Will to study mathematics with him and attend therapy. Will doesn't need therapy and belittles every therapist that is thrown at him until he is introduced to Sean Maguire (Robin Williams), an old friend of Lambeau's. Thus, we have the story of Good Will Hunting.

We have some amazing performances from each of the cast members in Robin Williams, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck taking center stage. Each one proves to the audience why they deserve the nominations and awards they were given. Good Will Hunting is chocked full of commanding presence and improvisional and encapsulating witt. I was taken back by the gritty atmosphere that Will and his friends call home and how Gus Van Sant displayed their comraderie with eachother. How they live in their own perfect world where no one can tell them differently except eachother.

The dialogue is intelligent and very diverse, even going into the unorthodox at times. Matt Damon and Minnie Driver show great chemistry together playing a couple very much in love and sharing a common thing in being orphans. They play off eachothers dialogue with such finesse as well as the pair of Damon and Williams. Even though Will is very book strong, Sean is intelligent in his own way because he lived life. They eventually learn off eachother and open up about personal tragedies in their life. And it's great how Damon and Williams portrayed that with such perfection. Good Will Hunting is a grand piece of work by Gus Van Sant and deserves all the praise it got.

Guy Ritchie returns with a double-crossing, bare-knuckle brawl of a film in Snatch, adding his brand of cartoonish elements to the script. The film seems like a continuation of Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, with a more polished atmosphere surrounding the film. Ritchie's Tarantino-style editing and dialogue-driven directing is on par in Snatch and delivers a more entertaining romp than his last release. Much like Tarantino, Ritchie can invent a world where everyone can have a piece of the pie, but only if you can outsmart the other guy into giving up his share. This leads to a very unpredictable aftermath, with some laugh-out-loud episodes in between the mayhem. I've always admired cinema with a fresh, witty script; which Ritchie presents in an array of finely-tuned characters and situations. While Brad Pitt is the supporting actor in this film, his character reminds me of a spoof Tyler Durden of Fight Club, he takes center stage as an Irish bare-knuckle boxing champion with an accent that is described as Pikey, or indecipherable. Vinnie Jones reprises his previous role with a sophisticated look, but still tough-as-nails and methodical. The protoganist in Jason Statham holds the key to the film with his laid-back, hardened swagger and savvy tongue. Snatch is another high-point in Guy Ritchie's career.

Natalie Portman's greatest role to date and what got me into her. I'm a fanboy, yes. I remember watching it around the time it came out. Amazing performance considering her age at filming. She handled it very well. A bit unorthodox, but mesmerizing at the same time how their relationship forms. Jean Reno is still the best hitman ever. The cunning and precise way his character takes out his victims is amazing to witness. Each victim that falls under his gun does not see him coming. He moves with such ease just the way a hitman should move. Not to leave out Gary Oldman and his maniacal drug-induced character. He played the perfect villian. A corrupt DEA officer who killed Mathilda's (Natalie Portman) family which started her into wanting to become a hitman or "cleaner". More precisely, the murder of her four-year-old brother.

The international version should be sought out and watched because it includes 23 minutes of additional footage not seen on the original. Léon (The Professional) is a powerful and engaging action film that should be seen at least once. You won't be disappointed.

A group of extra-terrestial space clowns crash land on Earth and start killing off people in a small community. There's nothing bad I have to say about Killer Klowns From Outer Space, it had everything you can ask for in a horror/comedy. Not many films can pull off what this film set out to do. I don't think Stephen Chiodo knew what he was making when he went into production of it. Killer Klowns From Outer Space was ahead of it's time on so many levels and I'm happy it wasn't re-made or had a sequel. It would have thrown off the entire vibe of the film. The dialogue was cheeky, fun and simplistic, with no need for improvement. The costumes were so realistic, falling into the realm of campy and horrifying, even the death scenes had that inventive feel. The menacing-like theme song by The Dickies, was just genius and ended one of the best late-eighties horror/comedy films ever.

Sabrina is a captivating story with three of the most cinematic iconic actors in history; Audrey Hepburn, Humphrey Bogart and William Holden. Beautiful settings, conservative, humor-filled dialogue and a heartfelt storyline that ensnares, rather that attracts. It's films such as this that I hold dear to my heart and I enjoy watching time and again. The fifties never looked better. Cheers to Audrey Hepburn for being a diamond.

Before I get into Bram Stoker's Dracula, I have to say this is the best vampire film created. Everything from the actors, screenplay, dialogue, soundtrack and film terrain, it held a degree of conservative, creepy atmospheric edge that has not been duplicated yet; and yes, other directers have tried to emulate this film. Even if they don't want to admit it, their attempts are not that subtle and just end up a contrived mess. It basically falls back to Bram Stoker's Dracula and it's incredible swirl of storytelling. Francis Ford Coppola delivers some of his finest directing here. Gary Oldman as Dracula brings forth a surrealistic display of acting unmatched in the vampire film genre. His character incorporates all angles of beauty, charm, and terror; enclosing him in a shell of monstruous proportions. Winona Ryder has this naive, child-like essence to her character that brings out her prey-like capabilities even more. She was perfect fodder for Oldman's character. Bram Stoker's Dracula has this innocent backdrop to it's story, which makes it all the more terrifying.

Who says Sylvester Stallone can't make a successful comedy film? Oscar, in my opinion, has to be one of Stallone's best films; right alongside Tango & Cash and the Rocky trilogy. This film combines exceptionally witty dialogue with a bright, colorful cast of characters. Each actor brings something to the table making Oscar a group effort. Not many films have the power to do that, forcing most of the actors to fade into the background. John Landis makes a firm statement, showing his sense of humor and providing a hilariously, stylistic film in Oscar.

Nada ("Rowdy" Roddy Piper) drifts into the city of Los Angeles and finds work as a construction worker, meeting a local worker in Frank (Keith David). Frank introduces him to a place shortly after, where he can bed down for the night and get some food. Nada soon starts to notice weird happenings across the street in a small church. After a riot by the local police, Nada goes to investigate the church and finds a box of sunglasses hidden away. When Nada dons a pair he begins to see the city and it's inhabitants for what they really are; aliens brain-washing the public eye with subliminal messaging in your TV, the magazines you read, the billboards you come across and the money we happily spend.

John Carpenter did not disappoint when he directed They Live (I see this more as a Sci-Fi Thriller than an actual horror film), and is also where "Rowdy" Roddy Piper does his best acting on. If you look closely at the props, you will notice a device from the film, Ghostbusters; no idea why that was included, though. But, it's the device that Egon uses to detect the celestial spirits they capture. They Live has an all-around great concept, surreal-like characters, interesting make-up effects and a long hand-to-hand fight scene between "Rowdy" Roddy Piper and Keith David. I wish they would have made a sequel to this film because the ending came off quite unpredictable; hinting on something more.

Boogie Nights, with it's endearing, yet provocative storyline; exemplifies a gritty and dark take on the seventies porn industry. Mixing phenomenal performances and grim themes, Boogie Nights left a lot to the imagination, while still being tasteful and exhibiting class. The film is divided into two parts; the light-hearted side, where the characters seemed completely oblivious to their eventual downfall; jovial and care-free in nature, and then the downward sprial into their drug dependencies; which is the morbid side. The characters were a mixture of colorful eccentrics, zany exhibitionists and beautiful adult entertainers; Heather Graham as Roller Girl being my favorite. A powerful and well-written film by Paul Thomas Anderson.

There is nothing bad I have to say about What Dreams May Come, except that I wish it was longer. No matter how many times I watch this film, it's like watching it for the first time; leaving me intrigued and astonished at the surrealism of it's atmosphere. A heartfelt storyline, beautiful panoramic shots and convincing characters; bring What Dreams May Come to riveting new heights. I'm not one for religion, but this is probably what I would imagine Heaven/Hell to be like; all with a stroke of a paintbrush.

The Man in the Iron Mask has the ability to stun it's viewers with it's engaging storyline and convincing characters. This film has some of the best acting I've seen from it's actors, namely John Malkovich and Leonardo DiCaprio. The passion that emits from them is truly a sight to behold. DiCaprio has a way of portraying two characters, showing his versatility as an actor. That's what makes him so good when he's involved in a film, he can stir up mixed emotions on what he does. One of the top films of the late-ninties and it still holds strong today.

