Adventures In NetFlix

The Groomsmen

2009-03-13T23:18:00.017-04:00

Who's In It?
Edward Burns, John Leguizamo, Jay Mohr, Donal Logue, Matthew Lillard, Brittany Murphy, Heather Burns, Jessica Capshaw, Shari Albert

Who Wrote It?
Edward Burns

Who Directed It?
Edward Burns

What's It About?
Edward Burns wrote, directed and stars in this ensemble piece about a groom (Burns) and his four best pals, the groomsmen, who reconnect the week before his wedding. The five pals spend the week reminiscing about the good times past, lamenting the realities of the current lives, confronting issues from their past (and present), and pondering about what the future may hold for each of them as they officially leave their extended adolescence behind them. John Leguizamo, Donal Logue, Jay Mohr, and Matthew Lillard portray the groomsmen. Brittany Murphy, Jessica Capshaw, Heather Burns and Shari Albert round out the cast as the assorted love interests for the guys.

Is It Any Good?
It's alright. It's not jaw-dropping fantastic, but it's a solid film with decent performances. The film distributes screen time pretty evenly among the five groomsmen, both in collective scenes and in individual storylines, so the viewers get to spend plenty of time with the group as a whole and with each of the guys individually as they deal with their own personal dramas. Ed Burns and John Leguizmo are both the stand-outs, with Jay Mohr and Donal Logue holding their own for a while but ultimately getting a little repetitive and annoying, respectively. Matthew Lillard gets the least screen time, but that's probably a good thing as his character isn't all that exciting, especially compared to the other leads.

The female beauties in the film are all short-changed, but that's because the movie is ultimately about the guys (the title is The Groomsmen, afterall), so it's hard to blame the filmmakers for giving hottie Jessica Capshaw and adorable Heather Burns so little to do.

Ultimately, the film is a respectable movie with some shining moments. Unfortunately, it also has some predictable elements and an ending that doesn't do it justice. Kudos to Ed Burns, though, for crafting a relatable drama with real-life characters that you might actually meet at your local bar. Not that you would want to buy all of them a drink, but maybe some of them.

What Else Should I Know?
The soundtrack is pretty decent.

Rod's Rating:
3 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
50/50.

Tropic Thunder

2009-03-12T17:56:00.018-04:00

Who's In It?
Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jr., Jack Black, Jay Baruchel, Brandon T. Jackson, Nick Nolte, Danny McBride, Tom Cruise, Matthew McConaughey, Bill Hader, Steve Coogan, Reggie Lee

Who Wrote It?
Ben Stiller, Justin Theroux, Etan Cohen

Who Directed It?
Ben Stiller

What's It About?
Desperate to add a measure of realism to his over-budget war movie, a nervous director (Steve Coogan) abandons his cast in the heart of the Thailand jungle with nothing but the ~~clothes~~ military uniforms on their back. Unbeknownst to the cast, the five pretend soldiers (led by Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Dr., Jack Black) get caught up in a real life guerilla war which they think has all been staged as part of the movie.

Hilarity ensues. Seriously.

Is It Any Good?
Hell yeah, this movie is good... and freakin' funny too. One of the funniest movies with the most laugh-out-loud moments that I've seen all year. It's great! Yes, it's offensive, vulgar, and occasionally masively un-PC; but it undoubtedly delivers the laughs.

Ben Stiller plays his usual doofus role (the one we've seen in Zoolander and other films), but the material he's working with here is ten times as funny. Ditto for Jack Black, who plays the same kind of character in Tropic Thunder that he always plays, but it's much more funny in this film. Robert Downey Jr. is probably the most hysterical of the bunch playing an Australian method actor who dyes his skin in order to play an African-American soldier. The fake squad is rounded out by two relative newbies (Jay Baruchel and Brandon T. Jackson) who both do a fantastic job holding their own and going toe-to-toe with the other comic big guns in the film.

What Else Should I Know?
In addition to the already huge and impresive cast, the movie has some crazy funny cameos by John Voight, Lance Bass, Jennifer Love Hewitt, and Tobey Maguire.

Also worth noting: Tom Cruise dons a hairy, fat suit and brings a lot of laughs to the film as well.

Rod's Rating:
4 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Well worth watching.

Between

2009-03-11T16:41:00.016-04:00

Who's In It?
Poppy Montgomery, Adam Kaufman, Jose Yenque, Danny Pino, Patricia Reyes Spíndola, Marilyn Sanabria, Alana Stewart

Who Wrote It?
David Ocanas and Robert Nelms

Who Directed It?
David Ocanas

What's It About?
Troubled by bizarre visions of her missing sister, Chicago lawyer Nadine (Poppy Montgomery) travels to Mexico to locate her. There, Nadine uncovers some bizarre clues about what may have happened to her sister and to another missing woman (Marilyn Sanabria). Soon joined by her husband (Adam Kaufman, Poppy Montgomery's real-life husband), the couple face an unhelpful police captain (Jose Yenque), a mysterious hotel manager (Danny Pino) and a series of oddly recurring events that lead Nadine down a strange, Hitchcockian path to the truth about her missing sibling.

Is It Any Good?
It's not bad. The story is fairly interesting, albeit somewhat familiar, and the leads are good (Poppy Montgomery and Adam Kaufmann, in particular). The film isn't going to win any awards for innovation or for finding new ways to tread down familiar territory, but it does have some interesting twists and turns that keep you guessing without driving you crazy. The increasingly bizarre puzzle of Nadine's sister's disappearance seems to get a little scattered at times (due to the film's liberal use of cyclical storytelling), but the ending finds a way to bring together all of the seeming disparate plot threads and lingering questions and makes sense of it all. It's a satisfying ending for viewers that stuck around.

What Else Should I Know?
Although the ending is satisfying, it's also potentially polarizing. I think some people will hate it, while other will think it was the only fitting ending possible. I think I'm a little in both camps.

Rod's Rating:
3.5 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Worth a shot.

In the Valley of Elah

2009-03-10T16:37:00.027-04:00

Who's In It?
Tommy Lee Jones, Charlize Theron, Susan Sarandon, Jason Patric, Jonathan Tucker, Wes Chatham, Jake McLaughlin, Brent Sexton, Frances Fisher, Barry Corbin, Josh Brolin, James Franco, Jennifer Siebel, Rick Gonzalez, Victor Wolf, Brent Briscoe, Wayne Duvall

Who Wrote It?
Paul Haggis and Mark Boal

Who Directed It?
Paul Haggis

What's It About?
When army soldier Mike Deerfield (Jonathan Tucker) goes missing upon his return from Iraq, his worried father Hank (Tommy Lee Jones), a hardened veteran and former military investigator, launches his own inquiry into his son's disappearance. When Mike is found dead and his body mutilated, Hank teams up with cynical yet sympathetic detective Emily Sanders (Charlize Theron) to uncover the truth about his son's final moments and how his death may or may not have been related to events that transpired in Iraq.

The movie also stars: Susan Sarandon as Mike's mother; Jason Patric as a military investigator at odds with Carlize Theron's character; and Josh Brolin as Charlize Theron's boss. Several other notable actors and actresses appear briefly in the film for just a scene or two, including: James Franco, Barry Corbin, Jennifer Siebel, Rick Gonzalez and Frances Fisher.

Is It Any Good?
Yes, it's good. First and foremost, In the Valley of Elah is a well-made, well-intentioned, and overall good movie with an excellent cast and an important message. However, with that said, and without sounding like a pretentious snob, I was still disappointed. Let me explain...

First the positives:
The cast is great, and everyone turns in a solid performance, particularly Susan Sarandon, Jason Patric, Jonathan Tucker, Charlize Theron, and Tommy Lee Jones -- who admirably carries most of the film on his shoulders. As a man stonewalled by bureaucracy yet steadfastly determined to uncover the truth, Hank Deerfield strikes a major emotional chord with viewers. Hank bravely tries to keep himself together and focus on his new mission, unable to fully grieve for his son and constantly fighting his own feelings of guilt for possibly not doing enough soon enough to help his son when he needed it most. Jones undoubtedly deserved his oscar nom for this role; he's terrific in this film.

The film does a great job at portraying the sobering realities of soldiers struggling with the transition to stateside life after returning from Iraq and the wide-reaching effects that these troubled transitions have on the soldiers' friends and loved ones. The horrors of war follow these soldiers back to the States, and in this soldier's case, ultimately led to his death. A hero that met an unfitting and tragic end. In those respects, the film is well done.

And now my issues with the film...
In the Valley of Elah, as noted above, does a sobering job of relating an important message about transitional issues and the military's perceived inability to combat PTSD within its own ranks. The movie also, unfortunately, is told through the narrative structure of a murder mystery; and because of this, the movie slips into some predictable cliches of the genre with respect to suspects, motives, cover-ups, and the real truth. That real truth (the motives and events behind the murder) isn't pretty and the investigation portrays some of Deefield's squad mates as less than honorable. I think it ultimately does a disservice to the brave men and women fighting overseas to portray some of them in the way that the film portrays them... more specifically, I think it's unfair of the film to focus on that negative characterization as a piece of a murder/mystery puzzle instead of addressing the issue in a more meaningful and respectful manner (i.e., not a tv movie cliche).

I know the film's intention was to raise awareness for soldiers issues and to praise their service in the midst of unimaginable hardships and sacrifices; but I felt like the film didn't really do that. I felt instead, like it cheapened that service by focusing on the misdeeds of a few, tainting the reputation of the many. Our soldiers don't deserve that. I want to see a movie that truly gives them credit for what they're going through (think the Generation Kill miniseries or the Taking Chance telefilm); Valley of Elah was not that movie. (Too say more would be giving away spoilers for the movie, but I think you can get the gist of what I'm saying here).

What Else Should I Know?
The movie is based on actual events, though names and locations have been changed and dramatic license was taken to fictionalize the script. According to wikipedia, the story is based on the real life case of Richard T. Davis, an Iraq War veteran who was murdered following his return to the states.

Rod's Rating:
3.5 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Worth seeing, but it won't blow you away like it could/should have.

WALL-E

2009-03-09T16:35:00.022-04:00

Who's In It?
Voices of: Ben Burtt, Elissa Knight, Jeff Garlin, John Ratzenberger, Kathy Najimy, Sigourney Weaver

Who Wrote It?
Andrew Stanton, Jim Reardon, and Pete Docter

Who Directed It?
Andrew Stanton

What's It About?
Hundreds of years in the future, planet Earth has been abandoned by the human race due to the overwhelming amount of trash and waste polluting and overcrowding the landscape. WALL-E, a small, robotic trash collector left behind on the planet and forgotten long ago, spends his days alone dutifully collecting and piling bundles of trash. WALL-E's routine is thrown for a loop by the appearance of EVE, another robot sent to Earth to find signs of biological life surviving on the planet. WALL-E and EVE become attached to each other, and WALL-E finds a way to follow EVE back into outerspace, sending them both on a journey that ultimately changes the fate of all mankind.

Is It Any Good?
Yes, it's good; and it's actually kind of adorable. The story is clever with its particularly bleak yet comical depiction of the future and the dangers of consumerism-run-wild. Mix the allegorical sci-fi elements with the unique and adorkable robot love story and you've got a really cute and innovative movie that's a lot of fun.

WALL-E and EVE's love story is entertaining for all ages, and the filmmakers get a lot of bonus points for creativity and ingenuity in telling their story primarily through mechanical blips and bloops and other sound effects, as the robots don't have real voices or the ability to speak English. It could have come off as a disaster or a real bore, but instead it's a huge success and, as I mentioned earlier, completely adorable.

What Else Should I Know?
John Ratzenberger continues his streak of appearing in Disney/Pixar releases. WALL-E is Ratzenberger's ninth appearance in the line-up: Toy Story, A Bug's Life, Toy Story 2, Monster's Inc, Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Cars, and Ratatouille.

Rod's Rating:
3.5 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Worth a shot. It's cute and fun, and it's definitely something you can watch guilt-free with the little ones.

Waitress

2009-03-08T16:33:00.018-04:00

Who's In It?
Keri Russell, Nathan Fillion, Jeremy Sisto, Cheryl Hines, Adrienne Shelly, Eddie Jemison, Andy Griffith, Lew Temple, Darby Stanchfield

Who Wrote It?
Adrienne Shelly

Who Directed It?
Adrienne Shelly

What's It About?
Small town waitress Jenna (Kerri Russell) is trapped in a dead-end job, married to a deadbeat husband (Jeremy Sisto), and stuck on autopilot in her dreary, ordinary life. The only pleasure Jenna manages to find for herself is in being the best and most inventive pie baker in the area. When an unexpected (and unwanted) pregnancy sidelines Jenna's plans to escape her mundane existence, she finds a new slice of happiness in her new-to-town obstetrician (Nathan Fillion).

Cheryl Hines and Adrienne Shelly play Jenna's two fellow waitresses and sisters-in-arms at the local diner.

Is It Any Good?
Yeah, it's cute and it's fun, and it's an overall decent movie. It's definitely not a chick flick, although the marketing and packaging would have you believe otherwise. Yes, the film centers on an emotionally embattled woman and her struggle to find love and happiness, and yes, a lot of the movie takes place with Jenna and her fellow waitresses talking about the struggle to find love and happiness... but it's honestly not a chick flick. I think it's much more a story of independence and empowerment rather than a comedic tale of love-gone-wrong with the typical hijinks.

Adrienne Shelly wrote a witty, fun, and emotionally endearing script (but I repeat, it's not a chick flick); and Kerri Russell and Nathan Fillion have terrific chemistry together and really bring these characters to life. Jenna's journey from introverted waitress to emancipated mother is a great journey to watch -- full of humor, wit, drama, setbacks, tears, and triumph.

What Else Should I Know?
Adrienne Shelly, the writer, director, and co-star of the film, was murdered after filming had been completed on Waitress but prior to its premiere at Sundance. Knowing about this in advance brings a certain note of melancholy to watching the film. The real life tragedy inevitably dampens this charming and heartwarming little movie.

Rod's Rating:
3.5 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Worth a shot.

Snow Angels

2009-03-07T16:57:00.003-05:00

Who's In It?
Kate Beckinsale, Sam Rockwell, Michael Angarano, Olivia Thirlby, Amy Sedaris, Nicky Katt, Connor Paolo, Griffin Dunne, Jeanetta Arnette

Who Wrote It?
David Gordon Green, based on the novel by Stewart O'Nan

Who Directed It?
David Gordon Green

What's It About?
The lives of two small-town residents intertwine in this indie drama based on the novel of the same name by Stewart O'Nan. Waitress and single-mother, Annie (Kate Beckinsale), struggles to balance her job, her 5-year old daughter, her emotionally troubled and volatile ex-husband (Sam Rockwell), and her secret affair with Nate (Nicky Katt) -- the husband of her co-worker and best friend (Amy Sedaris). Amy's former babysitting charge, high school loner Arthur (Michael Angarano), works with Amy at a Chinese restaurant and silently struggles with his own personal dramas: the disintegration of his parent's marriage, his attraction to new classmate Lila (Olivia Thirlby), and his friendship with fellow outcast Warren (Connor Paolo).

Annie and Arthur's lives soon tragically crash into each other with devastating consequences for their friends and families. (And no, it's not a car crash. The film is much more inventive than that.)

Is It Any Good?
Snow Angels is a pretty decent movie, but it's also pretty depressing so it's tough for me to give it a glowing endorsement. It's well written and well plotted (albeit a little slow at the beginning); and it's extremely well acted, especially by Kate Beckinsale and Sam Rockwell. Even though the story is structured to revolve around the lives of Annie and Arthur (Beckinsale and Angarano), the heart of the movie really revolves around the complex relationship between Annie and her ex-husband Glenn (Rockwell) -- and both of them turn in A+ performances.

The film takes a pretty shocking turn midway through the movie, majorly shifting the tone of the film as it shatters the residents of the small town and propels the story towards a truly heartbreaking conclusion. As difficult as the film becomes to watch, it's oddly compelling and too gripping to turn away.

What Else Should I Know?
I haven't read the novel on which this movie is based, but I did read the book's description on wikipedia and it sounds like there are some major plot differences between the book and the film, particularly with respect to the character of Annie. Without having read the book, I can't comment on which version of the story is better.

Rod's Rating:
3.5 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Worth a shot. It's a downer, but it's a good film nonetheless.

The Bubble

2009-03-06T16:50:00.021-05:00

Who's In It?
Ohad Knoller, Yousef 'Joe' Sweid, Daniela Virtzer, Alon Friedman, Zohar Liba, Shredi Jabarin, Roba Blal

Who Wrote It?
Eytan Fox and Gal Uchovsky

Who Directed It?
Eytan Fox

What's It About?
Noam (Ohad Knoller), an Israeli soldier stationed at a border crossing, shares a unique moment with a Palestinina man, Ashraf (Yousef Sweid), when they both attempt to help a woman who has gone into unexpected labor at the the checkpoint into Tel Aviv. The experience bonds them as the two share an instant, unexpected attraction to each other. Ashraf later finds Noam in the city and the two begin a relationship. As Ashraf is a Palestinian, Noam and his two roommates devise a scheme to give Ashraf a Jewish identity so that he can remain with Noam in Tel Aviv, a city much more appealing to Ashraf given its open attitude towards homosexuality and freedom of expression. However, nothing good can last forever, and Noam and Ahsraf are soon faced with some major problems, both personal and political.

Is It Any Good?
Yep, this is a pretty good movie.

The Bubble is a unique and moving film that puts one of drama's oldest themes (forbidden love) against the backdrop of one of the modern world's most hostile war zones (the Israeli/Palestinian conflict). Much, much more than just a gay, Isreali Romeo and Juliet remake, The Bubble explores the soul of Tel Aviv itself and its inhabitants who are relatively isolated within "the bubble" of the city and far removed from the violence and chaos throughout the surrounding region.

The film is well-acted, both by the leads and the supporting characters; and the script is relatively well-written. The film did have a few missteps when it veered a little too much towards a gay romantic comedy at times instead of a straight-out drama/love story with international complications; but those were minor missteps and they're easy to overlook. Focusing on the both the Israeli perspective and the Palestinian experience, the movie provides an ultimately devastating look at the long-seeded conflict and the shattering impact it has on the individuals living in the region.

The ending of this film will stick with you. Love it or hate it, but you won't forget it.

What Else Should I Know?
Not confined by the MPAA, the movie's sex scenes are a little more, shall we say, visual, than those in most American films. The Bubble's got straight sex scenes and gay sex scenes, so if either or both of those kinds of things offends you, then have the remote ready.

Rod's Rating:
3.5 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Worth a shot, especially if you're looking for something different yet relevant.

Bug

2009-03-05T09:56:00.019-05:00

Who's In It?
Ashley Judd, Michael Shannon, Harry Connick Jr., Lynn Collins, Brian F. O'Byrne

Who Wrote It?
Tracy Letts (based on his original play of the same name)

Who Directed It?
William Friedkin

What's It About?
Small-town waitress Agnes (Ashley Judd) moves into a remote, seedy motel room in order to avoid her abusive ex-husband (Harry Connick Jr.) who was recently released from prison. Agnes takes in a mutual acquaintance, Peter (Michael Shannon), a paranoid and slightly unstable Iraq-war veteran who believes that the government has secretly implanted him with an experimental bug drone. As their attraction to each other grows, Agnes tries to provide an anchor for Peter as his paranoia and his conspiracy theories about the government's illegal experiments on soldiers (including himself) begin to spiral out of control, especially after they find evidence of a bug infestation in their room... bugs that only appeared after Peter moved in.

The movie is an intriguingly weird hybrid of a horror/love story as Agnes and Peter become more connected romantically while Peter's instability slowly engulfs Agnes in his downward spiral of delusion and insanity.

Is It Any Good?
It's not bad. It's a little different, but it's also somewhat disturbing. It's tough to classify the movie as a "horror flick" or as a "thriller" or as a "black comedy" or as a "love story." I've seen all of these labels applied to the film, and the truth is that Bugs is a weird hybrid of all of the above (albeit, with very little elements of "black comedy" -- I think that label is slightly misleading). The movie consistently walks the fence between horror and psychological thriller, all while showing the blossoming love story between Agnes and Peter... a love that leads them down a very, very disturbing road.

Ashley Judd and Michael Shannon are both pretty good in the film, especially Ashley Judd. Judd plays Agnes' descent into insanity and deluded devotion with a startling realism that is simultaneously shocking and heartbreaking. It's definitely a "job well done" for Judd, it's just a shame that no one seemed to notice.

Most of the movie (probably 95% or more) takes place within one motel suite, which is very interesting cinematically and it aids the movie's increasingly claustrophobic feel. It reminded me of the Hitchcock movie Rope in which the whole movie takes place in one apartment suite. Neither the characters nor the viewers can get beyond their confines as the walls metaphorically start closing in around them.

What Else Should I Know?
There are a few genuine cringe moments in the movie that come up on you so quickly that there's no way to avoid them. I don't want to give out spoilers, so I'll tread lightly here, but there was one moment in the film where Peter suddenly and violently yanks a tooth from his mouth with pliers convinced that a bug sack was implanted into the tooth. It's a jacked-up scene and it makes you want to scream in surprise and disgust just like Agnes does. There are a few other moments in the film that are like this, so be warned.

