Archive for December, 2008

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New in Town Trailer

Wednesday, December 31st, 2008

Here is the trailer for Lionsgate’s new film “New In Town”. The comedy is set to open in theaters January 30, 2009. NEW IN TOWN starring Renée Zellweger and Harry Connick, Jr., written by Kenneth Rance and C. Jay Cox. Directed by Jonas Elmer.


Lucy Hill (Renée Zellweger) is an ambitious, up and coming executive living in Miami. She loves her shoes, she loves her cars and she loves climbing the corporate ladder. When she is offered a temporary assignment – in the middle of nowhere – to restructure a manufacturing plant, she jumps at the opportunity, knowing that a big promotion is close at hand. What begins as a straight forward job assignment becomes a life changing experience as Lucy discovers greater meaning in her life and most unexpectedly, the man of her dreams (Harry Connick, Jr.).

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Paramount Picture’s 2009 Preview

Wednesday, December 31st, 2008

“HOTEL FOR DOGS”
January 16, 2009



Directed by Thor Freudenthal
Cast: Emma Roberts, Jake T. Austin, Kyla Pratt with Lisa Kudrow, Kevin Dillon and Don Cheadle

Synopsis: “Hotel for Dogs” stars Emma Roberts, Jake T. Austin, Lisa Kudrow, Kevin Dillon and Don Cheadle in a smart, funny comedy adventure that shows how far love and imagination can take you. When their new guardians forbid 16-year-old Andi (Roberts) and her younger brother, Bruce (Austin) to have a pet, Andi has to use her quick wit to help find a new home for their dog, Friday. The resourceful kids stumble upon an abandoned hotel and using Bruce’s talents as a mechanical genius, transform it into a magical dog-paradise for Friday – and eventually for all Friday’s friends. When barking dogs make the neighbors suspicious, Andi and Bruce use every invention they have to avoid anyone discovering “who let the dogs in.”

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“DEFIANCE”
January 16, 2009/December 31, 2008 (NY/LA)



Directed by Edward Zwick
Cast: Daniel Craig, Liev Schreiber, Jamie Bell, Alexa Davalos, Allan Corduner and Mark Feuerstein

Synopsis: Based on an extraordinary true story, “Defiance” is an epic tale of family, honor, vengeance and salvation in World War II. The year is 1941 and the Jews of Eastern Europe are being massacred by the thousands. Managing to escape certain death, three brothers take refuge in the dense surrounding woods they have known since childhood. There they begin their desperate battle against the Nazis. Daniel Craig, Liev Schreiber and Jamie Bell star as brothers who turn a primitive struggle to survive into something far more consequential – a way to avenge the deaths of their loved ones by saving thousands of others. At first it is all they can do to stay alive. But gradually, as whispers of their daring spreads, they begin to attract others – men and women, young and old – willing to risk everything for the sake of even a moment’s freedom. Tuvia (CRAIG) is a reluctant leader and his decisions are challenged by his brother, Zus (SCHREIBER) who worries that Tuvia’s idealistic plans will doom them all. Asael (BELL) is the youngest, caught between his brothers’ fierce rivalry. As a brutal winter descends, they work to create a community, and to keep faith alive when all humanity appears to be lost.

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“THE UNINVITED”
January 30, 2009



Directed by The Guard Brothers
Cast: Emily Browning, Elizabeth Banks, Arielle Kebbel and David Strathairn

Synopsis: In the suspense thriller “The Uninvited,” based on the 2003 Korean motion picture “Changhwa, Hongryon” written and directed by Kim Jee-woon, Anna (Emily Browning) returns home after spending time in a psychiatric facility following her mother’s tragic death and discovers that her mother’s former nurse, Rachel (Elizabeth Banks), has moved into their house and become engaged to her father, Steven (David Strathairn). Soon after she learns this shocking news, Anna is visited by her mother’s ghost, who warns her that Rachel has evil intentions. Together, Anna and her sister (Arielle Kebbel) must convince their father that his new fiancee is not who she pretends to be, and what should have been a happy family reunion becomes a lethal battle of wills between stepdaughters and stepmother.

