Movie Review: Avatar

As much as I hate to admit this...I really enjoyed Avatar. I am usually so disappointed by movie as hyped as this one was, but I am pleased to be wrong in this case. As everyone knows, the camera work and special effects are absolutely amazing. I could probably watch the entire movie with no sound, that's how good the visuals are. Okay, maybe not the WHOLE movie...it was almost 3 hours long. Now for my downside. First, the acting. I think it could have been much better. Sam Worthington(Terminator Salvation) plays the lead role, Jake Sully, and to be honest, he was less than believable in this role. He just didn't work for me, way to bland an actor for such an intense role. This goes for almost every actor in the movie. Stephen Lang(Men Who Stare At Goats, Public enemies) plays the antagonist, Col. Quaritch. He is such an "over the top" character, in my opinion. Just too cartoonish for my taste, but maybe that was on purpose. Basically, it just keeps going on this route as far as the acting goes. As for the story as a whole, it was pretty good. I wish there was more background information for the story, mainly on the land, like why it glows when touched? All in all, it is well worth a watch (As if anyone HASN'T already seen it) but if you haven't, check it out.


Rating: 4 1/2 stars

Movie Review: Zombieland

I will start by saying this...I do not like zombie movies. The only ones I'd say are even decent are Shaun of the Dead and Resident Evil. With that said, I actually enjoyed Zombieland, I think Woody Harrleson and Jesse Eisenberg do a great job and are quite funny. It's possible I appreciate the comical "zombie" flick more than a serious one, but either way, I liked it, it made me laugh. I was entertained throughout and that's really what's important. Columbus (Eisenberg) has an entire set of rules that helps him stay alive in this so called "zombieland" and I guess they work because he is one of five people yet to be killed or turned into a zombie. Tallahassee(Harrelson) is hysterical, with his immense desire for a "twinkie" and the utter joy he takes in dispatching the "undead." Bill Murray has a cameo as well and does a pretty good job of playing himself. Witchita(Emma Stone) and Little Rock(Abigail Breslin) round out the cast, as the other two survivors of the zombie apocalypse. Breslin usually annoys the shit out of me, but she did not do so in this movie (must be that she is older now). Eventually all four characters find each other and make their own little "normal family". All in all its a good movie and worth a watch. I know, I know, I've been saying that a lot lately. What can I say, I have finally gone on a stretch of multiple good movies...And in the words of Tallahassee "nut up or shut up" and watch this movie.

Rating: 3 3/4

Season Review: Spartacus: Blood and Sand

If you never turned on the Starz original series, you are missing out. I will admit that when I did a review on the first episode I was less than excited. I thought it was an "okay" show, but nothing spectacular. Oh man did it get better! More sex and violence than any other show I've ever seen and that includes True Blood, The Tudors, Rome, The Sopranos, or any other show that has been on TV and known for its "mature" thematic elements. Every episode drew you more and more into the story. Leaving you rooting for the "Champion of Capua" and wishing for the downfall of Batiatus(John Hannah). Now I was hooked on the show probably by the 2nd or 3rd episode, but WOW! The season finale made that hook permanent. It is possibly the greatest episode of a TV show I have ever seen, absolutely amazing, and more blood and guts than you can possibly imagine. Now I don't recommend you watch the season finale without seeing the rest of the season first, but, if you refuse to watch it all, just watch the finale, you will not be disappointed.

UPDATE: due to the series star Andy Whitfield being treated for lymphoma, Starz has decided to do a 6 part prequel that will highlight the rise of the house of Batiatus, leading up to the days when Spartacus makes his first appearance at the gladiator school.


Rating: 5 STARS

Movie Review: Daybreakers

The next stage in the evolution of the vampire movie is upon us. In this movie starring Ethan Hawke(Training Day, Before Sunrise, Taking Lives), Willem Defoe (Spiderman, Shadow of a Vampire), and Sam Neil (Jurassic Park, Merlin, The Tudors), the vampires are the main population and the humans are the ones being hunted and on the brink of extinction. It is your regular vampire movie, except backwards, as we see all the everyday societal functions (police, bus drivers, students, vagrants, government officials, etc.) all being vampires. The vampires basically farm the humans they catch for blood to feed the growing population of vamps. Edward (Hawke) is a human sympathizer as he never wanted to be turned into a vampire in the first place. He is a hematologist searching for a blood alternative in hopes that the need to hunt humans will stop. Although he doesn't find the blood substitute, he does stumble across a cure. A way for a vampire to become human again. The question is, is it in time to save the human race before its extermination? Well worth a watch. It did not get good reviews so I was skeptical, but as usual, I completely disagree with the critics. So check this movie out.

Rating: 4 stars

Movie Review: Legion

Paul Bettany stars as the Archangel Michael who falls from heaven, clipping his wings, in order to save humanity from God's wrath. I must say, going into the movie I was expecting to see angels vs. demons, not angels vs. angels. It is an unusual portrayal of angels, how often do we think of them as evil (other than Lucifer, of course). In this film, hundreds of thousands of angels have descended from heaven, possessing the weak minded humans and turning them into killing machines. Michael must protect the unborn child of Charlie (Adrianne Palicki). This child is the key to saving humanity. Michael does his best to try and protect the baby and the other archangel Gabriel does his best to destroy it. The movie was entertaining, it's no The Prophecy, but good enough to keep you entertained. Just remember it's not heaven vs. hell, it's heaven vs. earth.

Rating: 3 1/2 stars

Movie Review: Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus

The late Heath Ledger's last movie. That alone is enough to see it. Whether you liked him as an actor or not, he was part of some great movies over his short career (10 Things I Hate About You, A Knight's Tale, Dark Knight). In Parnassus Ledger plays one of three Tony's. The others are played by Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Ferrell, who all volunteered to fill in for Ledger after his passing. This movie was not the best I had ever seen, but it kept my interest and anyone who knows me knows how hard that is to do. As for weirdness, this movie gets a 10, no question. As you can imagine (no pun intended) the "imaginarium" depicted in this film is a very strange and unusual place where the dream of whomever enters comes to life. The trick being that in this dream world, Doctor Parnassus (Christopher Plummer) and Mr. Nick "The Devil" (Tom Waits) are fighting over the souls of those who enter the imaginarium. This movie is basically one big acid trip, but in a good way. It's entertaining and worth a watch if for nothing more than some great special fx, so check it out.

Rating: 3 1/2 stars

Movie Review: Twilight: New Moon

Team Edward or Team Jacob? Who the hell cares, other than teenage girls? The truth is that I will probably watch all of these movies because they are "vampire movies" and I use the term loosely, very loosely. I would more likely just say that these movies are really just a regular teen drama that happens to have vampires and werewolves in it. But again, I use those terms loosely. Vampires do not twinkle in the sunlight, they burn, and werewolves, well, they just looked horrible. As a whole this sequel was ten times worse than the original. It was too long, and way too boring. I remember mentioning in class how little I thought of this movie and how I was unleashed upon by some of the young ladies in the class. "OMG, it was so amazing." "Jacob and Edward are so hot!" Good to know. I am not a young girl, so I tend to disagree. Truth is, if you want a sappy teen drama then this movie is for you. If you want a vampire movie, look elsewhere. It's that simple.

Rating: 1 1/2 stars