Rate the Last Movie You Saw

[TJCams]

I think I want to see Mama - I know my 13 yr old daughter does for sure. I have head good reviews, and the bad ones here. So...... don't know what to think.

One TV ad I saw for an upcoming movie that looked very interesting to me was Dark Skies.

[srboone]

The Last Stand: Arnold Schwarzenegger is a small town Arizona sheriff (ex-LA narcotics, of course) who gets a call fron the FBI that a Mexican drug lord has escaped and is planning on crossing the border in his town. This movie has the unforunate circumstance of being a Schwarzenegger movie, because with that label comes certain expectations that this movie can't live up to: No muscle head macho guy talk, no seriously bad catch phrases, etc. But if you put that aside, this is actually a pretty good, no-brainer action flick. Arnie isn't the man he used to be, but he's still pretty formidable, can take a helluva beating, and he does speak English better than he did 30 years ago. Johnny Knoxville isn't really on screen enough to either help or hinder the picture's success (a good thing) and it's nice to see old pros like Luis Guzman and Peter Stormare (who comes off like a low-rent cross between Robert Duvall and the late Brion James) putting their all into their underdeveloped roles. The direction of Jee-woon Kim is crisp and sharp and it has some terrific action set pieces (a race through a cornfield is just one of the highlights).

Overall, a nice time-waster and it's good to have Ah-nold back, even in his sadder-but-wiser form.

3.5/5

[srboone]

Hansel & Gretel: An R-rated version of the fairy tale win which H&G grow up to be witch hunters. Not really scary enough nor funny enough to merit an R-rating, it does have some pretty good CGI effects, some overly grautitous bloodletting, and some good action sequences. Renner is good as the deadpan Hansel, but Arterton, well, whe's a model, not an actress. The best part about her being in the film is that her leather-clad butt is on display for half of her screen time. And I don't know why they carry weapons because they don't seem able to keep hold of them. They're always getting disarmed. Peter Stomare is his typical greasy self and has the most fun with his role; too bad he's dispatched with half way through. He also has the best, if most painful death in the movie. If you can check your brain at the door and just go with this decent actioner, you'll enjoy it (I did). Otherwise stay away. I'd compare it to last year's Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. If you decide to go, stay away from the 3D. It's not worth the extra cash.

3/5

[bstee]

Just saw End of Watch and was pleasantly surprised. With the exception of over the top portrail by the gangbangers and a bit of a cliche in story it was really good. Taken for what it's worth, a few days in the eyes if simple beat cops in a very rough area it is really good. I suspect folks will either really like it or hate it. But the banter between the two primaries was well worth the price of a rental. Other than the two co-leads most other characters are throw aways, but taken for what it's worth I do recommend a rental on this one. I still like "To Live and Die in LA" even though it is widely panned. This is far different as it is not a proceedural like that but it is still far better than Adam 12.

[Sock Monkey]

Thanks for the review of Hansel & Gretel, srboone. It sounds exactly what I thought it was going be, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. My wife keeps laughing at me when I say I want to see it, but I figured it would be good for some lighthearted, turn-off-the-brain entertainment.

I obviously haven't seen the movie so I can't speak for her performance in H&G, but I quite enjoyed Gemma Arterton's performance in The Disappearance of Alice Creed. I recommend this to anyone who loves thrillers with twists and turns and great performances. One of the best thrillers I've seen in a long time.

[Lou Sytsma]

Just saw End of Watch and was pleasantly surprised. With the exception of over the top portrail by the gangbangers and a bit of a cliche in story it was really good. Taken for what it's worth, a few days in the eyes if simple beat cops in a very rough area it is really good. I suspect folks will either really like it or hate it. But the banter between the two primaries was well worth the price of a rental. Other than the two co-leads most other characters are throw aways, but taken for what it's worth I do recommend a rental on this one. I still like "To Live and Die in LA" even though it is widely panned. This is far different as it is not a proceedural like that but it is still far better than Adam 12.

Totally agree. The day in the life format for a cop movie is nothing new and unfortunately this movie has no new twist or angle to add to this type of movie. The strength of the film lies in the chemistry between the two leads.

I love, 'To Live & Die in LA!'

3/5

[srboone]

I agree with To Live and Die in LA--criminally underrated. It was one of those college " movie memories" that I couldn't find anywhere until they finally brought it out on DVD in 2003. William Peterson was awesome long before he hit it big with "CSI."