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“I LOVE YOU, MAN”
March 20, 2009



Directed by John Hamburg
Cast: Paul Rudd, Jason Segel, Rashida Jones, Andy Samberg, J.K. Simmons, Jane Curtin, Jon Favreau and Jaime Pressly

Synopsis: In “I Love You, Man,” a comedy from John Hamburg (”Along Came Polly,” co-writer of “Meet the Parents,” “Meet the Fockers,” “Zoolander”), Peter Klaven (Paul Rudd, “Knocked Up” “The 40 Year Old Virgin”) is a successful real estate agent who, upon getting engaged to the woman of his dreams, Zooey (”The Office’s” Rashida Jones), discovers, to his dismay and chagrin, that he has no male friend close enough to serve as his Best Man. Peter immediately sets out to rectify the situation, embarking on a series of bizarre and awkward “man-dates,” before meeting Sydney Fife (Jason Segel, “Forgetting Sarah Marshall”), a charming, opinionated man with whom he instantly bonds. But the closer the two men get, the more Peter’s relationship with Zooey suffers, ultimately forcing him to choose between his fiancee and his new found “bro,” in a story that comically explores what it truly means to be a “friend.”

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“MONSTERS vs. ALIENS”
March 27, 2009



Directed by Rob Letterman Conrad Vernon
Cast: Reese Witherspoon, Hugh Laurie, Will Arnett, Seth Rogen, Rainn Wilson, Stephen Colbert, Kiefer Sutherland and Paul Rudd

Synopsis: When California girl Susan Murphy is unwittingly clobbered by a meteor full of outer space gunk on her wedding day, she mysteriously grows to 49-feet-11-inches tall. The military jumps into action and Susan is captured and secreted away to a covert government compound. There, she is renamed Ginormica and placed in confinement with a ragtag group of Monsters: the brilliant but insect-headed Dr. Cockroach, Ph.D.; the macho half-ape, half-fish The Missing Link; the gelatinous and indestructible B.O.B.; and the 350-foot grub called Insectosaurus. Their confinement is cut short, however, when a mysterious alien robot lands on Earth and begins storming the country. In a moment of desperation, the President is persuaded to enlist the motley crew of Monsters to combat the Alien Robot and save the world from imminent destruction.

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“THE SOLOIST”
April 24, 2009



Directed by Joe Wright
Cast: Jamie Foxx, Robert Downey Jr., Catherine Keener, Tom Hollander and LisaGay Hamilton

Synopsis: In “The Soloist,” an emotionally soaring drama about the redemptive power of music, journalist Steve Lopez (Oscar® nominee Robert Downey Jr.) discovers Nathaniel Anthony Ayers (Oscar® winner Jamie Foxx), a former classical music prodigy, playing his violin on the streets of L.A. As Lopez endeavors to help the homeless man find his way back, a unique friendship is formed, one that transforms both their lives. “The Soloist” is directed by Joe Wright (Golden Globe winner for Best Drama and Oscar® nominee for Best Picture “Atonement”).

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“STAR TREK”
May 8, 2009



Directed by J.J. Abrams
Cast: John Cho, Ben Cross, Bruce Greenwood, Simon Pegg, Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Winona Ryder, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban,
Anton Yelchin, with Eric Bana and Leonard Nimoy

Synopsis: From director J.J. Abrams (”Mission: Impossible III,” “Lost” and “Alias”), producers Damon Lindelof and Bryan Burk and screenwriters Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman (”TRANSFORMERS,” “MI: III”) comes a new vision of the greatest space adventure of all time, “Star Trek,” featuring a young, new crew venturing boldly where no one has gone before.

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“IMAGINE THAT”
June 12, 2009



Directed by Karey Kirkpatrick
Cast: Eddie Murphy, Thomas Haden Church, Nicole Ari Parker, Ronny Cox and Martin Sheen

Synopsis: In Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies’ family comedy “Imagine That,” Eddie Murphy stars as a successful financial executive who has more time for his blackberry than his seven-year-old daughter (Yara Shahidi). When he has a crisis of confidence and his career starts going down the drain, however, he finds the solution to all his problems in his daughter’s imaginary world.

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“TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN”
June 26, 2009

Directed by Michael Bay
Cast: Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, Kevin Dunn, Julie White, John Benjamin Hickey, Ramon Rodriguez, Isabel Lucas and John Turturro

Synopsis: In the highly-anticipated “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen,” debuting June 26, 2009, Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf) again joins with the Autobots® against their sworn enemies, the Decepticons®. Michael Bay directs from a screenplay by Ehren Kruger & Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman.

