House of Cards

I finally got around to watching this series on Netflix and thoroughly enjoyed it. It makes the eight dollars a month I have been paying Netflix worth it—I hope they create some more original programming. Kevin Spacey, the main character, plays an ambitious Congressman from the Fifth District in South Carolina, and just happens to be from Gaffney (the small town where I lived for three years just after graduation from Clemson). He is the Democratic Majority Whip. There are 13 episodes to watch with lots of interesting characters, twists and turns, so I won't try to describe any of the plot. Basically, this series is all about the corruption and ruthless wheeling and dealing in Washington, DC. If HALF of the goings-on depicted are true, which I believe is entirely possible, our government is a nasty place—no wonder nothing ever gets done. The acting is superb. The dialogue and writing is very engaging. I particularly like how Kevin Spacey speaks directly to the camera at times. It's not too highbrow or complicated, so it's easy to follow the story from episode to episode. Very well produced. If you subscribe to Netflix, and enjoy political drama, then you will definitely enjoy this series. Well worth it! I

Silver Linings Playbook

I'm not sure why this movie was categorized as a romantic comedy. It is a romantic story, and it does have some lighthearted moments, but the movie deals with the very difficult topic of mental illness in a serious and heartwarming way. There's no slapstick, no gross sophomoric humor, or general adolescent silliness. This is an adult movie about an adult topic. It's a movie about family, life lessons, struggling through adversity, and finding love. Bradley Cooper (best known for The Hangover movies) plays the troubled second son of the iconic actor Robert De Niro. Jennifer Lawrence (best known for The Hunger Games) plays a troubled neighbor. Bradley and Jennifer, both struggling to cope with their mental issues, find each other. The rest of the world doesn't quite understand why they thrash about trying to live day to day. They just don't fit in, and in actuality they don't want too. They feel lost and alone in a strange world that can't seem to accept them as they are. However, because of their common experiences, the two main characters create a friendship based on mutual understanding, which eventually turns into love. The acting is superb! I'm surprised that Bradley Cooper is more than just a pretty face – and showed that he can actually act. Jennifer Lawrence is all grown up and promises to be a fine actress for many years to come. Robert De Niro was wonderful as always... Even Chris Tucker I had a good part to play. The story is seamless and completely believable. The dialogue is excellent. There are no big action scenes, special effects, or big aha moments. It's just a wonderfully paced meaningful movie. I was drawn-in to the story from the very beginning, and I immediately empathized with the characters. I never got bored and I stayed with them throughout. I cheered. I laughed. If you haven't seen this movie, rent it!

The Incredible Burt Wonderstone

Sadly, there was little magical about this movie. The writers, producers and director seemed confused about the central theme and message of the movie. They didn't know if they were making a serious drama about the state of "magic" in our Las Vegas-centric world, or a comedic satire. The story, two young boys discover the world of magic, dream of becoming magicians, make it big in Las Vegas, become bored and cynical with their success, lose everything because of their uninspired performances and the success some upcoming "street magicians" who steal the younger audiences – was a great basis to start from. It could've easily made an excellent serious drama about magicians and the life they lead. The struggle between the traditional magicians/illusionist versus the new breed of shocking guerrilla street magicians has real potential and depth. Unfortunately, however, the movie relies too much on stupid jokes, silly off the mark satire, and shallow cliché. I think they mistakenly tried to make a comedy, but because of the serious undertones throughout the movie, they failed here as well. Steve Carrell does a decent job as Burt Wonderstone, but his character is so thoroughly unlikable that even when he loses everything and strives to make a comeback, I found myself not empathizing with him at all. Jim Carrey has a great part as the shocking, crazy, and unbelievable street magician – but again the character is shallow and the writers could have easily given him much better material to work with. He just came across as annoying. The movie is undeniably flat. Nevertheless, there were a couple of scenes that I did find enjoyable; the part where Burt met his original magical inspiration at a nursing home during the time he had lost everything and was struggling to find himself, was particularly enjoyable and somewhat heartwarming. Unfortunately, those scenes did not last very long, and soon we were brought back into the confusing world of NOT comedy – NOT drama. Don't bother with this one... Watch something else.

Jack Reacher

Tom Cruise as Jack Reacher, seems like the same character he plays in almost every other action movie he has made lately. I'm not sure if this guy can act – at least he can follow directions and as an action hero he usually hits the mark – corny and shallow as it may be... He did take his shirt off a couple of times for the ladies – with the requisite scars from past battles that are supposed to somehow give the character depth. This film I give a rating of equal parts good and equal parts bad. Half of the story, half of the acting, half of the scenes, and half of the characters were pretty good and entertaining – the other half spilled out of my TV screen and dirtied the floor with shallowness, wasted attempts at humor, and a corny sense of patriotism. One scene in particular bothered me, I think I can safely explain my confusion and adverse reaction without spoiling the movie for you – actually the part that I want to lambaste a little is shown in the trailer. Tom Cruise is being chased by the bad guys and the cops at the same time. He's driving a hot red GTO – I think that's what it is. The car was cool. He comes to the middle of the city, abandons his car smooth and silky-like, walked slowly over to a bus stop where at least 20 working men are waiting for the bus home. He melds in to the group, one man even gives him his Pittsburgh baseball cap to wear. Cruise boards the bus with the men – end of story. Several things bother me about this – first of all, are we supposed to believe that all of these workingmen were waiting at the bus stop at the same time. What kind of work did they do? Were they construction workers?? More importantly, why would they attempt to help someone who was clearly running away from the police. I think in this day and age of terrorism, the more likely scenario would've been that the men would have jumped Tom Cruise and held him down until the police came and arrested him. The fact that Jack Reacher is supposed to be a good guy, the supposedly super detective, who lives off the grid and who cares about justice, and will do anything to get the bad guys – just didn't come through very well in the movie, and the last scene, just made everything that more shallow and confusing. Cool, but stupid. So, if you like Tom Cruise – watch this movie and enjoy it. If you're in the mood for 50% mindless entertainment and 50% Tom Cruise in his typical role, then this one's for you.

Looper

Looper, has an interesting title and concept, but is not extremely well conceived. I'm a sucker for good science fiction stories, so that's what first attracted me to this movie. Time travel is always fun, and the idea of sending criminals back in time to be murdered and disposed of is a very good solution to a difficult problem – so you would think. However, when you're the Looper that has to finally dispose of yourself 30 years in the future, it creates complexity and problems. Throw in a kinetically charged, possibly evil, wonder child, and there's your plot. The special effects are pretty cool and it's always fun to see how directors, producers and writers imagine the future. Though, the future in this movie doesn't look so appealing. Bruce Willis, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Emily Blunt all did decent acting jobs with the material they were given. They could have done without the silly makeup job for Joseph Gordon-Levitt, trying to make him look like a younger version of Bruce Willis – the makeup looked weird. The director has to realize that his audience has already agreed to watch a SF movie anyway, so spare us the lame attempts at continuity or reality in the actor's faces. Spend more time on good dialogue, character development and a realistic vision of the future. So, with all that said, I did watch the entire movie and I did enjoy most of it. Worth a rental, but caution for science fiction buffs only.

The Watch

It was Friday night, and I was looking forward to watching a mindless comedy. Unfortunately, this movie was less than mindless and barely watchable. I was quite disappointed, as I like Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, Jonah Hill and aliens. They have all made decent comedies in the past, but somehow the four of them together just never gelled. Ben Stiller's character was flat and lifeless. Vince Vaughn was even more over-the-top than usual. Jonah Hill probably had the best character of the three, but his understated humor clashed with the over-the-top bits throughout the movie. And unfortunately, the aliens were just remakes of all the other alien movies I have ever seen. They did not even bother to create original looking monsters. The writers resorted to too much crude sexual humor and weird bouts of schizophrenia in all of the characters. I was never able to truly connect to any of them, and I really didn't care if the aliens skinned them alive for not. It's so hard to find a decent comedy these days that has a real story and believable characters – sophomoric humor and 30-second gag jokes just don't cut it for me anymore. It's a shame, because this movie had potential. There were even a couple of scenes that were minimally funny, they just never carried through to make the plot or the characters anything but shallow shells. I did watch the entire movie, however, at the end I felt like I had wasted two hours. Don't bother with this one!

Love in the time of cholera

Occasionally, I'll enjoy watching a love story, if it's well-written and acted. This relatively unknown movie set in Columbia in the late 1800s and early 1900s, fits the bill...The movie is based on the novel by the Colombian Nobel Prize winning author, Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Without giving too much away, I'll say that it's a story about a young Colombian man, Javier Bardem, named Florentino. He falls in love with a beautiful woman way out of his league. They have a brief romance through the letters only, when finally, the young woman marries a rich and handsome doctor, Benjamin Bratt. To compensate for the loss of his one true love, Florentino becomes a Colombian "Don Juan" keeping a record of the many women he makes love too. He enjoys the sex, but he's a hopeless romantic, and never forgets his first love. Fifty-three years later, (Florentino is able to count exactly how many years, days and hours since he first had fallen in love with her), the doctor dies and Florentino makes his move. That's all I'll say... Not wanting to spoil the movie for you. The acting is superb, Javier is excellent. The poetry, language, monologue and dialogue are wonderfully deep and yet accessible. The background of Columbia is beautiful. This is not a movie about cholera, it's about romance and the essence of love. If you're interested in a decent love story, not your run-of-the-mill romantic comedy or overly dramatic teenage love story, this will entertain you. I recommend it.

