jaypugh Reviews

Frozen (I) (2010)

Could have been much better

[4/10 · 9 October 2010]

Frozen actually has a pretty decent concept for a film but it is let down by acting that is sub par and not enough variety.

I thought Frozen was watchable but not much more than that. While the acting isn't horrible, it isn't that great either. This problem is magnified by the fact that 95% of the movie only has three actors in it. This leads to the second problem. With only three people involved you lose the typical disposable characters you want to see removed from the equation first. You get little variety in the horror dept when you are immediately limited to three people. If there was some great depth to the characters with something interesting to find out about them then it wouldn't be as big of a deal but there is not much here to work with. Add another car or two of people while keeping the main focus on the group presented here and I think it would have helped a lot.

The tension is certainly there in Frozen but I think most will find that it falls well short of what it could have been. In fact I think most will be bored and ready to hit the fast forward before the film is done.

Happy Town (2010)

Confusing, bad camera work and too many plots

[5/10 · 7 May 2010]

Happy Town has got to be one of the most confusing shows I can remember. There is only one pace in this series and that is "all out". People want to compare it to Twin Peaks but it isn't even close because at least in Twin Peaks they knew how to pace and build the characters. The plots shifted but not ever 5 minutes. Also, Twin Peaks didn't have camera shots that look like someone handed a 5 year old the camera for action sequences. It is frustrating when a fight scene is done and you have to pause to gain your composure before you toss your cookies.

On a positive note, the characters are fairly believable and the acting is good. There's also plenty of scares in Happy Town and the show comes off as genuinely creepy. The best thing about Happy Town has to be Sam Neil. His character suits him perfectly and you can't help but want to see what he is going to do next.

Sometimes I have to go against the masses and this is one of them. There are many possibilities in Happy Town but things come at you too fast. I felt like I got a season's worth of twists and turns in 2 episodes. If this is the supposed to be ABC's makeup project for Twin Peaks then they have dropped the ball.

Lower Learning (2008)

Possibly the worst school film of all time

[1/10 · 28 September 2009]

Lower Lesson had potential to at least be above horrible. The acting isn't actually that bad compared to your typical school films but it is the depth of the crudeness that sinks this film to the bottom. I could handle the principal's tasteless style because you have Biggs and Eva's characters to counter. The real problem is Monica Potter's character. I have to wonder if she fired her agent after this film. She is the worst teacher in film history unless you get into horror films where they are killing the little rascals. It is painful as ever. It is obvious that they shot her character without any actual kids in the room as you will not see any near her in most shots. After you see her and hear what she has to say you will know why. She rants at the kids with "F U" comments and every vile thing that could come from a person. It would be bad enough if these were high school kids but elementary? You have got to be kidding. I was really surprised considering Potter typically plays a good character. Anyway, the film has little going for it to counter the entire negative. You know it is bad when a supposed comedy weighs you down with guilt. Avoid this film at all cost.

Surrogates (2009)

Average for a Bruce Willis Film

[6/10 · 28 September 2009]

The trailer of this film looked sweet and I'm a Bruce Willis fan so it was a no brainer to check it out.

The movie is a mixed bag. The acting is good from Willis on down the list. The subject matter is interesting and the relationship Willis' character has with his wife makes you want to know more. It is truly the best part of the film.

The real problem for me is that I found Surrogates to have the feel of a thriller rather than an action flick. This is fine but there were no real plot twists and not near enough character development. Basically, you know the entire plot from beginning to end just by watching the trailer. The only question you have to ask is whether Willis is going to manage to let 99% of the population die? It doesn't take a genius to assume correct on this question. Other than this one question I found very little substance. If you have no more substance than this to occupy your brain then you need more action. That's not to say there isn't any action in Surrogates because there is quite a bit. It just needs more if you are going to know the story from beginning to end before the movie starts.

Give me one of two things, more action to enjoy the ride or more depth to make me think. Surrogates is just good enough in each of these but not great in either. I believe I would have liked it a lot better if I hadn't seen the trailers but it would still fall a bit flat of my expectations of a Bruce Willis movie. It is by no means bad but it had potential to be far better.

6.5 / 10

Zombieland (2009)

Brilliantly crafted with laughs from beginning to end

[9/10 · 21 September 2009]

I caught a sneak preview of Zombieland with a friend and was impressed to say the least.

Zombieland has to have one of the flashiest openings in memory. There is no subtle build up. You are dropped right into Zombieland as Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg) begins listing the rules to survival. Of course each rule gives you a hysterical example of why the rule is in place. Anything that has been taboo for horror films at one time is met head on. I won't list each as not to spoil the movie but Zombieland has a unique ability to make almost anything seem comical. This includes the fact that for some reason it seems that every zombie in Zombieland has a blood belching problem. Literally every zombie has blood spewing from their mouth. This is captured best in the intro as you almost feel like you are supposed to have the 3D glasses in place.

