Next - ACE Train Movie Review

Cris Johnson is a Las Vegas magician who possesses the unique ability to witness the events of the immediate future moments before they happen. As a child Cris was subjected to a series of cruel experiments by government scientists and doctors, but a change of name and a new identity allowed the tortured psychic to elude detection and start a new life away from the prying eyes of his former captors. Though his clairvoyant vision only extends a few minutes into the future, it has still allowed Cris to eke out a living as a low-rent Las Vegas magician while earning a little extra cash at the blackjack tables. Up to this point in his life Cris has never used his power for anything substantial, but when he experiences a vision of Los Angeles being incinerated in a nuclear holocaust, the small-time magician realizes that he could hold the key to saving millions of lives. But as low as he has tried to lie in recent years, Cris has never completely escaped detection by the government. Now, as terrorists prepare to unleash the ultimate horror on an unsuspecting city, FBI counter terror agent Callie Ferris sets out to capture Cris and convince him to use his exceptional gift to prevent the nuclear nightmare from becoming a terrifying reality.

The idea was interesting, but the plot was not. Nicolas Cage has made some great films and some duds. This one goes into the later group. There were just too many inconsistencies and things that didn't make sense. To me, the main plot was one of those things that didn't make sense - the government wants Cris to use his ability to save millions of lives, but Cris does everything in his power to not help. Just freakin' help already! The other big thing that I didn't understand was the fact that Cris could see 2 minutes into the future, so the people trying to capture Cris needed to wait 2 minutes before they acted on their plan. However, since Cris can perpetually see 2 minutes into the future, wouldn't he still be able to see the plan in action before it happens and react accordingly? Maybe I missed something, but I don't feel the need to watch it again.

Rating: 2 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Julianne Moore, Jessica Biel

The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

Complete List of All My Movie Reviews

I have collected all of my movie reviews (407 to date) in a single list using Google Docs: http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=p7HOdSNxDv6-JExLmLY2fIQ. The default sort order is by my rating, but there's a tab on top which will allow you to view them alphabetically. As I post a movie review on this blog, I will update the spreadsheet as well, so it will always be up to date. I'll keep a link to the spreadsheet at the top of my blog for easy access - just look up and there it is ;-)

Shrek the Third - ACE Train Movie Review

Shrek and Fiona's fairy-tale wedding has gone off without a hitch, yet just as the beaming newlyweds prepare to enjoy their blissful "happily ever after," the sudden death of King Harold finds everyone's favorite ornery ogre being reluctantly fitted for the royal crown. Troubled to learn that not only will he be compelled to rule Far Far Away, but that he and Fiona are also expecting a little ogre, Shrek determines to track down his new bride's rebellious cousin Artie - the one true heir to the throne - in order to focus on fatherhood without the added distraction of having to preside over the kingdom. As Shrek sets out with faithful companions Donkey and Puss in Boots to locate the medieval high-school slacker and bring him back to become the reigning sovereign of Far Far Away, handsome snake Prince Charming slithers back to the castle in the company of the dreaded Captain Hook to stage a diabolically timed coup and assume control of the throne.

The first two Shrek films were brilliant and hilarious - this one was not. Apparently, all the good ideas were used in the first two films, but how could they pass up a big payday by releasing a third? The story was mundane and there weren't many funny scenes. My biggest laugh came from the scene where the Gingerbread Man got scared and pooped out a gum drop. Of course, that could mean that I have issues, but more likely it's an indication that the movie just wasn't very funny. The worst part was that the end left the storyline open for another sequel. If they make another film, I sure hope they take the time to make a quality, imaginative product ala the first two films.

