George Clooney plays in another goofball role. This movie is a spoof on itself. It is the second movie like this this year that I can think of. The other one was Inglourious Basterds. This movie is funny but it is a joke, one could never take this movie seriously from the outset.
Clooney shows his bizaare facial expressions carrying the name Lyn Cassady. Lyn is out of the army in the movie but he spends half the movie explaining what his unit's purpose was to Bob Wilton before the movie catches up to itself. Wilton is a reporter and the narrator played by the former an actual Jedi Knight Ewan McGregor. This movie seems to occur a couple of years ago when the heat in Iraq was high. It is much calmer now, resembling South Central, LA which the left has allowed to remain in a state of decay. Cassady was in a unit called the psychic mind unit, something like this. It is hilarious but no one takes it serious.
The role of this unit is to be able to kill people, strip down the opposition, using nothing but their minds. It was supposedly based on this after the Soviet Union received some information that we were doing this during the Cold War. When in essence, we were not. It was a French hoax. But then the Russians looked into this nonsense, oh, I mean science, and made some inroads. We detected this, and then the US Army decided to duplicate this unit. After all, they could not have a monopoly on stupidity, oh I mean, telepathic research.
Jeff Bridges plays Bill Django who is the Army commander of this unit. His training and behavior is ridiculous. Bridges has a fun time with this unit. Lyn learns how to dance in this unit, is tricked into thinking that using his eyes could defeat someone else physically or mentally. Many of Lyn's fellow recruits, including himself, are deviants from the get go. They are either persuadable or actually take into this hogwash. This movie is about as realistic as Harry Potter.
The plot is as stands: Wilton wants to get into Iraq to make story. He feels he is missing out and his career is in stagnation. Lyn is going in Bahgdad and Wilton pleads with Lyn to allow him to hitch a ride. Lyn is reluctant but gives in. On the way, Wilton is just fascinated with this different type of unit that Lyn describes to him.
Kevin Spacey plays Larry Hooper is a failed sci fiction rider from Colorado. He is spiteful and labeled the serpent in this unit's Garden of Eden. This movie repeatedly makes references to the jedi code from the Stars Wars franchise. The ironic thing about this is that Jedi's in that storyline actually learn how to fight. This is after they become mentally impregnable but at some point they learn how to go on the offensive. This psychic unit never learns how to use a light saber, or a gun, or even a knife. Well, they are trained with knives but their knife training is so fantastic and theoretical, it is never used in combat successfully. They are totally useless in reality but in their heads, they are peacemakers and freedom fighters of the world.
About 6/8's into the movie the movie catches up to itself. Larry is now leading the idiotic unit but they have moved beyond their hippi roots. Bill is called back in, he still has his lengthy hair looking as out of place as possible.
Lyn grows depressed in the movie because he misses the good ole days. He does not seem to have a purpose anymore. He never actually did. This entire unit is a waste of time and energy. But the Soviets can not monopolize the knowledge of the paranormal. This movie is preposterous but so is Dumb and Dumber. This movie is not nearly as funny as Dumb and Dumber and this movie is not an insult to the military either. It is not bashing the war on Iraq or the dangerous dictator who used to rule that country with an iron fist. This movie is innocent, absurd from its genesis.
The Men Who Stare at Goats does not finish strong though. The ending is pretty weak. It is hard to describe what happened. They released the goats they used to stare at with their death stares. Wilton gets his story and he carries the flame of this unit which accomplished nothing and satisfied no one but the nuts who were involved.
This movie promotes Twizzlers which I loath. The exceptional general in the Transformer's movies-Glenn Morshower-has a small role in this baseless film. He is Major Holtz and besides Wilton, is probably the only character in this film that has his head screwed on right.
I did laugh several times in the movie, so that affect and satisfaction is noteworthy.
I allocate this movie two stars.**
Friday, November 27, 2009
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
The Blind Side
Sandra Bullock is actually in a movie that matters. It has been a while, ever since A Time to Kill which was also a southern movie. I think that was Memphis as well to.
This movie begins with two black guys being delivered to a rich private Christian school in a magnificent Memphis neighborhood. It is probably Germantown since my cousin lives there and I have been there. Quinton Aaron plays Michael Oher and he is the one of the kids that needs to attend a school. Not only does he not have a school, he apparently does not have a home. I do not understand who the black adult man is. He is never shown again that I could see. The other kid is never shown again either, he is smaller and academically sound. Michael is a far cry from that. His test scores are horrific but the football coach, Coach Cotton played by Ray McKinnon, sees an athletic future in this large, quick footed young man so he persuades the administrative decision makers to make this acception.
Michael begins school but he is years behind his fellow students and the teachers quickly realize this. Things change though when one teacher figures out he can deliver test information verbally. So his quizzes and tests from then on are oral. Michael helps clean up the school but this is what I am not sure about. Where does he live? This adult black male drives his son and Michael to this school but does not ever mention Michael needs a home. Does not arrange him to stay at a foster home? Does allow him to enter his home?
This is where Sandra Bullock enters the fray. She is Leigh Anne Touhy and she knows Michael from the school since she has seen him talk to her youngest son. He is S.J. Tuohy who is played by Jae Head. S.J. takes to Michael instantly. The Touhy's see Michael walking in the rain. Leigh orders her husband to stop the car and she walks out in the rain to have a heart to heart discussion with Michael. Michael informs her he is going to the gym but the gym is closed at night and at that time. Leigh realizes he does not have a home. Well, this can not be helping his homework and grade improvement prospects that is for sure.
So the Tuohy's just invite him in for he night. Michael is the most gentle soul and that night turns into several. He was about to leave the following morning after folding the blankets lake furniture store professional. Leigh persuades him to stick around though and share the day with them. Soon, Thanksgiving roles around and Michael has never had a meal that fulfilling and plentiful.
Tim McGraw stars in this movie. Though spending time with Sandra Bullock is a downrade from Faith Hill, I guess he decided to make a little extra money. What the heck. This is a semis high school football movie. To me, McGraw starred in the best High School Football this country has ever seen-Friday Night Lights was just sensational. McGraw was a husband in this solid movie, he is Sean Tuohy and the principal breadwinner. He owns several fast food restaurants, Taco Bell and KFC and what not. Leigh has a interior decorator business of some sort. They are well off.
Leigh helps get Michael his driver's license. She feeds him, buys him clothes, sets some of her friends straight over him, she helps him with his homework, etc. She is his MVP.
The Tuohy's buy him a black pick up truck. Michael is ecstatic but I think this is going a little bit too far. He has not shown a lot of responsibility in his life. Buying him a $25000 truck is a bit of a stretch. They have already shown their Christianity in the best way. They have taken him in and probably saved him from a future of darkness. Michael only wanted his DL for ID purposes. A few days later, S.J. pleads with his mother to allow Michael and him drive to the video game store to buy the new Madden football game. With Michael that far behind school, I would think video games would be far down on the list. How about learning how to type, use the Internet, reading some basic high school level novels, etc.? OK, he wants to have a little fun, I can see that.
On the way to the store, Michael and S.J. and singing a song and Michael is not paying close enough attention to the road. A flat bed pick up truck pulls out in front of them and a collision ensues. Leight is called and rushes to the scene. The ambulance or firefighter service worker is explaining to Leigh that S.J. is really lucky not have a broken neck because of his size. He should have been in the rear seat, the airbag is too powerful for someone of his small frame. He is just a child. Michael is distraught, not believing what he allowed to happen. It could have been exponentially worse. It is later revealed that Michael's strength prevented the airbag from bringing the full force onto S.J. upper torso. Michael's cuts on his right arm prove this.
The family enjoys having him around. Lily Collins is Collins Tuohy, their teenage daughter. She takes some heat at school from some of the punks because Michael is living with her and them but she handles it with maturity.
Michael is given the chance to practice with the football team in the spring. The football coach that put his full weight to allow Michael to be accepted is not the best communicator. Michael does not react well to being hollered at. Leigh goes onto the field, during one practice session, and explains to Michael what his role is as a left tackle. This helps briefly but he is still unprepared to play such a simple position-left tackle-by the time the first game roles around during the following fall. But after looking pretty bad in the first couple of possessions, Michael's game rapidly improves. His stock soars, and he becomes an All American. He plays big time college football and eventually is drafted by the Baltimore Ravens. I am sure Ray Lewis will like having him around.
This is solid movie. It is a movie of many different facets. This movie contains the concepts of faith, communication, values, kindness, societal classes, and much more. It is certainly a supreme Bullock movie who typically makes the most useless movies. But her southern charm and attitude in this movie is amazing. She carries this movie, along with Big Mike, oh I mean Michael. This movie has a lot of reality to it.
I allocate this movie four stars.****
This movie begins with two black guys being delivered to a rich private Christian school in a magnificent Memphis neighborhood. It is probably Germantown since my cousin lives there and I have been there. Quinton Aaron plays Michael Oher and he is the one of the kids that needs to attend a school. Not only does he not have a school, he apparently does not have a home. I do not understand who the black adult man is. He is never shown again that I could see. The other kid is never shown again either, he is smaller and academically sound. Michael is a far cry from that. His test scores are horrific but the football coach, Coach Cotton played by Ray McKinnon, sees an athletic future in this large, quick footed young man so he persuades the administrative decision makers to make this acception.
Michael begins school but he is years behind his fellow students and the teachers quickly realize this. Things change though when one teacher figures out he can deliver test information verbally. So his quizzes and tests from then on are oral. Michael helps clean up the school but this is what I am not sure about. Where does he live? This adult black male drives his son and Michael to this school but does not ever mention Michael needs a home. Does not arrange him to stay at a foster home? Does allow him to enter his home?
This is where Sandra Bullock enters the fray. She is Leigh Anne Touhy and she knows Michael from the school since she has seen him talk to her youngest son. He is S.J. Tuohy who is played by Jae Head. S.J. takes to Michael instantly. The Touhy's see Michael walking in the rain. Leigh orders her husband to stop the car and she walks out in the rain to have a heart to heart discussion with Michael. Michael informs her he is going to the gym but the gym is closed at night and at that time. Leigh realizes he does not have a home. Well, this can not be helping his homework and grade improvement prospects that is for sure.
So the Tuohy's just invite him in for he night. Michael is the most gentle soul and that night turns into several. He was about to leave the following morning after folding the blankets lake furniture store professional. Leigh persuades him to stick around though and share the day with them. Soon, Thanksgiving roles around and Michael has never had a meal that fulfilling and plentiful.
Tim McGraw stars in this movie. Though spending time with Sandra Bullock is a downrade from Faith Hill, I guess he decided to make a little extra money. What the heck. This is a semis high school football movie. To me, McGraw starred in the best High School Football this country has ever seen-Friday Night Lights was just sensational. McGraw was a husband in this solid movie, he is Sean Tuohy and the principal breadwinner. He owns several fast food restaurants, Taco Bell and KFC and what not. Leigh has a interior decorator business of some sort. They are well off.
Leigh helps get Michael his driver's license. She feeds him, buys him clothes, sets some of her friends straight over him, she helps him with his homework, etc. She is his MVP.
The Tuohy's buy him a black pick up truck. Michael is ecstatic but I think this is going a little bit too far. He has not shown a lot of responsibility in his life. Buying him a $25000 truck is a bit of a stretch. They have already shown their Christianity in the best way. They have taken him in and probably saved him from a future of darkness. Michael only wanted his DL for ID purposes. A few days later, S.J. pleads with his mother to allow Michael and him drive to the video game store to buy the new Madden football game. With Michael that far behind school, I would think video games would be far down on the list. How about learning how to type, use the Internet, reading some basic high school level novels, etc.? OK, he wants to have a little fun, I can see that.
