Movie | Lucky Number Slevin | Pass

Interesting thriller about a guy who gets caught up in the cross-hairs between two crime-lords.

Movie | Amelia | Fail-ish

Here's a decent movie where nothing really clicks. Swank works really hard to recreate Amelia Earhart, but only succeeds in making her seem like a weirdo. Gere moons about, smiling his trademark Kris Kringle grin and not much else.

Ultimately, the movie is uninvolved and boring. It's not a bad movie, but it's not good either. So, a Fail-ish.

Movie | There Will Be Blood | Pass

JN recommended this movie. He likes big, grandiose, well done, depressing movies that are targeted at award nominations. You know the kind. And if you don't agree with him wholeheartedly, he goes balistic. He can be downright nasty about it.

So, I knew what I was getting into when I finally got around to watching this. And no surprise here, that's exactly what I got. It's gorgeously shot, acted and produced. Check. It's depressing and grandiose. Check.

So, what else did I dislike? Well, there's zero dialogue for the first 15 minutes of this marathon of a movie, which just comes across as, "Look at ME! I'm DRAMATIC!". And the music, while brilliant, doesn't fit the first third of the movie whatsoever. It's just downright odd, building tension where there isn't any at all and misplaced.

Still, it IS a well done movie, no doubt about it. If you're in the mood...it's a Pass.

TV | The IT Crowd | PASS

After nearly a year and a half, the gang's all back! Hallelujah!

So far, the first episode of series 4 was good. Not GREAT, like so many episodes, but still TV gold.

Can't wait for the next installment of one of the best britcoms ever made!

Movie | Dylan Moran: Like, Totally | Pass

Live standup concert with the ever negative but always funny Dylan Moran (creator and star of the marvelous TV show, Black Books among other roles). If you're easily upset by attacks on your own country and culture, you should skip this one. If you find that a comedy mirror can be enlightening, though...check this out.

When I close my eyes, I can't tell the difference between Moran and Eddie Izzard. Wait...was that an cultural insult...?!

A Pass!

Movie | Love The Beast | PASS

A superb documentary about a man's obsession with a car (a 1975 Ford Falcon XB Coupe - a car similar to the Mach 1 Mustang of the same era). So much more than that premise, this is a story of true friendship and family - something that we all want and need but don't necessarily get. Just an absolutely gorgeous and lovingly produced movie and not necessarily for gearheads only (though that helps). I give this two thumbs WAAAAAY up!

Movie | The Limits of Control | Pass

What do you get if you take a movie script about a hitman and strip almost everything away that you possibly can? If this sounds interesting to you and you have an appreciation for color palettes and angles in movies, you'll enjoy this as much as I did. All others need not apply.

Like an Alex Cox movie cranked up to eleven, this Jim Jarmusch movie relishes Spanish culture, stylized dialogue and long, drawn out scenes. The movie even acknowledges this in the dialogue. Something like, "Don't you just love movies with scenes where two people are just sitting and talking?"

But, it's no wonder this movie alienated so many people. It's certainly not the next Transformers movie! Things aren't blowing up, nothing is handed to you on a platter. This is for sophisticated adult viewers that have an appreciation for quite the opposite. Sometimes you're in the mood for one and not the other, so make sure you're in the mood for this one.

Still brilliant and a thumb and a half up.

Movie | Gentlemen Broncos | Fail-ish

Humor is tough. And quirky humor is even harder. Sometimes it comes out forced and doesn't work, as it did in this lampoon of a sci-fi writers (and sci-fi movies to a lesser extent).

The cool cast can't save the dreadful writing and there were just too many poop jokes for me. One or two is fine, but stop after that!

The guy that did Nacho Libre and Napoleon Dynamite did this.

Bummer, had a lot of promise but it's a Fail-ish.

Movie | Martian Child | Pass

John Cusack returns to excellent form in this quirky drama about a rich widower who adopts a child with "special needs". I've got a lot of students with "special needs" (whatever that means) and the "special needs" of the kid portrayed in this movie are ridiculous in an unrealistic way.

Still, the movie is a heartwarmer with some tearjerker moments and a Pass! If you've missed Cusack since Say Anything (not that he hasn't turned out some really interesting movies, but you know what I mean), you'll be pleased.

TV | Sit Down Shut Up | Pass-ish

In contrast, everything I like about Neighbors From Hell, I dislike about this show. There are some clever jokes and the plot and characters are fairly interesting. But, there's really no reason why this is a cartoon. In fact, they go so far as using real photos of a school as a background (animating the characters). Why bother?

Again, an interesting (voice) cast, but in this case it's just not that interesting even though I'm watching every episode. Just not with gusto or excitement. It's that kind of show.

Pass-ish.

TV | Neighbors From Hell | Pass

Good (very soft) R-rated adult animated comedy about a family of demons sent to earth to destroy a human-made drill that is going to end up destroying Hades. They've got to blend in - guess what? The humans are worse that the demons!

Clever, great actors involved, good production and fun animation...all the while avoiding my pet peeve about the latest wave of adult cartoons (never venturing away from the realistic...which begs the question, why bother animating it?).