Columbus is funny enough with his phobias and geek lifestyle that proves to be what keeps him alive but it isn't until he meets Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson), that things really kick into gear. Harrelson seems to have been born for this role. He has more one liners than any character in recent memory. Each line is typically vulgar but even if offensive it is near impossible not to laugh. Let's face it, if you are completely offended by language or blood then you aren't likely to be sitting with a crowd watching Zombieland in the first place.

A little romance is thrown into the mix when Columbus and Tallahassee come up on Wichita (Emma Stone) and Little Rock (Abigail Breslin). For a zombie comedy I thought Eisenberg and Stone actually had decent chemistry. Not that much time is dedicated to romance but what is there comes across as sincere and lets us watch as Columbus transitions from geek to hero. Even without the romance the girls are an important part of the chemistry of Zombieland. They help to even out the brawn and the brains between the four characters.

Zombieland has a simple story. The guys are loners. Columbus with the simple mission to stay alive and Tallahassee with a never ending search for any and all of the remaining golden Twinkies left on the planet. The girls are sisters who are trying to get to an amusement park in CA where they believe, or at least want to believe it is zombie free. A small part of the film feels like the movie Vacation with zombies. The comical trip with a destination which you can just feel isn't going to be what the characters hope for. Like Vacation it shows that the journey is far more important than the destination.

The biggest moment of the film has to be the mystery cameo. I'm glad I didn't know who it was and I won't spoil it for anyone else. I will say that it was brilliantly written into the script. PERFECT! It really goes to show how much they focused on getting Zombieland to be a top notch flick that should go down as a horror-comedy classic to remember. It will certainly fit alongside Shaun of the Dead in my movie collection.

District 9 (2009)

I Agree with the majority

[10/10 · 1 September 2009]

I haven't seen a movie twice in the theater in a LONG time but this was one that had me back for a second round. I found that I caught a lot more subtle things the second time around. With this shot as a documentary that is full of live news footage there is a lot to read on the screen as well as paying attention to the actors on screen. The depth of the film also left me wanting to see it a second time.

One of the best compliments I can give District 9 is that there no individual areas of the film that stand out enough to make break the feeling of you seeing something on your TV set at home. To be clear, I mean that the action is awesome but it isn't overdone to where you go home saying, "What an awesome action flick." The special FX are great but you don't go home wanting to rave about them either. Everything is done with a subtle touch to compliment the story and not stand out on its own. The space craft is meticulously detailed yet they didn't make it in a way that would have you fixated on it. The aliens are very real looking (if that can be said of an alien) but again, they don't make it to where that is what you go home talking about. In the end the story is the power of the film which is carefully handled and everything else simply supports it.

The other thing about the film is that the alien situation is handled so carefully that you originally have a chuckle when you see what it happening to them, which is tragic, but after only a few short minutes you feel sorrow for what you are seeing. This is not an easy task to accomplish but District 9 does it perfectly.

The only problem I had with this film is how to describe it to friends so they will go to see it. You can't just say, "Go see this alien film. It's great!" After all, most people think aliens killing humans and us hunting them down from a description like that. You can't say it is just a drama with aliens because it has a fair amount of action. There is hardly a description for this film that will fit right for others to understand the depth of the movie. It must be seen by someone so they can make their own judgment as to what the film is to them. Whatever you want to call it, it is great. You can't help but to get sucked into the story and see so many social issues that we are dealing with today which are displayed so vibrantly in District 9. The lead actor was perfect for the role and the entire cast was awesome. This is one of those rare times when I am thankful that the movie didn't have a top name actor to sell it. A big name would only distract from a movie like this. District 9 goes down as the movie of the year for me with ease.

Fighting (2009)

The Fighting is the Worst Part

[3/10 · 26 August 2009]

I expected this to be on the same level as Never Back Down. After it was done I could have only dreamed that this was so. Not one person out of five in my household wanted to finish this film but I watched it anyway. The acting is horrible but it is the actual fighting that truly does this film in. From the first money fight you are amazed at how badly the main character, Shawn is at fighting yet somehow manages to win. From here you EXPECT the typical Karate Kid element of the fighter working hard as ever to raise his skills. This film regrettably doesn't bother. It leads the viewer to think that the fight you just saw which basically left Shawn winning out of luck was actually skill or brute force along with raw will. This leap in logic only gets worse and worse as he continues to climb the fighting food chain to better and better fighters. There are no great fight moves by Shawn and there is no wisdom passed from Howard's character, Harvey to Shawn. The whole plot is that he will magically keep winning from beginning to end with absolutely zero effort other than looking tough before each fight. This is the premise that the movie follows. This one bad decision ruins the film even IF the acting wasn't horrible along with every other part of the film.

