1. Life As We Know It
Friday June 10th 2011.
Submitted by: Curtini17
I wasn't too sure about this one, but I took a chance on it. I really enjoyed the story and how it all came together. It starts with a couple that have a child. They each have a friend and they try to set the two up on a date. Holly is a Caterer she has a rough time when it comes to dating and Messer is a Network Sports Director who is quite the ladies man. These two have nothing in common and of course soon end up hating each other. Holly and Messer, unbeknownst at the time, are the Godparents to their friends daughter, Sophie. The unlikely couple's matchmaking friends end up getting in a fatal car accident and Sophie is left behind. Little does anyone know but Holly and Messer are listed in the will to be sole guardians of Sophie. They despise each other and it is very difficult to make this situation work. They both have high profile careers and busy social calendars but as time goes by life seems to be falling into place for them. This DVD includes special features which showcase additional scenes. All and all I am glad I picked this one up. I recommend this DVD as a must see. I give it 8.0 out of 10 stars.
Submitted by: Curtini17
I wasn't too sure about this one, but I took a chance on it. I really enjoyed the story and how it all came together. It starts with a couple that have a child. They each have a friend and they try to set the two up on a date. Holly is a Caterer she has a rough time when it comes to dating and Messer is a Network Sports Director who is quite the ladies man. These two have nothing in common and of course soon end up hating each other. Holly and Messer, unbeknownst at the time, are the Godparents to their friends daughter, Sophie. The unlikely couple's matchmaking friends end up getting in a fatal car accident and Sophie is left behind. Little does anyone know but Holly and Messer are listed in the will to be sole guardians of Sophie. They despise each other and it is very difficult to make this situation work. They both have high profile careers and busy social calendars but as time goes by life seems to be falling into place for them. This DVD includes special features which showcase additional scenes. All and all I am glad I picked this one up. I recommend this DVD as a must see. I give it 8.0 out of 10 stars.
2. Downfall
Monday June 13th, 2011.
Submitted by: Tim Boeckelmann
I recently watched the movie Downfall, starring Bruno Ganz (as Hitler), and Alexandra Marie Lara (as Hitler's secretary Traudl Junge). The movie is depicted as seen through the eyes of Junge, a young woman selected by Hitler to become his secretary during the final days of The Third Reich. Downfall is a German spoken movie with English subtitles, which in my opinion only makes the movie even more gripping. Bruno Ganz (the Fuhrer) gives a dramatic and accurate portrayal of his final days boarded down in his German bunker, unwilling to realize defeat. Downfall had me from the start to the end. Believable acting, accurate depiction, and real-life war action makes this movie a must see. Some people have issues with subtitles, but I personally enjoy them when they are appropriate, and they definitely benefited this movie. All in all, I would say this movie is a Must See!! I give it 8.0 out of 10 stars
3. The Shining
June 13th, 2011.
Submitted by: Cryptkeeper
The 1980 movie, The Shining, is one of many great Stanley Kubrick films. It doesn't hurt your chances of creating a successful film when you recruit names such as Jack Nicholson, Shelly Duvall, Scatman Crothers, and Joe Turkel. This film has earned its place in the AFI top 100 movies of all time. The Shining uses many different elements in its arsenal to get the viewer caught up in the emotional downfall of Jack Torrance (Nicholson). Jack is a recovering alcoholic and the father of a six year old boy named Danny. Wendy Torrance (Shelly Duvall) is Jack's submissive housewife who puts up with her husbands short temper in a very naive fashion. Jack is also a writer and is looking for tranquility in order to compose his next novel. Long story short they all head out from their city dwelling to the Colorado mountains. Jack is hired to maintain the "Overlook Hotel" while it is shut down in the winter due to bad weather conditions closing the roads to and from it. The hotel is overwhelming in its size but it is the perfect place for Jack to write his novel. unknown to Jack and Wendy, Danny possesses a psychic / telepathic gift in the form of an imaginary friend named Tony. "Tony" allows Danny to see dastardly visions from the past and future and what he is shown about the overlook hotel is nothing less than horrific. The longer Jack resides within the walls of the Overlook Hotel the more his mind is slowly taken over by supernatural entities. As Jack falls further and further out of reality Wendy and Danny are forced to take refuge by what ever means possible.
The Shining will not disappoint. There are many classic scenes and dialogs throughout this 142 minute cinematic masterpiece. Nicholson was born to play the role of Jack Torrence and to watch his character gradually fall into a state of insanity is to indulge in a great work of acting perfection. Scatman Crothers who plays the part of Dick Hallorann, an Overlook Hotel employee, shares more than one excellent scene. Crothers coins the term "Shining" in the movie when explaining to Danny that they can both communicate to each other using telepathy. This movie should not be passed over by anyone. I give the Shining 9.0 out of 10 stars!!!
