JCVD comes to theaters today in a limited release. JCVD is all about an action star in real life. Theater release dates are listed below:

11/7 : NYC , AMC’s EMPIRE 25 & ANGELIKA FILM Center NYC
11/14 : LA , Landmark’s Nuart theatre
11/14: Irvine, Regal/Edwards University 6
11/14 Cambridge , Landmark’s Kendall THEATRE
11/14: D.C. Landmark’s E street cinema
11/14- Chicago- AMC Pipers Alley
11/14 : SF , Landmark’s Bridge theatre
11/14 : Berkeley, Ca., Landmark’s Shattuck
11/14: Phil. Ritz @ the Bourse, Landmark
11/14: Landmarks DetROIT., Main Art
11/21 : PALO. ALTO, Landmark’s Aquaris theatre
11/21 : S.D., Landmarks Hillcrest theatre
11/21: Seattle, Landmark’s Harvard Exit
11/21 - Denver , Landmark’s Mayan THEATRE
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Movie Info:
Writers: Various
Director: Jon Favreau
Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Terrence Howard, Jeff Bridges, Gwyneth Paltrow, Leslie Bibb, Shaun Toub, Faran Tahir, Sayed Badreya, Bill Smitrovich, Clark Gregg, Tim Guinee
Rating: PG-13
Studio: Paramount

Release Info:
Theatrical Release: May 2, 2008
DVD Release Date: September 30, 2008
Online Availability: Amazon for $22.99

I like a good Comic inspired movie. Let me just tell you, I’m not a comic purist. I like when the story reflects the comic, but I’m not going to whine, cry, have a hissy fit, or bemoan the fact that a movie plot has deviated from the comic, especially if the deviated plot line is a good one. Comic stories are meant to be told in other ways. Just look at all of the various Superman or Batman stories floating around out there. That’s all the proof you need of how different stories about one character can be told and more than one telling can be enjoyable.

I am kind of tired of people constantly criticizing every single movie that is ever made. People really have to stretch to find flaws in every single movie and if they can find something to stretch, they will. Heck, I’ve seen people complain about Gone with the Wind, Casablanca and The Godfather (all of which have been called ‘highly overrated’ at one point or another). I just don’t get the unjust criticism. Iron Man has received an unfair amount of criticism itself. Everything from “Tony Stark can’t reveal his true identity. He’s a superhero!” (even though he did in the comic), to “How come he didn’t die when he flew into that wall? You know that kind of velocity would have killed someone!” (even if he wasn’t really going that fast) have been spouted on various message boards.

My theory is, “Get over it!” I always wonder why those people who are so obsessed with ‘continuity’ and other errors (that post vociferously online about every little minuscule error in a movie) don’t make their own films. I’d love to see a film with absolutely no errors (like, that bracelet she wore in a scene set in 1973 wasn’t made until April of 1974 - Seriously, who notices this stuff?). I’m in the movie watching business to enjoy myself. If I wanted to examine each and every scene in a movie with a magnifying glass, I’d be a scientist, not a film critic. That being said, I don’t care if Iron Man could have had any possible plotholes. I still liked the movie!

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Movie Info:
Writer: Mario Puzo, Francis Ford Coppola
Director: Francis Ford Coppola
Cast: Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Richard S. Castellano, Robert Duvall, Sterling Hayden, John Marley, Richard Conte, Al Lettieri, Diane Keaton, Abe Vigoda, Gianni Russo, Rudy Bond, John Cazale, Talia Shire, Lee Strasberg, Michael V. Gazzo, G.D. Spradlin, Gastone Moschin, Tom Rosqui, Eli Wallach, Joe Mantegna, George Hamilton, Bridget Fonda, Sofia Coppola, Raf Vallone, Franc D’Ambrosio, Donal Donnelly, Richard Bright
Rating: R
Studio: Paramount Home Entertainment

Release Info:
Original Air Dates: Direct to DVD
DVD Release Date: September 23, 2008
Online Availability: Amazon for $61.95

The first time I watched The Godfather I was hooked. It became my favorite movie at that time and has held that spot ever since. Movies have come and gone, but no matter how many times I watch this it never gets old. Sure, some might say that’s because it’s The Godfather and something this amazing couldn’t get old, but I think it’s more than that. I think it’s that the first and second movies were so much more than movies.

I think it’s safe to say that these first two films were art, serving as examples of what Hollywood used to produce and isn’t as frequent to offer anymore. The Godfather has been reviewed by countless critics and is one of the most loved movies of all time. It’s almost loved more than The Godfather II.

When you think about it, what isn’t there to love about this series? The young (at the time), emerging talents were all involved. Distinguished names like James Caan, Robert De Niro, Diane Keaton, Robert Duvall, Talia Shire (Coppola’s sister) and many others are present and accounted for. Al Pacino was practically unknown when he was given the role of Michael Corleone, a role that would change his career and launch him into stardom. Despite the fact that the role did that, he earned it.

