Movie | Cowboys and Aliens | PASS

Loved every minute of it, warts and all. Just my sort of movie. Probably not for lots of people.

Movie | Holy Rollers | Pass

Not too visceral or nasty. Well done, though slow. Neat to see the Eisenberg siblings in the same movie together.

Movie | Rock Slyde | Pass-ish

Cheap, silly fun about a inept detective in this mock noir. Better done in The Bestys 2009, for much less budget and an unknown cast.

Movie | Night of the Living Dead 3D | Fail

No pun intended, but this 2006 remake was loveless and robotic. It stumbled from one scene to the next, the actors chewing through their lines. It would have taken significantly more brains to make this at all appetizing.

TV | Alphas | Pass

The pilot was surprisingly enjoyable and engaging. Unfortunately, the whole thing feels so familiar, entirely too much like an urban X-men minus the metro-sexual costumes.

TV | The Car Show | Fail

Another ho-hum copy of Top Gear UK. Who knew that the hosts made all the difference?!? Like Top Gear USA, this is just more proof of how absolutely vital a good crew is.

Here, we've got Adam Carolla (again - he and Tanner Faust were part of a failed first attempt at Top Gear USA back in '08), who is a funny comedian but not a show host. Athlete John Salley co-hosts and has nothing to say. Wall Street Journal automotive columnist Dan Neil, drives with his pinky out and couldn't be less appealing (but nonetheless comes across as the most knowledgeable). Matt Farah is the only appealing personality and the entire show could have easily revolved around only him. No need for the other three. He doesn't have a lot to say, either, and there's not much of his character that comes through, good or bad.

Maybe they tried to cram too much into one show instead of concentrating on quality over quantity.

Hopefully, it will get better. The pilot was awful.

Movie | The Gamma People | PASS

 

I loved this cheesefest about two reporters who stumble upon a tiny European country held captive and used for experiments by a mad scientist. Horrifically acted and just fantastic all around.

Movie | Chopper | Pass

Extremely similar movie to Bronson, but slightly less stylish and psychadelic. Like that fictionalized tale of a real life recidivist, this is about a man prone to extremely violent behavior at the drop of a hat. It's all rather disturbing, yet fascinating...a train wreck. Here, Bana is allowed to be as spectacular as he is, unlike 90% of the absolute borefests he's usually in. Surely, that's no fault of his own as he is clearly a fantastic actor.

Movie | Henry's Crime | Pass

Keanu Reeves ain't great in this (was he GREAT in anything?), but doesn't ruin this rather slow paced show about a bland guy who goes to jail for a crime that he didn't commit (for real, this time). When he gets out, he decides that he might as well do the crime for which he did the time. Occasional moments of enjoyment make this watchable.

Movie | Neverwas | Pass-ish

Less than satisfying, but well acted. A whole lotta buildup for not a lot of payoff.

Movie | Color Me Kubrick | Fail

Malkovich is his usual excellent self but this (possibly true?) movie about a guy running around England impersonating Stanley Kubrick for personal gains isn't all that enjoyable to watch. It drags (no pun intended) and I just wanted it to be over.

Movie | Thumbsucker | Pass

Interesting, well done, mildly disturbing film about a teenager that sucks his thumb. The cast really knocks it out of the park. Interesting comparison to Gretchen, which is less professional but also less disturbing.

Movie | Rio | Pass

Cute and colorful, but the story is just passable. A bit too predictable and it's hard to really care about most of the characters. Love how they glossed over the crushing Brazilian poverty. Should have been better, but still enough lightweight fun.

Movie | The Invention of Lying | Fail

Awful. Just awful. Couldn't get through more than the first fifteen minutes of it. The humor was so poor that it quickly became insulting. Maybe it gets better after that. We'll never know.

Movie | Gretchen | PASS

I really enjoyed this indie, Napoleon Dynamite-esque movie about a young high school girl who keeps falling for losers and is searching for who she is. While it's played as if it's a comedy (and there are many funny scenes), it's really a drama. This is not a happy-happy film. Courtney Davis is marvelous and I'm looking forward to more from director Steve Collins. I don't think most people would enjoy this. I did, especially that "Face your demons or they will keep coming back over and over," theme.

Movie | Rango | PASS

100% not for kids, 100% great fun for adults - especially ones like me who LOVE crazy Westerns! Fantastic!