Roger Zemeckis introduced a film which was ahead of it's time, I believe. Even today, Who Framed Roger Rabbit? can still hook you in with it's memorable animation and off-beat witty dialogue. Who doesn't love a good Looney Tunes cartoon. The great thing about this film is that the storyline never falls off track and keeps you entertained the whole way through. Granted, they should have fixed the rating because this film is loaded with situations that are not to subtle. But, that's what makes Who Framed Roger Rabbit? so captivating, in a rather disturbed kind of way. Is it weird to have a crush on Jessica Rabbit?

Fight Club has some of the healthiest dosage of dialogue displayed in a film; full of charismatic charm, colorful witt and delusional intent. Brad Pitt and Edward Norton are an extreme force when working together, and they bring Fight Club to life ever so vividly. The character of Edward Norton is so intense, he can survive a bullet to the neck, schizophrenia, Meat Loaf's gynecomastia and still watch the world crumble before him. Fight Club is a mind-bending piece of cinema, delicately woven together with incredible performances by it's actors and stylistic cinematography from directer David Fincher.

Sometime in the future, crime has taken hold of the city of Detroit while having most of it's populance victim's to poverty. Capitalizing off the city's downfall, mega-corporation Omni Consumer Products (OCP) decides to rid the city of it's police force and replace them with machines. Officer Alexander James Murphy (Peter Weller), is the first of these robotic replacements, after his murder in an abandoned warehouse by a few high-strung criminals led by Clarence J. Boddicker (Kurtwood Smith).
Robocop was one of the greatest sci-fi films in the eighties, surpassing Total Recall generously. The cinematography was top-notch, almost to the point of being ludicrous; and the characters were taut and ruthless individuals. The film encapsulates everything the eighties had in sci-fi filmmaking, and gives it to us in a rather colorful array of watercolors. The kill shot from the gun of Robocop is still the best I've seen from a weapon in any film.

This is a film perfectly written in dialogue and presentation, while having that degree of conservative undertone. Lolita, while emanating controversy, delivers in a rather classy way; while not being as vulgar as the story implies. The film comes off as a beautiful telling of a unorthodox story between two people; both with a huge gap on age. Jeremy Irons delivers what could be one of his best performances to date; expressing his versatility as an actor. The young Dominique Swain is sensual as she is vindictive, while gracing the screen with her angelic presence. The atmosphere surrounding the film gives off that innocent, but dangerous notion that everything is not what it seems; that what is going right will eventually come to an explosive conclusion. Lolita delivers it all in spades, while exhibiting the beauty and poise of it's storyline.

I remember growing up with this film and never tiring of it. Even now that I see it today, it still has that same effect on me. Val Kilmer plays a reckless, but talented swordsman named Madmartigan who always seems to get himself into trouble; but, he does have the charm and mindset to avoid even his most dangerous predicament. While held prisoner in a cage in the middle of nowhere, he happens upon some dwarfs on a journey with a daikini baby; or human. The leader of this group is an nelwyn called Willow (Warwick Davis); who was given the task to deliver the baby to the next daikini he sees. Obviously, the first daikini they come across is held prisoner in a cage; thus our story begins across a vast terrain filled with colorful characters and magical creatures from the mind of George Lucus. Willow will hook you with it's captivating storyline and amazing cinematography filled with such imagination; it's a first look into great storytelling. It would have been nice to see this film turn into a trilogy like Lord of the Rings.

Memoirs of a Geisha tells the tale of a girl who falls in love with a man as a child and keeps that love strong until she becomes an adult; all the while being the most sought after geisha in her country. Beautifully made. Seductively shot. Riveting characters. This describes the atmosphere surrounding a film such as this. The cinematography which envelops Memoirs of a Geisha is breathtaking and uncanny to the degree of a dream in which you wish not to wake from. I've always been intrigued by Asian civilization, from the history to the scenery; which shines in a multitude of colors like that of a rare jewel. Memoirs of a Geisha is an example of impeccable delivery in the cinematic world.

Clerks is garrulous in nature, with it's profound and witty dialogue. Kevin Smith arguably delivers his best film to date, considering the low budget of it's production. The film centers around two best friends who work right next to eachother; Dante (Brian O'Halloran) in a convenience store and Randall (Jeff Anderson) in a video store. When Dante is called in on his day off one morning, a series of colorful and catastrophic events take place; making Dante regret his showing up to work. Clerks is shot in a black and white sequence with various chapters indicating the change of mood the characters experience. It's a film filled with random moments, eccentric characters and sarcastic temperament; making Clerks a pointless, but worthy ride.

Stanley Kubrick directs a superb and methodical film in The Killing. Everything is impeccably executed, all the way until the grand finale. This Film Noir showcases how every other heist film got started and will forever be plagarized in execution. Sterling Hayden gives a hardened performance as the mastermind behind the heist, while the vindictive exploits of Marie Windsor stay true to the plot of things. Her character sharpens the edge to what should have been a full proof plan for the criminals involved. But, the irony of certain choices the characters make, define their carelessness of the job at hand. Kubrick finely tunes his settings and brings out his brilliance in directing. The Killing moved at a relatively fast pace, getting right into the focal point of the plot and leaving out all the filler material which would of caused the film to lag. It's nice to know not everything works out for the better, holding onto it's pessimistic temperament.

Another fine addition to the Dario Argento series, this time in Tenebre. Argento does a great job in casting actors with little emotion to what's going on around them. Most of the time it's a bad thing, but here it works perfectly. I do have one bad thing to say about this film, though. The part where Maria gets killed. She is running away from the killer and she throws the evidence she collected from the house at her assailant. I think that could of been left out, but her death did save that part of the movie for me. It's also nice to include some beautiful faces in the death scenes. Argento does have an eye for women. Another music score by Goblin, too. Perhaps my favorite one of all.

A handful of survivors hole up in a shopping mall and then plan a risky escape among it's overwhelming streets of the undead. What's scarier than a zombie? A running one that doesn't seem to get exhausted when chasing you. Imagine running away from one in an open field with nothing around you for miles (and I'm not talking about 28 Weeks Later, either). Even though, those anger-driven beings were frightening as hell, too. But being actually dead as opposed to having a "Rage" virus are two completely different things. Just the notion of having something dead chase you stirs feelings deep down that you never knew existed.

Even though the film strayed from Romero's original idea, the horrifying sense of being helpless is still ever-present. Here, the gore was all over the place and I'm surprised it wasn't dripping down the camera lenses of the crew's equipment, as well. Zach Snyder delivers some top-notch directing. His remake or "re-imagining" is more impressive, in terms of horror, with such a dark atmosphere. While the original had more depth (you actually felt for the characters when they died), this re-imagining had the action a lot more fast-pace; with jerky camera angles and brutal gore shots. Because of the abruptness of it's plot, the audience never really cares for any of the characters; there's a complete emotional void here. Because of that hole, the characters were distant and untrustworthy; some even obnoxious to the point of unbearability.

Unlike the original, where all characters were a tight circle, Zach Snyder's vision completely had them discombobulated. Where it might not bother me in other films (Day of the Dead), Dawn of the Dead needed that certain element to work and when you base your version off that film, emotion needs to be included. Zach Snyder's Dawn of the Dead might be "autopsy room" temperature, but it also delivers that air of utter helplessness and total uncertainty for life.

Four survivors of the zombie epidemic barricade themselves in a shopping mall surrounded by the undead outside its walls. Regarded by many as the best zombie film George A. Romero has made, I found it lacking in a couple of departments. Whereas, the gore here was intense, the zombies themselves didn't look as terrifying as in its counterparts; Night of the Living Dead and Day of the Dead.

