Review: The Mechanic

Grade: B

Arthur Bishop is the best mechanic there is, but not in the typical sense of the word. He is an elite assassin with a unique talent for cleanly killing people and making it look like an accident. One day, the people he works for give him his hardest assignment yet, he must kill his only friend and mentor, Harry. After he completes the job, he befriends Harry’s son, Steve, who is looking for vengeance but doesn’t know that it was Arthur who killed his father. Against his better judgment, Arthur decides to begin training Steve to become a mechanic as well. As the two prepare to take on a high valued target, secrets become revealed about the people they work for and they become targets themselves.

The Mechanic is a fun and enjoyable action movie. It does start out a little slow but the story itself is pretty good and keeps you interested during those slow moments. Once Arthur actually begins to train Steve, that is when things really start to get interesting. The two main characters are very different people and it’s interesting to watch them work together. Arthur is cold and calculating, never making a misstep and planning everything out way in advance. Steve on the other hand is extremely impulsive and that gets him into trouble a couple of times. The last 20 to 30 minutes of the movie make the whole experience worth it. The movie has a couple interesting twists in it and it has plenty of action and gunfights to keep you on the edge of your seat.

Jason Statham (The Transporter, Crank) plays the role of Arthur, the mechanic. I really enjoy Statham and all of the movies he’s done. The Mechanic is in all honesty a pretty typical Statham movie, he seems to play these types of roles a lot. I don’t know if it’s type casting or if it’s what he really wants to do, I honestly don’t care because I can’t get enough of these movies. He was great in this movie and is what completely sold the movie for me. Ben Foster (Pandorum, 3:10 to Yuma) plays Steve, the son of Arthur’s mentor. Foster is great and he was very enjoyable in this movie. He played the role extremely well and played alongside Statham extremely well. Donald Sutherland is also in the movie as Harry, he’s not in it long but he is always enjoyable to watch on screen.

The Mechanic is a pretty typical assassin/action movie and a pretty typical Jason Statham movie. So if you’re like me and love those two types of movies, than I suggest getting out and seeing this movie, you will definitely enjoy it. It is loaded with action, sex, and violence and with just a touch of humor. Plus, let’s be honest, during the slow movie months of January and February, there’s not much else to see.

Review: The Green Hornet

Grade: A-

Britt Reid has lived a life of privilege and has spent most of that life partying and drinking. His father, James Reid, runs a newspaper where he and his staff try to expose the dark underbelly of the city. When James Reid dies suddenly, Britt is left with his media empire. Britt befriends his father’s mechanic and assistant Kato and one night they decide to go out, while they are out they end up stopping a robbery. This event inspires Britt to become the Green Hornet, a masked crime fighter who poses as a villain to get close to the bad guys. He finds out that all of the crime in the city is run by one man, Chudnofsky, and that man is determined to kill the Green Hornet. As Britt goes deeper into the seedy underbelly of the city, he uncovers some hidden truths that he must get out.

I was pretty skeptical of The Green Hornet for a while. I don’t know why but for some reason the trailer just didn’t inspire too much hope. So I was glad that when I watched this movie, I ended up really enjoying it. The story is pretty good and entertaining to watch. The action in the movie is great and really fun to watch and the movie is loaded with great laughs. I know some people are upset that this movie is kind of a comedy. They feel the character should have been taken seriously. I honestly don’t know much about the Green Hornet character but what I’ve heard is that he is kind of a bumbling idiot and Kato is the one that does most of the heavy work, and that is exactly how this movie plays out. I thought it was great, Britt Reid was a privileged rich boy with no training who decides to be a hero and Kato is a martial arts expert who helps him out and does most of the fighting.

Seth Rogen (Funny People, Zack and Miri Make a Porno) stars as Britt Reid/Green Hornet. Rogen lost a bunch of weight over the last couple years for just so he could make this movie, and it paid off. Rogen was great in this role and really made it fun to watch. He was funny when he needed to be and he handled the action very well. Jay Chou plays the role of Kato, a mechanic and martial arts expert. Chou really held his own in this movie and did a great job with the role. He was amazing during the action sequences and he was very funny at times as well. Cameron Diaz (Knight and Day, The Holiday) plays Lenore Case, Reid’s assistant at the newspaper. It is amazing how little they advertise that she is even in the movie. Diaz was her usual enjoyable self in the movie. The movie also features performances by Tom Wilkinson, Christoph Waltz, David Harbour, Edward James Olmos and some interesting cameos by Edward Furlong and James Franco.

