Movie | A Man Named Pearl | Pass

This lovely documentary was a recommendation from JK - thanks!

Pearl is a regular guy who's found his true talent in topiary sculpting. He's a real life South Carolina Edward Scissorhands. He uses his gift and his garden to bring love and joy to anybody that will take the time to stop and take a gander. In the process, he's had a positive affect on all of his neighbors, community and the world around him.

Highly recommended and definitely a pass!

People | Andrew Koenig | RIP

It has to be one of the most depressing things I've read lately to hear that actor Andrew Koenig was found dead. Rest in peace, Mr. Koenig.

Let's remember to tell the people around you that you care about them before it's too late...

Cars | Hummer | Fail

Whelp, another American car brand dead at the hands of GM! So long, Hummer (and Saturn and Pontiac - at least the Swedish saved SAAB!), we shouldn't have known you. Hummer was an icon never meant for civilian streets and it should have stayed that way. The "softer" Hummers should have been branded GMC, anyway.

Still want a Hummer? May I suggest something a bit more user-friendly and economical? Check out The Wombat!

Movie | Kin Dza Dza | Pass

I've been really looking forward to seeing this wonderfully wacky Russian scifi flick for a loooooooong time. Finally, I got around to it and was very pleased that I did!

The story begins with two men meeting on a Russian street corner in modern times. They help a homeless man who is shoeless and raving about being from another planet. He shows them a cryptic map and wants to know the coordinates of the planet they are on. They humor him and try to get him to a bakery, where they plan to give him something to eat and call the police. Inadvertently, they set off a small device in his hand and the two men are transported to another planet - an alien world dominated by sand dunes.

There are a lot of things going on in the slow-paced film. Social commentary, racism, and survival in a brutal world with minimal resources are just a couple of themes in this fascinating film.

This isn't the sort of film that's about high-tech flying saucers. No, this is old, grungy tech that barely works. The FX are low-budget but they succeed wholeheartedly in being thoroughly charming. At times, I was reminded of Time Bandits. This movie had a definite Terry Gilliam feel to it. There are most definitely some similarities with A Boy and His Dog, too, in terms of feel, themes and pacing.

The acting is excellent, the soundtrack foreign and otherworldly in the process and I just loved everything about it.

Two words of warning: it's long - over two hours - and don't see this movie dubbed. I don't even know if there's a dubbed version, but if there is, it would utterly ruin it.

A must see for fans of "way out there" cult movies. Two thumbs way up!

PS: Koo!

Movie | The Others | Pass

Alejandro Amenábar pays omage once again to Hitchcock in this non-gory horror/thriller starring Nicole Kidman.

Kidman is a single mom raising two kids who are afflicted with disorder that makes them extremely sensitive to sunlight in an old, mysterious British mansion.

What?! No clean, colorful walls or cheerful carpets with whimsical draperies? Nope. That would be a bit too...convenient.

Still, this is an edge-of-your-seat kind of movie that reminded me a bit of The Sixth Sense. Everything about it is expertly done and it's an adult (but not gross) creepy keeper!

Thanks for the recommendation, IP! One and half thumbs up and a Pass!

Movie | The Shepherd | Fail

There is nothing interesting going on in this Jean-Claude Van Damme vehicle where he is a border patrol officer. Terrible acting, below TV grade production and a completely drab plot can't counterbalance the one unique feature of this direct to video borefest...Van Damme has a rabbit.

Whoopdeedoo...Fail.

Skip this and go for JCVD, instead!

Movie | One Point O | Pass

This marvelously paranoia-producing movie about a computer programmer in the near future that keeps getting mysterious packages feels like a cross between Pi and Barton Fink.

Fantastic cinematography, editing, soundtrack and starring Jeremy Sisto, there are some very cool cameos by Bruce Payne, Lance Henriksen and others. The pace is medium and you'll be left with plenty of questions after the credits roll. That's a good thing, in my book.

The only strange thing is that there are several scenes where you can see the boom mike bobbing around in the shot. That's odd because the rest of the movie feels so meticulously crafted and it's hard to believe they missed those little mistakes.

There are several other names that this movie goes by, I don't know why. Paranoia: 1.0, Version 1.0 and others... 

