1. Matrix - Revolutions - The end of the trilogy. Everything has a beginning and an end. This movie was about death and endings. Excellent acting. Hugo Weaving steals the show as Agent Smith. Once again the movie feels rushed. The 2nd and 3rd movies feel rushed when compared to the first movie. This movie feels much more like the 2nd movie than the first. The action was spectacular, but it was too much. Too much action, too much dialog. I liked the dialog. It explained a lot about the relationships between man and the machine. The Oracle, the Architect, the Frenchman, the Trainmaster, etc. The only flaw in this movie; the pacing. Excellent all around. This one gets a 6 out of 7.
  2. Hulk, the - Another Marvel comic book movie. Not a bad flick. A bit juvenile, but a good movie cinematically. The plot was very straight forward. Origin of super hero plus romance interest. There really wasn't any villain in this movie. The acting was lackluster, but the music was excellent. The best part of the movie was the camera work/split screen effects. The movie tried to capture the windowing style of a comic book. with multiple screens and screens which start as stills and then transition to motion. Not overdone, the overall effect highly enhanced the movie. This one gets a 4 out of 7.
  3. Eye, the - A foreign flick with English subtitles. This Chinese movie (Produced in Hong Kong) is a spin on Sixth Sense. A fairly good plot where a blind woman regains her sight, but now sees dead people. She strives to understand why she sees these lost souls, and ultimately goes on a journey to Thailand, where she learns the truth about her cornea donors life. Nowhere near as scary as I had hoped for, and the acting was sub par. If it hadn't been for the music, the poor special effects work would've ruined this movie. This one doesn't make the cut. It gets a 3 out of 7.
  4. Italian job, the - Lackluster. Not much to say about this movie. A bunch of lovable thieves get taken by one of their own. The plot is very simple. Steal it, it's stolen, steal it back. Lots of eye candy actors. Obviously chosen for looks over talent. The only redeeming part of this movie is the car chase. It gets a 3 out of 7 for that. It was a really good car chase!
  5. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers - This is the second time I've seen this movie. This time around it was a little bit different. 44 minutes different! A friend of mine (Thanks Jason) brought over this directors cut, and I have to say. The additional footage was fantastic. It really added to the story. The cast, costumes, story, special effects, sound, music, sets, scenery, everything was done right. Captivating, Thrilling, Epic. This movie gets a 7 out of 7.
  6. Shaghai Knights - Nowhere nearly as fresh as Shanghai Noon. Owen Wilson and Jackie Chan back on the screen in another comedic adventure. The chemistry between these two is still there. Unfortunately the story wasn't as good as the first movie. A little bit too much cheese. This one rated 4 out of 7.
  7. Before Night Falls - A sundance award winner. The life story of a homosexual cuban writer. This guys life was a real downer. Living in Cuba must really blow. I'm glad I live in the good ol' U.S. of A! The directing was excellent, the acting was genuine, a good movie. It gets a 4 out of 7.
  8. Bruce Almighty - This is the second time I've seen this movie, but it definitely won't be the last. I liked it so much I bought a copy. Outstanding! I laughed my head off. The DVD extra features are also worthwhile. When Jim Carrey gets free reign with any scene you know it's gonna turn out right. This director knows what he's doing. This movie is divine. It gets a 7.
  9. Owning Mahoney - Definitely better than I anticipated. Starring one of those B actors. You know the kind you recognize, but you can't quite place the face. Based on a true story. The real story here is the acting. Starring Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Minnie Driver. Hoffman plays a bank manager with a rather large gambling problem. Minnie Driver plays his pinning girlfriend. Hoffman is fantastic. At no point during the movie did I ever suspect he was acting. Thoroughly convincing. Driver on the other hand... Flat, listless, and pedantic. The plot is fairly straight forward. You know it's bound to end badly for Hoffman's character. This movie gets a 5 out of 7, based almost entirely on Hoffman's acting.
  10. Gangs of New York - Yes, the epic, quasi-historical, romantic drama. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio (good guy), Daniel Day-Lewis (bad guy), and Cameron Diaz (romantic interest). DiCaprio's performance was luke warm, Day-Lewis did a fantastic job as the 'Butcher'. Diaz was miscast as the love interest. Would have made a good musical. It was directed like a musical. The directing was good, and I enjoyed the occasional historical interludes. The movie tried to be too many things. I would have enjoyed it more as a documentary or a musical or a romantic drama. Overall, I give it a 4. Holds its head above the water with acting and directing. Day-Lewis as 'the Butcher', some of the other supporting actors (Brendon Gleeson) and some excellent directing by Scorsese.
  11. Master & Commander: The far side of the world - This movie was on my 'watch list'. It's a terrific movie. Victorian naval warfare, and high seas adventure. Starring Russell Crowe, and directed by Peter Weir. This movie is well worth the money. Outstanding acting, powerful directing, a gripping musical score, and edge of your seat action. This movie gets a 6 out of 7, and earns a spot on my 'must buy' list
  1. 28 Days Later - A modern day zombie flick. An excellent thriller with a bit of drama thrown in. The unknown cast was an added plus. I liked it. I'll probably buy a copy. I give it a 6 out of 7. In a post holocaust world, what could be more dangerous than Zombies? You'd be surprised...
  2. Matrix Reloaded - The long awaited sequel. As usual, it doesn't quite live up to its predecessor. Unfortunately, it's taking a lot of heat in the media for not being as awesome as the first movie. I tend to agree that there were some flaws with the movie. However, it was a kickin' ass movie. The special effects were awesome, the story line flowed well, and I wasn't constantly predicting the next scene. The casting was superb, the costumes were excellent, and the acting was... One of the few criticisms I have for this film; well, let's just say the acting seemed somewhat practiced, rehearsed, stutterish, it just didn't seem natural. I rate it 6 out of 7.
  3. What about Bob? - A comedy with Bill Murray and Richard Dreyfus. Bill Murray at his understated best. Murray plays a therapy patient who just can't cope. He ends up following Dreyfus (his psychiatrist) and his family on a family vacation. Eventually, Dreyfus ends up needing 'help'. This movie gets a 6 out of 7.
  4. Bruce Almighty - This is the second time I've seen this movie, but it definitely won't be the last. I liked it so much I bought a copy. Outstanding! I laughed my head off. The DVD extra features are also worthwhile. When Jim Carrey gets free reign with any scene you know it's gonna turn out right. This director knows what he's doing. This movie is divine. It gets a 7.
  5. Dreamcatcher - Based on a novel by Stephen King, this was one strange movie. Capitalizing on a recent string of successful Sci-Fi, horror, and paranormal movies, this movies got it all. Morgan Freeman controlling a viral outbreak; sound familiar? Aliens gestating inside of, and then bursting out of human victims; sound familiar? Idiot Savant with paranormal psychic powers; sound familiar? Protagonists stranded in a frozen enviornment with an alien shape shifter; sound familiar? Characters getting mowed down after stepping out into speeding traffic; sound familiar? The list goes on. I don't think there was one original thought in the entire movie. It was a mish-mash of many common themes. Thankfully, the themes were held together by excellent writing and good directing. This one gets a 4 out of 7. It was worth watching, but lacked original content.
  6. The Good Thief - With Nick Nolte. This was a really good movie. It's been a while since I've seen a good heist movie. The casting in this movie was fantastic. The music created a feel and mood that meshed marvelously with the setting. The direction was a cut above the usual crime flick, and the plot was workable. A thoroughly enjoyable movie. I give it a 6 out of 7.
  7. About Schmidt - With Jack Nicholson. The movie should have been named 'About shit'. That's what it was; Just about shit. As in crap, the movie was a load of crap. I can't believe Jack Nicholson wasted his time on this movie. The acting was excellent, the sets and costumes were outstanding, the plot was crap. Lets say for instance that you were to write down everything that happened to you over the next two months. That was the plot of the movie. Basically, it was about Schmidt. Just an ordinary guy. Mr Schmidt retires, his wife dies, he learns that she had an affair, then his only daughter gets married. The movie sucked. My life is just as entertaining as this Schmidt fellows. Perhaps I could sell that to some hollywood studio. This movie gets a 2. The only reason it doesn't get a zero is because the producers somehow convinced a bunch of fine actors to participate in this great heaping pile of shit. I was also highly impressed by the costumes and sets. But come to think of it, that might have been due to a complete lack of any work on sets and wardrobe. The best thing about this movie; it was a bonus rental from blockbuster. I paid nothing to watch it.
  8. Gods & Generals - Based on a novel by Jeff Shaara. Starring: Stephan Lang, Jeff Daniels, Robert Duvall, Mira Sorvino, and a bunch of other cast members. Not to mention the entire Union and Confederate armies! The movie was a big production number. A big budget bloated melodrama about the civil war. I just read an excellent book (Rise to Rebellion) by Jeff Shaara, the author of Gods & Generals (the book), and I have to say; this did not feel like his work. Not at all. The screen writer (Ronald F. Maxwell) must have re-written the entire book in order to come up with this melodramatic drivel. Unfortunately, this disaster may ruin any chance of Shaara's latest novels (about the American Revolution) making their way to film.