Also worth noting for the inner 17 year old in all of us: you get a good look at Ashley Judd naked in this film. (Ladies, you also get a look at Michael Shannon's package.)

Rod's Rating:
3 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Worth a shot. Interesting, but also a little disturbing.

Altered

2009-03-04T00:40:00.002-05:00

Who's In It?
Adam Kaufman, Catherine Mangan, Brad William Henke, Paul McCarthy-Boyington, Michael C. Williams, James Gammon

Who Wrote It?
Jamie Nash

Who Directed It?
Eduardo Sánchez

What's It About?
Fifteen years after a group of five friends were abducted by aliens for days, the four surviving men (now all grown up) return to a remote house in the woods and manage to seek revenge on one of their captors. However, the captured creature soon gets loose, and that's when all hell breaks loose.

Is It Any Good?
Yeah, it's alright. It's well-acted and has a decent, albeit somewhat simplistic, script. Adam Kaufmann turns in a solid performance, and the cleverly plotted story and compelling performances both trump the relatively low budget of the movie. I give the film bonus points for having a clever and seemingly original premise. (I say "seemingly original" because I haven't seen any other films with the same set-up, but I reserve the right to be proven wrong since my mental movie encyclopedia is admittedly lacking).

The film is relatively short, which is good, because there's only so much time you can spend with a handful of people in a remote house in the woods before things start to get repetitive, even with a wounded alien on the loose. Altered gets a little predictable in some parts, but it never gets boring. Once the alien breaks free in the house, there's plenty of cat-and-mouse action to keep viewers invested. In addition, the backstory explaining the boy's original connection with the aliens is doled out slowly but is intriguing enough to keep you hooked. The ending of the film was particularly satisfying and offered a rewarding, unambiguous conclusion to the story.

What Else Should I Know?
I’m not a fan of Brad William Henke at all, mainly because the first thing I ever saw him in was October Road in which he played the most annoying and asinine character on a show which was full of them (so that's really saying something). When I saw him appear on screen at the beginning of the movie, sporting a stereotypical mullet no less, I was worried that he would wreck the film. However, there was no need to worry. Henke's not really that bad, and the film mainly follows Adam Kaufmann anyway. So Henke's ability to kill the movie is limited, and ultimately, not an issue.

Rod's Rating:
3 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Worth a shot. It's something different.

Across the Universe

2009-03-03T17:21:00.002-05:00

Who's In It?
Jim Sturgess, Evan Rachel Wood, Joe Anderson, Dana Fuchs, Martin Luther, T.V. Carpio, Logan Marshall-Green, James Urbaniak, Robert Clohessy, Dylan Baker, Spencer Liff, Salma Hayek, Bono, Eddie Izzard, Joe Cocker, Harry Lennix, Antonique Smith

Who Wrote It?
Screenplay by Dick Clement & Ian La Frenais; story by Dick Clement, Ian La Frenais and Julie Taymor

Who Directed It?
Julie Taymor

What's It About?
Director Julie Taymor takes viewers though the tumultuous 60's, following small-town American girl Lucy (Evan Rachel Wood), her slacker brother Max (Joe Anderson), and her Irish boyfriend Jude (Jim Sturgess) from New York to Vietnam and back again, all told through the music of the Beatles.

Is It Any Good?
Yes and no. The movie, as a whole, is somewhat lacking. That's because the movie is much less of a comprehensive, overall story as opposed to a string of well-intentioned Beatles covers all loosely strung together by an overly ambitious narrative which attempts to address all of the major headline-grabbing events of the 60's and 70's.

Viewed for what it really is (a series of Beatles renditions sung by the cast members), the film is a 50/50: half of the musical numbers are really quite good but the other half are totally skip-worthy. Renditions of "Let It Be," "Because" (including the 9-part harmonies), "I Want To Hold Your Hand," "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" and "Across the Universe" are all good; but other renditions, especially the over-the-top psychedelic numbers like "I Am the Walrus," "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite," "I want You" (which turns into a preachy, fauxmoerotic mess)," and "Happiness is a Warm Gun" are all an offense to our ears... and to the legacy of the original artists who wrote and sang those songs.

So it's a 50/50 on the musical numbers, but at least the cast has some pretty decent musical chops to pull off the ambitious renditions of these classics, including cameos by Bone, Eddie Izzard and Joe Cocker. Evan Rachel Wood and Jim Sturgess can more than carry a tune, ditto T.V. Carpio; but it's Dana Fuchs and Martin Luther who are the real vocal talents behind the show's better numbers. Both of them have the talent to be huge recording stars, in my opinion, and they certainly provide some of the soundtrack's best highlights.

What Else Should I Know?
The movie doesn't start out well, and you have to sit through (or fast forward through) the first three or four musical numbers before you finally get to some of the good stuff. The ending, however, is completely the opposite. Some of the films strongest songs and best dramatic moments are saved for last. The closing string of songs, including "Blackbird," "Hey Jude," "Don't Let Me Down," and "All You Need is Love" are terrific, and the strong ending to the film helps overlook some of the other missteps the movie made along the way.

Rod's Rating:
3 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Repeating the theme of the review, the movie gets a 50/50 recommendation. Some of the musical numbers are well worth hearing, but one could accomplish that by just listening to the soundtrack or searching on youtube. Beatles devotees may be really excited to hear some of their favorite songs reinvented, or they may be dismayed and appalled at the very notion. Like I said, 50/50.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall

2009-03-02T15:45:00.012-05:00

Who's In It?
Jason Segel, Kristen Bell, Mila Kunis, Russell Brand, Jonah Hill, Paul Rudd, Jack McBrayer, Maria Thayer, Bill Hader, Liz Cackowski

Who Wrote It?
Jason Segel

Who Directed It?
Nicholas Stoller

What's It About?
Peter (Jason Segel), a television-music composer, is dumped by his girlfriend of five years, tv star Sarah Marshall (our very own Veronica Mars Kristen Bell). Devastated, Peter treats himself to a Hawaiian vacation in an attempt to get over Sarah and find a way to move on. Ironically, he ends up at the same beach resort where Sarah and her new boytoy (Russell Brand) are vacationing away from the media. Hijinks abound as Peter and Sarah try to navigate the awkward post-breakup waters while staying at the same resort, and Peter's attraction to the hottie front desk manager (Mila Kunis) only makes things more complicated... and comical.

Paul Rudd, Jonah Hill, Jack McBrayer, and Bill Hader all co-star in the film as well.

Is It Any Good?
It's actually pretty funny, and some select parts are very funny. Big kudos to Jason Segal for writing the script and for keeping the movie generally clear from too much frat-boy humor and going for "real" comedy instead. Kristen Bell is delightful, as always. Even though she plays the quasi-nemesis of the film, it's hard to root against her. The film is sort of dark-romantic-comedy, and it works pretty well for the most part. I found myself laughing a lot and rooting for Peter to get the girl in the end... I just wasn't sure which girl I should be hoping for (Bell or Kunis).

Several members of the Appatow gang, including Paul Rudd and Jonah Hill, have supporting roles that are pretty funny. The stuff with Jack McBrayer could have been edited out; he seems to play the same character in every movie, and Forgetting Sarah Marshall didn't really need his usual shtick.

What Else Should I Know?
There were definitely a few too many Jason Segal full frontal nudity shots in this movie than necessary.

Rod's Rating:
3.5 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Worth a shot. It's pretty funny.

The Visitor

2009-03-01T15:38:00.012-05:00

Who's In It?
Richard Jenkins, Hiam Abbass, Haaz Sleiman, Danai Jekesai Gurira

Who Wrote It?
Thomas McCarthy

Who Directed It?
Thomas McCarthy

What's It About?
Walter (Richard Jenkins), a widowed, disillusioned university professor from Connecticut, travels to New York for a conference and decides to stay in the empty apartment that he and his wife used to live in years ago -- an apartment which he still owns, being unable to part with it. When he arrives, he finds Syrian immigrant Tarek (Haaz Sleiman) and his Senegalese girlfriend Zainab (Danai Gurira) squatting in the apartment, unaware that it still belonged to Walter. Initially taken aback, Walter strikes up an unlikely friendship with Tarek and permits the couple to stay in the apartment with him -- which leads to some life-altering experiences for all three of them over the course of the week and well beyond. (I'm not saying anything more specific in order to avoid spoilers.)

Hiam Abbass also stars as Tarek's mother who visits the apartment half-way through the film (not saying why to avoid spoilers) and has quite an impact on Walter's life as well.

Is It Any Good?
Yes, it is. The Visitor is a great movie in its subtelty, its realism, and its ability to make us truly connect with -- and feel for -- these characters. All four of the lead actors are great, especially Richard Jenkins (who was nominated for an Oscar in this role), Hiam Abbass, and Haaz Sleiman (who plays refreshingly against the stereotypes of Arab immigrants that we usually see in Hollywood films). The connection that Walter and Tarek form in the film comes across as genuine and truly heart-warming, with Tarek and Zainab opening up Walter's world and helping him out of his mundane day-to-day existence. When things take a bad turn for Tarek and Zainab midway through the film, Walter finds himself as Tarek's only advocate, thrusting him into a battle with the immigration system, the federal bureaucracy, and his own apathy towards the plight of others.

The result of Walter's experiences with Tarek and his family leave him fundamentally changed by the end of the film; and even though it's true that viewers probably could have guessed where the film was heading (and how it would end) fairly early into the movie, the journey of the characters never really feels cliche or predictable. Instead, the film is real and it is moving, no jaw-dropping twists or plot surprises are required. Overall, I found The Visitor to be an underrated, hidden treasure of a movie depicting real people facing real issues in a post 9-11 America.

What Else Should I Know?
Although I really enjoyed the movie, I was a little disappointed with the ending since I felt like I didn't get enough closure for several of the characters. The film ends at a very logical and fitting moment, and I understand why the filmmakers ended the film where, and how, they did; but I still was hoping for some closure or taglines on a few of the characters which the film doesn't give us.

Rod's Rating:
4 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Worth watching

Taking Chance

2009-02-23T22:03:00.025-05:00

Who's In It?
Kevin Bacon, Tom Aldredge, Enver Gjokaj, Noah Fleiss, Sarah Thompson, Paige Turco, Brendan Griffin, Gordon Clapp

Who Wrote It?
Ross Katz and Michael Strobl

Who Directed It?
Ross Katz

What's It About?
Based on the real-life account of Lieutenant Colonel Mike Strobl (portrayed by Kevin Bacon), Taking Chance tells the emotional story of Strobl's volunteer escort duty to accompany the body of 19-year old fallen soldier Chance Phelps across the country to his final resting place in Dubois, Wyoming.

Is It Any Good?
It's really good. And really moving too. It's never over the top and it never gets sappy; instead, the film respectfully and graciously reenacts the moving story of a soldier's ultimate sacrifice and the emotional impact on his loved ones, on his brothers in arms, on passing strangers, and on one veteran moved enough to volunteer for the job of bringing his body home.

As the movie follows Strobl's journey with Phelps across the country, many of the characters that Storbl encounters and interacts with are only on screen for a few minutes. This set-up creates a number of very short, very moving scenes that poignantly and emotionally reveal the nature of Heartland America and their respect, reverence, and gratitude for the sacrifices of America's fallen in Iraq and Afghanistan.

What Else Should I Know?
The fact that this movie is closely based on Strobl's own true-life account of his journey with Phelps makes watching this film even more moving and emotional. Knowing that the encounters portrayed in the film actually happened had me close to tears several times.

Rod's Rating:
4 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Well worth watching. And at under an hour and a half running time, there's really no excuse not to watch this movie.

Max Payne

2009-02-01T13:57:00.008-05:00

Who's In It?
Mark Wahlberg, Beau Bridges, Mila Kunis, Amaury Nolasco, Ludacris, Olga Kurylenko, Donal Logue, Chris O'Donnell, Kate Burton

Who Wrote It?
Beau Thorne

Who Directed It?
John Moore

What's It About?
Three years after the death of his wife and infant son, detective Max Payne (Mark Wahlberg) has become an isolated, brooding, and silent bad ass, secretly investigating the unsolved homicide of his family from within the cold case squad of his precinct. After three years of dead ends and useless leads, Payne finally finds the trail of the real killer(s), but he is forced to go rogue in order to bring them to justice. Teaming up with a ruthless assassin (Mila Kunis) and his former mentor (Beau Bridges), Payne gets closer and closer to the truth... and to his revenge.

The film is based on the video games series of the same name (which I admit I have never played... yet).

Is It Any Good?
Actually, it's pretty decent. That may come as a surprise since critics were less than kind to this film after its initial release; but speaking for myself, I thought the movie was pretty good.

The story and plot are both relatively decent (with a very satisfying ending); and the action sequences throughout the film are good too. Throw in the cgi-aided, supernatural-induced hallucinations of some of those sequences, and they get really cool. The promos and trailers for Max Payne suggest that there is a strong supernatural (angels vs. demons) element to the film, but the paranormal never really comes into play in the movie. The demons and winged-monsters in the film are all the products of extremely vivid and violent drug-induced hallucinations. Max Payne never actually fights demons in this movie, he fights... (well, you'll have to see the movie; I don't want to give out spoilers).

Mark Wahlberg gives his usual solid, sturdy, kick-ass performance. He essentially carries most of the film, and he carries it well. Mila Kunis and Chris O'Donnell, both have supporting roles in the film that I wish had been expanded a bit. They’re decent actors with minor but interesting roles in the movie. The same could be said for Donal Logue and Amaury Nausco. All of their screen time is limited because the film really belongs to the character of Max Payne, his quest for revenge, and his drive to uncover the truth behind his family's murder.

What Else Should I Know?
Singer Nelly Furtado tries her hand at acting with a very small role in this film, playing the recently-widowed wife of a police officer with ties to Mark Wahlberg’s character.

Rod's Rating:
3.5 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Worth a shot. I thought it got an unfair thrashing from the critics.

Prayers for Bobby

2009-01-25T15:36:00.015-05:00

Who's In It?
Sigourney Weaver, Ryan Kelley, Henry Czerny, Austin Nichols, Scott Bailey, Rebecca Louise Miller, Susan Ruttan, Carly Schroeder, Dan Butler

Who Wrote It?
Katie Ford, based on the book by Leroy Aarons

Who Directed It?
Russell Mulcahy

What's It About?
This Lifetime-tv-movie (yes, it's a Lifetime television movie... you read that correctly) is based on the heartbreaking, true story of Mary Griffith (played by Sigourney Weaver) and her son Bobby Griffith (played by Ryan Kelley). A devoutly religious woman, Mary Griffith is unable to accept her son's homosexuality, ultimately leading to Bobby's suicide at the young age of 20. Mary Griffith, devastated by the loss, struggles to come to grips with how her intolerance led to her son's death. She then becomes a motivated advocate for gay rights and dedicates her life to promoting tolerance, understanding, and compassion in order to prevent similar tragedies from occurring to other families.

Is It Any Good?
Although the overall movie itself is a little lacking, the message of the movie is heartfelt and powerful; and Sigourney Weaver's performance is truly a tour-de-force. Her heartbreaking portrayal is all the more resonant knowing that the story is a depiction of actual events. Unfortunately for the viewers, the important message of the film gets a little diluted by some of the typical Lifetime movie cliches that creep into the movie (i.e., predictable dialogue, sappy scene structures, and a disappointing ending that plays more like High School Musical than Brokeback Mountain). However, I'll reiterate that it's not the movie's overall delivery or packaging that is important here, but rather the message of the movie -- and the real-life story behind the movie -- is what truly deserves our time and attention. In that respect, the film is well worth watching.

What Else Should I Know?
Weaver's performance should earn her some tv-movie emmy nominations. She's that good. (This review is being written months before awards season, so only time will tell if the tv industry agreed with me.) Ryan Kelley is also noteworthy as the tragically conflicted Bobby, as is Austin Nichols who portrays Bobby's older brother.

Rod's Rating:
3 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
The message and story behind this movie is much more compelling than the movie itself. It's worth watching for the intent, but try not to get hung up on the sappy Lifetime-movie cliches or preachiness.

Bad Education

2009-01-24T22:29:00.021-05:00

Who's In It?
Gael García Bernal, Fele Martínez, Daniel Giménez Cacho, Lluís Homar, Nacho Pérez, Raúl García Forneiro, Javier Cámara, Francisco Boira

Who Wrote It?
Pedro Almodóvar

Who Directed It?
Pedro Almodóvar

What's It About?
Bad Education is a complex, twisting, noir-like, mystery-thriller from Pedro Almodóvar, one of Spain's most successful and acclaimed movie makers (or so says current opinion from people who opine on such things). The movie follows film director Enrique (Fele Martínez) and his old, schoolboy pal Ignacio (Gael García Bernal) who reappears in Enrique's life sporting a new name and pitching a film script based on their childhood experiences and the trauma they both endured at the hands of a sexually abusive priest. Ignacio's script leads Enrique to revisit his troubled past and to slowly uncover a complicated web of deception, manipulation, hidden identities, and murder surrounding Ignacio. As Ignacio attempts to enmesh himself more and more into Enrique's life, Enrique gets closer and closer to uncovering the disturbing truth about his old friend's new life.

The movie plays out in several different formats: flashbacks; the present-day; the embodiment of Ignacio/Angel's film script; and altered flashbacks within the embodiment of that script. Sound confusing? That's because it is. Complicating matters even further, some of the film's actors play different roles in each format.

Is It Any Good?
Honestly, I think this film could have, and should have, been a lot better than it actually was. The premise of the film is promising with its noir-like qualities and Almodóvar's twist to make the femme fatale a transvestite (or is she?). However, the film ultimately gets buried under its own labyrinthine mess of twists, double-twists, triple-twists, and more.

The story starts out fine, and the initial twists are interesting and clever; but as the twists and turns keep coming (and there are far too many of them) the film just gets needlessly complicated and loses itself. It's as if the filmmakers lost sight of their original vision for the story and instead got too wrapped up in topping themselves with each new revelation. That's a real shame too, because this movie could have been really good if it had just been a little less scattered.

A significant drawback to the movie is that with so many twists and turns being revealed as the movie progresses, it's hard to connect with any of the characters. Viewers can't really tell who is who and what is what, so it's tough to know who to root for or who to care about. Instead, viewers just end up going along for the ride, not really emotionally invested in anyone... hapless passengers on a rollercoaster ride with far too many twists and turns; a ride that moves from exciting and fun to annoying and frustrating by the time it's all over.

What Else Should I Know?
Although the film falls apart before the end, I still give credit to Almodóvar for his creative attempt at busting open and re-inventing the genre.

Rod's Rating:
2.5 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Almodóvar fans will want to see this, and in fact, they probably already have. Otherwise, I recommend passing on this one. It's too complicated and the payoff isn't worth it in the end.

Juno

2009-01-23T21:44:00.022-05:00

Who's In It?
Ellen Page, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman, Allison Janney, J.K. Simmons, Michael Cera, Olivia Thirlby, Rainn Wilson

Who Wrote It?
Diablo Cody

Who Directed It?
Jason Reitman

What's It About?
Juno, a fiery, lovable, independent-minded teenager (Ellen Page) finds herself unexpectedly pregnant at the age of 16. Tackling her new-found predicament head on, Juno and her parents (Allison Janney & J.K. Simmons) search for a worthy couple to adopt the baby after the birth. Enter yuppies Vanessa and Mark Loring (Jennifer Garner & Jason Bateman), a seemingly perfect and well-adjusted married couple, whom Juno selects to adopt her baby -- after seeing their classified ad in a Pennysaver magazine.

The film tracks Juno's emotional and often-times comedic journey as she: navigates high school with a growing baby bulge, aided by BFF Leah (Olivia Thirlby); re-evaluates her relationship with her sweet-but-conflicted boyfriend and baby-daddy (Michael Cera); grows close (maybe too close?) to the potential adoptive parents; and redefines her previously cynical views about her own parents.

Is It Any Good?
Yes. Juno is a darn good movie. It's charming, funny, moving, witty, well-written, well-acted, and an all-around enjoyable movie experience. Props to Diablo Cody for writing such a clever and relevant script -- undoubtedly one of the best screenplays of the year; and extra props to Ellen Page for a truly great (some might say "star-making") performance. The rest of the ensemble cast is also top-notch: Allison Janney is pitch-perfect as Juno's long-suffering but supportive stepmother; J.K. Simmons does a good job playing a character much more mellow and relatable than his standard prone-to-emotional-outbursts roles (i.e., The Closer, Spider Man, Oz); Jason Bateman has a nice turn playing a thirty-something average joe struggling to accept the end of his care-free twenties/thirties -- a more dramatic role than his norm; and Jennifer Garner is great as the successful woman who has it all -- except the ability to have her own baby.

All in all, the great cast, some great performances, an excellent script, and a decent soundtrack to boot, make Juno a really good movie that's worth your time.

What Else Should I Know?
Rainn Wilson has a prominent role in all of the movie's promos and trailers; but he actually only appears in the movie for a few moments to get a few quick laughs, then he's never seen again. He is in no way an integral part of the ensemble cast, although the previews might have you believe otherwise.

Rod's Rating:
4 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Well worth watching.

