Movie | Ed and His Dead Mother | Pass

A slow story, jerky dialogue and some lame editing don't ruin this fun little Twilight Zone-esque movie about a guy who pays a grand to bring his dead mother back to life.. Not gory at all and a (mostly) fantastic cast lead by Steve Buscemi.

Movie | High Heels and Low Lifes | Pass

Light fluff about two chicks who get in trouble with some mobsters. Fun stuff and a decent date movie!

Movie | Inside Man | PASS

GREAT bank heist movie by Spike Lee, starring a big name cast. A bit like The Usual Suspects.

Movie | How to Train Your Dragon | PASS

Superb kid's movie about a Viking boy who is different from everyone else. Marvelous CGI, excellent voice acting and a fun story. Recommended to everyone.

Movie | Red | PASS

A real treat. The HUGE name cast sizzle every scene in this romp about retired hitmen (and hit-women). Action packed, but not terribly violent. Definitely recommended!

Movie | Undead or Alive | Pass

When you're looking to get into acting, you have a couple of choices. Go to acting school, make connections and go from there. Or, know somebody who knows somebody who knows somebody. Or, take any acting gig that you can get. Which means zero-budget "movies" that are usually so high-concept that they couldn't possibly work (that's why the really great no money movies are so impressive).

So, you're most likely going to be in a horror flick of some kind. And, because it's "high concept", it's going to mix genres.

That's what you've got here - a comedy/western/zombie movie. Surprisingly, it works! Mainly because of the well-known cast. It's a real throwback to 80s productions, too. So, if you have fond memories of those movies like I do, you'll enjoy this cheesy and fun dust up. A Pass!

How many zombie westerns have you seen?

Movie | My Dog Tulip | Pass

Charming adult animated true story of an English gentleman and his dog. Avoids the inevitable horrific death scene, thankfully, but still deals with all of the less than pretty issues of caring for a canine. Lovely, low frame-rate animation with superb, spare voice-overs. A definite Pass, especially if you are a doggy daddy or mommy.

Movie | Pontypool | PASS

Basically the exact same movie as Dead Air, but everything about this movie works. Yes, there is a major plot twist in comparison to DA and it's set in the dead of winter in a small Canadian town, but it's the same plot that revolves around a shock jock who witnesses a zombie infection while on air. That plot twist is really interesting and brings a refreshing angle to the zombie genre. Low budget, but skillfully so and the cast is excellent, lead by the super cool Stephen "I am not Lance Henriksen!" McHattie. Minimal gore, maximum tension. Same director as Hard Core Logo. I loved it and give it a hearty PASS!

Movie | Black Death | Pass

After seeing the superb zombie TV mini-series Dear Set, I wanted to see something else with Andy Nyman in it. And I picked a good one!

The year is 1348 and a group of soldiers are sent by the Bishop to investigate a village that has somehow escaped the wrath of the plague.

Fairly gruesome with some good action scenes, the excellent cast (including Sean Bean) overcomes the rather unsurprising script. I liked this a lot and it reminded me a bit of a mix of The Village, Pathfinder, Braveheart and a couple of other movies that I can't remember the titles of right now. A Pass!

PS I didn't realize that I'd actually seen Nyman in several other things...The Tournament and Death At A Funeral were two.

TV | Harry's Law | Pass

It's interesting to draw comparison between this show and Fairly Legal. This show has a much lower production value - could they make the street scenes look any more like sets?!? The direction is thoroughly lackluster, too. But - and this is a big but! - the cast of this show is so good, it outshines FL's slicker look and feel. Okay, it's really all because of Kathy Bates. Plain and simple. She's fantastic. Having watched the first two episodes, I find myself looking forward to this one more than FL. Not that I won't watch FL. But, this one is just more interesting all around. The second episode had an absolutely preposterous script (the elderly lady was found not guilty?!? What?!?) and hopefully, the show won't go in that direction. Still, a Pass.

TV | Fairly Legal | Pass

A young woman gets in the middle of big money arguments as a mediator. She lives in the shadow of her recently deceased high powered lawyer father and the young step-mother he left behind. We saw this mainly because of Sarah Shahi - fans because and since one of the best TV shows ever produced... Life. Trucco from BSG is also in this. Based on the pilot, it has promise, even if the genre is not terribly fresh. The show doesn't really present anything new and the fact that she's a mediator doesn't produce enough punch to see how they're going to keep the show interesting long term. We'll see. In the meantime, it's worth a gander and a Pass for now.