    Was this supposed to be a play? It certainly seemed better suited to that form of presentation. I hope I never hear another general reciting poetry on the battle field. A glorification of the south and General 'Stonewall' Jackson. This movie depicted slavery as something distasteful, but acceptable. Even the slaves seemed to enjoy being slaves. All the slaves depicted in the movie lived lives of privilege, better off than any of the soldiers in the movie. <rhetorical question>Why would any slave want to be free? They had safe homes, plenty of food, fine silk clothing, education, whole families, and the love of their masters.</rhetorical question> All the women in the movie were subservient southern belles, eager to please their men, doing whatever was required of them. The men were all icons of patronly sainthood, honor, and high moral values. Let us all say a prayer with our 'slave who I hired as my personal chef' companions. Perhaps the movie should have been titled: "The War of Northern Aggression". This movie was historically accurate (although slanted), and I give it credit for that. The acting wasn't done in a 're-imagining' hip-hop style, and the battle re-enactments were very well done, without succumbing to a total cgi gore-fest. The scenes were well directed, but the acting was over the top. It seemed as if all the dialogue was a rambling pious soliloquy. The screen writing left me disgusted. Disgusted with the candy-coated southern slant. Were the writers trying to bore me or make me retch? Was I supposed to shed tears for Stonewall Jackson when he died? What about the millions of slaves suffering under the confederate whip of domination? Oh yeah, the music was excellent, but it seemed to hold/set the same tone throughout the entire movie. I felt like I was witnessing the end of civilization for four hours!