Rating: 2 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz

The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

Superbad - ACE Train Movie Review

Operating under the assumption that by procuring alcohol for an upcoming party they will finally be able to break their longstanding losing streak with the fairer sex, socially inept high school seniors Evan and Seth set out to secure the adult beverages that could get them off of the geek list before they even attend college orientation. Evan is a bright young student whose outward sweetness belies his suffocating fear of heading off to college without his lifelong best friend Seth - a hormone-driven mischief-maker who wasn't accepted to the same school as Evan. But Evan and Seth both know that college is a place of personal reinvention, and that if they are able to make that first leap together they will have forged a bond powerful enough to last a lifetime. Meanwhile, Evan and Seth's friend Fogell acquires a hastily rendered fake I.D. that instantly endears him to a pair of truly irresponsible cops.

The name of the film is fitting as it truly is super bad. To be clear, that's not bad as in good. Most teenage boys will love this movie and think it's the best thing ever. The rest of us, however, might not have the same fondness for the silliness and vulgarity that is on full display during the film. Sure, there are some funny parts and the main characters are likable nerds, but it's mostly a waste of time. I'd put this in the same category as Napoleon Dynamite - if you liked that film, you'll probably enjoy this one as well. Otherwise, you can safely skip it.

Rating: 2 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Jonah Hill, Michael Cera, Christopher Mintz-Plasse

The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

Live Free or Die Hard - ACE Train Movie Review

It's the beginning of the Fourth of July weekend, but New York City Detective John McClane isn't celebrating. He's had yet another argument with his college-age daughter and received a crushingly routine assignment to bring in a young hacker, Matt Farrell, for questioning by the FBI. But for McClane, the ordinary has a habit of exploding into the extraordinary - abruptly hurtling him into the wrong place at the wrong time. With Farrell's help, McClane slowly begins to understand the increasing chaos surrounding him. An attack is underway on the vulnerable United States infrastructure, shutting down the entire nation. The mysterious figure behind the scheme, Thomas Gabriel, stays several moves ahead of McClane as he implements his incredible plans, known to uber-geeks like Farrell as a "fire sale" (as in, everything must go!)

If you're a fan of the Die Hard films, this one won't disappoint. Like the other films, there is plenty of action, suspense and Bruce Willis a$$ kicking. A lot of things get blown up, people get shot at and blood is never far away. The plot is different than the other films (which is good) and is very modern in its technological focus. At the end of the day, it's good to see Bruce Willis back playing the character of John McClane. He was made for this part and I wouldn't mind seeing Die Hard numbers 5, 6, and 7 in the future. If the quality can remain this high, why not?

Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: Yes
Starring: Bruce Willis, Justin Long, Timothy Olyphant

The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

License to Wed - ACE Train Movie Review

Sadie Jones has always longed to marry the man of her dreams in her family church. Though she found her lifetime companion in Ben Murphy, Sadie is distressed to learn that St. Augustine's has only one wedding slot available over the next two years. While Sadie and Ben do qualify for the slot, charismatic St. Augustine's minister Reverend Frank won't wed the couple until they agree to attend his two-week prenuptial course. Now, as their wedding date draws near, Sadie and Ben must attend every one of Reverend Frank's exhausting classes and complete a series of rigorous homework assignments designed specifically to test their dedication to one another and ensure that their union will have a sound foundation.

This is a hilarious film. For me, it's a grab bag with Robin Williams as sometimes he's funny and other times he's just silly. He's definitely funny in this film as is the whole cast of characters. Fans of The Office (TV show) will notice a lot of familiar faces - maybe they filmed it near where they shoot the TV show, but several supporting characters are borrowed from the cast. John Krasinski (from The Office) and Mandy Moore have great chemistry, both comically and romantically. They create a lot of the funny moments with their expressions, timing and reactions. The robot babies were the icing on the cake and secured this film as a one to watch at least once.

Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Robin Williams, Mandy Moore, John Krasinski

The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

Riding Giants - Movie Review

Riding Giants traces the origins of surfing and specifically focuses on the art of big wave riding. The film begins with a historical overview, starting at its Hawaiian beginnings, then moves on to focus on the dangerous lure of big wave surfing (surfing waves that can reach up to 70 feet). The documentary chronicles the evolution of riding at Hawaii's Waimea Bay in the 1950s, the revolution of lighter boards, and tow-in surfing to allow for "riding giants". Three surfers who are part of this multi-generational evolution are spotlighted: Greg Noll is shown as a fearless big wave rider during the 1950s and 60s; Jeff Clark who discovered Mavericks in Northern California and surfed there alone for years; and Laird Hamilton, the contemporary surfer who brings tow-in riding to the limelight.

