Semi Pro

Debut: 2008
Director: Kent Alterman
Starring: Will Ferrell, Woody Harrelson, Andre Benjamin

I can't really say one way or another on this one. It's kind of usual Will Ferrell - it goes right along with Anchorman and Talladega Nights. I think it was slow-moving, but there were some pretty good parts.

Nothing special, nothing new.

Rosemary's Baby

Debut: 1968
Director: Roman Polanski
Starring: Mia Farrow, Ruth Gordon

Pretty long, but I guess good. It was a pinnacle of it's time, but I don't think it would fare in today's world.

Anyways, Rosemary gets pregnant and starts to suspect that her neighbors want her baby as a sacrifice, or for some sadistic cause in general. She begins to suspect everyone is in on it, and they are.

She finally gives birth and her baby happens to be the spawn of Satan. And the movie ends there.

It was terrific acting, but I suppose the movie carried on a little longer than it needed to. I loved the story - it probably was quite horrifying when it was made, but it's something that's a challenge to love because of where we are today, but on the same hand it's wonderful to appreciate because of how ahead of its time it truly was.

Happiness

Debut: 1998
Director: Todd Solandz
Starring: Jon Lovitz, Jane Adams, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Dylan Baker

I'm definitely not going to recommend this one to everyone. This movie is extremely dark, but very funny. It's the kind of humor that's pretty sick and twisted, but if you find it funny, you find it extremely funny.

It's basically about these different lives (lots of them) connected by three sisters, but the point to the story is that just about everyone is miserable. I'm not going to go into the baseline joke of happiness (involving an 11 year old boy) but it's similar to Welcome to the Dollhouse in the way that it has no real point to it, except to let you laugh at the lives of these miserable people. Nice.

Valley Girl

Debut: 1983
Director: Martha Coolidge
Starring: Nicholas Cage, Deborah Foreman

What was it with the 80s and this theme of people that aren't supposed to be together being together? That's the theme, apparently, of like every single teen film from the 80s! I'm not dissing it, because I wish to God I would have been a teenager in the 80s, but they could have maybe come up with more than one plot for these films.

Anyways, Valley Girl is about a girl, from the Valley, duh, who ends up falling for this guy, Randy, who she isn't supposed to be with. That's pretty much it.

At one point she does switch back to her ex for the sole reason that it's who her friends want her to be with. I know the film was kind of pointed at making fun of the whole social scene (especially the way these Valley chickees spoke) and the film was entertaining enough. It's worth seeing just to say you have.

The Singing Detective

Debut: 2003
Director: Keith Gordon
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Robin Wright Penn, Mel Gibson

I watched this baby with an extremely open mind, and I couldn't help but feel it would be way above a lot of people's heads. I think the audience for this one would have to be pretty narrow - and I don't ever mean that in a bad way, and in no way is that a bad thing.

The main character, Dan Dark (Downey), is hospitalized while suffering from an extreme case of psoriasis. During his stay, he often hallucinates and dreams of the characters in his book and a few random musical numbers as well.

He begins to suspect that his significant other (Penn) is stealing his work and selling it to a movie production company. I think. I had a hard time understand bits and pieces (then again I was writing while watching it, so I might have missed some things...) but it's a story of the unconscious mind and Freud, and all that which helps him come to believe so many of the things that make him not only who he is, but the meaning behind his novel and many of his hallucinations.

I did think the acting was terrific. It actually took me quite a while to recognize Mel Gibson as the shrink - so good job there. Downey, as usual, was extremely witty, delivering jokes without acting like they are jokes, and Penn had a certain sincerity that added more and more to her character.

I'm going to go ahead and say this movie isn't for everyone. If you only see mainstream movies, this might not be for you. If you like more obscure films, maybe something that takes some thinking, go for it.

The Dead Girl

Debut: 2006
Director: Karen Moncrieff
Starring: Toni Collette, James Franco, Brittany Murphy, Marcia Gay Harden, Giovanni Ribisi

This movie was pretty interesting. I kinda wished some endings would have been tied up, but I can live with never knowing.