    O.k. I've said enough. After all this moaning and groaning, I can't help but give this movie a 2. Sub-par. Not worth the price of admission. Watch Gettysburg instead. It's a much better movie!

  9. Underworld - A movie that was on my watch list. Visually, it was a combination of Matrix and Blade. The surprise was the love story aspect. Billed as a gothic Romeo & Juliet, where the characters are supernatural creatures, it was too short to develop any sort of serious romance angle. The movie ended with some obvious sequel naration dialog. A war between Vampires and Werewolves, that's been waging for over a thousand years. The movie moved very quickly, and the plot was tightly wound. Groovy special effects, and fiersome fight sequences didn't detract from the character based drama. This movie would have been better if the pacing had been slowed down some, with a little more attention to character development/interaction. This movie gets a 5 out of 7.
  10. The Frighteners - Light hearted spooky film. Reminded me of Ghost Busters. Fast paced, to complement Michael J. Fox's acting style? I liked the movie, but I guess I'm not the demographic. I give it a 4 out of 7.
  11. American History X - A very difficult movie to watch. I was a little heistant when selecting this movie. The theme deals heavily with hate and racism. I was afraid it was going to glamorize the extremeist point of view. It didn't. The acting was top notch Edward Norton did a magnificent job in his role. The casting was tops, and the story, while dark, dealt out a series of important messages.
  12. Matrix Reloaded - The second time around. I bought the DVD, and this is the second time I've watched the movie. The long awaited sequel. As usual, it doesn't quite live up to its predecessor. Unfortunately, it's taking a lot of heat in the media for not being as awesome as the first movie. I tend to agree that there were some flaws with the movie. However, it was a kickin' ass movie. The special effects were awesome, the story line flowed well, and I wasn't constantly predicting the next scene. The casting was superb, the costumes were excellent, and the acting was... One of the few criticisms I have for this film; well, let's just say the acting seemed somewhat practiced, rehearsed, stutterish, it just didn't seem natural. I rate it 6 out of 7.

Saw a bunch of movies lately. Here's the list and some short reviews.

'Thirteen Days'; a very taught drama about the Cuban missile crisis. Some excellent acting, and a very well paced story. Even though you know the outcome, this movie keeps you on the edge of your seat. The DVD is packed with additional features, that I've yet to explore. I give the movie a 7 out of 7.

