Terminator Salvation

Terminator Salvation

Running Time: 115 minutes

Summary: Set in post-apocalyptic 2018, John Connor is the man fated to lead the human resistance against Skynet and its army of Terminators. But the future Connor was raised to believe in is altered in part by the appearance of Marcus Wright, a stranger whose last memory is of being on death row. Connor must decide whether Marcus has been sent from the future, or rescued from the past. As Skynet prepares its final onslaught, Connor and Marcus both embark on an odyssey that takes them into the heart of Skynet’s operations, where they uncover the terrible secret behind the possible annihilation of mankind.

Review: Well chalk one more crappy sequel up for the Terminator franchise. Not only does this movie disappoint, it bores. There was so much potential for this movie to tie in to the other movies, to create the sort of movie that Terminator fans would get excited when they figures out a specific detail's tie in to a previous movie.

My dislike for this movie may have something to do with all the negative press it received after Christian Bale's profanity rich tirade, which hit the internet during the filming, but honestly, I think it's due to the fact that this movie relied on a big budget and an existing fanbase to help it succeed instead of working harder on making the film be able to stand on it's own two legs.

Personally I was hoping for a "Batman Begins" rebirth of the franchise but instead, all we got was "Batman and Robin" the only thing missing was George Clooney.

Memorable Quotes: Duh "I'll be back." and "Come with me if you want to live"

Rating: 6 nests out of 10

The Tale of Despereaux

The Tale of Despereaux

Running Time: 83 minutes

Summary: The tale of three unlikely heroes - a misfit mouse who prefers reading books to eating them, an unhappy rat who schemes to leave the darkness of the dungeon, and a bumbling servant girl with cauliflower ears - whose fates are intertwined with that of the castle's princess.

Review: I love mice. I think they are totally adorable, and the only thing more adorable than a real mouse is a cartoon one, and the only thing more adorable than a cartoon mouse is one with gigantic ears who thinks that he is a knight.

The star of this movie is Desperaux, a tiny mouse (even by mouse standards) who never learnt the cowering and skittering qualities that a good mouse must have. Desperaux tasks himself with giving hope and happiness back to the beautiful princess of the Kingdom of Dor. Right from the beginning you are rooting for this underdog to overcome his challenges and to rise to success.

The movie is funny and cute, a great family movie, and although it lacks the sort of humor that make Finding Nemo and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs so good. It makes up for it with its wholesome and hearty story.

The funny thing about this movie is that the story is about the characters conquering their challenges and that there is more to a person (or mouse)than meets the eye, it also really enforces stereotypes! Rats are deciveing and disgusting. Mice are timid and skittish. There are are two exceptions to these rules but at the end of the movie, the two exceptions remain. None of the characters changed or grew... For such a warm and fuzzy ending, I was surprised that in the end, the moral of the story was that "People don't change. Just accept it."

Best Quote: Narrator - "Of course, destiny is a funny thing. We go out to meet it and we don't always know that we are."

Rating: 7 nests out of 10

Surveillance

Surveillance

Running Time: 98 minutes

Summary: Somewhere deep inside the Santa Fe desert there have been a number of blood curdling murders...a real killing spree. The local police station is in disarray. Captain Billings, Officers Degrasso and Wright have apprehended three witnesses: Officer Jack Bennet, one of their own, tough, but affected by recent events; Bobby, young, high as a kite on cocaine; and Stephanie, eight years old, who has just witnessed her family being brutally murdered by two figures dressed in jumpsuits, gloves, boots, and horrifyingly disfiguring latex masks. The FBI is now involved, and as the witnesses tell their stories one by one to the FBI agents who have now taken over, the murderous events unravel before our eyes. It becomes clear, however, that little Stephanie knows something more. And then three more bodies have been found...

Review: Baaaaad movie! The only reason that I was able to get through this movie is because it started at the end and slowly revealed the events to you. It at least kept me interested to a point where I wanted the blanks filled in. Even after viewing the entire movie (which I figured out in the first 15 minutes), I was left scratching my head, key plot points were missing. The next day I was still asking Jon, "Well how did they get in the car?" "Now, who was the one who shot the cop?".

On top of the story having massive holes, it was also really weird, to the point of being disturbing... Watching Frech Stewart in a movie is punishment enough, without watching him dry hump an old bald guy.

It was pretty surprising to see bigger name actors, Julia Ormond and Bill Pullman in the lower budget thriller but the thing is, it wasn't the acting that was bad about this movie... It was all in the story.

Don't waste your time.

Best Quote: Mom (played by Cheri Oteri)[before being shot] - "I'm not... having... a very... good... time."

Rating: 3 nests out of 10

Informant!

The Informant!

Running Time: 108 minutes

Summary: Mark Whitacre has worked for lysine developing company ADM for many years and has even found his way into upper management. But nothing has prepared him for the job he is about to undertake - being a spy for the FBI. Unwillingly pressured into working as an informant against the illegal price-fixing activities of his company, Whitacre gradually adopts the idea that he's a true secret agent. But as his incessant lies keep piling up, his world begins crashing down around him.

