K2's iSee

Movie | The Prestige | Pass

2012-01-31T09:20:00.001-05:00

This should have been a PASS, but it somehow comes across a bit detached. Like Nolan's earlier work, I wish he'd used less well-known actors. I found Bale and Jackman distracting, as in they are "ac-TING because they are ac-TORS!"

Still, it was gorgeous and Nolan does his nonlinear timeline thing again to great effect. Would have loved to see more of Serkis, too. In a lead role, preferably. And Bowie was awesome.

Movie | The Guard | Pass

2012-01-30T10:37:00.000-05:00

Great cast and some fun moments. Unfortunately, it's rather slow and forgettable, overall. Don't believe the intriguing enticements on the picture above. Too bad.

Book | The Cauliflower Chronicles | PASS

2012-01-28T22:54:00.001-05:00

A simply marvelous book. Reminded me a bit of Dave Lowry's Autumn Lightning. High praise, indeed.

TV | Chuck | PASS-RIP

2012-01-28T20:56:00.000-05:00

We'll miss one of the smartest spy comedies for adults ever. The finale was a real tearjerker. Viva La Chuck!

TV | The Finder | Pass-ish

2012-01-28T13:56:00.003-05:00

Too one-dimensional and the substance that was there somehow comes across flat. Could definitely get better, but we probably won't watch another episode.

Movie | From Dusk Till Dawn | Pass

2012-01-28T13:55:00.002-05:00

Tarantino and Clooney play the same characters they always do. Tattoos do not make you a good actor. But Keitel and Lewis play it so straight, they're nearly unrecognizable! Savini is hilarious and has some really great lines. The script is predictable and all over the place. Half the movie is a bad guy/bank robber/abduction thing and the other half is a gory vampire movie. For a person who loves movies that mix genres, I didn't think it worked very well.

Interesting number of elements from Pulp Fiction replayed in this movie. See how many you can spot.

TV | Touch | PASS

2012-01-26T14:55:00.004-05:00

The pilot was excellent, beautiful in fact, and the show has tons of promise.

Movie | The Lost Future | Fail

2012-01-23T15:05:00.002-05:00

Awful. What happened to you, Sean Bean?

Movie | Vanishing on 7th Street | PASS

2012-01-22T15:12:00.000-05:00

I love horror movies that don't feature lots of blood and guts, yet are still full of suspense. And when a good cast is kept simple and it's the end of the world, even better. Here's a great example of how's it's done.

Cars | Maybach | RIP

2012-01-22T15:10:00.001-05:00

Another one bites the dust. This time, it was a company built around wretched excess. No wonder it went out of business. MB seems incapable of making good decisions in the past 20 years (Chrysler, anyone?).

Cars | SAAB | RIP

2012-01-22T15:08:00.001-05:00

Though it hasn't been viable for years, it's still sad to see another car company like SAAB close its' doors.Especially one so focused on being unique. And that's what killed them - when they weren't anymore. The import car scene stole the idea of powerful front-drivers and SAAB seemed uninterested in maintaining a utilitarian slant. It would have been interesting to see what would have happened if they teamed with another company. Subaru, for example, would have been very interesting (see the 9-2X). SAAB could have covered the higher end, while Subaru could have covered the lower.

Movie | It Might Get Loud | PASS

2012-01-22T08:56:00.000-05:00

Fantastic documentary about three rock guitar gods.

Movie | Constantine | Pass

2012-01-21T19:01:00.001-05:00

Passable supernatural thriller. The main distinction is an outstanding supporting cast including Shia LaBeouf, Djimon Hounsou and Pruitt Taylor Vince (who is just so awesome in everything he does). Same director that made I Am Legend.

TV | Alcatraz | Pass

2012-01-19T22:52:00.000-05:00

It's so amazing to see a movie or TV show where the setting is familiar. "Hey, I've been there!"