On the way to the store, Michael and S.J. and singing a song and Michael is not paying close enough attention to the road. A flat bed pick up truck pulls out in front of them and a collision ensues. Leight is called and rushes to the scene. The ambulance or firefighter service worker is explaining to Leigh that S.J. is really lucky not have a broken neck because of his size. He should have been in the rear seat, the airbag is too powerful for someone of his small frame. He is just a child. Michael is distraught, not believing what he allowed to happen. It could have been exponentially worse. It is later revealed that Michael's strength prevented the airbag from bringing the full force onto S.J. upper torso. Michael's cuts on his right arm prove this.
The family enjoys having him around. Lily Collins is Collins Tuohy, their teenage daughter. She takes some heat at school from some of the punks because Michael is living with her and them but she handles it with maturity.
Michael is given the chance to practice with the football team in the spring. The football coach that put his full weight to allow Michael to be accepted is not the best communicator. Michael does not react well to being hollered at. Leigh goes onto the field, during one practice session, and explains to Michael what his role is as a left tackle. This helps briefly but he is still unprepared to play such a simple position-left tackle-by the time the first game roles around during the following fall. But after looking pretty bad in the first couple of possessions, Michael's game rapidly improves. His stock soars, and he becomes an All American. He plays big time college football and eventually is drafted by the Baltimore Ravens. I am sure Ray Lewis will like having him around.
This is solid movie. It is a movie of many different facets. This movie contains the concepts of faith, communication, values, kindness, societal classes, and much more. It is certainly a supreme Bullock movie who typically makes the most useless movies. But her southern charm and attitude in this movie is amazing. She carries this movie, along with Big Mike, oh I mean Michael. This movie has a lot of reality to it.
I allocate this movie four stars.****
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire
This is a perfect movie why the USA needs less entitlement programs. It is because people abuse them without any hope in helping society out. It is because too many dishonest people do not deserve the tax payer money they are requesting. In this movie, this girl's mother is not working and has not worked in years. Her despicable husband and her are in a terrible scam.
The daughter is Gabourey 'Gabby' Sidibe whose name is Precious. She is actually the antitheses of precious because she is about 100 pounds over weight and naturally ugly. She is raped by her father so she can have babies to be raised by her grandmother who seems to just maintain a hush hush attitude about this horrendous scheme. The mother collects welfare checks that continue to march upward for every dependant her daughter conceives.
Precious is illiterate and eventually runs away with the latest child. This is after a brutal fight with her fat, black mother. Her mother is a horrific woman and is a menace to society. She should be tossed into the middle of the Hudson River to become fish food.
DeJaVu's Paula Patton stars in this movie. She is the precious one. Ms. Rain is her name and she teaches Precious in her GED course. This is a continuation school for absolute losers. It reminds me of the losers I was surrounded by at Fern Bacon Middle School in south Sacramento. Precious is sent to this school after her Principal finds out that she is pregnant again with her 2nd child. Precious is only 16 but reads a 1st grade level. Patton works with her throughout the movie and gives her a reason to live. Ms. Rain even takes her in when Precious ditches her mother with her second child.
Precious's father eventually dies because he is HIV positive. Which he passed onto her. Overall, he is a nice fellow. Honestly, he is a piece of crap too and would make some organic and healthy fish food for the water life in the Hudson River.
Precious's mother does not even know when her birthday is.
Mariah Carey was in this movie but her role was limited. That bombshell is incredibly attractive. She is so lovely it is hard to contemplate. Beyonce Knowles will never be a Mariah Carey. Mrs. Weiss was her character's name but her impact was not felt at all.
This is a family movie of the worst kind. But these are the elements in American life. This is what is wrong with certain cultures in America. Precious's mother is not only a terrible woman she is also a blatant liar. How society created this beast is spectacular. A true product of American urban blight, a walking sociopath, a selfish human being not worth a piece of lint found on a comfortable couch. She has the audacity at this movie to blame her troubles on Precious. Precious defends herself in front of the social worker and calls her out.
Certain cultures tolerate this behavior as well. The behavior and white collar criminal intentions of the mother. In some cases, they are celebrated and envied. But that did not occur too much here. Precious's classmates, who were all female, felt sorry for her. The social worker put the breaks on her checks at the end. This was the climax. Her mother's fraudulent ways were blown up in her face. She should have to pay the money back. Precious mother will either be homeless soon or have to rejoin the workforce. Life is tough and she put herself into a terrible situation. She should be tossed into prison for an entire array of crimes. Notably child neglect, accomplice to rape, etc.
This movie is realistic. I think Barbara Boxer and Nanci Pilosi needs to see this movie. Their ignorance is profound and they allow these stories to occur by coddling entire communities and not promoting hard work and decency.
I allocate this movie three stars.***
The daughter is Gabourey 'Gabby' Sidibe whose name is Precious. She is actually the antitheses of precious because she is about 100 pounds over weight and naturally ugly. She is raped by her father so she can have babies to be raised by her grandmother who seems to just maintain a hush hush attitude about this horrendous scheme. The mother collects welfare checks that continue to march upward for every dependant her daughter conceives.
Precious is illiterate and eventually runs away with the latest child. This is after a brutal fight with her fat, black mother. Her mother is a horrific woman and is a menace to society. She should be tossed into the middle of the Hudson River to become fish food.
DeJaVu's Paula Patton stars in this movie. She is the precious one. Ms. Rain is her name and she teaches Precious in her GED course. This is a continuation school for absolute losers. It reminds me of the losers I was surrounded by at Fern Bacon Middle School in south Sacramento. Precious is sent to this school after her Principal finds out that she is pregnant again with her 2nd child. Precious is only 16 but reads a 1st grade level. Patton works with her throughout the movie and gives her a reason to live. Ms. Rain even takes her in when Precious ditches her mother with her second child.
Precious's father eventually dies because he is HIV positive. Which he passed onto her. Overall, he is a nice fellow. Honestly, he is a piece of crap too and would make some organic and healthy fish food for the water life in the Hudson River.
Precious's mother does not even know when her birthday is.
Mariah Carey was in this movie but her role was limited. That bombshell is incredibly attractive. She is so lovely it is hard to contemplate. Beyonce Knowles will never be a Mariah Carey. Mrs. Weiss was her character's name but her impact was not felt at all.
This is a family movie of the worst kind. But these are the elements in American life. This is what is wrong with certain cultures in America. Precious's mother is not only a terrible woman she is also a blatant liar. How society created this beast is spectacular. A true product of American urban blight, a walking sociopath, a selfish human being not worth a piece of lint found on a comfortable couch. She has the audacity at this movie to blame her troubles on Precious. Precious defends herself in front of the social worker and calls her out.
Certain cultures tolerate this behavior as well. The behavior and white collar criminal intentions of the mother. In some cases, they are celebrated and envied. But that did not occur too much here. Precious's classmates, who were all female, felt sorry for her. The social worker put the breaks on her checks at the end. This was the climax. Her mother's fraudulent ways were blown up in her face. She should have to pay the money back. Precious mother will either be homeless soon or have to rejoin the workforce. Life is tough and she put herself into a terrible situation. She should be tossed into prison for an entire array of crimes. Notably child neglect, accomplice to rape, etc.
This movie is realistic. I think Barbara Boxer and Nanci Pilosi needs to see this movie. Their ignorance is profound and they allow these stories to occur by coddling entire communities and not promoting hard work and decency.
I allocate this movie three stars.***
Saturday, November 21, 2009
The Twilight Saga: New Moon
This is a sequel to the ridiculous original. I especially like the part where a vampire ran from Washington St. to Phoenix. Where is Blade when you need him. These movies are designed for teenagers, unlike the Supreme Underwold movies. But Underworld III was a massive disapointment. But no one in Twilight can match Kate Beckinsale or her character in those vampire movies.
Kristen Stewart returns as vampire lover Bella Swan. She is cute and madly in love. She was raised without faith so selling her soul is not that big of deal. She is in love with make up boy Edward Cullen. Robert Pattinson plays make up boy. I believe he wears so much make up for sun protection. But apparently none of the other students at the high school say anything about this.
This movie is a love triangle. Bella loves make up boy and is spending a lot of time thinking about him. Then Jacob Black enters the fray. Where he comes from I am not sure. He is Indian, which tribe, the movie shines away from that information. Jake is played by Taylor Lautner. Jake knows Bella from the area and has been attending another school. Jake is a couple of years younger than Bella.
Bella's life falls apart when make up boy decides to run for the hills. He thinks hanging out with Bella puts her into an unsafe position. She is unhealthily depressed in the fall and into the winter. Her nightmares are intense. Her father, Charlie Swan, played by Billy Burke wants to ship her off to Jacksonville to hang out with her mother. Not a bad idea. He should have forced the deal or intervened before she fell head over heels with make up boy. She sits alone like a weirdo during lunch, in the cafeteria. She is wasting her senior year.
Jake gave her a symbol which prevents her from having a bad dreams. It does not work well since when make up boy is out of the picture her nightmares are violent and loud. This is when we first see them together in the first third of the movie, when she accepts this gift. The middle third is the Jake time. That is what I have dubbed it.
Bella acquires some beat up motor bikes and her and Jake spend about a month fixing them up. Jake seems to be pretty crafty with tools and his mechanical prowess is amazing. Who bought the new parts is not mentioned. Neither of them are flush with cash it seems. Why he does not play football or any other team sport is bewilderding. Perhaps his grades are not above the 2.0 threshold. Moving forward, after fixing the bikes they take them to a flat area to ride them. Neither of them are bright enough to buy a helmet. This is the point in the movie where Bella is going through a strange state of mind. She seems to want to test her limits, challenge her fears and become a borderline daredevil. Her friend warns her of this dangerous and risky behavior. Bella is just bizaare, someone who can not control her emotions.
Jake and her are moving forward and she begins to fall for Jake. But then Jake departs from the scene. Again, Bella is destraught. Here we go again. It is revealed soon that Jake can turn into a wolf, along with 3 of his native American buddies. It is insinuated that they turn him into a wolf. These wolves protect the northwest population from the vampires. Jake and his boys are not wherewolves, but just giant wolves. Even so, they are just as powerful as any wherewolf Hollywood has produced, besides the cartoon one in the udicrous Van Helsing film. In Twilight, they have the strength of a lion or beyond, the speed of a NASCAR race car, the nocturnal sense of their observable kind, the scent of X-Men's Wolverine or a bloodhound, and have apparently worked out a truce with the vampires. The vampires know they are always being scrutinized by the wolves. Where the wolves were in the first film is beyond me. Perhaps working in an Indian Casino on the reservation.
Ashley Greene was the hottest in the film. She should have been showed more. She is make up boy's brother. She plays Alice Cullen. Alice and Bella link up. So now it is about February. Ashley is amazing, she should have been in more parts. Oh, I said this already. Bella is cute and that is about it. Alice informs Bella that make up boy is in Italy and is depressed. Apparently the vampire order has their headquarters in the vicinity of the pope. Jake tries to prevent Bella from leaving but Bella still has ridiculous feelings for make up boy. Make up boy is thinking of jumping into the sunlight it seems. The plane ticket to Italy must have been paid for by Alice.
Bella arrives at the vampire castle or lair to save make up boy from trying to get a tan. The vampire leadership tries to persuade make up boy from trying to get a sun tan without using sunblock. OK, Bella arrives, but the presiders of this order want to speak to her and make up boy. This discussion turns violent since they decide to eliminate Bella for knowing too much. Make up boy attempts to defend her. Somehow, they all return to the Northeast. This was the climax. It was terrible. There was still 15 minutes left in the movie and this involved some talking and walking. The final scene, make up boy proposes to Bella since if he bites her that would violate the standing trust. Wow, this was a massive calamity. This entire movie was a miscalculation. The screenplay was unimpressive, the movie was just uneventful. It was not exciting and the climax was a blip in most other movies.
I was hoping that Blade would come and slay these vampires to end this agony. This movie just shoots itself in the foot. It does show the emotional instability of teenage girls though. I am not sure if this should be broadcasted though.