I Am Legend

2009-01-22T21:12:00.016-05:00

Who's In It?
Will Smith, Alice Braga, Charlie Tahan, Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Willow Smith

Who Wrote It?
Screenplay by Mark Protosevich and Akiva Goldsman; based on the novel by Richard Matheson

Who Directed It?
Francis Lawrence

What's It About?
Based on the popular 1954 book of the same name by Richard Matheson, I Am Legend is the harrowing story of Robert Neville (Will Smith), the last surviving human on earth after a devastating plague wipes out most of the planet's inhabitants. Those who survived the plague have been transformed into grotesque, vampire-like creatures who roam free at night. Neville is the only person to have survived the plague and also to have survived the monstrous transformation. Alone in New York City with only his dog for companionship, Neville struggles to survive the nightly onslaughts of the walking undead while desperately searching for some type of cure to bring the undead -- and the world -- back to normalcy.

Is It Any Good?
Yeah, it's pretty good. The 1954 novel is a classic, and the movie does a great job of modernizing the story for the 21st century. Will Smith gives a solid performance throughout the film, shouldering the responsibility of being the only actor on screen throughout the majority of the movie. Smith in is top form running the range of human emotions over the course of the film (fear, rage, survival, desperation, loneliness, hope, longing, determination) and making us care. Robert Neville, and the dog, are characters worth rooting for.

The movie itself does a good job of walking the fence between being a straight-out horror film and being a character study in human isolation. Legend takes the best elements from each genre and successfully merges them into one tale of hope and struggle in the face of overwhelming (and flesh-eating) obstacles.

What Else Should I Know?
The movie takes some major liberties with the ending of the story, straying wildly from the conclusion in Matheson's original novel. However, the reimagined ending of the movie is not disappointing in comparison to the novel's ending. They both work.

Rod's Rating:
3.5 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Worth seeing.

The Air I Breathe

2009-01-21T21:07:00.016-05:00

Who's In It?
Brendan Fraser, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Andy Garcia, Forest Whitaker, Kevin Bacon, Julie Delpy, Emile Hirsch, Clark Gregg, Kelly Hu, Victor Rivers

Who Wrote It?
Jieho Lee & Bob DeRosa

Who Directed It?
Jieho Lee

What's It About?
The Air I Breath tells four interlocking, overlapping stories strung together by an ancient Chinese proverb. A banker (Forest Whitaker) gambles away his life savings and goes to extreme lengths to recover the money; a psychic hitman (Brendan Fraser) falls in love with one of his targets while also trying to keep his boss's unruly nephew (Emile Hirsch) out of trouble; a rising pop star (Sarah Michelle Gellar) falls under the thumb of a crooked gangster (Andy Garcia); and a doctor (Kevin Bacon) races against time to save the love of his life (Julie Delpy) who is married to his best friend (Clark Gregg).

Is It Any Good?
Yes, it is. The film easily draws you into the world of these complex characters, each of whom is much more than they appear to be at first glance. To say exactly how these stories overlap would risk veering into spoiler territory, so I won't go into specifics; but I will say that the way these different stories intersect is clever, meaningful, and not at all gimmicky (which can sometimes be the case in movies like this).

Sarah Michelle Gellar, Brendan Fraser, and Kevin Bacon all turn in some good performances here as the leads in their respective stories. Moving from one story to the next, the movie does a nice job of staying true to its overall vision, and of keeping viewers invested in the characters. What could have been a schizophrenic, scattered film is instead an emotionally engaging, multiple-character study following the trials, heartaches, and ultimately (in some cases) the triumphs of the various protagonists.

What Else Should I Know?
To be completely honest, the movie does have one weak link: the Forest Whitaker segment. Whitaker is a great actor, but it doesn't show in this film. If it wasn't for the unique and necessary way that Whitaker's piece fit into the overall story, I would say that the film would have been better just scrapping that part.

Rod's Rating:
3.5 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Worth a shot

The Incredible Hulk

2009-01-20T20:59:00.017-05:00

Who's In It?
Edward Norton, Liv Tyler, Tim Roth, William Hurt, Ty Burrell, Tim Blake Nelson

Who Wrote It?
Zak Penn

Who Directed It?
Louis Leterrier

What's It About?
Given the title, the movie is obviously about Bruce Banner and his alter-ego, the Incredible Hulk. This time around, the movie focuses on Banner (Edward Norton) and his continuous quest to find a cure for the gamma-ray affliction that causes him to turn into the Hulk. Banner, hiding in South America, is tracked down by shady General Ross (William Hurt) and his commandos, forcing Banner to flee back to the United States and seek help from his former love, Betty (Liv Tyler) -- who just so happens to be the estranged daughter of General Ross.

Essentially, The Incredible Hulk picks up right where the 2003 Ang Lee version, Hulk, left off. However, it's a stretch to classify The Incredible Hulk as a sequel to the 2003 film since none of the actors reprise their roles in the latter film, and the tone and style of the movies are very different from each other. The earlier film is more introspective and moody, whereas the later film is more action-packed and intentionally blockbuster-y.

Joining the fun for this go-round is new character Emil Blonsky (Tim Roth), a battle-hardened soldier who makes it his mission to track down Banner at all costs. Joining forces with Genral Ross, Blonsky intentionally injects himself with the same gamma radiation that Banner was exposed to years ago... causing Blonksy to transform into a grotesque, Hulk-on-Steroids-like creature intent on going head-to-head with Banner.

Is It Any Good?
It's alright. It's better (in most ways) than the 2003 film, but it's nowhere near the quality of Iron Man, another superhero film released in 2008. Norton and Tyler give decent performances (as they always do), and the film has some pretty cool action sequences working in its favor; but like most films in this genre, the movie is bogged down by a convoluted plot, stiff dialogue, and a disappointing lack of character development. Not that those drawbacks should come as a surprise given the film's genre and action-focus, but it's still discouraging to see another comic book yarn follow this predictable formula, as opposed to finding a decent balance between character and kicking ass (i.e. Iron Man).

What Else Should I Know?
The ending is seriously lame.

Rod's Rating:
3 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
50/50. I can't recommend moving this to the top of your NetFlix queue, but I'm not advising anyone to scrap it from their queue altogether.

The Last Winter

2009-01-19T22:52:00.022-05:00

Who's In It?
Ron Perlman, Connie Britton, Zach Gilford, James LeGros, Kevin Corrigan, Jamie Harrold, Joanne Shenandoah

Who Wrote It?
Larry Fessenden and Robert Leaver

Who Directed It?
Larry Fessenden

What's It About?
A small group of oil company workers stationed at an isolated, Arctic drilling outpost begin to experience strange and inexplicable events, leading them to suspect that something other-worldly is out to stop the company from expanding its drilling lines in the frozen wilderness. The workers, led by hardened and cynical Ed (Ron Perlman), struggle to survive against these unseen forces and to maintain a grip on their sanity in the wake of the unexplainable phenomena surrounding them.

Connie Britton and Zach Gilford (both from Friday Night Lights) play two of workers trapped at the outpost.

Is It Any Good?
To be blunt: this movie is a massive disappointment.

Despite having an interesting premise and some great cast members, The Last Winter fails at everything it was attempting to be: a scary movie, a psychological thriller, an outback-survival story, and an allegory of the consequence of industrial evil. The film works on absolutely none of those levels. Perlman, Britton, Gilford and the rest are all wasted on a ludicrous script and on a movie that never delivers any real emotional attachment to its characters.

To make matters worse, after the movie throws away any attempt at making us care about the struggling workers at the outpost and their fates, the movie's efforts to turn the story into a metaphorical warning of the dangers of Arctic drilling (you know: when the world's corporate leaders destroy the environment too much, the environment finally strikes back) just come off as overbearing, self-serving, and -- most importantly -- completely unoriginal.

In short, it's just all wrong; on every level.

What Else Should I Know?
The alternative ending on the DVD doesn't help make the movie any better.

Rod's Rating:
2 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Despite Connie Britton and Zach Gilford (whom I both adore and man-crush, respectively) being in this movie, it's just not worth watching.

The Darjeeling Limited

2009-01-18T22:54:00.015-05:00

Who's In It?
Adrien Brody, Owen Wilson, Jason Schwartzman, Amara Karan, Bill Murray, Anjelica Huston, Camilla Rutherford, Wallace Wolodarsky, Waris Ahluwalia

Who Wrote It?
Wes Anderson, Roman Coppola, and Jason Schwartzman

Who Directed It?
Wes Anderson

What's It About?
Three brothers (Adrien Brody, Owen Wilson, Jason Schwartzman), who have not spoken to one another since their father's funeral one year ago, reunite on board an Indian passenger train. The brothers, each going through a personal crisis of their own, use the trip to reconnect with each other and attempt to "become brothers again," while each man also sets out to "find himself" spiritually along the way as well.

Is It Any Good?
Eh, not really. I thought it would be a lot better than it actually was.

Wes Anderson's quirky style is on full display in The Darjeeling Limited, and he gets points for uniqueness and for effort; but unfortunately, the movie is ultimately just too boring to be fully entertaining. The film also struck me as being a little too wrapped up in its own uniqueness (some might say 'pretentiousness') to the point of distraction. The movie attempts to switch from being a quasi-black comedy in the first act to a dark, indie drama in the second act and then back again in the third. It didn't work for me. Too schizophrenic -- and not in a good way.

Nothing against the actors or the writers, but for me the film just didn't come together like I thought it should. While watching Darjeeling, I kept drawing the obvious comparisons to The Royal Tenenbaums (2001), another Wes Anderson film made in his unique and quirky style. However, Darjeeling is never able to measure up to the awesomeness of Tenenbaums -- despite borrowing heavily off of the earlier film's style, mood, and even cast list.

What Else Should I Know?
Natalie Portman has the briefest of cameos in this movie. She appears for like two seconds during a pivotal "montage" scene towards the end of the film. She was portraying the character of Jason Schwartzman's ex-girlfriend, who is frequently discussed in the film, but never seen. Apparently, there was a short (10-12 minute) movie called "Hotel Chevalier" that was attached to the theatrical release of the film and to the DVD which starred Portman and Schwartzman and focused on their dysfunctional relationship prior to Schwartman's character getting on the train with his brothers. I didn't watch the "Hotel Chevalier" segment of the DVD, because I was so over the movie by the time the credits rolled, that I popped the DVD out and sent it back to NetFlix right quick. Only later did I find out that Portman shows her hiney in the segment and I missed it. Bummer. (No pun intended.) Oh well, that's what Google Images are for, right?

Rod's Rating:
2.5 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
It's not horrible, but ultimately the movie is too disappointing to recommend.

Prom Night

2009-01-17T16:48:00.014-05:00

Who's In It?
Brittany Snow, Scott Porter, Jessica Stroup, Dana Davis, Collins Pennie, Kelly Blatz, Jessalyn Gilsig, Linden Ashby, James Ransone, Ming-Na, Johnathon Schaech, Idris Elba, Kellan Lutz

Who Wrote It?
J.S. Cardone

Who Directed It?
Nelson McCormick

What's It About?
High school senior Donna (American Dreams's Brittany Snow) sets off with her boyfriend (Friday Night Lights's Scott Porter) and a group of close friends to have the time of their lives at prom. What Donna and her friends don't know is that a psychotic killer from Donna's past has just escaped from custody and is now coming after her again... at the prom. You can probably guess what happens next.

Is It Any Good?
This movie got widely panned by professional critics and film reviewers, but I didn't think it was quite as bad as everyone else thought it was. Granted, it was far from a cinematic masterpiece; but it certainly wasn't the travesty that some reviewers are claiming. The material is run-of-the-mill teen slasher stuff; but Brittany Snow and Scott Porter are both extremely likable, so it's not hard to watch the film and root for them to survive and to get a happy ending. James Ransone (Generation Kill, The Wire) gets some screen time as a detective trying to track the killer and keep Donna and her friends safe. He's another on-screen talent whose easy to root for.

The movie has its share of moments where viewers sigh in frustration at the tv when we know that the horny teen shouldn't go into the dark bedroom alone, or when we know that the girl running from the killer should run out of the building towards safety instead of running into a corner and to her death... all standard issue elements for these types of movie. Prom Night's main problem is that it doesn't add anything new or inventive to the standard teen/slasher film that we've seen a dozen times before. The writers tried to spice things up by making the psychotic killer a former high school teacher of Donna's from her past (that's not a real spoiler, that fact is revealed in the first few minuted of the film) -- but the attempt to liven things up by playing on the teacher-stalker/student-victim dynamic just falls flat. Poor Johnathon Schaech, the masked killer, comes off as slightly more pathetic than creepy -- although that doesn't stop him from racking up an impressive body count before the final credits roll.

In the end, the film boils down to this: decent actors doing their best with a clichéd script as the movie plays out -- and ends -- just like we all knew it would before we popped the disc into the DVD player.

What Else Should I Know?
In the interests of full disclosure, I admit that my appreciation for several of the actors in this movie (namely: Brittany Snow, Scott Porter, Jessica Stroup, James Ransone, and Jessalyn Gilsig) may be clouding my judgment a bit and leading me to review this film in a slightly more positive manner than it deserves. Even so, I still maintain that the film isn't as bad as everyone else says.

Rod's Rating:
2.5 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
If you're into teen-screams, you could do a lot worse than Prom Night. (But you could do a lot better too.)

P.S. I Love You

2009-01-16T15:51:00.018-05:00

Who's In It?
Hilary Swank, Gerard Butler, Gina Gershon, Lisa Kudrow, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, James Marsters, Kathy Bates, Dean Winters, Harry Connick Jr., Nellie McKay

Who Wrote It?
Screenplay by Richard LaGravenese and Steven Rogers; based on the novel by Cecelia Ahern.

Who Directed It?
Richard LaGravenese

What's It About?
Following the death of her beloved husband (Gerard Butler), a young, grieving widow (Hilary Swank) discovers that he has left her a series of love letters designed to help her move on with her life and find happiness again.

Yeah, it's that cheesy.

Is It Any Good?
Hell, no. This movie is not good. I don't know why I keep letting myself get roped into watching these obvious chick flicks; but I couldn't help thinking that this movie would be one of the "good ones." I mean, after all, it has a pretty awesome cast: Oscar winner Swank; 300-star and overall bad ass Gerard Butler; Supernatural/Grey's fan-favorite Jeffrey Dean Morgan; hottie Gina Gershon; funny Lisa Kudrow; Buffy's Spike himself, James Marsters; and the tv-versatile Dean Winters. However, despite the impressive cast, the movie is just flat out bad.

Predictable, annoying, and ridiculous are just three of the adjectives that come to mind when I think about this movie. Here are a few others: wooden, stale, sappy, nauseating, frustrating, and pretentious. You get the picture. The movie sucks, folks, and not just because it's a bad chick flick; it's a bad movie overall (chick flick or not.)

What Else Should I Know?
Despite pissing all over some great on-screen talent and basically doing nothing right for two hours, the movie did re-introduce the world to the catchy song "Galway Girl." It can at least get credit for that.

Rod's Rating:
1.5 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Skip this one. (Yes, ladies, I'm talking to you too.)

The Nines

2009-01-15T13:33:00.015-05:00

Who's In It?
Ryan Reynolds, Melissa McCarthy, Hope Davis, David Denman, Octavia Spencer, Elle Fanning, Ben Falcone, Dahlia Salem

Who Wrote It?
John August

Who Directed It?
John August

What's It About?
Ryan Reynolds plays three different characters in three interweaving stories in this somewhat mind-bending and thought provoking film that you've probably never heard of until now. In the first story, Reynolds portrays a struggling actor stuck under house arrest following a cocaine-fueled bender. In the second, Reynolds is a gifted tv writer/showrunner fighting to get his pet project greenlit by his network. And in the third, Reynolds plays a happy husband/father whose quick hike down an isolated highway to find help repairing his broken-down car leads him to a mysterious stranger... and to an even stranger, darker truth about his life (and the lives of the other characters in the first two stories).

Melissa McCarthy and Hope Davis also both portray different characters in each of the three segments; and the story starts to get really trippy (in a good way) with Melissa actually portraying herself in one of the segments... complete with her real-life husband Ben Falcone at her side.

Although on paper The Nines appears to be three separate stories with some interconnected pieces, it's actually one overarching story; but to say exactly how the individual segments feed into the broader story would risk giving away some of the movie's interesting twists, which I promise not to do.

Is It Any Good?
Yes, I liked this movie quite a bit, especially considering that I had never heard of it until NetFlix recommended it for me. John August wrote a really good script here that is a true psychological and philosophical treat. The film is a puzzle, and the pieces of that puzzle are skillfully revealed in each of the three segments but only come together in the film's final acts. Depending on your point of view, you may find the movie's final revelations (in which we learn how everything does, in fact, tie together) to be either very satisfying or a big let-down. I myself, thought it was a very clever and intriguing conclusion and I was not disappointed in any way... not with the end of the movie, nor with the complete film itself.

The performances by Ryan Reynolds and Melissa McCarthy are especially good. Reynolds (Smokin' Aces) once again shows that he's a truly talented actor underneath the "National Lampoon/Van Wilder" stigma that film critics seem continually unwilling to let him shrug off for good. McCarthy is great, and it's obvious that she took this gift of a script from her real-life pal John August (part of the script was written specifically for her to play, and her only) and really ran with it. I was duly impressed, and it was nice to see her in a role with so much more range and vulnerability than the sappy sidekick role she's relegated to on Samantha Who.

The Nines turns out to be more of a philosophical/existential piece than a psychological thriller/mystery, but it is not pretentious or overbearing in any way -- which I really appreciate as most "thinking" films just strike me as obnoxious or annoying and fail under the weight of their own self-importance. Not so with The Nines, which is a clever, compelling, and ultimately satisfying movie experience.

What Else Should I Know?
The second segment of the movie, in which Ryan Reynolds plays a tv writer/showrunner, provides a very interesting look at all of the behind-the-scenes drama that goes into getting a television pilot produced and the network politics and shenanigans surrounding TV Upfront Week. Given my obsession with tv, Upfront Week is something that I always spend way too much time focusing on each spring, and it was neat to see the "real life" side of the business portrayed so openly.

Rod's Rating:
3.5 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Worth seeing... especially if you're up for something a little off-center.

30 Days of Night

2009-01-14T14:51:00.012-05:00

Who's In It?
Josh Hartnett, Melissa George, Danny Huston, Mark Rendall, Amber Sainsbury, Mark Boone Junior, Ben Foster, Manu Bennett, Megan Franich, Elizabeth McRae

Who Wrote It?
Screenplay by Steve Niles, Stuart Beattie and Brian Nelson; based on the graphic novel by Steve Niles and Ben Templesmith.

Who Directed It?
David Slade

What's It About?
The residents of a small, isolated Alaskan town are terrorized by a breed of vicious vampires who mysteriously appear and roam the streets freely during a month-long period of darkness in which the sun is never seen. The residents, led by Sheriff Eben Oleson (Josh Hartnett) and his estranged sweetheart (Melissa George), struggle to stay alive and in hiding long enough until the sun shines again.

Is It Any Good?
This is another film that starts with a great premise, but fails sadly in execution. An all too familiar tale. The movie starts with that creepy something-big-and-bad-is-coming-to-an-unsuspecting-town vibe -- this time it's the isolated, snow-covered, and nearly deserted town of Barrow, Alaska. The movie does well by keeping the bloodthirsty vamps unseen at the outset as the movie's initial victims start getting picked off and the local law enforcement and other "good guys" start to realize that something is terribly wrong. Once the vamps finally come out into the open and all gory hell breaks loose, the movie unfortunately descends into predictable horror-movie cliches, including: trite dialogue; under-developed characters and relationships; corny plotting; silly FX; and underwhelming action sequences. In short, the movie turns into everything you've seen a hundred times before and don't want to see again in horror films. Josh Hartnett and Melissa George do their best to shoulder the movie and keep viewers interested, but it's a task that neither is capable of -- the fact that their characters are so poorly written doesn't do them any favors either.

I can't help thinking that the movie would have worked much better if the filmmakers had left the bloodthirsty vamps primarily off-screen and focused the story around the lonely band of survivors struggling against a mostly-unseen brutal, force. Instead, the filmmakers went for blood, gore, and subpar monster FXs; and the film suffers as a result.

What Else Should I Know?
Amber Sainsbury portrays one of the "lucky" residents who survives long enough to join the Sheriff's band of refugees in hiding. Sainsbury played the evil-turned-holy Roxanne on BBC's Hex. I only point this out because it was driving me absolutely crazy during the movie that I couldn't place where I had seen her before.

Rod's Rating:
2.5 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Can't really recommend this one. Sorry.

Hitman

2009-01-13T14:00:00.017-05:00

Who's In It?
Timothy Olyphant, Olga Kurylenko, Dougray Scott, Robert Knepper, Henry Ian Cusick, Michael Offei, Ulrich Thomsen

Who Wrote It?
Skip Woods

Who Directed It?
Xavier Gens

What's It About?
Based on the video game of the same name, Hitman stars Timothy Olyphant as Agent #47, an unnamed, highly-trained, assassin-for-hire who unintentionally gets ensnared in a political coup following one of his "hits." Tracked by government killers, international law enforcement, and even his own employers, Agent 47 searches for the truth behind who set him up and seeks out some slick, bloody vengeance... all while trying to protect a rescued hooker (Olga Kurylenko) and evade a relentless Interpol agent (Dougray Scott).

