Crank: High Voltage

In this high-octane sequel, hitman Chev Chelios' (Statham) launches himself on an electrifying chase through Los Angeles in pursuit of the Chinese mobster who has stolen his nearly indestructible heart.

Oh my God this movie is downright atrocious. I really wasn't expecting much after how absurdly horrid the first one was, but I have an addiction so I gave this one a shot anyway. I knew it would be bad but maybe it could be a so bad you have to see the movie (aka - guilty pleasure) type of movie like Shoot Em Up, the first Crank or most other Jason Statham movies. I sat there with a disgusted look on my face for about 25 minutes before realizing that there was still another hour to go and deciding to pull the plug on it. During the 25 minutes that I did see, a guy had his heart removed while awake, a guy flicked his cigarette and spit in to the aforementioned open chest, a guy had a shotgun lubed with oil and shoved up his ass for interrogation purposes, a man was beaten with a bicycle repeatedly in the groin until he was bleeding through his pants, and the wonderful scene that is depicted in the poster. One can only wonder what kind of delirious crap happens during the rest of the movie. I'm thinking I'm going to go ahead and never find out.

I wouldn't recommend this movie to anyone. Its horrible. Absolutely horrible. Its almost as if they are trying to start a new genre of film called adrenaline porn.

Dance Flick

In Dance Flick, a young street dancer, Thomas Uncles (Damon Wayans, Jr.), from the wrong side of the tracks and a beautiful young woman, Megan White (Shoshana Bush), are brought together by their passion for dancing and put to the test in the mother of all dance battles.

This movie was horrible. Its not like I went in there with high expectations. I went in to this thinking it would be horrible and it actually ended up being worse. I only laughed twice. Once was a musical number by the Zac Efron-ish guying singing Gay instead of Fame and the other one was a tremendously fat guy singing You're Gonna Feed Me instead of You're Gonna Love Me from Dreamgirls. If I wanted to hear funny song parodies though I would listen to Weird Al. This movie was a humongous pile of dung.

I wouldn't recommend this movie to anyone. Ever. Not even people I hate. Its just plain crap.

State Of Play

Russell Crowe plays D.C. reporter Cal McAffrey, whose street smarts lead him to untangle a mystery of murder and collusion among some of the nation's most promising political and corporate figures. U.S. Congressman Stephen Collins (Ben Affleck) is the future of his political party: an honorable appointee who serves as the chairman of a committee overseeing defense spending. All eyes are upon the rising star to be his party's contender for the upcoming presidential race. Until his research assistant/mistress is brutally murdered and buried secrets come tumbling out.McAffrey has the dubious fortune of both an old friendship with Collins and a ruthless editor, Cameron (Helen Mirren), who has assigned him to investigate. As he and partner Della (Rachel McAdams) try to uncover the killer's identity, McAffrey steps into a cover-up that threatens to shake the nation's power structures. And in a town of spin-doctors and wealthy politicos, he will discover one truth: when billions are at stake, no one's integrity, love or life is ever safe.

This was a really good political suspense movie. The cast was great. I'm still shocked at how many big names were in this movie. The story was very well scripted. You bought in to all of the characters, especially Crowe - even with that ridiculous hair. Even though some of the twists and turns were visibly coming it still played out really well. The only knock that I would make against this movie was that a ran a bit too long and could have cut some of the reporter integrity/ethics stuff out. Other than that this is great suspense/drama at the movies.

I would fully recommend that people check this bad boy out. Its more than worth your money and time.

Earth

The first film in the Disneynature series, Earth, narrated by James Earl Jones, tells the remarkable story of three animal families and their amazing journey across the planet we all call home. Earth combines rare action, unimaginable scale and impossible locations by capturing the most intimate moments of our planet's wildest and most elusive creatures.

This movie started off really good. I was loving the cinematography. The shots were awe inspiring and there were numerious times where I caught myself with that WOW look on my face. Both Stinka and I were really enjoying the movie. Then it just seemed to hit a massive wall as most nature documentaries do. Once you hit the 45 minte to an hour mark most of the awe fades away and you are left wondering how much longer until the credits show up on the screen. The other thing that needs to be mentioned for adults taking their kids to see this - there are a lot of survival of the fittest moments in this movie that while they don't get graphic might scare a lot of the younger kids that see this.

I would somewhat recommend this movie. Like I said, it was really interesting at the start and lasted for a solid hour or so before the boredom took over. Maybe check it out but leave halfway through?