If you're looking for something dark and futuristic (but not people running around in tinfoil outfits) that will keep you on the edge of your seat without overly gross, gory scenes and you liked the previously mentioned flicks, this is the movie for you. Highly recommended and two thumbs up!

Movie | The Killer Elite | Pass

Wild man Sam Peckinpah directs this tale of two freelance bodyguards that work for a private CIA-like company. One double-crosses the other and the fun begins!

There is some uneven editing (some boring plot elements are just too long), acting and the soundtrack is painfully dated but this movie has it all - Ninja, guns, psychopath hitmen for hire, San Francisco, neat cars, secret ops, backstabbing and James Caan, Robert Duvall, Burt Young and Mako!

The character, vibe and flavors of the film outdo its' shortcomings and it's a sleeper keeper. One and a half thumbs up!

Movie | Keeping Up with the Steins | Pass

This harmless light comedy about a boy's upcoming Bar Mitzvah and the impact on his family is fun enough. It's not heavy and the jokes are cheerful and easy going. Ultimately, it's a tale of family dynamics from a modern Jewish perspective.

The acting is excellent. The editing is rather herky-jerky, though, and feels awkward at times. NK found the actors "not very Jewish". I agree, it's sort of like the old westerns where they had Italians playing Native Americans. And this is not a movie that you'll remember for years to come. Nor was it seemingly meant to be. Still, the movie isn't ruined by any of that and is a fun one to watch.

I found it fascinating watching this back to back with A Serious Man. Both comedies, they couldn't have been further apart - one so very dark, the other so very light.

One thumb up!

Movie | The Tournament | Pass

Yet another retelling of The Most Dangerous Game, this time it's assassins against other assassins in a game held by rich morons. Who will be last? The twists are twofold. First, all of the assassins are implanted with a tracking device that will also blow up after 24 hours are up. The second, a fallen, alcoholic priest (the very cool Robert Carlyle) is given one of the assassin's tracking device (on purpose by the hitman). One of the the other assassins decides to try to keep him out of harm's way.

Good action and a decent cast don't quite outweigh the cheesy production values and sub-par cinematography. This movie just doesn't have the swagger of the The Transporter or the frantic razzle dazzle of Crank, Shoot 'Em Up or Smokin' Aces. In the end, this is the same movie as The Condemned, but set in downtrodden industrial England.

While certainly nothing new (and you can probably come up with other very similar flicks), it's still it's a fun one and worth seeing if you like this genre. The violence is not too bad, with the exception of one scene which had completely unnecessary and revolting violence against an animal. I fast forwarded through that one.

One thumb up.

Food | Mo's Rhythm Kitchen | PASS

O.....KAY! Phew! We just got back from Mo's Rhythm Kitchen. Here's the skinny (or, at least, our skinny)...

Right on Gay Street, there is of course, absolutely NO parking. We had to park a block or two away and around the corner...and felt lucky that we got that parking spot!

We walked in with some trepidation. You have bigger closets in your house. There were two high stools against the wall with a counter that (I kid you not) was three inches deep. Seriously, three inches deep. What? There was also a small table with two chairs. That was it for seating. Later, we overheard that they have seating outside in the nicer weather on the sidewalk.

The walls are painted a nice shade of cheerful yellow and there is a smattering of African art pieces hanging on the walls. Cheerful and a lot of character.

Anyway, there's a girl behind the counter and a guy that couldn't be anyone other than Mo himself. They greeted us right away and were very mellow. We looked at the menu and were a bit overwhelmed with choices. Mo tried to help us, but we figured out what we wanted by ourselves (he suggested the ribs, but we don't eat ribs). NK ordered the 4 piece fried chicken with a side of mac and cheese and a bottle of water. I got the 4 piece jerked chicken platter with collard greens and mac and cheese, a side salad and a Snapple.

Mo got busy right away and everything was made from scratch. The mac and cheese, which was baked, was probably prepared earlier but it sure didn't taste like it. It tasted like it was right out of the oven. The place filled with smoke and delicious smells.