Web TV | Zombie Roadkill | Pass

Cheap doesn't mean stupid in this fun horror web series about, well, just what that title says. Thomas Hayden Church is just fantastic. Reminded me of the early Sam Raimi days (plenty of low budget gore and laughs) and a Pass!

Movie | La Horde | Pass

AKA Legion of Evil. This was a great French zombie flick, very reminiscent of Luc Besson. Superb action, production values (though there were a few cheap looking effects when viewing the skyline), acting and music. Gory and the tiny, tiny subtitles on the copy I watched didn't ruin a thing. I loved it and a Pass.

Movie | Matinee | Pass

Saw this Joe Dante classic starring the amazing John Goodman again with NK, who hadn't seen it. Despite some dated editing, this fictionalized story about the real-life 60s monstor movie director, William Castle, is a nostalgic must see. Fear overtook much of the American population during the Cuban missile crisis, and rightly so. We knew so little about the effects of a nuclear attack. This is a definite Pass and MANT LIVES!

Movie | Yor The Hunter From The Future | Fail

I have fond memories of this caveman clunker from the early 80s. I remember chewing through movie after movie of this type, rented from the local Vietnamese video rental store. Well, it should have stayed golden and buried in the old memory bank, because it's just horrible. There isn't a single thing good about it, except for making fun of how bad it is. A Fail or a complete Pass if you're looking for hilarious dreck to laugh at!

Movie | Death Proof | FAIL

Tarantino does it again - proves that he shouldn't be allowed to make movies. The man can suck the life out of any script. Dreadful. I thought it would be okay, given the cast. Big mistake. The fake previews were fantastic, though. Especially Nick Cage as "Fu Manchu". Looooooong, drawn out scenes that lack any meaning continue the Tarantino legacy. By the time I got to the action (which is so purposefully disgusting), I could care less. And the entire thing left me wanting a long, hot shower to wash off the mold and monkey poo he throws out of the movie screen. An utter, dreadful, FAIL.

Movie | Bandslam | Pass

Surprisingly fun to watch movie. John Hughes's estate should be paid royalties from this teen-angst flick about a kid who puts together a band. Good music, decent acting, a fairly good script and make for a good movie, especially if you liked The School of Rock and similar movies. A Pass.

TV | The Cape | Pass, no wait, Fail

Enjoyable, but predictable and not terribly strong show about an wrongfully accused cop who resorts to being a superhero to protect his family, clear his name and save the city from an evil businessman who also happens to be a super villain. Okay, so the whole thing is truly hokey, but there is some fun to be had via Glau, David and his crew. A mild Pass if you're looking for some light superhero TV action.

UPDATE: This show is, unfortunately, too similar to the promising Dollhouse (the curse of Glau post-Firefly?). All the elements should be in place, but it turns out that the show just kinda sucks, in the end. Lost our interest and it got removed from the DVR. Maybe we'll wait till it comes out on DVD.

TV | Lights Out | Pass

The pilot for this was pretty good, telling the story of a boxer who is slowly being forced back out of retirement. I liked it a lot, though the pace was a little slow and there was some mediocre acting. Still, it's hard to really tell since this is just the setup. I think it will get even better and it's worth a watch. Violence and just some rough living. But, then, what did you expect? This is more of a drama than an action piece (just like boxing!). A Pass!

UPDATE: GREAT SHOW that nobody is watching, so it will get canceled. Super, just super.

Movie | Solomon Kane | Pass

Fun dark B-movie action flick about an English army captain that somehow ends up owing his soul to the devil. I never really understood why. This is a fun one if you like lots of blood, swords and fighting and aren't too worried about the script. The star looks a lot like Hugh Jackman and is just about as good, surprisingly. Which means, he's pretty good! This wasn't all that bad and it's worth a rental if you're into the genre. Reminded me of Brotherhood of the Wolf. A Pass!

TV | Shameless | Pass

William H. Macy is a loser drunkard of a father to six kids who live in utter anarchy. Vulgar, touching, violent and caring, they live in chaos and the story and acting was very well done, with plenty of interesting plot twists. Some of the dialogue is a bit slick, but it wasn't too distracting. Great soundtrack that reflected their punk existence. The oldest daughter is really the rest of the kids' mother and keeps it all mostly together. Originally an English show (surprise!), which I haven't seen. A Pass if you find crazy family lives interesting. I don't, particularly, but I certainly did end up watching the whole thing.

UPDATE: I love, love, love this show! I really look forward to every week and can't wait for the next episode. But, this is definitely television that pushes the boundaries - in other words, it's rated a hard R, Sparky!

