War of the Worlds
[5/5]
My Review

The Devil's Rejects

Good movie, Dark humor, it had decent suspense, gorefest :2up: but i found it a bit boring most of the time
i still think Ho1000C is better

C+

Guess Who - B

Still as funny as the first viewing.

Alien 3 - B

this movie is underrated and unfairly criticized. aside from some bad cgi at times, this movie is suspenseful and gory, as well as a heck of a lot of fun. it's no alien or aliens but it's still a well above average sci-fi movie.

Recent viewings...

Downfall - B-
Alexander: Director's Cut - C-

Made- A

I liked it alot. I thought Swingers was better though cause Vince played a nicer guy to John.

Saw Mr. and Mrs. Smith and Batman Begins, again... M&MS is still the funnest movie I've seen all year, I think I'll stick with my A grade. (yeah, my A's have been pretty light so far with this, Sin City and WOTW but I can't help it...) As for Batman Begins, it really improved on my 2nd viewing. I'll think about it but I'll have to stick with my B+ grade for now.

Smallville season 3 - A+

George A. Romero's Land of the Dead

Stupid idea about the black Zombie not because he was african American, but about him beeing the "Leader"
Dammit , Zombies dont suposse to be pissed or have emotions, they cant comunicate there just brainless eating courpses...and using guns?....come on now

i guess everyone has there own concept of what zombie suppose to be, i just dont like the idea of smart zombies
anyways....

The movie was just....stupid gory fun ....with bland actors....and lame plot and ending!

C+

Saw it a couple weeks ago, but:

Wedding Crashers: C-
Heh. I appear to be completely out of the loop with this one. I found it to be only sporadically funny, hindered by a two hour running time (two. hours.) and disappointingly witless performances from the often boring Vince Vaughn (ever since Swingers, I've heard) and comic timing-challenged Owen Wilson. I don't know. Maybe I was just tired. I often am. Someone, though, must explain to me the 'hilarity' behind Will Ferrell's cameo. Will Ferrell with funny material? Awesome. Will Ferrell yelling "meat loaf?" Not so much.

Open Water

Well....THe first 30 minutes sucked big time, REALLY!! but then when they got lost at sea it was pretty interesting and i really never got bored i wanted to see what happend next... hmmmm yeah!

i somewhat liked the ending, it would of sucked big time if they were rescued!

B-

The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou

BOOOOORIING!!!! yeah its awfully boring and not funny at all!

D

Winged Migration - A-

Gorgeous. The only quibble I have is wishing it has more narrations. As a result, the time didn't flow by as fast as I felt with March of the Penguins.

Recent viewings...

Fight Club - A-
Half-Baked - C+
Passanger 57 - D+
Tomb Raider - B+

All his life, DJay (Terrence Howard) has been yearning for something more. Growing up in a poor neighborhood with no benefits, he is now living out his life as a pimp in the Memphis area. His attitude seems cold from the bitter hand that life dealt him and he isn't happy with his current situation. His only confidantes, however, are the girls he employs. They are the only ones who understand his troubles. Nola (Taryn Manning) is a young Southerner who remains loyal to DJay despite the position she holds. Shug (Taraji P. Henson) is both sympathetic and homely, living with the others while nuturing her unborn child. Finally, Lexus (Paula Jai Parker) is a harsh and angry woman trying to raise her young son.

Things seem to be going downhill for DJay. After an arguement with Lexus, he throws her out of the house and out of his life. His only support comes in the form of Nola and Shug. That is until he encounters an old friend named Key (Anthony Anderson), a sound engineer with dreams of owning a record label. It is then that DJay decides to pursue his lifelong dream - expressing himself through music. With unparalled freestyling abilities, it is immediately obvious that he has some raw talent. Together, DJay and Key decide to record a rap album. They eventually enlist the help of Shelby (DJ Qualls), a white church musician with a beat machine and unlimited equipment. Hoping to pass along a demo tape to multiplatinum rap star Skinny Black (Chris "Ludacris" Bridges), this group of unlikely partners must work their best at making their dreams come true.

Produced on a paltry budget of $2.8 million, HUSTLE & FLOW was filmed in 30 days out on the hot streets of Memphis, Tennessee. It was financed completely by producer John Singleton. No one expected it to do the impossible, but that's just what happened. After premiering at the Sundance Film Festival in January, the film was met with huge critical acclaim and multiple award victories, including the coveted Audience Award. Soon after, a bidding war ensued for the rights to distribute the film theatrically. Eventually, Paramount Classics and MTV Films bought the rights for over $9 million, a festival record. After viewing the film, it is quite evident why it recieved so much acclaim. It is not just another stereotypical urban film. In fact, it's one of the best of the year so far.

