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January 7th, 2007 - "Mini Reviews: Part Deux!" |
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Here are some more quick reviews of films I viewed recently on DVD and/or via The Pirate Bay.
Balls of Fury * - Despite some funny moments, not even Christopher Walken could save this film from its stupidity. Can you really believe George Lopez as an FBI agent?
Rush Hour 3 **1/2 - I wish I could have liked this movie enough for a recommendation. Slightly better then its predecesor, this film just can't match up to the original. The plot was just too ridiculous.
The Great Debators **** - Denzel Washington does a great job acting and directing this film. I literally wanted to stand and cheer after the final debate. Great film.
Atonement **** - Keira Knightly once again turns in a great performance in this film. |
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December 1st, 2007 - "Mini Reviews" |
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Here are some quick thoughts on some films from this year that I recently viewed via netflix and the pirate bay.
Bee Movie *** - Jerry Seinfeld's highly anticipated animated film day-view doesn't disappoint. Though the film does falter following a funny courtroom drama, it still works enough to get a recommendation.
Enchanted ***1/2 - This animated/real life film works for one simple reason and that is Amy Adams. Her performance in this film is worth an Oscar nomination. She makes this film a pure delight to watch.
Walking Tall: Lone Justice ** - This film is simply Kevin Sorbo talking out an entire gang by himself. Is that really possible?
Talk to Me **** - Don Cheadle and Chiwetel Ejiofor combine to make this film about a 1960's radio talk show host a pure joy.
The Hoax **** - Richard Gere takes on a different type of role and comes up with a big winner. I enjoyed this film so much I am now reading the novel. |
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August 18th, 2007 - "Netfix or Blockbuster?" |
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I remember days long ago when I went to my local "Wonder Video" store and had the tough choice of whether I should rent The Karate Kid or E.T.. Here we are around 20 years later. The laserdisc has come and gone. Divx never got of the ground. The VHS is coming close to be extinct much like all old style video stores, and the DVD is the most popular way to watch movies. In 1999 a new way to rent films emerged with the founding of Netflix. Netflix is an online dvd rental services that allows you to rent a pre-determined amount of dvds for a monthly fee with no late fees. It became ever so popular even I joined.. Blockbuster then decided to get in the fad. I jumped to there service because of there cheap prices. However, they decided to take 5 days to ship movies so I switched back to Netflix. Blockbuster then introduced there new gimic that would allow you to bring you online rented films to the video store and exchange for movies. I jumped at the intrigue of having the ability to never be without a movie and rejoined. However, because I am fan of HD DVD and Blockbuster became exclusive with Blu-Ray, not to mentioned a price raise, I jumped back to Netflix. That doesn't mean Blockbuster has a bad service though, it just didn't work for me. So which service is really the best? Well being that I have rented under Blockbuster twice and just started my third term with Netflix, I figured I could take a close look and break it down.
Blockbuster - 1.5 million members to its online service with 60,000 rental titles available from 30 distribution centers and 200 stores. Price ranges from $9.99 - $23.99. Online rentals are entitiled to 2-4 in-store rentals per month and can mail dvds at the stores. They also grant a free movie or game coupon per month. Wide rang of Blu-Ray discs as they have gone exclusive with them. Biggest Problem - Most people use online so they don't have to go to the store. My experience over the last six months going to the store included annoying clerks, constant out of stock on newer films(online as well), and high gas prices throw in a extra expense when driving to the store. Did I mention the late fees on in-store rentals?
Netfilix - 5.7 million members to its online service with 40 million discs in stock, including 65,000 titles, all coming from 41 distribution centers. Price ranges are from $9.99 to $47.99. They also now grant a pre-determined amount of hours base on your plan to watch films online. Wide rang of HD-DVD and Blu-Ray DVD inventory. Biggest Problem - Do I really want to sit and watch movies online? Not much of a perk. Expecially since all movies I watch online are downloaded from www.thepiratebay.org(More on this site to come in my next blog).
To sum it up, both services have the perks and problems. When it comes down to it, the choice should be determined on 2 factors. If you have a Blu-Ray DVD player and/or don't mind going to the video store and renting films with possible late fees, that Blockbuster is the way to go. However, if you are like me and have a HD-DVD player and/or can't stand going to the video store, then Netflix is the way to go. |
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June 5th, 2007 - "Is The Grudge 2 The Worst Movie Ever Made?" |
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As many of you know, I screen and review movies via Netflix or Blockbusterflix(Whatever I currently using.) and grade them on my website without actually writing an official review unlike the movies I screen at the theater. This is most impart because I am lazy, but also because I think an offical review should only be used for films screened in the theater, so I just give them a grade. Recently I decided to to start this little blog and write random thoughts on movies I see at home and on any other thing that is on my mind that has to do with movies. Two weeks ago I spent sometime on a Saturday screening The Grudge 2. This film is the sequal to the original The Grudge made 2 years ago. I saw that film in the theater and gave it a zero star rating as it was completely a terrible mess. I was stunned to learn they were going to make a sequal for it and decided I would screen just to see what possibly they could do with such a terrible first film. They couldn't make it worse? Could they? The film as you know takes place in a Japan where a house in which someone was killed in a rage haunts the house and basically wreaks havoc on anyone who enters. This film begins with 3 hot girls(I am going to spare the names of all the actresses and actors in the film to save them some embarrasement) who decide to go in the house for no reason whatsoever. After that brief 15 minutes of retardedness we are treated so scene after scene that includes a setup in which we know one of the characters is being haunted by the ghost from the house. Then after a few moments in which we are supposed to be scared, but rather laugh, the character either runs away or dies. This goes on again and again and again and again and again for the rest of the movie. There is absolutely nothing to this film. What makes it even more ridiculous is that every character in the film is dead by the end of the movie. Nobody lives. I am not a filmmaker, but even I know that is long as the film is fiction, somebody has to live. Otherwise there is no reason to have a film. In the film Scream we learn the rule that in horror films the virgins live. Now that may be a ridiculous rule, but at least Wes Craven knows to let someone live at the end of his films. This film is indeed the WORST movie I have ever seen! |
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