4. The Outsiders
June 23, 2011
Submitted by: Roughrider
The Outsiders was originally a novel published in 1967 by S.E. Hinton. It hit classrooms all over the United States, since it was a social learning tool for many youths. In 1983 the novel was turned into a movie, which was directed by the great Francis Ford Coppola. The casting for The Outsiders couldn't have been more perfect. In fact, it was deemed the beginning of the "Brat Pack." I loved the novel and I loved the movie. Set in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1965, the movie follows the social/economical status of two opposing rivals. The Greasers live on the North side of Tulsa and are poor to the bone. Most come from broken and abusive backgrounds. The Curtis brothers; Darrel (Patrick Swayze), Sodapop (Rob Lowe), and Poneyboy (C. Thomas Howell) were orphaned when both parents were killed in an automobile accident. Fighting poverty and the possibility of being separated, they struggle to stay out of trouble. Their home is often the safe-house for their fellow Greasers, including; Two-Bit Matthews (Emilio Estevez) Dallas Winston (Matt Dillon), Steve Randle (Tom Cruise), and Jonny Cade (Ralph Macchio). Their rivals live on the West side of Tulsa and are known as the Socs (short for Socials). The Socs are the rich kids who are always drunk and looking for fights with the Greasers. Their leader is a hard-nosed character named Bob Sheldon (Leif Garrett). He and his best friend Randy Anderson (Darren Dalton) take pride in driving their Corvettes around town and showing off their wealth. Cherry Valance (Diane Lane) is Bob's girlfriend. When she runs into Dallas, Ponyboy, and Jonny at a drive-inn movie, she begins to relate to them. She admits that she hates pretending that she enjoys the Soc's lifestyle. When Bob and Randy see Cherry with the Greasers, all they have on their drunken minds is revenge. One evening while riding around, Bob, Randy, and a few other Socs spot Ponyboy and Jonny walking alone. A fight pursues and tragedy strikes. This movie will hold your attention from beginning to end. It is well suited for teenagers, but adults will enjoy this story and moral issues as well. There are many twists and turns which will keep you captivated. The fact that it was written by a 15 year old girl simply amazes me. I rate this movie a perfect 10.0 out of 10 stars.
5. The Adjustment Bureau
June 23, 2011
Submitted by: Cryptkeeper
Have you ever wondered about fate? Have you given thought to things that we choose in our life, the decisions we make, the paths we take to brings us to where we are today? Are our destinies of our own free will or are our lives and outcomes predetermined by higher powers that will stop at nothing to make sure we do not disrupt what the future has set for us?
George Nolfi, the director of The Adjustment Bereau, takes us on a wild ride delving into the life of David Norris (Matt Damon) a young politician who glimpses the future of what fate has planned for him, and chooses to fight for his own destiny against the "adjustment bureau". The Adjustment Bureau is a group of stealthy beings hiding in the background of our everyday lives making sure our future goes exactly as planned by the "commissioner" - the head of the Bureau who is responsible for creating and determining our purpose in life. Emily Blunt plays Elise Sellas, David's love interest. David meets Elise after giving a political speech. He is smitten by Elise's charm and beauty as the Bureau agents watch from a distance. Elise slips away from David in the commotion of the political rally but by chance they meet some time later on a New York bus. David and Elise are forbidden to be together by the Commissioner's ultimate plans. The Adjustment Bureau steps in full steam to keep them apart. They explain to David that if he continues to pursue a relationship with Elise that they may have to "reset" him which would leave him rendered with no memory and in a catatonic state. The Bureau cannot take a chance on causing "ripples" in future outcomes based on what happens if David and Elise are together.
This movie has many aspects that will keep viewers interested. The original story, romance, action, and suspense will hold your attention throughout the 106 minutes of this film. The intertwining of theological philosophy of the Bureau (angels / entities watching over us) and the Commissioner (omnipotent Godlike entity) cannot be overlooked. Matt Damon and Emily Blunt give a special performance and the supporting actors Anthony Mackie, Terence Stamp, and Charlie Traynor render great exhibitions. I would highly recommend seeing this movie, it is one of the best so far for 2011. I give The Adjustment Bureau 7.5 out of 10 stars.