Killing Them Softly

A dark and gritty crime drama set in 2008. Somehow the writer, director and producers tried to make the connection between the 2007 – 2008 United States/Wall Street financial collapse and the economic collapse of a local crime community because a couple of mob-protected poker games get robbed – pretty far-fetched! It didn't work for me. Instead of music or other white noise in the background, we hear radio and television snippets of the Wall Street collapse, government reaction, and Obama's 2008 election campaign speeches... This connection may have worked for some, but it just seemed to be out of place to me. The crime itself, robbing mobsters in their own poker game, seemed a little bit underwhelming as the main plot for a gangster movie. Though, the actual robbery was a little bit suspenseful. The crooks were dirty and greasy, you immediately don't like them. This is in almost comical contrast to the slick and clean Brad Pitt, who played the hitman hired to clean up the mess. Brad likes to "kill his victims softly," without fuss or emotional attachment – but the actual murder scenes are filmed with a gritty slow motion violence that is actually quite gripping, if you're into that kind of stuff. Normally, I find it entertaining, but only if there is a decent full-fledged story behind the violence – this film however, was all quite shallow. The actors were decent, and some of the dialogue was quite good. James Gandolfini (the Sopranos) played a sad but interesting part in the movie – I think this was his last major role. Unfortunately, this movie was a waste of time and a rental. Not recommended.

Trouble with the Curve

Clint Eastwood, Amy Adams, Justin Timberlake and John Goodman a good lineup for a baseball film, so I thought. Turns out this movie wasn't very much about baseball. Instead, it was about the grumpy old typecast Clint Eastwood father figure, trying to reconcile with his ambitious therapy ridden thirty -something daughter. Baseball was sprinkled around the periphery, giving the characters something to do and talk about. Unfortunately, the movie was slow and predictable. The directors and writers never really decided if this was a movie about a father daughter relationship, a romance, or baseball. The acting on the whole was dismal... Poor Clint, it really is time for him to give Up acting. I have a lot of respect for him, I loved him as Dirty Harry and as the ultimate gunslinger in the old spaghetti Westerns, but recently he has just played the old-timer with failing health, trying to hold on to old traditions and misplaced nostalgia. I still watch his movies, though, hoping he'll pull out a 45 Magnum and tell a bad guy to "make my day!" However, he didn't come anywhere close to that kind of glory in this movie. It seemed like he was still talking to the empty chair at the Republican convention – he meandered through the movie and when he tried to show some real feelings or emotion, it was painful to watch. Amy Adams and Justin Timberlake were not much better – I think they're both decent actors, but two 30-year-old adults throwing baseball trivia questions back and forth is not my idea of romance. Do people really do that? It was just not believable, especially since most of the questions they asked each other were obscure baseball facts that happened way before they were even born. John Goodman was the one bright spot in the movie. I hope someday, he is rewarded with a good leading role in a film. Well, I've bashed this movie enough. Oh, one last thing, I do think if this movie script had been combined with "Money Ball" and they focused on the traditional scouting methods versus the computer and analysis of the modern era, they would have come up with a great baseball movie. On the whole however, it was a "nice" movie and pleasant to watch. If you're tired of over-the-top action films, stupid sophomoric comedies, overly dramatic love stories, then this movie might be for you!

Parker

I was in the mood for a decent action movie, and movies about clever thieves are always interesting to me. I was leery 10 min. into the film, and sadly, I was very disappointed two hours later after watching the entire thing. Jason Statham has made a few good movies in the past – he's a great action star. But, unfortunately the script and story just did not make muster on this one. His attempt at a Texan accent was laughable. He strode to the movie lifeless and uninspired.  J-Lo offered a little bit of "eye candy" but it was not enough to overlook her dismal acting skills. She really should stick to commercials and music. Nick Nolte was barely understandable. He played Jason's father, and murmured and grumbled through the dialogue. He needs to retire. The bad guys were stupid, almost comical. The story and character development never really occurred, we were supposed to empathize with Jason somehow – he's supposedly a thief with a code. That was explained with only a few feeble lines of dialogue and never really was solidified. And another thing, I do like action movies with some semblance of reality – Jason was shot three times and stabbed two times and never missed a beat – "come on man!" If I wanted Superman, I would've rented that. Not recommended!

Dexter, Season Seven

Have you heard of the new trend "binge watching"? It's when you watch a full season of TV episodes in a short period of time. I indulged in this modern day practice over the Memorial Day weekend watching Dexter, Season 7. For you Dexter fans, I probably don't need to give you an explanation of why I would watch 12 episodes in four days. For you folks that are not familiar with Dexter – it's a quite popular crime drama presented on Showtime – I'll try to give a short summary of why I enjoyed this series so much. I have watched this series, Dexter and a plethora of engaging characters grow over the last several years. It is the only TV series that I would ever rent or buy. Each year I look forward to the season coming out on DVD, as I don't subscribe to Showtime channel. Dexter (Michael C Hall) is the ultimate likable serial killer/psychopath. He is a crime scene investigator, a blood spatter specialist, for the Miami Metro. The stories are gruesome, dark and horrifying, yet Dexter has a tragically heartfelt back-story and a magnetic inner humanity. He has a method and a code to his darkness and need to kill, but the series is more about family, love, loyalty, compassion and the complexity of the human condition than it is about murder. The cast of characters, his constantly stressed out sister who is a police woman, his dead stepfather who taught him the code and still guides him, the beautiful and intriguing women who come and go in Dexter's life, the horrible criminals that Dexter meets and kills, and his Miami Metro colleagues, are all expertly written and acted. I think the program, last time I looked, has at least seven or eight Executive producers – Showtime definitely puts a lot of time, money and effort into the program. It's a amazing program, and a yearly indulgence to my own dark side, which I rarely have any tolerance for – most of you know that I am the total optimist. Dexter fans, don't miss Season Seven. For those of you not initiated into the Dexter world, start with season one or two. The show is so well-done, and highly recommended for adults only.

Cloud Atlas

An epic science-fiction/fantasy covering six time periods. Starring Tom Hanks, Halley Berry as the principal actors, and produced and directed by the Wachowski brothers (think The Matrix) – what's not to like? At least that's what I thought before I rented the 179 min. extravaganza. The problem for me is that these type of movies that involve multiple stories/plots and numerous flashbacks and forward-flashes require a lot of attentive listening and thinking – something that I often find difficult when watching a movie. The short duration of each flashback or "stay" in each time period/subplot, and the transitionless jump to each of the different stories (especially during the first half of the movie) made it difficult to remain engaged. I want to relax and be pulled along effortlessly. I don't want to have to stop in the middle and try and figure out what is motivating the characters, what time frame it is, or how the developing stories fit together. If I have to do that, I'd rather read the book. One of the six subplots could've easily been a full-length feature film. However, this movie did have everything – the past, the present and the future. Fine actors and actresses playing multiple roles. Excellent makeup and costumes. Wonderful cinematography and special effects, and I believe, if I understood the whole thing correctly, and interesting story. Without giving anything away, I can say it is about reincarnation and the interconnectivity of our lives throughout space and time – an intriguing premise that I have often included in my own writing/stories. With that said, if you like science fiction/fantasy and you don't mind following six different stories at the same time, then you might enjoy this movie. Otherwise, there's lots of other, better rentals out there.

Promised land

Matt Damon and John Krasinski did a great job writing the screenplay and acting in this thoughtful film drawn directly from modern headlines. They do a decent job of addressing the issue of fracking, attempting to show both sides of the argument. America, especially America's small towns, needs the energy and the wealth the technology brings. It promises to help us gain some independence from foreign oil. However, there is a rush to develop these wells in rural America too quickly. The technology is new, and the long-term dangers are unknown. It's clear after watching the movie where Damon and Krasinski sentiments and beliefs lie, but unfortunately as the main character says early in the film, "the energy companies have already won." Fracking is here to stay. A June 2012 study reported over 680,000 underground injection wells in the US, I'm sure there are many more than that now. Back to the movie – well acted, nice cinematography, good characters, and a strong story. Sadly, the writers decided to put in a couple of surprise twists at the end that were totally unnecessary. I was entertained by the sudden and unexpected twists, but afterwords felt that it somehow cheapened the well-developed first 7/8 ths of the movie. Worth a rental if you're interested in fracking and its effects on rural towns.

The Bone Collector

I watched this movie more than 10 years ago. It was released in 1999. I watched it again, just yesterday, for research for my first attempt at a crime novel. If you have seen this movie and you know a little bit About my health condition, you'll understand why I chose this movie for research purposes. It helped somewhat, but the lack of depth in the back story and the flimsy motivation of the murderer, made me realize how difficult it will be to write an engaging, realistic, and enjoyable crime saga. On the whole, however, this movie is worth a rental if you enjoy crime dramas and especially if you like Denzel Washington and/or Angelina Jolie. The two main characters were believable and nicely developed. The action was suspenseful, but sometimes I thought the murder scenes were overly gruesome and not very well defined. It's not as good as some of the other crime dramas during that time, such as "Seven", "Kiss the Girls", "Fallen" or "Silence of the Lambs", but if you haven't seen it and you're looking for a good, but relatively light weight crime movie – this one might fit the bill.

