TV | 5ive Days to Midnight | Pass

Clever 5 part mini-series about a physics professor who finds out that he is going to die in 5 days. Each episode is one day and well done. Don't let the intro sequence scare you off. This is not a horror show, though it looks like one from the credits. If you liked The Lost Room, this is one to see!

Movie | The Other Guys | Fail

The truly funny moments are so few and far between, you've got to wonder what they were thinking. A waste of a spectacular cast.

Movie | Land of the Dead | Pass

Barely passable and horribly miscast zombie flick where the twist is that the normal people are the bad guys and the zombies are really the good guys (and have simple logic?!?). Shoulda been better and barely a Pass.

TV | That Metal Show | PASS

The infectious enthusiasm and knowledge of the three hosts make this VH1 Classic talk show about the past, present and future of heavy metal and hard rock a definite PASS!

TV | Breakout Kings | Pass

Mediocre show that has criminals tracking criminals in a vaguely A-Team manner. The characters don't mesh, click or work well together - no cohesiveness - and the stories are episode to episode (all wrapped up in a neat package in the end), so this isn't a fave of ours. Also, this show is a product of our modern times. In other words, it's extremely violent for the sake of "strengthening" the weak scripts and character development. Jimmi Simpson steals the pale spotlight. Hopefully, it will get better, but it's nowhere near current TV landmarks like Lights Out, Sons of Anarchy, The Killing, etc.

TV | Jean Claude Van Damme: Behind Closed Doors | Pass

Reality show that documents action movie star Jean Claude Van Damme's current life. If that premise interests you, then you'll like this show. If not, you shouldn't watch it. Is it real or fake? The truth is surely somewhere in between, like most "reality" TV. But I found it interesting enough to keep watching, which I will.

Movie | Sleep Dealer | Pass

Interesting low budget Mexican scifi about the near future where workers are "plugged in" (literally) to a robotic workforce, never having to cross borders illegally. Thought-provoking, low budget and surprisingly well acted. Subtitles. Well shot, but some cheesy FX. A must-see for folks concerned about illegal aliens and the effects on our economy, sophisticated Matrix and William Gibson fans.

Movie | The Book of Eli | PASS

I finally saw this. How was it for me? Spectacular! The religious aspects worked for me (they integrated perfectly into the plot and weren't overkill), loved every minute and a definite PASS. Much less depressing than The Road (which has very similar elements) and a new dystopian classic.

TV Movie | The Fall of Sam Axe | PASS

"Every man has a past. His just has more explosions."

Not just for Burn Notice fans, this TV movie chronicles exactly what the title describes. Hugely entertaining and a PASS!

TV | The Killing | PASS

Not usually our cup of tea, this AMC (mini?)series is about a female homicide detective that is trying to solve the murder of a teenage girl. Dark, set in rainy Seattle and comparable to Twin Peaks minus all of the quirky stuff. Still plenty to like, especially because it features several outstanding actors from some of our favorite TV shows (Due South, Life, Big Love, Harper's Island and Psych). Mireille Enos just knocks it out of the park! Not the usual snorefest from AMC (The Walking Dead excluded). NK likes it because it examines the murder after the event has happened, not focusing on the gruesomeness of the act. I agree. A spooky, gloomy, rainy PASS!

TV | The Triangle | Pass-ish

Woulda, shoulda, coulda been better. Eric Stoltz is once again involved with the folks behind the Battlestar Galactica remake. This time around, he's a member of a group that has been brought together to find out what the heck is happening in The Bermuda Triangle. The script jumps around and left me bewildered at times (mainly because of the bad writing). The cinematography made me sick (scenes where the characters are sitting at a table and the camera spins around them at breakneck speed was nauseating). There are moments in the second episode (there were 3 in this 2005 mini-series) of brilliance, but the ending is such a mess that it almost ruins everything. Still, it was entertaining. I just wish it had more cohesiveness to it.

Movie | MacGruber | Fail

Terrible. Spoof of McGyver set in modern times. The lame potty humor almost completely overwhelms the occasional chuckle. How did they get Phillippe, Boothe and Kilmer for this? The Miata sighting doesn't change it from a Fail.

Movie | Tron 1&2 | PASS

Disney scifi classic about a guy who gets sucked into the computer world. Minor hiccups in the script don't detract from the kitschy fun, led by always interesting Jeff Bridges.

The sequel tries too hard. It's all over the place, trying to hit too many things, all at the cost of character development. It's hard to care about anybody in it. Yet, things really pick up about 75% of the way through and the soundtrack by Daft Punk is just fantastic. Don't make the mistake we did and try to watch this back to back with the sequel. It just doesn't work, somehow.

Still, both are so unique and fun...they both deserve a PASS!

Movie | Repo Men | PASS

I can understand why this was panned. It's not quite what you'd think it will be and, at the same time, it is exactly what you think it will be. Something like a mix of Blade Runner and several other similar scifi classics (Johnny Mnemonic and The Matrix trilogy comes to mind), this violent and well done actioner exceeded my expectations. If you like things wrapped up neatly, forget seeing this. But, like the "wetwork" portrayed, this is messy, really gross and thought provoking. I was glued to every minute, no small props to the outstanding cast. Fantastic soundtrack. Not to be confused with the cult classic, Repo Man. A surprising PASS!

Movie | Traveller | PASS

Super little movie about modern day Irish gypsies. Starring possibly one of the most underrated actors of all time - Bill Paxton. Also features Julianna Margulies and Mark Wahlberg.

Movie | Evilution | Pass-ish

Silly direct to video zombie movie.

Movie | Perrier's Bounty | Pass

Slightly forgettable, violent, mildly predictable, yet excellently cast tale of a man who owes a bad man a bunch of money. Led by Cillian Murphy (28 Days Later, Sunshine) and supported by a very good gathering of actors, the story never really gets terribly interesting, unfortunately. Still, it's a Pass because it wasn't terrible, either, and you do want to see what happens to all of the characters.

Movie | A Film With Me In It | PASS

Superb black comedy about a down on his luck actor and his best friend who get involved in a series of mishaps that just keep piling up and up and up. Not roll around on the ground funny, but definitely a clever film. Dylan Moran (Black Books) costars and is massively fun to watch. A simple film and everything about it is a PASS!

Movie | Magicians | Pass

Fun comedy starring notable comedy duo Robert Webb and David Mitchell. Two magicians who previously were an act must compete against each other once again. A Pass!

Short | Harvie Krumpet | PASS

I love how Adam Elliot explores such less than perfect characters in his adorable claymations. They ultimately aren't so cute...instead, they are thought provoking, sad, depressing and yet still so very lovely. This was his first short that wasn't part of his breakout trilogy of shorts. If you're in the mood, this is a superb PASS.

Movie | Following | PASS

Knockout, slow paced, non-linear tale of a man who gets involved in robbery for less than clear reasons. This is Christopher Nolan's (Inception, Memento, Batman Begin, Insomnia, The Prestige) first full length feature (he shot it, too!) and filmed in gorgeous black and white on a shoestring budget. Arguably his best work. Meticulously made and a definite PASS!