Even if you're not a surfer (I'm not), you will be able to appreciate this film. The history of surfing is interesting and the way it's told in this film is extremely engaging. This isn't you're typical history lesson. The people who are profiled are very colorful and the waves that they ride are even more of a sight to see. The pictures and videos of the waves and the men riding them are worth the price of admission. The camera angles are incredible and waves themselves are awe inspiring. These guys must be crazy to surf at some of these places, but it certainly makes for a good show. A must see!

Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: Yes
Starring: Laird Hamilton, Greg Noll, Jeff Clark

The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

SJ Sharks vs. Colorado Avalanche - 11/30/07

This was the annual "take my brother to see the Avalanche for his birthday" game. It was the first game I had attended at the arena this year and I was very impressed with the new technology they had on display. They completely replaced the giant, 4-sided scoreboard hanging above center ice with a new, high definition one. They also replace the banner ads between the first and second levels with a screen that wrapped all the way around the arena. This opened up a lot of possibilities for getting the crowd going with cool graphics and huge moving images. Finally, they replaced the old sound system with a much better, and easier to understand, one. Below is a picture of the new technology during construction.

Oh, and the game was good, too ;-) The Sharks got off to a fast start with a power play goal from Joe Thornton two minutes in. Five minutes into the second period, Thornton scored on the power play again to increase the lead 2-0. The Avalanche got their first goal shorthanded when Milan Hejduk beat Nabokov with 3:30 left in the period to cut the lead in half. The Sharks struck back quickly when Mike Grier scored 1:30 later to increase the lead back to 2 goals. The Avalanche wasted no time in making it a 1 goal game again when Andrew Brunette scored 1:30 later. After that flurry of goals to close out the second period, neither team scored in the third and the Sharks held on for a 3-2 victory.

Overall, it was a very physical game and both teams looked pretty good and had many scoring chances. The Sharks just played a little better and were fortunate to get a great game from Joe Thornton. One other note, during one of the breaks in the action, a guy in our section won a dance-off with a person in the competing section which meant our whole section received a $10 Dave & Buster's gift card. Not bad for some other guy's work (he was wearing a USA flag shirt, so I think he might have had an unfair advantage). Go Sharks!

Score: W 3-2
1st Period
SJ - Joe Thornton(PP) (Milan Michalek)
2nd Period
SJ - Joe Thornton(PP) (Milan Michalek, Sandis Ozolinsh)
Avs - Milan Hejduk(SH) (Paul Stastny, Scott Hannan)
SJ - Mike Grier (Joe Thornton, Kyle McLaren)
Avs - Andrew Brunette(PP) (Paul Stastny, Joe Sakic)
3rd Period
None

SJ SOG: 29
Avalanche SOG: 20
Winning Goalie: Evgeni Nabokov
Losing Goalie: Peter Budaj

Tickets: Section 221 Row 4

Meet the Robinsons - ACE Train Movie Reivew

When Lewis meets a mysterious boy from the future named Wilbur Robinson, the two travel forward in time where Lewis discovers the amazing secret of the Robinson family. Lewis is a brilliant twelve-year-old with a surprising number of clever inventions to his credit. His latest and most ambitious project is the Memory Scanner, which he hopes will retrieve early memories of his mother and maybe even reveal why she put him up for adoption. But before he can get his answer, his invention is stolen by the dastardly Bowler Hat Guy and his diabolical hat - and constant companion - Doris. Lewis has all but given up hope in his future when a mysterious boy named Wilbur Robinson whisks our bewildered hero away in a time machine and the two travel forward in time to spend a day with Wilbur's eccentric family. In a world filled with flying cars and floating cities, they hunt down Bowler Hat Guy, save the future and uncover the amazing secret of Lewis' future family.