I can not say the original was better since that was hilarious as well. This movie did have some vampires with some wicked red eyes though. How they walk around in pulic with those is another question. These movies are designed for the female teenager. This movie had scene after scene with a bare chested male. For males, looking at Bella was similiar to looking at some guy bare chested, Stewart is nothing to stop traffic over.
The musical score was weak. The plot was deplorable. The writing was miserable. It was still better than Nicolas Cage's Wicker Man though.
I allocate this movie one star.*
Kristen Stewart returns as vampire lover Bella Swan. She is cute and madly in love. She was raised without faith so selling her soul is not that big of deal. She is in love with make up boy Edward Cullen. Robert Pattinson plays make up boy. I believe he wears so much make up for sun protection. But apparently none of the other students at the high school say anything about this.
This movie is a love triangle. Bella loves make up boy and is spending a lot of time thinking about him. Then Jacob Black enters the fray. Where he comes from I am not sure. He is Indian, which tribe, the movie shines away from that information. Jake is played by Taylor Lautner. Jake knows Bella from the area and has been attending another school. Jake is a couple of years younger than Bella.
Bella's life falls apart when make up boy decides to run for the hills. He thinks hanging out with Bella puts her into an unsafe position. She is unhealthily depressed in the fall and into the winter. Her nightmares are intense. Her father, Charlie Swan, played by Billy Burke wants to ship her off to Jacksonville to hang out with her mother. Not a bad idea. He should have forced the deal or intervened before she fell head over heels with make up boy. She sits alone like a weirdo during lunch, in the cafeteria. She is wasting her senior year.
Jake gave her a symbol which prevents her from having a bad dreams. It does not work well since when make up boy is out of the picture her nightmares are violent and loud. This is when we first see them together in the first third of the movie, when she accepts this gift. The middle third is the Jake time. That is what I have dubbed it.
Bella acquires some beat up motor bikes and her and Jake spend about a month fixing them up. Jake seems to be pretty crafty with tools and his mechanical prowess is amazing. Who bought the new parts is not mentioned. Neither of them are flush with cash it seems. Why he does not play football or any other team sport is bewilderding. Perhaps his grades are not above the 2.0 threshold. Moving forward, after fixing the bikes they take them to a flat area to ride them. Neither of them are bright enough to buy a helmet. This is the point in the movie where Bella is going through a strange state of mind. She seems to want to test her limits, challenge her fears and become a borderline daredevil. Her friend warns her of this dangerous and risky behavior. Bella is just bizaare, someone who can not control her emotions.
Jake and her are moving forward and she begins to fall for Jake. But then Jake departs from the scene. Again, Bella is destraught. Here we go again. It is revealed soon that Jake can turn into a wolf, along with 3 of his native American buddies. It is insinuated that they turn him into a wolf. These wolves protect the northwest population from the vampires. Jake and his boys are not wherewolves, but just giant wolves. Even so, they are just as powerful as any wherewolf Hollywood has produced, besides the cartoon one in the udicrous Van Helsing film. In Twilight, they have the strength of a lion or beyond, the speed of a NASCAR race car, the nocturnal sense of their observable kind, the scent of X-Men's Wolverine or a bloodhound, and have apparently worked out a truce with the vampires. The vampires know they are always being scrutinized by the wolves. Where the wolves were in the first film is beyond me. Perhaps working in an Indian Casino on the reservation.
Ashley Greene was the hottest in the film. She should have been showed more. She is make up boy's brother. She plays Alice Cullen. Alice and Bella link up. So now it is about February. Ashley is amazing, she should have been in more parts. Oh, I said this already. Bella is cute and that is about it. Alice informs Bella that make up boy is in Italy and is depressed. Apparently the vampire order has their headquarters in the vicinity of the pope. Jake tries to prevent Bella from leaving but Bella still has ridiculous feelings for make up boy. Make up boy is thinking of jumping into the sunlight it seems. The plane ticket to Italy must have been paid for by Alice.
Bella arrives at the vampire castle or lair to save make up boy from trying to get a tan. The vampire leadership tries to persuade make up boy from trying to get a sun tan without using sunblock. OK, Bella arrives, but the presiders of this order want to speak to her and make up boy. This discussion turns violent since they decide to eliminate Bella for knowing too much. Make up boy attempts to defend her. Somehow, they all return to the Northeast. This was the climax. It was terrible. There was still 15 minutes left in the movie and this involved some talking and walking. The final scene, make up boy proposes to Bella since if he bites her that would violate the standing trust. Wow, this was a massive calamity. This entire movie was a miscalculation. The screenplay was unimpressive, the movie was just uneventful. It was not exciting and the climax was a blip in most other movies.
I was hoping that Blade would come and slay these vampires to end this agony. This movie just shoots itself in the foot. It does show the emotional instability of teenage girls though. I am not sure if this should be broadcasted though.
I can not say the original was better since that was hilarious as well. This movie did have some vampires with some wicked red eyes though. How they walk around in pulic with those is another question. These movies are designed for the female teenager. This movie had scene after scene with a bare chested male. For males, looking at Bella was similiar to looking at some guy bare chested, Stewart is nothing to stop traffic over.
The musical score was weak. The plot was deplorable. The writing was miserable. It was still better than Nicolas Cage's Wicker Man though.
I allocate this movie one star.*
Monday, November 16, 2009
Beyond a Reasonable Doubt
This is a movie based on another movie apparently with the same title. I am not sure why they decided to remake it, there is nothing magnanimous or life changing about it. But this does not mean it is not entertaining or well played out.
Michael Douglas is the district attorney (DA) in this somewhat riveting courtroom drama. He is Mark Hunter and he is on fire. He is convicting criminal after criminal or suspect after suspect. This is great, is it not? The film takes place in Shreveport, LA. and the voters there are following this charismatic DA in droves. He is on his way to become governor. But is he honest and is he convicting the right criminals?
A slick and energetic investigative reporter is C.J. Nicholas. Jesse Metcalfe plays this C.J. Nicholas who is willing to risk it tall to prove a powerful point that has many people's lives in check whether they know it or not. His career is on track until he is pulled over by his supervisor. They are cutting his investigative team and placing him under general assignment. Which means his job became more mainstream and not as exciting. Whatever, he has a job and he should be happy with that. I am not sure he has seen how many people in this planet are hurting under socialist policies. He does reveal his plan or hunch to his supervisor but since he does not have substantial proof that the DA is planting evidence, his supervisor is not willing to risk the network's reputation on something that is not stickyproof. See Dan Rather if one is not sure what I mean.
The Grudge 2's Amber Tamblyn stars in this movie. In fact, her character takes over when Nicholas screws up. Her character is Ella Crystal and she falls in love with Nicholas. Tamblyn is attractive but this movie, certainly in the beginning, act like she is Jennifer Love Hewitt, Kayla Murphy or Olguita Villalobos. Tamblyn is not on the level or caliber of any of these females and I noticed this in Grudge 2 as well. She should not have been the star in that movie either. Grandma's Boy Joel Moore is Nicholas's best friend Corey Finley and in the movie's outset informs Nicholas that she is out of his league. She is Tamblyn ofcourse, they must be seeing something that I am not. Credit should be given when it is deserved.
Nicholas has this plan all figured out. He enlists Moore on this grand plan who is also his work partner in their short lived and fledgling two man investigative reporting unit. That is why he pleads with him to shoot for the stars, bring down the DA, and possibly win a pulitzer. So they wait for the right type of murder and Nicholas implicates himself. It is not uncommon for him to arrive at a murder scene after the police and report the story. They want a homicide where their is evidence but it is not a slam dunk case. Primeval's Orlando Jones is Detective Ben Nickerson. He accepts season tickets to the Saints games, I am assuming from Nicholas for the evidence compiled for this case. Nicholas wants this so he can buy the right clothes and items needed to implicate himself in the crime. Nickerson is the lead detective until Hunter has a corrupt detective assume the lead detective's role. This lead detective has been planting evidence, like a cigarette butt from a suspect, then they toss this into evidence, with the suspect's fingerprints, and frame the suspect. They use the DNA to convict some random suspect which fits the profile somewhat.
Well, during the trial, Nicholas is prepared to frame the DA but his aloof friend Finley did not make enough copies of the tape. In fact, he is killed returning to the court room with the disc that is needed to prove Nicholas's theory. Hunter's main man, the lead detective, kills Finley in a car chase. How this worked out in Hunter's favor is pure luck. But Nicholas and Finley only made two copies? Are you kidding me? I would have made 7 copies and hid 3 of them in places no one would find. I would give two away to trusting folks as well and keep two in close proximity. Nicholas should have hidden some copies as well. Come on now.
Nicholas makes the accusations against the DA that he is framing people and that he implicated himself but he has only two receipts from items bought after the murder to run on. He put it out there but Hunter is shrewed and says Nicholas could have bought the rare sneackers before the murder and the sweat pants prior as well. Nicholas's advances are thwarted. Nicholas begins to perspire.
Well, Nicholas is convicted and sentenced to death row. Now it is Ella's turn. She starts to dig up evidence. She visits some technical experts and they realize and prove that the cigarette picture in the crime scene photo was added after the fact. Shortly thereafter, Ella is almost run down and possibly would have been if it was not for Nickerson. Nickerson had been following the DA's law enforcement and corrupt partner and shot him up in the parking garage. The tide has turned.
With this evidence that Ella uncovers and the fact that a star detective was trying to kill a DA prosecutor at the behest of the DA, this is no good. The wolves begin to howl and the arrows point at Hunter.
The problem with this is all those convictions by Hunter will be overturned. They will have to be reinvestigated. All those families will have to go through the pain again. Now their loved one's murderer has actually been lose. Also, the convicts being released are not actually truly innocent, not really kind neighborly folks. But they should not in prison for a crime they did not committ either.
Nicholas is not an Abraham Lincoln either. Not even close. He eliminates a black woman who was black mailing him. Why was she blackmailing Nicholas? Because Nicholas made some special documentary, but he fabricated it. The destitute black woman was blackmailing Nicholas. So Nicholas decides to kill two birds with one stone. Not even his best friend knew that Nicholas actually killed this woman. Ofcourse he did not. This is the crime he uses to fool the system and toss the entire book at the DA. Ella puts the pieces together, Nicholas thought his grand schemed bagged the girl of his dreams and would give him a story that would end all stories. He can be cell mates with Hunter now. Ella calls the police and walks out.
This was a decent movie. There were not any wasted scenes. The ending was surprising. It was an intense movie and that parking lot chase seen was interesting. Watching that car skid around the cement column was unique and exciting. This was one of the better court room dramas I have seen in a while. But it was not nearly as good as The International or Body of Laws, lets be realistic.
I allocate this movie 3 stars.***
Michael Douglas is the district attorney (DA) in this somewhat riveting courtroom drama. He is Mark Hunter and he is on fire. He is convicting criminal after criminal or suspect after suspect. This is great, is it not? The film takes place in Shreveport, LA. and the voters there are following this charismatic DA in droves. He is on his way to become governor. But is he honest and is he convicting the right criminals?
A slick and energetic investigative reporter is C.J. Nicholas. Jesse Metcalfe plays this C.J. Nicholas who is willing to risk it tall to prove a powerful point that has many people's lives in check whether they know it or not. His career is on track until he is pulled over by his supervisor. They are cutting his investigative team and placing him under general assignment. Which means his job became more mainstream and not as exciting. Whatever, he has a job and he should be happy with that. I am not sure he has seen how many people in this planet are hurting under socialist policies. He does reveal his plan or hunch to his supervisor but since he does not have substantial proof that the DA is planting evidence, his supervisor is not willing to risk the network's reputation on something that is not stickyproof. See Dan Rather if one is not sure what I mean.
The Grudge 2's Amber Tamblyn stars in this movie. In fact, her character takes over when Nicholas screws up. Her character is Ella Crystal and she falls in love with Nicholas. Tamblyn is attractive but this movie, certainly in the beginning, act like she is Jennifer Love Hewitt, Kayla Murphy or Olguita Villalobos. Tamblyn is not on the level or caliber of any of these females and I noticed this in Grudge 2 as well. She should not have been the star in that movie either. Grandma's Boy Joel Moore is Nicholas's best friend Corey Finley and in the movie's outset informs Nicholas that she is out of his league. She is Tamblyn ofcourse, they must be seeing something that I am not. Credit should be given when it is deserved.
