DVD Review: The Social Network

Rated PG13 for some language, some sexuality

Starring Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, Justin Timberlake, Rashida Jones, Armie Hammer

After being dumped by his unofficial girlfriend, Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg has a night of binge drinking and posts on his Livejournal throughout the night as he creates a Hot or Not type website database of most of the girls at school, getting their pictures by hacking through the school's network. By 3am, his site has gone live and the link is out. Thousands of students flock to the site to check it out and rate their fellow co-eds. The site gets so much traffic so quickly that the network crashes.

It's eventually traced back to Zuckerberg and after hearing what he did, he is soon approached by the Winklevoss twins to create a Harvard social network site so the students can connect and hook-up, sort of like a dating site. Seeing the potential of a social networking site for college students, Zuckerberg puts the Winklevoss project on hold and starts his own social networking site - The Facebook.

This film primarily shows the early haydays of the Facebook social networking site and the first of several lawsuits Zuckerberg has had to dealt with since the site was created. In this film, the main case is the Winklevoss's claiming Facebook was their idea while Zuckerberg claims that their site was more of a dating/hook-up site whereas Facebook is something different.

It was interesting to see the evolution of the now very popular site (which is no longer just for college students - anyone with a valid email address can be on Facebook). It was also interesting to see the part that Napster founder Sean Parker played in Facebook.

One thing to note though, while the film at first glace seems to be autobiographical, it is anything but. Several sources have coming saying that the real Mark Zuckerberg is nothing like the character that portrays him in the film.

If you like docu-dramas be sure to check this one out as it was definitely worth seeing. Also, the movie's score by Trent Rezner and Atticus Ross was excellent as well!

DVD Review: Easy A

Rated PG13 for sexuality, brief language, teenage drinking

Starring Emma Stone, Amanda Bynes, Thomas Hayden Church

What started as an innocent fib to get a best friend to shut up became the rumor heard 'round the school.

Not wanting to join her best friend Rhi and her kooky family on a weekend camping trip, Olive lies and says she has a date with college guy. On Monday, Rhi begs her for details, insisting that Olive must have slept with this college beau when in fact Olive spent all weekend at home, rocking out to the song "Pocket Full of Sunshine." Tired of Rhi pestering her, Olive gives in and tells her she slept with the guy, unbeknownst that one of the school's gossips is in the bathroom with them and overhears everything. Quickly the word spreads that Olive is sleeping around.

Having never been on the social map at school, Olive admits to initially liking all the attention she was getting from both the girls (who called her a slut) and the guys (who suddenly had an interest in her).

She learns that one of her best guy pals is gay, but hates being made fun of for it by the other kids at school. After Olive gives him the advice to just make up something up and spread around, like what happened with her, he suggests they go to a party together and fake have sex, that way Olive's reputation lives on and people will think he's straight. She decides to go along with it, however after that encounter, all the "loser" guys at school catch on to the trick and start offering Olive giftcards to various places in exchange for her to agree that she did something sexual with them.

Eventually it spirals out of control, and she decides she no longer likes having the slutty reputation, as it seems no guys in school actually have respect for her or want to date her - they just want to say they did things with her. Needless to say, Olive learns a very important lesson about how big one little lie can get and the importance of a reputation!

With the witty dialogue and just the right amount of sexuality, this film is almost like a 2010 version of Mean Girls as both have the same type of humor and clever dialogue, with the story being told by the main character and how they met their downfall and how they redeemed themselves.

If you liked Mean Girls, or even just funny teenage come-of-age flicks (with John Hughes references to boot!) be sure to check out Easy A! It's probably better than what you're expecting!

DVD Review: The Runaways

Rated R for language, sexuality, drug and alcohol use

Starring Kristen Stewart, Dakota Fanning, Michael Shannon, Scout Taylor-Compton

It's the 1970s and a late teenage Joan Jett is a rockin' female guitarist wanting to be in a band. 15 year old Cherie Currie is into the glam rock of David Bowie.

After a chance meeting a teenage hangout, music producer Kim Fowley likes Joan's idea of an all girl rock group and puts her in touch with drummer Sandy West, telling them to put something together. Liking what he hears, Fowley decides to audition a bombshells for a singer and spies Cherie in one of the teen hangouts. Despite her hesitation to sing suggestive lyrics, she gives in to Fowley's demand and lands the gig.

The girls head out on the road for a tour that summer, with Cherie quickly losing her good girl looks and innocence on the road. It's a time the girls - Cherice, Joan, Sandy and Lita Ford will never forget and for some of them a launching pad to even bigger careers.

While this film is based somewhat on the autobiography put out by Currie, it is to be noted that a good bit of the film is fiction, as they cut out certain parts of the band's history and condensed the timeline as well. It was definitely an interesting film to watch, despite it not entirely being an accurate documentary.