This film was cute, but very, very corny. It's yet another example of a kid's film that offers very little for the poor parents that have to sit through it. As usual, there was a good lesson to be learned for kids and I'm sure they would think some of the corniness was funny, but there were several times I rolled my eyes and thought, "You've GOT to be kidding me." It was certainly not a Disney classic by any stretch of the imagination, which is exactly what it was missing - imagination. Everything in the film had been done before and done better. I'll give it points for great animation, likable characters and the ending with Rob Thomas' song, but it's definitely not a must see.

Rating: 2.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Voices of Daniel Hansen, Jordan Fry, Wesley Singerman

The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

Sicko - ACE Train Movie Review

Activist filmmaker Michael Moore turns his attentions toward the topic of health care in the United States in this documentary that weighs the plight of the uninsured (and the insured who must deal with abuse from insurance companies) against the record-breaking profits of the pharmaceutical industry. Moore interviews a number of people who have been left broke by medical bills even though they were fully insured, and explains how the corporate drive for profits has left numerous people in financial and medical disarray. After hearing that detainees in Guantanamo have access to free health care, Moore assembles a group of World Trade Center rescue workers to travel to Cuba in order to get the medical help they need for ailments they incurred in 2001.

Michael Moore is a very good storyteller and his documentaries are definitely interesting to watch. Sicko is no exception, but it wasn't quite as good as Bowling for Columbine and Fahrenheit 9/11. I suppose the topic just wasn't as controversial as the others and didn't capture my full attention. Moore does his best to make it interesting and keep the shocking statistics flowing and for the most part, he did a good job. Of course, as with any documentary, it's a portrait of one side of the argument. He presented a few arguments against his point of view, but they were a weak attempt at creating the illusion of a fair and balanced portrayal of the health care debate. This documentary should be watched for entertainment purposes only, not as a basis to form opinions.

Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Michael Moore

The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

Nineteen Eighty-Four - Book Review

The year is 1984; the scene is London, largest population center of Airstrip One. Airstrip One is part of the vast political entity Oceania, which is eternally at war with one of two other vast entities, Eurasia and Eastasia. At any moment, depending upon current alignments, all existing records show either that Oceania has always been at war with Eurasia and allied with Eastasia, or that it has always been at war with Eastasia and allied with Eurasia. Winston Smith knows this, because his work at the Ministry of Truth involves the constant "correction" of such records. "'Who controls the past,' ran the Party slogan, 'controls the future: who controls the present controls the past.'"

In a grim city and a terrifying country, where Big Brother is always Watching You and the Thought Police can practically read your mind, Winston is a man in grave danger for the simple reason that his memory still functions. He knows the Party's official image of the world is a fluid fiction. He knows the Party controls the people by feeding them lies and narrowing their imaginations through a process of bewilderment and brutalization that alienates each individual from his fellows and deprives him of every liberating human pursuit from reasoned inquiry to sexual passion. Drawn into a forbidden love affair, Winston finds the courage to join a secret revolutionary organization called The Brotherhood, dedicated to the destruction of the Party. Together with his beloved Julia, he hazards his life in a deadly match against the powers that be.

I know that this book is thought of as a classic and has introduced words like Big Brother and Orwellian to the English language, but I just didn't find it to be a page turner. Sure, the idea of a government completely controlling all aspects of every citizen sounds intriguing, but there's only so much conspiracy talk I can handle before it becomes stale, depressing and boring. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't a complete snoozefest. I was able to appreciate the imagination of Orwell and the time it must have taken to create the frightening world of Oceania, complete with its own language. I suppose my main gripe was with the length of the book. It tended to drag at times and would have been much better with a little more editing.