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Movie Info:
Writer: Mario Puzo
Director: Francis Ford Coppola
Cast: Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Richard S. Castellano, Robert Duvall, Sterling Hayden, John Marley, Richard Conte, Al Lettieri, Diane Keaton, Abe Vigoda, Gianni Russo, Rudy Bond, John Cazale, Talia Shire, Lee Strasberg, Michael V. Gazzo, G.D. Spradlin, Gastone Moschin, Tom Rosqui, Eli Wallach, Joe Mantegna, George Hamilton, Bridget Fonda, Sofia Coppola, Raf Vallone, Franc D’Ambrosio, Donal Donnelly, Richard Bright
Rating: R
Studio: Paramount Home Video

Release Info:
DVD Release Date: September 23, 2008
Online Availability: Amazon for $62.99

This is probably one of the hardest reviews that I have ever had to write. What does one say about The Godfather that hasn’t already been said in the past? This is one of the best movies of all time and is certainly the best movie series of all time. The story is addicting, the acting is engaging, and the direction is flawless. I shy away from calling any movie perfect, but I fail to see how these movies could have been any better than they are.

Marlon Brando was just one of the men considered for the part of Don Vito Corleone. Francis Ford Coppola wanted him or Laurence Olivier, who could not do the role, from the beginning. However, the studios looked at several other options including Ernest Borgnine, Edward G. Robinson, Orson Welles, Carlo Ponti, and George C. Scott. Burt Lancaster was never considered, but he did lobby for the role.

And then there was old blue eyes. Frank Sinatra was against both the novel, as a whole, and the idea of a movie being made, but at one point after he had talks with Coppola, he offered himself for the role. Coppola was adamant about Brando though and it’s obvious how that turned out. The studio paid him a paltry sum for the film, but that would not be something that changed the course of the film for the viewers.

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Movie Info:
Writer: Frank Darabont , Stephen King (story)
Director: Frank Darabont
Cast: Thomas Jane, Marcia Gay Harden, Laurie Holden, Andre Braugher, Toby Jones, William Sadler, Jeffrey DeMunn, Frances Sternhagen, Nathan Gamble, Alexa Davalos, Chris Owen, Sam Witwer
Rating: R
Studio: Weinstein Company

Release Info:
Theatrical Release: November 21, 2007
DVD Release Date: September 16, 2008
Online Availability: Amazon for $23.95

Back in March, Ashtyn did the review for the standard release of The Mist. I had watched this movie with her and I liked it then. I’m a fan of anything Stephen King oriented. If the screenplay is written by him or if the story is based on one of his works, then I’m probably going to check out the movie or TV miniseries at least once. I’ve seen everything from the good (such as Carrie and Firestarter) to the bad (Dreamcatcher anyone? It was an excellent book, but a rotten movie). What I’ve come to realize is that, overall, Stephen King has such a twisted mind, if his work is represented well in film form then the film will be amazing.

The Mist wasn’t just an exceptional film. It’s one of those jaw droppers that leaves you reeling well after the credits roll. I didn’t see the ending coming. It was a complete shock and yet it made absolute sense. Stephen King is a serious mofo. He loves to play with the human mind, that much is clear in most of his work, but especially in The Mist. While King didn’t write the screenplay to this movie, Frank Darabont follows the plot of King’s story almost exclusively.

The Mist is truly a gem amongst a horror genre that has a dwindling amount of entertaining content. While The Mist isn’t gore-filled (though there are some gross moments in relation to the mist-filled creatures), the real horror is in the desperation felt (you could actually see yourself reacting the same way as the characters do) by those trapped in the supermarket, especially when it is clear what they’re up against.

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Movie Info:
Writer: Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman
Director: Michael Bay
Cast: Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, Rachael Taylor, Anthony Anderson, Jon Voight, John Turturro, Julie White, Kevin Dunn
Rating: PG-13
Studio: Paramount

Release Info:
DVD Release Date: September 2, 2008
Online Availability: Amazon for $24.95

When Transformers came out on DVD a few months ago, I remember how excited I was to be able to get the DVD for review. As an 80s kid, nothing was cooler than Transformers. Little did any of us 80s kids know that more than 20 years later, Michael Bay would bring our childhood robot friends to the big screen in one of the most awesome live-action remakes that I can remember. I have seen the standard version of the movie numerous times since we have received it. Actually, it’s one of the few DVDs that I have watched more than twice since I have done the review. That’s not to say anything against any of the great films that I have reviewed. I just get a lot to review so it doesn’t always leave me time to re-watch things.