Let's be honest. No one went to see (or rented) Fighting to hold it to a high standard but simply with the hope of getting some popcorn entertainment. There are no hopes of a deep plot but merely one that will pit fighters against each other for some good solid fight scenes. When the movie can't even deliver on this simple task then you know it is below bad. There is an attempt at a love story but it fails miserably. There's also an attempt at a twist but it is so easy to read that it comes off as more of a joke. Then they sum it all up with an ending that leaves the characters to make a choice that is ludicrous even for the level of stupidity of the characters in this film. When you have a film with a quality actor as good as Terrence Howard in it then you at least expect minimally bad. Sadly, he was thrown into Fighting as the selling point. I have to wonder if he read the script before he signed up for this.

The Haunting in Connecticut (2009)

Great Surprise of a Horror Film

[8/10 · 6 August 2009]

I'll admit that I haven't seen one of these haunted house films in a little while because, to be quite frank, I got so tired of retread after retread since The Ring and others hit big in the US. Yes I have seen others but I just haven't been thrilled by what seemed to be the same old story. This complaint is what surprises me about many of the reviews here.

I found The Haunting In Connecticut to be surprisingly refreshing. No, you don't have a groundbreaking new story but the story you do have is good, well supported by the actors and very well supported by a good writer. The dialogue actually sounds like words that people might say. What an amazing concept! :) It has been a rare case that I actually even care about the characters and what's the deal with the majority always having to revolve around water? After a while a puddle with hair is a puddle with hair but you don't have that here. You actually have a pretty good bit of drama that is setup here. The way the ghost/s are introduced and used throughout is creepy as ever and the soundtrack is top notch. Others may say this is just another haunted house story but I haven't liked something this good since BEFORE The Ring. It reminds me of Amityville in ways but better.

I like all types of horror. Give me slashers, zombies, haunted houses, clowns, mutants or dolls. The thing is that there are getting to be far fewer come out with this much care put into them. I still don't mind the B movie experience but this is Grade A all the way.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)

Better than the first in almost every way

[9/10 · 28 June 2009]

Reviews of movies like this do not need to be long. TF2 delivered bigger and badder action than the first. It was awe inspiring to say the least. The explosions were bigger, transformations cooler and the Transformers had much more personality.

Key things that make TF2 awesome- + As already stated, the action is even better than the first and that is saying a TON. + They realized just how captivating Megan Fox was and maximized her screen time. + Some of the robots are hilarious compared to the original where non of them had much of a personality. + The acting was good all the way around

The negatives were few but they are certainly there. - They should have realized from the first film that the movie would be at least 20 minutes shorter. Even with full tilt action it starts seeming to be a little much after two hours. You need a deep plot and character development if you are going to go as long as these two films did. - This film is FAR LESS family friendly. I have yet to talk to a friend who has seen TF2 and didn't agree that the cursing and sexual references are at least 10 times that of the original. If you are an adult then the jokes and references are quite comical but they aren't something I particularly wanted my kids to watch. I'm sure some will disagree but this is just on father's opinion.

That about covers my thoughts on TF2. My rating of 9/10 is for adults. For kids it would have been a couple of notches lower.

My Bloody Valentine (2009)

Surprised at what some expected. Great 3D 80s style horror!

[9/10 · 21 January 2009]

I won't go deep into the plot because it isn't important. This movie doesn't pretend to be a smart thriller that keeps you guessing and working your mind to figure out who is doing what. It is a raw, unoriginal but awesome 80s style slasher flick that is very well done in most areas. The acting isn't Oscar worthy but it certainly wasn't bad. In fact I thought it was great by horror standards. Next, the gore is here and it is done well. The digital fx are combined nicely with traditional horror makeup fx. This is rare as I find myself bombarded by tons of crappy digital fx horror movies by the dozen over the last 5 or more years. OK, so why the high score? The movie is well paced and by that I mean fast. It starts strong and it doesn't let up. Next, I found myself impressed by the movie score. The soundtrack actually had me noticing it as far better than average and wishing I had someone next to me to ask if it was just me or did this soundtrack fit perfectly. Lastly, this movie does 3D like no movie I can remember seeing. The locations are perfect for 3D. The whole mine shaft works well and looked multi layered for a long way when you first see it. There are a couple of scenes where the camera is doing a very high shot of the mining area or the city and you can almost feel motion sickness set in as if you are on a ride and your seat is moving because you focus on a big crane or bridge and as the camera pans you feel like you are floating around it. Very cool stuff. Another notable scene, without spoiling anything is the first gore scene. It is not for the faint. You might find yourself pulling back as if you are going to get blood on your clothes. :)

If you are open to a straight forward horror flick that doesn't bother slowing the pace for a deep story but would rather give the audience an abundance of gore with a slick 3D coat of paint then this will be a movie you will love.