Also, even though it is Fanning's movie (and boy does she play jailbait well!) with Stewart backing her as Joan Jett, I do wish they gave a little more screentime to Scout Taylor-Compton's Lita Ford, as she went on to have a bit of a well-known career as well. Lita and Sandy were just background characters, having very little dialogue or screentime in the film.

If you like autobiographical films (regardless of accuracy) or The Runaways, Joan Jett and/or Cherie Currie you might be interested in checking out The Runaways, however put the kiddies to bed first as there's quite a bit of sexual content in this one!

DVD Review: Sex and the City 2

Rated R for language, nudity, sexuality

Starring Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis, Cynthia Nixon, Chris Noth, John Corbett, Evan Handler, David Eigenberg

The girls are back and at it again!

In this next chapter of the Sex and the City franchise Samantha is dealing with menopause and her keeping her libido, Miranda has recently quit her job at the firm after being disrespected for being a woman one too many times, Charlotte is struggling with jealously over her daughters' nanny fearing her husband may be having an affair with the nanny and that her girls might like their nanny better than their mommy, and Carrie is having marriage blues as Big never seems to want to go out to social events any more and would rather always stay in.

Each needing a break, when Samantha scores an all inclusive trip to Abu Dahbi thanks to a new business connection, she invites the girls along. Charlotte and Miranda bond over their struggles and frustrations of being mothers; Samantha has a hard time being modest and almost gets in big, big trouble jeopardizing them all; Carrie runs into an also married Aiden and has trouble resisting temptation!

Whatever will they do? One thing's for sure, they each have each other to count on!

While this movie was fun and didn't seem as long as it actually was, it was also unnecessary. Sure it's nice to see a "where are they now" type movie, but we had that with the first one and another one 2 years later was just too soon and didn't need to happen. One is enough, two is overdoing it.

If you love the series you'll probably enjoy watching this one, however if you were never into the show just an average fan you can definitely do without!

Black Swan

Rated R for graphic sexuality, some tense violence

Starring Natalie Portman, Vincent Cassel, Mila Kunis, Barbara Hershey, Winona Ryder

Nina is an innocent yet very talented and dedicated ballet dancer, part of a New York City ballet troupe. It is announced that lead featured dancer Beth, who is quite older than the rest, will be retiring soon and that a new lead dancer will be picked to replace her as the Swan Queen in ballet conductor Thomas Leroy's new adaption of Swan Lake.

While saddened to see Beth go, Nina is eager at the shot of a lead featured role and auditions for the part. Thomas tells her that if he were only casting for The White Swan, the part would easily be Nina's, but he's looking for a dancer who can perform and embody both The White Swan and her evil, seductive twin The Black Swan, which he doesn't feel the innocent Nina can pull off. After forcing himself on her, Nina bites Thomas' tongue and he feels he's seen a sliver of The Black Swan in her and decides to cast her in the part, but in rehearsals he constantly berates her not being seductive enough or losing herself in the part enough. To add to matters, an equally talented feisty new dancer named Lily has just transferred to the troupe from San Fransisco and Nina fears Lily is out to get her role as Lily seems to be the opposite of innocent Nina - the Black Swan to her White Swan.

As Nina struggles to tap into the Black Swan of the role and the days of opening night approach, Nina begins to hallicunate and lose her sanity. Her overprotective and overbearing mother (whom we learn is a former ballerina who gave up her career when she got pregnant at 28 with Nina and is now living vicariously through her) worries about her so much that it only pushes Nina further into her madness. Soon the Black Swan persona begins to take over Nina - will she be able to fight it or will the dual role of nice vs. naughty get the best of her in the end?

Black Swan is an interesting look into the darkside of ballet and how striving too hard for perfection in a role can drive one mad. As one person put it, it's reminescint of what Heath Ledger might have gone through while getting into and emboding the role of The Joker for The Dark Knight - a role that he strived to perfect so much that it drove him over the edge and killed him in the end. Natalie Portman gives a stunning and believable performance though, as she worked hard physically to get into the role - for her role here, she deserves any award she's nominated for this award season.

While it's a bit of a psychological thriller and drama (we see Nina downward spiral and lose control of her sanity), it's definitely rated R for a reason as there's some pretty graphic sexual scenes in this film that are not appropriate for kids to see. I wouldn't say it's my favorite film of 2010, but it's definitely worth seeing!

DVD Review: The Book of Eli

Rated R for language and violence

Starring Denzel Washington, Gary Oldman, Mila Kunis

A little over 30 years ago, a war that many say was fought over the teachings of a particular book occurred and in the midst of the battle, the sky opened up and rained down fire. An older man named Eli walks the desert wasteland of what is left, headed West with a precious book in tow. It's become survival of the fittest, as a woman with her cart of items stuck in the sand asks those that pass by to help her, only for them to get ambushed by a hungry gang of looters when they actually stop to help her.