Nicholas has this plan all figured out. He enlists Moore on this grand plan who is also his work partner in their short lived and fledgling two man investigative reporting unit. That is why he pleads with him to shoot for the stars, bring down the DA, and possibly win a pulitzer. So they wait for the right type of murder and Nicholas implicates himself. It is not uncommon for him to arrive at a murder scene after the police and report the story. They want a homicide where their is evidence but it is not a slam dunk case. Primeval's Orlando Jones is Detective Ben Nickerson. He accepts season tickets to the Saints games, I am assuming from Nicholas for the evidence compiled for this case. Nicholas wants this so he can buy the right clothes and items needed to implicate himself in the crime. Nickerson is the lead detective until Hunter has a corrupt detective assume the lead detective's role. This lead detective has been planting evidence, like a cigarette butt from a suspect, then they toss this into evidence, with the suspect's fingerprints, and frame the suspect. They use the DNA to convict some random suspect which fits the profile somewhat.
Well, during the trial, Nicholas is prepared to frame the DA but his aloof friend Finley did not make enough copies of the tape. In fact, he is killed returning to the court room with the disc that is needed to prove Nicholas's theory. Hunter's main man, the lead detective, kills Finley in a car chase. How this worked out in Hunter's favor is pure luck. But Nicholas and Finley only made two copies? Are you kidding me? I would have made 7 copies and hid 3 of them in places no one would find. I would give two away to trusting folks as well and keep two in close proximity. Nicholas should have hidden some copies as well. Come on now.
Nicholas makes the accusations against the DA that he is framing people and that he implicated himself but he has only two receipts from items bought after the murder to run on. He put it out there but Hunter is shrewed and says Nicholas could have bought the rare sneackers before the murder and the sweat pants prior as well. Nicholas's advances are thwarted. Nicholas begins to perspire.
Well, Nicholas is convicted and sentenced to death row. Now it is Ella's turn. She starts to dig up evidence. She visits some technical experts and they realize and prove that the cigarette picture in the crime scene photo was added after the fact. Shortly thereafter, Ella is almost run down and possibly would have been if it was not for Nickerson. Nickerson had been following the DA's law enforcement and corrupt partner and shot him up in the parking garage. The tide has turned.
With this evidence that Ella uncovers and the fact that a star detective was trying to kill a DA prosecutor at the behest of the DA, this is no good. The wolves begin to howl and the arrows point at Hunter.
The problem with this is all those convictions by Hunter will be overturned. They will have to be reinvestigated. All those families will have to go through the pain again. Now their loved one's murderer has actually been lose. Also, the convicts being released are not actually truly innocent, not really kind neighborly folks. But they should not in prison for a crime they did not committ either.
Nicholas is not an Abraham Lincoln either. Not even close. He eliminates a black woman who was black mailing him. Why was she blackmailing Nicholas? Because Nicholas made some special documentary, but he fabricated it. The destitute black woman was blackmailing Nicholas. So Nicholas decides to kill two birds with one stone. Not even his best friend knew that Nicholas actually killed this woman. Ofcourse he did not. This is the crime he uses to fool the system and toss the entire book at the DA. Ella puts the pieces together, Nicholas thought his grand schemed bagged the girl of his dreams and would give him a story that would end all stories. He can be cell mates with Hunter now. Ella calls the police and walks out.
This was a decent movie. There were not any wasted scenes. The ending was surprising. It was an intense movie and that parking lot chase seen was interesting. Watching that car skid around the cement column was unique and exciting. This was one of the better court room dramas I have seen in a while. But it was not nearly as good as The International or Body of Laws, lets be realistic.
I allocate this movie 3 stars.***
Sunday, November 15, 2009
The Fourth Kind
The first kind is when someone sees a UFO. The second kind is when someone can prove a UFO was present. The third kind is when an alien is seen. The fourth kind is when the aliens abduct someone. This is what is described in the movie. I was confused since I thought the first two kinds were male and female.
I thought Fire In the Sky was more convincing. Although this movie may have been more frightening. This movie involved a lot of hysterical screaming, extremely violent. Like Paranormal Activity, it was not that long but The Fourth Kind was much harder to follow.
Milla Jovovich is the star of the movie and she chooses the craziest movies. I hope these bizaare character choices do not end up having irreparable damage. Abbey Tyler is her name and I am not sure who the real Abbey Taylor is. This movie bounces back continuously with supposedly actual footage. It is disturbing which detracts from the movie. Only about 10 minutes of the film is actually smooth dialogue without crazy pictures.
Tyler is a psychologist who has already lost her husband to suicide. Her son blames her and his younger sister does not understand. It is a brutal situation.
Tyler puts a client under submission and this person begins to scream violently. Later on that night, this man holds his family hostage but seems to be possessed during this tirade. He is speaking in a language that is difficult to gauge. Tyler is unable to pacify him so he subsequently shoots himself after unloading on his family.
Remember the Titans and Armegeddon's Will Patton is Sheriff August. He does not believe Tyler's story on anything and wants to arrest her more than once in this story. It seems that her patients have a tendency to act psychotic after seeing her. Basically, she is not helping them but escalating their issues. What is their issues? They seem to see an owl at night which stairs at them. OK, why don't they shut cover or screen off the window? I guess this is too logical. None of these people have a dog. I would shoot any animal that was staring at me this wickedly. And if I knew someone who said this was happening to them I would be over there for support and protection.
This movie takes place in Nome, Alaska. Nome has had an extraordinary amount of UFO sightings in the past few decades. It has also seen its share of missing people cases. But I went to the website of Nome and saw the picture of the wonderful little down. I did not see that many trees for some owl to perch on. Also, this movie looked more like the Seattle, Washington area with all those trees and lush green vegetation. Nome appears in the picture as an area that is not inundated with trees. I did not do any extensive research, but Wikipedia did not say anything about any abductions in Nome. Upon further research, I uncovered this: "But state licensing examiner Jan Mays says she can’t find records of an Abigail Tyler ever being licensed in any profession in Alaska." This is by Kyle Hopkins, khopkins@adn.com, http://community.adn.com/adn/node/143292
24's Colonel Iké Dubaku is in this movie. Which was humorous and cool. He is Hakeem Kae-Kazim in reality but Awolowa Odusami in this movie. He is an expert in Sumerian languages and history. Sumerian language is obsolete but according to this movie the evil alien entity hung out with those aliens, has not learned English yet, influenced the Sumerians enough so now they are no longer around, and basically forced them to paint pictures of them. These aliens are pretty selfish and some of this is similiar to Paranormal Activity, especially dealing with the people being dragged or trying to be dragged out of their rooms. In particular to Tyler.
OK, so Tyler and the police do not get a long. Odusami seems to have flown in to help Tyler with this bizaare case(s). He helps her translate the Sumerian language that was spitting out vehemenently Sumerian vernacular. Soon thereafter, a man she just hypnotized in the office becomes possessed and ends up breaking his neck as he was taken over by this entity while sleeping or napping in this bedroom. What this movie does is, someone is just sleeping and there is not any build up, the human just shouts in a massive sound, almost beyond what the human lungs are capable of, in total climax. This seems like it would be a considerable strain on our body and it is.
Tyler's good friend is Abel Campos played by Elias Koteas. He prevents her from being arrested by August after her client is crippled from the neck down. The sheriff orders her to remain inside right before she was going to ship her kids off to North Carolina. She should have told the sheriff to take her children. I thought of this immediately. August leaves one of his deputies to watch the house. About 2 hours later, the deputy notices something bright in the tree near her home. As he gets out of the car, I thought he was going to get wasted. But the daughter is abducted. So the cavalry returns. Tyler is hysterical, August believes she was in on it.
The movie goes even more haywire. There is a series of shouting between her and the alien entity. Someone is translating her voice and this alien speaking an ancient language. This movie also jumps back and forth with Tyler being diagnosed or having a conversation with a psychologist. She is explaining to him the series of events, her daughter is still missing. The alien entity would not give up the daughter. This is how the movie ends with Milla Jovovich and another actor detailing to the viewer that this has been real footage and we should believe what we want. After my research and natural skepticism, I think this is a hoax.
I believe Fire In the Sky was more credible since it did not try to betray an entire community. The people of Nome fight this movie off and the psychologist Tyler never even existed in Alaska. I do not like it when movies try to lie and scare people. Stephen King does not even do this for instance and he is a true weirdo. But a wonderful tale yearner.
Paranormal Activity is far superior to this film.
Hakeem Kae-Kazim was the best actor. He should have had additional lines.
I allocate this movie one star.*
I thought Fire In the Sky was more convincing. Although this movie may have been more frightening. This movie involved a lot of hysterical screaming, extremely violent. Like Paranormal Activity, it was not that long but The Fourth Kind was much harder to follow.
Milla Jovovich is the star of the movie and she chooses the craziest movies. I hope these bizaare character choices do not end up having irreparable damage. Abbey Tyler is her name and I am not sure who the real Abbey Taylor is. This movie bounces back continuously with supposedly actual footage. It is disturbing which detracts from the movie. Only about 10 minutes of the film is actually smooth dialogue without crazy pictures.
Tyler is a psychologist who has already lost her husband to suicide. Her son blames her and his younger sister does not understand. It is a brutal situation.
Tyler puts a client under submission and this person begins to scream violently. Later on that night, this man holds his family hostage but seems to be possessed during this tirade. He is speaking in a language that is difficult to gauge. Tyler is unable to pacify him so he subsequently shoots himself after unloading on his family.
Remember the Titans and Armegeddon's Will Patton is Sheriff August. He does not believe Tyler's story on anything and wants to arrest her more than once in this story. It seems that her patients have a tendency to act psychotic after seeing her. Basically, she is not helping them but escalating their issues. What is their issues? They seem to see an owl at night which stairs at them. OK, why don't they shut cover or screen off the window? I guess this is too logical. None of these people have a dog. I would shoot any animal that was staring at me this wickedly. And if I knew someone who said this was happening to them I would be over there for support and protection.
This movie takes place in Nome, Alaska. Nome has had an extraordinary amount of UFO sightings in the past few decades. It has also seen its share of missing people cases. But I went to the website of Nome and saw the picture of the wonderful little down. I did not see that many trees for some owl to perch on. Also, this movie looked more like the Seattle, Washington area with all those trees and lush green vegetation. Nome appears in the picture as an area that is not inundated with trees. I did not do any extensive research, but Wikipedia did not say anything about any abductions in Nome. Upon further research, I uncovered this: "But state licensing examiner Jan Mays says she can’t find records of an Abigail Tyler ever being licensed in any profession in Alaska." This is by Kyle Hopkins, khopkins@adn.com, http://community.adn.com/adn/node/143292
24's Colonel Iké Dubaku is in this movie. Which was humorous and cool. He is Hakeem Kae-Kazim in reality but Awolowa Odusami in this movie. He is an expert in Sumerian languages and history. Sumerian language is obsolete but according to this movie the evil alien entity hung out with those aliens, has not learned English yet, influenced the Sumerians enough so now they are no longer around, and basically forced them to paint pictures of them. These aliens are pretty selfish and some of this is similiar to Paranormal Activity, especially dealing with the people being dragged or trying to be dragged out of their rooms. In particular to Tyler.
OK, so Tyler and the police do not get a long. Odusami seems to have flown in to help Tyler with this bizaare case(s). He helps her translate the Sumerian language that was spitting out vehemenently Sumerian vernacular. Soon thereafter, a man she just hypnotized in the office becomes possessed and ends up breaking his neck as he was taken over by this entity while sleeping or napping in this bedroom. What this movie does is, someone is just sleeping and there is not any build up, the human just shouts in a massive sound, almost beyond what the human lungs are capable of, in total climax. This seems like it would be a considerable strain on our body and it is.