Lincoln

Awesome historically based film by Steven Spielberg; easily his best effort since Saving Private Ryan. I read that Spielberg took great pains to make the movie as accurate as possible. I'm so glad he took that extra time and effort, as it made the film realistic, authentic and horribly engaging. I believe that it succeeds not only as a superb piece of art, but also as an excellent educational endeavor/near-documentary. If I were still teaching ESL, I would show this film along with Glory when introducing the Civil War to my students. It is slow moving at times and the dialogue is occasionally hard to follow. The audience has to pay attention to the words Lincoln and his colleagues have to say—every phrase has important nuance and deep meaning. This is not a movie to watch if you want to relax or enjoy a roller coaster ride. It's a serious movie about slavery, morality, war and politics. If I had my wish, I would lock President Obama, the Congress and the Senate into a large theater and make them watch the movie over and over again until they learned their lesson and promised to attend to the business of governing. Even though the split over the issue of slavery was divisive and deadly, and the debates were ferocious and ugly, the Congressmen of that day understood that to preserve the union they had to vote and no matter which way the majority swayed, the nation had to move on. Obama and our current government officials need to learn the same lessons so we can solve the issues of deficit, health care, immigration, gun violence and global climate change. I was delighted, however, that the movie was much more than a history lesson and a political thriller. There was a story about a father and a husband that jumped off the screen. The cast of characters was spectacular. Daniel Day-Lewis was amazing as President Lincoln. He somehow channeled the emotional, intellectual, spiritual and physical essence of the man. I truly believed I was watching and listening to Abraham Lincoln. I thoroughly enjoyed all two hours and 29 minutes! Bravo!

Zero Dark Thirty

A powerful film, though it was difficult for me to get through the first 45 min. of CIA operatives torturing enemy combatants, but perhaps that is what the writer/director Ms. Bigelow wanted – if so, she succeeded. I believe the beginning could have been edited to ten minutes or less. However, the wait was worth it and the rest of the movie was much more espionage driven and suspenseful. There is some controversy about the blending of fact and fiction, and the use of torture, but that did not bother me at all. From the outset, I was completely brought in to the world of the CIA and our fight against Al Qaeda. The characters were interesting and well developed, though it seemed the main character played by Jessica Chastain remained the same youthful and high intensity female CIA agent throughout the entire movie. Perhaps she changed emotionally during the 12-year span of the movie – her growth could have been emphasized a little bit more. The plot, which most of us lived through, was engaging and even though it covered over a decade, it was nicely paced. It was interesting to relive some of the terrorist attacks and to be reminded that we are still at war. Zero Dark Thirty is military slang for 30 min. past midnight – often considered the darkest hour of the night. It is also the time, Pakistani local time, when the special operation to kill Osama bin Laden occurred. You have to look closely at the clock just above Jessica Chastain to see this fact in the movie – a nice touch by Bigelow. Hopefully now, in 2013, we are beginning to emerge from the darkness...Definitely worth a rental.

Django Unchained

Quintin Tarantino has created another masterpiece. I enjoyed every moment of this two-hour and 45 min. roller coaster ride of entertainment. I was engaged from the very beginning. I love Westerns, especially the old Spaghetti Westerns and Tarantino did an excellent job paying respect to that genre, while adding his own unique modern twists and techniques. I believe this is Tarantino's best move since "Kill Bill." Quintin Tarantino is able to create a certain unique atmosphere with his movies that no other writers, producers and directors have been able to successfully copy. It starts with an excellent story and superb characters. A bounty hunter, Christoph Waltz, and his freed slave partner, Jamie Foxx, make a powerful and dynamic duo. Waltz, even though he is a vicious bounty hunter preferring to collect his reward with dead bodies, for reasons that are not totally believable or clear, has a certain moral code and empathy for his black partner and his bleak situation – together they set out to find and free Django's wife. Throughout the movie, their dialogue and actions made me cringe at times and smile at others. I burst out laughing during the scenes when the white people in the movie were aghast at seeing a black man riding a horse. Of course, they did not refer Django to slaves as blacks, but use the "N-word" throughout the movie – some critics and people found this offensive, I just thought it gave the movie a realistic sense of the times and an accurate portrayal of the pre-Civil War Southern United States. Leonardo DiCaprio, Samuel L Jackson, and the other supporting actors were all very believable and did an excellent job. I love Tarantino's ability to create suspense through dialogue and painstakingly choreographed scenes – even when there is not a lot of physical action on the screen, the subtle movements, expressions, and careful use of language create a palatable tension. Then suddenly the movie explodes with violence and gore! Amazing, mesmerizing, entertaining! If you're a Quintin Tarantino fan you will love this movie, if you're not, I still believe it's worth watching.

Seven Psychopaths

If a movie about psychopaths can be considered funny, then this film fits the bill. It is as violent and intense as it is comedic and touching. It's really a story about friendship. Colin Farrell plays a likable drunkard trying to make a living in LA writing a movie script – he starts off with no ideas, just a good title "Seven Psychopaths." His best friend, Bill Rockwell, supports him, even going as far as creating his own version of a psychopath to be included in the script. Christopher Walken is another psychopath – friend with an amazing story. I always loved the understated comedy of Christopher Walken – and this movie is just perfect for him. The money he and Bill Rockwell make  from stealing dogs goes to pay for cancer treatment for Walken's psychopath wife. While Colin struggles with his script, his two friends continue to steal dogs in the neighborhoods of LA, and collect the monetary rewards from unsuspecting owners. Unfortunately, they steal a cute Shitzu from a gangster and bona fide psychopath, Woody Harrelson. These four actors do a superb job! And the supporting actors and actresses are so unique and well developed that they add significantly to the film. There really are seven psychopaths, each with their own horrible and unique story. The writing is clever, and the story is extremely intense and engaging. I found myself laughing at times, and at other times, cringing from the senseless violence. I immediately began to care about these psychopaths, and hoped that they somehow could escape the hellish world they had created. For adults only, certainly worth a rental!

The Campaign

A senseless comedy full of foul language and crude behavior – sounds like politics! And perhaps it was a good satire of politics today, but instead of being funny. It just felt cruel, crude and sad. Stupid can also be thrown in there! Will Ferrell, I usually enjoy, but in this movie he was just overly loud and over the top. I'm sure there were some scenes which he even couldn't believe he was doing. The other guy, Zach G., From the hangover movies, was actually the better actor and had a more likable character to play – stupid, but likable. Unfortunately, the move was not likable at all. I smiled, perhaps twice, and never laughed out loud. Not even once. The funniest part, which they showed in all of the previews, they actually changed in the movie – it made the change less funny. There were lots of cameos in the movie, but no amount of guest stars could salvage the poor writing and crass humor. Don't bother with this one.

Saying goodbye to Blockbuster

Sadly, I have to cancel my DVD by mail subscription with Blockbuster. I remember when the first Blockbuster stores came to Honolulu, gosh, those were exciting days! Remember going to the video store and being totally amazed at all of the choices on the shelves. My wife, son and I used to spend hours there, sometimes getting so overwhelmed with all the choices that we would end up walking out of the store with nothing! Then came DVDs by mail. What a wonderful service that was... It was especially great for me since my diagnosis with ALS. I could select my movies on the Internet and they would be delivered to my door. Now however, times are changing again and "direct streaming" is the new way to watch videos/TV/movies. Blockbuster has not kept up with the times, and their streaming selection is very poor. I was hoping that they would continue to emphasize movies by mail, but even their availability of new titles by mail has gone below satisfactory. I also prefer Blu-ray, and that has made the availability of movies that I want to watch even more difficult. So, I say goodbye to the convenience of movies by mail and now begin to embrace the wonderful world of "streaming" movies. I think the cost will be somewhat more expensive, but the selection should be more current and immediately available. I will be using Netflix and Oceanic Cable on demand, initially until the next big thing comes along!

The Hobbit

I loved reading the books as a teenager. Tolkien had a way of bringing me into a totally new world, with lovable characters and a fascinating adventure. The Lord of the Rings trilogy, by Peter Jackson, was amazing. It's actually one of the few movies that I have purchased and watched more than once – it's very rare that I would buy movies, and rarer still to watch a movie more than once. The Hobbit, however, is a disappointment. I will not be purchasing this one, well I guess it remains to the be seen how well the next two movies are presented. I think Peter Jackson should have stopped while he was ahead. He did try to stay relatively true to the original story, but unfortunately, the original Hobbit was much better as a book, rather than a movie. It took 49 min. before Gandalf the wizard, the 14 dwarves, and our hero, Bilbo, even started on their quest. Two hours later, I didn't feel satisfied. The characters seem flat, the story contrived. I was entertained however, and it was fun to watch, the movie just didn't live up to my high expectations. If you are a fan of the original movies, you of course have to watch this movie. If you're not a fan of the original movies or the books, you can probably skip it and not be missing that much.

Life of Pi

This move is now out on DVD, and I was really looking forward to watching it. I was pleasantly surprised, but also slightly disappointed. I was disappointed because the movie promised to be spiritual in breath and depth – it was, but in a shallow way. I enjoyed the little boy's attitude about God and religion at the beginning, he believed in everything. He was Catholic, Hindu and Islamic in his beliefs as a little boy growing up in a confusing world. But his father's words, "if you believe in everything, you believe in nothing" seemed to resonate through the entire movie. This tainted the all-encompassing spiritual feeling of the story, and it seemed that the boy only really believed in God because of the horrific adventure he survived. The main character of the story promised that in the end, the person who was going to write a book about his adventure, would believe and understand God. Unfortunately, I didn't get that from the movie. I think the connection could've been stronger. I was pleasantly surprised and pleased with the story as a whole – a story of adventure and survival, inner struggle and courage. The special effects were dazzling. I was totally engaged for the entire two hours plus. I sympathized with the character, and empathized with his setbacks and victories. A mystical and entertaining movie. I recommend it!