I'm going to go ahead and say if you don't like a movie that doesn't make sense, then don't take the time on this one. It begins with Toni Collette discovering a dead body in her mother's yard, and then it unravels as this dead body affects others.... it ends on the life of the dead girl.

I did think it kept me interested, and I thought the acting was great.

The Goodbye Girl

Debut: 1978
Director: Herbert Ross
Starring: Richard Dreyfuss, Marsha Mason, Quinn Cummings

I don't get into many love stories - mostly because romantic comedies and horrible chick flicks have made love something based on the worst far-fetched plots anyone can pitch. Needless to say, this film was amazing!

The movie is about a woman and her daughter living in an apartment that was leased by her still-married boyfriend. When he dumps her and moves on, he sublets the apartment without letting her know. She then gets this stranger on her doorstep who has already paid for the place. He lets them stay there, and they eventually fall in love.

Telling it to you like that puts it pretty roughly. The story is full of ups and downs, and is way more about their respective lives than about their love, which I found all-the-more respectable.

Lastly, a love story just cannot be without a connection between the two. The interaction between Dreyfuss and Mason makes this movie worth it's time in gold (can you measure time in gold?) The witty banter, the odd situation, and the performance by then-newcomer Cummings is adorable.

The Goodbye Girl is worth watching, and then hunting down to have a copy of your own.

The Incredible Hulk

Debut: 2008
Director: Louis Leterrier
Starring: Edward Norton, Liv Tyler, William Hurt, Tim Roth

First off, I'm going to say that I'm extremely annoyed that so many reviews are comparing it to the 2003 Hulk. Everyone knows that the 03 Hulk was awful, and that Marvel is blatantly ignoring that said version was ever made.
So, anyone reviewing this movie needs to play on what it needs to exist now. I'm going to go ahead and lay out my expectations for you. I thought that this movie would, similar to Iron Man, lay out Banner's story and build up to the Avengers movie. I was extremely disappointed that it accomplished neither.
Firstly, we get the Hulk's story through the opening credits - an accident gone wrong and all that. I don't have a huge beef with this, but it's only too smart to put the story in there for anyone who isn't a comic book fan, such as myself. The best comic book movies are the ones anyone can watch. Hulk failed miserably to explain the complexities of having this blessing/curse, and really seemed to only focus on this idea that the only facet of his life it greatly affected was his love life. P.S. - Hulk creators - did you learn anything from Spiderman 2? People don't want a love story when they're expecting a comic book movie.
Aside from the love story being the main point, I just thought the characters weren't likable enough. Bruce Banner was actually extremely boring, and I had read some reviews that commented on "playful banter between he and Betty Ross", which was completely flat. I just didn't see any chemistry between the two, and nothing about it was witty and entertaining when an action scene wasn't going on.
Next, whose decision was it to make the Hulk animated? Seeing it played out, I would opted for a costume. It was too animated - I know what they can do with graphics and all, but the whole time I found it so hard to believe the interaction between live characters and the animated Hulk. I had an extremely hard time getting past all of that.
Overall, I would say Marvel definitely should have opted to released this before Iron Man. Most of the movie, I found myself noting where and how Hulk fell short of Iron Man. Edward Norton, as much as I love him, did not give us much interest in Banner. I have to say that Tim Roth's character was hands down the most entertaining and interesting.
Finally, I'm going to say that I really expected this to lead up to the Avengers movie we are all anticipating. I am left wondering how Banner was against the Army, Stark works with the Army, and they haven't really made it clear how they are going to work together. I understand Banner ended up fighting for the Army at the end and all, you don't need to go on, but it's clear that some bitterness on his part should, by all means, exist and that he does not give them his full support. I'm having a hard time figuring out where it's going to go from here.
Nonetheless, the thing that really disappoints is how on Earth are they going to make a sequel? There wasn't much of a story in this one in the first place, and I have no interest in them creating another awesome villain just to be destroyed.
They have some catching up to do, but I would say this is about what I expected.
Don't waste your money for the time being.

Juno

Debut: 2007
Director: Jason Reitman
Starring: Ellen Page, Michael Cera

I have to say this one was extremely likable, but be careful if you think you're getting a comedy. The movie was mostly advertised and promoted as a comedy, but I would argue that it wasn't that funny - which by no means is saying it wasn't good.

