Pathology

This film definitely would be nominated for the "sickest flick" oscar if such a category existed.

A clique of psychotic, drugged out, sex crazed, murdering MD pathologists, play a game to see who can create the perfect undetectable murder. Will newcomer Dr. Ted Gray (played by Milo Ventimiglia) fit in or wimp out? That is the question...

The props are nasty- when the resident doctors start performing autopsies cutting into tissue, sawing into skulls, pulling skin back, and cracking ribs to get at the entrails, it all looks pretty freaking real. I have a pretty tough stomach but I was grimacing through some of the scenes, so if you don't like gore, don't go to this one.

It is a game of Dark vs Darker, or you could even say Darker meets Darkerer.

You definitely don't walk out of the theater feeling good, and actually the premise that some highly educated members of our society could be so anti-social is a little frightening.

Alyssa Milano played Gwen a the gorgeous fiance. And her evil competitor Dr. Bath was seductively played by Lauren Lee Smith

Only go watch it if you are in a very dark mood.

21

This one is a must see if you are planning on going to Vegas any time soon.

 

It will get you pumped up and you will probably go out, buy a couple of decks of cards and try to see if you can count cards the way the pull it off in the movie.

 

It had a good level of Vegas action, the plot keeps you interested.

 

Kate Bosworth is strikingly georgeous as usual in this hip piece and she adds the right touch of female heat to the show at the right places.

 

Kevin Spacey and Lawrence Fishburn added the necessary weight to their rolls helping viewers over 21 years of age to take the movie seriously.

 

Although I strickly abide by a no movie spoiler policy, I can say that if you watch Tom Cruise's closing speech in Risky Bussiness you will see that our new up and coming "21" star Jim Sturges goes through a similar metamorphosis. After struggling with questions of ethics, reality, easy money and payback he emerges with a lesson he shares eloquently in the end!

 

Enjoy it!

My Blueberry Nights

This one was different for sure.

This is a sentimental, slow, let's try to be deep and mysteriously interesting kind of love story.

It was directed by a Chinese director, Kar Wai Wong, and you can definitely feel that asian touch throughout.

The star of the show Norah Jones was fun to watch co-miserating with fellow actors.

To be totally honest, I felt like screaming at them, "Come on people! stop being and acting so sad! you don't have to be so sad and dreary! you can do better than that!!! Be Happy!!! Smile!!!"

It would have not made a difference, as this is one of those movies that the director purposely makes really sad and slow, to give the viewer the idea that he is not really doing so bad in comparison to those he is watching.

Just saw Forgetting Sarah Marshall and it was good!

Yes it was good. Good is a fitting word for it. No, I don't want to "get down on my knees and pledge my undying love for it" as the radio ad says, but it was good.

The most outstanding part of the movie is the exotic beauty of our georgeous newcomer Mila Kunis! My God, I could drown my sorrows in those eyes any day! My only question is how has it taken Hollywood this long to discover this natural beauty?

Aside from Mila's awesome performance, there were a lot of laughs.

If you liked Knocked Up, or Superbad, or The 40 Year Old Virgin, all directed by Judd Apatow then you will already know where this film is going. A little true love, awkward funny situations, a lot of drama, raunch, alcohol, and some laughs.

I give it a thumbs up.

88 Minutes : It should be re-titled "88 Wasted Minutes That I Am Never Going To Get Back!"

It is always fun to watch a new Al Pacino movie, just because watching him reminds you of Scarface, and The Godfather. Aside from that, this movie really had nothing to offer.

I really don't get it. It is just such a fruitless plot.

A forensic psychiatrist being targeted by one of the killers he professionally testified against...? I mean come on, let's think of a better plot? Please scriptwriters!!!!

The whole movie is just a bunch of cheesy suspects all confusingly twisted together with no possible way to even be remotely able to guess or figure out who the bad guy really is.

80% of the movie's dialogue is done over cell phones giving you the idea that you are watching an extended wireless phone ad.

At one point it becomes almost too ridiculous to bear: Al, and his hot student, who happens to carry a gun in case her stalker ex-husband shows up, are both lurking into an apartment on an investigatory mission both with guns drawn acting like members of a swat team!!! They forgot they were a psychiatrist and a psychiatry student!!!

Anyway....trust me, use your 88 Minutes wisely and go watch a different movie!!

Forbiden Kingdom It was Fantastic!