The majority looked as if their death were from natural causes, as to the more vicious of the lot. I know it was better to imagine how these people died, but Savini could have worked a little harder on the makeup here (he did do a superb job in the ninety remake of the Night of the Living Dead, though). However, I would liked to have witnessed the undead more horrendous in appearance; violently, mind you. The bright red coloring that was prevalent on the blood was also a nice touch; it gave the film a good texture. Wikipedia states that there was some debate on the ending of this film. Romero was originally planning for both of the surviving characters, Francine (Gaylen Ross) and Peter (Ken Foree), to die by suicide, but that never took place. I'm glad Romero didn't go through with his original plan, it just wouldn't have been logical. What's the point of hiding out and even defending the place from raiders, if you're only going to give up at the end when you have a way to escape?

Dawn of the Dead, or Zombi internationally, is an artistic piece by one of the most original horror directors of our time in George A. Romero. The debauchery of modern consumerism is in full view here and shows us that amidst all the mayhem from the undead, we're still the cannibals of material possessions and our own worst enemy.

Ash (Ashleigh Southam), Morgan (Morgan Williams) and Johnny (Robert Faith) are three friends who are also the main survivors of a zombie apocalypse that has ravished the world. They spend their time playing video games and watching movies while moving from house to house whenever they tire of the one they're occupying. They eventually stumble upon Stef (Emily Paddon-Brown), a beautiful scientist, that has the knowledge of making an anti-zombie vaccine which she intends to deliver to a place called Stewart Island.

I knew I was going to like Last of the Living from the beginning. It did have that 28 Days Later with the hint of Dawn of the Dead feel to it; with the barren streets and the flash scenes of the city falling apart before the infestation. A much funnier version of Shaun of the Dead. The only fallback was director Logan McMillan couldn't make up his mind on if the undead should be slow moving or 28 Days Later-like. I even caught a glimpse of a zombie saying "Brains", like in Return of the Living Dead. However, it added to the comedy of the film with a case of flatulence to boot. I do hope they make a sequel to Last of the Living. This is low budget cinema that actually works.

Upon the opening credits, we witness a butcher surgically cutting off the skin of a dead man. In the span of two and half minutes we see the chopped limbs of many victims which begins the story of Train. Four American wrestlers are invited to a rave by one of their opponents. They sneak out of their hotel and bump into their assistant coach who gladly goes with them, upon a little blackmail by one of the wrestlers in Thora Birch. They end up staying all night and miss the train to Ukraine for their next match. They stumble upon their head coach at the station who verbally shouts at them, which prompts him to look for another train. They get approached by a woman who says her train would take them to Ukraine, so they gratefully agree and board. What they don't know is that this is no ordinary train and these are no ordinary passengers. They've fallen aboard a train, that holds doctors that prey on tourists and takes their organs to sell to the passengers who are actually patients. Train has some of the goriest scenes that capture every aspect of terror, torture and downright sadistic pleasure. At first I couldn't get into Thora Birch, but she puts on a impressive role halfway into the film that has me second guessing my opinion on her. Train offers the suspense and the hopeless feeling of knowing that you will never escape the horror that surrounds you. Something I take great pride in feeling when I watch a film such as this.

A wonderfully shot film by actor/director Mel Gibson. He captures the beauty and realism of the Central American jungle and it's Mesoamerican inhabitants. There's no grand CGI here, and it's not caked with big time actors. Every actor in Apocalypto is an unknown which makes it all the more realistic. What I love about Mel Gibson is his use with subtitles. The whole film is in Yucatec Maya dialogue. With that, it's easier for the viewer to follow along and get into the film. I actually prefer this with every film I watch. I always end up switching on the captions when I'm watching a film anyway. It just makes for a better experience. But, back to the topic on hand. Apocalypto was one big chase scene after another. It showcased some impressive fight sequences and a riveting plot. The gore had an edge to it that had me turning in my seat. There's a scene that shows Jaguar Paw (Rudy Youngblood) hiding in a tree from his pursuers and he notices a baby black panther on the same limb as him. Out from the opposite side comes the mother who chases him through the jungle. This symbolizes his ferocious and eager intent on protecting his own family as well. The attention to detail was fantastic. Even though Mel Gibson is the mind behind the film, it's in the cast that truly held Apocalypto together.

Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket was a defining war epic with some realistic screenplay. The edge he gave to the film was iconic and so very morbid, but I believe he should have included some more battles in the film. The first half while the characters were in boot camp, set up the perfect beginning and added that intensity which was expected to heighten going into the second half. It obviously started to lag in certain junctions, but not enough to effect the film. I was still thoroughly pleased with the outcome and with it's eccentric cast of characters. Kubrick knows how to pick his actors, making each one have some kind of psychological disorder. They were brazenly and robustly displayed with such hardened intensity; you actually felt their trials and tribulations going deeper into the film. Full Metal Jacket was one big battle; for the mind, body and your very soul. Stanley Kubrick brings it all out with such artistic merit.

First off, this isn't a zombie film; I made the mistake of thinking that myself upon first viewing of it many years ago. Honestly, the infected are actually a scarier version of a zombie because they can run, and with an exceptional amount of stamina. Throughout the film, I didn't notice any kind of consumption of flesh, only the killing rage of the infected. They have all the temperaments of a zombie; ie. complete lack of thought and only a blind sense of aggression towards those not like them, except they are actually alive with an advance stage of the Ebola virus. That, in my book, makes for a truly frightening experience. Danny Boyle delivers a morbid and realistic tale of a virus gone awry, consuming the world and leaving it's victims in a complete bloodlust. The cinematography is in such a brooding atmosphere, it feels like this epidemic can strike anytime; leaving you in constant wonder when it will happen. The camera angles are a sight to behold as they zoom in and out on the action sequences, this is where the true beauty of 28 Days Later lies.

This time around, Juan Carlos Fresnadillo takes up the directorial seat and brings his own vision for the sequel to 28 Days Later. He holds true and delivers a film that equally matches the prior with added imagination. The thrills are harder, the scares are in their own realm and the atmosphere teeters on horrifying and nightmarish. The technique in which 28 Weeks Later expresses itself, is nothing short of amazing while the intelligence that Fresnadillo signifies; gives his directing artistic radiance. It really is a joy to watch a film exceed it's efforts and top it's prequel. Let's just hope the next installment brings home that platinum status.

The Big Hit is just a well-rounded ride of a film. It mixes Hong Kong-style action sequences with some tongue-in-cheek dialogue and cartoonish situations. The film surfaced at the height of the Hong Kong exchange to the US, and blended it's own brand of action with an all-American cast. Mark Wahlberg played his usual nice guy routine, but with some added annoyance to his character. Lou Diamond Phillips and Bokeem Woodbine provided their own style of humor which propelled the film a bit more. The storyline took a backseat to it's character driven plot, almost being non-existant among the mayhem ensuing. The Big Hit was nothing special at the time of it's release, but it made for a worthy addition and provided that jovial feel to its genre.

Idle Hands works for fans into the slapstick comedy side of cinema; or spoofs. Taking it's storyline off Evil Dead 2 and mixing in parts of An American Werewolf in Paris; with the characters of Green and Henson coming back from the dead as one of the "undead" haunting their killer, Idle Hands is a product of imaginary pocus by Rodman Flender. The idea of a possessed hand killing it's victims in a rather unrealistic sort of way, comes off as contrived, but it works so well for the film; you can't help but be amused by it all. Seth Green, Elden Henson and Devon Sawa provide ample laughs throughout all the mayhem, you seem to forget it's a horror film at times. The laid-back approach to their roles relieves the tension associated with a film such as this. Most of the scenes are predictable, but they're welcoming to the point of distress. Vivica A. Fox was severely miscast and her dialogue was too childish compared to the other characters. I don't believe this film would have suffered if she was left out of the final cut. Idle Hands is a soundtrack driven type of film with a witty background to it's roster, it offers a fairly comfortable take in the horror genre.