The Avengers

It took a long time for this movie to move to the top of my Blockbuster queue, I almost deleted it several times, but I was glad I didn't. It turned out to be two hours of comic book action fun and entertainment. I watched it this Friday night, morphed into my 12-year-old boy-geek mode, suspended my reality and sensibilities – and just enjoyed the show. Nick Fury had some pretty stupid lines and moments in the movie, but turned out to be a decent leader of the Avengers. I felt sorry for Samuel Jackson, but I'm sure he made a large paycheck. The Black Widow was slick, sexy and cool. Scarlett Johansson always looks good in black spandex. The Hawk, Jeremy Renner, a pretty decent actor was part bad and part good – same as the character in the movie. I don't understand where he kept getting the unlimited supply of arrows. The Hulk, I don't know this actor's name and I'm too lazy to look it up, was perhaps the most entertaining of all the superheroes. I like the way he is angry at everything and loves to smash the daylights out of whatever is in his way. Somehow, though in the end he turns out to be a reasonable green monster. Thor, also don't know this guys name, sorry, I have to do more research in the future before I start writing my reviews, was perhaps the most unbelievable and silly character of them all, but he had probably the best fight scene with the Hulk – they duke it out quite convincingly. Captain America was ridiculous, and he had worse lines to say than Nick Fury, but every comic book action movie needs a patriotic hero. He served his purpose. Iron Man was technologically, and in terms of substance, probably the most interesting and full-bodied character in the movie – too bad I dislike Robert Downey Jr. so much. He's just too arrogant for my taste, in life and on the big screen. So, did I like it? Yes I did. If you can suspend your adult sensibilities for a couple of hours and engage your 12-year-old comic book action imagination, you'll probably enjoy this movie as well.

Flight

This movie is not about flying. It's about alcohol and drug addiction. There is one fantastic, well choreographed plane crash, that's bound to scare the heck out of anyone who flies frequently. Other than that it's all about Denzil Washington's struggle with alcoholism. He uses alcohol to deaden the pain, and drown himself from the world – then cocaine to boost him up for the incredible task of flying an airplane. Washington's acting is superb, he makes a fantastic and unbelievable drunkard, and when he snorts the cocaine his courage, competence and bravado come alive. It's really difficult to watch some of the sad and depressing drug induced scenes, but very powerful. It's hard to imagine someone so addicted to drugs and alcohol, but I guess it's much more prevalent than we realize as a society. Washington's transformation throughout the movie is well written, though the end I found to be a little bit hokey. A great movie, but a hard look at this terrible problem. Not for kids, though I might like my teenagers to watch it with me. Could lead to some great discussion. Worth a rental.

Argo

Best picture of the year? I'm not sure I can't compare, as I haven't seen any of the other nominated movies, but this one was available on Oceanic Cable on demand for six bucks! Money well spent! A thoroughly enjoyable two hours of entertainment. I don't remember a lot about this event because it was 1980 and I had just graduated from college – didn't watch much news, was more interested in working, girls and having fun. However, it seems as if Ben Affleck and his crew did a great job capturing the 1980s and the Iran hostage crisis. Based on a true story, but embellished for sure. I particularly enjoyed the fashion and music. It even seemed like the film they use was Technicolor and vintage 1980s. The suspenseful telling of the events was also very well done, without any real explosions or big special effects, I was still on the edge of my seat (just a figure of speech, as actually I watch from my hospital bed, laying down). It was well-written and very well acted. If you're one of the few people that I haven't seen this movie yet, go ahead and rent it. Well worth the time.

Lawless

The back hills of Virginia during the prohibition, moonshine, white lightning, bootleggers, hillbillies, Chicago gangsters, crooked coppers, murder and mayhem – all with a pretty decent supposedly true story attached. If this sounds like your cup of tea, or hard cider, then this is a movie for you to rent. I enjoyed it! It was well done, nicely acted and filmed. The story revolves around three brothers, born in the back hills of Virginia. Their family has always lived just outside the law, and through the generations, they gained the reputation as being invincible. Of course, the Chicago gangsters want to move in on their territory, and laugh at the idea of such a powerful family. Never underestimate the power of family ties. I found the entire movie entertaining, and a few scenes excellent. The ending was also satisfactory. A decent story, well done.

The Three Stooges

I was unsure about watching this movie, the Three Stooges were my heroes and favorite comedians, when I was little boy. I wasn't confident that they could do justice to the original stooges and I wasn't sure if that kind of silly, slapstick humor would translate to the 21st century. I was pleasantly surprised and actually enjoyed the film. The three actors who played Mo, Larry and Curly did an excellent job! They must've really practiced with the physical slapstick, zaniness to get it correctly. The sound effects were perfect, making each slap and poke in the eyes, just as funny as it was 50 years ago. I had to overlook some of the stupidity and silliness – at my age, some of it just didn't connect. But, all in all, I think they did a great job! (Spoiler alert) – the part where Moe becomes a reality star on the show "Jersey Shore" had me in stitches. Poking. "The situation" in the eyes and slapping "Snooki" was priceless and worth the rental. If you remember the Three Stooges fondly as I did, and still do, then probably you should rent this movie. I cannot guarantee that all of that the comedy will translate to the newer generation, but us old school fellas should find this entertaining.

Brave

Disney-Pixar did it again and created another enjoyable animated feature. This is good family fun, I recommend it, especially if you have elementary school-age children. What I like about Pixar is that they strive very hard to make the story as excellent as the animation. Too many animated movies these days lack any original thought or story line – they rely on remakes or traditional fairytales. I like to see originality – Brave, fits the bill. It's a lovely, heartwarming, original story. The central character, a young girl, is precocious and fun-loving. Of course, she doesn't want to get married, who would when all of the males around are brutish looking Vikings. The animation of the characters is fantastic – I especially enjoyed that they took a lot of time to develop the three clans different personalities through their looks and actions. Then the little girl's red hair was just delightful! There were some good action scenes, and some good jokes. The pace was too my liking – not too slow and not too fast. Too often these days and animated pictures that actually goes by too quickly for my old eyes to enjoy it. This, I did enjoy. If you have children, it's worth the rental.

Savages

A film by Oliver Stone. For those of you that like Oliver Stone movies, he's made several excellent ones, you should probably watch this and you will enjoy it. If you're not familiar with Oliver Stone's documentary style, gritty realism, and unbelievable conspiracy theory, theme and elements – you may find this movie not to your liking. The blood, gore, sex, drugs and violence are extremely graphic. The story revolves around the California medical marijuana and the illegal marijuana, drug trade between Mexico and the US. The Mexican cartel boss, Selma Hayek, is fun and an interesting character. The Mexican assassin is very familiar, forget his name, though he is popular. John Travolta plays the corrupt DEA agent, and three unknown actors – two guys and a girl – are the central characters. All of them do a very believable and credible job of acting. However, there were a few lines in the movie that Oliver should've left out. "I love you man!" In the middle of an intense action scene, was unnecessary. And, when the young girl referred to the threesome as being like the characters in "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance kid" I wanted to eject the disc and search Netflix for that much better and more heartwarming story. I'm sure Oliver Stone just wanted to pay respect to that film classic, but he needs to consider his audience – old folks like me who grew up loving that movie will resent the comparison – while younger folks who had never seen the classic Western would just be thinking "what the heck did that mean?" Other than that, I've got no real complaints. It was a decent movie, good action and interesting story. Oliver just needs to lighten up a little bit.

Batman: Dark Knight Rises

First, I was apprehensive about watching this video because of the horrible shooting incident at the theater in Colorado last year when this movie debuted. Our thoughts and prayers should go out to the people who lost their lives, their family and friends. Support Obama's efforts to control guns!

The Batman movies are always entertaining, this one was also a solid two hours of fun.. However, perhaps I'm getting more critical in my old age .I couldn't help but while viewing the film said to myself at various times, "that's stupid "or "that is silly" –I also found myself at times thinking, "pretty cool" –especially the gadgets ... Then I realized that these movies are based on comic books. They are supposed to be cool and silly at the same time. Some of these silly moments were best illustrated by the long drawn out testimonial dialogues by several of the characters , . I guess the writers felt that we needed to be caught up on this story or need additional character development /information . the other silly thing, spoiler alert , was the ridiculous fistfight between the 3000 cops and the evil Army that had taken over Gotham . with all the guns and high-tech weapons, why did they resort to a street brawl /fistfight . silly! we are left at the end of the movie knowing that there will be a sequel ! . I am not sure that  if this is such a great thing, perhaps it's time for Batman to hang up his cape . Anyway if you can look past the silliness, and agreed that this is just pure, comic booking entertainment , . It is quite fun!
PS sorry for all of the typos , my dictation software and blog OS are not cooperating ??