Funny Games (2007)

Can't help but feel cheated and highly annoyed

[4/10 · 12 June 2008]

You have surely read through these reviews and know the plot. It is simple really no matter how philosophical or deep people want to try to make it. At the core it is a strong horror film that many here claim it to be. Simple... Two boys decide to take a family hostage to torture them and kill them. Let me just say that if the movie had been played straight and not cheated the audience then both my wife and I would have at least seen some value in the movie. Obviously the acting is absolutely top notch. It isn't only Naomi Watts who is on her game (no golf pun intended). So what is the problem? One scene in particular but several things over all are the problem. When you invest yourself in a movie and you CARE about the characters then how can you NOT feel cheated when the author breaks all of the rules of a movie and takes a straight forward and harsh murder movie and turns it into a joke? Anyone who has seen the movie knows the scene I'm talking about. It appears that Ann, the mother is going to pull off the heroic justice you are on the edge of the seat waiting for and then she does! Yes, she kills one of them. WAIT! We can't let that happen. Paul, the main killer suddenly reaches for a DVD remote and rewinds what you are watching to before the heroine shoots he partner in crime. At this point my wife and I look at each other and say, "What?!" So now we are thinking, "They have a new set of rules so she is going to use the remote and rewind the whole thing." No such luck. OK, the next MAJOR problem although not as major as the stupid rewind trick on the audience when this is NOT a sci-fi film. What is the point with the ACID ROCK music suddenly blasting your speakers? It comes out of nowhere and for no reason. This almost made me stop the movie in the first 5 minutes and not even go further. It disturbed my wife to the point where she felt sick. NO JOKE! I did give her a hard time about it though. :) They then did it with a minute to go in the film. Again there is NO REASON! If the writer would have made the movie a straight forward film about two sick kids who think murder is entertainment then I could have lived with that because the acting was flawless but I can't stand being cheated like this movie has cheated me. If I had bought the DVD I would have broken it in half but it belongs to Blockbuster so I'm sending it back unharmed. :)

Positives - Great acting, Great tension, Great directing

Negatives - Everything is ruined by a story that breaks the rules of a movie. If it was consistent in what it did then that is one thing but to do it once... CHEAP and takes away the tension of the film and replaces tension with confusion. Other negative - Acid Rock blaring for no apparent reason but to make the audience unsettled. Why don't you just have someone hit me in the head with a brick? It would have the same effect!

Gone Baby Gone (2007)

Blurs the Line of right and wrong to the limit - Excellent!

[10/10 · 14 February 2008]

I saw this movie without knowing anything about it except that people had said it was good. I had no idea of the engrossing movie I was about to experience. I have to say that this is one of the absolutely best written films I have ever seen. The best part about it for me was that the movie has twists and turns in it that don't feel cheap. They don't intentionally throw you off track so they can shock you. You are just along for the ride and truly feel like you are seeing this through the eyes of the PI as he searches for truth. By the end of the film you aren't ready for the truth nor the choices that have to be made. This is one movie that blurs the line of right and wrong more than any movie I can remember. It is the type that will have you thinking for days, "What would I have done?" The thing is that you will be asking that question for more than one part of the movie and not just the climax. I thank God that Ben Affleck only wrote this film and didn't act in it. Casey was the best I've ever seen him and all I could think is how bad it would have been if they would have had Ben replacing him. Rarely do I give a 10 out of 10 but this movie certainly deserves it. Perfection on all fronts.

Rambo (2008)

Amazing.. In BAD Ways

[6/10 · 13 February 2008]