When Eli stops into a local town to get his portable battery charged up and refill his canteen with water, he runs into Carnegie's gang of bikers, slaughtering them in the process as they attack the outsider, drawing attention to himself. Carnegie realizes Eli is no average man - being older like himself, he too is literate. Carnegie wants a specific book that can no longer be found, but since most of the older generation has died off and the younger doesn't know how to read, this makes finding it that much more difficult. He invites Eli in for the night, hoping to persuade him into staying and helping him out. He soon learns though, that Eli has one of the last remaining copies of the book that he has been searching for.

Realizing that Carnegie wants to twist the book's words and use it for his own selfish needs rather than share the word of the Gospel with everyone, Eli tells him he cannot have it. Carnegie sends his gang to kill Eli, however Eli takes them all out, unscathed by their bullets, and continues on his way.

Following him, is Solara, the daughter of Carnegie's forced lover, in which he treats her and her mother as servants in his home. She met Eli the night before when Carnegie made her offer herself to Eli in an attempt to persuade him to stay and work for him - instead, after learning that Carnegie would hurt her mother if she returned before dawn, he allowed her to stay the night, sharing his dinner with her instead. Solara's mother felt that she would be safer with Eli out on the road, than stuck as a servant in Carnegie's town where he forced her to do things by threatening to hurt her mother.

Eli is not fond of his new companion at first, insisting she go back home and leave him to himself, but eventually the two form a friendship as Eli continues his journey out West with Solara tagging along and the book in tow. He tells us that soon after the sky opened and it was safe to go outside again, he heard a voice that led him to where the book was and told him to take it out West where it was needed, assuring him he would have protection so long as he had the book.

Carnegie and his men are hot on their tail though, as Carnegie is willing to go to any means necessary to get the book and agreed that his right hand man could have Solara for helping him obtain it.

Will Eli and Solara be able to make it out West with the book or will Carnegie get his hands on it after all?

This film is very religious in the sense that it takes places after many of the events fortold in the Bibilical book of Revelation have occurred and that the book Eli is carrying is indeed the last known Bible in existence as many were burned and destroyed as it was thought to be the cause of the war. He reads from it every night for 30 years straight and learns from it. He is directly on a mission from God to get the book out West where it will be put to good use. It's been said that this is the first mainstream secular film to portray religion and Christianity well since the Passion of the Christ. With that said, it is also an apocalyptic movie too, as people are now desperate for food and water, bartering items for goods (things Eli tells Solara that they took for granted, had too much of and even threw away in the previous world) and are willing to do just about anything to survive a little longer, as only the strong survive.

It's a very telling and inspirational movie, although a bit violent at times. Definitely worth checking out though!

DVD Review: Up in the Air

Rated R for language, brief nudity, some sexuality

Starring George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick

Mr. Ryan Bingham makes his living traveling from state to state, doing the firing for various companies who need to downsize. In times of a recession such as now, his job flourishes as there's plenty to do. He also moonlights as a motivational speaker, with a speech about "what's in your backpack?" talking about how we fill our lives with so much baggage we don't need. Living out of a suitcase, Bingham has grown accustomed to life on the road, spending the majority of the year away from home (which is a small 1 bedroom place he rents in Omaha). He has his routines that allow him to maneuver quickly and flawlessly through airport security and grants him access to all the exclusive airline and rental clubs. He has many many frequent flyer miles saved up, but there's a certain number he has in mind which he hasn't hit yet (10 million) - he's close, but not there yet. Hitting this mark, he would be only the 7th person to do so and gets a special exclusive card to carry with him and his name on the same of a plane.

One day, while sitting in an exclusive lounge waiting for his flight to board, he meets the lovely Alex who is a female version of himself. The 2 quickly begin comparing all their exclusive memberships they've earned, sharing traveling tricks and tips with each other, and quickly check into a hotel for a romp in the sack. They begin a casual relationship, looking over their schedules to determine when they'll be able in the same area so they can get together again.

Upon returning from his latest string of jobs, Bingham learns that pretty soon his traveling my come to a stop, as new college grad and employee Natalie has come up with a system that allows the traveling businessmen to work from the headquarters, firing people at various companies over a voicechat program like Skype with a provided script to walk people through it. Bingham can't believe this, as it would threaten his isolated secluded life and thwart his frequent flyer miles goes, and also, he feels as Natalie has no experience with the way they've been doing things and doesn't feel she's prepared to handle every possible situation that may arise when someone gets fired (we see some get very angry, some get emotional, some suicidal, etc). Complaining to his boss, and stumping Natalie in a role-play, it is decided that while they get the program ready for launch, Bingham can stay out on the road a bit longer, doing things "the old way" so long as Natalie goes with him to the learn the ropes.