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

If you're over 50, you'll probably enjoy this movie as much as I did. However, My 20-year-old son didn't find it very amusing. The story centers around a group of senior citizens from Britain, who for various reasons decide to leave their homeland and try to live in a beautiful hotel in India that caters specifically to the "senior and beautiful." I enjoyed how each character was introduced, and how each one developed throughout the movie. Each character was unique in their own way, and each was able to find what they needed/what they were looking for at that time of their life, by the end of the movie. The young man, from "Slum Dog Millionaire" – by the way of you haven't seen that movie, you really should watch it! – Played the hotel manager, who always sees things from a rose colored pair of glasses. Even through all the adversity, he stays mostly positive and upbeat – at times that became a little bit silly and felt shallow compared to the emotions and events occurring in the guests lives. His girlfriend and mother were delightful. Very well acted movie. A good positive message. The scenery of the city in India was spectacular. The color and vibrant life of that country came through with exceptional clarity. I enjoyed the music too!

The Bourne Legacy

I thoroughly enjoyed the original three Jason Bourne movies, so when this one came out I was a little bit apprehensive – remakes and multiple sequels often do not live up to the original. However, this film was a pleasant surprise. Jeremy Renner made a great substitute for Matt Damon. The writers struggled at the beginning of the movie to make all of the parts fit together so that the sequel would make some sense – most of that I felt was unnecessary and bogus. At least they didn't devote too much time to connect the dots – mostly just short flashbacks or quick references in various conversations. The director and producers focused on the action – rightly so! This is what makes the Bourne movies worth watching. And from the very beginning, the action was realistic and "cool"... The format and the premise were exactly the same – super agent gone rogue, CIA and National Security agencies out of control. The new agents were stronger and smarter than the original Jason Bourne, genetically altered by drugs. I kept thinking of "Alice in Wonderland" – one pill makes you stronger, and one pill makes you smarter. One pill kills you – and the others do nothing at all. The obligatory chase scene through the streets of a busy city, this time Manila, Philippines, was super fun to watch! The ending, of course, sets us up for many more movies to come. If you enjoyed the original Jason Bourne movies, you will probably enjoy this one too! It's worth a rental.

Albert Nobbs

A well-made enjoyable Victorian England period film. If you enjoy these movies from the Jane Austen era, and Downton Abby, you should enjoy this movie. This movie however, offered a very unique perspective on the situation of middle – lower-class women during this time. Albert, actress Glenn close, pretends to be a man – a waiter – in order to make a living and find some success, and  some meaning in her difficult life. I think she won some awards for her acting, which she clearly deserved – however, I found her to be more robotic than masculine. An excellent waiter! The surrounding stories of the hotel, where she works, and the various characters that come into her life are well developed and add much to the story. Her struggle to succeed, and some day be free of servitude and have her own business have given this film its unique perspective. The fact that she has to dress and act like a man to succeed reveal a lot about this time of our history. An excellent story, well told, perfectly acted, beautiful photography and costumes. Well worth the time to watch.

Red tails

This film tells the story of the Tuskegee airmen – the all-black air Corps, that served and fought during World War II. Definitely a story worth telling! I was looking forward to seeing how George Lucas would handle this part of history. Unfortunately, the writers and director failed miserably. Halfway through the movie I was happy that the disc was damaged and I didn't have to watch until the end... From the outset, the action scenes had poor quality CGI and the dialogue was extremely corny and ridiculous – the poor actors were given lines that made them sound like schoolboys on a basketball court. The story was shallow, and the pace of the movie jumped along like a teenager's pulp fiction novel. I really felt sorry for the actors in this movie, some of them are great actors and I have made good movies in the past: Terrence Williams, Cuba Gooding Junior, and others. I felt more sad for the families of the courageous airmen – they deserved a much better telling of the story. Don't bother with this movie. If you want to watch a film about the Tuskegee airmen, check out one of the documentaries made by HBO or the history Channel.

Prometheus

I had to look this up, Prometheus was a Titan from Greek mythology who stole fire from Mount Olympus and gave it to the humans. Not not sure how that fits in with this prequel to the Alien movies. The trailer for "Prometheus" says that questions will be answered, but after watching it. I believe there are more questions then answers – perhaps they planned it that way. Now I'll have to watch the next movie when it comes out. First, let me confess that I always enjoy science fiction movies. This one did not disappoint me. It was suspenseful and exciting, plenty of cool space travel and futuristic stuff – though I still can't understand how 100 years into the future, the high-tech weapons are still hand guns and flamethrowers. Can't they borrow a "Star Trek" phaser from someone? The aliens are gruesome and nasty as ever. I don't want to spoil the movie but, but I guarantee there is one scene where you will totally cringe. Maybe two... The script and acting is pretty good, the guy who plays the robot does an excellent job. A little creepy though. If you like science fiction, and if you enjoyed the original Alien movies, I definitely recommend that you don't miss this one. Worth a rental.

The Core

This movie came out several years ago, 2003. It's basically a knockoff of the Bruce Willis movie "Armageddon", but instead of an asteroid coming to destroy the earth, we are faced with a problem with the inner core of the earth – it stops rotating which causes all kinds of magnetic field and other major problems. It's good fun! Hilary Swank plays a astronaut, and does a good job. I've always liked her. The other actors are all familiar faces, but not famous enough for me to know their names. They all do a decent job. The disaster scenes are silly and disastrous – especially the destruction of Rome Colosseum was absolutely unnecessary and compared to today's special effects, looked rather ridiculous. Other than that, the movie moves along quite nicely, and is enjoyable. If you're looking for something unique or spectacular, this is not it. But if you're looking just for some mindless entertainment, this movie foots the bill. If you haven't seen "Armageddon" that might be a better choice.

Snow White and the Huntsman

This is not your mother's Snow White! If you are too young to have not seen the original "Snow White And the Seven Dwarves" – I recommend you watch that Disney movie first. It's really a much better movie and story... I worry about the generation of young people who will grow up thinking that Kristen Stewart is Snow White, and that the story portrayed in this movie, somehow reflects the wonderful fairytale that Disney created long ago. I'm not a big fan of remakes – producers, writers, directors and actors rarely rise to the level needed to remake a already good movie/story. Now, having said that, it was actually a fairly entertaining movie. Charlize Theron was beautiful as usual, even as the evil Queen. Though I did feel sorry for her at times reciting dialogue that was made for a 1960s animated movie character. The twilight girl, Kristen Stewart, was flat and one-dimensional. Sorry, "Twilight" fans, I've never liked her very much. There were some scenes inspired by AVATAR and "The Lord of the Rings" – but instead of enjoying those parts, I just kept thinking that I was wasting my time and perhaps should watch those other movies. Another thing that bothered me is that there were eight dwarves, not seven. And even though the writers tried to make us care about the dwarves, we never got to see any of the wonderful humor and chaos the dwarves created in the original movie – I so wanted to see Sleepy, Grumpy and the gang marching off to work singing "hi ho, hi ho, it's off to work we go!" Let me see, how can I end this review – just let me say that "mirror, mirror on the wall, this is NOT the fairest movie of them all."

Skyfall

This is the first review that I've done on this blog where I've actually been able to go to the movie theater! It's been over five years – we went to the IMAX at Dole Cannery. It was an amazing outing for me – and a pretty good movie too!                       

The formula for 007 has been the same since the movies first came out 50 years ago! It's a good formula! Start off with action, get right into the James Bond secret agent mood – then, start the opening credits with beautifully silhouetted women and dazzling special effects, add a superstar theme song, and you've got first 20 min.. After that the real movie starts... With M and Q, Money-Penny, the PM and the rest of the gang! The bad guy is always super bad, but super dumb-genius-lunatic. Why does he always have to explain everything to Bond before it kills him – hasn't he seen these movies before! Give 007 a chance and he'll always get away, and lived to die another day. This newest addition lived up to the hype – I especially like the idea that the creators of these movies always tried to keep up with modern times. Instead of the Soviet menace or drug dealers, now you've got a cyberspace terrorist! And Q is now a youthful super genius, but the gadgets are old-school. Great twist and plot. Of course, James wears a tuxedo and goes to a swanky casino to find the bad guys. We even learned a little bit about James' childhood. These movies are predictable – but fun! If you haven't seen it yet, and you like James Bond, don't miss it.

Moonrise Kingdom

Charming and quirky, unique and entertaining. This was a delightful film about young love. When you watch this movie, I'm sure it will bring back memories of your first love – how strong and innocent first love can be. Well, at least mine was. The actors, Bill Murray, Bruce Willis, and Edward Norton were superb. The young girl and young boy were just excellent as misfits and troubled adolescents who find each other and fall deeply and joyously in love. The setting, a 1960s New England coastal community is just something out of a dream. The cinematography is very detailed and the story unfolds as if you're reading a fairytale. Wonderfully done. Slightly awkward for a couple of moments, once or twice during the movie – but I believe the writer, producer, director wanted it to be so... The feelings were real and the emotions were felt with conviction. I really enjoyed the Boy Scout sequences, brought back memories, when I was a member of the scouts in the 1960s. Campouts, merit badges and of course the annual regional jamboree. A movie that I would probably watch twice – which is really unusual for me to say. If you like the out of the ordinary film, then definitely take time to rent this one.