I loved the story, and the characters were adorable. And again, not to be harsh, but I don't totally understand why Ellen Page was up for Best Actress. That's not to slam her by any means, because I really like her, but she seemed to be pretty herself, and didn't have to act much at all. I could be wrong, but the character seemed a lot like her.

It's worth a watch, and I'll let you decide. I liked it for more of a drama or "coming of age tale" but definitely don't call it a comedy.

Looking forward to: The Incredible Hulk

Debut: Friday, June 13, 2008
Director: Louis Leterrier
Starring: Edward Norton, Liv Tyler

I'm not completely sure how to feel about what I'm anticipating for this one. I'm hoping for a good story, which I have faith in. Not knowing all the comic book stories, I am hoping this will pull together (from what I've heard) the story leading up to the Avengers movie we're all anticipating.

So far, the graphics are what concerns me. The Hulk is not terribly real-looking, and maybe is something they need to take into consideration. I'm intrigued at the thought of Edward Norton playing the Hulk, but aren't we all?

Again, though, I'm going to have faith because they took the time to recruit good actors for this one, so I think it will be worth my time.

American Beauty

Debut: 1999
Director: Sam Mendes
Starring: Kevin Spacey, Annette Benning, Amber Tamblyn

This Oscar-winner for Best Picture has been a favorite for a while.

There's not a lot to say other than to see it! It's a good one for almost any crowd - I've seen people with all different tastes enjoy this one.

While the story as a whole might not necessarily be relatable, Lester Burnham is one of the most real characters we've ever known. From the witty, sarcastic writing to the delivery, this film is itself, an American beauty to be proud of.

Michael Clayton

Debut: 2007
Director: Tony Gilroy
Starring: George Clooney, Tilda Swinton, Sydney Pollack, Tom Wilkinson

Um, not impressed. At all. For real. I have to say, after seeing a number of the Oscar nominees this year, I was disappointed. I have yet to see both There Will Be Blood and No Country for Old Men, so I won't make that completely affirmative.

But, needless to say, not totally sure why Tilda Swinton got an Oscar for this. The entire movie just wasn't that exciting, and left me wondering what all the hype was about.

Aside from being entirely too long, it was anti-climatic. Not only that, but the entire movie was like an action version of Erin Brokovich - all about finding that some corporation had information about harming people and someone else trying to hunt it down.

If you want to see it, judge for yourself. But don't ask me for your two hours back.

Welcome to the Dollhouse

Debut: 1995
Director: Todd Solandz
Starring: Heather Matarazzo, Eric Mabius

This dark comedy has gone down in history as an eternal favorite of mine. Remember how mean kids were in junior high for no real reason? Remember how there was that person that even losers wouldn't hang out with? So is the life of Dawn Wiener (pronounced exactly as you think...).

Dollhouse is all about making you laugh at things that are completely inappropriate, and in no way makes you feel bad for this girl who has the most hellish life imaginable. Each character is memorable, from Ralphy ("You think you're hot shit but you're really just cold diarrhea") to Dawn's brother Mark ("Of course I don't think about girls. I want to get into a good school") to her mother ("She has no friends... Case closed. She's a loner.") You want so badly to feel bad for "Wienerdog" but don't because you know there was someone like that in your school.

The darkness of the comedy comes back to the fact there is no real story, no real climax, no real point to showing this girl's awful life. Try it out, you will surely love it, unless you were that person in junior high.

Iron Man

Debut: 2008
Director: Jon Favreau
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Jeff Bridges, Terrence Howard

I am positive everyone knows by now that I loved this movie. I've never seen a movie twice in theaters, but I definitely saw this one three times, so far. There's nothing I didn't love about it. I thought every little thing was spot on, and I will totally go into more detail.

Downey plays Tony Stark, a billionaire who owns a weapons company. After being captured by terrorists, he builds a suit of iron in a cave in Afghanistan. In a cave! I loved that particular part because I thought it was completely badass that someone could build that thing in a cave.