Tyler's good friend is Abel Campos played by Elias Koteas. He prevents her from being arrested by August after her client is crippled from the neck down. The sheriff orders her to remain inside right before she was going to ship her kids off to North Carolina. She should have told the sheriff to take her children. I thought of this immediately. August leaves one of his deputies to watch the house. About 2 hours later, the deputy notices something bright in the tree near her home. As he gets out of the car, I thought he was going to get wasted. But the daughter is abducted. So the cavalry returns. Tyler is hysterical, August believes she was in on it.
The movie goes even more haywire. There is a series of shouting between her and the alien entity. Someone is translating her voice and this alien speaking an ancient language. This movie also jumps back and forth with Tyler being diagnosed or having a conversation with a psychologist. She is explaining to him the series of events, her daughter is still missing. The alien entity would not give up the daughter. This is how the movie ends with Milla Jovovich and another actor detailing to the viewer that this has been real footage and we should believe what we want. After my research and natural skepticism, I think this is a hoax.
I believe Fire In the Sky was more credible since it did not try to betray an entire community. The people of Nome fight this movie off and the psychologist Tyler never even existed in Alaska. I do not like it when movies try to lie and scare people. Stephen King does not even do this for instance and he is a true weirdo. But a wonderful tale yearner.
Paranormal Activity is far superior to this film.
Hakeem Kae-Kazim was the best actor. He should have had additional lines.
I allocate this movie one star.*
Saturday, November 14, 2009
2012
This is one movie where they needed more runway. Some of the main characters were in serious trouble with the lack of runway in LA, Las Vegas, China and perhaps another location I am overlooking.
This is another disaster movie. It is not any better than the rest, it is just longer. It is built on the same premise and sequences as The Day After Tomorrow. It has the same tempo. Character introduction, life issues, family situations, and dire warnings. This time the president does something, in Tomorrow they hesitated. Both movies knocked the current sitting president, respectively. Which in this case, for Hollywood to toss any slight towards Obama is impressive and bold enough in this politically correct world.
John Cusack is one of the standout characters in this movie. He is a former writer turned limo driver named Jackson Curtis. He seems to be able to get things done. His ex-wife is Kate Curtis played by Amanda Peet. Inside Man's Chiwetel Ejiofor is one of the heroes as well, he is Dr. Adrian Helmsley who is the Dennis Quaid of this movie. Mission Impossible II's Thandie Newton is here. She is still skinny and basically unappealing. She is Laura Wilson, daughter of President President Thomas Wilson played by Predator II's Danny Glover. Glover is noble in this movie unlike in reality where he stands by spitfire, rabble rouser, two bit dictators like Hugo Chavez. A Time to Kill's Oliver Platt makes his presence known. He is the chief scientist who starts out honorable but looks pretty bad in the end. Ofcourse he has a tough call to make at the climax. He is Carl Anheuser and quickly takes a liking to Helmsley. The crazy Randy Quaid character, from Independence Day, in this movie is none other than a former bartender named Woody Harrelson. He is Yosemite's Charlie Frost who has his own radio show, is following the government's movements and who lives in a camper in the middle of the forest. How he pays for food is unknown. But he is not walking around in Abercrombie and Fitch's latest gear either.
This movie has the same tempo, the same flow as The Day After Tomorrow. It is just another 30 minutes longer. In Deep Impact, our government had a massive shelter built. In this movie, there is massive ships built that mainly float but seem to be able to operate a little like submarines. They can take a pounding and seem to be able to hold several thousand people each. The top governments of the world, perhaps the G20, are in the need to know. Each government has chosen, with the help of geneticists, they have cultivated the strongest and healthiest people to begin anew. The day of reckoning has come.
The Day After Tomorrow was about global warming. So that was an environmentalist dream show despite it being total hogwash. 2012 had the same absurdity accept it was just a natural phenomenon. It was not explained well, it was explained in tidbits. Frost and Helmsley provided this critical information. The Mayans were mentioned with their apocalyptical predictions about the year 2012 being the end of the world. Or atleast as we know it. The plot behind this movie was that the planets would be aligned, sucking extra heat from the sun, which would heat up our core, and cause the surface of the planet to become unglued. Something like that. Yosemite turned into the largest volcano in the world according to Frost. According to what I have read, it would be Yellowstone to watch out for though. Frost dies where he lived and loved. But Frost had the map that Curtis sought, Frost knew the governments were building something massive in China. Apparently, not even aircraft carriers were safe in the oceans. Considering one plundered onto the top of the Nations Capital building because a massive tital wave just picked it up and dumped like it was a child's play toy.
Like The Day After Tomorrow, the events just happened so quick. Very little warning, which is just absurd. Mother Nature does not change that quickly, it takes decades and perhaps centuries for massive change. The world has never changed that dramatically in that short amount of time. It is pure fantasy, about as realistic as Harry Potter. The world loses about 4.5 billion people in The Day After Tomorrow. 2012 out does that, it seems about 6 billion people would die if the surface of earth becomes as gooey and solid as play doe. There could be some survivors in Kansas City perhaps, and other cities. This movie had the poles shifting, Wisconsin would be the new south pole. At the finality, they were headed to The Cape of Good Hope. The cataclysmic changes make this the landmass to seek, it was not the new roof of the world.
This movie did not show any animals dying which is what would have happened. There would be mass extinctions. Even whales would not have been able to dive deep or fast enough to avoid waves like that. Hawaii was obliterated in fire and ash and lava. Frost's cartoon video he made up had a small cartoon Tyrannosaurus Rex utter something like: "here we go again." But this is not what wiped out the dinosaurs, it was a asteroid that smashed into the Yucatan Peninsula. And even that did not wipe out the dinosaurs in a matter of moments.
Curtis was with his family and Kate's boyfriend in an escape scene in LA where they barely escaped. It was just a pile of explosions and crashes as the earth just picked up part of LA and dumped it on another. The characters were in a small airplane that would not have taken that long to gain altitude and they flew by a number of falling buildings. They made LA seem like Hong Kong and Houston combined, why could not they not just fly in a steeper gradient I do not know.
This movie was was decent. It was not boring. I would like to have seen a massive mound of sand being moved around. There are masses of sand in the middle of the Arabian peninsula for instance.
When did this movie knock the sitting president? In the middle of this so called epic, Helmsley was speaking to his father who was on a cruise ship since he is a jazz musician and Helmsley told his father they have ordered the White House to be cleaned out. His father replies, "it is about time they clean out that house." Not bad, I wish Obama would be cleaned out too. The sooner the better.
In end, what was this movie about? There was some honor and devotion tossed. Some hard work, but this was the epitome of a movie with mindnumbing and pulsating action without end and point.
I allocate this movie two stars.**
This is another disaster movie. It is not any better than the rest, it is just longer. It is built on the same premise and sequences as The Day After Tomorrow. It has the same tempo. Character introduction, life issues, family situations, and dire warnings. This time the president does something, in Tomorrow they hesitated. Both movies knocked the current sitting president, respectively. Which in this case, for Hollywood to toss any slight towards Obama is impressive and bold enough in this politically correct world.
John Cusack is one of the standout characters in this movie. He is a former writer turned limo driver named Jackson Curtis. He seems to be able to get things done. His ex-wife is Kate Curtis played by Amanda Peet. Inside Man's Chiwetel Ejiofor is one of the heroes as well, he is Dr. Adrian Helmsley who is the Dennis Quaid of this movie. Mission Impossible II's Thandie Newton is here. She is still skinny and basically unappealing. She is Laura Wilson, daughter of President President Thomas Wilson played by Predator II's Danny Glover. Glover is noble in this movie unlike in reality where he stands by spitfire, rabble rouser, two bit dictators like Hugo Chavez. A Time to Kill's Oliver Platt makes his presence known. He is the chief scientist who starts out honorable but looks pretty bad in the end. Ofcourse he has a tough call to make at the climax. He is Carl Anheuser and quickly takes a liking to Helmsley. The crazy Randy Quaid character, from Independence Day, in this movie is none other than a former bartender named Woody Harrelson. He is Yosemite's Charlie Frost who has his own radio show, is following the government's movements and who lives in a camper in the middle of the forest. How he pays for food is unknown. But he is not walking around in Abercrombie and Fitch's latest gear either.
This movie has the same tempo, the same flow as The Day After Tomorrow. It is just another 30 minutes longer. In Deep Impact, our government had a massive shelter built. In this movie, there is massive ships built that mainly float but seem to be able to operate a little like submarines. They can take a pounding and seem to be able to hold several thousand people each. The top governments of the world, perhaps the G20, are in the need to know. Each government has chosen, with the help of geneticists, they have cultivated the strongest and healthiest people to begin anew. The day of reckoning has come.
The Day After Tomorrow was about global warming. So that was an environmentalist dream show despite it being total hogwash. 2012 had the same absurdity accept it was just a natural phenomenon. It was not explained well, it was explained in tidbits. Frost and Helmsley provided this critical information. The Mayans were mentioned with their apocalyptical predictions about the year 2012 being the end of the world. Or atleast as we know it. The plot behind this movie was that the planets would be aligned, sucking extra heat from the sun, which would heat up our core, and cause the surface of the planet to become unglued. Something like that. Yosemite turned into the largest volcano in the world according to Frost. According to what I have read, it would be Yellowstone to watch out for though. Frost dies where he lived and loved. But Frost had the map that Curtis sought, Frost knew the governments were building something massive in China. Apparently, not even aircraft carriers were safe in the oceans. Considering one plundered onto the top of the Nations Capital building because a massive tital wave just picked it up and dumped like it was a child's play toy.
Like The Day After Tomorrow, the events just happened so quick. Very little warning, which is just absurd. Mother Nature does not change that quickly, it takes decades and perhaps centuries for massive change. The world has never changed that dramatically in that short amount of time. It is pure fantasy, about as realistic as Harry Potter. The world loses about 4.5 billion people in The Day After Tomorrow. 2012 out does that, it seems about 6 billion people would die if the surface of earth becomes as gooey and solid as play doe. There could be some survivors in Kansas City perhaps, and other cities. This movie had the poles shifting, Wisconsin would be the new south pole. At the finality, they were headed to The Cape of Good Hope. The cataclysmic changes make this the landmass to seek, it was not the new roof of the world.
This movie did not show any animals dying which is what would have happened. There would be mass extinctions. Even whales would not have been able to dive deep or fast enough to avoid waves like that. Hawaii was obliterated in fire and ash and lava. Frost's cartoon video he made up had a small cartoon Tyrannosaurus Rex utter something like: "here we go again." But this is not what wiped out the dinosaurs, it was a asteroid that smashed into the Yucatan Peninsula. And even that did not wipe out the dinosaurs in a matter of moments.
Curtis was with his family and Kate's boyfriend in an escape scene in LA where they barely escaped. It was just a pile of explosions and crashes as the earth just picked up part of LA and dumped it on another. The characters were in a small airplane that would not have taken that long to gain altitude and they flew by a number of falling buildings. They made LA seem like Hong Kong and Houston combined, why could not they not just fly in a steeper gradient I do not know.
This movie was was decent. It was not boring. I would like to have seen a massive mound of sand being moved around. There are masses of sand in the middle of the Arabian peninsula for instance.
When did this movie knock the sitting president? In the middle of this so called epic, Helmsley was speaking to his father who was on a cruise ship since he is a jazz musician and Helmsley told his father they have ordered the White House to be cleaned out. His father replies, "it is about time they clean out that house." Not bad, I wish Obama would be cleaned out too. The sooner the better.
In end, what was this movie about? There was some honor and devotion tossed. Some hard work, but this was the epitome of a movie with mindnumbing and pulsating action without end and point.
I allocate this movie two stars.**
Thursday, November 12, 2009
The Box
I would like to have seen Cyclops just blast that alien with his laser beam. X-Men was more realistic than this movie. This movie also, like others, dragged in the bloody nose to denote something ominous. How original.
