Into the Blu

The Cell 2 is the direct to video sequel of the 2000 film of the same name. While the plot somewhat mirrors the original the characters and ideas are mostly fresh. I must admit; while the original film failed to deliver in the overall sense of the word I always had a thing for the unique plot. Some of the visuals in the aforementioned film have really stuck in my mind and the concept as well. While ultimately I found the film to be a disappointment I look forward to seeing the sequel albeit a direct to video I find myself questioning its production value. But I have been surprised before, and I hope that The Cell 2 can deliver where the original failed, already I can guess it will trump the original as the lack of Jennifer Lopez’s name on the credits! Continue Reading

Every now and again I see a film that really makes me scratch my head, wondering what the heck it was that I just watched. These movies are often very confusing and opaque, with overly complicated plots, numerous flashbacks and poor storytelling. These films may even have very interesting and original plot lines that simply fall under the weight of there own obtuseness and incoherence. Such a film unfortunately, is Watchmen, making its debut on Blu-ray. Continue Reading

I must say, Brendan Fraser has come a long way from Friends, at least insofar as his career in cinema is concerned. He has become somewhat the action film star, with his starring role in the three very successful Mummy films as well as The Journey to the Center of the Earth. While he is certainly no Harrison Ford in terms of either catalog depth or overall on screen persona, he has certainly developed quite a nice little niche, at least in regards to light, humorous action adventure films. Inkheart just happens to be another one of those types of films. Continue Reading

There is no question that Stanley Kubrick was a cinematic genius. He has created many amazing films with incredibly diverse subject matters such as 2001: A Space Odyssey and A Clockwork Orange which have really stood up to the test of time, retaining their relevance decades after their release. For me, the best of Mr. Kubrick’s films remains Dr. Strangelove Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, a controversial and thought provoking film both upon its release in 1964 as well as today. Continue Reading

Gran Torino is a bit of a twofer. You get Clint Eastwood sort of resurrecting his signature character, Dirty Harry, this time under a different name, Walt Kowalski, and in a totally different setting. In addition, you get a bit of a sociological piece, introducing us to the rich culture of the Hmong people, who are originally from Laos and Vietnam and who immigrated to the US at the conclusion of the Vietnam War. The real question here is can Clint Eastwood resurrect the persona of Dirty Harry outside the field of law enforcement and make him relevant in today’s world and at his age? The answer is a resounding yes. Continue Reading

Hot off the release of Saturday Night Fever, John Travolta made his way back into the spotlight with his dance moves; this time with the inclusion of a great singing voice and a high school backdrop in 1959. While the film itself was actually released in 1978, it is based upon the Broadway play of the same name from 1972. While some minor elements have changed in the transition, the film remains quite true to the original production and has garnered quite a following since its release over 30 years ago. Cast alongside Travolta are Olivia Newton John, Stockard Channing, and Jeff Conaway all playing memorable roles, but with the release of so many great musicals in the modern age can Grease really hold up? Continue Reading

Bueller….Bueller. Those two words, spoken with Ben Stein’s characteristic monotone, really brought back memories. I hadn’t seen Ferris Bueller’s Day Off in what seems like ages. The film was released in 1986 and was a film that I really enjoyed in the theater all those many years ago. Gee, time has really flown by! Has it really been that long? I was curious to see just how well the film would hold up all these years later and how it would look transferred to high def on Blu-ray. I am pleased to report that it holds up quite well as a film and even better, looks great on Blu-ray. Continue Reading

Movies that feature a cute dog always seems to tug at the heart of viewers and do well in the theaters, especially when that movie is a feel good comedy with an emotional side. I can understand the sentiment behind such films since as a kid, we always had a dog. As far as this writer is concerned, when it comes to a pet, there is nothing better than a man’s best friend. Marley and Me is no exception. Continue Reading

I will admit up front that I have very mixed feelings concerning Jim Carrey, There are times I really enjoy his work in films and other times, I don’t, finding him to be a total bore and very predictable. For the most part, I normally find myself in the latter category, as Mr. Carrey often times seems unable to rein himself in. Too much Jim Carrey is not often a good thing. Which brings us to Yes Man. Which Jim Carry will show up in this picture? Surprisingly, the good Jim Carrey although the film itself is utterly predictable. Continue Reading

Maybe its just me but I just don’t get the appeal of Keanu Reeves. Most of his films are a snoozefest in part because of his lack of any emotional intensity on screen. Deadpan is the expression I would use to describe every one of his performances. Seen one Keanu Reeves performance, seen them all. I was hoping against hope that the remake of The Day the Earth Stood Still would be an exception. Unfortunately, my hopes were “dashed” again. Continue Reading

Criminal defense attorneys hear it all the time. How can you defend a guilty man? How low must you be to do that! Lawyers will do anything for money. Or the most common refrain of them all, namely that the police wouldn’t have arrested the defendant if he weren’t guilty. Most criminal defense lawyers never ask their clients whether they are guilty or innocent as they believe it to be irrelevant to their job which is making the government prove that their client is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Continue Reading

Body of Lies was one of those films I wanted to see in the theater but due to family and work obligations, I was never able to get away to check it out. The film is based on the excellent and riveting book of the same name by Washington Post writer David Ignatius. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe and directed by Ridley Scott, Body of Lies seems at first glance to be a can’t miss film. However, as is too often the case, a great book doesn’t always translate well to the big screen. Will Body of Lies meet the same fate? Continue Reading