A few people dribbled in and out, buying different things. Finally, our food arrived. This is not a speedy service to say the least. But, it was MASSIVELY worth the wait! Just fantastic. NK didn't get 4 pieces, she got 5 HUGE pieces. Our mac and cheese was soooo good. Like I said, it was a homemade style that was just marvelous. My collard greens were perfect, cooked just right. Not too crunchy, but not overcooked either. That's tough to do!

My jerk chicken was so good and I was so obviously enjoying it that folks walking in kept asking me about it and then ordering it.

Mo asked us several times if we were enjoying it, which we thoroughly were!

The entire meal cost about $25 and we both left with half our chicken! Enough for a nice sized lunch the next day, that's for sure.

This place is great! Now, maybe we just went on an "on" night, but it's definitely worth risking again. You might want to consider ordering takeout. Or try in the spring. I, for one, will not be waiting that long!

Four thumbs way up!

Mo's Rhythm Kitchen

156 W Gay St
West Chester PA 19380

(610) 429-1700

Movie | A Serious Man | Pass

If you liked Barton Fink, Fargo and No Country For Old Men as much as I did (and I really did), then you'll love this dark drama (with comedic overtones) that revolves around a Jewish man who's life is slowly coming apart at the seams.

All others need not apply.

This is a slow movie. Very slow. A lot of it is an examination, sometimes lampooning, the Jewish experience. But, the humor is from a Jewish perspective, which includes all of the cultural and religious nuances. I never felt like it was in poor taste.

The acting is superb and the movie making as meticulous and marvelous as any Cohen brothers movie. I loved every minute. Note that it never turns truly violent, like No Country or Fargo. It takes you right up to the brink, but never crosses that line. Brilliant.

Pass!

Movie | The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother | Pass

Imagine most of the crew from Young Frankenstein making a Sherlock Holmes movie and that's exactly what this is. Very clever, hilarious dialogue, ridiculous plot and meticulous film making make this a keeper classic.

Starring, written and directed by the super cool Gene Wilder, this about Sherlock Holmes' younger, jealous, moronic brother, who is a anxious and eager to steal his thunder. Sherlock sends a case his way...how will it go?

I just love the way they captured the baroque style in the 70s. When I think of it, I never picture how it actually looked back in those days. Instead, I think of how they showed it in movies in the 70s.

A very funny Pass!

Movie | War of the Colossal Beast | Fail

This dud sequel to the equally lame The Amazing Colossal Man is fun in a really bad 50s monster movie sort of way. That's because it is! Bad and from the 50s, that is.

A giant, monstrously disfigured man in a diaper goes on a rampage. Hey, what's else is he gonna wear? There, that's the plot. Take the rubber suit off of Godzilla, and that's where we're at in this movie. Bad acting, bad everything. The best part is that the entire movie is in black and white, but for no known reason, the final minute is in color.

Good for a laugh, but a Fail!

TV Movie | In The Shadow of Evil | Fail

This TV movie starring Treat Williams was just not my cup of tea. I don't like the subject matter and find nothing entertaining about it. I felt the same way about Seven. The only reason I watched this is because of the supporting actors, Joe Morton and William H Macy. And even they didn't save if for me.

But, if you like the topic you'll actually like this movie, as it is quite well done in an 80s sort of way.

A detective pursuing a serial killer falls and knocks his head, giving himself amnesia. He wakes up, but can't remember what's doing with the case. A doctor is hired to help him remember and they fall in love (surprise!).

Is he the killer? Or is the mortician? Or is it the other negative-nelly cop? Who is doing the killings and how do they stop him before he kills again?

A Pass for genre fans. A Fail for me.

Movie | Jeremiah Johnson | Pass

Sydney Pollack directs Robert Redford in this excellent old west movie about a trapper who gets involved with murderous Native American Indians - and ends up being more blood thirsty than they are.

Based on a supposedly true story, the tales of this character are really wild and this movie reflects some of them (thankfully, the cannibalism is left out). Redford is just amazing to watch and deserves all of the accolades he's ever won. There are several other notable actors in this, but it's really his movie and he's completely believable as a rough mountain man.

It's fun to see a movie that has an intermission, too. When was the last time you saw that? It gives the movie a feeling that the story will unroll slowly and deliberately, which it does.

Definitely a Pass for this classic.