Colin brings some added genuity to the zombie roster, surpassing most of it's peers; considering it's low budget and amatuer cinematography. Here we're introduced to one sole man who is bitten by a zombie and then eventually turns into one. The film follows his undead exploits through the streets of England as the chaos of his brethren go on a mindless killing assault. We're showed many gorish shots in a array of shaky camera movements; which in a way, compliments the film very much. Because of the films amatuer background, the shotty movements were needed to cover up the subtle mistakes of the filmmakers involved. But, that's not where the true power of the film lies, it's in the emotive storyline behind it. Over the course of the zombie protoganists journey, we come to sympathize with his ordeals; even when he meets his sister and mother. The character of Colin goes through the streets of madness and comes upon many live humans who are more inhuman than himself. We come to understand that nothing has really changed, live or undead; we're the source of all this chaos around us. Colin comes into perspective at the end and brings this emotional ride of a zombie film into full view.

Frank Zito (Joe Spinell) is a troubled man. His seclusion from the outside world has his mind in demented peril. He collects mannequins and uses the scalps from various women he kills to adorn their heads. He talks to them like they are part of his family. It's like he has two different people in him fighting to get out. Maniac! is a psychological thriller that is downright disturbing. Criticized immediately upon its release for being such an obscene slasher film, Maniac! bleeds red from many different angles. Maybe one of the best double barrell shotgun scenes I've ever seen is showcased brutally here. Tom Savini, famous makeup artist and actor for many horror films, makes a brief memorable cameo on the recieving end of it. It would of been nice to include the womans death as well. Joe Spinell is the perfect example of a modern day Jack The Ripper.

It's a first-class look into the harrowing aftermath of addiction. Requiem for a Dream is much more than a drug-induced film, it requires an eye for it's surrealistic display of haunting visuals. As the viewers go into it's downward spiral of a storyline, you can't help but feel sympathy for the characters as they struggle to find their place in life. Jared Leto leads an all-star cast as Harry, a heroin addict with big dreams of wealth. His girlfriend Marion (Jennifer Connelly) and good friend Tyrone (Marlon Wayans) are stuck in the same illusions of granduer, as well as Harry's mother, Sara (Ellen Burstyn). The film follows their rise and eventual fall from the products they've come to rely on. Taking things in moderation are put into the backburner and replaced with overconsumption and diluted thoughts. Requiem for a Dream is a film built on imagination, fine cinematography and a script with an underlining message.

The "jump cut" induced New Wave film Breathless is gloriously shot considering it's early-sixties release. In all it's simplicity, the film represents itself like a grand threatrical play complete with its effective narrative script. The English subtitles add that extra boost, hooking it's viewers into it's storyline. The cinematography is like a photography shoot, timed and careful upon delivery. Jean-Paul Belmondo with his envy for Humphrey Bogart, gives off his idols tough-guy, but charming demeanor with much grace. He has a cool, slick way of going about his business with style. Jean Seberg is a diamond. She doesn't even have to speak, but be as precious as can be and still shine on screen. Her elegance lights up the gloomy atmosphere surrounding Breathless. Jean-Luc Godard premiered a fine film in Breathless and even after all these years, still holds sway over the many films after it.

A more realistic take on addiction with heroin, we can see where the influence for the films Trainspotting and Drugstore Cowboy came to be. Jerry Schatzberg paints a perfect descent into depressive undertones when he molded the film which showcased Al Pacino in his youth. Pacino was perfect fodder for The Panic in Needle Park and it shows in his incredible ability to bring the character of Bobby out as his own. The addiction to heroin is no walk in the park and it's easy to succumb to the drug that has caused millions of OD's in the past forty years. Thankfully, I haven't been part of that particular movement, but I have had my own problems with other addictions while growing up. For a directer to bring out it's gritty and morbid nature with such precise cinematography is impressive and it shows in The Panic in Needle Park. The culminative ending to the film only adds to the addiction of the central characters to eachother and proves that through the thick of it all, they will always be the perfect match.

One of the most influential crime dramas in cinema history, The Godfather is a magnificent scope of epic storytelling by Francis Ford Coppola. Scene for scene, the film does not let up providing consistent detail on it's characters and storyline. Marlon Brando performs amazingly as Don Corleone, head of the Corleone family and current Godfather, until his attempted assasination by the hands of a mafia rival. Immediately after, eldest son Sonny (James Caan) goes on a hot-headed frenzy for justice. Around that time, the youngest son in Michael (Al Pacino) comes back to the household, demanding retribution and volunteering for the role of hitman, much to the dismay of his brothers. The successful killing of Don Corleone's attempted gunmen, has Michael flown off to another country until the heat of his actions clear up. Everything goes according to plan until more complications arise, which has Michael flown back to the states to take up his place as the true Godfather. Al Pacino delivers one of his greatest roles to date and shaped up his skills as the infamous actor he now is. After his critically acclaimed performance in The Panic in Needle Park, Coppola saw promise in Pacino to cast him as the future Godfather. His assumption worked out brilliantly and Pacino took the part to another level. The Godfather is exactly like it's dialogue entails, "An offer you can't refuse".

Fido is a fresh take on the many zombie films arising in the genre. Set in the fifties, zombies have taken hold of the population, which brought upon the "Zombie Wars" between the living and the dead. After all the dust had cleared, the world is introduced to a civilization where the dead can live among the living, but under the control of a mechanical dog collar fitted around their necks. The zombies are now under the control of an organization called ZomCom and are distributed among the people as slaves doing labor work for the community. In other words, the people of the community don't ever have to work as long as the zombies are safetly controlled with their leash. Fido has a dark side to it's story where the community may appear as a clean and sophisticated environment, but house some unorthodox citizens which fit their children with firearms at a certain age and consider a person over the age of sixty as "people that can't be trusted". Which in turn, are sent off to an old prison until they die and are turned into an undead worker for the organization known as ZomCom. The dialogue associated with the film is right on the level with Shawn of the Dead, with the gore toned down a notch to concentrate more on it's character driven script. The many unsubtle hints of the future becoming much like this if a case ever broke out in similiar fashion is in high risk. Then again, our chaotic and sadistic way of handling certain situations nowadays, is proof of our failing civilization already.

High Noon is all Gary Cooper's film, his courage and steadfast beliefs in justice are the strong point in the storyline. Will Kane (Gary Cooper) is a retired sheriff on the day of his marriage to the beautiful Amy (Grace Kelly). After the ceremony, the town recieves word on three individuals, part of Frank Miller's gang, arriving in town at the train station. Word on the street is that a showdown between them and Kane will ensue at the strike of noon. Immediately Kane and his bride leave town on the word of it's former sheriff, but halfway out of town, Kane decides to double back in hope of confronting Miller and his gang. His bride Amy soon goes into hysterics pleading with Kane to be done of the matter and run away with her from the town's problems. The predicament is that it's his problem and Miller wants him dead and will stop at nothing to achieve that; even following Kane to another town if need be. Kane decides to gather a posse of his own, to battle said gang, but many of the townfolk avoid problems with Miller and siding with Kane, except a select few. Even the few, soon think it's unavoidable and Miller will come out victorious in his battle with Kane. This leaves Kane alone to confront Miller and his gang without the help of anyone. High Noon is a courageous film with strong performances from it's actors and one of the best scripts to a Western film to date. The atmosphere leading up to the showdown is immense in it's display, bringing up feelings of restlessness until the mayhem begins. The character of Grace Kelly is nerve-racking and I wasn't pleased with the actions she took in the film. Having a film so full of cowardice with a lone man rising up and overcoming it all is magnificent. It makes for a truly glorious display of fine filmmaking.

What you have here are a couple of great actors, most notibly Ben Foster, Christian Bale and Russell Crowe; starring in an excellent western film. 3:10 to Yuma blends a riveting storyline, top notch acting and some fast paced gun fights. Ben Wade (Russell Crowe) can give Doc Holliday (Val Kilmer) of Tombstone a run for his money in the gun handling department. He shows some superior speed when taking out his victims here. The final battle at the station completely blew me away and made for a very good ending. It's also the heart of the film full of compassion and despair. More films need to incorporate these sort of elements. Unforgiven still holds the crown, though.

