Fracture DVD Review

Fracture: Anthony Hopkins, Ryan Gosling in a movie about murder & mystery …..with some courtroom drama thrown in for wash – you can’t screw this one up. However with all of the good the film has going for it, I felt it could have been better. The plot centers on a husband (Hopkins) who apparently murders his wife when he learns she was having an affair. What appears to be an easy case in court proves difficult for the prosecutor (Gosling). I loved how the film kept me guessing until then end, but after finding out all the answers – I felt let down. For me, the main plot point seems to be a bit more unrealistic than shown at the end of the movie. I like, I recommend, I was just hoping for a little more……

“Pick it Up”

Come Early Morning

Come Early Morning: This film was brought to my attention when it played at fellow critic Roger Ebert’s “over looked film festival”. If you like Ashley Judd and country music this is a slam-dunk. Judd plays a southern girl who battles her demons within, which appear to be hereditary. Not comfortable getting to know someone that might actually like her, she hits the alcohol hard - which in return leads to many 1 night stands. The themes the movie touches on are interesting and not shown enough in mainstream movies. This is a small, well told film that probably has Judd’s best acting performance ……although that is not saying much. I liked it, thanks for pointing this one out Roger!

“Pick it Up”

300 DVD Review

300: Slow motion has not been this cool since Roy Hobbs rounded the bases at the end of the Natural. What the film set out to do, make a film adaptation of a graphic novel (by Frank Miller) about the Spartans…..it did well. The reason to see this film is for the exceptional visuals and amazing sound, this movie is a treat to those two senses. There is not much story to follow. We have about 25 minutes of build up explaining why the Spartans and Persians are going to war and then the last 1:35 is one hell of a battle sequence. The knock I had against the film is it failed to bring any real “heart” to the table. What you see is what you get with 300 - and I definitely got enough to recommend.

“Pick it Up”

Disturbia DVD Review

Disturbia: A small, very well told movie. Others have said it is an updated version of Hitchcock’s Rear Window, let's not get carried away. However I really enjoyed this funny, suspenseful, teenage thriller. Sentenced to three months of home arrest, Kale (Shia LaBeouf) passes his time spying on his neighbors. His imagination gets ahead of him when he suspects one of them to be a serial killer…..or does it? I found this to be a very easy watch as the story gets deep before the opening credits even roll. This helped build a little believability into the characters which helps immensely with these types of movies. A few good laughs, a couple of good jumps, one good rental.

“Pick it Up”

Hot Fuzz DVD Review

Hot Fuzz: A new comedy from the same team that brought us Shaun of the Dead. Simon Pegg (better known as Shaun) plays a first-rate London cop. He does such a good job that his resentful colleagues want him shipped out to the countryside village of Sandford. Sandford is known to be crime-free and one of the best villages to live in. However not everything is as nice as it appears to be in Sandford. The comedy in this movie is in the same vain as Shaun – only this time spoofing “cop/buddy” films. The movie will more than likely play better on a second or third viewing as this type of comedy takes time to be fully appreciated. I would say I am a bigger fan of Shaun of the Dead, but Hot Fuzz is an easy film to recommend...........so

“Pick It Up”

Perfume: The Story of a Murderer

Perfume: the story of a Murderer: The bizarre title fits, because this movie is a strange one. The story follows Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, who was born with the keenest sense of smell of all time. This gift made him a bit of an outcast while growing up in Paris during the 1700’s. It also led him to work in the perfume field, where he created some of the world’s greatest perfumes. The scent he liked the most was that of a woman. To capture that scent in the form of a perfume, well - that is where “the story of a Murderer” comes from. I found the 1st half of the movie (the set up) to be tolerable, after that it was down hill. The second half of the film smelled bad. To top it off, the run time at 144 minutes, is waaayyy to long.

“Kick it on the Floor”