Bingham, whom we're led to believe is in his 40s or early 50s, and his interactions with 23 year old Natalie are pretty amusing, as he first shows her the ropes of traveling light for quicker ease through the airport (the first day, she shows up with bulky old luggage). She later begins to challenge him and his way of isolated and secluded living, insisting he give Alex a real shot, as she seems to make him happy.

Up in the Air is an interesting movie as we see how constant traveling can affect people - in that regards, it's a bit of a cautionary tale of isolating yourself too much. We also see that firing people is never fun, but with the right tools and words you can encourage someone (in this case an older man who was close to retirement) to look at it as a positive as they'll finally have time to embrace and achieve their dreams and goals that got pushed to the side, giving them a fresh sense on life and a positive outlook. With the lack of care though and the wrong words, it can lead someone to get so down they contemplate suicide.

Be sure to check this one out, especially if you've ever done a lot of traveling or know of anyone who has.

Dear John

Rated PG13 for military violence, brief sexuality

Starring Channing Tatum, Amanda Seyfried, Henry Thomas, Scott Porter, Richard Jenkins, Keith Robinson

At the beginning of the film, we see Special Forces Army solider John get shot. In a voice over, we hear John read a letter about the last things he remembers as he blacks out from the shot. "I heard the sound of coins and was taken back to a time when I visited the US Mint." He goes on to say how he is like a coin, minted in the US, rough around the edges, etc "And the last thing I thought of, before I blacked out, was you."

He then takes us back to where it began - spring of 2001. He is on a brief leave of duty, staying with his dad in their home near Charleston. It is here that meets Savannah, a college student on spring break, visiting her friends, family and building a Habitat for Humanity type home for a less fortunate family who's home was destroyed in a storm. The two begin a brief romance during her last week of break. Unsure of a future together, Savannah is upset at the thought of leaving John. He tells her that he only has 1 year left on his military contract and that when the time is up, he'll return, she'll be almost done with school and then they can be together forever. "A lot can happen in a year" Savannah tells him. He promises her that he'll return and they agree to write each other as often as they can. "What is one year of waiting for a lifetime after we spent one amazing week like that together?" she says.

Several months go by and they both struggle with not being able to be together in the flesh, but they still have hope. However the September 11th attacks occur and the rest of John's Special Forces team are eager to extend their contracts to fight for our country. Their captain tells them they have 2 days off and to think about their decision, as he too has family back home to take into consideration for his choice, and that since they are a team, if any one of them decides not to extend, then neither will the rest of them. John quickly goes home to his father and Savannah to spend what little time he has left, but he is hesitant to inform Savannah that if he re-enlists, it will be another 2 years or so before he's able to come home. Naturally she is not keen on the idea, despite the fact that he is clearly torn on keeping his promise to her but being loyal to his team and serving his country.

Will Savannah stay by him and support his decision?

Like all film adaptations of Nicholas Sparks' books, this one too was a bit of a tearjerker. However, while the previews and part of the film focus on the relationship between John and Savannah, who the movie really is about is John. True, Savannah does play a large role in his life during this time, (she especially helps him to understand why his father is the way he is), but she's not the sole focus of the film - John is.

Personally, I grew to really dislike Savannah, as she tried to rationale and make things all about her, not really taking into consideration John's feelings or how her actions would affect him for years to come. And then even at the end, she still tries to justify what she did, expecting John to pick up where they left off and pretend like nothing had happened. Girls like her make me roll my eyes and want to slap them upside the head for a dose of reality.

If you've enjoyed other Nicholas Sparks' film adaptions and don't mind a bit of a tearjerker (or one that makes you want to slap some sense into the female lead), feel free to check this one out.

DVD Review: Funny People

Rated R for strong language, adult humor, some sexuality

Starring Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen, Leslie Mann, Jonah Hill

George Simmons is a very successful comedian who also has had a very successful film career. However he is extremely full of himself and has lived a very materialistic life. When he is diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia and begins taking an experimental drug that may or may not cure him and George begins to rethink his life and get back to his roots in stand-up. It is here that meets aspiring comedic Ira, whom George decides to take under his wing by hiring Ira as his assistant, having him write his jokes and keep him company as George refuses to tell anyone else about his condition. Eventually, George takes Ira's advice and opens up with his family and former close friends about the fact that he's dying, reconnecting with them; one such person he tells is his former girlfriend Laura, whom he truly loved. Believing that George will be dead soon, she admits that her husband cheats on her and that she regrets leaving George for having done the same.

However, the experimental drug George has been taking does work. Given a second chance to live, will George revert to his own materialistic, self-absorbed ways or will he turn over a new leaf this time around? And now that he's not dying, does he actually have a chance to win Laura back, despite her already having two young daughters with her husband?