This show starts off pretty well, it will be interesting to see if they can make future episodes interesting. The premise is already wearing a bit thin after only two episodes. Will it be week after week of the same thing - a new horrific criminal show up, the crew must hunt them down and stop them?

We'll see.

Oh, and NK requests that JJ Abrams find a new composer. She spent the entire show saying, "That's Lost music!" Ha ha! She's right.

Movie | Moneyball | Pass

2012-01-16T08:28:00.002-05:00

Slow and over two hours, but quite good. Worth seeing if you're in the mood.

TV | House of Lies | Fail

2012-01-12T22:52:00.003-05:00

Cheadle is awesome. But even he can't save this dreadful show. There is practically nothing to like about it.

Movie | Mars Needs Moms | PASS

2012-01-09T09:10:00.001-05:00

C'mon! I have to see what critics labeled one of the worst movies of the year and possibly the worst Disney movie ever made.

And, yes, it was dark (aliens killing moms for their memories?!?). But, seriously, how can that be an argument? Bambi, anyone? That criticism is moot.

This had tons of action, real emotion, fantastic animation, interesting characters and an entertaining script. I liked it a lot! The critics are wrong on this one. I have the feeling that the folks that didn't like it were expecting something else. Gnomeo and Juliet, perhaps. So, don't see this if you want light, happy fun. But, if you want a great space adventure that involves aliens, explosions and is suitable for preteens (say, 10-12 or so) and adults (Zathura is another excellent example), this is a must see!

Movie | Darkon | Pass

2012-01-05T20:30:00.003-05:00

Well done, straight-faced documentary that follows a fantasy live-action role-playing group in Maryland.

While the concept (of LARPing) is ludicrous on the surface, this film does a good job of exploring how these folks are using the activity to strengthen their personal and professional lives. Like religion, I say whatever floats your boat and encourages positive, meaningful relationships with others is a good thing.

I found the gaming scenes intensely boring and skipped most of them. But, the "normal" scenes and interviews made the movie well worth watching. Like The Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia, you can't help but to really feel for these folks. Life (real and imagined) is brutally hard.

TV | Ebert Presents At The Movies | RIP

2012-01-02T20:55:00.001-05:00

This great new version of the old Siskel and Ebert show featured hosts that didn't quite click (or maybe they were just too intellectual). But that's not the real problem. No, the failure of the show rests on the heads of the dopey public that don't care about anything other than staring at themselves in the mirror. Tragedy. I hope they keep it going online.

TV | Portlandia | PASS

2012-01-02T20:51:00.002-05:00

NK found this hugely annoying, but I really grew to like the characters and appreciate the suble, low key humor about the 90s slacker lifestyle in Portland, OR. This is not a show you can just fall into. Love the intro music by Washed Out and the hilarious cameos by all sorts of cool actors and musicians (especially Kyle MacLachlan as the mayor). Portlandia has a similar feel as Flight of the Conchords, with the quirk and the music well mixed. This is a surprisingly great show and I can't get it out of my head.

Movie | Mission: Impossible 4 | PASS

2011-12-31T18:53:00.001-05:00

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

2011-12-31T09:12:00.001-05:00

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

2011-12-30T16:06:00.001-05:00

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

Short | Jonah Hex DC Showcase | PASS

2011-12-30T10:40:00.001-05:00

Awesome! Watch it on Youtube!

Movie | Mission: Impossible II | PASS

2011-12-28T21:31:00.000-05:00

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

2011-12-27T20:12:00.000-05:00

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

2011-12-27T16:36:00.001-05:00

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

Movie | S. Darko | Pass

2011-12-22T22:45:00.001-05:00

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

2011-12-22T22:44:00.002-05:00

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

2011-12-18T19:58:00.000-05:00

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

Movie | Bran Nu Dae | Fail

2011-12-18T19:57:00.000-05:00

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

2011-12-17T16:23:00.000-05:00

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

2011-12-15T23:53:00.001-05:00

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

2011-12-15T08:52:00.001-05:00

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

2011-12-13T21:06:00.004-05:00

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

2011-12-10T17:04:00.008-05:00

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

2011-12-04T19:53:00.001-05:00

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.