I'm amazed at this movie but even more amazed by the awesome reviews of it here on IMDb. First off, let me say that I've been a Rambo fan since day one. If asked my favorite movie of all time you will likely here First Blood if not Braveheart or Gladiator but typically First Blood is my answer. Of course I thought Rambo (First Blood II) was great although not the story driven movie like the first. Part III started getting a little out of control on the "popcorn movie, check your brain at the door in order to enjoy" factor but hey, it was Rambo helping the Colonel so I can go with it. So here we are however many years later with RAMBO. I'm kind of pumped for this movie but I brace myself for something terrible. Rambo wasn't terrible but it was just short of being terrible. One of my main complaints is that the character changed so much from the earlier films. It went from "They drew first blood" to "Some people are just born to kill" or whatever it is that he says in this film. They even played clips from the other movies but they strung them together in a way to act as if his character has always been about killing with no remorse and it simply isn't so. In the past movies it has been about defending himself and not about just being a tough killer who chooses the good team to kill for. I won't go into the story much except that Rambo tries to protect a group of people who are trying to get aid to people who need it. That pretty much covers it. So we have problem number one being that they totally changed his character and what he stood for. Problem two is that Stallone now looks like a 60 year old man pumped up on steroids. I understands he looks this way because…well..because he IS a 60 year old man pumped up on steroids. I couldn't help but watch and wonder, "If he didn't do steroids would his face still look as bad as it does?" Anyway, he doesn't look ripped like the first films. He takes the Steven Segal route by keeping a big shirt on most of the time. Likely a good choice. Next, the way this movie is shot seems straight from a B horror flick. I'm sorry but give me a break. In a B horror movie I cut it more slack but this is RAMBO! Was there a rule by the direct that every person who got hit by a bullet had to have a limb blow off? This movie makes the opening scene of Saving Private Ryan look like it was PG kids stuff. Normally I wouldn't complain but it was done so badly. The directing in this was horrible from the beginning to end. I wanted to love this movie. I really did but now I have to wonder whether I will even add it to my Rambo Collection. I guess I will by default because it is Rambo but I pray that they don't make another one unless they turn it into a comedy and Rambo fights from a wheelchair against Elvis or someone. :-) If you are a Rambo fan then check this out at a matinée or wait for DVD. I certainly wouldn't pay full price. Maybe my standards are too high and you will love it like some of these other people who loved it. I think a 6 ranking is more than generous for this movie.

The Nines (2007)

Definitely not a 9

[6/10 · 31 January 2008]

I will give the film credit for the attempt to do something very different and for superb acting. The problem is that I found my mind wondering as the movie simply didn't suck me in. I agree with others that it is a bit boring... at times. I liked part of the film and was interested yet other parts I felt as if I could care less about what the director was trying to show. I can deal with the ludicrous ending if people want to go there. Compared to The Fountain with Hugh Jackman this movie would be a 9 but on its own I find it just average. It tries to break new ground in the 3 stories merging to one and the ending being what it is but it just doesn't quite pull it off. I wanted to like this film a lot because I like Ryan Rynolds and I can say that he did a superb job in this film along with the rest of the cast. The movie is worth a rent whether you hate the ending or love it but I wouldn't watch it a second time.

Shoot 'Em Up (2007)

Like Naked Gun movies with Clive Owen - DOESN'T WORK!

[1/10 · 3 January 2008]

I have to say that this has now replaced a movie or two at the top of my list of "WHY did I finish watching this movie?" I think the reason why is like those who pass by a bad car wreck. It is horrible but you keep looking to see just how bad it is. For a movie like this I'm amazed at the number of good reviews and I believe I've finally decided that IMDb is no better for gauging a movie's worth than the horrible movie critics that get paid the big bucks. Both are sometimes right and sometimes horribly wrong. I see review after review praising the action of this film but it was hard for me to focus on the action due to the Naked Gun style of stupidity. I see reviewers describe this as action with dark comedy. This isn't dark comedy. If you want a GREAT example of an action dark comedy then check out Ben Kingsley in You Kill Me. That is a great movie. What we have with Shoot Em Up is borderline 3 stooges with guns, cursing and blood. The movie starts off ridiculous and never gets better. The bad thing is that I REALLY wanted to like this movie. I think Clive Owen is one of the best actors who are under used today. Of course Monica Bellucci made me want to love this movie even more. It is a shame to have such talent in a movie like this. I guess I simply wasn't prepared for something this bad when it comes to setting up scene after scene of the most unbelievable action sequences. Now understand clearly. When I say unbelievable I'm not talking about say, the latest Die Hard movie type of unbelievable. I'm talking about people being killed with vegetables and 20 or 30 people at a time getting taken out in ways that only Naked Gun type movies would dare to go. I think my biggest problem with Shoot Em Up is that at times the movie feels like it wants you to take it serious (VERY BRIEF MOMENTS) but it then moves back to the next 3 stooges style action sequence. So, it isn't Naked Gun funny but it isn't action cool either. Evidently there are people who actually like this movie although I don't know anyone personally. I really wish I could get this 1 1/2 to 2 hours of my life back so I could watch something more serious like Monty Python.. ugh..

Alvin and the Chipmunks (2007)

Great family movie

[8/10 · 27 December 2007]

I'm surprised at the disappointing reviews of this film. I can agree that Jason Lee wasn't the perfect person to play Dave but he still did a pretty good job. I mean, let's be honest here and admit that none of the acting is great in this movie. It isn't horrible but it isn't great either. The thing is that the acting is on par for 90% of kids films. Also, how much can we really expect when it is a story about 3 singing chipmunks? The delight of the film and what people (my family anyway) want to see is the chipmunks get down and boogie. This movie in my mind accomplished everything and more that it might have set out to accomplish. It is extremely funny at times and also has a few heart felt moments. The overall story was very good. There are some morals taught here and you don't always see that with these types of movies. If you are in for some slapstick chipmunk boogie and rock and roll then check this out. I can almost guarantee you that any kid under 12 will love it and it is still enjoyable for adults.