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“G.I. JOE: THE RISE OF COBRA”
August 7, 2009

Directed by Stephen Sommers
Cast: Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Christopher Eccleston, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Byung Hun Lee, Sienna Miller, Rachel Nichols, Ray Park, Said Taghmaoui,
Channing Tatum, Marlon Wayans and Dennis Quaid

Synopsis: Paramount Pictures and Hasbro, whose previous collaboration was the worldwide blockbuster “TRANSFORMERS,” join forces with Spyglass Entertainment for another extraordinary action-adventure “G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra.” From the Egyptian desert to deep below the polar ice caps, the elite G.I. JOE team uses the latest in next-generation spy and military equipment to fight the corrupt arms dealer Destro and the growing threat of the mysterious Cobra organization to prevent them from plunging the world into chaos. “G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra.” is directed by Stephen Sommers (”The Mummy,” “The Mummy Returns”).

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“DANCE FLICK”
AUGUST 14, 2009



Directed by Damien Dante Wayans
Cast: Damon Wayans Jr., Craig Wayans, Shoshana Bush, Essence Atkins and Affion Crockett

Synopsis: “Dance Flick” is a hilarious new comedy that brings together the talents of two generations of the Wayans family, the explosively funny clan who brought us the “Scary Movie” franchise and “White Chicks,” as well as the groundbreaking TV series “In Living Color.”

In “Dance Flick,” a young street dancer, Thomas Uncles (Damon Wayans, Jr.), from the wrong side of the tracks and a beautiful young woman, Megan White (Shoshana Bush), are brought together by their passion for dancing and put to the test in the mother of all dance battles.

“Dance Flick” sends up the dance movie genre, including such recent hits as “Step Up” and “You Got Served,” as well as the classic “Flashdance.”

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“THE GOODS: THE DON READY STORY”
AUGUST 21, 2009



Directed by Neal Brennan
Cast: Jeremy Piven, Ving Rhames, James Brolin, David Koechner, Kathryn Hahn and Jordana Spiro

Synopsis: Who is Don Ready? Salesman? Lover? Song Stylist? Semi-professional dolphin trainer? Ready is all of the above – except for a dolphin trainer. When he’s asked to help save an ailing local car dealership from bankruptcy, Ready and his ragtag crew descend on the town of Temecula like a pack of coyotes on a basket full of burgers. Selling, drinking, selling and going to strip clubs is their stock and trade. And they do it well. What Don doesn’t expect is to fall in love and find his soul (cue heartfelt piano). “The Goods: The Don Ready Story” stars Emmy award-winning actor Jeremy Piven (”The Kingdom,” “Entourage”) and Ving Rhames (”I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry,” “Mission: Impossible III”). The film, from Will Ferrell and Adam McKay’s Gary Sanchez Productions, is directed by Neal Brennan, creator of the hugely successful Comedy Central hit “Chappelle’s Show.”

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“THE LOVELY BONES”
December 11, 2009

Directed by Peter Jackson
Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Rachel Weisz, Susan Sarandon, Stanley Tucci, Michael Imperioli and Saoirse Ronan

Synopsis: Based on the critically acclaimed best-selling novel by Alice Sebold, and directed by Oscar® winner Peter Jackson from a screenplay by Jackson & Fran Walsh & Philippa Boyens, “The Lovely Bones” centers on a young girl who has been murdered and watches over her family – and her killer – from heaven. She must weigh her desire for vengeance against her desire for her family to heal. Oscar® nominee Mark Wahlberg and Oscar® winners Rachel Weisz and Susan Sarandon star along with Stanley Tucci, Michael Imperioli and Oscar® nominee Saoirse Ronan.

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“SHE’S OUT OF MY LEAGUE”
Fourth Quarter 2009

Directed by Jim Field Smith
Cast: Jay Baruchel, Alice Eve, T.J. Miller, Mike Vogel, Nate Torrence,
Krysten Ritter, Geoff Stults and Lindsay Sloane

Synopsis: Kirk (Jay Baruchel, “Knocked Up,” “Tropic Thunder”), an average Joe, can’t believe his luck. Though he’s stuck in a seemingly dead-end job as an airport security agent, against all odds Molly (Alice Eve), a successful and outrageously gorgeous babe falls for him. Kirk is stunned. So are his friends, his family and even his ex-girlfriend. Now he has to figure out how to make the relationship work, even though he’s the first to admit “She’s Out of My League.”

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“UP IN THE AIR”
Fourth Quarter 2009

Directed by Jason Reitman
Cast: George Clooney and Vera Farmiga

Synopsis: From Jason Reitman, the Oscar® nominated director of “Juno,” comes a comedy called “Up in the Air” starring Oscar® winner George Clooney as Ryan Bingham, a corporate hatchet man who loves his life on the road but is forced to fight for his job when his company downsizes its travel budget. He is required to spend more time at home just as he is on the cusp of a goal he’s worked toward for years: reaching five million frequent flyer miles and just after he’s met the frequent-traveler woman of his dreams.