Movie | Inkheart | PASS

Great fantasy ride about a "silver tongue" - a guy that can read books to life. Super cast that is underutilized, including Andy Serkis, Helen Mirren and Matt King. If you loved Stardust, you must see this.

Movie | Takers | PASs

 

Only loses a point or two for lack of originality. A huge knockout cast lays out this action/thriller/heist movie in Rat Pack style. If you liked The Italian Job and Ocean's Eleven, this is a must see.

TV | Come Fly With Me | Pass

Funny enough mock reality show about the inner workings of an English airport. London? Can't remember. From the creative comedy guys that made Little Britain. Works pretty well and has quite a few chuckles, but not outright hilarious.

Movie | Waxwork | Pass-ish

I've always wanted to see this because of the cast. So I did, with mixed results. I enjoyed the idea and a lot of the 80s style, but really didn't love all of the torture porn. Coulda lived with out that. Otherwise, other than the cheesy dialogue, I actually kind of liked it. Ish.

TV | Love My Way | Fail

Because of our interest in the great show, Spirited, we thought we'd give this Aussie show about 30 somethings a try. Problem is, we don't find these 30 somethings appealing whatsoever. They are ridiculously narcissistic and make the worst decisions left and right. Too bad.

TV | Wilfred | Fail

Unfunny remake of an Aussie show about a guy who interacts with another guy who is dressed up as a dog. Is the guy hallucinating or not?

It's an original idea, but it doesn't equal funny here. Even as an dog owner I didn't enjoy this show. I'll watch the second episode and see if I change my mind. No update equals NO, I didn't.

RIP | Peter Falk

Another great gone.

Movie | Cube Zero | Pass

 

A bit weaker third installment to the creative horror franchise. But what did you expect from a direct to video three-quel? This time, it seems like the tech is a step behind the previous movie with all of the traps being mechanical, but controlled by machines. It might be because this one takes place earlier in time. It's hard to believe that they would have super high tech, but then go back to low tech. To me, this made the suspense and believability even more. The CGI in number two was just to clean. Supposedly, there are answers to some of the questions raised by the previous films. But, this isn't about logic - it's about fantasy and thrills. Will there be a fourth Cube?

TV | John Benjamin Has a Van | Pass

Some super comedy actors are allowed to play with a mock interview show to pretty good results. Lots of (adult) fun. Nice to see some faces from Upright Citizens Brigade, Important Things with Demetri Martin and The Mighty Boosh. Looking forward to more.

Movie | That Evening Sun | Pass

Despite some animal cruelty (and it makes me mad just to write that), this is a really good movie about a retired Tennessee farmer who leaves his retirement facility to return to his home. When he arrives, he finds that his son has rented it out to a loser and his family, which irks him to no end. Not all that super happy-happy, but there are some really funny moments interwoven with some downright scary ones. Holbrook is spectacular and the scenes with his (real life) wife are heartbreaking. Drama at its' finest. A keeper and a Pass.

TV | Falling Skies | Pass-ish

 

All too familiar story, coupled with aliens that lack any mystery or scariness. Let's not talk about the less than stellar acting, either. Shoulda, coulda, woulda been better...somehow...

There are just too many GOOD versions of this show. This not being a particularly interesting or engaging example.

TV | Outcasts | Fail

Doesn't work. Seems like a really poor Battlestar Galactica (and even includes some of the same actors). Too bad...

Movie | Trail of the Screaming Foreheads | Pass

Super fun, dialogue heavy homage to 50s monster movies. Intentionally bad acting just leads to more hilarity. A pass!

Movie | Cube 2: Hypercube | Pass

The original concept was so strong that it supports this cheapo sequel, this time by a newbie director (who does a passable job). Once again, the sets are superb and become practically another actor. But, instead of relying on physical effects (for the gory scenes), this one is laden with CGI which just doesn't work very well. Fortunately, the cast, dialogue and script are still pretty good and make up for the cheesy FX. Kari Matchett seems to pop up in every other movie I've seen lately and I'm beginning to think she's quite an actor. This movie will drive folks crazy if they like things neat and tidy. There's a lot of, "What the...huh?" Which I quite liked. Makes for a different viewing experience in comparison to the usual Hollywood drek.