The Green Hornet is a very enjoyable action/comedy movie. It is a lot of fun to watch and is a surprisingly good movie. The cast is great and the story is a lot of fun. If you like action/comedies and comic book movies, then The Green Hornet is for you.

Great quote: “You’ve got balls, and if there is one thing I like on my women, it’s balls.”

Review: Season of the Witch

Grade: F

Behmon and Felson have fought alongside each other for many years during the Crusades. One day, when they invade a town and are instructed to kill even the innocent, the two knights abandon the Army and start wandering around the country. After several months of walking, the two come upon a town that is being ravaged by a horrible plague. There they are recognized as being deserters and are informed that they will be allowed to live and go free if they transport a woman who confessed to being the witch who started the plague, to a small monastery where a group of specialized monks will destroy her once and for all. The two accept the task and while neither of them believes at first that the girl is a witch, strange things begin to happen along their journey that test their faith and humanity.

Season of the Witch turned out to be pretty much exactly what I thought it was going to be: a bland and underwhelming horrorish story. The trailers made this movie look somewhat interesting and that’s exactly what it is. The story is ok and the acting is stiff but if you like movies like this, you will probably enjoy it. One of the main problems that I had is that it is obvious that Season of the Witch was originally intended to be rated R, but for some reason they seemed to have edited it down to PG-13. I really don’t like PG-13 violence as I think it looks ridiculous and I think this movie really could have benefited from an R rating. However, despite its PG-13 rating, the movie does still have a fair amount of violence and it manages to keep a rather tense overtone throughout the movie. The movie is also unfortunately short, not allowing much time to get to know the characters or feel for them. The last 20 minutes of the movie are a lot of fun to watch, however, and actually kind of make it all worth it.

Nicholas Cage (Kick-Ass, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice) plays Behmen, a former knight in the Crusades. I usually really enjoy Nicholas Cage, I think he’s a fun actor to watch, but he really seemed to be phoning in his performance in this movie. It’s as though even he didn’t care much for the material. Ron Perlman (Hellboy, Blade II) plays Felson, Behmen’s closest friend. Ron Perlman was enjoyable in this movie and had his usual attitude filled brand of humor, but again, it’s not the most enjoyable performance of his. Both of the main actors clearly seemed to just view this movie as another paycheck. The movie also features Claire Foy, Stephen Campbell Moore, Stephen Graham, Ulrich Thomsen and a brief appearance by Christopher Lee.

Season of the Witch is the exact kind of movie I expect to be released in January or February, a movie with decent actors in it but it’s a movie that the studio has little faith in and dumps in these release slots to fill space when there is nothing else coming out worth watching. If you are looking for some cheap thrills and some decent action and fighting scenes, then this is the movie for you. Really, I think this movie is only for the Nic Cage fans out there like me who just like to be entertained by the man.

New Years Resolutions...

Well, it’s a new year and that means making new years resolutions. I am usually against making resolutions because they tend to be somewhat meaningless and you tend to forget about them by the end of January. So I am instead setting some goals for myself that I am determined to actually do something about this year.

To start, yes, I am going to set the goal that 95% of Americans probably did on January 1st, I would like to eat healthier and lose some weight. There is more that goes along with this because my knee is still screwed up so I am also setting a goal to do more physical therapy on my knee to make it better so that I can work out more.

My next goal is to try to read more. I used to love reading and would do it all the time. Over the last couple years my reading has really dropped off and I want to get back into it. I have a huge stack of books that I am determined to get through by the end of the year, and if I read more than that stack, great.

My last goal is a big one and will take some explanation: I want to more actively pursue my dreams. I know, that sounds vague, ambitious and pretty much everybody says this. I do have steps that I am going to take this year to try to accomplish this.

To start, what is my dream? Many of you know this, some may have figured it out, but my goal is to make movies. All of my life I have had a passion for movies and it has only grown. It has gone from watching movies, to discussing them to writing about them and finally in 2010 I realized that I want desperately to actually be apart of them. I have zero interest in acting so I’m talking behind the scenes type stuff. I don’t know what specifically yet but I figure that will come with time.