The horror of The Exorcist is as relevant today as it was at the time of it's release. Obviously, for a film to be as prevalent in it's shock value is amazing, considering the sophistication of that era. The audience didn't know a thing about true horror until The Exorcist was made and I commend William Friedkin on delivering a film that outshines the book it was based on. The characters displayed realistic intentions when it came to their parts and I was suprised on how Linda Blair handled her role, considering her age on production. When you blend great acting with a iconic horror script, you'll be presented with a film that deserves all the praise it got over the years. The many films The Exorcist has spawned seems like farces when compared to the beauty of said film. The overwhelming atmosphere of the film is sure to satisfy any horror enthusiast not knowing a thing about The Exorcist.

A hilarious and imaginary telling of six dwarfs and a boy on the run from the Supreme Being, the diety that created the universe. They have in their possession a map, which the Supreme Being wants back, in which they use to travel through time stealing their way through the ages. The film has religious elements in the way the dwarfs are angels which were tired of doing the bidding of the creator, and wanted to profit off their services, so they steal the map in order to achieve that. Terry Gilliam creates a magical world in the Time Bandits, giving his own take on Napoleon and his obsession with height because of his five foot stature, Robin Hood and his pompous, queerish way on handling his exploits; which has to be the funniest bit of the film, and the dwarfs taste of the Titanic's demise. The surrealism is astonishing and it captures the many glories of filmmaking at the time. The dialogue is fresh and full of witticism, while blending it's eccentric characters with a spellbinding storyline.

Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Marc Caro paint a glorious picture in The City of Lost Children, sort of like the Pied Piper of modern folklore. The film dabbles in visually stunning portraits of rich cinematography, with an array of psychadelic-induced hallucinogens surrounding it's wonderful pallette of colorful characters. Ron Perlman creates a landmark character as muscle-bound One, who speaks in the third person, searching frantically for his "little brother" who has been kidnapped by a diabolical scientist named Krank (Daniel Emilfork). With his sidekick in street-smart Crumb (Judith Vittet), they try and locate "little brother" in a dystopian-like futuristic city filled with odd townfolk and dream-like settings. The City of Lost Children taps into your inner thought and leaves you in it's surealistic state.

Wristcutters - A Love Story gives the impression that there's another world for suicides, provided they'll have to succumb to a dreary aftermath, much like our world, but with pastry skin. We're under the illusion of not really escaping anything, but working a dead-end job and living in an efficiency apartment. That's where the story surrounds itself: all suicides are taken to an opposite world, where it's bleak and depressive atmosphere is the only thing they wake up to every morning. There are no stars and the inhabitants don't smile, but they're treated to the same extra-curricular activites like their live counterparts. Considering the story is about suicide, a hard issue, it's somewhat optimistic in it's delivery. Even in death, you can find love and somehow beat the system if you know the right people. Wristcutters - A Love Story is off-beat, quirky and quite unconventional, but it's a warm film that has a happy-go-lucky ending.

Martin: Whole grained pancakes and an egg white omelet, please.
Waitress: What would you like in your omelet?
Martin: Nothing in the omelet. Nothing at all.
Waitress: Well, that's not technically an omelet.
Martin: Well, I don't want to get into a semantic arguement over it. I just want the protein. Alright?

Martin Blank (John Cusack) is a hired hitman attending his high school reunion. He's also trying to quit his profession and leave it all behind and make a life with his ex-girlfriend Debi (Minnie Driver). Obviously that won't do without his rival and fellow hitman Grocer (Dan Aykroyd) trying to take all the glory and Blank's final target for himself. Grosse Pointe Blank is arguably one of the better films of John Cusack's career. He offers his uncanny ability to take control of a film and bring it to new heights. The black comedy that is Grosse Pointe Blank crosses the boundary between post-noir and romantic fluff. It's a charming combination that works really well and gives the script a nudge into suprisingly brilliant territory.

The supernatural thriller that is The Sixth Sense is a frothy mixture of creepy overtones and suspenseful temperament. M. Night Shyamalan directs a chilling film that involves a young boy who is haunted by celestial spirits, or ghosts. He keeps it a secret from everyone, even his mother until a child psychologist takes the boy's case under his wing. While the psychologist handles his case, he can't escape his own failing marriage, which has him in a state of confusion. It all boils down to one shocking conclusion which gave new meaning to a clever twist in cinema. The film surrounded itself with a realistic quip about life after death, regarding how ghosts don't know they're dead nor can they see eachother, just what they want to see. Because of those details, The Sixth Sense is set above most films of it's genre for me, creating it's own frightful take on the supernatural realm. The particular ghosts that visit the young boy have all ended in horrible or murderous-like deaths, so we see young Cole frightened of the world around him, completely oblivious to the spirits true intentions. He doesn't want to know them, we don't want to know them, just that they somehow need to stop appearing in such a fashion. The simple shots of the ghosts in their violent state, is enough to raise even the smallest hair on our body, without being overly obnoxious with it's effects. This is the kind of environment that Shyamalan needs to re-visit again, keeping it tasteful and obscure.

Shane Meadows paints a gritty portrait in This Is England, giving his characters heart and substance. Based on his experiences as a youngster, the film depicts the English skinhead culture of the early-eighties. Where the idea of skinhead culture might be an ubiquitious subject for some, the film takes a moment to show the tender side to all the hate. The characters at first glance might seem reckless and violent in their escapades, but underneath all the tough-guy exteriors are a humble group with admiration, respect and love for one another. A unity, if you will. Meadows shows us that human emotion is bright and alive in all of us, with logical reasoning when presented a problem. This Is England doesn't base it's sole foundation on racism, but rather expands the mind to form our own conclusion. This is strong material by Meadows with a taut, well-written script to boot.

The haunted girl on the videotape tries to take control of a young boy by using her powers through him. Getting right back on track with Ringu, the film offers the same level of jolts with added insight on the first film. Where Rasen seemed to be walking into traffic blindly, Ringu 2 leaves out reckless intuitions for a patient thought. It paid off rather well and we're wisked away into the films bone-chilling environment. Ringu 2 brings back the directing abilities of Hideo Nakata and expands its plague of fear to the audience. The cinematography is rich in detail and arguably the better of the last two films. The visual effects by Hajime Matsumoto doesn't falter, but I found differences between Ringu, Rasen and this one. Where Ringu and Ringu 2 were quite stunning in visuals, Rasen felt like Mastsumoto was a bit hungover on production. (A bit of a long night, buddy?) Which is the reason why I'm thrilled about this film being so lush in presentation. Ringu 2 is back to the same formula that made Ringu shine so brightly.

A mysterious videotape dooms the viewer to death within seven days. A lone reporter and her ex-husband try to solve the curse that surrounds the videotape. Ringu is the inspiration behind the American version, The Ring, and is considerately better than the two. The film is filled with nice visuals of brooding atmospheric angles and haunting chords. The script is fresh in presentation and provides the right creepy setting to have its viewer feeling jittery as the scenes move forward. Asian horror has always been inventive and with Ringu, we're put into the drivers seat for one unsettling ride without any brakes to rely on. Hideo Nakata directs a frightening imaginary film that is bone-chilling in its story-telling and grand in its scope. The look of terror on the victims faces combined with the ubiquitious camera shots of their demise, is the driving stake through the heart. Ringu is the definition of true Asian horror.

A teenage girl gets infected by a demon after it attacks through her television set. This lone attack sets off an outbreak which infects the entire apartment complex that she lives in. It would have been more appropriate to continue off Demoni and still have the demon invasion going on. This new set-up that Bava and Argento threw together made no sense. I mean they had a good thing going with Demoni, so why wouldn't they continue off that storyline? I guess it was the norm in eighties horror (ex. Return Of The Living Dead, Evil Dead), which includes having returning actors, as well. The pimp in Demoni, who took over leadership abilities, is now an exercise instructor; ironically taking command once more and securing the garage area.

The characters involved in this plot have actual intelligence (well, they prove to be more helpful), compared to the ones in Demoni; plus fewer nervous breakdowns among the females. Sometimes a few dumb characters are needed for cannon fodder, but if it's the whole damn cast, then we have a problem. We don't need a lot of extras running around the set. The make-up effects were amazing and better presented than on the last film; tops came from the demon child who took command of the horror with his face alone.