This was a pretty earie movie but the ending was excruciating to sit through. Not as bad as Wickerman though. It occurs in Richmond, VA. I think this was a Twilight Zone episode about 25 years ago. Cameron Diaz was in this movie. Like Gwyneth Paltrow, I do not see the appeal with this woman. She is not that cute, certainly primarily because of her face. So how does she star in movies? That is a bigger mystery than this movie. She is Norma Lewis who is married Arthur Lewis. X-Men's James Marsden is Arthur. Arthur is a NASA materials engineer and Norma is a High School teacher.
One of the first scenes consists of Norma being either duped or manipulated by a punk male student into taking her shoe off. She is missing four toes because a doctor failed to turn off the radiation in some sort of exam. She ended up losing four toes because of it. Regardless, it was a freak accident and the subsequent lawsuit only garnered $10,000. The doctor neglect a basic attention to detail formality. Because of this, she walks with a slight limp. Right when this smart ass student ask her a personal question in front of everyone, she should have demanded that personal questions are rude and out of the question. This was in 1975. She could have told the student that his parents would be receiving a phone call. Back in 1975, most parents were actually parents rather than trying to be the coolest parents in the school.
This movie is about a regular family, not moving ahead in the world but one that does not a miss meal. In the beginning, Norma states to a co worker they are living paycheck to paycheck. I find this strange though since on more than one occasion they are attending some luxurious parties with formal attire. I guess they are there for some free grub. But the present buying balanced that out. Why they hire a baby sitter for their son who appears to be about 12 is beyond me? Why they can not just send him to a friend's home if there is any concern is another consideration to contemplate.
The plot of this movie is about a box delivered a family's doorstop. Later on in the day, a man appears in front of the house when Arthur is at work. Norma invite him in after he asks, she concedes and indicates her southern charm and hospitality. In the present day, he would not have been allowed entry and would not assume he would be let in. Frank Langella is Arlington Steward and he is one ugly bird. He informs Norma that he was struck by lightning. The family has already opened the box and seen that it has a red button. This button can not be pressed since it is shielded by a glass case. Steward gives her a key to this case and informs her that if they press the button someone they do not know will die. They will also receive $1 million. They can not inform anyone about this situation and they have one day to decide. In addition, he gives her a $100 bill just to enhance the genuiness of this arrangement, Norma, like Eve from genesis, presses the button a few minutes before the deadline.
Steward appears, walks in, and hands them the cash. He takes the box and key and departs. But not after there is short confrontation, Arthur demands he take the money back. Steward rebuffs this demand. Arthur memorizes the license plate as Stewart is driven off. Norma and Arthur walk back inside. They do not have too much time to consider what to do since their son quickly arrives shortly thereafer. Arthur quickly hides the money in the basement safe.
Norma and Arthur are just overwhelmed by what has occured. Norma's guilt begins to weigh in on her. They could donate the money to a charity. This could possibly erode some of that guilt Norma is feeling. Arthur has a friend who is a detective who he sees later on that night or the next at a Christmas party. He gives him the license plate number. The next day or so, Arthur is at this detective's office and realizes a woman was murdered at the same time his wife pressed the button.
The movie gets creepy after this. Independence Day and Meet the Parent's James Rebhorn is in this movie. His character's name is Norm Cahill and he is Arthur's NASA supervisor. Norm is not happy that the NSA begins to dictate what NASA does on some of its missions. So he is told a story about a NASA launch sequence where Steward is hit by lightning. That is right, Steward used to work for NASA. Steward was killed but he came back to life after being declared dead. Norm is told that Steward is different and is changed in some peculiar manner. Steward quickly begins to demonstrate incredible feats with his mind. The movie does not explain too much after this. In several scenes, he has some large and strange moving machine in an airplane hanger. He also uses sets up shop in a hotel outside of the city.
Steward is watching and keeping tabs on both Arthur and Norma. For instance, right when Arthur gives the license plate number to his detective friend, Steward knew about it and called Arthur at the party he was attending.
Steward can manipulate people with his mind. He says his employer several times in the movie. Who is the employer? Is it God or an alien entity? The box is testing the level of greed and selfishness of humanity. Steward says, or his controller, since he is really just a vessel, that if humanity does not start doing better on these tests, his employer may decide to move in on humanity.
So, at another Christmas party, this time the entire family is attending, Steward returns to torment the Lewis's. I thought Arthur was on the verge of tracking down Steward and the movie seemed to be on the right track. Arthur walked outside of the party and he was taken at gun point by some other guy. This man said his wife already died, he told him that Steward operates out of the hotel, this man said Steward can be killed, uses the hotel pool as a dimension worm hole or transport hub, and had a book explaining human exploitation. But they were duped by a Santa Clause standing in the middle of the road, rather than drive around, they stopped and staired when a huge truck collided with them on the driver's side. This is right after his son is taken and wife is smuggled away outside the party. His son was just running on this pier in this lake, at night, I am not sure where he thought he was going.
The movie gets depressing after this. A huge let down. They are back in the home, it is the following day. The son is upstairs locked in the bathroom. Steward is at their kitchen table. Arthur and Norma walk down there endless hallway and sit down to speak to him. They have been in another world for the second time now. Stewart gives them two options. He informs them their son is upstairs in the bathroom after being transported their via water, he is deaf and blind. Arthur can shoot his wife and his son will gain back his senses. Or they can shoot their son. Arthur wants to shoot Steward but Steward just says he can be replaced. This movie is agonizing at this point. A terrible ending. Almost unwatchable. I would not advocate this movie because of this.
Norma, her guilt on pressing the button in the first place is tearing her apart. Now her son is maimed, or severaly disabled. She pleads to Arthur to stop trying to break down the door. It is locked. The walk downstairs, hug and cry in anguish and he shoots her in the chest. The son regains his senses but the police are called. There goes Arthur.
The ending was unbearable. The last fifteen minutes was just tormenting. The movie did not have one enlightening moment. It was as bad as Keanu Reeves's film last year The Day the Earth Stood Still.
I allocate this movie one star.*
This was a pretty earie movie but the ending was excruciating to sit through. Not as bad as Wickerman though. It occurs in Richmond, VA. I think this was a Twilight Zone episode about 25 years ago. Cameron Diaz was in this movie. Like Gwyneth Paltrow, I do not see the appeal with this woman. She is not that cute, certainly primarily because of her face. So how does she star in movies? That is a bigger mystery than this movie. She is Norma Lewis who is married Arthur Lewis. X-Men's James Marsden is Arthur. Arthur is a NASA materials engineer and Norma is a High School teacher.
One of the first scenes consists of Norma being either duped or manipulated by a punk male student into taking her shoe off. She is missing four toes because a doctor failed to turn off the radiation in some sort of exam. She ended up losing four toes because of it. Regardless, it was a freak accident and the subsequent lawsuit only garnered $10,000. The doctor neglect a basic attention to detail formality. Because of this, she walks with a slight limp. Right when this smart ass student ask her a personal question in front of everyone, she should have demanded that personal questions are rude and out of the question. This was in 1975. She could have told the student that his parents would be receiving a phone call. Back in 1975, most parents were actually parents rather than trying to be the coolest parents in the school.
This movie is about a regular family, not moving ahead in the world but one that does not a miss meal. In the beginning, Norma states to a co worker they are living paycheck to paycheck. I find this strange though since on more than one occasion they are attending some luxurious parties with formal attire. I guess they are there for some free grub. But the present buying balanced that out. Why they hire a baby sitter for their son who appears to be about 12 is beyond me? Why they can not just send him to a friend's home if there is any concern is another consideration to contemplate.
The plot of this movie is about a box delivered a family's doorstop. Later on in the day, a man appears in front of the house when Arthur is at work. Norma invite him in after he asks, she concedes and indicates her southern charm and hospitality. In the present day, he would not have been allowed entry and would not assume he would be let in. Frank Langella is Arlington Steward and he is one ugly bird. He informs Norma that he was struck by lightning. The family has already opened the box and seen that it has a red button. This button can not be pressed since it is shielded by a glass case. Steward gives her a key to this case and informs her that if they press the button someone they do not know will die. They will also receive $1 million. They can not inform anyone about this situation and they have one day to decide. In addition, he gives her a $100 bill just to enhance the genuiness of this arrangement, Norma, like Eve from genesis, presses the button a few minutes before the deadline.
Steward appears, walks in, and hands them the cash. He takes the box and key and departs. But not after there is short confrontation, Arthur demands he take the money back. Steward rebuffs this demand. Arthur memorizes the license plate as Stewart is driven off. Norma and Arthur walk back inside. They do not have too much time to consider what to do since their son quickly arrives shortly thereafer. Arthur quickly hides the money in the basement safe.
Norma and Arthur are just overwhelmed by what has occured. Norma's guilt begins to weigh in on her. They could donate the money to a charity. This could possibly erode some of that guilt Norma is feeling. Arthur has a friend who is a detective who he sees later on that night or the next at a Christmas party. He gives him the license plate number. The next day or so, Arthur is at this detective's office and realizes a woman was murdered at the same time his wife pressed the button.
The movie gets creepy after this. Independence Day and Meet the Parent's James Rebhorn is in this movie. His character's name is Norm Cahill and he is Arthur's NASA supervisor. Norm is not happy that the NSA begins to dictate what NASA does on some of its missions. So he is told a story about a NASA launch sequence where Steward is hit by lightning. That is right, Steward used to work for NASA. Steward was killed but he came back to life after being declared dead. Norm is told that Steward is different and is changed in some peculiar manner. Steward quickly begins to demonstrate incredible feats with his mind. The movie does not explain too much after this. In several scenes, he has some large and strange moving machine in an airplane hanger. He also uses sets up shop in a hotel outside of the city.
Steward is watching and keeping tabs on both Arthur and Norma. For instance, right when Arthur gives the license plate number to his detective friend, Steward knew about it and called Arthur at the party he was attending.
Steward can manipulate people with his mind. He says his employer several times in the movie. Who is the employer? Is it God or an alien entity? The box is testing the level of greed and selfishness of humanity. Steward says, or his controller, since he is really just a vessel, that if humanity does not start doing better on these tests, his employer may decide to move in on humanity.
So, at another Christmas party, this time the entire family is attending, Steward returns to torment the Lewis's. I thought Arthur was on the verge of tracking down Steward and the movie seemed to be on the right track. Arthur walked outside of the party and he was taken at gun point by some other guy. This man said his wife already died, he told him that Steward operates out of the hotel, this man said Steward can be killed, uses the hotel pool as a dimension worm hole or transport hub, and had a book explaining human exploitation. But they were duped by a Santa Clause standing in the middle of the road, rather than drive around, they stopped and staired when a huge truck collided with them on the driver's side. This is right after his son is taken and wife is smuggled away outside the party. His son was just running on this pier in this lake, at night, I am not sure where he thought he was going.
The movie gets depressing after this. A huge let down. They are back in the home, it is the following day. The son is upstairs locked in the bathroom. Steward is at their kitchen table. Arthur and Norma walk down there endless hallway and sit down to speak to him. They have been in another world for the second time now. Stewart gives them two options. He informs them their son is upstairs in the bathroom after being transported their via water, he is deaf and blind. Arthur can shoot his wife and his son will gain back his senses. Or they can shoot their son. Arthur wants to shoot Steward but Steward just says he can be replaced. This movie is agonizing at this point. A terrible ending. Almost unwatchable. I would not advocate this movie because of this.
Norma, her guilt on pressing the button in the first place is tearing her apart. Now her son is maimed, or severaly disabled. She pleads to Arthur to stop trying to break down the door. It is locked. The walk downstairs, hug and cry in anguish and he shoots her in the chest. The son regains his senses but the police are called. There goes Arthur.
The ending was unbearable. The last fifteen minutes was just tormenting. The movie did not have one enlightening moment. It was as bad as Keanu Reeves's film last year The Day the Earth Stood Still.