I am going to apply and hopefully go to film school this year. I am currently looking at the Vancouver Film School in Canada as the number one place I want to go. I love Colorado and I never thought I’d leave but the more I have thought about finally doing this, the more I realized that I can’t stay in Colorado if I want to make movies. I don’t have a story to tell now but if inspiration hits, I have a strong feeling I’ll be making my movie in Colorado.

I have a couple of people that have inspired me to finally actively pursue this goal. One of the main influences would have to be my brother, Adam. A couple years ago, Adam realized that there was a career path that he wanted to take and he quickly started to seek out opportunities in that career. A little while back he even moved out to California and started making a name for himself out there. Now he is playing Superman, a role he has always admired and I couldn’t be more proud of him for all that he has accomplished and for the fact that he sought out his dream and is now living it. He gets to fly all over the world and meet interesting people and do great things. I also greatly appreciate my brother because he has encouraged me to pursue my dream of making movies more than anyone else, so much so that he got me a camcorder for Christmas saying “If you’re going to make movies, you’ve got to start somewhere.” Thank you, Adam.

The other major influence in this decision is writer/director Kevin Smith. The first time I saw Dogma over ten years ago, I knew that this man wrote great movies and I quickly sought out the rest of his movies and would go see any of his movies as soon as they came out. Then a couple years ago, I started to listen to the audio commentaries on the DVDs and that is when in inspiration hit. I started looking up everything this man has ever done, the books that he wrote, his blog, his weekly podcast called SModcast, everything. What fascinated me the most was his story about how he made Clerks. Through a series of events, Kevin Smith one day decided that he wanted to make movies. So he enrolled in film school in Vancouver, where he met his best friend and producer on most of his films, Scott Mosier. He dropped out after only a couple months and decided to write Clerks. Then he took a huge gamble and racked up $27,000 of debt, got his friends together and made his movie. Thankfully, that movie got picked up, went to Sundance and was distributed by Miramax.

Kevin Smith had a dream and then decided to live boldly and take chances in order to make that dream come true. Now he gets to do what he loves for a living, has the extensive Smodcast Podcast Network, he opened the world’s first podcasting theater SModcastle and is changing the way movies are made, advertised and released with his latest movie Red State. On twitter he inspires me in a new way almost everyday with his “SMonologues” where he encourages people to pursue their dream, lose weight or better their life in anyway. One of his latest posts about Buellerism is a discussion I have had with my friends in the past and is how I want to live my life in 2011.

Kevin Smith’s Red State of the Union Q&A’s podcast really solidified the fact that I want to make movies for a living, especially #5 when he talked to the Assistant Director of Red State, Adam Druxman. If you like movies, I strongly recommend listening to these podcasts. They are available for FREE at SModcast.com and on iTunes.

I want to make it perfectly clear, I am in no way comparing myself to Kevin Smith and I am in no way claiming that I could be the next Kevin Smith. If I could be half the filmmaker that he is, I would be extremely pleased with myself. I feel as though I am getting a somewhat late start on this as I am 24, but I feel that it’s better late than never. This is officially the beginning of phase two of my life and I really hope it works out.

Update:
More inspiration from Kevin Smith hit last night, January 23, 2011, when he and Jon Gordon screened his new movie Red State at Sundance. After, Kevin Smith got on stage and gave a speech about how Hollywood has changed and how the current way to release movies is ridiculous. His solution, self distribution. Kevin Smith and Jon Gordon, calling themselves The Harvey Boys, have decided to start their own distribution where, using new media, they won't spend any money on advertising. It is incredible, these two are reviving and reinventing independent film, right as I'm getting ready to enter it. I couldn't be more excited about what is to come.

To quote Kevin Smith “If you chose to work doing something you love, you will never work a day in your life.”

I would just like to say thank you one more time to my wife, my family, my friends and everyone who is supporting me in this decision.

Anticipation of 2011

These are movies to keep an eye out for in 2011.

Source Code, Drive Angry, Your Highness, Priest, The Muppets, Fast Five, Three Musketeers, Unknown, Mission Impossible 4, Scream 4, The Mechanic, Rise of the Apes, X-Men: First Class, Real Steel, The Tree of Life, Mr. Popper’s Penguins, Sherlock Holmes 2, Burke and Hare, Green Hornet, Super, Rango, Battle: Los Angeles, Super 8, Adjustment Bureau, Hanna, The Tree of Life.