I Am Legend (2007)

Great Movie despite it's flaws

[9/10 · 17 December 2007]

As I read other reviews here on IMDb I can say that I started thinking and criticizing Legend more and more to where I considered dropping my score. Then I thought back. What is the point of my review? It's how much I ENJOYED the movie. It isn't how much I can pick it apart later after the fact. When I left the theater I couldn't have been much happier with I Am Legend. Will Smith's acting was first rate in my opinion. Sure, this isn't Pursuit of Happiness we are dealing with here so it isn't as deep as that but for the material in Legend I think many will agree that Will Smith did a fantastic job. Of course there are those who don't like Will and I've seen plenty of those reviews. I thought his spiraling break down in Legend was more than just believable. You could feel the emotions. The story in this movie was great but this is a rare time that I have to agree with the people who wished for MORE. This day in age I am getting used to complaining about movie length of many films but with all that Legend had to work with they could have easily made it 30 minutes or even an hour longer. I, like others, would have enjoyed seeing how this event got out of control and had the whole story fleshed out a bit more. While this is a complaint it should also show as an applause that this movie is good enough that you just want to see more. That is the way I look at it. My other complaint that others have pointed out is the CGI zombie like Seekers (believe that is what they are called). For CGI they looked awesome but I still long for at least a good blend of old style special effects makeup and CGI. I wish Hollywood would realize that the audience hasn't fallen in love with this cheaper way of doing special effects. CGI is good if it is used appropriately. Anyway, even with this complaint I will say that what was used in Legend was among the best I've seen. So, back to the story. Yes, it is similar to 28 Days/Weeks but where 28 went for the extra gore and action (especially 28 Weeks) Legend focuses more on giving us an in depth look at the main character and how he deals with feeling like he is the last man on earth. No matter what, viewers should be aware that Legend may be a good blend of genres but overall it feels like a horror movie. If you don't like horror then I caution you to stay away from Legend as you will undoubtedly be disappointed. If you are ready to see a horror movie that is above the norm then Legend should be a nice treat.

Waitress (2007)

Moral of the story - Life sucks so do anything for self to make it suck less

[3/10 · 3 December 2007]

I actually rented this for my wife. I thought, "I'll give her a break from the horror movies I've had her watching with me lately." Little did I know that this was probably scarier than the horror movies. At least SOMEONE in a horror movie typically has a good intention, even if they do end up dying. lol.. Seriously though, I thought this to be a chick flick my wife (and even I) would enjoy. There is almost NO comedy to this story. What is worse is the moral that this movie teaches. Basically it teaches you that basically all marriages are doomed and therefore you should have sex with whoever you want with reckless abandon. Yeah, you do eventually get one other lesson which is that women are really better off alone than to be with anyone. I was consistently perturbed that every character in this movie, except Dawn, due to their openness to adultery. It's wrong, no it isn't wrong, it's wrong, it isn't, OK OK it isn't - insert sexual scene here. My wife and I watched with anticipation of seeing just ONE character showing the others that there was a better way to live. That moment never came. They should simply call this Desperate Housewives: The Movie. In the end this movie simply teaches that life is horrible (in particular talking about marriage) so you should do anything you want to please yourself and make it less horrible for you. The only thing more tragic than this movie is all the good reviews. This is the world we live in. People accept adultery and anything else someone does in pursuit of happiness. This shows just how low our morals and values have dropped.

Beowulf (2007)

Guess I expected too much...

[4/10 · 26 November 2007]

I'll keep this short and sweet. There are TONS of complete story breakdowns throughout IMDb and they tell it far better than I could so I'll tell what I think is important to me.

Pros - 1. The 3D is stunning if you see it in 3D. 2. Animation is great even not in 3D. 3. Angelina Jolie looks stunning with a perfect blend of animation and live motion photography. Uhhh.. I wish there was more.

Cons - 1. The story doesn't follow the real story at all 2. The writer seems bent on making the character Beowulf so SUPREME of a fighter that he has him doing ridiculous things such as fighting naked to prove a point of his superior skill. This was laughable and did nothing but further prove my next point. 3. This should be RATED R. Everything is done over the top and especially the gore. I don't mind this when expecting it but I almost took my son to see this PG-13 film. I can honestly say that I would feel MUCH better taking him to see 300 than Beowulf and he is only 8 years old. Of course I wouldn't take him to see either. Beowulf comes off as a movie that could be seen by a family. Not only this but I found most of the gore was not needed at all and out of place. I can't say this about 300. I thought every part of the gore in that film served a purpose but with Beowulf it is non stop and as I said, unneeded. Every time you can expect a bloody part it is there but over done. If a creature is killed it can't just be slashed with blood coming out. It has to have an eye ball being slashed in half and then it cut in half with gushing blood that covers the screen. What's the point?!?! I felt like Beowulf was competing with Anime porn horror at times to be the goriest and sexiest it could be. My biggest question is, HOW did this get a PG-13 rating?! The nudity is there throughout although they do mask it a bit with what would be the equivalent of a large pasty over Angelina that is just thick enough to mute the color of her skin and hide her pubic hair but not thick enough to hide much else. Now, let me explain clearly. I'm not so opposed to this that I would rip it if it were rated R but being PG-13 I feel it needs a thrashing. If you thought 300 was even remotely too violent or too bloody then stay far away from Beowulf.