Occasionally, the plot and details go in directions that I don't love (cruelty towards animals, in particular). But, it isn't too bad.

One thumb up and a Pass.

Movie | Cold Souls | Pass

This sleepy story about a man (Paul Giamatti) who decides to put his soul in cold storage is a tough one. I liked it, but it was so slow that it almost put me to sleep. There is some mild humor that really helps, the production is superb and the acting is just marvelous. But, it's hard for me to recommend this because of the snail's pace.

If you're up for it, I can think of worse ways to spend an hour and three-quarters, but know what you're in for going in.

One thumb up and a Pass.

Movie | Ip Man 2 | Pass

Nowhere near as good as the first movie, starring Donnie Yen, but definitely a fun Kung Fu flick. The line between reality and fiction really gets stretched in this one and it doesn't have the wonderful emotional content of the first. It will be interesting to see what happens with other adaptations of Grandmaster Ip Man's life or if there's a third installment featuring Yen (who is prefect, frankly).

There seem to be quite a few copies around that have extremely poorly translated subtitles. It's worth the effort (or a patience) to try to find a version with good ones. Alternatively, you could learn Chinese...!

Sammo Hung, who plays Hung Jan Nam, is fantastic as ever, too.

Still, worth a watch. One thumb up and a Pass.

TV | Gravity | FAIL

Horrible, horrible show about a group of suicidal people. Poorly produced, bad acting, dreadful plots, criminally bad dialogue...it's a skipper, Skipper!

Too bad, because Ving Rhames is in it.

Sometimes you need to know when to pull the plug. I don't mean that as a joke. FAIL

Movie | The Astronaut's Wife | Fail

The only interesting thing about this thriller about an astronaut who comes back from outer space...but there's something HORRIBLY WRONG with him, duhn duhn duhn!...is Joe Morton.

A mildly slick waste of all of the actor's talents, including Depp and Theron. They look happy in the picture to the right, but you know they're not (with the way this film turned out - at no fault of their own).

Half a thumb up and a Fail.

Movie | Blueberry | PASS

A spectacularly special supernatural western. Most definitely for mature (and sophisticated) audiences, this is the story of a young gentleman cowboy who ends up spiritually entwined with a man who is seemingly evil incarnate. But...is he?

Actually, the movie doesn't answer any question, instead leaving it up to the viewer to decide what the heck just happened.

Not terribly fast paced, but so visually interesting that it would be hard to be bored. A knock-out cast includes Vincent Cassell, Michael Madsen, Juliette Lewis, Djimon Hounsou and Eddie Izzard (both are sadly underutilized).Ernest Borgnine even makes and appearance! Frankly, he looks great. Cool Tangerine Dream-like music and the whole thing is inspired by Jean "Moebius" Giraud...so you know it's very French.

Having raved about the movie, I know that a lot of people will be absolutely alienated by this movie. But, if you're in an adventurous mood or you loved The Proposition or Jarmusch's Dead Man, this is a must see.

Released in the States under the title "Renegade".

Two thumbs up and a PASS!

Cars | Mercury | RIP

My first car was a 1964 Mercury Comet Caliente convertible. It wasn't that fast and the handling was horrendous, but it was an amazing car to cruise around in. The picture above is a shot of my actual car.

People | Dennis Hopper | RIP

Short | The Making of Uncle Jack | Pass

Here's a "making of" for the superb short, Uncle Jack.

Movie | 2 Days in the Valley | Pass

A slightly dated thriller (but takes place in modern times) that stars another huge cast. But this time it works because the actors weren't big at the time. It's fun to see them young, obviously hungry and they mostly deliver. The story is entertaining enough, though a bit herky-jerky at times (mainly due to some poor editing). Worth a see, if mildly forgettable (but don't let that stop you!). A fun one for adults along the lines of Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.

One and a half thumbs up and a Pass!

Movie | The Kingdom | Fail

This movie just didn't work for me at all. The plot is purposefully muddy and murky and they chose to film it that way, too. Most of the movie, I was just confused and it wasn't a fun confusion...it just made me not care.

And the cast was HUGE. Lots of cool actors...but that ruined it even more. Instead of the characters, all I could see were actors playing characters. None of them sold it whatsoever.

I'm not that interested in the story of a group of hotshot investigators sent to the Middle East to look into a horrific bombing. Maybe it's a bit too close to what I see every day on the news. I'm not looking for my entertainment to remind me of the atrocities that are happening in our world right now and this movie didn't do a good job of exploring what was really happening. It all just felt exploitative.

What a mess and a miss. Sadly, a Fail.

Movie | City Island | Pass

A super cast includes Andy Garcia, Julianna Margulies and Alan Arkin. Set on a tiny island just off the coast of NY(?...I forget, was it the Bronx?). This yet another story of a lovable, completely dysfunctional family that's trying to figure out how to get along, all the while compounding their problems with horrific communication skills. It all feels rather familiar.

Therein lies the problem with this movie...and the result is that it's pretty much forgettable. You'll probably enjoy the experience of watching it, but you won't remember it this time next year.

The picture says it all - they don't look thrilled, do they? Still, I think this movie resonates with some people. Just not us. Bummer.