10. Green Lantern

Current release date: June 17, 2011

Trailer

Based on the classic DC Comic book character, its about a test pilot who encounters an alien one day who gives him a ring that gives him mystical powers as well as a membership into an intergalactic squad tasked with keeping peace in the universe. Ryan Reynolds stars as Hal Jordan/Green Lantern and I think he’s going to pull off the role well. I think this movie is going to be great and a lot of fun.

9. Red State

Current release date: March 2011 playing at Sundance January 23.

Trailer

Kevin Smith’s latest movie about fundamentalism gone wrong outside a Midwestern town. Smith who is known for his certain brand of comedy takes a break from his usual material to make this horror movie. I don’t entirely know what the movie is about but it looks like Smith has grown up and evolved greatly. Word is to keep an eye on this movie for an amazing performance by Michael Parks. The movie also features Melissa Leo, John Goodman, Nicholas Braun, Stephen Root, Michael Angarano and more.

8. Cowboys and Aliens

Current release date: July 29, 2011

Trailer

A western with a sci-fi twist, count me in. Produced by Steven Spielberg, directed by Jon Favreau and starring Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, Sam Rockwell, Olivia Wilde and Paul Dano. The trailer for this movie looks great and I can’t wait to watch this one.

7. Paul

Current release date: March 18, 2011

Trailer

I have been excited about this movie since I first heard about it. Written by Simon Pegg and Nick Frost and directed by Greg Mattola, this movie follows Pegg and Frost, playing two British comic book nerds, as they drive across America in search of famous UFO spots. They then encounter a real, live alien (voiced by Seth Rogan) outside of Area 51. The movie looks hilarious and Pegg and Frost are great.

6. Thor

Current release date: May 6, 2011

Trailer

Based on the Marvel Comic book character, which is based on Norse mythology, Thor looks to be a lot of fun. The cast includes Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Anthony Hopkins as Odin, Natalie Portman, Idris Elba, Ray Stevenson, Stellan Skarsgard, Tom Hiddleston and more. The trailer looks great and I’m sure this movie is going to be very fun.

5. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

Current release date: May 20, 2011

Trailer

I really like all of the Pirates movies and while I will agree that a fourth was unnecessary, I am still really looking forward to this movie. To start, they got rid of Keira Knightly and Orlando Bloom who’s characters and acting really brought down the last 2 Pirates movies. Also, they cast Ian McShane as Blackbeard, which is pretty exciting in my opinion. The movie is about Captains Jack Sparrow and Barbossa in a race to the fountain of youth. I think it will be a lot of fun and hopefully will be the last Pirates movie.

4. Transformers: Dark of the Moon

Current release date: July 1, 2011

Trailer

I actually really enjoy the Transformer movies. They are popcorn flicks and sometimes, I like to just sit back and be entertained. The teaser trailer for this one looks rather intriguing as it goes back to the moon landing and implies that there were alternative motives for going to the moon back in 69. I for one am looking forward to big explosions caused by giant talking robots thanks to Michael Bay.

3. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II

Current release date: July 15, 2011

Trailer for part 1 and 2

Part 1 was fantastic and kept us on the edge of our seats. Those that read the books know what’s coming in part 2. I did read the book and I know that part 2 is going to be loaded with action and excitement. I am really looking forward to finally concluding this saga.

2. Captain America

Current release date: July 22, 2011

No trailer at time of posting

Based on the Marvel Comic character, I have been waiting for a Captain America movie for about a decade. This movie looks to be a lot of fun. It stars Chris Evans as Steve Rogers/Captain America as well as Hugo Weaving, Stanley Tucci, Tommy Lee Jones, Sebastian Stan and many others. This is going to be a period piece set during World War II and I think that is a great idea.

1. Sucker Punch

Current release date: March 25, 2011

Trailer

This is director Zack Snyder’s (300, Watchmen) latest movie. It is also his first movie based off his own original material. It’s about a girl who is institutionalized by her evil step-father. There she retreats to an alternate reality inside her own mind as a coping mechanism. She then uses this alternate reality to come up with a plan in order to escape from the facility. The trailer looks great and it’s going to be a beautifully visual movie if nothing else. Zack Snyder just keeps getting better and better as a filmmaker and I can’t wait to get Sucker Punched.

