Movie | Mission: Impossible 4 | PASS

If you loved the third movie, you're going to love this one. Also under the auspices of JJ Abrams, this is another super slick, faster paced entry to the franchise. It was very cool that they explained some things that happened between this and the last movie and included Ving Rhames, even though it's only a bit role.

1 and 2 are slow and old school. 3 and 4 are frantic and new school. You can't go wrong with any of the them, it just depends on what you're in the mood for.

Cars | Threatened, Endangered and Extinct | PASS

Here's a fantastic article from the classic an collectible car insurers, Hagerty Insurance about cars that are threatened, endangered or extinct. Some are totally expected, but others are hugely surprising. For example, the 1984 Dodge Caravan/Plymouth Voyager - how many of those were made?!? I guess they just weren't made all that well.

I suppose this list doesn't prove anything other than that the cars listed are not insured by Hagerty. Still, it's an interesting list and and food for thought if you are a collector. This the cycle with collectible cars. Today's generation will want what they had "back in the day".

Movie | Mission: Impossible III | PASS

Undoubtedly,  most definitely, the best of the first three. Super slick, tight production and fastest paced.

Short | Jonah Hex DC Showcase | PASS

Awesome! Watch it on Youtube!

Movie | Mission: Impossible II | PASS

John Woo is up to his usual tricks. Seems like he recycled Face Off for M:I2. Still, great slammin' action fun to be had here.

Movie | Mission Impossible | PASS

In preparation for seeing the fourth installment, we reviewed the first movie in the series. It's funny how old the tech is and how it's darn slow for 5/6 of the time, but it's still very good and features an outstanding cast.

TV | The Mercury Men | Pass

Good, pulpy stuff a la 30s sci-fi.

Movie | S. Darko | Pass

I rather liked this sequel. NK did not, but watched the entire thing nonetheless. I think it helps if you are a rabid fan of the fantastically unique (which S. Darko is not, unfortunately) original, like me. If you aren't or you haven't seen Donnie Darko, you should skip this one. Intentionally weird, to the point of being almost too hip and out there for its' own good, this is a continuation of the same concepts created by Richard Kelly, with mostly positive outcome. Cool soundtrack that isn't available for some reason. If you like movies that make you go, "Huh?!?", this one is for you. But see Donnie first, that's for sure.

Movie | The Assassination of Jessie James by the Coward Robert Ford | Pass

A great cast and gorgeous cinematography compensate for one of the worst titles ever and impossibly slow pacing. I would rather have seen Brad Pitt and Sam Rockwell switch roles. That would have been more interesting. Still, it's a good movie, worth seeing if you've got over two and a half hours to kill and like watching skilled actors do a lot with so little.

But in the end, it all comes across as painfully self aware and a rather boring viewing experience. A character study more than anything else.

Movie | Eating Raoul | Pass

Ridiculous, dated, kinda gross (though there's no gore) and mildly humorous.

Movie | Bran Nu Dae | Fail

It's nearly impossible to make a musical work as a film. Unfortunately, here's another example of why, despite earnest intentions.

Movie | Metal: A Headbanger's Journey | Pass

I enjoyed the TV show so much, I watched the movie that predated it. Very, very good and a must see for genre aficionados and lovers of music in general.

Movie | Zombimania | Pass

Entertaining documentary about the past and present state of the zombie genre. Quite good and thought provoking. "Many of us are zombies in real life..." Amen, brother, amen.

Movie | The Mechanic | Pass

Predictable and rather bland big budget hitman movie and a remake of the superior Charles Bronson 1972 classic. Still, when the action finally gets going, you get what you paid your hard earned shekels for.

Can Statham do anything other than this role? YES! See Revolver. He got a real chance to stretch, which he did a great job of. No, it wasn't outside of his genre wheelhouse, but the character he played was quite different from all of these other silent but deadly, square jawed roles.

Movie | Rubber | PAss

Pointless and supposed to be. One of characters even declares it in a long diatribe in the beginning of the movie.

Whacked out story of an old car tire named Robert who has murderous psychokinetic powers and likes to blow things up. Particularly human heads. Unfortunately a bit boring. Still, highly original, well acted and beautifully filmed. Probably not for the average moviegoer.

Movie | Let Me In | PASS

I swore to myself that I would never see this. The original was such a disturbing, compelling, beautiful, gruesome and heart wrenching horror movie that there could be no way that a remake could be a smidgeon as good. And just 2 years after the release of the original! Clearly they just jumped on the bandwagon and tried to ride it.

Wrong. While it loses any originality points, all of the elements are there in a fascinating, superb way. Yes, it's slightly different (ever so), but somehow the dumbing down for us 'Mericans seems to have worked in a positive way and the plot is a tad more linear. Though, that could also be seen as a negative. But still, the story is so complex and stunningly interwoven, that I don't think so.

Half-heard conversations, out of focus frames and long periods of isolated and isolating scenes...fantastic production all the way round. And they didn't screw it up with a ludicrous soundtrack. Instead, they created a subdued orchestral piece, interspersed with 80's gems like "Turning Japanese" by The Vapors.

Same director as Cloverfield (who also adapted the screenplay and don't worry, he dumps the nauseatingly shaky camera here) and if you liked the original, you'll like this one. In fact, you may enjoy it more if you have seen the original, because you can really savor the twists and turns. If you haven't seen Let Me In, be prepared for one of the best horror movies for thinking people of the last couple of years. It's not necessary to see the original. See either, or if you don't like subtitles, see this one. You won't be sorry either way. A PASS and possibly one of the best blatant remakes ever.

TV | Grimm | Pass

Without Silas Weir Mitchell, this would most likely be a Fail. Having watched the first two episodes, I'll probably watch another one or two to see if it gets better.