Is It Any Good?
It's a "guy's" movie. And in that context, it's an ok film. Given the genre, it shouldn't be surprising that the movie lacks significant character development or plot coherence; but it does have some great action scenes which are a lot of fun and which hold the movie together and move it briskly forward. Timothy Olyphant's performance is respectable, considering the juvenile dialogue and stiff direction he was given. Olga Kurylenko's character isn't much more than a ~~set-of-tits~~ damsel in distress, which every good action film seems required to have. And completing the trilogy of required characters in a man-on-the-run-from-shadowy-conspiracy movie, Dougray Scott is root-worthy (that's a new word: it means "worthy of rooting for as a character") as the Interpol gumshoe hot on the heels of Agent 47 who uncovers more than he bargained for.

What Else Should I Know?
Some notable tv faces pop up in this movie in minor/supporting roles: Robert Knepper (T-Bagg on Prison Break) and Henry Ian Cusick (Desmond on Lost).

Rod's Rating:
3 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Dudes under 35 will probably dig this (like I did); otherwise, probably not.

Towards Darkness

2009-01-12T17:00:00.002-05:00

Who's In It?
America Ferrera, David Sutcliffe, Roberto Urbina, Tony Plana, William Atherton, Kate Siegel, Cameron Daddo, Alejandra Borrero

Who Wrote It?
Antonio Negret

Who Directed It?
Antonio Negret

What's It About?
The kidnapping and ransom of Jose Gutierrez, a Colombian college student, is told from multiple perspectives, including: the victim (Roberto Urbina); his kidnappers; a special ops recovery team (including William Atherton and Cameron Daddo); a ransom courier (David Sutcliffe); the victim's father (Tony Plana); and the victim's ex-girlfriend (America Ferrera). As events unfold (not in chronological order, btw), we the viewers watch how the kidnapping dramatically impacts all of the characters involved.

Is It Any Good?
It's decent. The film gets points for originality, intent, and premise; but it falls a little shorter-than-expected in actual execution. I liked the idea of seeing how the kidnapping had a different impact on each of the characters and led them each to react in very different ways -- meaning the movie has multiple subplots; however, not all of those subplots reach the same level of excitement and intensity which makes the film drag at times and also feel a little schizophrenic. The non-linear chronology won't appeal to viewers who might already be put off by the unconventional approach; although I personally had no problems following the storyline and applaud the filmmakers for taking the risk.

Overall, the movie is... like I said... decent. It's not terrific, but it doesn't suck either. The story itself is pretty interesting, but the storytelling leaves a little to be desired... due to the underwhelming subplots of a few characters. However, the parts of the film that do work, work very well indeed.

What Else Should I Know?
It's cool to see America Ferrera and Tony Plano, bot from Ugly Betty, embody roles in this film that are radically different from the ones that they play on the ABC comedy.

Rod's Rating:
3.5 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Worth a shot if you're looking for something a little unique.

The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor

2009-01-11T00:05:00.000-05:00

Who's In It?
Brendan Fraser, Maria Bello, John Hannah, Luke Ford, Michelle Yeoh, Jet Li, Isabella Leong

Who Wrote It?
Alfred Gough and Miles Millar

Who Directed It?
Rob Cohen

What's It About?
This is the third installment in The Mummy series which started in 1999. This time around, Rick and Evelyn O'Connell (Brendan Fraser and Maria Bello -- taking over the role from Rachel Weisz) are brought back into the mummy hunting game when their now-22 year old son Alex (Luke Ford) uncovers an ancient Chinese mummy in the desert outside of Shanghai. The O'Connell family teams up again with Uncle Jonathan (John Hannah) and also with a mysterious and powerful local woman (Isabella Leong) to take down the mummy (Jet Li).

Is It Any Good?
Despite my high hopes that this movie would redeem the series from its crappy second installment, Tomb of the Dragon Emperor was a huge disappointment. The story itself is lame and uninteresting... when it's not being outright ridiculous. Most (if not all) of the fun and the charm of the first Mummy movie is completely gone, and the new elements that the movie tried to inject into the series to spice things up fall completely flat (i.e., the Shanghai setting, the new mythology, the Yeti, the family melodrama, the love interest for Alex, etc.). Overall, the movie not only fails miserably in its own right, but it continues the trend started in The Mummy Returns of pissing on our memories of the original film.

On top of all of that: Luke Ford and Isabella Leong are all wrong for their parts; Maria Bello should have never tried to step into Rachel Weisz's role as Evelyn; and Jet Li and Michelle Yeoh are completely wasted. It's sad. So, so sad.

What Else Should I Know?
To add insult to injury, I honestly can't say which film is worse: The Mummy Returns or The Tomb of the Dragon Emperor. If I was forced to decide, I think I would have to say that The Mummy Returns wins the sucky movie contest by a hair over Dragon Emperor. And that's really the only kind thing I can say about this movie.

I expected so much more from Smallville scribes Alfred Gough and Miles Millar.

Rod's Rating:
2 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Pass on this one. Try to remember the original The Mummy with fondness and pretend like the second and third films never happened.

Doomsday

2009-01-10T21:57:00.015-05:00

Who's In It?
Rhona Mitra, Adrian Lester, Darren Morfitt, MyAnna Buring, Malcolm McDowell, Sean Pertwee, Craig Conway, Bob Hoskins, Alexander Siddig, David O'Hara

Who Wrote It?
Neil Marshall

Who Directed It?
Neil Marshall

What's It About?
After a deadly, incurable virus breaks out in Scotland, the government quickly quarantines the entire northern part of the county by erecting a massive, fortified wall to trap the virus (and thousands of people) inside to die. Thirty years later, the virus resurfaces in London, England, and the government sends an elite team of soldiers and scientists into the long-deserted city of Glasgow to locate a potential cure. Led by Major Eden Sinclair (Rhona Mitra), who had escaped the quarantine thirty years prior, the team finds that Glasgow and the surrounding countryside are in no way as deserted as once thought.

Is It Any Good?
Despite an intriguing premise, this movie doesn't really make the cut. It has a ton of potential to be a great guilty pleasure movie, but even as a guilty pleasure, the movie just doesn't deliver the goods. Once the team enters the quarantined city, the movie gets very jumbled and schizophrenic, moving from a Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome vibe to a Medieval-Times-with-Guns vibe to a Fast and Furious vibe all while the story desperately tries to cling to its original premise (the team finding a cure). On top of the tri-polar movie vibe, the characters are too shallow and inconsistent... both of which add to the frustration of the viewers trying to find some reason to keep watching (other than Rhona Mitra's hotness).

What Else Should I Know?
The movie ain't all bad. There are some fun moments that do shine through, and some of the action sequences are fun enough. Also, new-to-me Darren Morfitt was fun to root for in his scene-stealing moments.

Rod's Rating:
2 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Unless you're a big fan of the genre or any of the actors in this film, I suggest skipping this one. It's more disappointing than it is entertaining.

Eagle Eye

2009-01-09T00:05:00.002-05:00

Who's In It?
Shia LaBeouf, Michelle Monaghan, Billy Bob Thornton, Rosario Dawson, Michael Chiklis, Ethan Embry, William Sadler, Anthony Mackie, Bill Smitrovich

Who Wrote It?
Screenplay by: John Glenn, Travis Wright, Hillary Seitz, and Dan McDermott

Who Directed It?
D.J. Caruso

What's It About?
Two random strangers, aimless copyboy Jerry (Shia LaBeouf) and single mom Rachel (Michelle Monaghan), are hurled into a nightmare when they each receive mysterious phone calls from an unknown woman who blackmails and manipulates them into doing her bidding... bidding that puts both of them in extremely dangerous situations and makes them the target of a national security manhunt. Unable to seek help or escape from the mysterious woman's ever-watchful network of surveillance and monitoring devices, Jerry and Rachel are forced to work together -- and to trust each other -- if they want to survive.

Is It Any Good?
Yes, this one is a keeper. Eagle Eye takes a somewhat familiar premise (two strangers thrown together on a mysterious mission) and injects it with several shots of adrenaline, hypertension, action, mystery, technology, and good ol' fashioned car chases and gunfights to keep the movie exciting and intense from the beginning. Throw in the quality and likability of leads Shia LaBeouf and Michelle Monaghan, plus the caliber of the supporting cast (Michael Chiklis, Rosario Dawson, and Billy Bob Thornton) whose characters are intertwined with the leads, and you've got yourself one darn fine movie.

What Else Should I Know?
Professional critics seemed to come down really hard on this movie, but I think they need to lighten up. This one is a lot better than it gets credit for. Shia LaBeouf and Michelle Monaghan get most of the credit for that.

Rod's Rating:
4 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Worth watching.

The Mist

2009-01-08T01:11:00.001-05:00

Who's In It?
Thomas Jane, Laurie Holden, Andre Braugher, Marcia Gay Harden, Frances Sternhagen, Nathan Gamble, Sam Witwer, Alexa Davalos, William Sadler, Jeffrey DeMunn

Who Wrote It?
Frank Darabont wrote the screenplay, based on the novella by Stephen King.

Who Directed It?
Frank Darabont

What's It About?
Based on Stephen King's chilling novella of the same name, The Mist tells the story of a group of residents in a small Maine town who are trapped inside of a supermarket following a freakish storm that clouds the area in a dense fog. This was no ordinary storm, however, as the trapped residents soon discover that there is something deadly, horrible, and possibly supernatural, lurking in the mist. As the hours count on, and the danger outside becomes more intense and threatening, the tension in the supermarket reaches a feverish pitch with devastating consequences.

Is It Any Good?
Yep, this one is good stuff. It's intense, it's frightening, it's dramatic; and it's one of the few Stephen King stories to get the film treatment that it truly deserves. Most Stephen King film adaptations fall flat, but The Mist does not. The movie translates King's vision very well from page to screen: real life characters that we can relate to trapped in unimaginable situations.

What Else Should I Know?
The ending of the movie is different than the ending of the novella. To say anything more would be criminal, so I will not. But I can safely say that the ending of the movie was literally jaw dropping.

Rod's Rating:
3.5 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Worth seeing, even if you're not a Stephen King fan.

Green Street Hooligans

2009-01-07T21:09:00.010-05:00

Who's In It?
Elijah Wood, Claire Forlani, Charlie Hunnam, Ross McCall, Marc Warren, Leo Gregory

Who Wrote It?
Story by Lexi Alexander & Dougie Brimson; Screenplay by Dougie Brimson, Josh Shelov & Lexi Alexander

Who Directed It?
Lexi Alexander

What's It About?
With only a few weeks left before his Harvard graduation, journalism student Matt Buckner (Elijah Wood) is expelled from the school on trumped-up drug charges. Unsure of what he should do next in life, Matt visits his sister (Claire Forlani) in London to evaluate his options. Soon after arriving, Matt gets hooked up with his sister's husband's brother, Pete Dunham (played by Sons of Anarchy's Charlie Hunnam) and Pete's crazy world of violent football fanaticism and turf warfare.

Is It Any Good?
Yeah, this was a nice surprise find. The story is good, and the movie tells that story very well. The film provides a very unique look at the wasted hooliganism of some of these underground fan clubs and the dangerous and tragic consequences that such fanaticism can lead to if it remains unchecked for too long. Several of the performances are particularly noteworthy, especially Wood, Hunnam, Forlani, and Marc Warren (who plays Forlani's husband) and Ross McCall (who portrays a member of Hunnam's gang).

The movie also has some deeper themes of family, loyalty, coming of age, and the potential for violence in all of us which run through the story in an effective and moving way; but thankfully the film never tries to hit us over the head with any of these deeper themes.

The one drawback of this film for me was the way it ended. I won't say anything specific in order to avoid any type of spoilers here, but I thought the ending of the movie was very disappointing and a crappy topper for an otherwise decent film. The movie -- and the story -- deserved a much better ending than the one it received here.

What Else Should I Know?
IMDB lists this movie as "Hooligans" and not "Green Street Hooligans." I'm not sure what that's all about.

Rod's Rating:
3.5 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Worth a shot, despite the lame ending.

Shooter

2009-01-06T21:09:00.013-05:00

Who's In It?
Mark Wahlberg, Michael Pena, Danny Glover, Kate Mara, Rhona Mitra, Elias Koteas, Tate Donovan, Lane Garrison, Ned Beatty, Rade Serbedzija

Who Wrote It?
Jonathan Lemkin wrote the screenplay, based on the novel by Stephen Hunter

Who Directed It?
Antoine Fuqua

What's It About?
Former military sharpshooter Bobby Lee Swagger (Mark Wahlberg) is coerced out of retirement by government agents (led by Danny Glover) into assisting the Secret Service's attempt to thwart an upcoming presidential assassination attempt. However, the tables are quickly turned on Swagger when he is set-up and framed for the very assassination attempt he worked so hard to prevent. Alone, wounded, and the most wanted man in America, Swagger must fight to survive and to uncover the truth behind the conspiracy. Oh, and he also wants some revenge, too.

Michael Pena (who I think is one of those actors who deserves to be a much bigger star than he currently is -- if you don't agree with me, then you must not have seen Crash) plays a rookie FBI agent who gets caught up in the middle of Swagger's quest. Rhona Mitra plays one of Pena's FBI colleagues, but she has far too little screen time. Kate Mara portrays the former fiancé of Swagger's dead partner (Lane Garrison), and the only person that Swagger can trust.

Is It Any Good?
I'll be honest. I liked this movie quite a bit, especially considering that the man-on-a-revenge-mission genre is usually somewhat lacking, tending to choose action and explosions over character and story. That's not the case with Shooter, which is not only a good action movie, but a good movie overall. Mark Wahlberg's solid performance, Michael Pena's involvement, a solid script, and bad guys that we like to root against all make this film a worthy investment of your two hours.

And let's not forget that some of the shooting and action sequence are pretty kick-ass and fun too.

What Else Should I Know?
I went to amazon.com to find out the title of the Stephen Hunter novel that this book was based on, and it turns out that there is a whole series of Bobby Lee Swagger novels written by Hunter. I had no idea. In fact, I had never heard of the character or the author before this film.

Rod's Rating:
3.5 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Worth a shot. (no pun intended)

Vantage Point

2009-01-05T00:59:00.000-05:00

Who's In It?
Dennis Quaid, Matthew Fox, Forest Whitaker, William Hurt, Sigourney Weaver, Bruce McGill, Eduardo Noriega, Richard T. Jones, Edgar Ramírez, Ayelet Zurer, Zoe Saldana

Who Wrote It?
Barry Levy

Who Directed It?
Pete Travis

What's It About?
The attempted assassination of the U.S. President in Spain, and the events leading up to that attempt, are told from multiple perspectives, including: a hot-shot secret service agent (Matthew Fox), his veteran partner (Dennis Quaid) recently returned from injury leave, an innocent tourist (Forest Whitaker), a news producer on the scene (Sigourney Weaver), a Spanish police officer (Eduardo Noriega), and the President himself (William Hurt). As each character's perspective is revealed to the viewers, we begin to connect the dots and discover the truth about what really happened.

Is It Any Good?
Yeah, it's pretty decent. The concept is cool: the same 15 minute story told in various formats with widely different results; and the film does a very good job at keeping us interested with each new POV. It's kind of like 24 meets Crash told Rashomon-style and on speed. There are enough twists and turns to keep viewers guessing throughout the film, but all of our questions are adequately answered in the end giving us a satisfying conclusion to the film's wild ride.

What Else Should I Know?
Although the film is a little topic-heavy (i.e., presidential assassinations), the movie is actually pretty fun too... if that makes sense.

Rod's Rating:
3.5 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Worth a shot

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian

2009-01-04T20:25:00.000-05:00

Who's In It?
William Moseley, Anna Popplewell, Skandar Keynes, Georgie Henley, Ben Barnes, Peter Dinklage, Vincent Grass, Warwick Davis, Tilda Swinton, Eddie Izzard (voice), Liam Neeson (voice)

Who Wrote It?
Screenplay is credited to Andrew Adamson, Christopher Markus, and Stephen McFeely, based on the classic novel by C.S. Lewis.

Who Directed It?
Andrew Adamson

What's It About?
Prince Caspian is the second book in the classic Chronicles of Narnia series by C.S. Lewis. The movie follows the plot of the book very closely and begins with the four Pevensie children magically pulled back into the world of Narnia. Although only one year has past since the children's return from their adventures in The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, more than 1,300 years have gone by in the world of Narnia.

This time around, the Pevensie children, now in a land that is nothing like the Narnia they left behind, must help an exiled prince (Prince Caspian) battle his evil uncle and reclaim his right to the throne.

Is It Any Good?
It's not too bad. Similar to the first film in the series, I was disappointed with the overall movie; but I can at least say that the second movie is better than the first. It's more exciting, better acted, and less frustrating than The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe. I feel bad saying this about kids, so I won't belabor the point; but some of the kids who are the leads in this movie could do with some additional acting lessons. Hopefully, they'll improve as (if?) the series progresses... at least those whose characters are in the latter books.

What Else Should I Know?
So far, two adaptations in and it's safe to say that the books are still unequivocally better than the films.

Rod's Rating:
3 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Eh. If you're a fan of the books and/or the first film, then you've probably already seen this film anyway.

The Ruins

2009-01-03T18:51:00.005-05:00

Who's In It?
Jena Malone, Jonathan Tucker, Shawn Ashmore, Laura Ramsey, Joe Anderson

Who Wrote It?
Scott B. Smith adapted the screenplay from his own novel.

Who Directed It?
Carter Smith

What's It About?
Four American 20-something friends (Jena Malone, Jonathan Tucker, Shawn Ashmore, Laura Ramsey) on vacation in Mexico take a detour from the beaches of Cancun to visit the long-hidden ruins of an ancient Mayan pyramid deep in the jungle. Once the group arrives at the ruins, they find much more than they bargained for. Trapped in the ruins, with no way out, they must battle an unseen, unstoppable force that is trying to pick them off one by one.

(That sounds a little cliché for a movie description, but I don't want to say more about the location, the setting, or the plot in order to avoid spoilers)

Is It Any Good?
Unfortunately, I didn't like really like this one. I had read the book two summers ago at the beach, and I wasn't really crazy about it (despite it's rave critical reviews and its status on several summer bestseller lists). The movie is very similar to the book, and so it's not surprising that I didn't really like the movie either.

That's not to say that the cast isn't good or that the movie doesn't provide some chilling moments. In fact, the young cast does an admirable job with the material. My issues with the movie or more with the story itself than with the quality of the production or acting. Simply put, I don't like the story, so it's tough to like the movie as a result.

What Else Should I Know?
Despite following the book very closely, the ending is slightly different. I admit that I liked the ending of the movie better than the ending of the book; but it wasn't enough to redeem the story (or the film) for me.

Rod's Rating:
2.5 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Honestly, I'd skip this one.. and I'd skip the book too.

Iron Man

2009-01-02T22:55:00.007-05:00

Who's In It?
Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Terrence Howard, Jeff Bridges, Leslie Bibb, Shaun Toub, Faran Tahir, Clark Gregg, Jon Favreau, Paul Bettany (voice)

Who Wrote It?
Screenplay credit goes to: Mark Fergus, Hawk Ostby, Art Marcum, and Matt Holloway

Who Directed It?
Jon Favreau

What's It About?
Based on the comic book character of the same name, Iron Man the movie is about the origins of the superhero. Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), a billionaire weapons manufacturer, discovers that the weapons his company is building for the American Army are being diverted to terrorist cells and other "bad guys" around the world. After being held captive by some of those same bad guys following a weapons demonstration in Afghanistan, Stark returns home on a mission to clean up his company's past misdeeds as well as continue development of a new super-powered defense weapon: the suit that ultimately turns him into Iron Man.

Gwyneth Paltrow plays Stark's long-suffering, loyal assistant. Terrence Howard portrays Stark's friend and army liaison. Jeff Bridges rounds out the principal cast as Stark's business partner at Stark Industries. Leslie Bibb and Clark Gregg have minor (but entertaining and important) roles as well.

Is It Any Good?
Yes, this movie is actually really good. A ton of superhero films have come along over the past several years, but Iron Man is one of the best. It's both action-packed and character-driven, which is quite an achievement for superhero/comic book films. Robert Downey Jr., in particular, is particularly great in the film, carrying the title role with a certain mix of bad-boy, bad-ass, and redemption-seeker that carries the heart of the film.

What Else Should I Know?
This is definitely one of the better superhero movies to come along in the past few years. I wouldn't go so far as to say that Iron Man transcends the genre, but it certainly stands at the top of the heap.

Rod's Rating:
4 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Well worth watching.

Dan in Real Life

2009-01-01T00:22:00.013-05:00

Who's In It?
Steve Carell, Juliette Binoche, Dane Cook, Dianne Wiest, John Mahoney, Amy Ryan, Jessica Hecht, Alison Pill, Brittany Robertson, Emily Blunt, Marlene Lawston, Frank Wood, Norbert Leo Butz

Who Wrote It?
Peter Hedges and Pierce Gardner

Who Directed It?
Peter Hedges

What's It About?
Dan Burns (Steve Carell), a professional advice columnist and widowed father of three daughters, finds himself in a major pickle after falling for a beautiful woman, Marie (Juliette Binoche), he meets in a bookstore who turns out to be his brother's new girlfriend. At a family get-together at their parents cabin, Dan and Marie try to navigate their conflicting feelings for each other as well as navigating Dan's large, colorful, and often overbearing family.