6. The Town That Dreaded Sundown
June 24, 2011
Submitted by: Roughrider
If you are open to older horror flicks, then I suggest that you give The Town That Dreaded Sundown a go. Based loosely on true events that occured in 1946 Texarkana, Arkansas this film depicts a menacing killer thumbed "The Phantom Killer." Producer/Director Charles B. Pierce used unusual marketing efforts to get his film to the public. Rather than shopping his film to well known studios, this independent filmmaker shopped this film to drive-inns and cinemas. Dubbed "Four Walling," he made fast cash with this method. It's debut was on Dec. of 1976. As soldiers were returning from WWII, the small Texarkans town was celebrating their return. One young couple headed to the local Lover's Lane to spend some alone time. Unfortunately they were stalked and attacked by a mystery assailant. Near death, they could only describe their attacker as a masked man. When Deputy Ramsey (Andrew Pine) was called in to investigate, he knew he was in over his head. Thus, he requested the assistance of Texas Ranger Captain Morales (Ben Johnson). One month passed without any further instances, but then a string of attacks/killings followed. Since all the attacks were made after dusk, the killer was nicknamed "The Phantom Killer" or The Texarkana Moonlight Murderer." The town soon became known as "The Town That Dreaded Sundown" The menacing killer was eerily disguised with a loosely fit potato sack covering his head with cut-out eye holes. Chilling was the way his mask would move in and out as he would take one anxious breath after another. In time his killings became more and more sadistic. Dawn Wells (Mary Ann of Gilligan's Island fame) played a memorable role as a victim. Her scene was brutal and hard to watch. The only drawback to this movie was the unnecessary comic relief. It took away from the storyline and became borderline corny. However, it's a decent watch and one of the first horror films depicting an infamous masked killer. If you pay close attention, you may be able to catch a series of goofs/bloopers. I would rate this movie 7.0 stars out of 10.
Submitted by: Roughrider
If you are open to older horror flicks, then I suggest that you give The Town That Dreaded Sundown a go. Based loosely on true events that occured in 1946 Texarkana, Arkansas this film depicts a menacing killer thumbed "The Phantom Killer." Producer/Director Charles B. Pierce used unusual marketing efforts to get his film to the public. Rather than shopping his film to well known studios, this independent filmmaker shopped this film to drive-inns and cinemas. Dubbed "Four Walling," he made fast cash with this method. It's debut was on Dec. of 1976. As soldiers were returning from WWII, the small Texarkans town was celebrating their return. One young couple headed to the local Lover's Lane to spend some alone time. Unfortunately they were stalked and attacked by a mystery assailant. Near death, they could only describe their attacker as a masked man. When Deputy Ramsey (Andrew Pine) was called in to investigate, he knew he was in over his head. Thus, he requested the assistance of Texas Ranger Captain Morales (Ben Johnson). One month passed without any further instances, but then a string of attacks/killings followed. Since all the attacks were made after dusk, the killer was nicknamed "The Phantom Killer" or The Texarkana Moonlight Murderer." The town soon became known as "The Town That Dreaded Sundown" The menacing killer was eerily disguised with a loosely fit potato sack covering his head with cut-out eye holes. Chilling was the way his mask would move in and out as he would take one anxious breath after another. In time his killings became more and more sadistic. Dawn Wells (Mary Ann of Gilligan's Island fame) played a memorable role as a victim. Her scene was brutal and hard to watch. The only drawback to this movie was the unnecessary comic relief. It took away from the storyline and became borderline corny. However, it's a decent watch and one of the first horror films depicting an infamous masked killer. If you pay close attention, you may be able to catch a series of goofs/bloopers. I would rate this movie 7.0 stars out of 10.
7. The Blair Witch Project
July 1, 2011
Submitted by: Cryptkeeper
I remember going to see this film upon its 1999 theater release with my brother a few days before Halloween . The theater was packed and we had to sit three rows back from the movie screen. Now if you have ever seen this film you know that the movie was shot with handheld cameras and there is a tremendous amount of shaking and unstable camera movement. Some theatergoers experienced nausea from the handheld camera movements and actually had to leave to vomit. It was not easy to watch upon the big screen sitting so close, but the phenomena of this movie kept me intensely captivated. The way this movie was marketed to the general public was absolutely genius. The producers had everyone believing that the footage seen in the film was found in the Burkittsville Maryland woods where an actual legend of the Blair Witch existed. Web sites were published to confirm that the footage was real in order to entice viewers to see the horrors that happened to three student filmmakers as they were creating a documentary based on the Blair Witch. Although the legend was real the footage that was supposedly found by the Burkittsville police department in 1994 was later found to be fictional. Most people who went to see this film were under the assumption that these were true events caught on camera.