Duplicity

CIA officer Claire Stenwick (Roberts) and MI6 agent Ray Koval (Owen) have left the world of government intelligence to cash in on the highly profitable cold war raging between two rival multinational corporations. Their mission? Secure the formula for a product that will bring a fortune to the company that patents it first.For their employers—industry titan Howard Tully (Tom Wilkinson) and buccaneer CEO Dick Garsik (Paul Giamatti)— nothing is out of bounds. But as the stakes rise, the mystery deepens and the tactics get dirtier, the trickiest secret for Claire and Ray is their growing attraction. And as they each try to stay one double-cross ahead, two career loners find their schemes endangered by the only thing they can't cheat their way out of: love.


This was a decent movie simply because of the awesome chemistry between Julia Roberts and Clive Owen. Honestly, if it wasn't for that - this movie would be total garbage. Paul Giamatti was also great as always. The problem with the movie was that they tried to be too clever. The story jumped back and forth and side to side way too much for its own good. They didn't need to try to do this in order to make the movie "smarter". They would have been better off just telling it straight up. It took away from the movie so much and if it wasn't for Owen and Roberts together would have destroyed it fully.


I wouldn't really recommend anyone rushing to see this movie. Its not that the movie is horrible. It just could have been so much better and ends up being disappointing.

Fighting

Small-town boy Shawn MacArthur (Channing Tatum) has come to New York City with nothing. Barely earning a living selling counterfeit goods on the streets, his luck changes when scam artist Harvey Boarden (Terrence Howard) sees that he has a natural talent for streetfighting. When Harvey offers Shawn help at making the real cash, the two form an uneasy partnership.As Shawn's manager, Harvey introduces him to the corrupt bare-knuckle circuit, where rich men bet on disposable pawns. Almost overnight, he becomes a star brawler, taking down professional boxers, mixed martial arts champs and ultimate fighters in a series of staggeringly intense bouts. But if Shawn ever hopes to escape the dark world in which he's found himself, he must now face the toughest fight of his life.


Once again - if you see the commercial you see the movie. Nothing extra comes out of actually watching the 90 minutes of the movie. Boy fights on the streets. Boy gets seen by guy wanting to be a promoter. Boy meets girl he likes. Promoter gets him a fight. He wins. $10 please? Anywho, Channing Tatum is just filling the stereotypical role of the underdog with the rough life finally getting a random chance to make something of himself. Its like Step Up . . . . . . with ass kickings instead of dancing. And why in the blue hell does Terrance Howard insist on making crap like this? The man turned down being part of the Iron Man franchise to fight for more money, but he'll do this? Fire your agent.


I really wouldn't recommend this movie to anyone. Watch the commercial and leave it at that. No reason to drive to a theater, spend your money, and waste 90 something minutes when you can just not fast forward your DVR'd show and pretty much see the movie in a 30 second promo spot.

Adventureland

It's the summer of 1987, and James Brennan (Jesse Eisenberg), an uptight recent college grad, can't wait to embark on his dream tour of Europe. But when his parents (Wendie Malick and Jack Gilpin) announce they can no longer subsidize his trip, James has little choice but to take a lowly job at a local amusement park. Forget about German beer, world-famous museums and cute French girls-James' summer will now be populated by belligerent dads, stuffed pandas, and screaming kids high on cotton candy. Lucky for James, what should have been his worst summer ever turns into quite an adventure as he discovers love in the most unlikely place with his captivating co-worker Em (Kristen Stewart), and learns to loosen up.


This movie was just kind of there. That's really the only way to describe it. It wasn't horrible. It wasn't great. Parts of it were good. Parts of it was boring. It was all equal parts that made it just sort of there. You got in to some of the characters. You really didn't care about others. It wasn't all out hysterical but there were some parts that made you laugh. It was very weird. It was as if the director and screenwriter couldn't really decide on what they wanted this movie to be. Why Ryan Reynolds was in this I have no idea. The best parts of the movie was Bill Hader as the boss of the park and the 80s music.


I really wouldn't recommend that anyone check this out because again - its just kind of there. You can just wait to see this bad boy on cable pretty much.

Sunshine Cleaning

A single mom and her slacker sister find an unexpected way to turn their lives around in the off-beat dramatic comedy Sunshine Cleaning. Once the high school cheerleading captain who dated the quarterback, Rose Lorkowski (Amy Adams) now finds herself a thirty something single mother working as a maid. Her sister Norah, (Emily Blunt), is still living at home with their dad Joe (Alan Arkin), a salesman with a lifelong history of ill-fated get rich quick schemes. Desperate to get her son into a better school, Rose persuades Norah to go into the crime scene clean-up business with her to make some quick cash. In no time, the girls are up to their elbows in murders, suicides and other... specialized situations. As they climb the ranks in a very dirty job, the sisters find a true respect for one another and the closeness they have always craved finally blossoms. By building their own improbable business, Rose and Norah open the door to the joys and challenges of being there for one another—no matter what—while creating a brighter future for the entire Lorkowski family.