Dane Cook plays Dan's brother who is prepared to put his playboy ways behind him and settle down with Marie. Dan's three daughters each add their own complex baggage to the story and to Dan's responsibilities. Dianne Wiest and John Mahoney portray the parents/grandparents of the Burns clan, which is rounded out by a motley crew of other siblings, in-laws, and cousins (including Amy Ryan, Jessica Hecht, Frank Wood, and Norbert Leo Butz).

Is It Any Good?
It's pretty good. I admit that I wanted it to be a little better (and funnier) than it really was; but it was still decent overall. Carell does a good job in a role which requires more drama than comedy from his performance; and he pulls it off well. It was a nice change of character from The Office's Michael Scott. Similarly, Dane Cook does a decent job in role that is more dramatic than comedic. The scene stealers here are Dan's daughters (played by Alison Pill, Brittany Robertson, and Marlene Lawston) who provide some nice subplots to distract Dan and the viewers away from the love triangle silently brewing in the cabin between Dan, Marie, and Dan's brother.

The large cast works well together and you really do buy into the notion that you're spending a long weekend with this sprawling, complicated, and ultimately loving extended family.

What Else Should I Know?
Amy Ryan and Steve Carell, who are comedy gold together on The Office, have very little interaction with one another in this movie. Amy Ryan is more of a background character in this film.

Rod's Rating:
3.5 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Worth seeing, but I wouldn't jump it to the top of your queue.

Eastern Promises

2008-12-31T15:14:00.014-05:00

Who's In It?
Viggo Mortensen, Naomi Watts, Vincent Cassel, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Sinéad Cusack, Jerzy Skolimowski, Donald Sumpter

Who Wrote It?
Steven Knight

Who Directed It?
David Cronenberg

What's It About?
When London nurse/midwife Anna (Naomi Watts) discovers a Russian language diary among the belongings of a young, nameless mother who died in childbirth, she sets out to translate the diary and find the young woman's relatives in order to place the baby with family members. Translating the diary, however, opens up a new and dangerous world for Anna, as she discovers that the young woman was connected to Russian mobsters in the London underground who want the child, and Anna, to go away. Viggo Mortensen (in an Oscar nominated role) stars as Nikolai Luzhin, a deadly and brutal hitman in the mobster's employ who develops a connection with Anna as she relentlessly tries to unravel the truth -- much to her peril. There is much more going on with Nikolai than meets the eye, but to say more would risk giving away some spoilers.

Is It Any Good?
Yes, this movie is really good. Original. Compelling. Intense. Well-written. Well-directed. This film has it all. In addition to the quality of the filmmaking and the production, the story that the movie tells is extremely engaging and unpredictable (in a good way). Kudos to the writer for matching up a great story with a great script; and kudos to the director for bringing everything together in one two-hour reel of movie awesomeness.

Viggo Mortensen and Naomi Watts both give great performances in the movie as the story follows the ups and downs and twists and turns of both characters as their worlds collide. The supporting cast is pretty noteworthy as well: Sinéad Cusack as Anna's mother; Jerzy Skolimowski as Anna's cautious uncle; Armin Mueller-Stahl as the elderly mob boss; and Vincent Cassel as the mob boss's unhinged, hotheaded son.

Eastern Promises is a reunion for director David Cronenberg and lead actor Viggo Mortensen who also brought us A History of Violence. It's obvious that these two make a great team, as both movies are 4 stars in my book.

What Else Should I Know?
The much-discussed bathhouse scene in this film (in which a naked Viggo Mortensen is attacked by two thugs and has to defend himself with only his bare hands) is crazy intense. Despite Viggo's manhood on full display in the scene, it's an incredible five minutes of film making.

Rod's Rating:
4 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Well worth watching.

Pulse

2008-06-06T11:21:00.010-04:00

Who's In It?
Kristen Bell, Ian Somerhalder, Jonathan Tucker, Christina Milian, Samm Levine, Rick Gonzalez, Ron Rifkin, Octavia Spencer

Who Wrote It?
Wes Craven and Ray Wrigth; based on the Japanese movie "Kairo" (2001) written by Kiyoshi Kurosawa.

Who Directed It?
Jim Sonzero

What's It About?
A computer hacker (Jonathan Tucker) taps into a mysterious wireless signal and unknowingly opens a deadly connection to the supernatural. Following his suicide, his distraught lover (Kristen Bell) and group of friends try to uncover the secrets behind his gruesome death and what he may have unleashed from the great beyond. As they get closer and closer to the truth, the body count rises and the fate of the world is at stake as the "virus" spreads further and further.

Is It Any Good?
No. Let's keep this short and to the point: this movie sucks. A lot.

I think somebody played a horrible joke on some otherwise quality actors and actresses by convincing them to do this movie. Kristen Bell (Veronica Mars), Ian Somerhalder (Lost), Jonathan Tucker (The Black Donnellys), Samm Levine (Freaks and Geeks), Ron Rifkin (Alias, Brothers & Sisters), Rick Gonzalez (Reaper), and Christina Milian (whatever) all muddled their way through an utterly ridiculous story that just got worse and worse as the movie dragged on.

Crappy story; a worse script; even worse characters; and some of the most horrid production values you've seen this decade make this film one to avoid at all costs. It's not even laughably bad (which would at least be something in the film's favor)... it's just sucky bad with no excuses. It's also unforgivable that the filmmakers made Kristen Bell look like a high school understudy reject... shame on you Weinstein Brothers!!

Pulse was supposed to be some kind of metaphorical commentary on the world's increasing reliance on emerging technology, told through the filter of a psychological, avant-garde, indie-looking, character-study/horror-piece. But it's no such thing at all. It's a crappy horror remake, and nothing more.

What Else Should I Know?
Pulse is based on the Japanese horror movie Kairo (2001), which I have never seen and I most likely never will based on how bad the remake was.

Rod's Rating:
1 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Avoid this movie. If you have this film in your NetFlix queue, remove it immediately. (I'm so sorry, Kristen Bell. I still love ya. Sometimes bad movies happen to good actresses.)

The Prestige

2008-06-05T01:17:00.008-04:00

Who's In It?
Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Scarlett Johansson, Piper Perabo, Rebecca Hall, Andy Serkis, David Bowie

Who Wrote It?
Screenplay credited to Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan, based on the novel by Christopher Priest

Who Directed It?
Christopher Nolan

What's It About?
In Victorian England at the turn of the century, two rival magicians (Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale) engage in a dangerous competition to outdo one another with their tricks and performances. Unwilling to back down, and desperate to learn each other's secrets, the two former friends escalate the danger of their tricks... with terrible consequences.

Is It Any Good?
The movie is good, but unfortunately, it's not great... even though it could have been. The story is intriguing and the performances are all good enough, but the movie suffers from one major pitfall in my opinion. The main drawback of this film for me was that it was difficult to root for either of the protagonists, leaving me in sort of an ambiguous, conflicted state of mind for much of the flick. Granted, both men endured personal tragedies that should make them immediately sympathetic, but they’re also both guilty of extreme acts of malice towards each other; so instead of asking “who is the bad guy” I found myself asking “which of these guys is less bad,” and I never really came up with a clear answer.

The movie does succeed, however, in having an interesting and keep-you-guessing plot surrounding the secrets behind the main magic tricks in the story. The “how are they doing that” question is an effective driving force for the movie. I promise not to spoil anything here, and will only say that the twists-and-turns are quite good and the payoff at the end was relatively satisfying. (I wasn’t cursing my television at the end of the movie for leaving me hanging, nor was I scratching my head trying to comprehend it.)

What Else Should I Know?
The supporting cast is good, including Michael Caine, Scarlett Johansson, and relatively-unknown Rebecca Hall. Although they’re good, they are clearly in supporting roles and I was especially surprised with how late in the game Scarlett Johansson entered the picture.

Rod's Rating:
3.5 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Worth a shot; but don't expect to be blown away.

District B13

2008-06-04T01:11:00.011-04:00

Who's In It?
A bunch of people you've never heard of: Cyril Raffaelli, David Belle, Tony D'Amario, Bibi Naceri, Dany Verissimo, Francois Chattot, Nicolas Woirion

Who Wrote It?
Luc Besson and Bibi Naceri

Who Directed It?
Pierre Morel

What's It About?
District B13 is a French action film that is so much more fun and watchable than it has a right to be. The movie takes place in Paris, 2010, where the national government has adopted a policy of isolating the ghetto areas of the city and barricading these districts from the rest of the country. District B13 poses a particular problem for the government as the local warlord of the District recently obtained a nuclear warhead. To recover the weapon, the government covertly teams up a super-cop (Cyril Raffaelli) and a good-hearted, kick-ass criminal (David Belle) to infiltrate the District and recover the nuke.

Is It Any Good?
This movie was basically an instant guilty pleasure. It's fun, it's witty, and it's throughly enjoyable. The characters are relateable, the story is engaging, and the action/fight sequences are top notch. Despite it's silly premise and the need for subtitles, this film was well worth the risk of 90 minutes of my viewing life.

What Else Should I Know?
Although I've never heard of either of the film's leads (Cyril Raffaelli and David Belle), I was impressed with both of them. They were kind of like the younger, Frenchier, version of Lethal Weapon's Riggs and Murtaugh, but with high-wire fighting capabilities and kung-fu grips.

Rod's Rating:
3.5 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
If you catch this while channel surfing on a rainy day, leave it on. It's a lot of fun. Even with subtitles.

The Wedding Date

2008-06-03T01:05:00.011-04:00

Who's In It?
Debra Messing, Dermot Mulroney, Amy Adams, Holland Taylor, Jack Davenport, Jeremy Sheffield, Sarah Parish, Peter Egan

Who Wrote It?
Screenplay by Dana Fox, based on the book by Elizabeth Young

Who Directed It?
Clare Kilner

What's It About?
Single gal Kat (Debra Messing) agrees to be the maid of honor in her sister's (Amy Adams) London wedding, but she can't bear the thought of going alone since the best man in the wedding party happens to be her ex-fiancé. To keep her head high, she hires male escort Nick (Dermot Mulroney) to pose as her boyfriend for the week-long event. Of course, sparks fly and romantic complications ensue, and all kinds of other chick flick stuff happens too, just as you would expect.

Is It Any Good?
I like Debra Messing and Amy Adams, but this movie was not good to them. In fact, it wasn't good to anybody - the actors or the viewers. The story had potential to be sure; but lame dialogue, poor plotting, bad accents, predictability, and overall disinterest keep this film from being anything close to enjoyable.

What Else Should I Know?
Sarah Parish, an actress whom I had never heard of before, was the one ray of sunshine in the film, playing the supporting character of the comic-relief cousin.

Oh, and I think the film shows Mulroney's ass for a brief second; but honestly ladies, don't waste your time. Just find the screencaps online and spare yourself from sitting through the film. ;-)

Rod's Rating:
2 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Unless you're a true, die-hard fan of either Debra Messing or Dermot Mulroney, I'd skip this one.

The Golden Compass

2008-06-02T21:44:00.005-04:00

Who's In It?
Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, Dakota Blue Richards, Sam Elliott, Eva Green, Christopher Lee, Ben Walker, Derek Jacobi, Ian McKellen (voice), Ian McShane (voice), Kristin Scott Thomas (voice), Kathy Bates (voice), Freddie Highmore (voice)

Who Wrote It?
Chris Weitz, based on the bestselling novel by Chris Pullman

Who Directed It?
Chris Weitz

What's It About?
The Golden Compass is the first in the trilogy of "His Dark Materials" novels written by Chris Pullman. The Golden Compass tells the story of Lyra Belacqua (Dakota Blue Richards), a young girl living in an alternate world, who is the keeper of the alethiometer... a mysterious and ancient truth-telling device that only Lyra can interpret and understand. Unaware of her greater destiny, Lyra sets out on a mission to find her kidnapped best friend, Roger, and to also uncover the truth about what her long-lost parents (Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig) are each up to as the two absent parents pursue widely disparate -- but universe shaking -- goals.

Is It Any Good?
Unfortunately, this movie is not good. Not good at all. The filmmakers get points for effort and for trying to bring this complex story to life; but they ultimately fail miserably in their attempt. Whereas the book is pretty intriguing and relatively interesting, the movie is a pale comparison to the story told in the novels. Even though it tries to follow the same plot, the movie is a big ol' mess of bad acting, overacting, poor plotting, poor exposition, cluttered CGI, and all kinds of other movie "don'ts" that you can think of.

To cap off a craptastic venture, the movie doesn't even end the same way as the book. In fact, there are some hugely significant events that happen at the end of the novel that aren't at all addressed in the movie. (I won't say more to avoid spoilers). The ending of the movie just fits with the pattern of the movie: a horrible interpretation of an otherwise intriguing novel.

What Else Should I Know?
There are three novels in the "His Dark Materials" series, but after the disappointment of the first adaptation, I doubt we'll be getting movie versions of the other two books.

Rod's Rating:
2 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Spare yourself. Read the book instead... and only do that if you're really interested; the books aren't that great.

Gone Baby Gone

2008-06-01T01:49:00.008-04:00

Who's In It?
Casey Affleck, Michelle Monaghan, Amy Ryan, Ed Harris, Morgan Freeman, Amy Madigan, John Ashton, Titus Welliver, Mark Margolis, Michael K. Williams

Who Wrote It?
Screenplay by Ben Affleck and Aaron Stockard; based on the novel by Dennis Lehane (who also wrote Mystic River).

Who Directed It?
Ben Affleck

What's It About?
Based on the novel of the same name by Dennis Lehane (which I admit that I haven't yet read; although I did read - and loved - Mystic River, but that's beside the point), Gone Baby Gone tells the story of private detective Patrick Kenzie (Casey Affleck), a young PI in a tough Boston neighborhood who is hired to investigate the disappearance of a 4-year old girl.

Michelle Monaghan (who is quickly becoming one of my favorite actresses, btw) plays Kenzie's partner as they investigate the increasingly complicated and frustrating case. Amy Ryan portrays the child's mother in a role that she knocks out of the park; and Ed Harris, Morgan Freeman and Amy Madigan round out the rest of the principal cast. (To say who plays whom and what their characters represent would risk spoilers.)

Is It Any Good?
It's really good. The story, the acting, the script, the setting... all of it is great. The movie packs several emotional punches as we the viewers follow Affleck and Monaghan through the twists and turns of their investigation and realize with them that the search for the truth is sometimes easier than accepting the reality of the truth that you find. Affleck and Monaghan are both great in this movie, but Affleck is particularly noteworthy as he carries the movie with the stature of an experienced lead actor well beyond his years and he more than holds his own with heavyweights Ed Harris and Morgan Freeman.

What Else Should I Know?
This is Ben Affleck's directorial debut for a major motion picture, and I gotta say that I'm really impressed. He made an incredible movie here. Sure, maybe some nepotism was in play since he case his younger brother in the lead; but honestly, who cares? The movie rocks and the Affleck boys obviously work extremely well together.

Amy Ryan was nominated for an Oscar in the Best Supporting Actress category for her role in this film. She didn't win, but she should have. I admit that maybe I shouldn't make that statement until I finally see Michael Clayton since Tilda Swinton won the award for that movie. Regardless, Amy Ryan was pretty amazing.

Rod's Rating:
4 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
This one is definitely worth making time for.

Shrek the Third

2008-05-31T16:41:00.006-04:00

Who's In It?
Voices of: Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, Eddie Murphy, Antonio Banderas, Rupert Everett, Justin Timberlake, Julie Andrews, John Cleese

Who Wrote It?
Screenplay by Jeffrey Price, Peter S. Seaman, Chris Miller, and Aron Warner

Who Directed It?
Chris Miller and Raman Hui

What's It About?
This is the third installment of the popular and widely successful Shrek series. This time around, Shrek and Fiona are left in charge of the Kingdom of Far Far Away after the death of the king. Shrek, reluctant to be the new king, goes on a quest with Puss and Donkey to find the only other heir to the throne, Arthur, and bring him back to Far Far Away and make him king.

Is It Any Good?
Let's be honest: this movie is a big disappointment, and it doesn't come close to the quality of the first two films. The story is a cluttered mess; the jokes are flat, frat, and predictable; the humor and charm of the first two films is gone; and the new addition of Justin Timberlake's character to the story does nothing to help the film or the franchise.

What Else Should I Know?
Industry reports claim that there will be a Shrek 4 and a Shrek 5. Hopefully the creative powers can rebound the series back to its original fun and charm instead of continuing the downward spiral that Shrek the Third has taken the franchise.

Rod's Rating:
2 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Skip it and cherish your memories of the first two Shrek films.

Vacancy

2008-05-30T10:07:00.006-04:00

Who's In It?
Kate Beckinsale, Luke Wilson, Frank Whaley, Ethan Embry

Who Wrote It?
Mark L. Smith

Who Directed It?
Nimród Antal

What's It About?
A struggling married couple (Beckinsale and Wilson) get stranded on the road in the middle of nowhere. They make their way to an isolated motel with a creepy manager (Frank Whaley) and no other guests. Cue scary music...

Is It Any Good?
Surprisingly, this move is actually pretty decent. On paper, the description of this movie probably sounds like a cliché or just another entry into the torture-porn cesspool, but the actual movie is anything but. Wilson and Beckinsale both make this movie into something better than it should be by giving us truly relatable characters trapped in a FUBAR situation... and we root for them to survive and also to somehow find a way back to each other emotionally.

What Else Should I Know?
There are some freaky DVD extras if you care to watch them. I won't say what they are (since I can't describe them without risking some spoilers for the film), but they're crazy to watch.

Rod's Rating:
3.5 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Not bad, especially for the genre. Satisfying ending.

The Boondock Saints

2008-05-29T22:08:00.005-04:00

Who's In It?
Sean Patrick Flanery, Norman Reedus, Willem Dafoe, Billy Connolly, David Della Rocco, Brian Mahoney

Who Wrote It?
Troy Duffy

Who Directed It?
Troy Duffy

What's It About?
Sean Patrick Flanery and Norman Reedus portray two Irish-American, Boston bothers who suddenly find themselves convinced that God has called them to violently rid the city of underworld crime.

Is It Any Good?
This movie is awesome. Flanery and Reedus are both great in this movie and I have to wonder why I had never heard of Reedus before. The brothers basically redefine the term “bad ass” in this movie, and if you’ve seen the “iron” scene, I’m sure you agree with me. Unlike vigilante movies from years past, this movie is very stylish and modern…complete with a wisecracking, homosexual FBI agent, played by Willem Dafoe, hot on the brother’s trail. This film is worlds apart from other vendetta movies like Death Wish... in a good way.

What Else Should I Know?
This movie is pretty bloody and extremely violent, and it makes no apologies for either. Personally, I thought it was great film, but it is definitely not a movie for the squeamish, nor for those who are adverse to excessive violence (read: gunfights) in film.

Also, according to imdb, there's a sequel planned for 2009. (As in... this year!) How did I not know that?!?!

Rod's Rating:
4.5 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Well worth watching... even now, 10 years after its release.

Doom

2008-05-28T19:39:00.001-04:00

Who's In It?
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Karl Urban, Rosamund Pike, Razaaq Adoti, Al Weaver, Dexter Fletcher

Who Wrote It?
Dave Callaham and Wesley Strick

Who Directed It?
Andrzej Bartkowiak

What's It About?
Based on the massively popular video game series, Doom is the story of a group of Marines who are sent to investigate a series of mysterious events on a distant planet. The team of elite Marines is led by Sarge (The Rock) and second-in-command John Grimm (Karl Urban) whose sister (Rosamund Pike) is a member of the scientific team on the planet who have unintentionally unleashed a savage mutant alien killer.

Is It Any Good?
Here’s the thing about Doom: it’s not a good movie (in fact, it’s pretty bad), but I still like it. A lot. What can I say? There’s no accounting for taste. Even though every critic and fanboy in America has universally trashed this movie (with valid reasons, I admit), I can’t help but still enjoy it. It’s a total guilty pleasure.

What Else Should I Know?
Karl Urban is awesome. In general.

Rod's Rating:
4 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Hey, you can’t trash it until you’ve seen it.

Cellular

2008-05-27T03:42:00.002-04:00

Who's In It?
Chris Evans, Kim Basinger, Jason Statham, William H. Macy, Jessica Biel, Noah Emmerich, Valerie Cruz, Eric Christian Olsen

Who Wrote It?
Screnplay by Chris Morgan, story by Larry Cohen

Who Directed It?
David R. Ellis

What's It About?
Ryan (Chris Evans) answers a call on his cell phone from a stranger (Basinger), a woman who is being held captive in an unknown location by unknown abductors. Ryan must race against time (as well as: a group of well-armed thugs, unbelieving cops, a dying cell phones battery) and a slew of other obstacles in order to save the stranger and her family before it’s too late.

Is It Any Good?
This is a movie that I think I liked better than anyone else did. I thought it was fun, gripping, well-paced, and well-acted. I know I’m in the minority in praising this movie, but I can’t help the fact that I genuinely enjoyed it... and I’ve even watched it multiple times since my initial viewing. Evans, Basinger, Statham, and Macy really make this movie work. Sure, the premise may be a bit far-fetched, but it’s certainly not a distraction. Once you agree to go along for the ride, it’s definitely a good trip.