Review: I Love You, Phillip Morris

Grade: A

Steven Russell is a happily married man. He attends church, is a member of the local police force and cares deeply for his children. However, one day he gets into a terrible traffic accident and reassesses his life, he decides to live his life to the fullest and that means finally being honest with the world, he is gay. He moves to Florida and starts living with his new boyfriend. In order to pay for his new extravagant life, Steven becomes a con-man. He commits all kinds of insurance and credit card fraud. When he is eventually caught he is sent to jail. There he meets Phillip Morris, and the two instantly fall in love. Steven’s devotion to Phillip is so strong that when the two are released from jail, Steven becomes determined to live the perfect life together, and that means pulling off one impossible con after another.

I Love You, Phillip Morris is based on an incredibly bizarre true story. The movie opens with two great lines on the screen; “This really happened.” And then “Really, it did.” Which is both funny and true, the events of this movie are so crazy that it is hard to believe that it actually happened. I wish that I could say more but I feel that it would be giving away too much of the movie, you should really just check it out yourself to see what I mean. This movie is very funny and entertaining and has a great story to it. It is too bad that it has had the trouble that it has, trying to be released in America , It shows just how homophobic this country might still be, because this movie is great and is one of the better movies of the year.

Jim Carrey (Yes Man, Fun with Dick and Jane) plays the lead role of Steven Russell. If you ever thought that Jim Carrey wasn’t much of an actor, go see this movie. His performance is absolutely amazing, easily in the top five of the year, in my opinion. It was a funny but extremely sincere performance. Ewan McGregor (Angels & Demons, The Men Who Stare At Goats) plays the role of Phillip Morris. His performance was really good as well. I really enjoyed McGregor’s performance in this movie and it proves why I like him so much as an actor. The movie also features performances from Leslie Mann, Rodrigo Santoro and many others.

I Love You, Phillip Morris is a great movie that is well worth watching. It is really funny and has a great and oddly romantic story to it. This little movie may have almost been lost and it makes me sad how few people know of this movie’s existence because on top of being really good, it features the best performance of Jim Carrey’s career. It is a fun movie that I suggest everybody watch at some point.

Great quote: “My word is my motherfu*king bond!”

The Best Movies of 2010

Honorable mentions: True Grit, I Love You Phillip Morris, How to Train Your Dragon, Morning Glory, Conviction, RED, Legend of the Guardians, The American, Solitary Man, Robin Hood, The Kids Are Alright.

15. TRON: Legacy

My review

What an amazing and fun movie to watch. The great cult classic from 1982, TRON, is brought back and breathed new life, thanks to the wonders of modern effects. Jeff Bridges comes back as both Kevin Flynn and Clu. The story, when you really get down to it, is almost a remake of the original but with certain twists and characters involved to call it a sequel. The visuals are absolutely spectacular, the action is fun and it is all set to the brilliant score by Daft Punk.

14. Iron Man 2

My review

A great sequel to a great movie. This movie has plenty of action and laughs in it. Robert Downey Jr. is fantastic as Tony Stark, once again, and Sam Rockwell did a great job as Stark’s nemesis Justin Hammer. Not to mention Mickey Rourke’s role as Ivan Drako. This was definitely one of the best action movies of the year. It makes me sad that director Jon Favreau won’t be returning for the third installment.

13. Let Me In

My review

What a wonderful movie that came and went with a whisper. It is a remake of a great Swedish movie, and it was done very well. The story is great and makes for one of the best vampire movies I’ve seen in a very long time. It features Chloe Moretz as Abby, the vampire, and it helps solidify her as one of the best up and coming actresses today.

12. She’s Out of My League

My review

This is hands down the best comedy of the year. It is bursting at the seams with laughs and manages to have even more heart all while adding a bit of raunch to the mix. I love this movie and keep watching it over and over. If you haven’t seen it yet, go find it somewhere and watch it.

11. Get Low

My review

This was a great little movie that hardly anybody even heard of. It features Robert Duvall in one of the better performances of his career as an old hermit who decides to have a funeral party while he’s still alive so he can find out what people really think of him, and so he can make a confession of his own. Bill Murray also stars as the owner of a funeral parlor. It is a great and sentimental movie filled with laughs.