Movie | Fighter in the Wind | PAss

Movie | Leaves of Grass | Pass

Like a Fargo set in the south during Spring, Leaves of Grass has a knockout (and huge) cast. Norton plays the dual role of a twin brothers. The effect is stunning. A decent plot, with slightly less quirky characters and similar levels of violence make this a definite Pass. Written, directed and costarring Tim Blake Nelson, who did a fantastic job. We really enjoyed this one - it's a sleeper and a keeper.

Movie | Monsters | PASS

Excellent (mild) scifi/travelogue drama/thriller somewhat similar to Cloverfield. Same premise, but the characters know exactly what's going on and chose to head towards danger for reasons explained. Slower, more thoughtful, set in the slums and jungles of Mexico, with less shaky camera work. I loved it, though it may be too slow for some viewers. Very little gore (dead bodies that you barely see). Superb cast of new actors and a wonderful soundtrack. Excellent and a PASS!

Movie | Going The Distance | Fail

Though there are enjoyable moments in this romantic comedy, the characters are not terribly likable and the humor and dialogue stoop to lame levels of vulgarity. Interestingly, though Long and Barrymore are (still?) dating in real life, they make an odd couple on screen. The plot is not terribly satisfying, either. Not unwatchable, but could have been better. A Fail unless you can see if for free and you're in exactly the right mood.

Movie | The Baker | Fail

AKA Assassin In Love. Unfortunately, this charmer about a hitman who gives up a life of crime to be a baker in a small town isn't charming. The movie never really hits its' stride. A bummer, because it could have been really enjoyable. And the cast, headed up by the great Damian Lewis, has a lot of capability. But, the characters are never really explored and are just flat. Written and directed by Lewis' brother. A Fail (but not unwatchable).

Movie | Dead Air | Fail

This story of a shock jock who witnesses a zombie takeover (started by Middle Eastern terrorists - way to combine themes!) wasn't good by any stretch of the imagination. Yet, I watched the whole thing from start to finish. Which was difficult, given how utterly annoying the main star was. He came across as an actor playing a character. Add Shakespearean flourish here. It's possible that this could have been a better film with a bigger budget and I hope that Corbin Bernsen keeps directing, just because he seems like a cool guy. I've heard that this is similar to the movie Pontypool. I haven't seen that yet, but I will. While this wasn't unwatchable, it still was a Fail.

Movie | The American | Fail

Boring to the hilt. What a snorefest and a waste of good movie-making dollars. Watch the trailer and see all of the best parts - in a minute or less. Blech. Fail. Still, if you liked this one, see The Limits of Control. It's even slower, yet somehow better in every way.

Movie | Daybreakers | Pass

Excellent scifi/horror/action movie set in the year 2019. Cool cars, a good cast (Dafoe and Hawke!) and a good script that tells the story of a near future world where most of the world's population has been infected and are now vampires. Hawke's character is disgusted by the harvesting of human blood and is trying to find the cure. Will he? Or will everything go pear shaped? Gory, but not over the top. There are a couple of logical eyebrow raisers. For example, Hawke lives in a high-tech gated community. His house alerts him that the back door is ajar (just like my dad's old 80's Nissan Maxima!)...because there is an intruder! And this happens several times. He's even advised to update his security. Whaaaaa?!? And they should have used the Placebo cover of Kate Bush's "Running Up That Hill" in this otherwise quite stylish film. Still, this is a fun one if you're a fan of the genre(s) - a Pass!

Movie | Dragon Hunters | Pass

Another highly enjoyable kids' movie that isn't really for kids. Well, young ones, that is (too scary and some language). This one is about two slackers who sell themselves as dragon hunters in a world that lives in terror of the fearsome creatures. The animation (which reminded me of the old comic book Groo), plot and production (this one's French) are superb, including voice acting from Forest Whitaker. A Pass!

Movie | G-Force | Pass

Silly fluff with good action about super spy guinea pigs. Galifianakis and Arnett are bizarrely straight. Thankfully, Nighy isn't. Rockwell, Favreau, Cage, Cruz, Buscemi and Rockwell do a good job voice acting. A Pass.

Movie | The Sorcerer's Apprentice | Pass

Fun action and a decent script do a good job making up for some poor acting, jarring editing and truly dreadful dialogue. Based on the old Mickey Mouse animation of the same name, they made a story out of it and shot it live-action. Cage and Molina are the best part of the whole thing. In the end, it's as weak as the original premise (which was just a short cartoon) but still entertaining from a popcorn angle. Worth a rental and a Pass.

Magic is still goofy.