What Else Should I Know?
There is an awesome remix of Nina Simone’s “Sinnerman” in this movie. It took me forever to find this version on a cd somewhere (since the film doesn’t have a soundtrack), but I finally found it on Verve Remixed, Volume 2.

Rod's Rating:
3.5 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Don’t discount this one based on the bad buzz. It’s actually pretty good.

A History of Violence

2008-05-26T03:35:00.005-04:00

Who's In It?
Viggo Mortensen, Maria Bello, Ashton Holmes, Ed Harris, William Hurt, Kyle Schmid

Who Wrote It?
Screenplay by Josh Olson, based on the graphic novel written by John Wagner and Vince Locke

Who Directed It?
David Cronenberg

What's It About?
Diner-owner Tom (Mortensen) and his wife (Bello) live a peaceful life a small, quiet town until one day Tom stops a robbery in his diner. The news of the incident draws attention from big-city mobsters who believe that Tom is really someone else. This one heroic act opens the door to a secret, violent past that Tom has been hiding from his wife and teenage son (Holmes). The family is sent reeling as they cope with the emotional fallout of Tom's past and with the external threat from mobsters seeking retribution.

Is It Any Good?
Yes, this is a good movie. I can’t say it’s “fantastic” or that it would make my “best of” list, but it is pretty good... particularly on a character/emotional level. The collision of Tom’s old life with his new life and the effects that this has on his family makes for a very compelling and engrossing story.

What Else Should I Know?
There are some plot holes that require a bit of faith to accept, but they’re not too difficult to look past.

Rod's Rating:
4 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
This one is worth seeing.

The Hitcher

2008-05-25T03:30:00.001-04:00

Who's In It?
Sophia Bush, Zachary Knighton, Sean Bean, Neal McDonough

Who Wrote It?
Screenplay is credited to Eric Red, Jake Wade Wall, and Eric Bernt.

Who Directed It?
Dave Meyers

What's It About?
This is a remake of the “classic” 1986 film of the same name starring C. Thomas Howell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Rutger Hauer.

Is It Any Good?
Unfortunately, I found this remake to be pretty lame. Not only does it not live up to its source material, but it also doesn’t hold its weight as a stand-alone film. It’s sad to see the talents of Sean Bean and Neal McDonough wasted in this film. Really sad.

What Else Should I Know?
Sophia Bush is undeniably hot. I don’t get to see her in much (since I loathe One Tree Hill), but she's undoubtedly a major hottie. She also has a few moments of kick-ass girl-power in the film, but they are too few and far between.

Rod's Rating:
2 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Only see this film if you’re in need of a reminder to appreciate the 1986 original; otherwise, pass.

The Messengers

2008-05-24T03:23:00.002-04:00

Who's In It?
Kristen Stewart, Dylan McDermott, Penelope Ann Miller, John Corbett, William B. Davis, Dustin Milligan

Who Wrote It?
Screenplay by Mark Wheaton, based on a story by Todd Farmer

Who Directed It?
Oxide Pang Chun, Danny Pang

What's It About?
This is another “family-unknowingly-moves-into-a-haunted-house” film.

Is It Any Good?
Not really. It doesn't completely suck, but it's not really good either. The cast is fine, but they don't have anything to work with. The movie unfolds predictably, just like the dozens of other movies we've seen in this family-trapped-in-haunted-house genre. The film tries to add some new elements to distinguish it from the pack (like scary crows and a brief appearance by The X-Files CSM), but nothing helps. In the end, this is a movie we've already seen again and again under different titles.

What Else Should I Know?
If you’re interested in seeing John Corbett take on a movie role other than a romantic comedy lead, this movie might be for you.

Rod's Rating:
1.5 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Skip this one. You’ve already seen it anyway.

28 Weeks Later

2008-05-23T01:13:00.015-04:00

Who's In It?
Rose Byrne, Jeremy Renner, Harold Perrineau, Imogen Poots, Mackintosh Muggleton, Robert Carlyle

Who Wrote It?
Rowan Joffe, Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, Jesús Olmo, Enrique López Lavigne

Who Directed It?
Juan Carlos Fresnadillo

What's It About?
This is the sequel to 2002's excellent 28 Days Later. Although it's technically a sequel, the story is relatively independent from the first movie and its not necessary to have seen the original to understand what's happening in Weeks. This time around, it's six months after the initial plague broke out in the UK. Believing that the virus has now been completely eviscerated, the government returns the first wave of residents to London to begin rebuilding their lives and their country. Unfortunately, the virus wasn't completely gone, and it returns with a bloody vengeance.

Is It Any Good?
It's just ok. Not only does it pale in comparison to the first movie, but it also doesn't stand up well on its own merits. The premise (and, indeed, the original film) set up 28 Weeks Later to be a potentially great movie, but it never delivers on that potential. It's not a bad movie, but it's not a great movie either; factor in the high expectations, and this movie becomes quite a disappointment.

What Else Should I Know?
Despite being trapped in a sub-par plot, both Rose Byrne and Jeremy Renner are quite good in this movie; both doing some nice work with the limited material that they have to work with.

Rod's Rating:
3 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Not a complete waste of time; but I'd be lying if I said this movie was worth any extra effort to find time to see.

Sunshine

2008-05-22T01:03:00.003-04:00

Who's In It?
Cillian Murphy, Rose Byrne, Chris Evans, Michelle Yeoh, Troy Garity, Cliff Curtis

Who Wrote It?
Alex Garland

Who Directed It?
Danny Boyle

What's It About?
In the not-too-distant future, the Sun is dying and therefore the Earth is at risk of dying too. A team of astronauts (including Murphy, Byrne, Evans and Yeoh) are sent on a mission to reignite the Sun and save the world. During the mission, things go horribly wrong...

Is It Any Good?
This movie has all of the elements necessary to be a great movie; but unfortunately, it falls tragically short. The film's got: a great cast; a good director (Boyle also directed Trainspotting, The Beach, and 28 Days Later); a cool concept; a decent writer (Alex Garland, who wrote the books "The Beach" and "The Tesseract"), a fantastic score (composed by new-to-me band Underworld), and terrific visuals. What the film also has, sadly, is a horrible plot which makes the movie fall to shit. The first hour and fifteen minutes are good, but then the movie takes a turn and the remaining forty-five minutes are asinine and ridiculous and basically ruin the movie. (I won't say more in order to avoid spoilers.) Mirroring the plot, this movie basically implodes like a dying star. It's sad, because this movie really could (and should) have been awesome.

What Else Should I Know?
Sunshine has a great soundtrack/score, it's just too bad that you can't purchase the cd anywhere. Apparently, there has been an ugly copyright battle going on between relevant parties about the music's release and composer issues, blah, blah, blah.

Rod's Rating:
2 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Skip it. Or, better yet, watch the first hour and then turn it off and make up your own ending. You'll be a lot happier that way.

Highwaymen

2008-05-21T22:11:00.003-04:00

Who's In It?
James Caviezel, Rhona Mitra, Colm Feore, Frankie Faison, Guylaine St-Onge

Who Wrote It?
Craig Mitchell and Hans Bauer

Who Directed It?
Robert Harmon

What's It About?
Highwaymen is an under-the-radar car chase/revenge movie starring the always-great James Caviezel and the super sexy (and talented) Rhona Mitra as two strangers brought together to stop a psychotic motorist who has terrorized both of them in the past.

Is It Any Good?
Yes, it's quite good. It's quick, but it's good. The movie clocks in at under 80 minutes, so it’s a pretty short film. Predictably, this doesn’t leave a lot of extra time for character development or touchy-feely moments as the movie zips along at a quick pace following Caviezel’s attempts to track down the big baddie before he kills again. Although it’s a quick movie, it has a very satisfying ending that I enjoyed, and it doesn’t leave you scratching your head or feeling like the ride was worthless. It's a satisfying conclusion to an enjoyable movie.

What Else Should I Know?
The movie has some great car chase scenes contrasted by the otherwise somber and dark mood of the story. It’s a visual contrast that worked well for me personally, although I know it won’t work for everyone.

Rod's Rating:
3.5 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Worth a shot.

Fast Food Nation

2008-05-20T21:59:00.003-04:00

Who's In It?
Greg Kinnear, Wilmer Valderrama, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Paul Dano, Patricia Arquette, Ethan Hawke, Kris Kristofferson, Luis Guzmán, Bobby Cannavale, Bruce Willis, Esai Morales, Avril Lavigne, Ana Claudia Talancón, Ashley Johnson, Dana Wheeler-Nicholson

Who Wrote It?
Written by Eric Schlosser and Richard Linklater, based on the book by Schlosser ("Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal")

Who Directed It?
Richard Linklater

What's It About?
Fast Food Nation follows the lives of a group of disparate characters from various social and economic backgrounds who are only indirectly connected to each other, but who are all directly connected with the fast food industry – in particular, they’re connected to a specific fast food restaurant: Mickey’s. (It’s not hard to figure out who the movie is really taking aim at.) The film depicts the role that each of these characters has in the fast food process (from the meat packing plant to the order counter to the corporate boardroom) and depressingly depicts each of them as cogs in the machine -- the machine that is the fast food industry. Far from a rosy movie, the film harshly depicts the horrors of meat packing and cattle slaughtering, the mistreatment of Mexican immigrants working in these plants, the dead-end career opportunities for many of the restaurants’ employees, the corporate cover-ups, and the futility of trying to change any of it. With DVD scene titles like “the factory accident” and “the killing floor,” it’s clear that this is not a movie for the faint of heart nor for animal lovers.

Is It Any Good?
The cast is impressive and quite large, given the ensemble nature of film. The acting is fine, and many of the characters are relatable; but I had the clear sense that the story dictated this movie, and not the characters. That type of set-up hinders the viewers’ connection to the characters (at least in my opinion) and results in only an “ok” movie. Without a doubt, this movie wasn’t about dramatic storytelling or oscar performances; this movie had a clear message that it wanted to deliver, and everything else was just secondary.

What Else Should I Know?
I've heard this movie described as “the movie that will make you a vegetarian.” Well, I have to disagree with that statement. I felt like this movie very much wanted to serve as a call to arms against the atrocities of the fast food industry, and that may be a noble cause given the horrors that this movie reveals; however, the film just didn't work for me on that level. Maybe it's because I don't eat very much fast food in my normal life to begin with that kept this movie from having a significant impact on me, or maybe it’s simply because it’s just not all that great of a movie. I’m not sure. Looking beyond those two ideas, I suspect that the real reason this movie fails as a rallying cry against fast food is that there are just too many other important political, economic, and social causes afflicting our country already, and that going to war against the makers of happy meals just doesn't seem that high of a priority on the activist food chain right now (yeah, corny pun intended).

Rod's Rating:
3 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
An interesting look at the hidden horrors of fast food, but I wouldn't go out of my way to watch it again (or recommend that anyone else do so).

The Return

2008-05-19T18:02:00.002-04:00

Who's In It?
Sarah Michelle Gellar, Sam Shepard, Adam Scott

Who Wrote It?
Adam Sussman

Who Directed It?
Asif Kapadia

What's It About?
A young, quiet, saleswoman (SMG) in the Midwest begins having flashbacks of mysterious and violent events. She soon finds herself inexplicably drawn to the location of those events and is compelled to uncover the truth of these horrific flashes (or are they memories?).

Is It Any Good?
Absolutely not. This movie is a piece of crap. It pains me to write that about something which Sarah Michelle Gellar is attached to, but it's the truth. I'm not even sure where to being in attempting to explain why this movie sucks: it's unfocused, the story is nonsensical, it's boring, the acting is sub-par (again, my apologies to SMG), the writing is a joke, and the plotting is all over the place. Only in the final moments of the movie does one understand what the hell the creative forces behind this flick were trying to accomplish; yet they failed miserably in their attempt.

What Else Should I Know?
If the combination of a brooding/indie farmhouse pic and a ghost movie sounds ridiculous on paper, I assure you that it's even worse on screen (as embodied by this movie). Usually, I would give points to TPTB for their attempt at something a little different, but since it all falls so horribly short, I'm not even giving them points for effort on this one.

Rod's Rating:
1 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Avoid at all costs. A complete waste of time. Sorry SMG, I still luv ya though.

Bubba Ho-Tep

2008-05-18T17:27:00.002-04:00

Who's In It?
Bruce Campbell, Ossie Davis, Ella Joyce

Who Wrote It?
Screenplay by Don Coscarelli, based on the short story by Joe R. Lansdale.

Who Directed It?
Don Coscarelli

What's It About?
Two aging residents of a run-down nursing home, one believing he is Elvis (Campbell) and the other believing he is JFK (Davis), discover that an ancient Egyptian mummy has broken free of its curse and is now feeding on the souls of the nursing home residents. "Elvis" and "JFK" take matters into their own hands to save the residents and get rid of the monster.

Is It Any Good?
Fans of Bruce Campbell (and you know who you are) will love this movie for the obvious reasons. Folks who aren't so enamored with Campbell might be surprised to know that this movie is actually rather enjoyable. The premise alone lets us know that the movie is an off-beat, horror-comedy; but it's one that works quite well. The film successfully ropes us into the concept of these two guys (both believing that they are someone else) waging battle with the undead as they also battle old age, stiff joints, and the indignities of being put out to pasture at a decrepit nursing home facility.

What Else Should I Know?
On paper, the film may sound like it's poking fun at the mental capacities of senior citizens by having the two main characters believe that they are really Elvis and JFK. However, the movie treats these characters very respectfully, and the film is not an anti-seniors piece.

Rod's Rating:
3.5 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Quirky, but enjoyable.

Napoleon Dynamite

2008-05-17T16:56:00.003-04:00

Who's In It?
Jon Heder, Efren Ramirez, Aaron Ruell, Jon Gries, Tina Majorino, Shondrella Avery, Haylie Duff, Diedrich Bader

Who Wrote It?
Jared Hess and Jerusha Hess

Who Directed It?
Jared Hess

What's It About?
Napoleon Dynamite is a quirky, little comedy which follows the title character (an isolated high school student) on his venture to help his new friend win the class presidency from the teen queen cheerleader while also trying to keep his sanity amidst his wacky family in small town, Midwest America.

Is It Any Good?
This movie is inexplicably good. Actually, it's inexplicably great. Napoleon certainly isn't a traditional comedy, nor is it a black comedy, nor is it a spoof or a slapstick. It's something else entirety. The humor in the film comes from the absurdity of the characters and the situations that they find themselves in. The film's heart comes from our empathy for the clueless Napoleon (Jon Heder in his breakout role) as he admirably navigates his family life and school life with the deck seemingly stacked against him. The audience roots for Napoleon while simultaneously laughing at (not with) him.

What Else Should I Know?
This style of comedy isn't for everyone. I have quite a few friends who absolutely adore this movie, and I also have friends who didn't find this movie amusing at all. For me, I loved it.

Rod's Rating:
4.5 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Well worth watching... especially if you need a laugh.

Serenity

2008-05-16T02:12:00.004-04:00

Who's In It?
All of the cast members from Firefly return for the film: Nathan Fillion, Gina Torres, Adam Baldwin, Summer Glau, Alan Tudyk, Morena Baccarin, Ron Glass, Jewel Staite, Sean Maher. In addition, the movie has Chiwetel Ejiofor, David Krumholtz, Sarah Paulson, Tamara Taylor, and Michael Hitchcock.

Who Wrote It?
Joss Whedon

Who Directed It?
Joss Whedon

What's It About?
Serenity is the continuation of the awesome (and tragically short-lived) television show Firefly.

Rod's Reactions: (WARNING: MASSIVE SPOILERS AHEAD!!)

My immediate reaction: I freakin' loved it!

The movie had all of the elements that made us fall in love with the show: smart and witty dialogue, awesome storylines, terrific characters, heartfelt and heartbreaking moments, scares, sexual tension, and the return of all of the main cast members. For me personally, only a few days had gone by before watching the end of the series and watching the movie. I can only imagine what a true joy this movie was for original Browncoats who had to wait years to finally see it. What a great day that must have been.

I loved the expanded storyline for River and Simon in the movie. Not only did we finally find out exactly what happened to River back at the Alliance Academy, but it became the driving plot of the film. Sweet! River turning into a bad-ass would-be assassin with the physical abilities to make Sidney Bristow and Jack Bauer feel stupid was an awesome twist for the character (and for the story too!).

I also loved finally getting a look at the Reavers. Throughout the series, we were told to fear them but we never actually saw them. Well, the movie certainly corrected that. Not only did we see the Reavers, but they factored heavily into the storyline and turned out to be some of the scariest and freakish villains I've seen in a long time. It was cool that we also got to find out the true origins of the Reavers.

We also got some "finally!" moments from our favorite couples: Mal & Inara and Simon & Kaylee. I was pretty glad that both couples made some big leaps forward, and that they all were alive and kicking at the end of the episode. On the flip side, my heart broke for Zoe and Wash (more on that in just a second).

I didn't read the interim graphic novel, so I'm not sure how Shepherd came to part ways with the crew; but fortunately that detail wasn't terribly important in being able to follow along with where the story picked up. I was glad that Shepherd still had an integral part to play in the story, but I was pissed that he died, especially because we never found out about his mysterious past. Oh well, I guess that's one mystery that will forever remain unsolved.

Whereas I was able to accept Shepherd's death (begrudgingly), Wash's death completely wrecked me. I actually gasped out loud like a little kid when he was so abruptly killed. I wanted to grieve and scream "nooooooooo!" at the television, but there wasn't any time... Zoe and the crew were barricading themselves against the Reavers just mere seconds afterwards.

After Shepherd was killed, I didn't expect any more deaths from the crew, which made Wash's death so shocking; but I should have known better. Whedon, the original magnificent bastard, has a habit of killing off beloved characters in the final fight (Anya on Buffy and Wesley on Angel to name just two), so I should have expected another Serenity-crew death before the dust had settled. I just wasn't ready for it to be Wash.

And don't even get me started on that final shoot-out when I was convinced for a few seconds that Whedon was going to kill off Simon, Kaylee and Zoe too. Talk about my heart skipping a few beats. Sheesh.

There were so many noteworthy moments in this movie, that it would be impossible to list them all or even try to rank them. Instead, I'll just list some of the moments that I remember thinking kicked ass (in no particular order):
• Anytime River started kicking ass, but especially when she single-handedly took out the Reavers;
• The blast doors opening to reveal a blood-drenched River standing there surrounded by a roomful of dead Reavers;
• The entire final shoot-out and the final showdown between Mal and the Operative;
• Inara with the crossbow;
• Simon apologizing to Kaylee for not making a move on her sooner, followed by Kaylee's laugh-out-loud, love-it line: "Screw this. I'm gonna live.";
• "I am a leaf on the wind. Watch how I soar.";
• Simon and River's escape from the alliance facility;
• Zoe and Mal talking about leaving men behind after Mal killed the bank patron to spare him a slow death at the hands of the Reavers;
• Inara duping the Operative during his fight with Mal at the Companion Training House;
• The creepiness of the dead planet;
• The even creepier-ness of Mal and the crew tying dead bodies onto the ship to get past the Reavers;
• The Reavers vs. Alliance space battle;
• River and Mal piloting the Serenity away at the end of the episode.

I should stop there before this turns into the length of a novel. (What can I say? It's not my fault that this show and this movie turned out to be so fantastic.)

Rod's Rating:
4.5 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Well worth watching... again and again

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

2008-05-15T01:38:00.007-04:00

Who's In It?
Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Ralph Fiennes, Brendan Gleeson, Gary Oldman, Maggie Smith, Michael Gambon, Alan Rickman, Helena Bonham Carter, Emma Thompson, Imelda Staunton, Bonnie Wright, Matthew Lewis, Evanna Lynch, Richard Griffiths, David Thewlis, Jason Isaacs, Robbie Coltrane, James Phelps, Oliver Phelps, Tom Felton, Mark Williams, Julie Walters, Natalia Tena.

Who Wrote It?
Michael Goldenberg wrote the screenplay, adapted from the novel by J.K. Rowling.

Who Directed It?
David Yates

Some Overall Thoughts:
• Overall, I liked the movie a lot. Movies, in general, are usually never as good as the books; and that's true in this case as well. Regardless, the movie holds up quite well on its own; and I was amazed that they were able to cut down 800+ pages into a 2 hour, fifteen minute movie at all.
• Given how complex the book was, and given how much of the content had to be left out out for the film, many of the characters that we love (or love to hate) had their parts cut down significantly. That was unfortunate, but unavoidable; so I can't dwell on it. At least smaller roles and glimpses of these characters are better than nothing (or worse... recasting).
• Daniel Radcliffe gave his best performance of Harry Potter yet, in my opinion.