Movie | Five | Pass

William Phipps stars in this post apocalyptic flick about a group of survivors who gather in a house up in the mountains. As a side note, that house happens to be an actual Frank Lloyd Wright, owned by the director/producer.

I liked the character development, minimal use of music and simplistic plot line. This is a hidden gem of the genre. Slow, simple (but not too simple) and sophisticated in its own way, I give it a Pass!

TV | Archer | Pass

I had less than zero expectations for this animated spy comedy TV show on the FX channel. It's highly enjoyable if you find the myriad lowbrow sexual jokes and ridiculous situations that lampoon the spy genre.

I did, surprisingly.

While the animation is nothing to write home about (what's with Malory's neck?), the show is quite cleverly written. Aimed directly at adults with a dark sense of humor, it's a pass!

Movie | Disturbia | Pass

Shia LeBeouf and Aaron Yoo are pretty much the only reasons to see this Rear Window remake. Because we've seen it all before, nothing is a surprise. Sure, this is a modern twist which means more violence and more disturbing scenes. And the other actors are far from bad. They just aren't interesting.

So, why did we see this? Because of LeBeouf and the Hitchcock connection. Unfortunately, that wasn't enough to make this an enjoyable movie for us.

Barely a pass and only recommended if you have nothing better to do.

Short | Uncle Jack | PASS

This superb action comedy from the folks that made the knock out film, Ink, is a must see about a guy talking to his niece on his Bluetooth while running from bad guys. Commisioned by Pentax to advertise their new K-7 and lenses. Awesome! This is a must see!

Movie | Criminal | Pass

John C. Reilly and Diego Luna star as a con man and his young assistant. They get involved in trying to sell some rare currency to a wealthy business man. What will happen and when will it all go bad?

A tad slow, but most definitely worth the patience, I rather enjoyed this remake of Nine Queens, which I have not seen yet. The acting was well done and I really enjoyed Reilly's acting, as usual. I liked Luna in Y tu mama tambien, which is a super movie and he was good in this, too.

Shot on location in LA, it did not make me homesick and the camerawork was pretty bad - too shaky.

If you liked The Usual Suspects, House of Games and The Grifters, you'll enjoy this as much as I did.

Movie | Aliens from Another Planet | Pass

I rather enjoyed this goofy scifi movie that is apparently a couple of episodes of a TV show called The Time Tunnel put together.

Whatever, it's silly. The sort of silly where the "aliens" are just folks dressed up in shiny silver costumes, silver makeup and really bad hats. The plot was ridiculous and the acting was horrendous.

Yet, it has a pretty cool cast including a young Robert Duvall as a bad guy who plants a bomb, then runs through a time machine (it's a spiral painted inside a hallway with smoke and flashing lights). And even though they are all bad, they're still fun to watch.

This is the kind of movie you laugh at and enjoy thoroughly. I give it a pass!

Note: I don't know why the link to IMDB goes to a page that says that this was released in 1982. It wasn't - it came out in 1967.

Movie | The Scorpion King: Rise of a Warrior | Fail

An unwatchable stinker. It's a shame because the original, The Scorpion King was a fun action flick. Fu-fu-fail!

Movie | District B13 Ultimatum | Pass

Outrageously fun mixture of martial arts and Parkour, this is the sequel to the equally fun original by the same title.

Who cares if the plot is any good? In fact, it ain't bad.

Who cares if the actors are bad? They aren't.

Same goes for the music, the cinematography, etc....it's all good! If you're looking for an adult action/thriller that will get you all riled up saying, "Marge! Get in here and take a look at these outrageous stunts!" This is your movie.

Personally, I think Jackie Chan started all of this when he started running up walls. But, it probably predated him.

Luc Besson wrote this (as well as the original) and you know what you're going to get with his movies. Kooky French slam bam action!

Two thumbs up!

Movie | Armored | Pass

This time around, director Nimrod Antal chose to do another action thriller, this one starring a Grade A cast of (mostly) American actors.

It's a simple story of a guy who's down on his luck and raising his younger brother. He's a security guard for an armored truck company. His buddies want him to pull a heist with them and steal $42 million. Will he or won't he do it?

Everything is perfect with this movie. And the violence, while certainly there, is not gratuitous.