Funny People is an enjoyable film for about the first 2/3rds of it. The first part of the film, it's inspiring to see George realize the error of his ways and make things right. The cameos are hilarious and even the stand-up by up and comers as well as the very well known comics are pretty good (if you enjoy Comedy Central type stand-up routines that is). After George gets cured and begins trying to win back Laura is where things really take a turn for the 'non-funny.'

As much as I enjoy Judd Apatow's work (I thought Freaks and Geeks was brilliant and is still one of the best TV shows to ever air), it really is getting tiring seeing him plop his wife (Leslie Mann) and daughters into his films now - in this case, they're the focus of the entire last part of the film. While I understand where he was trying to go with the last part of the film, it just wasn't funny - it was actually painful to watch and we could all see where it was going from the beginning of the plot arc.

Save yourself the time it takes to watch this one and flip on Comedy Central or watch some stand-up DVDs instead, as that's really the highlight of the film that makes it funny.

DVD Review: (500) Days of Summer

Rated PG13 for mild language, brief sexuality, brief nudity

Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Zooey Deschanel

Day 1, boy meets girl.

Day 20-something, boy finally asks girl out.

Day 200-something, boy and girl get in a fight that begins their downfall.

Okay, so I don't remember what happened on what day number exactly, but you get the idea.

(500) Days of Summer tells the story of Tom and Summer - he's an aspiring architect who works at a firm writing greeting cards, Summer is latest assistant to Tom's boss. Tom immediately falls for Summer at first sight but is a bit hesitant to ask her out right away. Eventually, at an after work function, one of Tom's close friends and colleagues drunkenly spills the beans that Tom has a crush on Summer. The 2 begin seeing each other, however Summer straight out tells Tom she's not looking for anything serious - she doesn't believe in true love and doesn't want an actual boyfriend; Tom accepts this yet continues to see Summer romantically and sexually, albeit confused as to how to title their relationship.

Now our story jumps around a bit, as it is told in non-linear form. We are shown part of day 488 at the beginning of the film, followed by days 1-10 with a few of the others interjected. We see happy numbered days paralleled with some unhappy numbered days. While it seems like a strange way to do a movie, it actually works pretty well for this one.

Despite in every interview they did, Gordon-Levitt and Deschanel stated that this film was not a romantic comedy, it get advertised as one. What it really is, is a reality check. Things don't always end up the way you planned. Yes, it has a bit of romance to it and the chemistry between the 2 leads is fantastic (apparently they had been good friends for years and I personally find myself enjoying anything Deschanel is in, not to mention, ever since her role in Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, my husband has deemed her as "that cute sci-fi chick" and will watch anything she's in as well), and yes, there are some comic elements to it and some humor thrown in to lighten the mood of the film, in actuality, it is more of a drama.

For me, indie films tend to be hit or miss - either I love em or I find myself bored. In this case, I loved this film and highly recommend it to anyone who has been in a relationship! Don't miss this one!

The Twilight Saga: New Moon

Starring Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner

Rated PG13 for violence, brief language

Picking up in the months after Twilight left off, Bella Swan is starting her senior year of high school and just turning 18. However, after an incident involving a paper cut she gets at the Cullen's house (the local vampire clan, who lives off the blood of animals rather than humans and sparkle in the sunlight rather than turn to dust), her boyfriend, vampire Edward Cullen tells her she'd be better off without them around and breaks up with her in the middle of the woods.

Bella goes into a deep depression for several months and it isn't until she starts hanging around former childhood pal Jacob that she is brought out of her funk. However, Jacob has a secret of his own and suddenly starts acting strange - lying to Bella about being sick and avoiding her.

She also learns that acting reckless and getting adrenaline rushes makes her see visions of Edward, who in these visions tells her to stop it and be careful. In addition to all this, Victoria, the redheaded "bad" vampire from the first film returns once the Cullens leave town. She is still upset over Edward killing her lover, James, in the first film and plans to kill Bella in an attempt at revenge.

Honestly, I was pretty disappointed by the first film, as the cinematography was horrible. Despite all the hype and talk about how this one was done much better than the first, I still think New Moon is pretty much just as bad as the first and I was pretty bored the entire time - keep in mind, I thought the books were alright and will admit they were a pretty entertaining, mindless read. The only entertaining and interesting part of the whole movie was the end, where we are introduced to The Volturi - who act as the governing vampire coven in the world - in which Michael Sheen plays the leader Aro (personally, I much prefer him as lycan Lucian in the Underworld vampire series). This film also clearly caters to the ladies, as Jacob and his pack run around shirtless for a good portion of the film, as does Edward at the end.

Unless you're a Twilight fangirl, save yourself your time and money and just skip this one.