I allocate this movie one star.*
Monday, November 9, 2009
The Informant!
This is one guy who does not think things through. This movie occurs around 1993 to 1995. The center of this storm is a fictional company on par with DuPont. They make food chemicals and flavoring. They are instrumental in the prices of food world wide. Too bad they have a Vice President with a chemistry background who is bipolar.
Matt Damon is the main character. He is Mark Whitacre who has made it in the corporate world. He has marched up many steps and accomplished a great deal. But he has a psychosis that leads him astray. He begins informing the FBI that his company is manipulating prices of foods in an illegal way. He begins to fabricate information that his company is price rigging their products. He sets up meetings with foreign competition and tries to implicate them in the manner of collusion. He is totally in the realm of delusions of granduer. He does this believing he is rooting out the vernom when in reality he is the one setting everyone up.
Now, there is some bribery going on that he is not the only one a party of. Him and several executives at the company accept bribes from vendors and potential customers. Mark has accepted over $7 million in bribes and rather than just quit his job, move away, retire, get out of potential danger, he weaves his own web which implicates him. He was hoping to be a witness in a huge white collar maelstrom but he was the main ring leader. Soon, he can not be the informant he was aiming to me, he is a defendant.
Mark is under some fictional cloud that he will surf through this conspiracy unscathed. This is not true, even if he was a proper informant the Board of Directors is not going to hand the reigns of the company over to a rat. This is what he is hoping. He tells the FBI that his parents have been killed when he was just a child and that is an orphan with a rich father. His prior research indicated that people give more leeway and sympathy to someone who was an orphan. He has been lying for years, apparently he did earn his degree(s) and did some fine work in the research and development division. He was promoted many times and did learn the business side of the company. His company did elevate him to VP. How did this happen? No one knows.
Mark's diabolical scheme blows up in his face. His wife believed him, that is even more bizaare. Mark is sentenced to 9 years in prison where he claims to have a piece of mind. He says his sleep at night is quite pleasant. He earns his law degree and educates himself even further in the area of bipolar disorders. After he is finally released, 6 years after a couple of his former executives who were rung up on bribery charges, he informs Federal prosecutors that he actually embezzled over $11 million. He told them before on record it was about $9 million. But there is not much else they can do, he served his time. So he does have some money to fall back on. It is sitting in a Swiss account or some bank in the Caribean.
This movie was clever. I did not know the extent of his tails. I did know he would not be able to work at his company after turning traitorous on them.
Shawshank Redemption's Clancy Brown is Aubrey Daniel who is one of the company's lawyers. He is one of them who has a fine laugh when they realize Mark was lying. When Mark is lying, they have the proof in some papers he forged. Clancy's role in this movie was humorous, not at all sinister like it was in that unforgettable 1994 Stephen King story/movie.
This movie did not have any special music. It was nothing on George Clooney's Michael Clayton for instance. But it was original and shrewdly woven.
I allocate this movie three stars.***
Matt Damon is the main character. He is Mark Whitacre who has made it in the corporate world. He has marched up many steps and accomplished a great deal. But he has a psychosis that leads him astray. He begins informing the FBI that his company is manipulating prices of foods in an illegal way. He begins to fabricate information that his company is price rigging their products. He sets up meetings with foreign competition and tries to implicate them in the manner of collusion. He is totally in the realm of delusions of granduer. He does this believing he is rooting out the vernom when in reality he is the one setting everyone up.
Now, there is some bribery going on that he is not the only one a party of. Him and several executives at the company accept bribes from vendors and potential customers. Mark has accepted over $7 million in bribes and rather than just quit his job, move away, retire, get out of potential danger, he weaves his own web which implicates him. He was hoping to be a witness in a huge white collar maelstrom but he was the main ring leader. Soon, he can not be the informant he was aiming to me, he is a defendant.
Mark is under some fictional cloud that he will surf through this conspiracy unscathed. This is not true, even if he was a proper informant the Board of Directors is not going to hand the reigns of the company over to a rat. This is what he is hoping. He tells the FBI that his parents have been killed when he was just a child and that is an orphan with a rich father. His prior research indicated that people give more leeway and sympathy to someone who was an orphan. He has been lying for years, apparently he did earn his degree(s) and did some fine work in the research and development division. He was promoted many times and did learn the business side of the company. His company did elevate him to VP. How did this happen? No one knows.
Mark's diabolical scheme blows up in his face. His wife believed him, that is even more bizaare. Mark is sentenced to 9 years in prison where he claims to have a piece of mind. He says his sleep at night is quite pleasant. He earns his law degree and educates himself even further in the area of bipolar disorders. After he is finally released, 6 years after a couple of his former executives who were rung up on bribery charges, he informs Federal prosecutors that he actually embezzled over $11 million. He told them before on record it was about $9 million. But there is not much else they can do, he served his time. So he does have some money to fall back on. It is sitting in a Swiss account or some bank in the Caribean.
This movie was clever. I did not know the extent of his tails. I did know he would not be able to work at his company after turning traitorous on them.
Shawshank Redemption's Clancy Brown is Aubrey Daniel who is one of the company's lawyers. He is one of them who has a fine laugh when they realize Mark was lying. When Mark is lying, they have the proof in some papers he forged. Clancy's role in this movie was humorous, not at all sinister like it was in that unforgettable 1994 Stephen King story/movie.
This movie did not have any special music. It was nothing on George Clooney's Michael Clayton for instance. But it was original and shrewdly woven.
I allocate this movie three stars.***
Friday, November 6, 2009
Julie & Julia
This is a movie only a mother would love. This is a good movie though. I would not advise watching this movie on an empty stomach. This movie revolves around food and cooking. And not any type of food, some of the best food combinations that can be contemplated by the human mind.
Meryl Streep is Julia Child who was tearing up the world in her patient and slow moving way in the late 1940's and the early 1950's. Well, this movie begins in 1949 in France. Child is married or gets married to an American ambassador named Paul Child. Stanley Tucci plays this part. Streep just dwarfs him, he is not a large fellow. I still remember back in the olden days when Hollywood gave this guy the international assassin role in the Denzel and Juia movie-The Pelican Brief. Tucci is as plain looking as light green grass in my hometown of Sacramento.
Streep's voice is as annoying as Harrison Ford's voice in K19. That is for sure. It is a contradiction in terms because she is suppose to be down to earth and the French people she is surrounded by are the haughty and pedantic ones. Especially the cooking school's manager in Paris. Julia wants a hobby, she has an interest in cooking but she wants to develope this skill. The female French school manager is so dainty and unimpressed with Julia, she does everything she can to have her walk out of the door. It reminds me of a little of some the Asian leaders who did not want Bruce Lee teaching secret Chinese fighting techniques to the masses. Why this this French school administrator wants to turn away paying business is baffling to me. But Julia is determined and her husband is not destitute. She pays the fee.
Julia Childs goes on to become a cooking connoisseur. The movie bounces back and forth showing the challenges and tribulations of each woman, respective of their worlds and generations. It goes from the modern era to the early 1950's. Julie Powell is in her prime in the modern era and she has always enjoyed cooking. Amy Adams is the actress who plays in this true life story. She follows the recipes of Julia and while she is doing this she blogs about it. Chris Messina is her fictional husband, his given name is Eric Powell. Eric is the main breadwinner of this small household in New York. They do not have a child and Julie works in a call center. It Eric's idea to incorporate a blog into the challenges and enjoyment of cooking every Julia Child's recipies. He feels the agony and journey of this lengthy feat should be documented and recorded. Good idea. Julie is not as Internet savvy. This is what they do, this is their journey. They have the money and invest in buying the high quality foods and ingredients it requires for everyone of these fascinating dishes.
Julia has her challenges. Her husband is an ambassador so they face the burden of relocating. Julia loves Paris and basis a lot of her cooking on French patterns and tastes. I am sure there is an American taste tossed in. This seems strange to me considering how the French cooking school administrator treats her. But French cooking and certainly their breads are world reknown. One person can not overcome the great food which emanates from France.
Julie has her issues too. After a few months of concentrating on her blog and recieving a small following on her blog, her husband uses the word narcistic to describe her. I am not sure where this comes from. Her beloved hobby could turn into a small money stream and he gets to eat everyone one of her incredible creations. This is a man's heaven? These home cooked winning plates would be some of the highest value in some of the finest New York City restaurants. Eric runs away for a week or so but realizes they can work this out. Julie's local fame begins to grow a little bit and she receives a local newspaper interview. Then it is the New York Times-which is on the verge of bankruptcy because of their liberal bias-and then she receives book offers. Her cooking has morphed her into a writer.
This movie tossed in a little history. They demonized McCarthy again but this was just a short sidenote. Paul is interrogated by some Federal agents on a witch hunt but he is always supportive of his wife's endeavors. Julia cooked all day, she became a cooking instructor of her own and when they returned to America, she cooked on a television show. She became an inspiration. She certainly inspired Julie but it turned out she did not care for Julie's attempt and growing fame many years later. Was this jealousy or did she spend too much time in France? Perhaps Julia forgot how she was treated when she first wanted to learn how to cook. Either the former or the latter.
Julia's recipes were written down as well, obviously. She had hundred's of them and this ran her into trouble when publishing agents said this would have to be cut down. When she was willing to do this and chose a better title to her work, a publishing company was finally able to mass produce her book. Julia did not have to work full time like Julie since in her era, a husband's income was usually enough for a comfortable middle income existence. It did not seem like they had children, they did not, so she could spend a majority of her time shopping for the best foods and ingredients. Something Julie could relate too. Both woman set out to help regular woman, mothers, make fine dinners without that much struggle or stress.
I would not never sit through this movie again and did not really sit through at all. I never laughed but this is not a Vince Vaughn comedy. It was pleasant and I was sad a little when it ended. Julie never did meet Julia but she did show her some respects at an exhibit of Julia's by leaving her some of her best food ingredients: a bar of butter.
The music of this movie did fit the style and feeling of this movie. It is not something I would buy but does flow well.
Back to butter. Butter is too fattening to me. But I remember poor mounds of butter on some cinnamon roles when I was in the navy since I wanted to make my shipmates fat. I was not a mess specialist but I had this once chance and this is what I did.
I allocate this movie three stars.***
Meryl Streep is Julia Child who was tearing up the world in her patient and slow moving way in the late 1940's and the early 1950's. Well, this movie begins in 1949 in France. Child is married or gets married to an American ambassador named Paul Child. Stanley Tucci plays this part. Streep just dwarfs him, he is not a large fellow. I still remember back in the olden days when Hollywood gave this guy the international assassin role in the Denzel and Juia movie-The Pelican Brief. Tucci is as plain looking as light green grass in my hometown of Sacramento.
Streep's voice is as annoying as Harrison Ford's voice in K19. That is for sure. It is a contradiction in terms because she is suppose to be down to earth and the French people she is surrounded by are the haughty and pedantic ones. Especially the cooking school's manager in Paris. Julia wants a hobby, she has an interest in cooking but she wants to develope this skill. The female French school manager is so dainty and unimpressed with Julia, she does everything she can to have her walk out of the door. It reminds me of a little of some the Asian leaders who did not want Bruce Lee teaching secret Chinese fighting techniques to the masses. Why this this French school administrator wants to turn away paying business is baffling to me. But Julia is determined and her husband is not destitute. She pays the fee.
Julia Childs goes on to become a cooking connoisseur. The movie bounces back and forth showing the challenges and tribulations of each woman, respective of their worlds and generations. It goes from the modern era to the early 1950's. Julie Powell is in her prime in the modern era and she has always enjoyed cooking. Amy Adams is the actress who plays in this true life story. She follows the recipes of Julia and while she is doing this she blogs about it. Chris Messina is her fictional husband, his given name is Eric Powell. Eric is the main breadwinner of this small household in New York. They do not have a child and Julie works in a call center. It Eric's idea to incorporate a blog into the challenges and enjoyment of cooking every Julia Child's recipies. He feels the agony and journey of this lengthy feat should be documented and recorded. Good idea. Julie is not as Internet savvy. This is what they do, this is their journey. They have the money and invest in buying the high quality foods and ingredients it requires for everyone of these fascinating dishes.