Movie | Gnomeo and Juliet | Pass

2011-11-28T14:19:00.000-05:00

Cute enough.

Movie | Detective Dee | Fail

2011-11-24T09:27:00.000-05:00

This is obviously a pretty good movie, but I just couldn't get into it. I think a lot of people would like it, just not me. Tsui Hark just doesn't do it for me and I'm so bone tired of Wuxia.

Movie | Willard | Pass

2011-11-24T09:25:00.000-05:00

I was trying to think of another remake that surpassed the original. Here's another good example, mostly due to the power of Glover's performance. Hilariously, they also integrated the Michael Jackson song that appeared in the sequel to the original, titled Ben.

Movie | Val Lewton: The Man in the Shadows | PASS

2011-11-22T21:49:00.000-05:00

Marvelous documentary about genius producer Val Lewton.

Movie | Battle: Los Angeles | Pass

2011-11-22T15:09:00.002-05:00

If you liked the Marines versus alien robot scenes in Transformers, you'll like this. We found it surprisingly entertaining for a mindless Hollywood smash 'em up. What was also surprising was how horrifically bad the soundtrack was. It was if they could only afford one track, so they just kept playing it over and over and over. Still, a good way to turn off your brain and enjoy a simple action movie. Sometimes that fits the bill just perfectly.

Movie | Man From Nowhere | Pass

2011-11-19T23:22:00.001-05:00

A good hit-man movie that owes a whole bunch to a certain Mr. Luc Besson. Thanks for the recommendation, RM!

TV | Metal Evolution | Pass

2011-11-18T10:31:00.002-05:00

Excellent first episode! Especially the connection made to Holst, Elvis, Little Richard and Howlin' Wolf. Looking forward to more from Dunn and crew. I haven't seen his other work, but now I want to. He's sort of a cool Ken Burns, if you can imagine that.

Movie | No Maps For These Territories | Pass

2011-11-15T14:28:00.000-05:00

I insulted the Godfather of cyberspace, even though he most assuredly wouldn't remember it. And why would he?

At a book signing, I had him autograph my Johnny Mnemonic poster and although I can't recall exactly what I said to him, it was not a positive comment about that project. He was nice enough to smile and chuckle about it.

Cool guy and this is a neat documentary detailing his thoughts on today's society and his works that foretold them. A must see for scifi fans.

Movie | Moontrap | Fail

2011-11-14T08:45:00.000-05:00

So bad, it was almost good in a cheesy way. Despite the presence of Bruce Campbell, it wasn't.

Movie | Scrooged | Fail

2011-11-13T18:21:00.000-05:00

We watched this again, for research into another project that we're up to. I remember this being much better than it was. It's a mess. The cast is enjoyable, but it's really pretty bad. The best part is the Danny Elfman soundtrack, which is amazing.

Movie | SUPER | PASS

2011-11-12T19:22:00.006-05:00

Imagine Taxi Driver envisioned by a comic book fanatic. That's what you get with SUPER. The violence is really vivid and you get the whole thing wrapped in an "indie" movie container. Same director that brought us Slither. NK said at one point, "Haven't we already watched this movie?" She's right, we have seen this all before, a mix of the aforementioned, Kick-Ass, Defendor and Special, to name a few. If you have the stomach for it (in your face violence, depressing characters) and you liked those other movies as much as I did, then this is a must see. The ending is extremely well done and really makes the movie.

Web Series | Enter The Dojo | Pass

2011-11-11T20:27:00.004-05:00

Not quite up to the same standard as The Foot Fist Way, but a must see for long time martial artists. See the latest in the series.

Movie | Animal Kingdom | Pass

2011-11-11T17:24:00.000-05:00

Modern, violent, thriller about a psycho Aussie crime family. Well done and the excellent cast really sells it.