Submitted by: Cryptkeeper
I remember going to see this film upon its 1999 theater release with my brother a few days before Halloween . The theater was packed and we had to sit three rows back from the movie screen. Now if you have ever seen this film you know that the movie was shot with handheld cameras and there is a tremendous amount of shaking and unstable camera movement. Some theatergoers experienced nausea from the handheld camera movements and actually had to leave to vomit. It was not easy to watch upon the big screen sitting so close, but the phenomena of this movie kept me intensely captivated. The way this movie was marketed to the general public was absolutely genius. The producers had everyone believing that the footage seen in the film was found in the Burkittsville Maryland woods where an actual legend of the Blair Witch existed. Web sites were published to confirm that the footage was real in order to entice viewers to see the horrors that happened to three student filmmakers as they were creating a documentary based on the Blair Witch. Although the legend was real the footage that was supposedly found by the Burkittsville police department in 1994 was later found to be fictional. Most people who went to see this film were under the assumption that these were true events caught on camera.
IMDB reports that the budget to create this movie was $60,000 and that it grossed worldwide $248,639,099. The three actors in this film Heather Donahue, Michael C. Williams, and Joshua Leonard were given scripts to go by but most of the acting is all improvised. During filming, the actors were given clues as to their next location through messages given in milk crates found with global positioning systems. They were given individual instructions that they would use to help improvise the action of the day. The directors rationed the food of the cast, causing Donahue to suffer eczema outbreaks as filming progressed. Almost 19 hours of usable footage was recorded which had to be edited down to 90 minutes. The editing in post production took more than eight months. The Blair Witch Project is also thought to be the first widely released film marketed on the internet.
This film in my opinion is a must see. This movie has given birth to many other low-bugdet films trying to reach the pinnacle of The Blair Witch Project. Given the fact that we now know that the story is fictional and not of real events takes away from the allure a bit but it is still worthy of a watch. It is amazing what this film did with just a few actors and the legend of the Blair Witch and no matter how you look at it the film was a major success. The ending may have left a little to be desired but all in all this flick broke new ground that others have tried to imitate. I give The Blair Witch Project 7.0 out of 10.
8. Insidious
July 15, 2011
Submitted by: Cryptkeeper
From the makers of Paranormal Activity and director James Wan comes the supernatural horror movie Insidious. After doing very well in theaters and getting rave reviews I was anxiously awaiting the DVD release of this film. I wasn't sure if Insidious would live up to the hype it had conjured up during it's theater release or if the best parts of the movie was all in the trailer. I went to Wal-Mart the day of the release to pick up a copy on Blu-Ray and much to my chagrin it was sold out. This intrigued me even more. I have never gone to any store to purchase a movie upon its release date only to find it sold out. I went to the Best Buy across the street and bought one of three copies left. Later that night I popped the movie in, turned off all the lights, and sat down with my girlfriend to witness what we both thought to be one of the best horror movies to hit the screen in a long while. Being the horror movie addict that I am, I have become desensitized to actually being scared or nervous watching this brand of film but Insidious had me jumping and sitting on the edge of my seat on more than one occasion. I'm not going to get into the story too much in this review so as to not give anything away or spoil any viewers experience. I will say that this is a must see movie if you enjoy the horror genre. Insidious summed up in a general sense is about a family who shortly after moving into a new home experience dark entities in their residence and before long their son falls into a coma. As they try to escape their haunting they move again only to find that it wasn't their home that was haunted. The family brings in a group of paranormal investigators and a psychic to try and rid their lives of the evil presences.
Submitted by: Cryptkeeper
From the makers of Paranormal Activity and director James Wan comes the supernatural horror movie Insidious. After doing very well in theaters and getting rave reviews I was anxiously awaiting the DVD release of this film. I wasn't sure if Insidious would live up to the hype it had conjured up during it's theater release or if the best parts of the movie was all in the trailer. I went to Wal-Mart the day of the release to pick up a copy on Blu-Ray and much to my chagrin it was sold out. This intrigued me even more. I have never gone to any store to purchase a movie upon its release date only to find it sold out. I went to the Best Buy across the street and bought one of three copies left. Later that night I popped the movie in, turned off all the lights, and sat down with my girlfriend to witness what we both thought to be one of the best horror movies to hit the screen in a long while. Being the horror movie addict that I am, I have become desensitized to actually being scared or nervous watching this brand of film but Insidious had me jumping and sitting on the edge of my seat on more than one occasion. I'm not going to get into the story too much in this review so as to not give anything away or spoil any viewers experience. I will say that this is a must see movie if you enjoy the horror genre. Insidious summed up in a general sense is about a family who shortly after moving into a new home experience dark entities in their residence and before long their son falls into a coma. As they try to escape their haunting they move again only to find that it wasn't their home that was haunted. The family brings in a group of paranormal investigators and a psychic to try and rid their lives of the evil presences.