Summary - If you want to see one of the best films in 3D to come around and can stand a story that is destroyed, ridiculous writing with such scenes as the hero thinking he proves something by fighting while naked and you can handle plenty of gore then by all means check out Beowulf. However, if you thought 300 was gory or you don't appreciate gratuitous gore and nudity (although as I said the nudity is disguised so to speak) then you should stay away.

The Mist (2007)

Considering how bad the end was this is still top notch

[8/10 · 26 November 2007]

As my Summary title says, the ending is the major downfall of this film.

*spoiler* When you have a movie that you hang tight with all of the major characters only to see them shot in the end while 2 to 3 minutes later the rescue team shows... it can be irritating *end spoiler*

The good thing is that even with the ending that I disliked, which I hope they provide a different ending on DVD, this movie rocks. The atmosphere is awesome. The creatures are awesome! The story rocks. I read the book and like this translation to film. My wife dislikes horror movies and even she recommended this film to friends. It has a perfect mix of scares, gore and down right cool creatures. It is the best and most creative horror film I've seen in a good while.

Fido (2006)

Extremely Funny for the Right Kind of Viewer

[8/10 · 21 November 2007]

After reading some of the negative reviews and some of the positive I think I should make one thing clear. This is NOT a realistic movie. I'm amazed at a reviewer making such statements as, "the zombies would stink" or "they would rot in 6 months". OF COURSE THEY WOULD. This isn't a realistic drama about a real life situation. Anyone who takes one glance at the poster or DVD cover has got to know this is an off the wall zombie goof. I honestly have to ask myself how anyone can look at the box or God forbid read the box and not know to expect dark humor that is certainly stupid at times but funny as ever for the right viewer. My wife won't even consider watching Fido. She hates horror movies and she doesn't get dark humor. If she wrote a review she would give Fido 1 star and call it the worst movie of all time. The thing is that Fido wasn't meant for people who don't enjoy dark humor and are willing to let things be a goof and enjoy it for what it is. Even though I knew I wanted to see Fido I was honestly surprised at how much I enjoyed it. I was skeptical that it would be very cheaply made but to my surprise it was the opposite. Fido has decent gore fx, GREAT acting and GREAT time period sets. It felt like I was really watching a 1950s zombie comedy but with a wonderful color picture. The houses, cars, clothing, etc. all seemed top notch.

Bottom line: If you look at the box or know what dark comedy is and enjoy goofy movies like Shaun of the Dead then you will most likely LOVE Fido. However, if you are one who wants to pick a movie a part even when it makes it obvious that it is not meant to be realistic (umm... Zombie Comedy.. hello) then stay far away from Fido. This is pure brainless fun. There was one comment that a reviewer made that I can understand and that was the vibes of romance between a human and zombie seemed a little much but hey.. like I said, you are watching a zombie COMEDY. Anything goes. I thought it was a bit sick but accepted the goof of it and moved on.

Bridge to Terabithia (2007)

LOL! Reviewers blaming other reviewers for Disney's False Advertising!

[4/10 · 20 June 2007]

First off I have to say that I'm truly amazed at the number of people BLAMING parents (or other reviewers in general) for not doing research on a Disney movie that is portrayed as a FAMILY movie yet it is not. Give me a break! I'm sorry but I'm on the net a lot and research movies a lot but it isn't in my normal practice to research a Disney flick that is advertised as a kid's movie to see if it is really a kid's movie. Plus, half of the time you don't have enough reviews BEFORE a movie comes out to gauge by IMO. I'm a parent and I took my 8 year old son to see this movie. We do a lot of deep talking about different subjects that are difficult and he takes it in well. I think more than most kids his age because I have never been one to simply let my son watch something and not talk about difficult matter. I think more parents should spend time talking about difficult topics in movies instead of simply avoiding them all together as if their child will magically never see it in the future. All that being said, the film honestly wasn't as bad as some portray it to be. Yes there is tragedy but the film has its good points. As I Christian I must say that saying, "you don't have to believe in Jesus to go to Heaven" is misleading and false assumption taken by many who want to simply make their own fictitious theology but that is another topic entirely. Even with my disagreement of this I premise set in the movie I thought the film was OK IF you disregard all of the advertising of the movie. The characters are better than most films today and the acting was superb. Per the advertising I would give this film a 1 because Terabithia was no more than the few brief moments that you see in the trailers. The title should be completely changed to something else if you ask me. I guess that would keep the tons of Disney fans away though if you have a name like, "Childhood Tragedies." Hmmm.. So, although I would give the film a 1 due to advertising I would give it more like a 6 if I had known nothing about the film. My compromised score is a 4. Simply put, this can be a great film. There are good things about it but it isn't feel good material. Be ready for deep subject matter and forget the trailers. There really is little of Terabithia found in Bridge to Terabithia.