Eighties horror can be corny, but when it wants to provide the right amount of jolts, it will be generous with them. Although, the gremlin that came out of the child's body was pushing it a bit. And what's a demon film without it's heroic Ash-like character, who coincidentally, is named George (David Edwin Knight); it's like these guys are undercover green berets or something. Demoni 2 was made for only one purpose in mind, to be absolutely grotesque in it's delivery.

After recieving tickets to a new horror film being screened, one of the filmgoers gets scratched by a mysterious mask, which inevitably, causes a chain event that leads to the majority of the theater being possessed by demons. Even though Demoni offered some class gore effects and an interesting storyline, it had it's flaws (then again, you can't blame the film, it was the eighties). One in particular I would like to point out was the case between Cheryl (Natasha Hovey) and George (Urbano Barberini); who ended up being this katana-wielding lethal-weapon out of nowhere (Jesus Christ, Ash). George was somehow clawed in his motorcycle massacre against the demons, but never turned like the others; this fucking guy couldn't have been immune. Then we have Cheryl, who wasn't injured at all; eventually turning at the end. Yes, spoils galore right here; which I had to point out. But, as I said before, it was the eighties and Demoni was a damn good horror product of that era with a crushing soundtrack.

The beauty that emanates from The Last Samurai is exquisite; having an almost poetic-like delivery when describing it's storyline. The lush scenery coupled with the film's grandiose battle scenes bring order to war epics that seem to sometimes have that missing trait in it's plot. Most film's of this nature concentrate on how vicious it can be in the battle element of their storyline, completely lacking the emotional beauty that stirs the audience. I'm not saying war is a good thing, but when it is displayed in grand proportions, some feeling has to be involved. Braveheart had that emotion within battle, as well as The Patriot, Gladiator and director Edward Zwick's early film Glory. While I do admire the film Saving Private Ryan, the depth of it's being was a disappointment and was covered up with a robust shading of red. The Last Samurai is a piece of sculpted art that keeps a very strong presence throughout it's scenes.

Nathan Algren (Tom Cruise) is an alcoholic American veteranwho fought alongside General Custard in the Civil War as well as the Indian Wars. He is plagued by nightmares of the slaughter of Indians in which he was forced to do by Lieutenant Colonel Bagley (Tony Goldwyn). Algren is given an offer to train the Imperial Japanese Army by businessman Mr. Omura (Masato Harada), something he reluctantly accepts. The country is in the middle of a civil change with the government looking to adapt a more Western-style approach in their life. This does not sit well with it's opposing faction in the Samurai, lead by Katsumoto (Ken Watanabe), who decide to make a stand and stop the change of the countries old ways. In the midst of a battle with the Samurai, Algren is taken prisoner and kept at the village of his captors until the Winter has ended. Through the course of his capture, Algren goes through a relapse of his battles with the Indians and gets over his alcoholism, cleansing more than his body, but also his scarred state of mind.

Tom Cruise put in the most compelling performance of his career, completely changing my outlook of his acting. I was not part of the "Tom Cruise" craze that was sweeping the globe and thought of his acting as only just a chance to show off his smile. The Last Samurai was the defining moment for me on looking towards Cruise as true Golden Globe material. Ken Watanabe was also a monster contribution on how the film turned out. His disciplined temperament and poetic-tongue proved a focal point in The Last Samurai. A film such as this needed it's actors determination for it to shine and we had glorious standout performances by all that were involved. The vitality of the film is superb and a massive example of how great storytelling should be told in cinema.

A biopic about martial arts master Ip Man, renowned for introducing Wing Chun to the masses while also being a future teacher to the late Bruce Lee. Ip Man has to be one of the best martial arts films to ever come out in the last decade, with stunning choreography and some heartfelt performances from its cast. Donnie Yen depicts some great athletic ability while performing the films choreography. Coming into this film, I knew nothing about the man, but he put on an exceptional showing; taking the role of Ip Man as his own while adding his own dynamic flair.

The story revolves around wealthy Master Ip Man (Donnie Yen), while living in Foshon in the thirties, had a relatively humble life with his wife and young son. Various schools around town taught their own brand of martial arts with the masters challenging Ip Man periodically for the title of most skilled martial artist in the land. After their defeat, in a quiet setting in his home, Ip Man would hush their battle, so the defeated masters may go about their lives without any disgrace among their pupils. One day a Northern master, Jin Shanzhao (Fan Siu-wong) and his gang comes calling, providing his own brand of skills and defeating every master in the village in a single day. Ip Man is challenged soon after and easily dispatches his opponent, further heightening is notoriety with the people. The Japanese Invasion soon arrives and changes the villagers life, while also taking over Ip Man's expensive home to use as their own headquarters. It is here we find the townspeople and Ip Man forced to work in a coal mine to support their families, including being asked to fight the Japanese one-on-one for a bag of rice.

Yen's calm and collective nature, accompanied with a warm smile, brings a rather cobra-like temperament to his character. Ip Chun, eldest son of Ip Man, among others; provided some consulting to the direction of the film and its choreography. Yen took it upon himself to live the life of Ip Man, even off-set, as to completely memorise traits of Wing Chun. Because of his steadfast determination to his role, Yen pulls off a mighty impressive show; which eagerly threw him into the slot of "one of my favorite martial artists". With its engaging storyline, Ip Man leads the way into mesmorizing martial arts cinema.

A recently widowed Korean War veteran befriends a young Hmong boy who tried to steal his beloved 1972 Ford Gran Torino in a gang initiation. Clint Eastwood stars, directs and produces a spectacular film in Gran Torino. The film is filled with massive storytelling that captures Eastwood in his final and most glorious performance. His character is hardened and intimidating, not backing down from any challenge that is thrown his way. He walks across the screen with a battle-weary scowl, commanding attention and gaining it with personal flair.

Gran Torino encapsulates sheer determination in a man trying to do what's right, even though what he decides can have some dire consequences on those around him. The friendship he gains from those he despises change his outlook on life and gives his character a sense of peace, something he's been searching for and finding in the most unlikely place.

Clint Eastwood gives his character a rough-edge, trying to force his audience to dislike him in the first segment of the film, throwing colorful racist obscenities every chance he gets to each minority that comes along; especially to a Hmong family that live next door to him. All of this we are forced to take in, but the effect he was going for doesn't work and we're left with Clint Eastwood; a predictable type-of-guy that gives hard lessons, but sympathizes in the end. Predictability can sometimes be tiresome when it's a constant thing in cinema, but with a man like Eastwood, he shows it with such grace and endearing sentiment.

The last half of the film is maybe the strongest, in which, we are presented with the character of Eastwood's reckless temperament. It results in a final showdown between the protagonist and his true destiny that will describe the kind of man his character really is. Only Clint Eastwood can pull this type of role off and he does it with such finesse that you wish his run in cinema won't ever come to an end.

Facebook has grown considerably larger since it's inception in 2003 (I didn't get into the site until early 2009). I was thoroughly into Myspace, since late 2004, so I wasn't involved in the craze that was Mark Zuckerberg's creation. I knew nothing about Facebook's creator until I saw this film. On first glance, The Social Network looked nothing like I thought it would have, it was tightly-woven and intellectually crafted by David Fincher.

The film describes Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) as an untolerable "asshole" by his recent girlfriend Erica Albright (Rooney Mara), who dumps him at the beginning of the film. It's at this point we are shoved into the mind of Zuckerberg and his angry rant about Albright on his LiveJournal account. He instantly hacks into the Harvard database and compiles a list of females around the area and puts them on a website he created called FaceMash; a site where male students can rate female students on appearance. Zuckerberg recieves six months of academic probation and is shunned by the many females of the university. Soon after, Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss (played by the same actor, Armie Hammer) approach Zuckerberg about an idea called the Harvard Connection. Zuckerberg agrees to help out, but starts in on his own project called "Thefacebook" with his best friend Eduardo Savarin (Andrew Garfield), who puts up his own money to get the project running. Over the course of the film, Zuckerberg deals with two lawsuits: one from his best friend Eduardo Savarin and the other coming from the Winklevoss twins for theft of their idea.