Things/Moments I Really Liked: (SPOILER WARNING!)
• All of the Dumbledore's Army scenes;
• The ending Battle at the Ministry of Magic. I have a few caveats (see "gripes" below), but overall I really liked most of that scene.
• Ginny's reducto curse smashing the entire hall of prophecies (a nice touch that wasn't in the books);
• Lupin holding Harry back after Sirius's death. (I heard people begin to cry at this point, and even I felt my heartstrings being tugged on.)
• Luna Lovegood. I love this character in the book (who doesn't?), and the movie did not disappoint in bringing her to life. Kudos to Evanna Lynch for doing such an admirable job. Harry and Luna had some of the sweetest scenes in the movie together: in the forest feeding the thestrals and towards the end when she was hanging her posters.
• Any scene between Harry and Sirius;
• Tonks, Mad Eye and Lupin. Even though their parts were cut down significantly from the book, it was still really good to see Tonks introduced and it was good to see Mad Eye (the real one) and Lupin (looking rugged and more dangerous) again too.
• Harry and Cho's first kiss. Even though I'm a big Harry/Ginny supporter, the Cho kiss was still a good scene. People in my theater actually clapped and cheered when this happened.
• Fred and George leaving a huge "W" in the sky as they flew away (another nice touch that wasn't in the book);
• Harry and the Order's broomstick flight through London;
• Imelda Staunton as Dolores Umbridge. She was great in this role. In the book, Umbridge is much more toad-like and ugly, but I thought the film's portrayal of her as a fascist in a pink cardigan worked really well.
• The use of flashbacks throughout the film during the dreams and occlumency lessons;
• The thestrals were done really well and the looked very similar to how I imagined them from the book.
• The overall tone of the film was older and darker, and I liked it. I wouldn't bring little kids to see it, but that's a parental subjective call. One thing was clear when I saw the film: it was 9:15 on a Thursday night.. the theater was packed... and I didn't see one child in the viewing. Not one. Anyone who thinks that Harry Potter is just for kids is (respectfully) quite mistaken.

Things/Moments That I Missed From the Book: (SPOILER WARNING!)
• Cho's friend Marietta Edgecombe snitching on the DA (I didn't like Cho being the one to spill the beans, even if she was given the truth serum);
• Harry's interview with Rita Skeeter and ensuing Quibbler banning at Hogwarts;
• Umbridge's attack on Hagrid and McGonagall;
• Dumbledore's howler to Petunia and Petunia's pre-existing knowledge of dementors;
• Harry and Cho falling apart after Cho sided with Marietta instead of Hermione;
• Ginny and Ron on the Gryffindor quidditch team;
• Luna's Gryffindor lion hat;
• Percy's rift with the rest of the Weasley family;
• St. Mungo's Hospital, especially the gang seeing Neville and his parents there;
• Harry wanting to become an Auror, and McGonagall's feud with Umbridge on the topic;
• Harry's distress after seeing Snape's memory and his questioning of Sirius and Lupin about his father and mother's past at Hogwarts;
• Kreacher's treachery and his involvement in the events that led to the Ministry Battle and Sirius's death;
• Umbridge's confession that she sent the dementors after Harry;
• Harry's talk with Nearly Headless Nick about ghosts

Minor Gripes: (SPOILER WARNING!)
• The "I feel sorry for you" line. Wow, this really didn't work for me. I would have much preferred if they had remained truer to the book during that moment.
• Although I loved most of the final battle scene, I was disappointed when they hid Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville and Luna behind a rock after the Order showed up. In the book, these kids fight their hearts out and are all injured and wounded as a result. I was disappointed that they cut those moments out.
• Similarly, I was a little bummed that they downplayed the fumbling of the prophecy somewhat. In the book, the prophecy is smashed in the battle and no one hears it. Dumbledore reveals later that Trelawney made the prediction to him so he can remember it and share it with Harry. There's also a mention in the book of the idea that Neville may have been the intended "chosen one" had not Voldermont attacked the Potters instead. None of that made it into the movie.
• One final, minor gripe: why did the movie have to create the character of little Nigel (who is not in the books)? Couldn't they have accomplished the same thing with the youngest Creevey boy?

Rod's Rating:
4 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Well worth watching

V for Vendetta

2008-05-14T01:19:00.003-04:00

Who's In It?
Natalie Portman, Hugo Weaving, John Hurt, Stephen Fry, Stephen Rea

Who Wrote It?
Screenplay is credited to Andy Wachowski and Larry Wachowski (as The Wachowski Brothers); based on the graphic novel by David Lloyd.

Who Directed It?
James McTeigue

What's It About?
In a tyrannically-run England in the not-so-distant future, one man ("V") fights for freedom.

Is It Any Good?
I've never read the graphic novel on which this movie is based, so I can't compare the film to the original source material. Taken on its own merit, I liked this movie. It didn't rock my world or anything, but it was decent. Natalie Portman gave a great performance, as did Hugo Weaving (even though you never see his face).

What Else Should I Know?
The setting of the film is a tyrannically-run England where oppression crushes civil rights in the name of freedom; but thankfully the ending of the movie doesn't leave you with the sense of doom and gloom that permeates the rest of the film.

Rod's Rating:
3.5 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Not a waste of time

This Film Is Not Yet Rated

2008-05-13T01:00:00.001-04:00

Who's In It?
Kirby Dick, Eddie Schmidt, Kirsten Johnson, Becky Altringer, Cheryl Howell, Lindsey Howell.

Who Wrote It?
Kirby Dick, Eddie Schmidt, and Matt Patterson

Who Directed It?
Kirby Dick

What's It About?
A group of investigators attempted to create a documentary about the behind-the-scenes, inner-workings of the MPAA ratings board and how films are rated (G, PG, R, etc.).

Is It Any Good?
Unfortunately, the film is limited because the MPAA was less than cooperative in sharing information. The filmmakers essentially are only able to present one side of the story, and they end up coming down pretty hard on the MPAA (which was probably the intent). The documentary is interesting, but nowhere near as interesting or informative as I expected (especially given how much buzz the film generated).

What Else Should I Know?
Nothing else comes to mind.

Rod's Rating:
2.5 out of 5 stars (mostly for the noble effort)

Rod's Recommendation:
Expect disappointment

The Fog

2008-05-12T00:46:00.001-04:00

Who's In It?
Tom Welling, Maggie Grace, Selma Blair, Adrian Hough, DeRay Davis

Who Wrote It?
Cooper Layne is credited for adapting the original screenplay written by John Carpenter and Debra Hill.

Who Directed It?
Rupert Wainwright

What's It About?
This is the remake of the 1980 John Carpenter cult-classic of the same name about a mysterious horror lurking in the approaching fog.

Is It Any Good?
Oh, man. This movie was awful, folks. Just awful. I wanted this movie to be good (or at least "ok") for the sake of Tom Welling and Maggie Grace, but it's just a complete mess. The story is weak, the writing is Bad (with a capital B), the actors have nothing to work with, and the movie is an overall waste of time. I hate to be so harsh, honestly I do; but it's one of the worst films I've seen in a long time.

What Else Should I Know?
This movie sucks. There is nothing else you need to know. Maggie Grace and Selma Blair are both hotties... but neither shows enough skin to make this suckfest worth sitting through. Trust me.

Rod's Rating:
1 out of 5 stars. (You know how you automatically get points on the SAT for just showing up and writing your name? Well, that's kind of how this movie got even 1 star.)

Rod's Recommendation:
Avoid this film. Pretend like it was never made.

Curse of the Golden Flower

2008-05-11T00:25:00.003-04:00

Who's In It?
Chow Yun-Fat, Li Gong, Jay Chou, Ye Liu

Who Wrote It?
Written by Yimou Zhang, from the play by Yu Cao.

Who Directed It?
Yimou Zhang

What's It About?
The story in Golden Flower centers around the intrigues, deceptions, and political machinations within the imperial family (the emperor, his wife, and their three sons), and the tale plays out quite well, much like a King Lear Shakespearean tragedy.

Is It Any Good?
If you're a fan of the wave of imports of Chinese martial arts epics, like Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, House of Flying Daggers, and Hero, then you'll probably like Curse of the Golden Flower. I enjoy these types of movies, so I found Golden Flower to be a worth-while movie. (However, if these types of movies aren't your thing, then Golden Flower won't change your mind, as it's more of the same.) Golden Flower had many of the same elements that made Crouching Tiger, Hero, and Flying Daggers all work so well: terrific martial arts sequences, lavish costumes and settings, beautiful visuals, and an engaging storyline to serve as a conduit for all of the action.

What Else Should I Know?
The movie spends a lot of time setting up the characters and their individual agendas, all of which come to a head on the fateful night of the Chrysanthemum Festival (which is the golden flower of the title). The massive palace battle scenes are really great (reminiscent of an Imperial Chinese "Helm's Deep," if you will), but I almost felt like it ended too quickly. Like most of these movies, Golden Flower is a tragedy, so don't expect a feel-good ending; but you can expect a good movie. Not as good as Hero (which is simply awesome) or Crouching Tiger, but good nonetheless.

Rod's Rating:
3.5 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Worth seeing if you're a fan of the genre. If you're not, then this film won't be the one to convert you.

Smokin' Aces

2008-05-10T00:10:00.006-04:00

Who's In It?
Ryan Reynolds, Ray Liotta, Andy Garcia, Alicia Keys, Jeremy Piven, Common, Ben Affleck, Matthew Fox, Peter Berg, Nestor Carbonell, Jason Bateman, Taraji P. Henson, Martin Henderson, Chris Pine, Kevin Durand, Maury Sterling, Brian Bloom, and Vladimir Kulich.

Who Wrote It?
Joe Carnahan

Who Directed It?
Joe Carnahan

What's It About?
The film follows a disparate cast of hitmen, bounty hunters, and federal agents who are all separately on the trail of Buddy "Aces" Israel (Jeremy Piven) whose testimony could permanently bring down the Las Vegas criminal underworld. Since his testimony is so vital, there is a million dollar bounty on Israel's head which brings the best and greediest hitmen from across the county to Lake Tahoe in a race to kill him first. The situation also brings a host of federal agents trying to protect him from the slew of hitmen. Given the premise of the film, it shouldn't be a surprise that the movie has a lot of shooting, a lot of people getting shot, and a lot of blood. If that's something that turns you off, then Smokin' Aces isn't the film for you.

Is It Any Good?
I loved it! If Oceans Eleven (the remake) and Reservoir Dogs mated and had an illegitimate love child/crack baby, that offspring would be Smokin' Aces. I hope that sounds like a compliment, because it was meant as one... a big one. I thoroughly enjoyed this move and would gladly re-watch it repeatedly. The movie is a fast-paced, sleek, violent thrill ride that works well on many levels, but it works best as pure-octane, popcorn fun.

What Else Should I Know?
The cast is huge, with a host of big names from movies and television. Despite the large cast, there is a surprising amount of character development to get viewers invested into (and even root for) several of the characters; and there are some notable standout performances by Reynolds, Garcia, Keys and Piven. Predictably, in a movie like this, the body count is high; but there are plenty of characters left standing (or limping) by the end of the film that I've got my fingers crossed for a sequel.

Anything Else?
In short, this movie was totally kick-ass. And for the record, Ryan Reynolds was awesome in it. Ditto Alicia Keys (who would have guessed?).

Rod's Rating:
4.5 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Well worth watching... repeatedly.

King Kong

2008-05-09T23:43:00.003-04:00

Who's In It?
Naomi Watts, Adrien Brody, Jack Black, Kyle Chandler, Jamie Bell, Thomas Kretschmann, Colin Hanks.

Who Wrote It?
Screenplay by Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, and Peter Jackson. Original story by Merian C. Cooper and Edgar Wallace.

Who Directed It?
Peter Jackson

What's It About?
This is Peter Jackson’s massive remake of the 1933 classic about a giant ape discovered on a forgotten island.

Is It Any Good?
On paper, this movie should have been a smash. Written and directed by the team behind the LOTR trilogy and stocked with a great cast (Naomi Watts, Adrien Brody and Jack Black), this movie should have been top notch. Unfortunately, it wasn’t. I really loved what Peter Jackson and company did with the LOTR screenplays, but the Kong screenplay just wasn’t up to the same standard. (In fairness though, once you’ve created a movie that takes home 11 academy awards, your next effort is bound to fall somewhat short.) All in all, the movie was still good, but not great. It is simply way too long (see spoiler-infused rant below for more...)

What Else Should I Know?
I may have enjoyed this movie more had I seen it the theater, rather than in my living room courtesy of Netflix. This movie had a lot of action shots, and those always play better in large theaters..

Spoiler-Infused Grumbling: (SPOILER WARNING)
‘Twas beauty killed the beast,... but what killed this movie? In short: the bugs. This movie, despite all of its great parts, was too long; and the bug battle was the point in the movie where that became painfully clear.

More Spoiler-Infused Grumbling: (SPOILER WARNING)
Most likely because the movie felt so long, I was even more disappointed with the film when several of the characters were completely dropped out of the movie with no closure or epilogue. We spent two hours hoping that little Jimmy would make it off of the island alive, and then we never saw him again. Ditto with Captain Englehorn. Where did these guys go? And what happened to Bruce Baxter? On the island, he transforms from a pussy actor running for his life into a returning hero who rescues the survivors in the bug battle. But back in New York, he takes off running again when Kong gets loose. What kind of character development/regression is that? I understand that this movie was fundamentally supposed to be about the ape, and not about the humans... but then why have us become so invested in the characters only to leave us hanging with no resolution on so many of them? And for a movie with a run time of over 3 hours, there’s really no excuse for that.

Rod's Rating:
2.5 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
If you’ve got 3 hours to kill on a rainy day… flip a coin between this movie and any random television series marathon.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

2008-05-08T23:30:00.002-04:00

Who's In It?
Georgie Henley, William Moseley, Anna Popplewell, Skandar Keynes, Tilda Swinton, Jim Broadbent, James McAvoy, Liam Neeson (voice), Ray Winstone (voice), Rupert Everett (voice)

Who Wrote It?
Screenplay by Ann Peacock, Andrew Adamson, Christopher Markus, and Stephen McFeely. Based on the book by C.S. Lewis.

Who Directed It?
Andrew Adamson

What's It About?
This film is the adaptation of C.S. Lewis’s first book in the beloved Chronicles of Narnia series. The first book/film introduces us to the magical world of Narnia through young Lucy Pevensie and her siblings who enter into Narnia through a magical wardrobe.

Is It Any Good?
I really wanted to love this movie, because I have loved the Narnia books since I first read them in the 4th grade. Unfortunately, after watching the DVD, I didn’t love the movie, I only "kinda" liked it (and even that’s being a little generous). The story is still great, and the special effects and cgi creatures were all done really well, but I just couldn’t get into the movie. This isn’t a discredit to the film or its cast and crew. I think my problem was that I was already so familiar with the story from having read the book so many times, that I knew everything that was about to happen and there was nothing to keep me in suspense or anticipation.

What Else Should I Know?
The story is powerful and it’s themes of family, redemption, forgiveness, and triumph are universal and heart warming. It’s relatively well acted and has some great cgi and special effects. The battle sequence, though much more family-friendly than those in The Lord of the Rings films, was impressive.

Rod's Rating:
3 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Worth seeing if you’re a fan of the books, but don’t expect to be blown away – and certainly don’t expect anything like a LOTR cinematic revolution.

Little Children

2008-05-07T22:57:00.002-04:00

Who's In It?
Kate Winslet, Patrick Wilson, Jennifer Connelly, Jackie Earle Haley, Noah Emmerich, Phyllis Somerville

Who Wrote It?
Screenplay by Todd Field and Tom Perrotta; based on the novel by Tom Perrotta.

Who Directed It?
Todd Field

What's It About?
Little Children is an interesting character piece about the lives of several disenchanted suburbanites struggling to find some excitement in their seemingly mundane lives and secretly longing for the days when they had few responsibilities (read: no spouses, no kids). The "little children" referenced in the title doesn't really apply to the toddlers in this movie, but rather to the adults who haven't yet figured out what it really means to be all grown up.

Is It Any Good?
It's an interesting story, and it actually works quite well despite the viewers' frustrations with some of the boneheaded decisions that the characters make. Kate Winslet and Patrick Wilson are both great in the movie, portraying the frustrated mother and stay-at-home father who meet at the playground with their kids, sparking each other's interest and setting the story in motion. The always-beautiful Jennifer Connelly is also great as Wilson's workaholic and unsuspecting wife. In addition to the on-screen characters, the film also makes unique use of a narrator, an idea that might sound corny on paper, but which actually works really well.

What Else Should I Know?
The concept of dysfunctional suburbia has become an increasingly popular tend in movies following the success of American Beauty, but fortunately for Little Children, the movie isn't quite as over-the-top as American Beauty. However, Little Children is still very adult in nature, and one of the characters is a recently-released convicted pedophile (Jackie Earle Haley) who moves back into the neighborhood with his ailing mother upon his release from prison, shattering the fragile sense of security in the community. There is a scene involving the community's reaction to the released con at the local swimming pool that was extremely well done, and I thought it epitomized the modern-day mix of fear and vigilantism that society feels towards these monsters. The pedophile's impact on the community serves as one of the driving forces of the story, and it leads to some dark places at times throughout the film.

Rod's Rating:
3.5 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Different... but decent. Worth looking into.

Blood Diamond

2008-05-06T22:36:00.001-04:00

Who's In It?
Leonardo DiCaprio, Djimon Hounsou, Jennifer Connelly, Arnold Vosloo

Who Wrote It?
Screenplay by Charles Leavitt. Story by Charles Leavitt and C. Gaby Mitchell

Who Directed It?
Edward Zwick

What's It About?
I liked Blood Diamond a lot more than I thought I would. I was expecting your standard "innocent yanks trapped in war torn Africa" yarn, but the movie was much more than that, and much better than that too. The movie was a combination of an action flick, a rescue mission, and a political platform; all of which were woven together quite well to make a sincerely engaging movie. Leonardo DiCaprio gave a great performance (deserving of his oscar nom) as Danny Archer, a diamond smuggler who forcefully teams up with fisherman Solomon Vandy (Djimon Hounsou) in a quest to recover a rare pink diamond hidden behind rebel lines; both men seek the diamond for different reasons, but are forced to work together.

Is It Any Good?
Yes, this movie is quite good. Jennifer Connelly, though somewhat underused, was also pretty great in this movie as embedded reporter Maddy Bowen trying to uncover proof of the connection between the atrocities of conflict diamonds in war-torn Africa and the mainstream diamond industry outside of the continent. What made this movie so effecting was knowing that this wasn't an entirely fictional story; it's based on the real horrors of the Sierra Leone conflict and it is also a reminder of the current conflict in those regions. The events surrounding Vandy and his family (especially his son) were pretty heart wrenching; even more so knowing that they actually happen on a daily basis in certain parts of the world. Not that we ever hear about such events on the news. Connelly had a pretty striking line when they arrived at the refugee camp: "This is what a million people looks like, although you won't see it on CNN."

What Else Should I Know?
In addition to being a great action/adventure/character flick, this movie had an important message to tell about conflict diamonds. I was glad that the movie didn't beat us over the head with that message; but on the other hand, I feel like maybe it should have. What is it going to take for society to finally get the message and take a firm stand against such atrocities? My heart sank a little when Vandy asked Bowen "after you write about us, your country will come to help us, right?" I knew the answer before Bowen even spoke it: "probably not."

Rod's Rating:
4 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Worth watching

A Guide To Recognizing Your Saints

2008-05-05T22:14:00.001-04:00

Who's In It?
Shia LaBeouf, Robert Downey Jr., Channing Tatum, Chazz Palminteri, Rosario Dawson, Eric Roberts, Dianne Wiest, Melonie Diaz, Martin Compston, Adam Scarimbolo

Who Wrote It?
Dito Montiel

Who Directed It?
Dito Montiel

What's It About?
This was a movie that didn't seem to get a lot attention, but I gave it a shot anyway and found it to be pretty good. The film (loosely adapted from the book of the same name) tells the story of Dito Montiel, an author in LA, who fled from his troubled past growing up in Queens, NY in the 80's and never looked back. Upon learning that his father is seriously ill, Dito is forced to return to his former neighborhood and face the family and friends that he left behind as well as the memories that have haunted him for so many years.

Is It Any Good?
The first half of the film plays out somewhat predictably, depicting the "street lives" of Dito and his friends causing petty trouble and idling their summer days away. Most of the first half of the film we've seen before in other movies about misguided youths and troubled teens. However, the movie takes a turn half-way through, and shifts direction from "cliché" to "compelling" and "heartfelt." It's a shift that really works, and I found myself quite invested in the characters in the latter half of the film.

What Else Should I Know?
The film is told primarily in the past (1980's Queens, NY), but includes some significant moments set in the present as well. The ensemble cast is great, including Robert Downey Jr., Shia LaBeouf, Rosario Dawson, Chazz Palminteri, Dianne Weist, and Eric Roberts. It also showcases some great performances by up-and-comers Channing Tatum, Melonie Diaz, and Martin Compston (who is notable as the outsider who radically changes Dito's life). If you're into DVD extras, the DVD has several alternate endings which were all pretty good. The ending is still relatively the same, but the packaging (if you will) is different.

Rod's Rating:
4 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Worth watching

Flags of Our Fathers

2008-05-04T01:00:00.002-04:00

Who's In It?
Ryan Phillippe, Adam Beach, Jesse Bradford, Barry Pepper, John Slattery, Paul Walker, Melanie Lynskey, Jamie Bell, Neal McDonough, Robert Patrick, Chris Bauer, Beth Grant, Tom Verica, and Jason Gray-Stanford just to name a few.

Who Wrote It?
Screenplay by William Broyles Jr. and Paul Haggis; based on the book by James Bradley and Ron Powers.

Who Directed It?
Clint Eastwood

What's It About?
For those how haven't see it, the movie isn't really about the Battle of Iwo Jima, it's about the legendary flag-raising picture taken during that battle, and the picture's impact on the soldiers involved and on the nation at large. The writers (of the book and of the movie) get a lot of credit for obviously doing a hell of a lot of research into this story, and in honoring the memories of the soldiers involved. I found myself pretty moved by the end of the film.