Movie | No Escape | PASS

2011-11-11T10:34:00.000-05:00

Hadn't seen this one in a long time and don't remember it being all that good. Wrong. It's fantastic!

Another take on the The Most Dangerous Game theme, this has sort of a Waterworld/Mad Max feeling to it. The restrained gore makes it all that much better. A forgotten classic.

Movie | The Thing (82) | PASS

2011-11-08T14:56:00.000-05:00

How rare is it when a remake surpasses the original? VERY. I can't think of one just off the top of my head. Some were good, most were bad, but it never happens that a remake is better than the original.

This one really works because of the cast and John Carpenter. Very gross, actually pretty scary and Kurt Russell's weird sombrero is just plain awesome.

The original was pretty good, too. I don't know about the 2011 remake. I'm sure I'll see it sooner or later.

A horror keeper.

Movie | Attack the Block | PASS

2011-11-04T20:26:00.003-04:00

This was the second movie of our two night Halloween movie marathon. Was it any good? Two words for you:

Massive Fun!

A crew of English ruffians take on an alien attack on their "block". A straightforward concept, but it has surprising complexity. For example, there are times when we were actually rooting for the aliens!

Definitely R rated, with some gore and lots of foul language. There's a hilarious scene where even the kids are repulsed by the "potty mouth". Be prepared for almost impenetrable accents at times. But, you'll get the gist.

Fantastic soundtrack featuring Basement Jaxx.

It was a perfect Halloween movie. A total keeper sleeper and a must see!

Movie | Forbidden Planet | Pass

2011-11-04T20:25:00.000-04:00

A couple of months ago, someone asked me if there were any scifi movies before Star Wars, as if there weren't any. And this person was a full grown adult in his 40s.

Uhh.... somebody needs to rent an old movie once in a while. That statement/mock question so flabbergasted me that my mind went utterly blank, like an empty lead balloon.

While there are plenty of genre films that predate it (Metropolis being a prime example), Forbidden Planet is arguably the first big-budget, recognizably named cast scifi movie and a shining example of what this person has completely missed (sarcastically).

Sure, it's dated. That's because it was made in 1956, not 2010. And, it's rather slow. What?!? A movie can survive if it's not all guts, explosions and actors phoning it in?!? Despite all of that, it's just as cutting edge as Star Wars. How about the first movie to have an entirely electronic soundtrack? It's also loosely based on Shakespeare and Gene Roddenberry was inspired by it to create a little show called Star Trek.

Yes, Bucky, there were scifi movies before that Vader-fest. Lots of them. Lots of them were actually really good, too.

I know...shocking.

Movie | House | PASS

2011-10-31T14:14:00.000-04:00

Part of our two night Halloween movie watching fun, we (re)watched the comedy/horror classic starring William Katt. The end sort of fizzles out, but the first three quarters is pure fun.

Movie | The Handmaid's Tale | PAss

2011-10-25T08:31:00.001-04:00

A cross between 1984 and The Stepford Wives, this excellent and disturbing (but not on the scale of many of today's nastiness) dystopian classic features a killer cast. Based on the superb book by Margaret Atwood. Thiiiiis close to being a full on PASS.

Movie | Slither | Pass

2011-10-22T19:56:00.004-04:00

Gross-out horror comedy that owes more than a thing or two to the old monster movies from the 50s and 60s (and a certain Mr. Cronenberg). Very good cast and high production values. A must see if you are into this sort of thing, no pun intended...or was it?!? Mwhahaha!

Looking forward to more from this director, like Super.

Movie | Tooth & Nail | Fail

2011-10-22T14:32:00.001-04:00

A Philadelphia setting and a decent cast (Vinnie Jones!) don't make this dystopian movie about a group of survivors who are attacked by a band of cannibals any good. This is a great example of how really, really bad editing can completely screw up a movie.

Movie | Hoodwinked Too | Pass

2011-10-21T15:30:00.001-04:00

TV | Suburgatory | Fail

2011-10-21T00:22:00.001-04:00

So bizarre that it's not funny. And that's not good for a comedy. Despite a really good cast, the pilot barely raised a smirking lip. Instead, the eyebrows shot up in confusion - what in the Sam H is going on here? Made no sense, I tell ya.