'The Little shop of Horrors'. It's a black and white campy horror classic. The main character (Seymour) is a social misfit who raises a meat eating intelligent plant. The plant is the key to the characters continued employment, and it demands 'Food!'. Seymour is forced to feed it blood and bodies, eventually commiting murder in order to satisfy the plant. It was hilarious. Eventually remade into a play and movie in 1986, this movie, shot in three days, for next to nothing ($30,000), is better than some of the blockbusters I've seen hollywood churn out. A 60's B-Movie. The acting wasn't that good, but the directing by Roger Corman was very good. Solid, and fast paced, this humorous black comedy was definitely worth the $5.00 I spent (for DVD). I give it a 4 out of 7. Oh yeah, this is Jack Nicholson's second film credit. He plays a masochistic dental patient in a walk-on role. Wow he's young in this movie.

  1. Matrix Reloaded - The long awaited sequel. As usual, it doesn't quite live up to its predecessor. Unfortunately, it's taking a lot of heat in the media for not being as awesome as the first movie. I tend to agree that there were some flaws with the movie. However, it was a kickin' ass movie. I will definitely own a copy. The special effects were awesome, the story line flowed well, and I wasn't constantly predicting the next scene. The casting was superb, the costumes were excellent, and the acting was... One of the few criticisms I have for this film; well, let's just say the acting seemed somewhat practiced, rehearsed, stutterish, it just didn't seem natural. I rate it 6 out of 7.

  2. Catch me if you can - Yes, its a movie with Leonardo DiCaprio in it. Many would say that it's a chick flick. I disagree. Leonardo DiCaprio seems to be setting himself up for typecasting.. Its not a romantic drama. Its an amazing story about a kid who runs away from home and becomes everything he's ever dreamed of. Unfortunately, he breaks several laws doing so. The best part about this story, and I didn't even know it until the end of the movie.. It's a True Story! I rated it a 6 out of 7, and I bought a copy.

  3. Stricken - A drama turned horror story. What a mess! This low budget production reminds me of the early Evil Dead movies. The acting was a bit pretentious, but the plot premise was pretty good. A little friendly hazing goes awry. It gets a 4 out of 7.

  4. The Truth about Charlie - Yuck! For a big name production, this movie was rather disappointing. Featuring Mark Wahlberg, I thought it would be a better movie. Something of a spy thriller/drama, this movie was pretentious and preposterous. The pacing was slow, the action just didn't flow very well. The acting wasn't the best, and I found myself predicting some of the plot points. Was this a remake? 3 out of 7.

  5. Happiness of the Katakuris - What the! This was the bizarre one in the bunch. Sort of like a 'Sound of Music' meets 'Night of the living dead'. A Japanese movie (subtitled), this drama/horror flick follows the life of the Katakuri family as they try to make a living operating an inn off the beaten path. There's only one problem. All their guests end up dying on them. The best part of this movie was the bizarre clay-mation sequences, and song and dance numbers. Near the end of the movie is a scene where numerous zombies rise from their graves to join in a raucous song and dance number. Unfortunately, the acting was bad. I give it a 3 out of 7. This movie would be an excellent candidate for MST3K.

  6. Donnie Darko - Wow! Talk about a mind bender. Here's a twisted horror, drama, sci-fi flick. The hero is a sleep walking teenager, who's visited by a giant evil bunny from some other dimension. Is it just a dream? Perhaps it's all in his head? Perhaps, perhaps it's a movie about time travel? The acting was pretty good. I had no idea what was going to happen next, and the casting was well done. The only flaw? Too dark. I gave it a 5 out of 7, and placed it on my 'buy' list.

  7. Antwone Fisher - A really good movie, based on a true story, with Denzel Washington and Derek Luke. It was Denzel Washington's directorial debut, and it was really good. A drama based on the true-life story of a US Navy seaman, and his struggle to grow beyond his violent past. I give it a 5 out of 7.

  8. Adaptation - A movie about flowers? It had Nicolas Cage, Meryl Streep, and Chris Cooper in it. A very disjointed movie about a screen writer and his struggle to adapt a book about flowers into a movie about something meaningful. Most of the acting was horrible. I am once again reminded of why I can't stand Nicolas Cage. Thankfully, Chris Cooper's performance was outstanding. I gave it a 4 out of 7.

  9. The Emperor's Club - Starring Kevin Kline. While it was an excellent story, and the lessons taught are commendable, I really didn't find the film all that entertaining. It was somewhat smug in its lesson, and I don't really need a morals lesson. I gave it a 4 out of 7 as well.

  10. Sum of all fears - To Sum it up, I fear movies like this one - Not worth the effort. 3 out of 7. Although the special effects were good, the pacing was way to fast, the acting was marginal, the casting was uninspired, and the story was very predictable. I read the book, and it was much better than this movie.

