NightBiker Reviews

Bolt (2008)

A VERY fun movie for old and young alike

[10/10 · 15 November 2008]

Its an animated movie about a dog. GIVEN, its a 'kids' movie. Unlike many animated movies, the dialog isn't full of innuendos or 'hidden' humor that only adults would 'get'. Its easily understood by kids, the animation is top-rate (as would be expected) and the characters are engaging and easy to enjoy. I admit that even though I love animation, I went to this sneak preview with a few misgivings. The trailers didn't look all that exciting, and I didn't expect to see anything I hadn't already seen. On one hand, I was right. The animation WAS very good, but nothing that hadn't been done before. But on the other hand I was pleasantly wrong. The formula works perfectly for Bolt. It was fun, didn't have any 'dull' spots, and while my theater was filled with a fairly consistent mix of children and young teens, and a relative smattering of adults, everyone seemed to enjoy it. Laughter was pretty consistent among the old and young, and at the end of the flick I heard something I rarely get to experience in theaters these days: applause. Granted, the adults were the ones applauding, and I joined in enthusiastically. The wife and I agree that this was one movie where we felt we got more than our dollars' worth. Thats a rare treat. Bolt did not disappoint on any level -and will find a spot in our library when the DVD eventually hits market. I fully expect this movie to do very well.

The Blues Brothers (1980)

Great classic thats just plain FUN!

[10/10 · 24 May 2008]

This all star cast really made a lasting movie. I love this movie. It rates right up there among my very favorite -having seen it over 300 times before I quit counting, I STILL notice a detail or two, from time to time. I've yet to meet anyone who didn't enjoy this -when they watched the DVD or older VHS theatrical release. The 'edited for TV' version is just so much wasted time and space -they really managed to steal all of the soul and heart out of the movie -and thats not easy! It has virtually no 'dead' parts -but its not one of those 'up tight' movies where you have to pay absolute attention to everything or you miss the point, either. Any who are old enough to have been a fan of the 'blues brothers' when they were on saturdaynight live, will truly enjoy this. If you just want some good laughs, plenty of great one-liners with perfect delivery, its still an excellent choice.

Employee of the Month (2006)

Yes its a stupid plot, but well worth the view!

[8/10 · 23 October 2007]

OK, ordinarily this kind of movie would NEVER rate better than half for me, but I couldn't help but give it an 8. Yes, its an over-used parody-style. Yes its very predictable, with few if any surprises (none for me, but you never know who will watch). I watched this movie when I (literally) had nothing better to do -the wife and I popped the movie in, and were BOTH pleasantly surprised. We both thoroughly enjoyed it. Perhaps it was because our expectations weren't very high, or maybe we were just in the right mood for it, but I can easily see this movie turning into a cult-classic, or nearly so. It just managed to have the right type of actors, with the right story, and the right background -the right mix of all of it, to pull it off. While it will never rank as one of the movie 'greats' -it doesn't try to be that kind of movie. This movie was fun, plain and simple. I'm of a mind that its always a GOOD thing to be pleasantly surprised. In my opinion, well worth the watch.

The Core (2003)

Fast-paced

[8/10 · 19 May 2003]

It is a fast-paced movie. A good view if you have money and time to spend. Good effects, but the story/plot is not very convincing. The acting is adequate, but it all seemed to gel, and I liked it. I'll own this on DVD when it comes out. Good audio effects as well.

Star Trek: First Contact (1996)

Getting ready to see it again!

[10/10 · 19 May 2003]

This installment (8th) is a feast for the Star Trek fan. The plot is not exactly new (go back in time to save the present) but the story is a good one. Its action-packed, plenty of Star Trek type humor. Its one of my absolute favorites. Patrick Stewert and the rest of the usual Cast do an excellent job in their roles. Hidden humor is there for the fans, and plenty of action (and some humorous moments) are there for the 'rest'. The special effects are up to their usual high standards.

In short. If you are a fan, you will not want to miss this one. If you just like fairly serious (not tongue-in-cheek) sci-fi, you will probably enjoy this one as well. If you don't care for the futuristic, well...