Director David Fincher is quite impressive and portrays a wonderfully crafted and focused film. His shots are engaging and the writing of Aaron Sorkin is in top form here. But, the main focus in the film belongs to Jesse Eisenberg, who put in a performance that set him apart from that venture he's taken in previous titles shadowing Michael Cera. The Social Network was a big stepping stone for him and threw Eisenberg into a new pantheon of acting. The intelligence he displayed while acting his character out was amazing; carrying the film with a smile and an anchor upon his shoulders. The Social Network is a prime piece of a film: incredibly smooth, witty and with a dark structure; cleverly written.

The Fighter surrounds itself with an ensemble cast with powerhouses Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale leading the pack. "Irish" Micky Ward (Mark Wahlberg) is trying to get out of the shadow of his older half-brother and trainer Dicky Eklund (Christian Bale), who is gleaming off his past fight with Sugar Ray Leonard. Ward is thrown into low-card fights, unlike Eklund, who is the pride of their hometown for his past accomplishments while also battling a drug addiction. After Eklunds incarceration, Ward starts to build a name for himself with new management and a fast determination, which ultimately pays off in his favor. The Fighter is filled with more than just battles amongst the in-ring participants, it's a battle between family and independence to stand on one's own. Mark Wahlberg brings an undeniably strong presence to his role and breathes heart into his character Micky Ward. Over the years, Wahlberg has taken on so many roles and has gotten better as an actor, but with The Fighter, it has paid off enormously. The same can be said about Christian Bale, who; like on The Machinist, sheds the weight once more to put on another fine performance for his run in cinema. The Fighter demonstrates a bond between brothers and family that doesn't falter in the end, even through adversity amongst eachother.

Herbert West (Jeffrey Combs) arrives at Miskatonic University after an unlucky experiment involving his dead professor at his former place of employment at Zurich University. Immediately he clashes with his new tutor in Dr. Carl Hill (David Gale) about the theory of 'brain death' in which he stole from his former dead professor. It's around this time that fellow medical student Dan Cain (Bruce Abbott) is looking for a roommate, which instantly gets nabbed by West and is turned into his own personal laboratory. Eventually the two join brainpans, much to the dismay of Cain's girlfriend Megan Hasley (Barbara Crampton); who also happens to be the daughter of Dean Alan Halsey (Robert Sampson), when West convinces Cain that his formula actually works and can bring the dead back to life.

A whole lot of crazy antics ensue involving all the characters mentioned above (ex. we have some battle scenes with nude zombies, even one having a sexual fixation on Megan, who also participates in the nudity herself). Jeffrey Combs is a great cult actor, maybe one of the best in the business. His conservative humor coupled with his creepy presence is the basis to Re-Animator. The film also has some very impressive gore effects, considering the time of it's release. It keeps up a steady pace of mayhem and uncouth order that doesn't falter, even at the end of the film. Every angle is covered superbly with dialogue and blood at it's extremes. Re-Animator is the best of the trilogy and rightly so, it presents everything at an excessive level.

Glen (Stephen Dorff) and his friend Terry (Louis Tripp) uncover a large hole in his backyard, immediately contacting a splinter and leaving a little blood behind, setting off a series of demonic events. The Gate, with it's creepy atmospheric screenplay, was maybe one of the better horror films to surface in the late-eighties. It's theme mixed up realistic surburban-style settings and added an original storyline to heighten it's horror factor.

The makeup effects were morbid in it's design, coupled with some creepy computer-generated creatures. What made The Gate more frightening, was that the plot let you envision it all in your mind, allowing you to imagine your own kind of demon before they surfaced. The youthful Dorff gives an incredible performance, considering his age on production, showcasing his skills early on as an actor. The Gate felt way ahead of it's time and is a lot better than the majority of horror films nowadays that proclaim to be "eerie, jolting and unsettling".

A remake of the film is currently undergoing production with Alex Winters (Bill; Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey) behind the directors seat. It should see the light of day in August of this year.

Emotionless and an unrelenting force, Sgt. Todd (Kurt Russell) is the ultimate weapon. He, like many others of his regime, were bred from newborns to be the perfect killing machine. They were the top in their field, until they were demoted and replaced by a far better soldier; genetically-engineered in every way. Todd and a couple of his fellow soldiers were tested and defeated by new soldier Caine 607 (Jason Scott Lee), then disposed of on a waste planet by Colonel Mekum (Jason Isaacs). Presumed dead, Todd finds a colony of refugees who have been inhabiting the planet for the last decade. They take him in and slowly show Todd how to act in a normal society without war.

Soldier is a chemically-induced Sci-Fi film that rattles cages and screams predatory temperament. Kurt Russell is a monster actor in the action genre with quite a few films to back this claim up. Soldier is steady lacking in dialogue from Russell, but I feel it wasn't needed on his part; the eyes told the tale. His character didn't need words to convey his emotions and he let his military training speak for him. The choreography was great, having Todd sneak up on his targets with experience and a cunning display of fortitude.

Director Paul W. S. Anderson paints a nice picture, with amazing atmospheric designs and strong characters to boot. Writer David Webb Peoples, who also had a hand in BladeRunner, considers them both one in the same, with Soldier being the sidequel to the 1982 Sci-Fi classic.

Liam Neeson plays Brian Mills, a former CIA agent, trying to rekindle his relationship with his daughter Kim (Maggie Grace). Since he lost a lot of time with her while she was a child, Brian tries to make up for lost time in her teens. While Kim is on holiday with a friend, the two get kidnapped by an organization that enslaves and drugs young girls into prostitution; the kind that holds virgins as high commodities---something that's bought Kim a little more time. What I enjoyed about Neeson's character is that he was precise and lethal when he had to be. Forget about the characters of James Bond or Jason Bourne, Taken introduces us to a new secret agent; one that "gets in and gets out", while leaving a load of bodies behind. Mills is calm, collective and unforgiving; it was truly fascinating watching him work. The film was fast-paced and didn't waste our time with needless scenes; it dove straight into the premise of the film. Taken was an "all business" type of film, where a father infiltrates an organization single-handedly on the hunt for his teenage daughter.

Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) and his collegue Dr. Watson (Jude Law) save a young girl who is party to a ritual suicide with Lord Blackwood (Mark Strong) at the helm. Blackwood is then jailed and hung for the murders of five other females and the attempted murder of a sixth. Three days after his hanging, Holmes gets a visit from his former adversary/love interest in Irene Adler (Rachel McAdams), who requests help on finding a missing man named Reordan. Soon after, Holmes and Watson are informed that Blackwood was seen walking in the graveyard, a dead Blackwood to be precise. Upon investigating the coffin of Blackwood, they find the body of the missing man or "ginger dwarf" that Adler was asking Holmes to locate. This leads our two sleuths on a exciting escapade throughout London, encountering a colorful display of characters and some devious schemes for control of the city.

Sherlock Holmes, with it's witty dialogue and quick-fire action sequences, has to be one of the best performances Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law have ever taken part in. They have equal charisma and were an integral part to the film's incredible screenplay. Director Guy Ritchie had a great idea when he paired these two together. Jude Law carried the character of Watson with such conservative finesse and confidence, he knew what he was doing when given the opportunity to play him. The same goes for Robert Downey Jr.; he never seems to disappoint when he's given a role to partake in. Granted, he does have the same demeanor in every film he stars in. But, that's what makes Downey so amazing; his commanding presence. Yes, I am a fan of these two particular actors. I don't think I can find any film they're horrible in. Rachel McAdams, with her captivating smile and beautiful presence was the cherry on top to a great film. Much like Downey and Law, she can carry herself through a film with humorous intent; on top of her beauty, of course. I can't help but smile when she does. She's like a diamond on the set. Mark Strong, who has that creepy demeanor down perfect, is another actor in need of much mentioning here.