When I heard we were getting Transformers in Blu-Ray I couldn’t contain my excitement. My Playstation 3 sat anxiously awaiting the newest Blu-Ray title and as soon as it arrived I popped it in the machine. All of the good things that I thought about the original were now magnified tenfold, if not more. Blu-Ray blows anything standard definition out of the water, but this is just taken to another level. It looks just like you are in a movie theater. Seeing those cars transform into gigantic alien robots is certainly a sight that you have to see on Blu-Ray. No other form of video does this visually amazing movie justice. Even the now defunct HD was not the same as watching this.

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Movie Info:
Writer: Oxide Pang Chun, Danny Pang
Director: Oxide Pang Chun, Danny Pang
Cast: Pawalit Mongkolpisit, Premsinee Ratanasopha, Patharawarin Timkul, Pisek Intrakanchit
Rating: R
Studio: First Look

Release Info:
Theatrical Release:November 24, 2000
DVD Release Date: August 5, 2008
Online Availability: Amazon for $8.49

Most film buffs are familiar with the Pang brothers in some way. Whether it is with their work personally or the American adaptations that come into play, films like The Eye and The Messengers manage to get their points across quite nicely. However, when you think of a writing/directing duo from another country, you generally expect that when the Americanized version of the film is coming here that someone else will be handling the undertaking. That is not the case with the Pang Brothers.

In 1999 the film, Bangkok Dangerous was made and eventually released in Thailand. At the end of this week, a new version of Bangkok Dangerous will be released with Nicholas Cage starring as the main character. The Pang brothers are responsible for both films. This review is on the first film, though I am sure we will be offering coverage on the new film at a later date, as well.

I came in watching this film with only one Pang brothers film under my belt. I have yet to see their version of The Eye, which I am told is much better than the US version. The only movie I have seen by the Pangs is The Messengers. When this movie landed on my desk, I didn’t even know it had been made prior to that moment. I thought the Nicholas Cage version was the only version. I suspect there are many people that might believe this, as well.

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Movie Info:
Director: David Ayer
Writers: James Ellroy, Kurt Wimmer, Jamie Moss
Cast: Keanu Reeves, Forest Whitaker, Hugh Laurie, Chris Evans, Cedric the Entertainer, Jay Mohr
Rating: R
Studio: 20th Century Fox

Release Info:
Theatrical Release: April 11, 2008
DVD Release Date: August 19, 2008
Online Availability: Amazon for $24.99

If you saw the movie Training Day and you liked it then you will probably feel a familiarity with Street Kings. While different, many of the same themes are explored. If you hold a magnifying glass to this movie and scrutinize every angle in comparison with Training Day you won’t like it. That is not to say this is a bad movie. It’s just not Training Day. Then again, I could name a million movies that it’s not. However, if you take it for what it’s worth, leaving everything else behind, it certainly isn’t that bad.

Fans of action movies set in gritty, gang infested neighborhoods will like this movie because that is exactly what you are offered. Street Kings was undertaken by David Ayer after a number of other directors declined the project or abandoned it altogether. While it was originally supposed to see the light of the theater in 2005 it did not get there in actuality until April of 2008.

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Movie Info:
Writer: Edward Neumeier
Director: Edward Neumeier
Cast: Casper Van Dien, Jolene Blalock, Stephen Hogan, Boris Kodjoe, Amanada Donohoe, Marnette Patterson
Rating: R
Studio: Sony Home Entertainment

Release Info:
Theatrical Release: N/a
DVD Release Date: August 5, 2008
Online Availability: Amazon: $16.99

Watching a direct to video movie when you haven’t seen the first two movies that came before it in the franchise can be interesting to say the least. Starship Troopers 3: Marauder is one of those movies that I would have never thought to pick up without the coercion of being a movie reviewer. How much you like this version of Starship Troopers 3 will depend largely on how much you like the franchise as a whole.

In most cases, the direct to DVD movie that is part of a franchise is a quick buck film. People that liked the first film are likely to watch it, which is ready made money for the studio that doesn’t have to spend a lot of time or money making the film. Generally, this means that the film is of a lesser quality, but if the first film was well made, this could lead to people watching the others regardless of the quality in hopes that they will live up to the first movie. Unfortunately, I cannot say how this Starship Troopers rates in comparison with the others that came before it, though I can say that in most cases the sequels are a poor representation of the first film.

The Starship Troopers 3: Marauder Plot
Colonel John Rico (Casper Van Dien) supervises the planetary outpost that holds the large bugs off with automatic fences. Soon Lola Beck (Jolene Blalock) and Dix Hauser (Boris Kodjoe) join him along with Sky Marshall Anoke who is somewhat like the celebrity of the group. Once everyone has met up the power goes out and things get a little crazy. In the midst of everything going out of whack, Lola, Anoke, and some others manage to escape, but when all is not well they have to perform a crash landing on a planet that is anything but friendly.