28 Weeks Later (2007)

One of the Best Horror Films in a Long Time

[9/10 · 14 May 2007]

I went into the theater not having a clue as what to expect with this movie. I had seen a very short trailer that didn't give anything away and I'm glad for this.

I was so afraid that this was going to be yet another zombie movie that is set in some post apocalyptic time frame where the movie feels more like Mad Max with Zombies than it feels like a horror movie. Don't get me wrong, I will still watch these and love them but not like 28 Weeks Later. I loved how this had a very realistic progression from the first story. If something like this did happen in real life then I can see things being realistically similar to 28 Weeks Later. A NATO force, particularly US forces moving in to help contain the problem was spot on. This wasn't only realistic but also made a great back drop for zombie killing fun and 28 Weeks does it with style. One of the other things I liked a lot was the retaining of the look of the first film as well as the sound. I've seen plenty of people mention the love of the grainy film type used to keep the feel of the first film but few mention the music that was the same or at least very close to the same as the first. Both of these things really helped me like this film along with its predecessor. The rabid, ultra furious zombies on crack are back as 28 Weeks continues to show the advantage of not using slow dumb zombies as the enemy. To say that it is more intense to see a very quick rabid looking zombie actually running after people is more intense than traditional zombies would be an understatement. To the credit of traditional zombie films I guess I should point out of course that what we call zombies in 28 Days and 28 Weeks aren't zombies at all as one would define them in past zombie films since they aren't even dead. We are really talking about a virus that infects humans and makes them crave flesh. I guess it would be more funny than scary to see a half rotten corpse running full speed like those infected in 28 Days/Weeks. Nevertheless, my point is that the infected zombie like creatures in the 28 Days/Weeks movies really build tension to the max with their ferocity. About the only thing I wish I had seen in 28WL would have been the original actors from 28 Days. I had really grown fond of the characters in the first film and would have liked to have seen them involved in the second. Then again, I suppose they wouldn't have transitioned into the updated storyline very easily. So, this is merely a minor complaint and is really rather picky considering how great 28WL was. I hope to see a 28 Months later before too long. :-)

The Fountain (2006)

Broken Fountain

[3/10 · 4 December 2006]

I was so surprised to sign on IMDb and see all of these rave reviews about this movie. This movie seemed like an overkill love story on acid. The thing that bothered me was the repetitiveness and the disjointed story. The acting is great and the visuals are spectacular but the story felt like the same thing over and over for an hour and a half. I'll give this a shot on DVD since so many seem to love it but in all honesty I have to say that this is one of the few movies that I came very close to walking out on and I've only done that about 3 times in my life. So, while I see the great things in this film such as the acting and visuals I just can't get past the horribly drawn out story that in the end left me unfulfilled and confused.

If you are looking for a deep and convoluted movie of romance with just a touch of action then you should check this out. If you saw the commercials and expect one part action, one part love and one part strange science fiction then you will be disappointed at the imbalance.

Final Destination 3 (2006)

Hard to believe all the great reviews for this!

[3/10 · 19 July 2006]

This now shows me that horror movies no longer have to be scary in the least to be liked. They also no longer have to have any characters who you remotely care about. Lastly, they don't have to have suspense OR logic. OK OK.. I can deal with some of these key factors out of whack but all of them? The only thing you have here is a "B" movie that is a rehash of the first two films but not done near as well. Yeah, it is worth a rental if you want to burn an hour and a half of your time but don't expect anything great from FD3. The characters are cheesy too the max. If this were a Friday the 13th film that would be OK because you are actually rooting for their death due to their ignorance but this isn't. The movie seems to want you to care about the characters yet gives you no reason to care. The SCARE factor and suspense are non existent in FD3. Each bad event is so for-casted that you see it coming a mile away. The ONLY thing FD3 has going for it is some neat gore FX. If you expect what some of these other people are telling you then you will be left asking if someone is getting paid to write these ludicrous reviews that praise FD3. For a silly "B" horror movie it is worth a watch. For a movie that actually got released in theaters it is a disgrace.