TV | Whitney | Fail

2011-10-21T00:20:00.001-04:00

Painfully written and produced. Seems like it could have been potentially good, but isn't.

Movie | The Tingler | Pass

2011-10-19T13:57:00.000-04:00

Infamous director/producer William Castle liked to rely on gimmicks to promote his low budget monster movies. For The Tingler, he stuck electrical wires underneath film goers' chairs and gave them a jolt or two periodically. Surprisingly, the movie ain't bad either, mainly due to the presence of the always amazing Vincent Price. The twists and turns of the script also helped. No, it ain't no The Last Man on Earth, but it entertained me all the way through. Is that saying much?

Movie | Damnation Alley | Pass-ish

2011-10-17T15:09:00.002-04:00

A staple from the dystopian catalog, this still is a pretty bad movie all around. Peppard and cast do the best they can, but this is so cheesy that it's nearly unwatchable. Especially the FX, they're just so ridiculous. Still, if you're crazy for movies from this genre like me, you'll need to see it.

Movie | Lawnmower Man 2 | Fail

2011-10-17T15:06:00.000-04:00

Okay, it was really bad. Still, it was fun to see the cast (and crew from Max Headroom!). There are certainly better cyberpunk movies out there...this one went for the PG-13, "isn't the future dirty, grungy and cooooool?!? thang, which never works.

Movie | Wild Target | Pass

2011-10-17T15:02:00.000-04:00

Highly enjoyable hitman comedy with a superb cast and music from Imelda May!

Move | Triangle | PASS

2011-10-10T20:57:00.003-04:00

Thanks for the recommendation, MK! This was an excellent horror/thriller that was quite similar to Los Cronocrimenes (especially the mask/hood), which will most assuredly be made into a stupid remake. Bloody, but not excessive. Good suspense. The heroine's getup was hilariously ridiculous and she somehow bugged me a bit. Regardless of the nitpicks, she did a fantastic job. Two thumbs up!

TV | Homeland | PASS

2011-10-10T15:30:00.004-04:00

A weak premise, but some compensation by the incredible cast and a very good production. We'll see.

Update: Excellent. The acting is so powerful, it makes up for the snails' pace. Some superb plot twists, too.

TV | No Heroics | Fail

2011-10-10T15:29:00.002-04:00

Unfunny. Won't it be great when they make a US version. It won't, in case you're wondering.

Movie | Bridesmaids | Pass

2011-10-10T15:28:00.003-04:00

A surprising amount of heart and character development saves what could be another horrific Hangover.

Movie | Terri | Fail

2011-10-10T15:28:00.002-04:00

Too familiar territory and unsatisfying, despite an excellent cast.

People | Steve Jobs | RIP

2011-10-05T20:50:00.000-04:00

Visionary.

Movie | Death Machine | Pass

2011-10-04T12:14:00.002-04:00

Reminds me of Hardware a bit. Also Aliens, Robocop and Terminator. I rather enjoyed it, in a cheesy B-movie sort of way. I think Dourif is underrated and I liked Sharian's performance (and the humor that went along with his role) a lot. If the listed movies are your thing, this is a surprisingly decent way to spend your time. Is it great? No. But, still...

Movie | Tucker and Dale vs Evil | PASS

2011-10-02T15:06:00.001-04:00

Hilarious horror comedy, mainly due to the two brilliant stars - Tudyk and Labine. Hopefully, they'll make a sequel. When was the last time I said that?!? Great effort by the newbie director. Long live Tucker and Dale!

Movie | The New Kids | Pass-ish

2011-10-01T21:14:00.002-04:00

Moldy and dated 80s psychological horror, but fun to watch Spader. Loughlin was good, too. Stoltz is painfully underutilized. Was that Sarah Jessica Parker in a brief, non-speaking extra role? Terrible soundtrack.