This was a great character drama. Its one of those artsy/non-mainstream type movies and probably will never be playing in a wide release. Its got great performances and a tight story that's really driven by the characters in this family and their close friends. Amy Adams and Alan Arkin were both great as always, but the show really gets stolen by the younger sister played by Emily Blunt. She was a perfect compliment to everyone that she was on screen with.

I'd recommend that people check this out. Its not a must see but is definitely worth your time/money.

Hannah Montana: The Movie

Walt Disney Pictures takes the Disney Channel phenom to the big screen in a feature film extravaganza. Miley Stewart (Miley Cyrus) struggles to juggle school, friends and her secret pop-star persona; when Hannah Montana's soaring popularity threatens to take over her life—she just might let it. So her father (Billy Ray Cyrus) takes the teen home to Crowley Corners, Tenn., for a dose of reality, kicking off an adventure filled with the kind of fun, laughter and romance even Hannah Montana couldn't imagine.

Never in a million years did I think that I would admit this, but I actually kind of enjoyed this movie. I still can't believe it even though its written there right in front of me. I have never liked the Hannah Montana tv show. Its one of the few shows that Stinka likes that I just haven't been able to get in to. I was basically just "taking one for the team" by taking Stinka and a group of her friends to see the movie and figured it would be an hour and 45 minutes of bathroom trips and maybe a little nap. However, the girls were so in to the movie that they didn't go to the bathroom once and having to watch the movie from beginning to end wasn't that bad at all. I don't think that Miley or Billy Ray Cyrus have any acting ability whatsoever, but the movie was watchable anyway and I enjoyed being there with the girls and getting to watch them absolutely love the movie.

I would recommend that anyone who has kids take them to see this obviously. They are all going to want to see, you get to be the man or woman for taking them to see it, and its really not as painful as I expected it to be.

The Last House On The Left

The night she arrives at the remote Collingwood lakehouse, Mari (Sara Paxton) and her friend are kidnapped by a prison escapee and his crew. Terrified and left for dead, Mari's only hope is to make it back to parents John and Emma (Tony Goldwyn and Monica Potter). Unfortunately, her attackers unknowingly seek shelter at the one place she could be safe. And when her family learns the horrifying story, they will make three strangers curse the day they came to "The Last House on the Left."

This was one of those tough movies to review. Do you say that you liked it? Does that mean that you are some kind of a sadistic maniac who enjoys watching rapes, mutilations, and insane gore? Well . . . . I guess thats me in a nutshell because I liked the movie. I think the reason that I was able to watch it though is that if anyone was to ever do the things that they did to these people's daughter to my Stinka - the lord almighty wouldn't be able to stop me from doing the same things and much worse than were shown in this movie.

I'd recommend this movie to anyone who is in to scary/gory movies. This is by no means a "good" movie, but if you can stomach it you totally end up getting in to it.

I Love You, Man

In I Love You, Man, Peter Klaven (Paul Rudd) is a successful real estate agent who, upon getting engaged to the woman of his dreams, Zooey (Rashida Jones), discovers, to his dismay and chagrin, that he has no male friend close enough to serve as his Best Man. Peter immediately sets out to rectify the situation, embarking on a series of bizarre and awkward "man-dates," before meeting Sydney Fife (Jason Segel), a charming, opinionated man with whom he instantly bonds. But the closer the two men get, the more Peter's relationship with Zooey suffers, ultimately forcing him to choose between his fiancee and his new found "bro," in a story that comically explores what it truly means to be a friend.

This movie was hysterical. I don't think that I've ever seen social awkwardness portrayed in a funnier way. Paul Rudd was so spot on with his uncomfortableness. His stumbling over his words when trying to say something clever when ending a conversation was priceless. Jason Segel was a perfect match for him in these scenes with his straight faced "what?" responses. This movie also featured awesome supporting roles. Jamie Pressley and Jon Favreau were hilarious as another couple in the movie. The quirky man-date actors that kept showing up throughout the movie were hilarious. Adam Sanberg, JK Simmons and Jane Curtain were also awesome as Paul Rudd's family. Perhaps the best part of this movie, was that they didn't push the envelope in terms of sex sight gags that I feel is killing most comedies that come out. There were one or two conversations that were sexually blunt, but they were done in a way that was still funny and didn't cross in to nasty/gross and it made it seem that much more real.

I fully recommend that everyone get out there and see this movie. It was filled with huge laughs and I cannot wait for the blooper reel on the DVD.