A film of this nature has to have a monster villian and Strong works that factor in wonderfully. Much like Ritchie's past work, the dialogue of his characters are indecipherable at times, leading to the audience requiring subtitles when viewing the film. You have to be a step above Ritchie at all times or his dialogue will fly right over your head. I did enjoy Holmes' smug wit when sizing up a character; even having more knowledge of the people around him than they did of themselves. That's maybe the most enjoyable part to Downey's character. Ritchie also has a fine way of showcasing his character's fighting abilities, incorporating his own brand of bare-knuckle boxing into the script (think of the film Snatch). With it's galloping soundtrack, Sherlock Holmes is a grand achievement for director Guy Ritchie. I'm happy there's going to be a sequel; damn happy.

The film starts off in nonlinear narration by Danny Vinyard (Edward Furlong) about his life and older brother Derek Vinyard's (Edward Norton) rise and eventual incarceration for killing an African-American male when he was leader of a neo-Nazi street gang called The D.O.C. Halfway through the film it switches to Derek's narration of the story and his involvement in the Aryan Brotherhood while in Chino. Edward Norton put in one of his best performances in this film; fresh off the film Rounders. He delivered two blockbusters in one year with the film Fight Club just around the corner. Edward Furlong also put in a memorable performance, maybe his only great role considering the stink he made being one with The Crow, in one of the many spin-offs that film spawned. However, I did like him in Detroit Rock City.

The mesmerizing way in which the story was told was exceptional, allowing for the black and white cinematography to shine even more. Like most films dealing in rascism, American History X isn't overly preachy and allows the viewers a choice on which path to take; showing the dangers if you choose wrongly. In the film, Derek is preyed upon by Cameron (Stacy Keach) and fills his head with hate for anyone not belonging to his race. He uses Derek to recruit others just like him while lying in the shadows growing stronger. Derek is completely blind with rage on the murder of his father by a black drug dealer, so he doesn't see what Cameron is feeding him. That rage lands him in prison and allows Derek to experience the shame for everything he's done up to that point; even having his younger brother Danny following in his footsteps.

"When people look at me they see my brother", a strong line from Danny Vinyard and something Derek has to come to terms with when he get's released from Chino. Derek's narration on what happened to him in prison is maybe the most powerful segment in the film and weaves it's way around the plot until the film's climatic ending. American History X is an expressive and elusive film about one's transformation and the power to overcome past exploits in life.

Officer Shane Cooper (Ryan Kwanston) arrives in the small town of Red Hill with his pregnant wife looking to start a new life. The busy streets of the city caused the death of their first unborn baby, so a much quieter setting was needed for her. Shane also brings some baggage of his own from his stint as an officer elsewhere; something he shares with his new superior in Old Bill (Steve Bisley). But it seems everyone has secrets in this small town, which becomes readily available to Shane after a convicted murderer escapes from prison in methodical Jimmy Conway (Tom E. Lewis).

Director Patrick Hughes knows how to build suspense and it shows quite generously in the film. From the start of Red Hill, you know something isn't right in the town. Everyone seems to be really tense, holding onto a grudge early on. Ryan Kwanston carries his character along smoothly, giving us that "good cop" routine and doing everything by the book. While Steve Bisley plays his character with a hardened edge, demanding allegiance from the characters in the film. But, the actor that needs commending the most is Tom E. Lewis as his portrayal as a silent and deadly killer. His character moves along the screen taking victim after victim like a raptor. Lewis can give Javier Bardem (No Country For Old Men) some steady competition. The only difference between the two is that Lewis' character doesn't speak throughout the film and you can notice a hint of pain in his eyes while he takes a life.

The film was centered in a Western-like atmosphere in the country of Australia, concentrating more on the streets of the town in the film. Hughes delivers a mighty impressive display of directing for being his first outing in cinema. From the get-go, you might be confused as to why everyone is so adamant and secretive about killing Conway on sight, but as the story unfolds you'll begin to understand the reason for silence. Red Hill is bloody good fun with some nice script work from the writers involved.

Joe Huff (Brian Bosworth), an Alabama cop who is suspended for using excessive force on the field, is blackmailed by his superiors to go undercover as John Stone to bring down "The Brotherhood", an infamous biker group linked to dozens of murders with Chains Cooper (Lance Henriksen) at the head of it all.

Former Seatle Seahawks linebacker Brian Bosworth's debut film and the only one that held any interest to me. I believe Bosworth could have been a great nineties action star like Jean-Claude Van Damme, surpassing Steve Seagal, but like his football career, it failed. It's a shame because Stone Cold is one hell of a ride through the gritty streets of Mississippi. The film introduces us to an array of disposable bodies that seem to be generously offered to us at every corner. Bosworth pulls off that tough-guy routine to the letter, even sporting his "Bam-Bam" mullet that doesn't seem to mess up. Lance Henriksen and William Forsythe play one of their best roles as Chains and Ice, leaders of "The Brotherhood". The dialogue can get kind of cheesy, but the early-ninties were known for that sort of thing, so we won't be too hard on them. Tom Magee, former World Powerlifting Champion, makes a cameo as Stone's initiation opponent into the biker club. I wish they would bring back biker films like this one, but I guess the best is in the past.

Stone Cold is the kind of film that was ahead of it's time and is a lot better than the majority of action films that seem to surface nowadays. At least Bosworth can be proud he was a part of this film.

Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang is a taut, gritty film-noir with some choice actors helming the wheel. Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer team up in this cat-and-mouse thriller trying to solve an off-beat case, with some rather comedic drawbacks. Downey plays a petty thief who happens to fall into show business while eluding the law and Kilmer is the private detective he meets at a high-profile party after being manhandled by a creep trying to feel up his high school crush in Michelle Monaghan. The film comes into play quite effectively, even though the script is a bit jumbled on certain parts. The combination between the two central actors is uncanny and they play off their characters like smooth deliberate strokes of a paintbrush on white canvas. Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang runs it's course with moderate ability, giving off clever dialogue and sharp-tongued witt from a narrative point-of-view and obvious character spitfire.

Lee (Bruce Lee) is sent by British Intelligence into a martial arts tournament, hosted by crime lord Han (Kien Shih), to gather up info on Han's suspected opiate smuggling. However, Lee has other motives, and that's to gain revenge on the man who murdered his sister, while getting to Han who disrespected a Shaolin Temple. A rather big plate that writer Michael Allin gives to the character of Bruce Lee. Roper (John Saxon) and Williams (Jim Kelly) are two other American fighters that Lee meets on the boat to Han's island. They also have their reasons on why they have entered said tournament.

Quite possibly one of the best films Bruce Lee has ever been apart of. Enter The Dragon is Lee's most well-known film to date and when conversations come up about him, this film is often quoted. Lee had no acting qualities at all, but his fighting ability couldn't be topped. Enter The Dragon is a pure fighting man's film, with more battles than dialogue. When Lee speaks, people listen; all he has to do is say a few words and have his techniques finish off the conversation. John Saxon and Jim Kelly provide ample back-up to Lee and have some smooth battles themselves, even providing a little witty entertainment when caught up in a brawl; full stereotypes involved. The action sequences surrounding the film were superb, showcasing Lee's immense talent when focused on him. Imagine the possibilities that directors would have thrown to Bruce Lee if he were still alive today. Enter The Dragon is a timeless film, glorious in it's presentation.

The Last Man On Earth is the main inspiration to the majority of top zombie and vampire films being made now. George A. Romero got the idea for Night of the Living Dead from this film, as well as director Francis Lawrence's I Am Legend version. I must say that this version outshines I Am Legend in every possible way. Vincent Price puts in a memorable performance as Dr. Robert Morgan, the only surviving man left after an airborne bacteria killed off the rest of the population and turned them into a bunch of shambling vampires. However, these vampires still have a part of their former lives intact, remembering certain things and speech. Amidst all the chaos, Dr. Morgan stumbles upon a survivor who has a secret of her own.

There are a lot of differences between the original and remake of Richard Matheson's horror novel, I Am Legend. But I find director Ubaldo Ragona's version to be the most desirable out of the two, encompassing that sense of fear and hopelessness amongst a ruin city. While Will Smith's character held emotion, the CGI effects for the vampires threw the film off for me. It just didn't hold that realism or terror that should have come from a film such as this. The Last Man On Earth is bleak and depressing, tragic in it's delivery and having a mesmerizing Vincent Price as the lead.