10. 127 Hours

My review

Based on the incredible true survival story of mountaineer Aaron Ralston, who got trapped by a boulder while hiking through some canyons in Utah for five days. This movie was great to watch, loaded with character and emotion, the ending actually manage to bring me to tears. It features James Franco in the role that could define his career, just amazing.

9. The Social Network

My review

I know, it’s known as the Facebook movie, but there is so much more to it than that. To start, this movie has hands down the best writing of the year. Aaron Sorkin did an amazing job with this script, filling it with his usual mesmerizing, and quick paced dialogue. Jesse Eisenberg handled that dialogue extremely well. This movie also has great performances from Eisenberg, Justin Timberlake, Andrew Garfield, Armie Hammer, Rashida Jones and Rooney Mara. The movie has an extremely interesting story that is a lot of fun to watch.

8. The Town

My review

This movie was great. It is full of action and drama with a bit of romance. Ben Affleck did an amazing job writing and directing and gave the best performance of his career. The rest of the cast, which includes Jeremy Renner, Rebecca Hall, Jon Hamm and Blake Lively, are all great as well. This is one of the better heist movies to come out in a while.

7. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I

My review

This is probably the best movie of the series. It is dark and very tense. The story is a lot of fun and the action is great. The performances of the main actors keep getting better, plus it was great to see Ralph Fiennes in the movie for more than 5 minutes. Then the ending leaves you dying for part II.

6. Kick-Ass

My Review

This movie was amazing, completely exceeded my expectations. This movie deserved to do a lot better than it did. Definitely one of the better stories of the year. An extremely realistic look at what could happen if a kid who maybe reads too many comics and has just the right amount naïveté to try to be a superhero. Matthew Vaughn did an amazing job directing and the cast, consisting of Aaron Johnson, Chloe Moretz, Nicholas Cage and Mark Strong, all did a fantastic job on this movie. If you haven’t seen Kick-Ass yet, do yourself a favor and check it out as soon as you can.

5. Toy Story 3

My review

This is easily the most emotional movie of the year. The good people at Pixar are amazing at creating emotional stories in animated movies. Toy Story 3 is the best movie of the Toy Story series. It has everything in it, great story, lots of humor, some action, some dramatic scenes and, as I mentioned before, tons of emotion. The conclusion of the movie, and by extension, the series, is simply perfect.

4. Inception

My review

This movie was a masterpiece. Writer/Director Christopher Nolan made an absolutely amazing movie. The story of this movie completely sucks me in every time I watch it. The whole concept of the movie is fascinating to me and Nolan really pulled it all off well. The visuals of the movie, in particular the scene at the café, are spectacular and really help make this movie as enjoyable as it is. Not to mention the phenomenal cast consisting of some of my favorite actors including Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page, Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy, Ken Watanabe and Leonardo Dicaprio. Inception is definitely one of the better movies to come out in a long time.

3. Black Swan

My review

What an amazing movie this turned out to be. This is Darren Aronofsky’s best movie to date, in my opinion. As well as Natalie Portman’s and Mila Kunis’ best performances yet. The story and writing of this movie are amazing. This is one of the most intriguing movies I have seen in a long time as well as being one of the most disturbing and terrifying movies I’ve ever seen. It shook me to my core and I still wanted more, it certainly left an impression. I have never seen a movie that manages to be beautiful and graceful yet unsettling and spine-tingling. Every aspect of this movie was just beautiful, a must see.

2. The King’s Speech

My review

This movie is borderline perfection. Everything about this movie is absolutely amazing. The story and the writing is just fantastic. The characters are great and you really develop an emotional connection with them. The acting is as good as it gets. Colin Firth is perfect in this movie; I’ve never seen anything like it. Not to mention the best performance Helena Bonham Carter has ever delivered. The story really pulls you in and the emotions run high. This is my pick for best picture of 2010 and I strongly encourage everyone to give it a watch.

1. Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World

My review

This movie was easily the most fun I have had at the movies in a long time. Every aspect of this movie was fantastic. The story was fun, the visuals were fantastic, and the characters were great, this movie is loaded with great jokes, amazingly fun fight sequences and a cute love story, not to mention that it’s all set to a great soundtrack. Director Edgar Wright did an amazing job with this movie, making the most visually energetic movie of the year. The movie is like watching a comic book/video game come to life and I love it. It also has a great cast including Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Chris Evans, Jason Schwartzman, Anna Kendrick, Brandon Routh, Aubrey Plaza and more. I could watch this movie over and over again (and have been), and every time I do, I have a big smile on my face from start to finish. I do understand that this movie is not for everybody, but I absolutely love this movie and encourage everybody to give this movie a try at some point.