One thumb up and a Pass.

TV | Burn Notice | Pass

Excellent writing overcomes some B-grade acting in this fun series about a spy that has received a "burn notice". In other words, he's been fired. But, there's a plot afoot that he wants, no, needs to get to the bottom of. Why was there a burn notice put out on him. Who did it? And why are there people trying to manipulate him?

He shacks up with some old pals, an ex-Spook played by Bruce "The Man" Campbell and his gun happy ex-girlfriend, played by Gabrielle Anwar.

Is the genre worn out? Yes, but this series breathes new life into it. Not nearly as slick as, say, White Collar, this is a fun, action-packed TV viewing experience. Is it art? Uh, no. And there was never intention for it to be. Still, it doesn't pander to the lowest common denominator and we vote one and half thumbs up! Pass!

Movie | Alpha Dog | Fail

Ben Foster is the only good thing about this completely miscast tale of drugs, dealers and losers. I mean, come on, Justin Timberlake as a tough guy?!? Ouch. No disrespect, but that was a really bad move by Nick Cassavetes (son of the the incomparable John Cassavetes and Gena Rowlands). Fortunately, we don't have to see much of him. Instead, we get a bunch of white boys acting gangsta...ridiculous.

I don't get why this movie was made at all. I know that drugs equals a lovely fried egg cooking in a pan. What else do I need to know?

Fail.

TV Movie | Jesse Stone: No Remorse | Pass

We were a big disappointed by the latest addition to the great Jesse Stone series, based on the Robert Parker books. This one was a tad messy and there wasn't any character development other than we get to care more for Jesse's dog, Reggie. That really does not a movie (TV or otherwise) make. Yeah, yeah, Jesse is starting to get a handle on his relationship with his ex-wife and he's still on suspension from being a Sherrif (which makes absolutely NO sense whatsoever), but it's hard to really care about all of that.

So, a weak installment to the franchise. Still, worth watching because Selleck (and the rest of the cast) is so good and surely an important piece of the puzzle for the next one (already in the works, of course).

One thumb up and a Pass.

Movie | Kick-Ass | Pass

I thoroughly enjoyed this teen-angst/action superhero rompfest.

The violence is a tad disturbing when considering the age of some of the kids, the cast is mediocre (Cage is over the top campy), the story adequate and the music superb.

A slow beginning is a bit of a drag, too. But, if you like Matrix-style slo-mo gun battles, you're gonna love this. I liked Defendor a bit more. While it was simpler, there was more character development.

One and a half gloved thumbs up and a Pass!

Movie | 30 Days of Night | Pass

I really liked this (very) gory survivor/vampire movie set in an isolated Alaskan village. A good cast, excellent production and very skillful use of the atmospheric soundtrack.

Not being a horror fan, I really saw this because Mark Boone Junior (from one of my favorite shows ever, Sons of Anarchy) was in it, but Danny Huston and Ben Foster were absolutely superb in this, too.

There are some unexplained elements. For example, the vampires have interestingly distorted faces (a la Joan Rivers), but not Huston....but this all just adds to the mystery and I chose to think it was done on purpose to allow the imagination to come to its' own conclusions.

Loved pretty much everything about this gorefest. Except all of the gore, of course! Reminded me of several other good, similar movies. Two vampire thumbs up and a Pass.

Movie | Space Master X-7 | Pass

In contrast to The Creation of the Humaniods, the plot for this one is a stinkeroo. A virus/fungus from space threatens the human race and there's only one woman who holds the key to stopping it...

Hokey it is. But, that's not the real reason to see this 1958 black and white scifi drama. No, it's the appearance of actors Paul Frees and Moe Howard. You know Frees as the voice of the Haunted House in Disneyland (among other notable appearances) and Howard is one of the the 3 Stooges, of course. Both play dead straight roles here (Howard's character does not appear often and is rather lightweight). But, they're both great in this movie. It's fun to watch both of them.

For period and genre (or period-genre, if you prefer) fans only. One thumb up and a Pass.

Movie | The Creation of the Humanoids | Pass

This early 60s scifi flick about robots plotting to take over the human race has a surprising interesting (if a tad slow) plot that integrates Asimov's 3 Laws of Robotics.

The acting is relatively period (read: poor) and the sets are cheap, but it all somehow works.

Of special note is the utterly gorgeous texture and color of the film. Nostalgic while being compellingly creepy, it's worth watching this just for the filming alone. I'd love to see a remastered copy of this. From what I've gathered, it doesn't exist (yet).

This is one for seriously hardcore genre fanatics, but I give it one and half thumbs up and a Pass.

Movie | Ninja Assassin | Pass

Fun, bloody and possibly the best Ninja movie ever made. There, I said it!

A good plot, good acting, good dialogue and a good soundtrack that includes a Spiderbait song over the credits. Was there anything I didn't like? Yes, a minor comment. Some of the editing is rather abrupt, for purposes of the plot but also it seemed like it was to cut down on overall running time for better marketability.

So, hopefully, there will be a director's cut. If you're looking for great action, don't mind a lot of decapitations and want to be treated like a viewer with a mind, you'll love this one. Two thumbs up and a Pass!