Anywho, after escaping, he comes home and decides to use his brilliance for the good of those his weapons have endangered. After building a new and improved version of his iron suit, he flies (not in a plane, again badass) back to Afghanistan to wipe out the missiles that have wrongly landed in the hands of terrorists.

I'm not going to say much more, even though people surely already know the rest of the story, but I thought everything about this movie was awesome, and I'm thoroughly looking forward to comic book movies because of it. I love this whole "we're going to cast good actors in these comic book movies" because, darn it, they are worthy! No more second-rate actors in over hyped movies - we have a lot to look forward to here.

I have yet to meet someone who didn't love Downey's performance, which essentially is the movie. Here's looking forward to No. 2!

Vince Vaughn's Wild West Comedy Show

Debut: 2006
Director: Ari Sandel
Starring: Vince Vaughn, Ahmed Ahmed, Peter Billingsley, John Caparulo, Justin Long, Sebastian Manscalco, Bret Ernst, Keir O'Donnell

I've heard mixed reviews on this one too, but I completely enjoyed it. Set as a documentary, Vince Vaughn and his crew set up 29 comedy shows in 29 nights in 29 different cities. Some hated it because it showed a lot of what went on during the trip than the actual shows, but I enjoyed it quite a bit. If you want to watch stand up, then watch stand up. This takes it to a totally different level - going into what makes a comedian nervous and what the rest of their lives are like.

One of the best parts, perhaps, is that the trip took place right around the time Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005. Vaughn and other producers make the decision to hold a number of benefit shows, which is not only commendable, but reminds us that some celebrities don't care only about themselves. Some of the crew later meets backstage with Katrina refugees, who tear up in thanks.

It's worth a watch. Disregard the R rating - nothing is that bad.

A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints

Debut: 2006
Director: Dito Montiel
Based on the book "A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints" by Dito Montiel
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Shia Labeouf, Diane West, Rosario Dawson

Loved it! I don't watch too many dramas (maybe I do) but this was a random movie I picked out, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The story is about a young boy whose friends get in trouble with drugs and crime, and Dito (the main character) makes it out not only alive, not only out of prison, but goes on to write a book about his experiences.

The movie is centered around Dito's visit home some 15 years after the original story (set in 1986) takes place. Dito travels home to visit his ailing father, and realizes that these friends (his "saints") are what led him to where he is now.

I thought the acting was great, and I love even more that the title character is the guy who wrote and directed the film. Best yet... the end quote: "In the end I realized - just like I said - I had left everything, and everyone. But no one, no one has ever left me."

Mommie Dearest

Debut: 1981
Director: Frank Perry
Based on the book "Mommie Dearest" by Christina Crawford
Starring: Faye Dunaway

I had heard on VH1 that this movie was creepy, and it definitely is, but not in any horror-movie kind of way. Mommie Dearest is the saga of Joan Crawford, set in the 1940s. Crawford, unhappy with living only with her housekeeper and maid, pays a pretty price to adopt a child, and later others. Christina, the first, shows the appalling abuse endured in the Crawford household from toddler until teenage years.

I thought Faye Dunaway was excellent, albeit a little over the top. I wish I would have known more about the movie going into it, because much of the portrayal is believable.

It's hard to come up with a conclusion to this film, so I won't. Watch for yourself and decide.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall

Debut: 2008
Director: Nicholas Stoller
Starring: Jason Segel, Kristen Bell, Mila Kunis

Definitely saw this one way later than it came out, but still loved it. I have to say, I usually agree with my Entertainment Weekly reviews, but they missed the ball on this one. It's lovable, and you know how having a full theater can make a movie better because you find yourself laughing more because of the full audience? Well, there was like two other couples there and we still laughed for almost all of it.

Sarah Marshall is definitely worth your time, and I would say I'm extremely disappointed at how critics accepted it. I had heard it was mediocre and whatnot, but it's definitely up there with Knocked Up and Superbad.

The Fugitive / US Marshals

The Fugitive
Debut: 1993
Director: Andrew Davis
Starring: Tommy Lee Jones, Harrison Ford

US Marshals
Debut: 1998
Director: Stuart Baird
Starring: Tommy Lee Jones, Wesley Snipes, Robert Downey Jr.