[peteOcha]

Django - 5/5 - pure greatness in my opinion. Everything a great movie needs was there, great characters, and I was surprised by the amount of good laughs in it, which I was not expecting.

[peteOcha]

The remake of Evil Dead looks promising, for fans of Horror movies. I thought the trailer looked fantastic and I don't even like horror movies. I don't think I'd ever have seen MAMA though, I hate creepy children movies.

Creepy children movies scare the crap out of movie, just like all those airborne virus movies. But, I would like to see Mama.

[srboone]

This was a day at the movies for me. I woke up this morning in the mood for a bad movie and the key to appreciation of the bad movie is that you have to know it's bad before you go in, that way, you have no unrealistic expectations. WIth that in mind, first up was

Movie 43: I've heard so much about how bad a movie this is; I had to see for myself. And, boy, is it bad. Offensive, lewd, disgusting, embarrassing, and unfunny (for a good part), I wasn't disappointed. It's 7 or 8 sketches loosely pulled together by a the story of a lowly screenplay writer desperately trying to make his first movie sell. The first sketch (the best) with Kate Winslet going on a blind date with Hugh Jackman is very grotesquely funny, though it goes on too long. The rest of the laughs are scattershot, but there are laughs to be had here. Only one sketch I found to be completely devoid of laughs; in fact, it was embarassing to watch to such a talented young actress as Chloe Grace Moretz play a pre-teen getting her first period. It's all in really bad taste, but that's what I was in the mood for.

And as for Dennis Quaid playing the wacky screenplay writer, I've often wondered how it is that Gus Van Sant get gets some of the shit he directs made.

Spoiler!

Kinnear-Dennis-Quaid-Movie-AP_NACIMA20130124_0539_6.jpgGus-Van-Sant65695.jpg

And ladies, beware of a man wearing a scarf!

2/5

[srboone]

After my bad movie fix, I decided to check out

Warm Bodies: R is not happy with his life as a zombie. Not only does he hate having to eat the brains of the living...he's just plain bored. Apparently, when a zombie eats the brain of a living person, it absorbs the memories of that person. So when R eats Julie's boyfriend's brain, he falls in love with her. And it starts him on the road to regaining his humanity. This delightfully silly teen zombie rom-com takes all the well-grounded rules of the zombie flick and gleefully upends them. It's fresh, fast-paced, terrifically directed, and full of in-jokes for the zombie buffs who may be off-put by the subversivness of the whole affair. And unlike another teen paranormal romance film(s) you may have heard of, it succeeds because it doesn't take itself too seriously. Everybody is having a good time, and it shows in their spot-on performances. The gore is toned down for the PG-13 crowd, but what little there is very effective. It has it's flaws to be sure, the most annoying of which is the "Bonies" (undead that have accepted their cannibalistic nature and have ripped off their own flesh) that look and move like rejects from a blooper reel of Alien--if one existed. Still, it's a lot of fun and a most welcome entry into the zombie apocalypse oeuvre.

4/5

[Joe315]

I agree about Movie 43. First short was great, rest were only ok at best. With all the great actors and actresses it could have been something special.

[Teriw]

Just watched this is 40 again. Still HILARIOUS! If you don't like Judd Apatow then you won't like it. Its so funny because its soo true to life...that's always the funniest.

[TJCams]

My daughter wanted to watch some scary movies (she is 14 on Friday). She has seen many, and really like 1408, and Haunting in Connecticut. Not too over the top for someone her age, plus she has seen a few of the Saw movies.

We watched (on Netflix) The Devil Inside - an exorcism movie, and actually really enjoyed it. It wasn't an award winner by any means, but having never really heard much about it when it came out, it was one I thought was quite good. There isn't much in the way of special effects, but they aren't needed. I'd watch it again.

After that, my daughter went and did whatever... I watched the Rob Zombie Halloween for the first time. I thought it was pretty good. I actually enjoy his movies (Devil's Rejects, etc.). It's kind of a mindless bloody murderer slasher flick, and the back story of Mike Myers was neat. Lots of blood, f-bombs and boobs of course, but what's a horror movie without that right?

After that - I wasted 2 hrs (almost?) watching Hellraiser IV: Bloodlines - wow.... not impressed, it was very lame in fact. But it made me want to get my hands on the original Hellraiser and watch it again!

[theenormityofitall]

This really isn't a movie but the DVD set of One Step Beyond is awesome. Not only is it based on true events, the acting is great as well. Unfortunately it didn't last long; people in the 50's didn't seem to be as interetsed in that stuff as they are today.
But I'd give it a 10/10.