To date, this is Antal's third full-length movie. His first, Kontroll, was just superb. The second movie he made, Vacancy, is what my friend MK describes as "a torture porn horror movie". So, no thanks on that one. I'll be skipping that.

While Amored is nowhere near as good as Kontroll, it's quite good for what it is. There's definitely a feeling that the big studio jobs that Antal given are being massaged to what they think the movie should be, though. Too many fingers in the pie. A lot of the magic shown in Kontroll is just being replaced by bigger stars and bigger budgets. Hopefully, he'll regain that magic and display it again. Though, that may not be possible as his next gig is another addition to the Predator franchise...

Short | Cutlass | Pass

Kate Hudson wrote this and directs a super cast including Dakota Fanning, Kurt Russell, Virginia Madsen, Chevy Chase and Kristen Stewart tell the simple story of two girls, separated by time, that learn some good life lessons. I've felt that way about buying a car soooo many times, it's ridiculous. Sweet, humorous and well made, this 16 minute short drama is excellent.

Here it is (below). Whacha got to lose? It's an excellent ticket price...two thumbs up!

Movie | Bolt | Pass

This kiddie animated action film was very entertaining. Lots of action, explosions, chases, laser beams are tempered with cliched little girl and her dog moments. Still, it was all very enjoyable, with plenty of laughs.

It was nice to see a kid film that didn't revolve around death, too.

The animation was not bad, but not notable either. The soundtrack was cheesy. The voice acting was well done, though I had a hard time separating John Travolta's rendition of Bolt. And let it just be a matter of record, I feel confident that this will be Miley Cyrus' finest acting moment. Mark Walton, Greg Germann and Susie Essman added quite a bit and were excellent choices, while Malcolm McDowell and James Lipton didn't bring much to the production (no fault of their own).

We get uncomfortable when animals are in peril, especially dogs. This is one of those films. You know that it's going to all work out in the end, but we cringe all the way through. It takes a little fun out of the movie for us, but didn't ruin Bolt.

A fun movie for all ages, but nothing terribly special.

TV | White Collar | PASS

The pilot was a superb, fresh take on the heist/caper genre. Everything about this show is top notch and super sharp, never pandering or dumbing anything down for the audience. Starring Tim DeKay (from one of my all-time favorite TV shows, Carnivale) and the very promising Matthew Bomer (Chuck), these two are marvelous and have real chemistry. There is a lot of humor and I laughed all the way through the show. But it isn't the kind of humor that makes fun of others or is tawdry and blue. It's just darn good, witty lines that made me really smile and laugh.

We'll see about putting Tiffani Thiessen (90210) in the cast, but there are some really fine supporting actors like Michael Gaston (Jericho), Willie Garson (you name, he's probably been in it) and Marsha Thomason (Lost, Life). And, from the previews, there looks like a bunch of other great actors in upcoming episodes, too.

Two things bothered us about the pilot. There was one plot hole that gets exploited. The other is the fact that this is yet another show where everybody is smarter than the cops/FBI/law enforcement. Neither of these two things ruin the show in any way.

4.5 out of 5 stars. This show will hopefully keep stylishly and interestingly rolling along, ending up as a really bright spot in TV history or it might fizzle out quickly. Let's hope for the former.

TV | Hung | PASS

Thomas Jane plays a down on his luck high school basketball coach who turns to prostitution in desperation. Subtle, sly whit and well done, this one is a keeper. This is one of those shows that is better than it has any right to be. Far, far, above expectations and premise. Obviously, for adults only but it isn't TOO vivid.

Four out of five stars!

TV | Sons of Anarchy | PASS

Fantastic, excellent show about a SoCal biker gang. Ron Perlman, Katey Sagal and Charlie Hunnam lead a very good cast in this violent and gritty series. Lots of good plot twists and great character development.

Strangely, this show interests me while the similar Deadwood and Breaking Bad did not.

This is one of my all time favorite shows. Five stars out of five.

Movie | Kontroll | PASS

This Hungarian movie has been stirring up quite a buzz amongst film freaks. Released a couple of years ago, written and directed by a newbie, it's the tale of the leader of a band of crazy subway ticket inspectors. He ends up entwined in a murder who is roaming the underground caverns and falls in love with a girl in a bear suit.