When the book was released in 1949, I'm sure the "Big Brother controls all information" message in the book would have hit harder than it does today. Now, there are a lot more information sources than there was back then, so the thought of Big Brother controlling all content and changing historical references to suit their needs seems a lot more far fetched now than it would have back then. Of course, you never know, Big Brother could have created all the new media sources to spread their messages quicker and broader. If that's the case, I just committed thoughtcrime and the Thought Police will be knocking on my door any second to snuff me out - crap!

Seriously, I think this book is worth a read if you haven't ever read it. If nothing else, it should make you realize that our government is not that bad and you should also learn some new vocabulary words. However, if you're depressed or believe in government conspiracy theories, steer clear of this book - it will only make your outlook of the world worse.


Rating: 2.5 of 5 stars
Would I read it again: No

Nineteen Eighty-Four
by George Orwell
Hardcover: 330 pages
Released: 1949

Ratatouille - ACE Train Movie Review

It's hard being a rat with culinary aspirations, but Remy is convinced he has what it takes to break the stereotypes and follow in the footsteps of star chef Auguste Gusteau. As fate would have it, Remy is currently situated in the sewers directly beneath Gusteau's elegant restaurant. Soon Remy teams up with a young chef with little talent named Linguini. Together they are able to create some fabulous dishes, but they live in fear that someone will discover their secret and object strenuously to a rat being in a kitchen. When Remy's passion for cooking turns the haughty world of French cuisine upside down, the rat who would be king of the kitchen learns important lessons about life, friends, and family while questioning whether he should pursue his culinary calling or simply go back underground and return to his life as a sewer rat.

For what it was (a very "safe" kids movie), it was excellent. The animation was clean and colorful. The plot was straightforward and easily followed. The characters were funny and memorable. There was a good lesson to be learned and I think kids would love this film. For adults, there's not a whole lot in this movie that's targeted toward the older set, but I found it light and entertaining. It's not a must see for adults, but I think it's one that adults can enjoy if they watch with the right frame of mind.

Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Voices of Patton Oswalt, Brad Garrett, Janeane Garofalo

The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry - ACE Train Movie Review

Chuck Levine and Larry Valentine are two New York City firefighters whose longtime friendship has endured many a five-alarm fire. All that widower Larry wants is to ensure that his two children will be taken care of if anything should happen to him on the job, and all that single blaze-battler Chuck wants is to carry on with his carefree life of non-commitment. Having once rescued Larry from certain death in a particularly fearsome inferno, beholden Chuck feels forever indebted to his brave friend and has vowed to repay the favor when the time is right. When Larry discovers that the only means of circumventing the civic red tape that could throw his children's futures into jeopardy is to take Chuck as his lawfully wedded husband, his obligated pal reluctantly agrees to step up to the alter with the understanding that the arrangement will be a well-kept secret between themselves and the justice of the peace. A potentially fatal flaw in their presumably foolproof plan is soon revealed, however, when an overzealous bureaucrat decides to question Chuck and Larry's partnership. Subsequently forced to embark on a mandatory honeymoon and pose as starry-eyed newlyweds, Chuck and Larry quickly discover just how important it can be to stick by a friend in his or her time of need.

Lame, lame, lame, lame, lame. I was really looking forward to watching this movie since the previews looked so funny. However, if you've seen the previews, you've already seen all the funny parts. I would have thought that Adam Sandler and Kevin James would have had better chemistry, but it seemed forced. Instead of creating a comedy, they seemed to just be making a political statement. Granted, I agree with gay rights and everything this film ended up standing for, but this wasn't supposed to be a "message" movie - it was supposed to be a freakin' comedy and it wasn't funny. Maybe Sandler has finally run out of funny material because he missed on a lot of his jokes. This movie is probably not as bad as I've rated it, but I was just very disappointed. Now I have to watch Billy Madison and Happy Gilmore to get the bad taste out of my mouth.