Holly Little (Marnette Patterson) and her tribe manage to get on Lola’s nerves a bit. Holly has a tendency to pray and sing too loud. Anoke knows how to play the game though and proclaims that this is the place of the one true God. Lola doesn’t care about God either way at this point, though she does notice that the bug attackers aren’t where they normally are and there is an unusually large, unspecified breed of insect in the desert area

After Dix saves Rico from the trouble he is in back where everything started. It is left up to them and a few others to go on what could be an impossible rescue mission. Using the Marauder weapons technology may be the only thing that will work against new and old races of giant bugs.

I don’t know what the first two movies were like, but this one didn’t impress me much. The acting was basic, if not annoyingly stale. The effects were borderline kindergarten, the director couldn’t direct his way out of a Happy Meal box. If that wasn’t enough, I’d have to say he couldn’t write (he wrote all three movies) a well received greeting on a card. This was an all around sad production and it leaves me scratching my head as to why Sony would even put their name on such loathsome garbage.

Storyline/Plot:
Replayability:
Acting:
Directing:

Audio/Visual:
Let’s ignore for a minute that the special effects were cookie cutter and that hurt the visual enjoyment significantly. All in all, the 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen looked just fine. As a newer movie, there should be little compression errors, a color palette that pleases the eye, and no grain. All of these things were present or not as should have been the case. Like I said, it was the special effects that would have hurt the visual quality because the CGI was just downright pathetic and there is no nice way to put that.

The Dolby Digital 5.1 comes in both English and French languages. I have to admit, the visual quality worked out a lot better than the audio. Many of the special sound effects transferred ridiculously and you were unable to hear various sounds and dialogue as effectively as you should have. I heard people speaking, but I couldn’t tell what words were coming out of their mouths. In addition to the two basic languages, viewers can also take advantage of Closed Captioning and subtitles in English, French, and Spanish.

Visual:
Audio:

Bonus Features:
There are a few special features here, though in most cases they are nothing that I would bother writing home about. You can take your pick of commentaries from the filmmaker’s commentary and the commentary with Ed Neumeier and actors, Jolene Blalock and Casper Van Dien. The commentaries tell you some about the motivation for the movie though these are not incredibly informative for the most part. In some spots, the commentaries were actually better than the movie.

Starship Troopers 3 also offers two featurettes, “Evolution: The Bugs of Starship Troopers 3: Marauder” and “Enlist: Marauder’s Mobile Infantry.” Finally there is an extended version of the music video “It’s a Good Day to Die.” I am only thankful that there were so few considering the bad quality of this film. I honestly don’t think I could have sat through any more of them.

Bonus Features:

Bottom Line:
I did not see the first two Starship Troopers movies and now I can say, if they were anything like this I never will. Only the hugest fan of this series is going to find this worth watching. I like Sci-Fi, but this was just a lower budget waste of film. The writing was poor, the effects were useless, and nothing came together like it should have. You’d be best to skip this one altogether.

Overall Rating:

Technorati Tags: Casper Van Dien, Jolene Blalock, Stephen Hogan, Boris Kodjoe, Amanada Donohoe, Marnette Patterson, Edward Neumeier, DVD, DVD Review, Sci-Fi, Giant Bugs, Starship Troopers, Marauder

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Writers: Christopher Nolan, David S. Goyer, Bob Kane
Director: Christopher Nolan
Cast: Christian Bale, Michael Caine,Liam Neeson, Katie Holmes, Gary Oldman, Cillian Murphy, Tom Wilkinson, Rutger Hauer, Ken Watanabe, Linus Roache, Gus Lewis
Rating: PG-13
Studio: Warner Home Video
Release Date: July 8, 2008

Despite being released in theaters and on DVD sometime in 2005, I had never seen Batman Begins. This was the first Batman movie I’d not seen. I must admit, of all the superheroes out there, Batman is my favorite. I wanted to see Batman Begins for the story, but something kept me from seeing it. I’m assuming it was my growing distaste for Katie Holmes. It’s hard to look past her freakish relationship with Tom Cruise and I feared this would take away from any performance given by her in this movie.

Still, I wondered how Batman Begins compared to other Batman movies. I should tell you I’m not a canon fanatic. I don’t keep tabs on what was in the comic books and what was made up by directors that ‘just don’t know what they’re doing’. I look at the overall story to see how entertaining it is. Everyone has their own interpretation of Batman. Even some of the newer comics deviate from the original Batman stories, so this isn’t an issue for me. What are issues to me include poor storytelling, terrible acting, and a not so enjoyable plot. Luckily, Batman Begins only suffers minimally in all three areas.

Release Information:
Batman Begins debuted in theaters on June 15, 2008. It debuted at #1 in North America netting well over $48 million in its opening weekend. Prior to this release, Batman Begins has made over $371 million worldwide. The film was released on DVD on October 18, 2005. The DVD was made available as both a single disc release and a Two-Disc Deluxe Edition.

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