The performances here are outstanding and really make the movie shine. All of the actors here were faced with the challenge of playing flawed characters, and all succeed with flying colors. Terrence Howard is fantastic as DJay and gives one of the best male performances of the year. He makes the character sympathetic despite the whole situation he is in, and the audience really roots for him despite his flaws. The supporting cast is also quite good as well. Anthony Anderson is one of my least favorite actors working today, but he does a good job here and gives a better-than-average performance. The real standouts are Taryn Manning and Taraji P. Henson, however, who play Nola and Shug. Manning, who is no stranger to the music genre after supporting turns in 8 MILE and CROSSROADS, gives one of the best supporting female performances this year. She is a fierce and fiery screen presence who the audience really feels for. Henson is also fantastic as Shug, one of the only sympathetic characters in the film. She gives the movie its much-needed heart and is really believable in her role. The audience will find themselves rooting for her as well.

The weak links in the cast are very minor. Paula Jai Parker gives a mediocre performance but her character is so unlikable that it doesn't really matter anyways. She does do a solid job in her final scene though. After a solid turn in the brilliant CRASH, Ludacris seems to be slumming it here. He basically plays a variation of himself and his character is very stereotypical. Elise Neal and Isaac Hayes aren't really given enough screentime to make a real impression.

The direction of the film is excellent. Craig Brewer doesn't shy away from anything and makes the film as realistic as possible. This is no fairy tale. He isn't afraid to expose the harsh realities and the gritty atmosphere that people in this profession encounter daily. Cinematographer Amy Vincent could also be credited for this, doing a brilliant job with all aspects of the camerawork. Brewer, who also wrote the film, gives it a fast pace and creates a real atmosphere that the audience becomes absorbed in.

Another reason the film is so successful is because it is quite inspiring. Despite its tough exterior, it is truly a story about following your dreams and doing whatever it takes to make them come true. You get so involved in the characters and their struggles that by the end you will practically be singing along with them. Some may view the ending as downbeat, but others may cheer because the dream is finally realized.

Overall, HUSTLE & FLOW is a fantastic film that deserved all the advance acclaim it recieved. It will surprise many with its excellent acting, well-told storyline and genuinely inspiring message. Highly recommended. One of the best films of the year.

9/10 (A-)

Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story

its Pretty DAMN HILARIOUS! like everyone else said, its just like watching the regular TV show but only longer! nothing really that different!

I love the part when Stewie is Drunk, and when Stewie was reading the Joy of Sex book and starts singing to Stew and his dancing!! LMAO that was great!

A-/B+

Well... yesterday I watched Bewitched for the 2nd time in theatres (... not my idea but hey, it was free) and it certainly doesn't hold well on a repeat viewing. But I did enjoy it, so... still a B-, maybe a C+.

And I watched Cruel Intentions for the first time in a while (It was my favorite movie when I was younger... yeah, weird) and even though I don't feel comfortable giving this an A, I can't help but have a special place in my brain for it. Eh.... the ultimate guilty pleasure. Oh yeah... Sarah Michelle Gellar is awesome. I have to watch every season of Buffy one of these summers... (I've seen up to Season 5...)

Bad News Bears (drive-in)

Quite funny from start to finish.I took the kids with me and it actually had alot more "language" in it then I expected it too.It left off leaning toward a sequel.If you like crude humor this is the movie for you.I was entertained so I give it a B.

the truman show=A

Don't Say a Word - B+

Great thriller. Somewhat flawed, but great performances and fun to watch.

Dukes of Hazzard
---

Not my idea to go, and the person I went with isn't from the south, like me, but hasn't lived here long enough to get all of the inside jokes. Funny, but seriously flawed. C+

The Truman Show

Yes, my 8th time watching the movie, and I'm so glad to say that it never gets old. It's just so amazing that this movie was actually considered Fantasy/Sci-Fi, and now in this day and age, its close to a reality. Truly an amazing vision with amazing production value. The philosophical meaning behind the movie is also great to notice after so many viewings.

Grade: A

Fight Club - A
The Matrix Reloaded - B

Gah... I seriously want Netflix back. Maybe I should go through all 3 EEs of Lord of the Rings, that should keep me busy...

Insomnia - A-

Loved it. Al Pacino was fantastic, the story was excellent, and the ending was great.