Rating: 2 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Jessica Biel

The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer - ACE Train Movie Review

As the story opens, Sue Storm (The Invisible Girl), and Reed Richards (Mr. Fantastic) prepare for their upcoming, superhero-studded wedding celebration. But Reed cannot stay focused on the nuptials - he's distracted by wire reports of a bizarre, comet-like object hurtling toward the Earth with tremendous force, triggering brownouts, blackouts, tropical storms and various other climatological disasters. When the said object hits the island of Manhattan, destroying much of the city in its wake, its identity becomes resoundingly clear: "it" is actually a "he" - a psychotic villain known as The Silver Surfer who intends, for some unascertainable reason, to destroy much of the Earth - just as he obliterated dozens of planets before it. Feeling compelled to rally their old gang and save the day, Sue and Reed summon Ben Grimm (The Thing), and Johnny Storm (The Human Torch) to take on the Surfer - and end up battling not only him, but an obnoxious Army general and the cantankerous Victor Von Doom, who has broken out of his icy prison that held him captive at the end of the first movie.

This film wasn't as good as the first one (which wasn't that great to begin with). The plot was weak and underdeveloped. It was too short to truly do a story of this scope justice. The actors did a pretty good job with a marginal script, but there were plenty of lame scenes and bad jokes. The special effects were OK, but the Silver Surfer seemed overly rigid - maybe by design. Overall, I just wasn't very impressed and can think of many other movies based on comic books that are way better than this one. Nothing really stood out about this film, so add it to the pile to forget.

Rating: 2.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans

The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

Transformers - Movie Review

Long ago, on the planet of Cybertron, a massive, powerful alien race divided into two factions, the noble Autobots, and the devious Decepticons. They fought for the sole access to a talisman known as the Allspark, a cube with the capacity to grant infinite power, and eventually the Autobots smuggled it off the planet's surface, hiding it in an unknown location on Earth. Now, hundreds of years later, the Deceptacons have come looking for it, and if the Autobots don't find it first, the Earth will be enslaved or destroyed by the evil aliens' use of its massive power. The Autobots don't know where the cube was hidden, but the information may be stored in the most unlikely of sources, as a gangly young Earthling named Sam Witwicky who's just picked up his first car, has a strange connection to the Allspark's history, making him the unlikely ally of these enormous creatures, as they fight for humankind's survival and the chance to return home.

I grew up with Transformers - watched the cartoon and played with the toys. This movie brought back a lot of good memories. However, this film was a little different than the cheesy Saturday morning cartoon I remember watching. The plot was gripping, entertaining and even funny. The special effects, though, were really the star of the show. The way that the Autobots and Decepticons moved and transformed was simply amazing and the fight scenes were out of this world (ok, bad pun intended). Anyway, this film is a sight for your eyes as well as your mind. The interaction between the transformers and humans looked so real, I was taken back to childhood daydreams where our car could transform into a cool robot - a friendly robot. This is a must see movie, even if you wouldn't be able to tell the difference between Optimus Prime and Megatron - by the end, you'll be able to.

Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: Yes
Starring: Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel

The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

Surf's Up - ACE Train Movie Review

Cody Maverick may be a relative amateur when it comes to hanging ten, but he's sure he has what it takes to surf his way to superstardom. With a little help from his cantankerous King Penguin mentor, ex-surfing legend Big Z, and a little encouragement from star Pen Gu Island lifeguard Lani, there may be hope for this tuxedo-clad wave twister after all.

This is a kids movie through and through. There's very little here for adults, so if you're not watching it with kids, don't bother. I was a little bored at times, but could see that kids would enjoy the nutty characters and might feel empowered by the message that anything is possible if you keep trying and work hard to persevere. Overall, the penguins were cute and the underlying message was good, but the story was dull (at least it's less than 90 minutes long).

Rating: 2.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Shia LaBeouf, Jeff Bridges, James Woods, Jon Heder

The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

Blades of Glory - Movie Review

Their medals stripped after getting into a highly publicized fight at the World Championships, star figure skaters Chazz Michael Michaels and Jimmy MacElroy are barred from ever competing in the sport again. Upon discovering a loophole that will allow them to perform together in the pairs figure skating category, the two athletes determine to put their differences aside in order to pursue their gold medal aspirations.

