The Reef (2010)

Holy…shit. This flick is basically the cinematic embodiment of one of my nightmares. To be stranded IN the open ocean, after a boating accident…while being stalked by a FUCKING GREAT WHITE SHARK! This lower budget Aussie thriller centers on exactly that scenario as a group of friends transport a sailboat from Australia to…somewhere. Along the […]

High Road to China (1983)

Oh, Tom Selleck…so NEARLY Indiana Jones. It’s weird to think that Selleck was Spielbergs first choice for the iconic role of the globe-trotting archeologist. Harrison Ford (the one TRUE Indy!) was a mere runner-up. If it hadn’t been for Magnum P.I., Indiana Jones would’ve been a lot different. But not necessarily bad, as this Indy […]

Melancholia (2011)

O…k. This was admittedly one of the stranger sci-fi films I’ve seen in a while… and I’ve seen my share. I like to think that I know a little about a lot when it comes to movies, but I’m NEARLY ashamed to say that the work of Lars Von Trier has been passed over…till now. […]

The Darkest Hour (2011)

Ok, no bullshit…I actually ‘face palmed’ 3 times as I let this piece of ‘spew’ rape my mind. This flick is a cheap, lazy comic book drowning in its own amateurish cheese. (Sighs heavily) Where do I begin? It starts off promisingly, with cool ‘score’ over an interesting credit sequence. I was hopeful. Then the […]

Contagion (2011)

My love/hate relationship with Steven Soderbergh continues. This film has a lot of elements working in its favor but also some that don’t. I’ll start with the positives. The script here is well written, with a decent amount of dialogue and situations seeming competently researched and intelligently presented. The music fits the atmosphere nicely, with […]

A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas (2011)

This movie is TERRIBLE…ly ridiculous, stupid, and hilarious. I hit PLAY wanting to hate this flick, as I wanted with the previous two. But I didn’t. Like those that came before, I laughed frequently…and out loud! The story picks up years after the last film with the fellas having gone their seperate ways in life. […]

Martha Marcy May Marlene (2011)

Holy intense shit, Batman! This film pivots around the growing ‘disconnect’ of a young cult follower who is driven to flee by the growing criminality of her ‘family’ in rural Upstate New York. After being taken in by her estranged older sister and her husband, the normalcy of their domestic lives begins to take it’s […]

Puss in Boots (2011)

If there was EVER a character from the increasingly tedious Shrek franchise that deserves his own, stand-alone film…it’s Puss in Boots. Antonio Banderas is once again perfect as the voice of The Furry Lover, clearly having fun with the appropriately over-blown vocal stylings. His Desperado(1995) co-star Salma Hayek steps (or dances) up as the saucy […]

The Adjustment Bureau (2011)

I didn’t know what to expect from this one going in…and I’m glad. This metaphysical ‘chase’ movie is a romance at its core…and it’s handled very well. Matt Damon and Emily Blunt are terrific as the love-struck couple who are simply not meant to be…but are. Their chemistry and dialogue crackles and gives added gravity […]

Retreat (2011)

Now THAT’s how its done! This psychological thriller from the UK is well executed with great, believeable performances from the three leads and a story, while simple, that kept me guessing all the way through. Cillian Murphy (28 Days Later) and Thandie Newton (Mission Impossible 2) are a couple attempting to ease the strains on […]