DVD Review: Obsessed

Rated PG13 for sexuality, brief nudity, innuendo, brief language

Starring Idris Elba, Ali Larter, Beyonce Knowles, Jerry O'Connell

Derek Charles seems to have it all - a great job, a supportive wife, a young, healthy son, and they just bought a new house. But his perfect life seems to get turned upside when he meets new office temp Lisa. His first encounter with Lisa takes place in the office elevator, as she drops her stack of files and he kindly helps her pick them up. Upon learning who Derek is, Lisa stops by his office to chat. Next thing Derek knows, she is filling in for his sick assistant. Derek, being the nice guy that he is, treats Lisa kindly like he would any of his office employees.

But Lisa takes his kindness for being something more. At the office Christmas party, Lisa attempts to seduce him and make her move on him in the bathroom. Explaining to her later that they were drunk and her behavior was wrong and that he's not interested in her like that, as a relationship with her would jeopardize his job and marriage, Lisa quits.

However it is not the last time Derek will run into her, as Lisa begins stalking him on a work retreat and creating problems for him at home.

How will he deal with this annoying temptress without his wife thinking something more is going on?

This was another movie that was a lot better than I was expecting it to be. It's a bit of a Fatal Attraction for a new generation - the only difference being that in this one, the husband didn't do anything wrong. While Beyonce gets top billing to bring in the crowd, this is really Larter and Elba's film - Larter has really got the slutty temptress role down (think back to her roles in Varsity Blues and on Heroes) and Elba is quite believable as the nice guy who gets stuck in a bad situation.

The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day

Rated R for violence, language, brief nudity

Starring Billy Connolly, Sean Patrick Flanery, Norman Reedus, Julie Benz, Judd Nelson, Peter Fonda

Taking place 8 years after the events in of first film, the MacManus brothers have fled to Ireland and have laid low in a farmhouse with Papa MacManus. However, news reaches them that someone in Boston has killed an innocent priest using the same stylized execution rituals that the brothers are known for, framing them - after all these years, someone is trying to bring them out of hiding, and the wrong-doers of the city are nervous that this someone may succeed in bringing The Saints back.

Detectives Dolly, Duffy, and Greenly are back on the case as well to determine if this really was the work of The Saints, or just a copycat. Special Agent Eunice Bloom, who is the protege of former Agent Paul Smecker of the first film (we are told that Smecker had passed away in recent years) also steps in to put a Smecker-esque touch on determining whodunit.

"BDS2: All Saints Day" gives the audience some insight as to why the MacManus family does what they do and how they got their start. They also made this film as a segway to a third with the way it ended, making The Boondock Saints into a trilogy or maybe even a saga.

Also, Julie Benz's Special Agent Bloom, while a character in her own right and entertaining to watch in her retellings of how it happened, just doesn't do the part as well as William Dafoe's Special Agent Smecker did in the first film.

If you enjoyed the original, you'll probably either love this one, hate it, or leave the theater curious as to how the next will play out. 10 years in the making, while it was still entertaining, this one could have been a lot better.

DVD Review: Public Enemies

Rated R for violence, brief language, brief sexuality

Starring Johnny Depp, Christian Bale, Marion Cottilard, Billy Crudup, Stephen Graham

Taking place in the 1930s, and mostly in Chicago, "Public Enemies" is an excellent retelling of the late life of John Dillinger and his band of men who robbed various banks and escaped capture and from jail and several times, often times right under the authorities noses. It also shows the beginnings of J. Edgar Hoover's FBI, as they desperately try to track Dillinger after naming him Public Enemy Number 1 in order to make a name for the Bureau, as many have their doubts about Hoover's ability to lead an investigation.

While I hadn't heard too much about Dillinger prior to this film, I did find it to be very educational. It was also amusing to see just how well organized Dillinger and his crew were when it came to breaking out of jail at various times. It's easy to see why people liked him - him and his crew only stole from the banks and never the people - he was sort of Robin Hood for that era.

Personally, I think this film should have been rated PG13, as you see more revealing sex scenes on network tv than you do here, the language was pretty tame, and the violence was to be expected, as the majority of it takes place at either the banks and the streets outside and during other shootouts.

For anyone who wants to know more about John Dillinger or wants a history lesson, be sure to check out Public Enemies.

DVD Review: Observe and Report

Rated R for language, comedic violence, crude humor, drug use

Starring Seth Rogen, Anna Faris, Ray Liotta, Michael Pena, Collette Wolf

Ronnie Barnhardt is head of mall security at Forest Ridge Mall. After a flasher runs around the parking lot, scaring mall-goers, Ronnie and his ragtag team of security vow to catch the perp and put a stop to his perverted antics. But after the flasher strikes again, this time exposing himself to Brandi, a make-up counter worker and the object of Ronnie's affection, and a mass robbery at the mall, the owner decides to call in a detective to get to the bottom of things. Feeling threatened, as the mall is his turf, Ronnie decides to tag along with the detective, making things only harder.