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“SHUTTER ISLAND”
Fourth Quarter 2009

Directed by Martin Scorsese
Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley,Michelle Williams and Max Von Sydow

Synopsis: From Oscar®-winning director Martin Scorsese, “Shutter Island” is the story of two U.S. marshals, Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo), who are summoned to a remote and barren island off the cost of Massachusetts to investigate the mysterious disappearance of a murderess from the island’s fortress-like hospital for the criminally insane.

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Coraline Featurettes

Tuesday, December 30th, 2008

Here are the new featurettes for Focus Features new movie Coraline, opening in theaters February 6th 2009. The film is based in the book by Neil Gaiman and directed by Henry Selick (“Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas”). Coraline stars Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, Dawn French, Jennifer Saunders and Ian McShane

Tiny Needles:

Meet the Cast:

The Biggest Smallest Movie:

Puppet POV:

Moustachio:

Doll Hair:

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Eagle Eye DVD Review

Tuesday, December 30th, 2008



REVIEW: “You’ve been activated.” If you get a strange call from a strange person (most likely a female) telling you these three words, consider yourself no longer in control of your life. You are now her puppet and are forced to do as she says or you will face inconceivable consequences. Who is she? What does she want? Why me? These questions will be answered through the course of this incredible roller coaster ride of a movie. I thought the fun, action packed summertime movies were over. I guess not because this one can play up there with the big boys of this summer. It was an intense, pressure-filled, edge-of-your-seat thriller.

There is a lot of negativity surrounding this film and I don’t understand why. Allow me to briefly give my disclaimer once again. I am a fan of movies. I enjoy watching movies as an escape from reality by being entertained, moved, inspired, AND/OR impressed. It can be all of those or any one of those or even something that I might be forgetting to mention. Bottom line is that this movie did at least one of those for me; it entertained me quite successfully. I wasn’t alone either. I was fortunate to have two of my Smartcine partners with me, who happen to also be my cousins, Luis and Mady Gars. I can tell you that Mady is one to quickly criticize this type of movie. Well I am very happy to inform you that the three of us concurred on the overall rating. This might be a first for us, or at most a second. The surrounding audience seemed to concur as well because there was plenty of ohs and ahs, gasping, cheering, screaming, and applauding throughout the presentation. Sure there is plenty that one could criticize about this movie, but then again there is always something that someone could criticize about any movie. My goal is to give you reasons to go see it as opposed to giving you a lot of negativity. Sorry for rambling on about this, but this movie is a perfect example of why my score is so different from many others.

So in summary, was the movie entertaining? Most definitely. Does it have a good cast and did they perform well? With currently hot stars Shia LaBeouf and Michelle Monaghan taking the lead and giving chilling performances along with supporting stars Billy Bob Thornton and Rosario Dawson showing us why they’ve earned the respect they have in the cinematic world, I would say the answer is a resounding yes. In addition to their performances, the script they had to work with was truly exceptional. The dialogue was full of sarcasm and dry humor as well as being sharp, direct, and precise. There was no beating around the bush here because there was no time for it. Even the lady on the phone was so precise that she almost sounded mechanical. But was the storyline any good? Well, okay, I’ll admit the story was a bit cliché, especially toward the end, using a well known concept but at least it had a slightly different angle and I don’t think it devalued the overall picture. The cinematography and special effects were well done with the exception that many times the action was blurry and difficult to follow. The climax of this movie was unique to say the least . . . far fetched but unique. I could easily compare this movie to a few others but doing that alone could be a plot spoiler so I won’t do it. Credit should be given to Director D.J. Caruso for raising his bar. He has had good output with projects like Taking Lives, Two for the Money, and Disturbia. I think he outdid himself with this one. Movie fans, the summertime action flicks are not over yet. Here is another good one to see.

Film Review By Cine Marcos

DVD: The 2 Disc Special Edition includes about 70 minutes of special features. Most of the special features in this edition, take viewers beyond the making of the film. However the only feature that is worth watching is “Asymmetrical Warfare: The Making of Eagle Eye Documentary”, which is a good 26 minutes documentary about the film production. It also includes three deleted scenes and a short alternate ending. See below for a full description of the Special features for this DVD.