Extremely loud And Incredibly Close

Extremely well acted, and incredibly poignant. I was at first reluctant to watch this movie, because I didn't want to relive the events of 9/11 or didn't feel that any writers, producers, actors could actually do this tragic event justice. But this film turned out to be pleasantly entertaining and thought-provoking at the same time. The story of 9/11 is told through the eyes and experiences of a young boy with Asperger's syndrome – similar to autism. He is bright, precocious, but has difficulty with social interaction, loud noises, crowded places, and other such situations. The young boy who plays this part does an excellent job! Tom Hanks, the father, of course, is always fantastic. Sandra Bullock plays the mother – also an excellent performance. The premise of the story is that the young boy has to find out the purpose of a "key" that his father left for him – exploring was always a favorite pastime for the two of them together. But, then the film is much more than just trying to solve a riddle left by the boy's father. It's a story of a family, a horrific tragedy, the importance of people in our lives. I highly recommend this film. If you haven't seen it, it's worth a rental.

Contraband

Typical Mark Wahlberg Philadelphia gangster movie. Nothing special, nothing new. We've seen all of this before – I think even some of the dialogue was repeated from previous Wahlberg, movies. The expert smuggler/gangster gives up the bad life and tries to go straight, but the younger brother of his wife gets involved with the mob, so he has to get back in to the game to save his family. Boring. Even the action scenes seem to be repeats. Lucky for me my blue Ray player was acting glitchy, so I didn't even bother to watch the end. Not worth renting. Unless you're a really big Mark Wahlberg fan.

Dragon

A traditional style Chinese kung fu movie with subtitles. I watched this movie using iTunes with my 22-year-old son – he loves kung fu movies. The movie is not currently in theaters or available on DVD, just on iTunes at the moment. It was well worth it! One of the better Chinese kung fu movies that I've seen in a while. What made this movie interesting for me was that it had a very well written and developed story and characters. The main character is a former notorious gang leader – the leader of the "72 Demons" – I love the names they give their gangs in these movies. After a particularly brutal murder that he committed, ordered by his father, the ex-gang leader has a major change in heart. He moves far away and starts a new life with a wife and family. One day some gangsters come to his town, and everything changes – he has to defend himself and kills them. A Chinese detective comes to town to investigate the crime. The story revolves around their relationship – this is what makes the story unique and interesting. The action sequences are excellent. But they are particularly enhanced when we see the replay of the action/fight scenes from the perspective of the detective – in slow motion with narrative. It's really cool to see the action first in real-time, and then later on in slow motion from the detective's point of view. A movie well worth seeing, especially if you are a kung fu fan!

The Adventures of Tintin

Animated movie written, directed and produced by Steven Spielberg. I like watching animated movies, even though the target audience is usually much younger than I am now... This film totally engaged me for the first 45 min. – the animation and special effects were just amazing. The detail was fantastic, within just a few minutes, I totally forgot that this was actually a cartoon. The development of the character Tintin and his sidekick – dog Snowy, was thoughtful and well rounded. I understood, and empathized with the character almost immediately. Snowy was adorable and clever. It was a nice to see an animated movie with a male hero, lots of animated movies these days have female heroines. Unfortunately, the second half of the movie is when all of the action – nonstop action began. It was all very much like Indiana Jones! Very Spielberg-like. I think for a teenager or youngster, the nonstop action would be enjoyable and fun. However, for me it was just overkill. I prefer a little bit more story development and slower pace. It was a decent ride however, and I do recommend it for families, fans of Steven Spielberg and animated films.

The Hunger Games

I was a little bit apprehensive about watching this movie because I don't have anywhere near the mentality or tastes of a teenage girl – but a friend of mine said he read the books and watched the movie, and thought it was pretty decent. I have to agree with him. The movie was interesting and well made. I like the fact that the movie was based on a book and therefore, I believe the development of the characters was very well done. By the time we actually got to the action-packed "hunger games" part of the movie, I believed in the characters and was rooting for the young girl to survive. Some parts were a bit hokey and sophomorish, but all-in-all a good story, decent acting, and some exciting action. I also found it interesting that the story revolved around a futuristic reality show – nice touch! Especially since these days we are inundated with reality shows of all types and flavors. Worth the effort to rent.

Shaolin

Some decent kung fu action, but the story is totally depressing! This 2011, Chinese kung fu film has English subtitles and all the usual exceptional Chinese martial arts action. It is available on Netflix. Unfortunately, the story is so full of evil, greed, blind ambition, betrayal, revenge, and sadness that it is hard to watch. "Spoiler alert" – everyone dies at the end! Jackie Chan has a small part in the movie as the Shaolin monastery's cook. He has one good fight scene where he tells the bad guys, "I don't know kung fu" but then proceeds to whip some ass with his cooking skills and strength. If you are a Jackie fan, then it's probably worth it just to fast forward to this fight scene and watch it a couple of times – skip the rest of the movie. I like a good kung fu movie made in China, but I prefer the more mystical or romantic storyline. Only recommended for hard-core kung fu fans.

Salmon Fishing in the Yemen

Delightful! I usually don't watch romantic movies, unless I'm forced to by my lovely wife. But, this movie intrigued me because of its unique story. A billionaire Sheik from Yemen enlists the help of an ambitious young British woman financial consultant and an introverted British bureaucrat-scientist working for the fisheries department, to make his dream of being able to fish for salmon in the mountains of Yemen a reality. The writing is superb. The dialogue is engaging. The character development is what makes this movie worth watching – of course we know that the two very different British characters will eventually fall in love. But, that doesn't matter. There is some silliness with British politics and terrorism, but that can be overlooked and easily dismissed as I was drawn into the lives of the three main characters and their earnest attempt to make the project a reality. I recommend this movie for a quiet night alone with your "special someone." It's nice to have a light and uncomplicated movie to watch for a change.

Big Miracle

A decent family movie with a strong environmental theme – save the whales! However, due to the poor production quality, acting, and writing, this is probably only enjoyable for children under the age of 14 years. As an adult, I found it quite corny – the bad guys are overly bad, the environmentalists played by Drew Barrymore is poorly characterized, the Native Americans are stereotypical, and the silly/comedy relief is sophomoric. This movie tried to be Disney-like, but failed. This is quite unfortunate, because it is based on a true story. A family of grey whales get stuck in the Arctic ice, and a whole town rallies to save them. It's really a inspirational story, but unfortunately the writing was just too shallow to make it interesting for an adult viewer. I would watch this with my under 14-year-old children though, – by myself, I found it tiresome.

J Edgar

Boring, but well made and interesting from a historical and biographical perspective. Kudos to Clint Eastwood for taking on such a tough project. Good job by Leonardo DiCaprio, though he was not particularly convincing as an aging J Edgar Hoover. I didn't really know that much about Mister Hoover, so watching the movie gave me some historical perspective about his life and the early years of the FBI. I assume a lot of it was based on fact. I wonder if Clint Eastwood deliberately played down the homosexuality and cross-dressing part of Hoover's life. I guess I'd have to read the book, which I don't think I will. All in all Hoover didn't seem like that interesting of a person – hen pecked and overwhelmed by his mother, a perfectionist, analytical to a fault, power-hungry, ambitious, and paranoid. Well, maybe he was interesting? If he was, it didn't come across that much in the movie. I was disappointed.

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

Good entertainment! I didn't like the first Sherlock Holmes movie very much, it was too dark and didn't make the connection to the real Sherlock Holmes novels very effectively. This sequel, however, was much more believable and more attentive to detail and the character of Sherlock Holmes. The acting was good and the storyline enjoyable. What really impressed me was the action scenes were the director used extensive slow-motion and stop action photography – these scenes were spectacular! Visually they really capture the action and feel of the situation, but also they were used to show the intellectual and deductive powers of Sherlock Holmes. Very effective! Some scenes were a little bit over the top and "Indiana Jones" like, but mostly I felt the action and story was well done. I never liked Robert Downey Junior, he just seems like a smart ass to me. Always plays the same type of character. But, as Sherlock Holmes his acting actually matches what I will imagined Sherlock to be. The musical score was also used effectively and quite enjoyable in the film. If you haven't seen this movie, it's worth the rental.

Underworld: Awakening

Don't bother with this movie unless you have seen the other two or three previous movies in this series and enjoyed them. The story continues with vampires and werewolves... I wouldn't have watched it, except it was at the bottom of my queue and somehow blockbuster decided none of the other movies were available. I did see the first couple of movies in this series – they all seem the same! At least Kate B., forget her last name, is the best looking vampire ever. I wonder how they ever got her into that latex bodysuit. Some of the action is pretty good.

We Bought A Zoo

A good family feel to this film. I especially liked that it was based on a true story. Matt Damon did a decent job, and I always like Scarlett Johansson. The characters are well developed and the story is plausible and fun. Although the relationship between the teenage boy and the teenage girl was a little bit weird – perhaps teenagers are weird though – I don't remember. There were a few funny scenes and several tearjerking scenes as well. The writers and director milked the tearjerking parts is much as possible, and yes I cried a couple of times. I hate to admit that. Basically, a nice entertaining harmless film, a good one to watch with your family.

The Grey

I was hopeful that this movie might have some resemblance to the wonderful Jack London novel "White Fang" which I read several times during my youth and again just recently. Unfortunately, there was no resemblance at all – except perhaps a few scenes where the pack of wolves were tracking or attacking the hapless humans. The story is basically an airplane crash somewhere in the northern Alaska regions and a handful of oil pipeline workers survived the crash. They have to try and the hike out of the frozen tundra while a pack of wolves hunt them down one by one. Sounds like an exciting story if we cared at all about the survivors – which I didn't. Only the leader, Liam Nielsen, had any real substance. The rest were just stereotypical jerks or nerds. I think the producers couldn't figure out if they wanted to make a horror movie or a decent survival story. Anyway, they miss the sled on this one. Don't waste your time unless you're a big Nielsen fan.