  11. Shallow Hal - The worst. How shallow was this movie? Rife with institutional hypocrisy, kind of creepy depressing, and lacking in hilarity we expect from the Farrelly borthers (Something about Mary, Dumb & Dumber, Kingpin) Luckily it was a free rental. The property office where Kim and I currently live (until the end of June) live, provides free VHS & DVD's for the residents to watch. I like Jack Black, but he didn't do so well in this movie. I don't think his heart was really in it. I was avoiding this movie, and now I know why. I should have trusted my instincts. Quite a let down from the Farrelly brothers. I hate to admit this, but I stopped watching the movie after about 90 minutes.
  1. Waking life - While I was enthralled with the subject, it just didn't work too well as a movie. The animation was nice, but the subject made for poor entertainment. The movie was all about Lucid dreaming, the conscious vs unconscious, trance like states, reality vs fantasy. Excellent philosophical fodder, just not very good subject matter for a movie. I rate it 4 out of 7.

  2. Anger Management - Yes the newest Adam Sandler movie. Kim and I went to see this at the theater. It was good, but not as good as I had hoped. I rate it 5 out of 7. In comparison to other Adam Sandler movies: Happy Gilmore, Big Daddy, Waterboy, Billy Madison, then Anger Management. Adam Sandlers character gets dumped on throughout the whole movie, and he doesn't get any revenge. He never really strikes back. The plot premise is somewhat ridiculous as well.

  3. Auto Focus - The story of Robert Crane, Star of Hogan's Heroes. This man's life was one big orgy, he fucks up his career, two marriages, and in the end he ends up dead on the bed with a bullet through his head. The end. Totally unsatisfying. Left me wondering where the last two hours had gone. I rate it 2 out of 7.

  4. Run Lola run - Oh yes! The gem in the rough. I had no idea how good this movie was. The pacing was frenetic but paced, thoughtful and meaningful. The music was stunning. The acting by star Franka Potente (co-star in Bourne Identity) was excellent. I didn't doubt her sincerity for one moment. This isn't one movie, it's three. The movies basis fits nicely in my 'No such thing as time' theory. The movie examines actions, reactions and consequences. Creating a 'probability tree' along the way. It's a german film (watch it subtitled not dubbed) but reading the subtitles is a small price to pay for a movie like this. A 7 out of 7. I will own a copy.

  5. Trainspotting - A story about some fucked up heroin addicts. Remind me again why I would want to watch movies like this? Glorification of the drug culture. While the acting and directing were excellent, the effort was wasted on something I considered a waste of storytelling. No socially redeeming content, a downer of a movie. I'll give it a 5 out of 7 based on everything other than the story. The costumes, casting and music were also top notch. Too bad the story was such a ill pill to swallow. Perhaps I should watch some other movies by this director.

  6. Bloody Sunday - A documentary about an incident in Northern Ireland where 13 civilians were killed during a march for civil rights. While the acting was good, and the film was well shot, I didn't care much for the movie. It didn't have much impact, and the pacing was rather slow. I wish I had spent my money on something else. I gave it a 3 out of 7.

  7. Darkness Falls - Supposedly this film was supposed to be scarrier than 'The Ring'. Not so by any stretch of the imagination. The acting was marginal, the story was very thin, the characters were one dimensional, and I knew how the movie would end about half way through. The only bright spot was the camera work. I gave it a 4 out of 7.

  8. Barbershop - A somewhat humorous social drama about urban life, and one man's struggle to make something for himself in the inner city. It's about racism, segregation, doing the right thing, blah, blah, blah. Remind me never to rent something I know is out to make a social/political statement. That's two sour pills this month. This movie, and that 'Bloody Sunday' movie. I gave barbershop a 3 out of 7. The acting was o.k.

  9. S1M0NE - A surprisingly well done film (directing and production). The plot, while fresh, was very easy to predict/follow. I had no problems predicting major plot points well before they happened. Aside from the shallow premise/plot, the acting was somewhat lackluster. Everyone in the movie was acting. It almost seemed as if they were acting as if they were acting. I gave it a 4 out of 7 for technical production work. Camera positioning, sound, sets, etc.

Bourne Identity- Starring Mat Damon. It rocked. That movie was awesome.

K-Pax. I had read the book back in April of this year. The book was o.k. I have to admit that the movie itself was very good. It really brought the book to life. It was very true to the book. In more than one way. An excellent film. While I didn't consider the book worthy of my 'Favorite Books' list, I would like to own a copy of the movie.

Author: Robert L. Vaessen e-mail:
Last updated: 27 Feb, 2016

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