Is It Any Good?
Yes. This was a good movie, folks. A really good movie. Hard-hitting, emotional, engaging, and a damn fine film all around. At the risk of giving away any significant plot points, I'll just say that movie excels both in the battlefield scenes and in the private scenes back on the home front. It's a great movie about the true story behind one of the nation's most legendary moments. I highly recommended this movie, but you might want to keep the tissues nearby.

What Else Should I Know?
Although the flag-raising picture was a symbol of national pride and patriotism and a major feel-good event of the era, this is not a feel-good movie. War is hell, and the movie depicts that fact quite well. In addition, the effect that this picture had on the soldiers involved is far from a happy story. Ryan Phillippe, Adam Beach and Jesse Bradford all give stand-out performances as the three surviving soldiers who are yanked form the front lines and forced to go on a national tour to promote the picture and the war effort – a burden that fundamentally impacts each of them in different ways.

Rod's Rating:
4.5 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Worth seeing... and worth moving towards the top of your NetFlix queue.

Children of Men

2008-05-03T00:38:00.003-04:00

Who's In It?
Clive Owen, Michael Caine, Julianne Moore, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Clare-Hope Ashitey, Pam Ferris

Who Wrote It?
Screenplay is credited to: Alfonso Cuaron, Timothy J. Sexton, David Arata, Mark Fergus, and Hawk Ostby.

Who Directed It?
Alfonso Cuaron

What's It About?
Set in a bleak, havoc-filled, not-too-distant future in which no children have been born for eighteen years, the film is equal parts distressing (a world without children thrown into chaos), hopeful (a first pregnancy) and compelling (the journey to get the new mother to safety). The story primarily follows the journey of reluctant hero Theo Farron (Clive Owen), who is thrust into secretly protecting the first pregnant woman in 18 years, as he struggles to get her to safety outside of the country. For risk of giving too much away, I won't say anything more about the story, other than that it is very gripping and there are several character deaths that I did not see coming.

Is It Any Good?
I liked this movie. A lot. After seeing it, I'm surprised that it was overlooked during the last awards season as it was well deserving of at least several nominations. On top of the compelling story, the film boasted: a great cast (including Clive Owen, Julianne Moore and Michael Caine), a unique soundtrack, and some very impressive continuous action shots. There are segments of this film in which a single camera captures the action for five minutes or more (following characters running through battlefields, ducking bullets, avoiding explosions, etc.) in one continuous shot. When you consider how much coordination had to go into making these scenes work, you have to scratch your head and wonder how the director and the cinematographer were ignored during awards season. It's pretty darn impressive.

What Else Should I Know?
I haven't read the book on which this film is based, so I can't compare the film and the novel. Sadly, I probably won't read the book now since I know how the movie ends. (I'm funny that way: if I don't read the book first -- before I see the movie -- then I usually never will.)

Rod's Rating:
4 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
This one is worth watching.

Boogeyman

2008-05-02T23:29:00.001-04:00

Who's In It?
Barry Watson, Emily Deschanel, Tory Mussett

Who Wrote It?
Story by Eric Kripke. Screenplay credited to Eric Kripke, Juliet Snowden, and Stiles White.

Who Directed It?
Stephen T. Kay

What's It About?
This is the "horror" movie with Barry Watson (7th Heaven, Samantha Who) and Emily Deschanel (Bones) in which the childhood monster in the closet turns out to be real.

Is It Any Good?
I wasn't crazy about this one, and I thought the movie wasted a good premise. Emily Deschanel was fine, but she didn't have much to work with. She deserves better. Ditto for Barry Watson. I'm not recommending this one.

What Else Should I Know?
I was really hoping for more from this film, especially since Eric Kripke (Supernatural) was involved.

Rod's Rating:
2 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Unless you want to go out of your way to show support for Eric Kripke, Barry Watson, or Emily Deschanel, then I see no reason to recommend this one to you.

Rent

2008-05-01T23:04:00.002-04:00

Who's In It?
Taye Diggs, Tracie Thoms, Jesse L. Martin, Rosario Dawson, Idina Menzel, Anthony Rapp, Adam Pascal, Wilson Jermaine Heredia

Who Wrote It?
Stephen Chbosky (screenplay), Jonathan Larson (book)

Who Directed It?
Chris Columbus

What's It About?
This it the big-screen adaptation of the popular, long-running Broadway show of the same name the centers on a group of friends in New York City against the backdrops of the freedom of bohemian living and the tragedy of AIDS.

Is It Any Good?
I'm sorry friends, but I thought this one stunk. I've got nothing against musicals (Chicago was great; I don't mind admitting that I liked Evita and Moulin Rouge; and West Side Story is one of the best films ever), but Rent just did not work for me. Not at all.

What Else Should I Know?
The only salvageable parts were the performances of Taye Diggs and Tracie Thoms, but they weren't enough to save the movie. Overall, it was pretty bad, gang.

Rod's Rating:
2 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Skip the movie and enjoy the soundtrack highlights instead.

Lady in the Water

2008-04-30T22:10:00.002-04:00

Who's In It?
Paul Giamatti, Bryce Dallas Howard, Freddy Rodriguez, Sarita Choudhury, Cindy Cheung, Bob Balaban, M. Night Shyamalan, Jeffrey Wright, Noah Gray-Cabey

Who Wrote It?
M. Night Shyamalan

Who Directed It?
M. Night Shyamalan

What's It About?
The residents of a humble apartment complex discover that they are part of an ancient fable after a nymph appears in their swimming pool.

Is It Any Good?
Oh man, this movie really disappointed me. I thought it had such great potential, but it fell so horribly short. I'm a split fan when it comes to M. Night Shyamalan: I loved The Sixth Sense and Signs, but I didn't particularly care for Unbreakable or The Village. So Lady in the Water unfortunately tipped the previously-level scale downwards. To be fair, I really liked the film's premise, and I liked where the film was heading in terms of an ancient fairytale becoming reality. However, for all of its potential, the film fell apart. The very thing that made the film so promising is what killed it. The fairytale-becoming-reality started simply enough with lowly groundskeeper Cleveland (Paul Giamatti) finding a real-life nymph-like creature (Bryce Dallas Howard) in the swimming pool of the apartment building he manages. The fable then spins out of control with the introduction of way too many characters and their fated destinies in relation to saving the nymph, and it becomes far too difficult to stay focused. When a fairytale becomes as complex as a spy-thriller, you know something isn't working; and that's what happened with Lady in the Water.

What Else Should I Know?
It actually saddened me to write this review. I thought M. Night Shyamalan got a bad rap on Signs (a movie that I love) and I've been wanting him to bounce back ever since. Plus, I wanted to be able to disagree with the host of critics who panned Lady in the Water since I don't like to be blindly led by professional reviewers. Unfortunately, they were all right about this movie. It's a complete letdown.

Rod's Rating:
2 out of 5 stars (and that's being generous)

Rod's Recommendation:
If you're a Shyamalan buff, then you have no choice but to see this film (and you most likely already have). However, if you don't need to see this film, then by all means spare yourself and skip it.

Snakes on a Plane

2008-04-29T21:53:00.001-04:00

Who's In It?
Samuel L. Jackson, Julianna Margulies, Nathan Phillips, Kenan Thompson, Bobby Cannavale, David Koechner, Rachel Blanchard

Who Wrote It?
Screenplay by John Heffernan and Sebastian Gutierrez; story by David Dalessandro and John Heffernan.

Who Directed It?
David R. Ellis

What's It About?
It's pretty simple: a bunch of killer snakes are set loose on an airplane in mid-flight. Horror (and hilarity) ensues.

Is It Any Good?
This one is all about your expectations. If you were looking for any of the following: a decent horror movie that keeps you riveted; a suspenseful disaster film that keeps you glued to your seat; a character-driven action flick that works on multiple levels; a cult film that will live on as an unrecognized classic... then you're going to be disappointed. If you're looking for a guilty-pleasure, popcorn (with cheese!) film, then you'll probably enjoy this movie.

What Else Should I Know?
I know this movie had huge internet buzz before it was released in theatres; but then it fell flat at the box office and also in the opinion of film critics. Be that as it may, I liked this movie a lot for what it was: a guilty pleasure about loose snakes terrorizing folks on a plane in mid-air. Samuel L. Jackson and Julianna Marguiles lead the cast of stereotypical passengers and flight attendants in their struggle to combat the snakes and remain alive. It's fun and it's funny, and it's nowhere near as bad as the reputation it's gotten. Maybe it was so universally panned because expectations were so high; but the only expectation I had for this film was that it would be a fun ride and a bit campy. In that respect, I wasn't disappointed at all.

Rod's Rating:
3.5 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
It's pure popcorn fun. Go into this movie with the appropriate expectations, and you're in for a fun, cheesy ride.

Brick

2008-04-28T21:26:00.002-04:00

Who's In It?
Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Nora Zehetner, Emilie de Ravin, Matt O'Leary, Richard Roundtree, Lukas Haas, Meagan Good, Noah Fleiss

Who Wrote It?
Rian Johnson

Who Directed It?
Rian Johnson

What's It About?
Brick is a quirky little movie that I only checked out because it made the TVGuide.com "best films of the year" list at the end of 2005. It's an odd film in that the style of the movie is completely different than anything I've seen before. The film centers around the investigation of a high school student's death, but the "detectives," the suspects, and the rest of the players are all high school students themselves but they walk and talk like characters out of a 1940's film-noir classic. The setting is a modern, suburban California high school, but the style of the movie is completely reminiscent of noir films like Laura and The Maltese Falcon.

Is It Any Good?
It's an odd film, but I found that it worked surprisingly well.

What Else Should I Know?
Given the unique nature of the style of the film, the movie isn't for everybody. For me personally, I enjoyed it, and I thought what made the film work so well was its great script and the terrific performances of Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Nora Zehetner (Heroes). Gordon-Levitt plays the high school "detective" investigating the disappearance of his ex, and Zehetner plays the film's femme-fatale. The movie also features Emilie de Ravin (Lost) as the victim, Lukas Haas (the kid from Witness all grown up) as the neighborhood king-pin still living in his mom's basement, and Matt O'Leary (Domestic Disturbance) as Gordon-Levitt's sidekick.

Rod's Rating:
4 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Well worth watching; although like I said, it's not for everybody.

Half Nelson

2008-04-27T20:28:00.003-04:00

Who's In It?
Ryan Gosling, Shareeka Epps, Anthony Mackie, Tina Holmes, Denis O'Hare, Jay O. Sanders

Who Wrote It?
Ryan Fleck & Anna Boden

Who Directed It?
Ryan Fleck

What's It About?
Half Nelson is the story of an inner-city teacher (Ryan Gosling), secretly battling his own drug and alcohol abuse, who forms an unusual connection with one of his students (Shareeka Epps). Gosling was nominated for a leading actor Oscar for this film, so I was curious to check it out.

Is It Any Good?
It's not bad. It's not fantastic either. The story is primarily about Gosling and Epps connection. He's the drug-abusing teacher whose secret is discovered by her; and she's the student from a broken home that he tries to help. If either of those premises sounds clichéd, don't worry. This isn't the movie where the struggling teacher who is about to give up learns the true meaning of life from his young student and turns his life around. Nor is this the movie where the altruistic teacher enters an inner-city school and teaches the kids how to overcome their surroundings and work for a brighter future. Thankfully, the movie fits neither of those clichés. It's something else entirely.

What Else Should I Know?
Overall, the pacing of the movie is slower than I like. That's not a bad thing; it's just not my preference. Despite the slow pacing, the performances in this movie are quite good, particularly by Gosling and Epps. I'm not sure if Gosling's performance was exactly academy award nomination-worthy, but it was still pretty darn good, especially given the complicated story.

Rod's Rating:
3.5 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
An indie you probably won't be disappointed with.

Unknown

2008-04-26T16:23:00.004-04:00

Who's In It?
Jim Caviezel, Greg Kinnear, Bridget Moynahan, Joe Pantoliano, Barry Pepper, Jeremy Sisto, Peter Stormare, Adam Rodriguez, Kevin Chapman, Chris Mulkey, Patricia Belcher

Who Wrote It?
Matthew Waynee

Who Directed It?
Simon Brand

What's It About?
The premise is simple: five men wake up in a warehouse, all in various states of being bruised or beaten, with no memory of who they are or how they came to be there. Trapped with no way out of the warehouse, the guys struggle to figure out what happened to them and who is responsible for their dilemma. As their memories begin to slowly return in brief fragments, they begin to distrust each other yet are forced to work together to find a means of escape. The plot is pretty interesting and kept me entertained for the duration of the film. The style of the film reminded me somewhat of Reservoir Dogs, but not as violent.

Is It Any Good?
Yes! The movie is a cool thriller, with some neat twists, and I found it to be very enjoyable. The ensemble cast is great, with particularly good performances from Caviezel, Kinnear and Pepper. Overall I found it really enjoyable and worth watching.

What Else Should I Know?
Despite this film receiving little to no publicity ever (I only discovered it because it popped up as a NetFlix recommendation -- thank you, NetFlix!), this film is really quite good.

Rod's Rating:
4 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Worth seeking out

Borat: Cultural Learnings of America...

2008-04-25T15:53:00.002-04:00

Who's In It?
Sacha Baron Cohen, Ken Davitian, and a host of unsuspecting Americans (including Pamela Anderson)

Who Wrote It?
Screenplay is credited to: Sacha Baron Cohen, Anthony Hines, Peter Baynham, Dan Mazer. Story is credited to: Sacha Baron Cohen, Peter Baynham, Anthony Hines, Todd Phillips.

Who Directed It?
Larry Charles

What's It About?
Borat, the culturally clueless character played by Cohen, travels to America to make a documentary of American life for his home government of Kazakhstan. The movie is a string of often-unscripted scenes between Borat (Cohen) and unsuspecting Americans.

Is It Any Good?
Borat was an odd movie for me. From everything I had heard, I wanted to laugh my ass off, and I had hoped that the movie wouldn't disappoint me. However, as I was watching, I found myself doing very little laughing and instead doing more cringing, gasping, and shaking my head in "oh my God, they did not do that" moments. Watching so many unsuspecting folks get caught in these completely outrageous scenarios was sometimes funny, but other times it was completely mortifying. Sacha Baron Cohen (aka Borat) is able to reveal several of these people as racists, homophobes, frauds, and other less-than-admirable characters. Watching some of them get completely duped makes you almost feel sorry for them. Almost.

A day after I had seen the movie, my sister came over and when she saw that I had Borat on the shelf, she immediately wanted to watch it. I told her that it wasn't as funny as she would think, but we watched it anyway. The second time around, now that I knew what was coming for these unsuspecting people, I totally laughed my ass off. (Is that horrible? I don't know.) My sister, who is a fan of Jay Leno's "jaywalking" and other comedy send-ups that essentially trap real people into embarrassing themselves, also laughed her head off. So like I said, this was an odd movie for me. The first time I watched it, I was more in shock-and-disgust mode; but on the second viewing, when there was nothing to be shocked by, I found it to be hysterical. Still very distasteful, but really hysterical.

What Else Should I Know?
If you're a fan of overweight, naked, hairy, man-wrestling, there's a scene in this film that will be right up your alley.

Rod's Rating:
3.5 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
If you're a fan of this type of humor, you'll get a big kick out of this film.

Stay Alive

2008-04-24T03:11:00.001-04:00

Who's In It?
Samaire Armstrong, Jon Foster, Frankie Muniz, Sophia Bush, Milo Ventimiglia, Jimmi Simpson, Adam Goldberg, Wendell Pierce

Who Wrote It?
William Brent Bell & Matthew Peterman

Who Directed It?
William Brent Bell

What's It About?
A group of friends start to play a mysterious video game and discover that deaths in the game are linked to deaths in real life... their own.

Is It Any Good?
No! This movie is a complete crapfest. I’ve seen some bad horror movies in the past, and this one definitely ranks with the worst of them. I’m talking really bad, like Pulse and The Fog remake bad.

What Else Should I Know?
If you were going to see this movie because you recognize the names of some of the stars and wanted to support them (i.e., Milo from Heroes, Samaire from The O.C., Sophia Bush because she’s so hot, etc.), don’t bother. It’s not worth the 90 minutes of your life.

Rod's Rating:
1 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Skip it.

Babel

2008-04-23T14:56:00.002-04:00

Who's In It?
Cate Blanchett, Brad Pitt, Adriana Barraza, Gael García Bernal, Rinko Kikuchi, Elle Fanning, Nathan Gamble and a host of other folks that I can't really recall right now. (The imdb page is extremely unhelpful on this one.)

Who Wrote It?
Guillermo Arriaga

Who Directed It?
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu

What's It About?
The film is about four families across the globe who are unknowingly connected through a random event (the accidental shooting of Cate Blanchett's character on a tour bus in Morocco). These four plotlines play out across four different countries (Morocco, US, Mexico and Japan) giving the film a very international flavor, as well as a great international cast.

Is It Any Good?
I wanted to see Babel since it was an academy award nominee for "best picture" so I assumed it must be pretty good. Unfortunately, it wasn't.

What Else Should I Know?
The problem with a film that has four relatively isolated plotlines is that one bad plotline can drag down the entire movie, and that's exactly what happened with Babel. The Rinko Kikuchi storyline completely bored me to death. I found her plotline to be unimportant, dull, tedious, and totally needless in the grand scheme of the film. Even the several shots of her va-jay-jay weren't enough to keep my attention with her story. Not only was this storyline the most boring, but it also got the most screen time (or at least it sure felt that way). This brought down the whole film for me, which is sad because the other plotlines were actually quite good (a little slow, but still good). Brad Pitt gave a really good performance (his phone call to his son was incredibly moving), and so did Cate Blanchett, Adrianna Barazza, and several others.

Rod's Rating:
2 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Honestly, don't waste your time with this movie. Unless you're an Oscar buff, I'd pass on this one -- and ignore your friends and co-workers if they tell you that this is a good movie. They're lying to you.

Little Miss Sunshine

2008-04-22T14:43:00.003-04:00

Who's In It?
Abigail Breslin, Greg Kinnear, Toni Collette, Steve Carell, Alan Arkin, Paul Dano

Who Wrote It?
Michael Arndt

Who Directed It?
Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris

What's It About?
The premise is cute: a dysfunctional family (and man, do I mean dysfunctional) takes a cross-country road trip so that their young daughter Olive (Abigail Breslin) can compete in a beauty pageant. Along for the ride are: Olive's father, (Greg Kinnear) whose trying to launch his own his self-help program; Olive's grandpa (Alan Arkin), recently kicked out of his elderly care home because he's a heroin addict; Olive's brother (Paul Dano) who has taken a vow of silence and detests his family; Olive's uncle (Steve Carell) who recently survived his second suicide attempt, and Olive's mother (Toni Collette) who is desperately trying to hold everyone together. The family's vehicle is a run-down VW bus, in which the family spends a great deal of the movie and which has so many quirks that it almost becomes another character in this great ensemble flick.

Is It Any Good?
This was a great little movie, and I enjoyed it so much more than I thought I would. It was well-deserving of its "best picture" Oscar nomination.

What Else Should I Know?
The film might be labeled as a "black comedy," but I disagree. Although some of the characters are in dark places in their lives, the movie is not a dark movie. It's funny, charming and even heart-warming. The family's journey across the country is filled with laughter, tears, and everything in between. The only thing more outrageous than the journey is what takes place once they finally arrive at their destination.

Rod's Rating:
4 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
Well worth watching

The Departed

2008-04-21T14:41:00.004-04:00

Who's In It?
The movie packs a ton of stars, including: Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Mark Wahlberg, Jack Nicholson, Alec Baldwin, and Martin Sheen. Other notable cast members include: Vera Farmiga, James Badge Dale, Ray Winstone, Kevin Corrigan, Anthony Anderson, and Kristen Dalton.

Who Wrote It?
William Monahan is credited with the screenplay, based largely on the Hong Kong movie Infernal Affairs (2002) written by Siu Fai Mak and Felix Chong.

Who Directed It?
Martin Scorsese

What's It About?
The story essentially centers on two opposing figures: Matt Damon and Leonardo DiCaprio, one an undercover cop infiltrating the mob and the other an undercover mob operative planted into the police force.

Is It Any Good?
This movie is awesome. The story is great; the plot is great; and the movie just flies by leading to an explosive ending. Everything about this movie worked incredibly well, including the kick ass soundtrack. The one and only drawback to this movie was the performance of Vera Farmiga. Maybe it was the character, or maybe it was the actress; I don't know. She just didn't work for me, and she seemed unable to rise to the same level of the rest of the actors in the movie. But other than that, folks, this movie was great. A definite must see.

What Else Should I Know?
It's definitely a violent film, with plenty of bullets flying and a surprisingly high (and gruesome) body count; so if that's not your cup of tea, then you'll want to avoid this movie. However, I think if you pass on this film, you'll definitely be missing out.

This movie was adapted from the Hong Kong movie Infernal Affairs. I haven't seen Infernal Affairs, or its two sequels, and I probably won't now that I know how it all ends. That's too bad because it was probably a great movie too.

Rod's Rating:
4.5 out of 5 stars

Rod's Recommendation:
If you haven't already done so, see this movie!