Review: This movie is based on a true story of the highest-level executive for a Fortune 500 company to turn whistleblower. The movie is light, funny but, at times, completely painful to watch as Whitacre makes things worse and worse for himself. Time after time, Whitacre seems to dig himself deeper and deeper with his lies and ommissions of the truth. It's hard to believe that this could happen to someone in real life!

Matt Damon plays the lead role of Mark Whitacre and in addition to gaining close to 60 lbs, really gives it all to this goofy and offbeat role. The best part of the film is the voiceovers provided by Damon, commenting on everything from avocados to polar bears. A real gem in this movie is Melanie Lynskey who plays his wife, Ginger Whitacre. She gives a wonderful performance as Whitacre's unflappably committed wife.

Overall the movie was easy, entertaining and short.

Best Quote: Mark Whitacre - "I don't like wool on skin. Not even that merino wool they have at Marshall Field in Chicago. Ginger likes it because it's formfitting, but she likes avocados. And who wants that texture in their mouth?"

Rating: 6 nests out of 10

The Echo

The Echo

Running Time: 165 minutes

Summary: An ex-con moves into an old apartment building, where he encounters a domestic problem involving a police officer, his wife, and their daughter. When he tries to intervene, it appears that the apartment is empty, and he is left to discover where the noises are coming from before it's too late.

Review: Once every 6 months or so, I go to blockbuster to do some movie shopping, that is, I go through all the racks of new releases for any movies that look interesting but I had missed downloading. This movie was one of those.

I think for a scary movie/ghost story to be successful, it has to have an interesting, "getting rid of the ghosts" solution. Take The Grudge for example, that movie is so freaking scary because there is no way to get rid of them! Once they are there, you are fucked! A movie like 100 Feet, with Famke Janssen, had so much potential, but the ending was so cheesy that it killed the movie. This movie is somewhere in between the two, not a dynamite ending but it didn't suck. The story was medicorce but the scary parts are really freaking scary... There is this one part where there is a little hole in the wall.... I won't ruin it for you but trust me, it gave me the willies!

Excellent B-grade, Saturday afternoon, scary movie.

Best Quote: Alyssa - "You let a lot of people down when you left." (Bobby went to jail cause he accidentlly killed a guy that was trying to rape her. What a bitch.)

Rating: 6 nests out of 10

Shutter Island

Shutter Island

Running Time: 138 minutes

Summary: Drama is set in 1954, U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels is investigating the disappearance of a murderess who escaped from a hospital for the criminally insane and is presumed to be hiding on the remote Shutter Island.

Review: It is a pretty rare thing for Jon and I to go see a movie in the theatre but the new Martin Scorcese definitely caught my eye. The trailers and plot summaries I read before seeing it, sold it as sort of a supernatural thriller/mystery. And as you may have noticed by now, that is my cup of tea.

It was definitely not what I expected.

This movie is definitely more of a "Who Done It" than anything else. The premesis of the movie is that a woman has gone missing on the remote island/mental institute for the crtimally insane, Shutter Island. Leonardo DiCaprio and Mark Ruffalo play US Marshals who are sent to help find a woman who has gone missing. As the two men try to solve the mystery of what happened to her, they discover there is much more to Shutter Island than meets the eye. The story was very intricate and has that wonderful "Scorcese" feel to it, the layers of subtext and twists just keep coming and coming with the big twist at the end, making you want to watch the movie again from the beginning immediately. The book that this movie is based on is already reserved for me at the library!

The casting was well done. Leonardo DiCaprio, who I sometimes have trouble seperating from other roles that he has played, seemed like he has finally found a character that he can't just apply his usual formula to and whatever he did worked. Mark Ruffalo(who I love in EVERYTHING) was great but could have had more screen time. Even Ted Levine (formerly Buffalo Bill of Silence of the Lambs) was extrememly memorable in his few minutes as the creepy Warden of the mental hospital.

After I got over my preconceptions that the story was supernaturally driven, I really began to enjoy this movie. It wasn't one that I would have chosen to go see in the theatre if I had known what the story really was, but it was enjoyable nonetheless.

Best Quote: Teddy Daniels "Baby, I love this because you gave it to me, but it is one fuckin ugly tie."

Rating: 7.9 nests out of 10

Holes

Holes

Running Time: 111 minutes

Summary: When Stanley Yelnats IV (LaBeouf) is wrongfully convicted of stealing, he is sent to 'Camp Green Lake'. At this camp, the Warden (Weaver), and her two henchman, Mr. Sir (Voight) and Dr. Pendanski (Nelson) command the campmates to dig holes after hole after hole. But for what reason? Stanley plans to find out.

Review: Due to my love of the written word, I am very critical of book to movie adaptations, and if I know a movie is based on a book, I try to read the book before I see the movie. I did not have the pleasure of reading this beloved children's novel before seeing this gem so I didn't know what to expect and had nothing to compare to.

Disney delivers yet another wonderful family film with an ending to guarantee a warm and fuzzy all over. The plot is intelligent and well thought full of revelation and twists. The characters are lovable and full of personality. The dialogue is cute and clever. This mainly adolescent cast carries this film with skill and humor. Sigourney Weaver is sufficiently evil as the greedy Warden and Jon Voight who plays the spiteful "Mr. Sir" is surprisingly funny and quirky.