Movie | Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten | PASS

2011-10-01T18:36:00.000-04:00

Long but fantastic. If you're a music lover, this is a MUST SEE biopic about one of the most iconic musicians of all time who never surrendered and never sold out.

Movie | Priest | PASS

2011-09-29T22:40:00.000-04:00

Great fun and a super mixture of genres. I wanted to see more.

TV | Person of Interest | Pass

2011-09-25T18:21:00.004-04:00

Excellent pilot. Hopefully, there's enough there to make a long running show out of it. Plus, they used Massive Attack's "Angel", so what could go wrong?

Movie | Who Killed The Electric Car? | Fail?!?

2011-09-24T16:22:00.004-04:00

I want an electric car. But, after seeing this movie, I don't. Not if it makes me wear blinders like I'm some sort of one legged pack horse named Hoppy. This "documentary" seems to have been made by people who hate cars, don't understand them, don't want to even try. All combustion engines are pure evil, they say. It's ludicrous. They even state that the EV1 was fast. It wasn't, similar to a Honda Fit (which only gets 30 combined, but still!). And the condescending tone of the film is insulting to an extreme. They dumb down the tech to the point where it's isn't even addressed. This movie was stupid, stupid, stupid. It should have been much more balanced. Are the car companies evil? Yes. Are all of the people working in them? No.

Still, the big car companies are stupid, too. There is absolutely NO reason why they don't produce more EVs and hybrids. They can do it, they just don't want to. It will change sooner or later, no matter what. Whether they want to do it or not.

A better usage of your time might be to read Electric and Hybrid Cars: A History by Curtis Anderson.

Movie | Gran Torino | Pass

2011-09-24T16:20:00.005-04:00

There are no surprises in this depressing story about old age and ghetto creep. Yes, there are some worthwhile things that happen, but they do so in an extremely stilted and robotic way. It was good, but I wish I'd enjoyed it more. The car was awesome.

Movie | Smithereens | Fail

2011-09-22T22:25:00.004-04:00

The presence of Richard Hell and a fun, nostalgic look back at the New Wave early 80s doesn't fix the horrendous cinematography, poor acting and everything else that's so very bad with this film. Kinda sad, because it could have had a chance if it had a more interesting script. No relation to the cool rock band by the same name, that I could see at least. Same director that did Desperately Seeking Susan, so this is the setup for that. It is none of those things promised on the poster. See Suburbia, The Rise and Fall of Western Civilization or Times Square instead.

Movie | Samourais | Fail

2011-09-22T22:19:00.002-04:00

Horrible dubbing, cheesy acting and bad direction ruin a mildly interesting script. Evil may never die, but this movie should never have been born. Some sort of French/Japanese production? Whatever. Just bad all the way around.

Movie | Mindwarp | Pass

2011-09-18T20:31:00.000-04:00

A dystopian B-movie that somehow slipped under my rader, starring Bruce "I Am The Chin" Campbell, no less. He raised the level of the film, as he always does. This one sways towards cheesy horror and is most certainly dated, but it still was rather creative and surprisingly interesting. I liked it. Didn't love it, but I watched it all the way through.

Movie | Please Give | Fail

2011-09-11T19:59:00.001-04:00

Darn. My streak of good movies has (hopefully temporarily) ended. We just wanted to strike the characters about the face and neck, they were so annoying and nauseatingly self focused. Blech and double blech.

Movie | Hanna | PASS

2011-09-11T11:19:00.000-04:00

Superb twist on the trained assassin genre. Creative editing and directing, gorgeous cinematography, good acting and a spectacularly unique soundtrack by The Chemical Brothers. The ending was very thought provoking.

Movie | Wasabi | PASS

2011-09-09T15:45:00.000-04:00

I don't remember seeing this previously, but I must have. Regardless, I loved it again. As much as I'm not a fan of the French language, I sure do love their movies. Especially when the names Jean Reno, Luc Besson and Eric Serra are attached. Great fun!