The Artist

Black and white, no widescreen view, no sound effects, no talking – and yet this movie won the Academy award for best picture last year. At first I was very skeptical, I thought that probably the movie one the Academy award because of its novelty factor. However, the movie immediately drew me in and within a few minutes I found myself not even noticing the lack of conversation and sound effects. The music in the background was not overpowering, just pleasant and flowed well with the story. I did find myself trying to guess what the actors were saying to each other for a few minutes – reading lips – but that grew tiresome so I just relaxed and enjoyed the ride. The actors dramatic expressions and the natural action of the story allowed the movie to move at an acceptable pace. Some parts were a bit corny and overacted, but overall a well-made and enjoyable film. I'm not sure it deserve the Academy award for best picture, but it was a good tribute to Hollywood Land and had some historical value – showing the transition from silent films to Talkies. A thumbs up from me!

The Secret Life of Plants

Now that the Olympics are over, I'm watching movies again. This movie "The Secret Life of Plants" was done in 1979 and is available on Netflix. Once you get past the poor quality of audio and visual – this was long before high-definition! – It is really a quite intriguing and fascinating movie/documentary. The premise is that plants can receive and preceive energy, emotions, thoughts and feelings. Plants are actually conscious and perhaps intelligent. Does this sound a little bit like the movie AVATAR? It's actually quite interesting and some of the scientific experiments that were performed back in the 70s were pretty cool, groovy, far out, and awesome. I promise you if you watch this movie you will never think of plants in the same way again. Added bonus the soundtrack is done by a young Stevie Wonder – and he appears at the end of the movie singing the title song.

A Man on a Ledge

This was literally a halfway decent movie – the first 40 min. were engaging, well-written, and actually produced quite nicely. The plot unfolded at a good pace and there was real potential for a top notch movie. But then something happened? The director, the writers, and actors must've had a breakdown of some sort. Suddenly the once cool thieves became "campy" and almost silly with their off-the-cuff remarks and jokes, the villains became obvious and cartoonish, the main actor who was supposed to have a Brooklyn New York background suddenly could not get rid of his Australian accent. The whole film just fell apart in clichés and been there done that screenwriting. What a disappointment! If you got nothing else to watch, going ahead and watch the first 45 min. Then turn it off and let your imagination finish the film.

Eat Drink Man Woman

I was looking for a lighthearted but interesting film to watch when I found this in my Netflix queue. This is an old Taiwanese movie made back in the late 80s I believe. It is subtitled. It's a story of an aging father who is widowed and has three grown-up daughters that have yet to be married. The father is a master chef – the cooking scenes are spectacular, if you like Chinese food. Who doesn't? The daughters are intriguing and interesting characters. The plot and situations are stereotypical Chinese – the emphasis on marriage, the patriarch father figure, the gossiping neighbors. The story runs along quite slowly, but it is interesting and engaging. It wasn't until the end that I was surprised and delighted. I believe that if you have some affinity for Chinese culture you will probably enjoy this movie.

Safe House

This is a super action film, CIA thriller. The plot is rather common – rogue agent out for revenge. But the cinematography, directing and acting are excellent. The action scenes are superb, very similar to "Bourne Identity" style, raw and compelling – no special effects needed. Just good fighting. It is somewhat more violent, thus the R rating. Denzil Washington plays a great role as the tough rogue agent that is out for revenge. A role he has played many times perfectly, and does so once again. This time he does have a heart, but you wouldn't know it from the body count. Some of the CIA stuff is still cliché and we have seen or heard it before. But basically this is a great action movie! Enjoy it.

Rum Diary

Johnny Depp once again reprises his role as the friendly and intelligent drunkard. He really does this role very well... This movie is the story of early 1960s Puerto Rico and the writer Jack Kemp. I was mostly interested in learning more about this writer. The movie showed his adventures in Puerto Rico before he became a well-known journalist. The movie is fun and has an interesting storyline in most places – in others it's over the top and a little bit unbelievable. There are some really interesting characters in the movie. All in all a fair and enjoyable attempt to tell a different kind of story. I'm not sure I would recommend this to everyone, it certainly is not a family movie or an action flick. It's a drama, documentary, a lighthearted look at Puerto Rico in the 1960s.

INCEPTION

Summertime is a great time to dust off those old DVDs that you bought years ago because they were great movies. A lot of times you watch the movie again and think why did I bother spending 20 bucks to buy a copy of this movie – it wasn't that great in the first place! However, some movies on your shelf are truly GREAT! Inception is one of them. I recommend that you watch this one again! I was thoroughly pleased with the plot, story, acting, and action. This is really an exceptional movie. Leonardo DiCaprio does an excellent job, and the other actors are all credible and believable characters. The movie had me engaged from the very beginning and held my attention until the very last scene. Highly recommended!

The Set-up

This movie was absolutely terrible! It seems to me that some friends of the hip-hop artist "50 cent" got together to make a movie for him. Unfortunately, he cannot act and they apparently cannot direct, produce, or write a decent movie. Bruce Willis was even very disappointing in this film – I can't imagine that they paid him enough money to do this. DO NOT WATCH THIS MOVIE!

In Time

A decent futuristic sci-fi thriller if you can get past all of the "time" clichés: "time is money", "just in time", "running out of time", "time well spent", "it's about time"... The writers use them all in this film. Justin Timberlake does a decent job acting. His female counterpart however is rather cartoonish, but pretty. The action is decent. Some parts of the story are a little bit lame however, for example, the so-called "timekeeper" dies in the movie because he runs out of time – sorry, spoiler alert. Anyway this movie is NOT a complete "waste of time." Keep your expectations low and you will probably enjoy it like I did.

Running the Sahara

A documentary about three men who participate in extreme sports, extreme cross-country running. A man from Canada, a man from North Carolina, and a man from Taiwan. They make great team and had participated in many races together. They got the idea to run across the Sahara. After two years of preparation and sponsorship seeking, they began their journey on the West Coast of Africa. They ran every day for 110 days, over 4500 miles until they reached the Red Sea. An amazing documentary and an even more amazing feat of endurance, courage and spirit. Very well filmed to show the actual logistics and difficulty of their journey. No political agenda. No product endorsements. Just three men challenging themselves to do something amazing. I enjoyed this movie even though I've never been a runner.

Puss-n-boots: a waste of time

I often watch animated movies, and I'm usually amazed at the quality of the films from DreamWorks and Pixar. There have been some really great ones in the past. Unfortunately, this one was a total disappointment. The animation itself was pretty good, but the pace of the story and the action sequences were just too fast for anyone to appreciate the artwork. Everything flew by in nanoseconds – making the animators work a total blur. Perhaps a six-year-old's eyes work faster than mine, and they could appreciate the visual aspects of the film. I doubt it. The story was totally unoriginal, when from the trailer last year in looked like it would be a humorous and original film. It was basically a ripoff from "Zorro" "Mother Goose" "Jack and the Beanstalk" "Humpty Dumpty" – you get the picture. In some previous movies like "Shrek" this tactic worked for gags and jokes – but they did not get in the way of the story line. In Puss-N-boots the writers got lazy and the ripped off children's tales became the basis for the entire movie. When I watch an animated movie I don't want to see the retelling and destruction of old children stories that I grew up with – I want to see originality! There was little to be found in this film. Don't bother, watch another movie instead.

Immortals

If you're looking for a Greek mythology action flick and you're not concerned about a credible story or superb acting – then this might be the movie for you. The action is pretty good and the special effects and visual complexity of the film is quite nice. If you saw "300" and you liked it, you will probably enjoy this one too. It's not as good as "300" but it attempts to rise to the occasion at some point. I enjoyed it with my son (age 22) – he thought it was okay. A mindless romp for couple of hours – no redeeming value other than good old-fashioned Greek mythology action!

Iron Lady

I thoroughly enjoyed this movie – the acting was superb, Meryl Streep is amazing. The cinematography and writing were also excellent. However, if you're looking for a documentary about Margaret Thatcher this is not the movie for you. And, if you have no idea who Margaret Thatcher is you will probably find the movie quite boring. The movie basically is about Prime Minister Thatcher in the last years of her life struggling with dementia – the memories of her life and career come back to her in bits and pieces – flashbacks and reminiscing. I do believe the movie could have focused a little bit more on her career and events during her reign as Prime Minister, but then again it would not have been the same emotional and heart tugging movie that it is. I definitely recommend it if you know who Margaret Thatcher is.. Or you are a Meryl Streep fan.

Turtle: The Incredible Journey

If you love the ocean and its creatures as much as I do, you'll really enjoy this movie. It tells the story of loggerhead turtles living in the Atlantic ocean. Incredibly they are born on the beaches of Florida and travel 10,000s of miles to their lifetime across the Atlantic ocean and back again. The story follows one turtle in particular and shows the beauty and danger she faces to complete her purpose in life – return to the beach where she was born and lay her own batch of eggs. The photography is amazing! The narration is excellent. The film only becomes a little bit "preachy" towards the end – but I applaud the producers for their efforts to educate us. It is a 2011 film and available now on DVD, Blu-ray and even Netflix. I highly recommend it! Well worth 80 min. of your time.