Frustrated with just being a mall cop and not getting the respect or a gun that he feels he deserves, Ronnie decides to pursue his dream of being a real police officer and enrolls into the police academy. He also gets up the guts to asks Brandi out.

Feeling on Cloud 9 with the delusion that everything is going great for him, Ronnie is devastated when things turn out to be not so. Although it may seem like he loses everything he had going for him, Ronnie still tries to make good on his vow to protect the mall from the flasher, convinced he will strike again.

Seth Rogen films are usually pretty fun for those that are accustomed to his type of humor. Most will be quite surprised to learn that while Rogen does the best he can given the material he is provided here, the end result is not what one would expect.

Ronnie gets treated like dirt by the majority of the characters in this film, save for the lone Christian girl who works the coffee stand and befriends him; the mall owner treats him poorly, the detective and the rest of the police force play cruel jokes on him and are just mean to him in general, his mom is always drunk and relies on him to take care of her even after she tells him that she's sure he's the reason his father left them, his best friend and second in command ends up using him, and Brandi is a complete jerk to him and only uses him for his medication that she uses recreationally with alcohol.

Granted, Ronnie's not an innocent character here either and he's got problems of his own (we learn he suffers from bipolar disorder), however no one deserves to get treated as bad as he does in this film. Just when it seems like things are starting to look up for him, everything gets completely stripped out from under him.

Sure, it had it's funny moments, but those were few and far between - the rest of this film left you feeling sad for how mean everyone was. Save yourself the pain and skip this Rogen film - it's not the comedy that the trailers made it out to be.

DVD Review: Swing Vote

Rated PG13 for language, frequent alcohol use

Starring Kevin Costner, Madeline Carroll, Paula Patton, Kesley Grammer, Nathan Lane, Stanley Tucci, Dennis Hopper, and George Lopez

Bud Johnson is a loveable loser from Texico, New Mexico who could really care less about politics. He can barely hold a job, let alone take care of his young daughter Molly (she does all the housework and cooking, he spends his free time guzzling down beer at home or with buddies at the bar). With the election coming up, Molly's school gets the kids all excited about it and Molly insists that her father take part and vote. After promising he'd take Molly to go see the voting process, Bud instead gets drunk and passes out in his truck, leaving Molly waiting at the polling place alone. Frustrated, she sneaks in and decides to vote for her father, however the machine malfunctions and although the ballot is registered, the vote did not count. Scared, Molly runs to go find her father and heads home.

Later that night, it is learned the election is at a standstill, as it all comes down to whoever wins the state of New Mexico and the lone vote holding everything up is Bud's, as the state is literally 50/50. Bud and Molly are awaken in the middle of the night by government officials who inform that due to the malfunction, Bud's ballot was not recorded and that he has up to 10 days to recast his ballot.

What ensues is a media circus on Bud's lawn, putting Texico on the map, as the entire nation watches and wonders who Bud will vote for. Both election candidates arrive in town as well, both changing their stances on the issues just to sway Bud's vote. A man who's only care was getting drunk and doing whatever he could to avoid losing his daughter is now faced with deciding on the next President of the USA.

While this movie came out a few months before the important election of 2008, it was an easy one to pass off as pure election propaganda. Sure, the central theme is that every vote does count, but it was actually an enjoyable movie. Madeline Carroll steals every scene she's in as young Molly who has to take care of her immature father and the rest of the cast really makes the film believable. By the end of the film when Bud realizes what he has to do to make the best decision, you really are cheering for the fact that he seems to genuinely change and have people's best interests at heart, thanks to his daughter.

This is a good one to watch - it has drama, it has comedy, it is lighthearted and also makes you feel patriotic and inspired to go vote.

Law Abiding Citizen

Rated R for language, violence, some gore and torture, tense moments

Starring Gerard Butler, Jamie Foxx, Leslie Bibb

Engineer Clyde Shelton witnesses his wife and daughter brutally raped murdered by several men who broke into their home one evening. When he is told that one of the criminals will not be convicted, Shelton pleads with prosecutor Nick Rice to take the case to court and let him testify, as it saw it all. Rice, who is more concerned with keep his 96% conviction rate, tells Shelton that it doesn't matter what is right, what matters is what can be proven in court, and do to a botched forensics investigation, there is not enough solid evidence for the case. Clarence Darby, the criminal who actually raped and murdered Shelton's wife and daughter, gets off on a third-degree murder charge, which will only get him a 5-10 year jailtime, while accomplice Rupert Ames gets the death penalty. Shelton later sees Rice outside the courthouse shaking hands with Darby in what appears to be them finishing a deal.