TV | How Not To Live Your Life | Pass

2011-09-06T08:46:00.001-04:00

Cute, very R-rated Britcom about a slacker who inherits a big house. Not roll on the ground funny, but certainly giggle-worthy. Raunchy. Good character development and not insulting to the intelligence. From one of the guys behind the cult classic The Mighty Boosh...I Spy the special appearances by Noel Fielding and Julian Barrett!

Movie | Get Low | PASS

2011-09-04T13:38:00.004-04:00

Good film about an old codger who wants a funeral before he's dead. Rather slow and interesting choices in casting. Bill Murray is good, but seems a bit out of place. And the spark between Spacek and Duvall is not entirely there (which does make sense and is explained later in the film). Still, they all do a great job, as usual, and this is well worth watching.

Movie | Black Heaven | Pass-ish

2011-09-01T22:54:00.002-04:00

What a strange little movie. A young Frenchman is drawn into a dark world of intrigue and death in an online video game. Meanwhile, his fragile girlfriend is at risk of being left behind. Slow moving and not happy-happy, it was still rather intriguing, mainly due to some very good cinematography and acting.

TV | Strike Back | Pass-ish

2011-08-31T21:07:00.000-04:00

Good, but not our bag of tea. Conflict in the middle east is not our thang.

Movie | Tangled | Pass

2011-08-30T20:38:00.002-04:00

Adorable and well made, a definite keeper.

Book | Kage | Pass

2011-08-29T16:49:00.002-04:00

Movie | Redident Evil: Degeneration | Pass-ish

2011-08-29T16:35:00.002-04:00

Slightly distracting video game animation. That's a negative - especially the mouth and dialogue synch or lack there of. Plus some slow spots don't remove the zombie shooting element of fun. Tries to take the whole thing in the direction of yet another evil corporation/people, but that's easy to ignore. For Resident Evil fans only, really.

TV | Spirited Season 2 | PASS

2011-08-28T22:21:00.004-04:00

Season 2 of Spirited absolutely rocks! The plot thickens when Henry brings back a bunch of dead people with him after he goes through the door, including The King...who just might be evil incarnate. Meanwhile, Suzy finds her long missing Mother. But, is it a good thing? Steve continues being, well...Steve. But now, his son is living with him and he must make a man of him? Should he win the Worst Parent of the Year Award? Zach and Jonquil are still shacked up and all is fine and dandy...until Henry actually inhabits Zach briefly! Will it lead to an awkward scene between Jonquil, Zach and Suzy? Who knows! We'll find out.

Don't leave us....STRANDED!!!!

TV | Republic of Doyle | Pass-ish

2011-08-28T21:31:00.000-04:00

This is actually a pretty decent show. It follows the adventures of a father and son private detective team in modern-day Newfoundland. Unfortunately, it didn't really hook us and we quit after a couple of episodes. Bummer, because it had a lot of promise. Maybe we'll come back to it another time. Or maybe not. Appearance by the great Paul Gross (episode 13 of season 2).

Movie | Sucker Punch | Fail

2011-08-28T16:08:00.013-04:00

Fail?!? That's right, Bucky. Probably due to so much hype, I became more and more irritated by this travesty of a movie the longer it went on, squirming in my chair as if I sat on a bunch of ants.

Like a video game or music video, the character development was so poor that it didn't matter when main characters died and the plot turned. Who cared? The battle scenes were impressive but, again, so what? Another one? Ho hum....

I liked the overall message of having a guardian angel. Or was that becoming your own guardian angel? Even that was a muddy, murky mess.

The music was interesting, too, until I realized that it was almost entirely covers. Seriously?!? They couldn't come up with anything new? And that really sums up this film. It isn't anything new. In fact, it's rather insulting if you're older than 20, you like movies and you aren't infatuated with video games and/or anime (if so, you are forgiven).