Before watching it I did have some pre-conceived notions. Jackie Chan isn't really that funny, the previews look cheesy, etc. etc.

Those negative ideas all vanished as if by magic as soon as the movie started. And it was magic! The movie itself was 100% magic!

It is a movie that makes you wonder why has this not been thought of before? The concept of throwing a defenseless white boy into the middle of an ancient Chinese Kung-fu battleground actually worked out really well!

And why would it not? Let's face it Kung-fu movies have left their mark on American culture. Bruce Lee is as much of an icon in America as he is in China. Hence the brilliance of grabbing a boy from Boston and magically transporting him into "Kung-fu Land".

The special effects were awesome!

The kid gets to learn Kung-fu, and there are plenty of cool fighting scenes including them catching plenty of air flying around kicking each other.

I thoroughly recommend it to anyone.

I am glad that I saw Prom Night

Why would I be glad that I went and saw a seemingly meaningless slasher film?

Because the film reinforces the stupidity of the psychiatric influence in the courtrooms.

Brittany Snow, did a great job playing a character who witnessed a brutal murder by a psycho. The psycho is obsessed with her. After being caught instead of being convicted and executed, he was given a lighter sentence due to an "Insanity Plea".

The officer in charge of the case mentions his frustration. His frustration is mirrored in this quote from a brilliant article on the subject "Law enforcement officials have a hard time keeping up with increasing crime. It is even more disheartening for them to gather the evidence against a defendant and see his conviction lessened or exonerated because of psychiatric or psychological testimony excusing the crime."

The lead also pops psychiatric pills, but makes a very interesting comment. She tells her aunt that she is not taking any pills on prom night."I don't want to be numb tonight" she says. And she is totally right. I was like good for you! don't take them pills! you don't need them!

It kills me that even though it is common knowledge that these pills do nothing beneficial for you and actually harm and numb your perceptions, people still fall prey to psychiatrists who prescribe them like candy.

Congratulations to Brittany Snow for starring in her first #1 movie. I know we'll be seeing more of her.

Just saw Street Kings! I recommend it!

Keanu is back at it again. He did a good job in this movie. It was fun, entertaining and dark.....

It kept me interested for the most part. It had definite elements of Training Day in it....if you saw that movie the parallel is unmistakable....a corrupt cop who had the keys to the streets.

But in this movie there is a different angle. Keanu plays an LA detective who acts more like a self proclaimed 00 agent with a license to kill, and yet is a pawn in a bigger game of honest cop vs. corrupt cop that he only begins to piece together as the plot coagulates under the rising body count. In this aspect it definitely borrowed elements from LA Confidential.

Forest Whitaker got a chance to play a role different than the sensitive caring roles he usually plays and you can tell it was a relief for him, as he readily embraced this role, adding strength to the films underlying theme- becoming a Street King.

Plot aside the film is packaged into an up-to-date modern look, Keanu wears a polo shirt, and oakley shades when not undercover, and he drives a black 2008 Dodge Charger- turbo, of course. This all adds to the coolness that is the main thing about the movie that made it fun.

Another part I liked was the nurse he is hooked up with, Martha Higareda. Her presence is a definite plus. I will be on the lookout for her next film!

I will add that although the fabric of the yarn could have been woven with more art, it nevertheless had an extremely powerful message that causes one to question, and at the same hope, that there are still powerful men in our governing bodies who have true honesty and integrity.

So long as you don't go into it expecting it to be as deep or as satisfying as the movies it resembled, Training Day and LA Confidential, you will have a good time, and enjoy it. I certainly did.

Dan In Real Life

This movie was not really worth the time.

Sure it is kind of cute and funny in some parts....but so unrealistic
and the family scenes are so fake.

1:55 AM Just finished THE ZODIAC

Man I should not have put this movie on at 11 PM....

Why? because it turned out to be a very interesting never ending investigation movie.

I thought it was going to be a gory horror/investigation flick, but actually the murders, which are pretty nasty take place in the first quarter of the movie.

After that it is layer upon layer of confusing evidence, red tape, further layers of investigatory politics and bureaucracy, all managing to show us another unseen side of what goes on behind the scenes of crime investigations.

And without spoiling the ending I can say that it shows that old time investigation was a lot harder than the guys on CSI Miami make it look.

Overall I recommend the film.

Just don't start watching it late at night if you want to get some sleep... OK?