War Horse

Once again Steven Spielberg has disappointed me. I keep hoping he'll make another great movie like "Saving Private Ryan" "ET" "Indiana Jones" or "Schindler's list"... But so far the last several movies he's made have been flops in my opinion. Maybe I expect too much. I don't really see how this movie "War Horse" was ever nominated as one of the best pictures in 2011 – it seems like Spielberg was confused. On the one hand he tried to make a "storybook" movie about a horse and the people that come in contact with the horse and eventually are drawn to love him. Very stylized and Disney like. Then, in the middle of the movie we are suddenly thrust into a realistic and gritty World War I movie – something that Spielberg is very good at filming. Then, at the end we are back in storybook land. I think he would've done better staying in one genre or the other. Flopping back and forth was just irritating. Not to mention that the acting was stilted and the accents ridiculous. I don't recommend this movie. Adults will find it below their expectations and children should probably not be exposed to the drama and horror of trench warfare. Don't waste your time.

The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo

For mature audiences only – not a movie to watch with family and friends. I had read the book and also had seen the trilogy of movies made in Sweden, so I knew what do expect and understood the story quite well. I was afraid this American version would be watered down and less engaging – fortunately my fears were far from the truth. This version of the movie was excellent. The acting and characters were great! I did feel the American version spent more time on the "girl" character – developing her a little bit further and giving her more on-screen time. This was good though. She is a fascinating part of the story. But what's really great is that the entire story itself is worthwhile. Makes a very full and enjoyable movie. It has everything, suspense, mystery, political intrigue, sex, violence and action. I do recommend this!

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

I'm still confused... A complex 1960s timeframe spy yarn about the British intelligence during the height of the Cold War. This was originally a quiet famous book, and I think this movie from last year was a remake. It's a great movie for spy buffs – but if you're looking for action and special effects this is not your cup of tea. The acting, cinematography and plot are all old school – unfolding with the slow pace and wonderful attention to detail. The problem is a lot of the characters looked and sounded very similar – "British white men" – so sometimes it was hard to remember who was who. Also, the movie flashed back and forward seamlessly – leaving me lost and confused at times. If you like spy movies you probably want to watch this more than once. If you prefer not to be challenged by a movie, in other words you like simple entertainment with a simple plot, this one is definitely not for you.

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol

If you enjoyed the first two Mission impossible movies, you will definitely like this one. It is nonstop action from the beginning to the very end – over two hours of fantastic special effects, stunts and intrigue. The same basic story is all the Mission impossible movies – the MIF led by Ethan Hunt are once again disavowed by the secretary, but still have it in their hearts to try and save the world from total destruction. Spoiler alert! They do save the world once again! Action movies are fun for me, mindless and entertaining – this one fit the bill perfectly. There were a few light moments as well that came off pretty well, the last couple of minutes were pretty corny though...

Ides of March

If you like political thrillers, you should really enjoy this movie. I thought it was excellent. The cast was great – George Clooney, Ryan Goslin, Paul Giamatti and others – all played perfect roles. The movie shows the very competitive and complicated world of political campaigns. Most interesting was the idea that even the smallest mistake could grow and morph into a huge problem, but driven politicians will do almost anything to cover up the issues and to succeed. Unfortunately, the movie seems almost too realistic – it leaves you with the feeling that our political system is really broken and corrupt.  Most of us probably agree that it is! So, if you don't mind being reminded about the corrupt political process in our country – and you enjoy a good thriller. This movie is for you!

Arthur

If you're old enough to remember the original "Arthur" like I am, then you will probably be disappointed with this movie. The English actor Russell Brand gives it a good try, but he does not come off as the lovable alcoholic billionaire that Dudley Moore captured in the original movies. Instead he comes across as a spoiled, obnoxious, millionaire drunk. I think this is one movie they definitely should not have tried to remake. Helen Mirren however, is the one saving grace in this movie and has some clever lines and good scenes.. If you like her it might be worth watching – but I doubt it! Don't bother unless you're really bored and you got nothing else to do.

Win-win

This was an excellent movie taken directly from current events and sensibilities. The main character, Paul Giamatti, is a wonderful actor. He's the main reason I decided to watch this DVD – and I wasn't disappointed. Once again he gives a superb performance. Giamatti is a struggling lawyer in small-town America, his business hit by the recession is on the verge of bankruptcy. To pay the bills he perjured himself and takes on the guardianship of an old man who is his client. At the same time a teenage boy shows up at his home – son of his drug addicted sister. Giamatti is a wrestling coach – the team hasn't won a match in years. Just so happens the teenage boy is a fabulous wrestler. The story goes from here to extreme highs and abysmal lows. A dramatic and entertaining ride. Not for children. Recommended if you like serious drama with the a good story.

Super 8

Remember the movies "The Goonies", "Alien" and "ET" – take these three movies and put them in a dryer on delicate cycle for an hour and you will end up with the wrinkle free movie "Super 8"... Now with that said, if you liked the three aforementioned movies you may like this one. It had some really good science fiction thrill-like moments, but I also had several "duh!" Scenes as well. Part of the movie was self-indulgent Steven Spielberg autobiography – the young boy who wants to make movies – which I found a little annoying, but I guess if you're Steven Spielberg you can do whatever you want. Other than that I enjoyed it, it was good old-fashioned family science fiction. Worth the rental if you like these type of movies.

The Help

This is an excellent movie, I highly recommend it. It shows a side of black and white race relations in southern United States that is rarely discussed and easily misunderstood. The characters, both good and bad, bring to life the complex emotions and stories of the time. It is extremely well acted and thoroughly entertaining. It made me laugh, and it made me think. It brought back memories of my eight years in South Carolina where I came face-to-face with prejudice and discrimination. Clearly, my situation was nothing like the one in this story, but the corollaries are there. I think we've come a long way as a nation, people and the culture – but intolerance still survives to this day. This movie will make you think about this issue and give you a view into the lives of these southern women that you will not soon forget. Rent it!

Money Ball

I enjoyed this DVD. I'm not an avid baseball fan, but I still enjoy the game and usually just watch in October. It is interesting to note that this movie was based on an actual story and gave some insight into the workings of modern baseball. Brad Pitt gives a decent performance – but certainly not worthy of the best actor nomination. Jonah Hill on the other hand was pretty good! If you are a baseball fan you definitely want to watch this movie. If not, it's probably worth skipping.

Hugo

Hugo was nominated as one of the best pictures of the year – the director Martin Scorsese was also nominated as best director. Didn't win – too bad because it really is an excellent movie. I think perhaps it didn't have broad appeal for the "Academy" members because it was made in the French style. Subtle but deep characters, an excellent well-written and thought out story, beautiful photography and a slow but thoughtful pace. Not your usual "in-your-face, action-packed" American-style movie. But then again "the Artist" the movie that did with all of the awards was completely French. I will review "The Artist" is out on DVD next month. Anyway, if you haven't seen "Hugo" rent it now!  It's a great movie that the entire family can enjoy together.

Back by popular demand!!!

Several of my friends – well, two or three anyway –have asked that I start my DVD reviews once again! I thought that was a good idea, fun for me as I still watch at least one DVD per week. I promise to make my reviews short, honest and opinionated. Let me know what you think, and please share with others if you think they might be interested.


The Hangover #2 – a total waste of two hours of my life, but there was nothing else on television to watch at 10:30 PM and I didn't have any other DVDs around. If you saw "Hangover" that takes place in Las Vegas, you will be disappointed in this one. If you haven't seen the first movie, I recommend it over this one. "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas "doesn't translate very well to Bangkok, Thailand. I found the movie predictable and stupid – a lazy rewrite. The monkey was cute and the one car chase was pretty well done. Other than that, don't bother. Rent something else.

update for Dolphins dance

Hello friends and family, it is taking a little bit longer to proofread and edit my manuscript that I had originally planned.  My sister Lynne, who lives in Atlanta, and her friend Karen are giving me some help.  I have asked PublishAmerica for an extension to January 21.  I hope to have everything done by then.  Thank you all for your support.

My Christmas and New Year's holidays were very relaxing and wonderful.  Everyone, all of you and all of my friends and caregivers were so wonderful and generous.  I felt very loved it very much cared for these days.  Thank you all.

10 questions for the Dalai Lama

****  This is a wonderful documentary about the life of the Dalai Lama and the people of Tibet.  Very well done and an excellent interview with the Dalai Lama.  It doesn't matter which religion you are, this simple Buddhist monk has so much wisdom to offer.  Recommended!

PS I'm enjoying Netflix a lot.  I love being able to stream movies directly to my computer and also to my TV.  I do miss getting the most recent releases, with literally thousands of other great movies at my fingertips I cannot complain.

new reviews coming in 2011

Hello friends and anyone else who may be reading this!!  Be sure to sign up as one of my viewers so that I can be encouraged to keep up these reviews. Also send me your comments by e-mail or comment directly on this...



With the fall television season over and football season coming to an end soon I will have more time to watch movies!  Also I've decided to give up Blockbuster and go with Netflix.  My good friend Michael is giving me Apple TV for Christmas so I will be able to stream movies directly to my television at my computer from Netflix.  I'm pretty excited about it and will let you all know how it works out.

So, see you here in cyberspace in 2011.  Happy holidays to all.