The Worst Movies of 2010

Underrated Movies of 2010

Underrated Movies of 2010

There were several movies that came out this year that I felt were sadly overlooked by the general movie going audience. I thought I’d take this time to mention a few in hopes that some people might give them a shot.

Morning Glory

My review

I think most people dismissed this movie thinking that it was probably a typical rom-com that you might find Katherine Heigl starring in where she plays a busy producer who finds a man and discovers that he is all she really needs. Instead, what you actually got was a genuinely funny movie about the producer of a failing morning show who is determined to make the show succeed because it is what she loves to do. Starring Rachel McAdams, Harrsion Ford, Diane Keaton, Patrick Wilson and Jeff Goldblum, Morning Glory is a very funny and entertaining movie to watch. It has a great story and great writing, I highly recommend checking it out when it hits DVD.

Easy A

My review

A very modern and liberal take on the classic story of The Scarlet Letter, it follows Olive, a high school student who decides to lie about having sex for the first time, once word gets out she turns into the school harlot. At the suggestion of a fellow classmate, she decides to sew a red A to all of her clothes. This is an extremely enjoyable and heartfelt movie with a great sense of humor. Emma Stone is great in the lead role and really makes the movie what it is. Easy A also stars Thomas Haden Church, Lisa Kudrow, Amanda Bynes, Patricia Clarkson and Stanley Tucci. Out on DVD now, check it out as soon as you can.

Going the Distance

My review

Probably the best romantic comedy of the year and nobody saw it. The movie is about two people, Erin and Garrett, who meet and instantly have a connection, but when Erin has to move to the other side of the country in order to get a job of her dreams, the two decide to try to make a long distance relationship work. On top of being a sweet and romantic movie it is also one of the funniest movies of the year. Drew Barrymore and Justin Long were great in this movie and absolutely hilarious. It also stars Charlie Day, Jason Sudeikis, Christina Applegate and Jim Gaffigan.

Splice

My review

Victim of bad advertising which made it look like a bad horror movie, Splice is about two genetic engineers who create creature by splicing the genes together of many organisms, including human, they then begin to care for the creature as though it were their own child. This was a great sci-fi movie that has similar themes to The Island of Dr. Moreau. Adrian Brody and Sarah Polley were great in this movie. If you like sci-fi, you should give Splice a shot.

MacGruber

My review

All that I’m going to say about this movie is that it is easily one of the funniest movies of the year and it is the best SNL movie since Wayne’s World. This movie pays homage to/makes fun of so many great 80’s action movies. Will Forte and Val Kilmer were absolutely hilarious.

Machete

My review

Based on Robert Rodriguez’s fake trailer for Gringhouse, this movie is the most outrageous and over the top action movie I think I’ve ever seen. Starring Danny Trejo as the titular Machete, this movie has it all; action, violence, sex and humor. Really just plain fun to watch and is totally worth watching just to see Danny Trejo as Machete say “Machete don’t text.” It also stars Robert De Niro, Jessica Alba, Steven Seagal, Michelle Rodriguez, Jeff Fahey, Cheech Marin and Don Johnson.

Cop Out

My review

Director Kevin Smith’s first film that he didn’t write, Cop Out is a hilarious buddy cop movie that pays homage to all the great buddy cop movies of the 80’s. They even got Harold Faltermeyer to do the score for it. If you love buddy cop movies than you need to see this movie. Way funnier and way better than The Other Guys.

Don’t forget to check out my article about the Worst Movies of 2010.

Review: How Do You Know

Grade: C

Lisa has played softball her whole life, so much so that softball is her life, so when she gets cut from the USA softball team she finds herself lost and trying to figure out what to do with her life. She decides to start dating in order to take her mind off things. In comes Matty, a professional baseball player, who seems very nice and charming but is a bit f a player. She also meets George, who is going through some hard times himself. He is currently being investigated by the government for fraud at his father’s company. Lisa finds herself in the middle of this love triangle and is trying to decide which guy is better for her and will make her happy.