OK! I saw Step Up 2 The Streets

Yes, I know...why would I go and see Step Up 2 The Streets?

Well, fine, I have always liked breakdancing from the first time it got started. I was in 10th grade in 1984 the first time I learned to do the wave. I learned how to do it by copying one of the kids in the Lionel Richie "All Night Long" music video. I lived in Caracas Venezuela at the time- attending an international highschool. And I tell you....just being able to do "the wave" I managed to entertain quite a few awestruck audiences... It was fun!

Fast forward 22 years and here I am going to check out the latest and greatest in inter-racial break/street/hood/battle dancing all packaged into one movie...Step Up 2 The Streets.

OK in order to enjoy the movie you do have to be able to push certain things out of your mind. For example, the fact that the star, Briana Evigan is a gorgeous, cute, clean-cut white girl and is trying to play the part of a "bad girl from the hood". just ain't gonna work. She was is just too sweet and cute to be anything but a rich suburban white girl...But she looks good when she dances, so she is officially forgiven.

Cassie also got to strut her stuff, and I think they could have afforded to give her a little more participation....but I guess they feared that she would steal too much from the lead.

What else...

Also, my one of my co-workers pointed out that the story is repeated over and over...it is the same movie as a million others that came before it.

And that is basically a true statement. But what my co-worker does not realize is that when there is a successful formula then you can keep expanding upon it.

If Flashdance Managed to make millions back in the 80s, and Dirty Dancing made millions in the 90s, then why can't you make another dance movie that will be creative and fun to watch, and have it be a success?

That is what I think happened, because I must admit, it was enjoyable for the most part, the dance routines were fun and creative.

There was one point, most such movies have them, where it all looked grim, it seemed like our starlet was not going to be able to achieve her hip hop dream...and sad music played on and on and on, and it went on too long....I almost started crying not because the content was sad....rather just because the "sad" part was dragging on too long...and that error saddened me.

But overall you should have a couple of laughs...

Why I thought the Matrix can be watched again and again

The Matrix, man that is one movie that really really stood out from the rest.

several key elements allowed that to happen. Let me elaborate.

It came out when I was liviing in Japan. I was in Tokyo at the time and had been there for several years. In a conversation I had with a japanese co-worker he mentioned that he had read that some of the scenes in the Matrix were inspired by japanese animes or mangas....and he was particularly excited to see it.

It was a movie that I went into not knowing anything about it. I had no expectations other than some hype I had heard about it. I had also seen a couple of the shoot'em'up previews....other than that nothing....

It had so many cool elements intertwined into an awesome story. Love, prophesies fulfilled, destiny, purposes, dedication, faith, religion, trust, martial arts, human potentiality, awareness levels,

One key element were the different emotional tones that the characters have or go through

Neo goes from an apathetic Mr. Anderson, to an all Knowing Neo.

Morpheus starts out with a high emotional tone and only for a second falters at one point when he sees Neo die

Agent Smith seems to be stuck in Hate and Anger. Fascinating....

Another point that the film nailed was the evil that can be perpetrated by a government body ie the Agents in The Matrix were very similar to Psychiatrists in the world we live in today.

The arrogant way in which the agents make an attempt to coerce Mr. Anderson (before his emancipation) is very similar to the way a Nazi Gestapo agent would have done it, or the way a Psychiatrist would do it with a patient, and where Agent smith resorted to planting an electronic virus into Mr. Anderson's belly, a psychiatrist could resort to heavy medications or electroconvulsive shock treatment. Nasty stuff.

The inclusion of Martial arts was so freaking genius also, and to see Neo and Morpheus going at it in the training room was a great way to start the training for Neo.

And finally the way he rises above the entrapment of the Matrix and in the end masters it...is a goal that all bonafide religions have sought for man.


Overal on a scale of 1 to 10....I give the Matrix a 12!!!!!

Speed Racer - May 9th!

I must admit I am pretty excited about the upcoming release on May 9th- Speed Racer. Aparently it is the first project that the Wachowski Brothers are writing and directing since The Matrix. The Matrix was totally awesome- before it came out my interest in movies in general was waning, but it seemed to bring a whole new standard into the movie making world.

One reason I liked it was that it really showed how bad suppression can be.

So I think Speed Racer is going to be pretty cool.

For one, the special effects just look awesome! The casting seems flawless,

it seems to bring back memories that will boost people out of their daily depression and into a world of action where anything is possible.

Very much looking forward to it!