17 Again

What would you do if you got a second shot at life? Class of 1989, Mike O'Donnell is a star on his high school basketball court with a college scout in the stands and a bright future in his grasp. But instead, he decides to throw it all away to share his life with his girlfriend Scarlett and the baby he just learned they are expecting. Almost 20 years later, Mike's glory days are decidedly behind him. His marriage to Scarlett has fallen apart, he has been passed over for a promotion at work, his teenage kids think he is a loser, and he has been reduced to crashing with his high school nerd-turned-techno-billionaire best friend Ned. But Mike is given another chance when he is miraculously transformed back to the age of 17. Unfortunately, Mike may look 17 again, but his thirtysomething outlook is totally uncool in the class of 2009. And in trying to recapture his best years, Mike could lose the best things that ever happened to him.

This movie was just kind of there. Its watchable and has some good moments but the laughs were just too far and few between. I happen to think that Vice Versa (a pretty similar movie from the 80s) is one of the funniest movies ever. The key to a movie with the premise like this one is capturing that awkward moment of having to address a teenage issue with the knowledge of the adult. I wasn't really feeling Zac Efron pulling that off with the exception of once or twice and it pretty much killed the movie for me because of it. The other major side note is that younger kids should not see this just because of the boy from High School Musical 3. There will end up being a lot of sexually referenced awkward moments for those movie going parents.

I wouldn't really recommend anyone checking this out. It falls pretty flat and isn't really worth your time even though the movie is barely over an hour and a half.

Race To Witch Mountain

For years, stories have circulated about a secret place in the middle of the Nevada desert, known for unexplained phenomena and strange sightings. It is called Witch Mountain, and when a Las Vegas cab driver (Dwayne Johnson) finds two teens with supernatural powers in his cab, he suddenly finds himself in the middle of an adventure he can't explain. When they discover that the only chance to save the world lies in unraveling the secrets of Witch Mountain, the race begins, as the government, mobsters and even extraterrestrials try to stop them. "Race to Witch Mountain" is a fun and thrilling adventure featuring incredible special effects.

This was a simple, enjoyable movie. Its not necessarily a good movie. If you were looking to critique it - it has plenty of holes. However, if you just want to go and enjoy a simple adventure at your local theater, then this is the right movie. I happen to be a fan of The Rock. Yes, I know his name is Dwayne Johnson, but come on now people - you know that he will always be The Rock. Anywho, I have always found him entertaining and he keeps that streak going in this movie.

I wouldn't outwardly recommend this movie to people. If you have kids - take them and enjoy the two hour break. Otherwise, you should only rush to see this if you too are a big fan of The Rock.

Obsessed

Derek Charles (Idris Elba), a successful asset manager who has just received a huge promotion, is blissfully happy in his career and in his marriage to the beautiful Sharon (Beyoncé Knowles). But when Lisa (Ali Larter), a temp worker, starts stalking Derek, all the things he's worked so hard for are placed in jeopardy.

I don't think that at any point in my life has a movie followed the "if you see the commercial you see the movie" blueprint more than this one. Literally, I could have written the same review I'm about to write based on watching the movie after seeing the 30 second commercial spot for it. There is not a single moment where I found myself not knowing what as going to happen and basically having seen the exact scene already. So needless to say, there is no suspense at all thoughout the movie. They managed to fit every turning point of the movie in to the commercial. Beyonce has not a single shred of acting ability. I don't know why she keeps getting roles. Why Idris Elba (aka - Stringa Bell from The Wire) would even bother with this movie.

I wouldn't recommend anyone bothering to watch this movie. Its a complete waste of time and you can just watch the commercial instead and save yourself 1 hour, 39 minutes and 30 seconds.

The Soloist

In The Soloist, a drama about the redemptive power of music, journalist Steve Lopez (Robert Downey Jr.) discovers Nathaniel Anthony Ayers (Jamie Foxx), a former classical music prodigy, playing his violin on the streets of L.A. As Lopez endeavors to help the homeless man find his way back, a unique friendship is formed, one that transforms both their lives.

This is a really strange movie watching experience. The performances are great. Downey Jr and Foxx are awesome as always. Unfortunately, the rest of the movie is total garbage. Its all over the place. It might honestly be some of the worst editing I've ever seen. I would actually buy that the editor was half in the bag while editing this. Either that, or its just about the choppiest script ever written and Downey Jr and Foxx tried to do the best with it that they could. I figured that something had to be up when this movie was bumped from a Thanksgiving release brewing with oscar contention to late April. Now I totally get it. They would have been horribly embarassed to release this under the guise of oscar buzz because it couldn't be less worthy if it tried.

I wouldn't really recommend that anyone check this out. Maybe my expectations were too high, but I was royally disappointed by this movie even with the great performances by the two excellent actors.