Julia has her challenges. Her husband is an ambassador so they face the burden of relocating. Julia loves Paris and basis a lot of her cooking on French patterns and tastes. I am sure there is an American taste tossed in. This seems strange to me considering how the French cooking school administrator treats her. But French cooking and certainly their breads are world reknown. One person can not overcome the great food which emanates from France.
Julie has her issues too. After a few months of concentrating on her blog and recieving a small following on her blog, her husband uses the word narcistic to describe her. I am not sure where this comes from. Her beloved hobby could turn into a small money stream and he gets to eat everyone one of her incredible creations. This is a man's heaven? These home cooked winning plates would be some of the highest value in some of the finest New York City restaurants. Eric runs away for a week or so but realizes they can work this out. Julie's local fame begins to grow a little bit and she receives a local newspaper interview. Then it is the New York Times-which is on the verge of bankruptcy because of their liberal bias-and then she receives book offers. Her cooking has morphed her into a writer.
This movie tossed in a little history. They demonized McCarthy again but this was just a short sidenote. Paul is interrogated by some Federal agents on a witch hunt but he is always supportive of his wife's endeavors. Julia cooked all day, she became a cooking instructor of her own and when they returned to America, she cooked on a television show. She became an inspiration. She certainly inspired Julie but it turned out she did not care for Julie's attempt and growing fame many years later. Was this jealousy or did she spend too much time in France? Perhaps Julia forgot how she was treated when she first wanted to learn how to cook. Either the former or the latter.
Julia's recipes were written down as well, obviously. She had hundred's of them and this ran her into trouble when publishing agents said this would have to be cut down. When she was willing to do this and chose a better title to her work, a publishing company was finally able to mass produce her book. Julia did not have to work full time like Julie since in her era, a husband's income was usually enough for a comfortable middle income existence. It did not seem like they had children, they did not, so she could spend a majority of her time shopping for the best foods and ingredients. Something Julie could relate too. Both woman set out to help regular woman, mothers, make fine dinners without that much struggle or stress.
I would not never sit through this movie again and did not really sit through at all. I never laughed but this is not a Vince Vaughn comedy. It was pleasant and I was sad a little when it ended. Julie never did meet Julia but she did show her some respects at an exhibit of Julia's by leaving her some of her best food ingredients: a bar of butter.
The music of this movie did fit the style and feeling of this movie. It is not something I would buy but does flow well.
Back to butter. Butter is too fattening to me. But I remember poor mounds of butter on some cinnamon roles when I was in the navy since I wanted to make my shipmates fat. I was not a mess specialist but I had this once chance and this is what I did.
I allocate this movie three stars.***
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Black Dynamite
This could be the funniest black movie since I Am Going To Get You Sucka. This movie had the dynamic characters and a full ensemble. There were many different personalaties. The main question I have is where did Michael Jai White come from? Why has it taken him so long to reach stardom? If he could fight this good, he should have been given high caliber roles a long time ago. Jason Statham has been making action packed blockbusters for many years now. I would like to see these two pair up or battle it out in a action movie. White has not been given a role with as much monetary support as Statham has but he can prove he can fight with the best of them.
White plays Black Dynamite (BD) in this movie. This movie is not that complicated. There is many different focal points in this movie. They toss in some urban politics, a Vietnam segment which is hilarious, some Black Panther bones, a shot highlighting the Italian Mafia, corrupt politicians, easily persuaded voters, inner city blight, and extensive action. This movie was a spoof, it was not actual action. It was obvious it was exagerrate and comical from the outset. Regardless, the main character needed to know how to fight and White has proven he can do this.
This movie bounced all over. It started out in LA with a man being shot. That man turned out to be BD's brother. BD is notified of this news by his aunt while he is beating up some Asians in some sort of goofy training session he conducts in his own home. How this is training is just an example of the movie being ridiculous. BD recalls the promise he made to his mother about protecting his little brother. So BD sets to find out what happened and who is responsible.
Along the way, he meets Tasty Freeze and his gang. Tasty Freeze is played by Arsenio Hall. He is seem to the leader of the pimps in LA. BD notifies them that he does not want them selling drugs in the neighborhoods. What tilts this wheel is when he finds out that even children at the orphanage were being sold drugs. Where they received the money is another story. BD was raised in an orphanage so this touches home. This movie like to show imagas from the past, not just relying on the spoken description from BD. So BD stomps out the drugs in all of South Central LA. Which is absurd but this is pure fantasy.
One of the main villians in the movie is John Kerry who plays a Mafia Chief. This Mafia barron is the one who is distributing drugs and supplying it to the local dealers. BD never deals with this organized villian, so this here is a slight void left in the script. BD accumulates some help in fighting this societal menace from the Black Panthers. In reality, and currently, the Black Panthers are a societal menace. BD and his cohorts interrogate a white man, it did not look like Kerry, so I am certain this hole was never given a plug.
BD did confront a bad crew in a pool hall ran by Chicago Wind. Wind is played by Mykelti Williamson. BD knocks out these thugs and then forces Wind to run his car off a cliff outside of LA. BD just goes around, he is even shot up point blank by two mafia hitmen in his brother's apartment and basically is unscathed. He was shot in the upper left torso but he just shrugs it like he is Predator or something. BD does seek medical attention but that is mainly to see an attractive nurse and subsequently receives a scolding from the doctor.
While BD and his allies storm a staging point for the mafia and their drugs, they find dozens of crates with Malt Liquor instead. They realize this Malt Liquor is designed to make a black man's penis smaller. No joke, they even show this with one of BD's obese friends in this place of residence. Disgusting. BD shoots him while he is in a stupor since it he is better off being dead. This takes this motivated crew to an island off the coast of LA which I believe is called Catalina but the movie gives it a fictional name. They have a little boat scene here.
This is where the movie takes a Commando twist. But martial arts returns as BD's Black Panther bad asses are killed off by the Fiendish Dr. Wu. Roger Yuan is the second in command in this criminal conspiracy. Wu can fight by also seems to be a wizard with a chemistry set. BD beats the information out of him after he defeats him in a Kung Fu death match. BD and one of his contributers who survived fly off the island in a helicopter after firing hellfire and stinger missiles to eliminate this devious chemical contraption and solution.
BD is on a mission. He flies all the way across the nation to the "Honkey House." He shoots and crushes the Secret Service. The villian in the office is Richard Nixon
played by James McManus. Nixon apparently is the baddest fighter on the planet besides BD. BD was never really challenged by Dr. Wu like I thought he would be. Nixon gets two good licks into BD but this is not enough to bring BD down. BD is strong on top of being able to fight with the best skills any human could possibly master. Nixon goes down but BD spares him. BD has dirt on Nixon, some slimy dirt with some gorgeous woman in some precious positions. This is no good for a sitting president or any man with clout who is married. This threat instantly sinks in. BD orders Nixon to get this Malt Liquor out of the market and to leave his neighborhood alone.
This movie does not have any special music. The funniest part is sort of racist and cruel for anyone who has any powerful memories of the Vietnam war. Whatever, it is in the movie. We all know the Chinese were not the ones we were killing, it was in Vietnam. This movie was not that long but I was compelled to watch practically every scene. It was entertaining and there so many intriguing and fascinating characters. Interesting to see White in a comical role. I never saw Seagal do anything like this. But BD has not made an action movie on par with Under Siege, not yet atleast.
I allocate this movie three stars.***
Roger Yuan ... Fiendish Dr. Wu
White plays Black Dynamite (BD) in this movie. This movie is not that complicated. There is many different focal points in this movie. They toss in some urban politics, a Vietnam segment which is hilarious, some Black Panther bones, a shot highlighting the Italian Mafia, corrupt politicians, easily persuaded voters, inner city blight, and extensive action. This movie was a spoof, it was not actual action. It was obvious it was exagerrate and comical from the outset. Regardless, the main character needed to know how to fight and White has proven he can do this.
This movie bounced all over. It started out in LA with a man being shot. That man turned out to be BD's brother. BD is notified of this news by his aunt while he is beating up some Asians in some sort of goofy training session he conducts in his own home. How this is training is just an example of the movie being ridiculous. BD recalls the promise he made to his mother about protecting his little brother. So BD sets to find out what happened and who is responsible.
Along the way, he meets Tasty Freeze and his gang. Tasty Freeze is played by Arsenio Hall. He is seem to the leader of the pimps in LA. BD notifies them that he does not want them selling drugs in the neighborhoods. What tilts this wheel is when he finds out that even children at the orphanage were being sold drugs. Where they received the money is another story. BD was raised in an orphanage so this touches home. This movie like to show imagas from the past, not just relying on the spoken description from BD. So BD stomps out the drugs in all of South Central LA. Which is absurd but this is pure fantasy.
One of the main villians in the movie is John Kerry who plays a Mafia Chief. This Mafia barron is the one who is distributing drugs and supplying it to the local dealers. BD never deals with this organized villian, so this here is a slight void left in the script. BD accumulates some help in fighting this societal menace from the Black Panthers. In reality, and currently, the Black Panthers are a societal menace. BD and his cohorts interrogate a white man, it did not look like Kerry, so I am certain this hole was never given a plug.
BD did confront a bad crew in a pool hall ran by Chicago Wind. Wind is played by Mykelti Williamson. BD knocks out these thugs and then forces Wind to run his car off a cliff outside of LA. BD just goes around, he is even shot up point blank by two mafia hitmen in his brother's apartment and basically is unscathed. He was shot in the upper left torso but he just shrugs it like he is Predator or something. BD does seek medical attention but that is mainly to see an attractive nurse and subsequently receives a scolding from the doctor.
While BD and his allies storm a staging point for the mafia and their drugs, they find dozens of crates with Malt Liquor instead. They realize this Malt Liquor is designed to make a black man's penis smaller. No joke, they even show this with one of BD's obese friends in this place of residence. Disgusting. BD shoots him while he is in a stupor since it he is better off being dead. This takes this motivated crew to an island off the coast of LA which I believe is called Catalina but the movie gives it a fictional name. They have a little boat scene here.
This is where the movie takes a Commando twist. But martial arts returns as BD's Black Panther bad asses are killed off by the Fiendish Dr. Wu. Roger Yuan is the second in command in this criminal conspiracy. Wu can fight by also seems to be a wizard with a chemistry set. BD beats the information out of him after he defeats him in a Kung Fu death match. BD and one of his contributers who survived fly off the island in a helicopter after firing hellfire and stinger missiles to eliminate this devious chemical contraption and solution.
BD is on a mission. He flies all the way across the nation to the "Honkey House." He shoots and crushes the Secret Service. The villian in the office is Richard Nixon
played by James McManus. Nixon apparently is the baddest fighter on the planet besides BD. BD was never really challenged by Dr. Wu like I thought he would be. Nixon gets two good licks into BD but this is not enough to bring BD down. BD is strong on top of being able to fight with the best skills any human could possibly master. Nixon goes down but BD spares him. BD has dirt on Nixon, some slimy dirt with some gorgeous woman in some precious positions. This is no good for a sitting president or any man with clout who is married. This threat instantly sinks in. BD orders Nixon to get this Malt Liquor out of the market and to leave his neighborhood alone.
This movie does not have any special music. The funniest part is sort of racist and cruel for anyone who has any powerful memories of the Vietnam war. Whatever, it is in the movie. We all know the Chinese were not the ones we were killing, it was in Vietnam. This movie was not that long but I was compelled to watch practically every scene. It was entertaining and there so many intriguing and fascinating characters. Interesting to see White in a comical role. I never saw Seagal do anything like this. But BD has not made an action movie on par with Under Siege, not yet atleast.
I allocate this movie three stars.***
Roger Yuan ... Fiendish Dr. Wu
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