I'm doing these together because they weren't that different. I enjoyed the action days of the 1990s. Really, I did. I love lots of action movies that didn't have the greatest plots, but I will say they did action right back then. Now the effects are so ridiculous and normally pull away too much from what's going on in the movie. And maybe that's why action movies just aren't making it.
Anyways, both movies had the same basic plot - someone is supposed to go to prison for a crime they didn't commit, and Tommy Lee Jones (in both) is trying to track down the fugitive, only to find out that someone else did it.
Firstly, the Fugitive was way too long. I started watching it thinking, hey, I got some time to kill. But I was waiting to take a nap, and after a while I was getting a little sick of it. The main reason I rented this movie was because we had talked about the Sam Sheppard case in a law class of mine.
Action movies have a tough challenge of balancing the action with the story. Not many can sit through mind-numbing action, myself included. I did enjoy Jones' character, though, and I think the sequel wasn't half bad. I would say that it was what I like in action movies, even though both probably could have been shorter and the plots could have been a little stronger.

Sex and the City

Debut: 2008
Director: Michael Patrick King
Based on the HBO TV Series "Sex and the City"
Book: "Sex and the City" by Candace Bushnell
Starring: Sarah Jessica Parker, Kristin Davis, Cynthia Nixon, Kim Cattrall

I have heard so many mixed reviews of this, I don't stand a chance of everyone agreeing. I will start out by saying that I loved it - it made me cry like three times, and I think anyone who is an avid fan will love it (hopefully...) as well.
First off, we all know some of the major points. Charlotte finally gets pregnant, Carrie's supposed to get married to Big and it doesn't work out, Steve cheats on Miranda (that definitely was like a dagger straight to the heart!), but I think the movie purposely tugs at your heart. The ups and downs are not that far from real life, no matter how dramatized. We've all been heartbroken before, and we've all experienced joy that nearly brings us to tears at sometime or another. This is what the movie is all about.
Whether you feel for them or not, I always believed the best part of Sex and the City was creating these characters that (while affording untold amounts of shoes) are flawed just like us. Shows are so often created so that fans form alliances one way or another, but Sex and the City is great because someone is always screwing up. That's what I love about it!
I'm not going to spoil the ending if you haven't seen it, and I feel pretty indifferent on the situation, but I will say that the thing I love most about the movie is based on that quote a few seasons ago where Carrie talks about wanting to find someone who will love you no matter what... and that she was lucky enough to find four.

The Shining

Debut: 1980
Director: Stanley Kubrick
Book: "The Shining" by Stephen King
Starring: Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Danny Lloyd



For being a horror movie fanatic, I had never seen this movie. Please don't make fun of me.
What prompted me to put it in my Blockbuster queue was the fact it's based on somewhat of a true story. For any of you who watch Ghost Hunters, they did an episode at the hotel where Stephen King stayed at, which inspired him to write the book. Supposedly, King had things happen while he was there, and hence the Shining came out.
I think going into that movie with this knowledge made it a BILLION times more scary for me. That and ghosts are the only thing that really scare me in movies, and that could just be because I've had experiences of my own.
Like many (from what I've heard) those twins were scary as hell. That, and I've been leaving my shower curtain open for fear there will be some disgusting lady in there. Yuck.
My end result, though, is that I can completely understand why this movie is so monumental. I would say a remake could possibly make it better, but we all know how remakes have gone... not so good for the most part.
I think horror movie directors, actors, etc. could learn so much from this movie. A) Little kids are always creepy. B) What could happen in isolation is terrifying to most. And lastly, leave plenty to the imagination. The Shining seems to accomplish all of this.

Why oh why?

So today I found myself reading movie reviews on dmregister.com and was like, why on Earth don't I do that?
A) I'm a person that has seen a wide variety of films and consider myself to be an afficionado and
B) I just started that Blockbuster Total Access thing, so I am constantly seeing more and more movies.
It only makes too much sense.
Hopefully this doesn't turn out being incredibly lame, but I have started looking into some classics, I will see most of the big summer movies, and I would say this baby should be worth your time. Nuff said. Enjoy.