Best Quote: The Warden Walker - "Are you trying to be funny, or do you think I'm stupid?"
Armpit - "I wasn't trying to be funny."

Rating: 6 nests out of 10

The Collector

The Collector

Running Time: 85 minutes (Thank God)

Summary: Desperate to repay his debt to his ex-wife, an ex-con plots a heist at his new employer's country home, unaware that a second criminal has also targeted the property, and rigged it with a series of deadly traps.

Review: From the creators of Saw come this disgusting, disturbing and frusterating horror movie of brutal proportions.

The movie follows an ex-con turned handyman named Arkin as he attempts to rob his new boss, interrupting a psyco who is trying to slaughter the family currently living there. Somehow, Arkin decides that it is his responsibility to save the family from their impending tortures and chaos ensues.

As far as the new genre of horror movies go (I mean the horror movies that are more about disgusting violence and making your stomach churn, rather than focusing suspense or atmosphere) this one is pretty good. The story is pretty original and the traps are at least clever.

There were parts where I definitely couldn't watch in fear of puking up the chicken wings that I had just attempted to eat, and there were parts where I was actually yelling at the screen to try to knock some sense into our would-be hero, but at least it was better than the last Saw movie.

Best Quote: None. Most of the movie's dialogue consisted of heavy breathing, Arkin shushing people and lots of screaming.

Rating as a movie in general: 4 nests out of 10
Rating as a disgusting horror movie: 8.5 nests out of 10

Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant

Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant

Running Time: 109 minutes

Summary: A young boy named Darren Shan meets a mysterious man at a freak show who turns out to be a Vampire. After a series of events Darren must leave his normal life and go on the road with the Cirque Du Freak and become a Vampire.

Review: Every once in a while, I come across a movie that makes me want to go back in time so that I can watch it again for the first time. Generally it's a lesser know film, something that managed to slip through the cracks of the general public of moviegoers. A movie that has a quality that makes me want to watch it all the way through and then rewind (back when we had to) and watch it all over again. Movies like Shaun of the Dead, Closer, 28 Days Later...

Cirque du Freak has grabbed me this way as well.

The movie's story is based on a graphic novel of the same name and although I initally though it was more of a children's story, after seeing the movie and hearing some of the mature content and language, I am surprised that I ever thought that. I would say that the only short coming of this movie is that it leaves you with a complete cliffhanger ending with no sign of a second film in the works!! Suffice it to say that I went online immediately and reserved all 4 books at my local public library and am very excited to see what happens next!

The star of this movie is clearly John C Reily. In pretty much everything I have seen him in he has been exceptional. In this film he is brooding and funny, his comic timing is exceptional; he is an absolute pleasure to watch. The Cirque freaks are sprinkled with many memorable faces, Salma Hayek, Patrick Fugit, Orlando Jones, Wilem DaFoe, Jane Krakowski, who are all wonderful in their roles.

In summary, this is a great movie that is deceivingly adult. The characters are well written and interesting, the story is fast paced and exciting, this movie is a must not miss!

Best Quote: Larten Crepsley - "Thank you ladies and gentlemen. I am so excited to be here in an anonymous small town that used to have character but is now just a bland suburb filled with chain stores and surrounded by slum. [awkward silence in audience] It really is a pleasure to be here. And I am SO honoured that bla bla bla and so on and so forth and excetera adnosium."

Rating: 8.5 nests out of 10

Legion

Legion

Running Time: 104 min

Summary: An out-of-the-way diner becomes the unlikely battleground for the survival of the human race. When God loses faith in humankind, he sends his legion of angels to bring on the Apocalypse. Humanity's only hope lies in a group of strangers trapped in a desert diner with the Archangel Michael

Review: When trailers for Legion started running, I was very excited to see this movie. The snippets of the film that were shown in the trailer, were pretty freaky and all around bad-assed. The scene with the old lady/demon who climbs up the walls, the totally creepy ice cream man/freaky spidery demon, etc. It looked pretty cool and I am a sucker for big budget fantasy/horror.

The movie definitely let me down. The story wasn't anything remarkably original... end of the world-this... savior of mankind-that... fallen angel leaves heaven to help mankind... blah blah blah... What I was really excited for were the fight scenes! The action! The different scary demon scenes! Instead of action, what I got was a movie that focused far too much on devloping the mirriad of randoms that end up trapped in this diner as the apocolypse draws nearer. The point of these people is only to entertain us with their deaths as slowly, one-by-one, they all die stupid, pointless deaths, I don't care if they won't let Tyrese see his kid, I don't care that Charles S. Dutton questioned the existance of God when he lost his arm.

Honestly, I expected more from a writer/director who was on the senior writing staff of films like Sin City and Live Free or Die Hard. This movie is definitely not something to write home about but is good for a Sunday afternoon sort of entertainment.

Best Quote: Gladys Foster (creepy old lady/wall climbing demon)[happily] "I said your fucking baby's gonna burn."

Rating: 5 nests out of 10