How Do You Know had an interesting concept; what happens when two people meet on the worst day of their lives. Unfortunately, the follow through was pretty weak. For being billed as a romantic comedy, there aren’t many laughs. There are some amusing points in the movie but sadly the jokes fall way short. The story is still kind of interesting and fun to watch at times but it almost lost me a couple times. James L. Brooks is usually a pretty funny writer but he definitely missed the mark on this one.

Reese Witherspoon (Walk the Line, Sweet Home Alabama) plays the lead role of Lisa. She was definitely enjoyable in this role and really handled it well. I really like Reese Witherspoon and liked her in this movie, but there wasn’t much she could do with some of the uninteresting dialogue and writing. Paul Rudd (Dinner for Schmucks, Role Models) plays the role of George. Rudd was definitely the best part of this movie. He was very funny and extremely enjoyable in this movie, you really root for his character the whole movie. Owen Wilson (Wedding Crashers, The Big Bounce) plays the role of Matty. He was ok in the movie, but his character is never really likeable, which makes the ending pretty predictable. The movie also features Jack Nicholson and Kathryn Hahn.

How Do You Know is an ok movie but it isn’t much of a comedy. The writing is kind of weak and Jack Nicholson is really only in the movie to try to draw a crowd. If you really want to watch this one, wait for DVD.

Great quote: "Never drink to feel better, only drink to feel even better."

Review: The King's Speech

Grade: A+

The Duke of York, who is the son of King George V, has been plagued with a speech impediment all his life. Now that radio and TV broadcasts are becoming more of a necessity, He has been all but forced into speech therapy. After going to several different therapists, he is about to give up, until his wife discovers Lionel Logue, who seems to be a bit unorthodox but is convinced he can help the Prince. Reluctant at first, the Duke begins to go through many different and wild techniques that ultimately begin to slowly help his speech. Along the way, a close friendship is formed between the two. But when the King dies and his brother abdicates the throne, “Bertie” reluctantly assumes the position of King George VI, shortly before World War II breaks out. Now, with the help of Lionel Logue, he must find his voice in order to help lead his country through war.

I love movies like The King’s Speech. Movies that simply make you feel better after watching them. This movie is amazing, everything about it was just amazing. The writing was fantastic and the acting was superb, but I’ll get to that later. The King’s Speech is based on a true story, and a great one at that. It is loaded with so many wonderful moments, one of my personal favorites is when, the now, King George VI and his wife, Queen Elizabeth, go to visit Lionel at his house. Lionel’s wife is out when they start their session but she comes home early to find the Queen sitting at the table drinking tea. One of the funnier moments is when Lionel encourages Bertie to swear, because he doesn’t stammer when he swears. Not to mention watching King George VI give a very important national address at the end of the movie, awe inspiring. It was great to watch some of the characters and know what lies down the road for them. For instance his daughter Elizabeth, who is around 10 in the movie, goes on to be the current Queen of England. Winston Churchill pops up a couple times as well. This movie is just fantastic and is full of great moments and it was all extremely well written and shot, a truly beautiful movie.

Colin Firth (A Single Man, Love Actually) plays the lead role of Bertie, aka King George VI. He did an amazing job in this movie, the best performance of the year in my opinion. You really believed he had this speech impediment, he pulled it off flawlessly. The opening scene where he is attempting to give a speech at Wembley Stadium but he is struggling through it, is absolutely heart breaking. Helena Bonham Carter (Harry Potter, Alive in Wonderland) plays his wife, Queen Elizabeth. She was amazing in this movie as well and gave what is easily the best performance of her career. The subtleties of her performance were great and really brought a lot of emotion to the character. Geoffrey Rush (Pirates of the Caribbean, Elizabeth) plays Lionel Logue. Rush was fantastic in this role. He seemed to put a ton of heart into this performance and made the character extremely likeable. These three gave the best performances of the year, in my opinion. The movie also features great performances by Michael Gambon as King George V, Guy Pearce as King Edward VIII and Timothy Spall as Winston Churchill.

This movie is definitely one of the best movies of the year. I cannot recommend it enough. Please, go out and see this masterpiece of a movie, you won’t be disappointed. Like I said, I left his movie feeling great because it is a very touching and inspirational movie; it just makes you feel better. I loved The King’s Speech.

Great quote: “This family has been forced to become those lowest of creatures; we have become actors.”