This is exactly the type of movie you have to expect from Will Ferrell and Jon Heder. If you expect anything other than awkward and random humor, you'll be disappointed. It had some very funny moments and some cringingly embarrassing moments. Of course, it was over the top and completely ridiculous, but they made it work and it was pretty entertaining. If you're in a silly mood, enter the world of Chazz Michael Michaels.

Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Will Ferrell, Jon Heder, Amy Poehler

The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

Evan Almighty - Movie Review

Shortly after television anchorman-turned-U.S. congressman Evan Baxter relocates his family from Buffalo to Northern Virginia, God reveals to him that a devastating flood is coming and the planet is about to be cleansed once again. Later, when Baxter accepts the responsibility of building a great ark and his rapidly changing physical appearance begins to draw media attention, his skeptical family attempts to discern if his actions are driven by delusion or divine intervention.

For being the most expensive comedy film ever produced, this one did not live up expectations. It wasn't very funny. I don't think it was Steve Carell's fault that it wasn't funny, but the writers. The plot was so-so and the characters weren't engaging. Overall, it was just a strange piece of work and not one you should waste your time on.

Rating: 2 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Steve Carell, Morgan Freeman, Lauren Graham

The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

Knocked Up - ACE Train Movie Review

Twenty-four-year-old entertainment journalist Allison Scott is on the fast track to the big time, but an alcohol-fueled hookup with responsibility-shirking slacker Ben Stone finds her professional priorities taking a back seat to having a baby. Now, as overgrown kid Ben attempts to assume the responsibilities of fatherhood, he makes the brave decision to stand by Alison. In order to make things work between the pair, however, there's going to have to be some compromise, and when Allison and Ben decide to take a shot at love, they quickly find that building a relationship from scratch isn't nearly as easy as making a baby.

These types of movies are typically really silly and dumb without much of a plot beyond the usual adventures of stoned and drunk losers. However, this film breaks that mold. Yes, there is plenty of idiotic behavior, but it centers around an actual plot. Not just any plot, but a really deep and complicated one. There's a delicate balance between silliness and real content that this movie navigates perfectly. I certainly laughed a lot and could really relate to all the drama surrounding the pregnancy and birth of the child. Maybe that's why I liked it so much, but it's definitely one to see (even though it is over 2 hours long).

Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Seth Rogen, Katherine Heigl, Paul Rudd

The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

Fracture - Movie Review

Ted Crawford is an engineer who lives with his wife Jennifer in the couple's lavish Southern California home. One day, after carefully planning out the details to ensure that there is no way he can be convicted of murder, Ted shoots his wife in a blatant attempt to murder the woman. When head hostage negotiator Rob Nunnaly arrives on the scene to speak with Ted, he is shocked to find that the victim of the shooting is in fact his longtime lover. Though Jennifer survives the trauma of being shot in the head at close range, she hovers comatose between life and death as star prosecutor Willy Beachum reluctantly accepts the case while preparing to leave the Los Angeles criminal court system behind for a more promising career at a posh private law firm. Though the D.A. vehemently resents Beachum's lofty plan for departure, the hotshot young lawyer remains convinced that he can expedite the apparently open-and-shut case and be on his way to greener pastures in one week's time at the very most.

This was a pretty good mystery that keeps you guessing until the end. It's unique in that you know who committed the crime from the very beginning. However, that's not the mystery. The biggest question is what happened to the murder weapon since it appears the prosecutor can't make a case without it. The answer turned out to be very surprising and ingenious. While I was surprised and impressed at the ending, I thought the film focused too much on the missing weapon and didn't have enough other twists and turns to be great. Anthony Hopkins did a good job, but I kept seeing similarities between his character and Hannibal Lecter - murdering sociopath. Overall, though, it's certainly worth a look and provides a good payoff in the end.

Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Ryan Gosling, Billy Burke

The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.