Insidious does "take a page" out of a few other classic horror film such as: The Exorcist, The Shining, The Changeling, Poltergeist, The Sixth Sense, and Ink. When you watch Insidious and If you have seen any of these films you will undeniably pick up on these scenes and find that it gives tribute to the classics instead of ripping them off. That being said Insidious holds true to it's plot and keeps it for its own. It is superbly directed and edited very well. Give this movie a watch if you don't then it is your loss. I give Insidious a hard 8.5 out of 10 stars
9. Battle: Los Angeles
July 19th, 2011
Submitted by: Cap'n Crunch
This is one of the worst films I've seen in a while (and I usually don't watch too many films). I find the idea of robotic aliens to be subject to the thought of being not very creative. The rah-rah much-to-do-about-nothing military slogans... "Well you know johnny, us Marines never leave a man behind." The special command center? Really? These alien beings traveled with an army Billions and Billions of light years away but they need a special battle center that we could detect from land on earth? Give me a break... I didn't even finish this junk and I give it 2.0 out of 10 Stars. Horrible waste of my hard earned money.
Submitted by: Cap'n Crunch
This is one of the worst films I've seen in a while (and I usually don't watch too many films). I find the idea of robotic aliens to be subject to the thought of being not very creative. The rah-rah much-to-do-about-nothing military slogans... "Well you know johnny, us Marines never leave a man behind." The special command center? Really? These alien beings traveled with an army Billions and Billions of light years away but they need a special battle center that we could detect from land on earth? Give me a break... I didn't even finish this junk and I give it 2.0 out of 10 Stars. Horrible waste of my hard earned money.
10. Take Me Home Tonight
July 23rd 2011
Submitted by: Curtini17
I bought this movie thinking it had some possibilities of being a good movie. Little did I know it was like all the other romantic comedies out there. Boy has crush on girl, girl doesn't know he exists and so on. The best part of the movie was the 80's music and the big hair and crazy clothes that took me back to my childhood. Topher Grace plays Matt Franklin a smart guy who doesn't like to take chances and also doesn't know what to do with his life. He then starts taking some chances and realizes he can change and have a little fun. I would rent this from Red Box for a $1 if you must see it. I give it 5.0 out of 10.
Submitted by: Curtini17
I bought this movie thinking it had some possibilities of being a good movie. Little did I know it was like all the other romantic comedies out there. Boy has crush on girl, girl doesn't know he exists and so on. The best part of the movie was the 80's music and the big hair and crazy clothes that took me back to my childhood. Topher Grace plays Matt Franklin a smart guy who doesn't like to take chances and also doesn't know what to do with his life. He then starts taking some chances and realizes he can change and have a little fun. I would rent this from Red Box for a $1 if you must see it. I give it 5.0 out of 10.
11. Comic Book Confidential
August 20th 2011
Submitted by: Tyler Mathews
A brief but satisfactory introduction of the art of comic books, Comic Book Confidential, unearths comics from the 1930s leading up to the 1980s.
The film includes interviews with 22 of comics greatest artist from the mainstream and the underground.
The film is good for a pre-Internet documentary. The interviews are very captivating, but as one reviewer pointed out, it appears to demonstrate that the history of comics are a "prelude to 80s proto-hipsters and their important work." While the 1980s did produce some very good comics and secured the medium as a respectable art form, you can sense the slight pretension.
Nonetheless, this film is certainly worth the watch. If you've never seen it I hope it piques your interest into comics as an art form and substantial culture. 8.0 out of 10 stars.
Submitted by: Tyler Mathews
A brief but satisfactory introduction of the art of comic books, Comic Book Confidential, unearths comics from the 1930s leading up to the 1980s.
The film includes interviews with 22 of comics greatest artist from the mainstream and the underground.
The film is good for a pre-Internet documentary. The interviews are very captivating, but as one reviewer pointed out, it appears to demonstrate that the history of comics are a "prelude to 80s proto-hipsters and their important work." While the 1980s did produce some very good comics and secured the medium as a respectable art form, you can sense the slight pretension.
Nonetheless, this film is certainly worth the watch. If you've never seen it I hope it piques your interest into comics as an art form and substantial culture. 8.0 out of 10 stars.