The acting was pretty bad and consisted of wearing about thirty pounds of makeup and mooning about for no explained or perceivable reason (men and women). If the girls were so tough, how did they get there and why did they put up with a bit of it? Oh yeah, there's some explanation, but it doesn't make much sense (and certainly not wearing a Sailor Moon outfit). The different realities intertwined randomly and for no other reason than completely for convenience of the script.

Is director Zack Snyder another Tarantino, creating self indulgent movies for perverse reasons at the cost of an interesting plot and character development? It certainly looks like it. He started off fairly well with the remake of Dawn of the Dead. That was pretty good because the original was pretty good. Then came 300, which was good because it was A GOOD STORY. Forget about the ridiculous airbrushed abs. Then we got the atrocious Watchmen, which was so awful that it's beyond words (despite a good cast). I didn't see the Owl movie, but from what I've heard, it was inappropriate for kids. But it was a movie for...kids?!?

The lights are on on, but nobody is home in the director's house. Mental note: don't see his Superman reboot.

Having said all of that, I can understand why other people would love it. It is (im)perfectly mindless entertainment.

I can't get my 90 minutes back and I wish I could. This was another case of too much build up, no delivery and a woulda, shoulda, coulda been so much better movie...

This flotsam lacked everything The Nines had...complexity, a script developed to a razor edge, really good acting and completely lacking in visual self stimulation (like the late great Hitchcock, it let you use your imagination...imagine!). If you'd rather engage your brain than numb it by beating it with a concrete block, see that movie instead.

Movie | The Nines | PASS

2011-08-27T08:22:00.004-04:00

I absolutely loved this Twilight Zone/Donnie Darko/Rear Window-esque movie about...well, I can't tell you without giving anything away. But, I guarantee that you will be confused at multiple times (we were) and say "Huh?!?" after it's all over. It does all make sense in the end, if you stick with it and you pick a reason why you think it's all happening. Yep, it's that ambiguous! Fantastic! Definitely not for everyone. Especially folks that love everything wrapped up in a nice neat little package by the end. NK didn't love it, but I most definitely did. A cult classic keeper. The come hither lines on the poster above are actually pretty accurate, for once.

Interesting director, who is one to watch. This was his first full length feature. He also wrote some interesting screenplays including Big Fish and Go. Of course, he also wrote the horrific Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle. Eh, I guess everybody's got to pay the bills. Tim Burton obviously loves his work, though, so that's a good sign.

The Nines is a must see in my book. But maybe just in my book....;-) Are you game?

Movie | Resident Evil: Afterlife | Pass

2011-08-25T15:17:00.001-04:00

Excellent fourth installment, with the fifth to arrive soon. It ain't rocket science and it gets further and further away from the "classic" zombie genre and closer and closer to standard action. I rather enjoyed the differences. If you liked the other ones, you'll like this one. Save your quarters for The Executioner!

Movie | Population 436 | Pass-ish

2011-08-25T13:28:00.002-04:00

Less than thrilling thriller about a town where the population never changes. If a baby is born, somebody dies. Plus freaky Children of the Corn-type religious stuff. You get the drift. Coulda been better and rather slow.

And, yes, it's that Fred Durst from Limp Bizkit. I nearly didn't recognize him. How was his acting? Not bad at all, really! Good on him. Hope to see him in more (and better) productions.

Movie AND Real Life | Paradise Lost | PASS

2011-08-21T12:41:00.002-04:00

Shocking documentary about three boys accused of brutally murdering three other boys. Turns out that one of their stepfathers did it. Now, about a million years later, they are free. See the recent news. Fascinating, yet horrific stuff. Yet more proof of the incredible power of film-making.

And, no, that isn't Rosie O'Donnell in the poster.

Movie | The Road to El Dorado | Pass

2011-08-21T12:31:00.001-04:00

Really cute adventure from Dreamworks. Surprisingly, there are some curse words and male nudity. Kids won't notice, but adults will cringe slightly at the racism, human sacrifice and sexuality. Still, superb fun and the questionable moments pass quickly.