10 years goes by and it's time for Ames' execution, however someone has tampered with the execution materials and his lethal injection becomes more horrifying than normal. Darby, believed to be response for the botched execution, runs from police with the help of a stranger on a cell phone who tricks him and kidnaps him, torturing and slowing killing him on film in the process.

Rice and police have reason to believe Shelton is behind both murders and take him into custody, however he knows how to play the legal system now and even though he's behind bars, everyone involved in the case regarding his wife and daughter's murders is being killed off. It's only a matter of time before Rice and his family are next.

What would appear to be a thriller about the corruption of our legal system and one man's attempt to avenge the murders of his wife and daughter, ends up feeling more like an installment of the Saw franchise, in the aspect that both films the villain has a reason for why they cause the death of others and carry out the deaths with clever devices of torture. Play by the rules and you'll live, but continue doing what you're doing and you'll surely reap what you sow.

While not as gruesome as the Saw franchise and the fact that this film would fall more under the category of thriller than horror, if you're not expecting all the gore that you get with this one, you will be in for quite a surprise!

DVD Review: Dakota Skye

Rated R for language, sexuality, teen drinking and drug use

Starring Elieen Boylan, Ian Nelson, JB Ghuman Jr.

Dakota isn't your typical 17 year old girl. Why is that? Well, she has a superpower, as she calls it - she can always tell when someone is lying and what they really think when they lie. She has come to accept that everyone lies, it's unavoidable. That is until she meets Jonah, who happens to be her boyfriend's best friend who is visiting from out of town. Jonah seems to be 100% honest all the time. This confuses Dakota because how is it possible for someone to be that completely honestly? Is something wrong with her superpower? Dakota and Jonah begin falling for each other, trying to hid it from her boyfriend, until Dakota seems to have caught Jonah in a lie and then she really begins to questions herself.

While not quite what I was expecting, this small indie film was really well done and kept me intrigued the whole time as well. Be sure to check this one out for an interesting drama.

DVD Review: The Lookout

Rated R for violence, language, sexuality

Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Jeff Daniels, Matthew Goode, Isla Fisher

The film starts out with a teenage Chris driving at night with some friends down an old country road. In an attempt impress his girlfriend, he turns off the headlights to show them the fireflies, but crashes into a combine, killing their 2 friends, leaving Chris with brain damage that affects his short term memory, and his girlfriend requiring a prosthetic leg.

As years go by, Chris has been learning to live with his disability, by keeping notes in a small notebook and living with helpful aid by blind friend Lewis. Chris holds a job as a night janitor at a small-town bank, however he has desires to become a teller someday, learning from one of the fellow bank tellers and practicing regularly.

Eventually Chris  becomes the target of a gang who is planning on robbing the bank he works for. Knowing of his condition, the gang befriends Chris and uses the lovely Luvlee to seduce him and convince him he is part of their gang. Chris is confused at first, but eventually goes along with the gang, only to realize they are just using him for access to the bank. He decides to take matters into his own hands to put a stop to it.

The Lookout was a very good drama and thriller. It builds the characters very well - you symapthize with both Chris and Lewis, as they both struggle make the best of their disabilities and you hope for the best for them as well. While many may have missed this gem in the theater, be sure not to miss it on DVD, as both Levitt and Daniels give great performances.

DVD Review: Untraceable

Rated R for violence, torture, language, gore

Starring Diane Lane, Colin Hanks, Billy Burke, Joseph Cross, Mary Beth Hurt

Jennifer Marsh is widowed mother who cares for her daughter by day and heads up the FBI's cybercrime division by night, usually fighting indentity theft and the like. One night however, she comes across a webite called killwithme.com which is streaming video footage of a kitten being tortured and killed, live on camera. Not thinking too much of it, as it's only an animal, Jennifer's supervisor tells her to just shutdown the site and don't worry too much about it.

Shortly later, however, killwithme.com is active again, and this time the vicitim is a human. The more people that tune into the site, the faster the victim dies. Despite warning from Jennifer, the press holds a conference, urging people to avoid the site, however this causes more people to become curious about it and only increases the site's popularity.

Will Jennifer and the FBI be able to find out and stop the killer before he strikes again? Will they be able to do it before more and more people tune into the site, causing the victims to die even faster? As Jennifer gets closer to figuring out the case, the killer begins to come after her. In this deadly game of cat and mouse, who will come out alive?

This film, starring Diane Lane, was an interesting view into the FBI cybercrimes division. While still considered to be part of the "torture porn" genre of horror films that include flicks like Saw and Hostel, this one was a lot more toned down that its predecessors. The violence and torture, while a bit graphic at times, was necessary in order for this film to work, but fortunately, it wasn't nearly as graphic as what we've seen in recent films like Saw.

A bit too scary and graphic for the kids, this in an interesting race against time thriller for the adults to watch.