This is one of those gems that gets swept under the carpet and you end up falling in love with. Full of action, suspense, violence, love and friendship, it's gorgeously shot and crafted from end to end. A techno soundtrack reminiscent of Run Lola Run adds to the perfect (claustrophobic) atmosphere.

I've read several reviews stating that the usage up a purely underground metro setting is utterly unique, never been done before.

Uh, Hello? Subway, anyone?

Bueller?

Bueller?

I loved, loved, loved this movie and I can't recommend it enough. Three thumbs up!

Now show me your ticket...

Movie | The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes | Pass

Recently, I had a conversation with an acquaintance that stated that the new Sherlock Holmes, played by Robert Downey Jr, was a complete re-imagining of the character.

He can be forgiven because he's young. Nothing wrong with that! But, I told him to watch this movie, the second Holmes film starring Basil Rathbone. In it, there is the inspiration for the fly in the jar, while Holmes plucks a violin.

Hmm, not so new, huh?!?

When I think of Holmes, I think of Rathbone. But, there have been others who have played him arguably better. Downey's Holmes certainly cannot be place as high as Rathbone or someone like Jeremy Brett. Same for Nigel Bruce, who plays Watson. He and Rathbone are just superb.

This film is also unique, because it was not directly based on a story by the Sherlock Holmes creator Arthur Conan Doyle. Instead, this one started out as a play by William Gillette (but was significantly changed). And with over 200 television and film appearances, the Sherlock Holmes character must be one of the best known fictional detectives ever.

This is a perfect Sherlock Holmes movie and a perfect depiction of the sleuth. Lots of atmosphere and plot twists. It might not be up there with The Pearl of Death, but it's darn near. A classic!

Website | How It Should Have Ended | Pass

This is a fun website containing cartoons of humorously imagined reworked endings to some of your favorite movies. Plus, movie reviews, online comics and other content.

MA sent me a link to the Avatar posting on Youtube (thanks!). If you love movies, you gotta check it out, but there are spoilers.

I particularly loved the Wizard of Oz spoof.

http://www.howitshouldhaveended.com/

TV | Harper's Island | Pass

This one surprised us. It's a horror mini-series (13 episodes - a lucky number!) about a wedding party that goes to an island off the coast of Seattle (I know that's geographically not correct, but you know what I mean). They and the other island inhabitants are being killed off one by one...is the supposedly dead mass murdered who struck seven years ago or is it a copycat?

This is pretty straight-up horror, with slasher elements. That is not our genre. But, the cast is really good and there is enough intrigue to really keep you on the edge of your seats. There's no secret...everyone's going to die, but which one, when and how?

I'd stayed away from this when it was actually on because I'd heard that it was pretty disturbing. It is, but on a scale of things, it's not nearly as disturbing as some cable offerings and nowhere near as nasty as what's available on DVD and in the theaters.

Very good and a pass!

Awards | 2009 Razzies | Pass

Ah, the Yin and the Yang of it all...

It will be interesting to see if Bullock can pull off a Razzie and an Oscar win. What could be finer? Suddenly, I'm glad we skipped All About Steve.

Speaking of Steve, it saddens me to see Steve Martin nominated. But, then again...Pink Panther 2?!? Steve, Steve, Steve!

Movie | The List of Adrian Messenger | Pass

John Huston directs this 1963 "gimmick" thriller about a mysterious assassin who is killing off men and making it look like an accident.

George C. Scott plays a retired MI-5 officer who is asked by a friend to look into a series of seemingly unrelated deaths. Then his friend also dies in an airplane explosion. Could all of the deaths be related and why?

This is a very good murder mystery, a movie with a different feel to it for the times (like Seconds, for example). I really enjoyed it and the cast is outstanding. In addition to Scott, who's this for a cast...Tony Curtis, Kirk Douglas, Burt Lancaster and Frank Sinatra!

Wow! And there lies the "gimmick"...these huge actors appear in cameos behind mountains of makeup. Can you spot them within the movie?

It's a lot of fun, sort of a Where's Waldo of a movie, the murders are chilling and the mystery is quite good. Like all plot lines of this sort, some people will figure everything out right away and some won't until the end. I was one of the later.

Definitely a hidden gem and two thumbs up!