Release Date: December 27, 2008

DVD DETAILS
OWN DVD

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Two Lovers Trailer

Tuesday, December 30th, 2008

Here is the trailer for Magnolia Pictures Two Lovers . The film is set to open in theaters February 13, 2009



Set in the insular world of Brighton Beach , Brooklyn , TWO LOVERS is a classic romantic drama, with Joaquin Phoenix giving a raw and vulnerable performance as Leonard, a charismatic but troubled young man who moves back into his childhood home following a recent heartbreak. While recovering under the watchful eye of his parents (Isabella Rossellini and Moni Monoshov), Leonard meets two women in quick succession: Michelle (Gwyneth Paltrow), a mysterious and beautiful neighbor who is exotic and out-of-place in Leonard’s staid world, and Sandra, the lovely and caring daughter of a businessman who is buying out his family’s dry-cleaning business.

Leonard becomes deeply infatuated by Michelle, who seems poised to fall for him, but is having a self-destructive affair with a married man. At the same time, mounting pressure from his family pushes him towards committing to Sandra. Leonard is forced to make an impossible decision – between the impetuousness of desire and the comfort of love – or risk falling back into the darkness that nearly killed him.

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Ghost Town DVD Review

Monday, December 29th, 2008



REVIEW: Surprisingly, this movie is not as cliché as you might think. The title is and so is the premise but Ricky Gervais, who plays the lead role of Bertram Pincus D.D.S., makes all the difference needed to save this picture from becoming just another “I see dead people” story. Well actually, this movie’s well laid out story also helps save it. But it’s Ricky’s character that gives it flavor. The first time I really noticed him was in Night at the Museum as the museum manager. His predominant talents of dry wit, sarcastic humor, and sharp line delivery were evident with that role. Even so, I still had my doubts about his ability to carry a movie as the lead actor. Well movie fans, I think he did just fine. His talents were shining just as bright if not brighter in this picture. You also must consider that this socially inept recluse of a character is the perfect role for him and he does not disappoint.

“Not now!” is probably one of the more popular phrases said by those suddenly and unexpectedly departed souls. Life and death are polar opposites and yet there is such a fine line between them. This film gives an interesting representation of that fine line and how unfinished business can affect a person’s itinerary. Greg Kinnear plays Frank Herlihy, one of these unfortunate souls. After discovering that Pincus has the ability to see and hear these ghosts, he makes his life a living hell in order to persuade him to disrupt his wife’s plans of marrying the “wrong guy”. When Pincus gives in to the plan, he transforms into the unlikeliest of suitors and thus adds to the comedy as well as providing some touching moments of romance and kindness. The main benefactor is Gwen played by Tea Leoni. Both Tea and Greg are always on the ball so their performances were exactly that. But again, Ricky really stole the show. Well, not the entire show . . . there are a couple of scenes with a very interesting new actor which I don’t recall ever seeing before. Actually, I don’t recall ever seeing this breed being used in a movie before. This adorable canine belongs to Gwen and having him in a Manhattan apartment gives new meaning to the phrase, house pet. I was impressed by its performance.

As I have mentioned in other reviews, a movie of this nature relies on, among many other things, a good script. Ricky’s performance can only be as sharp as what he is saying and he was sharp. At some moments the line delivery was a little too accelerated but overall the message got across. With a concept like this, you might expect heavy duty special effects. The movie makers seemed to not want to focus on special effects as much and focus more on the story and the acting. The effects were simple but not cheap, effective but not overly elaborate. It was just the right touch. Writer/Director David Koepp has plenty of successful writing jobs under his belt. He has directed a handful of projects and this is a very nice addition to his resume. This is a charming movie that is a good choice if you’re in the mood for it. I thought the two closing lines in the movie were very clever. It’s a shame that Priscilla couldn’t come with me to see this one because I think she would have loved it.

Film Review By Cine Marcos

DVD: The DVD includes about 30 minutes of special features, including a good option commentary by David Koepp and Ricky Gervais. The highlight of the special features is “Making Ghost Town”, a very good documentary about the film’s production. The rest of the features are “Ghostly Effects” and “Some People Can Do it”, which is just a Ricky Gervais gag reel.

Release Date: December 27, 2008

DVD DETAILS
OWN DVD

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Baghead DVD Review

Sunday, December 28th, 2008



After watching this movie for the first time I had a quite few mixed emotions. My first motion was annoyed, the movie just did not satisfy me enough in what I was expecting, and it seems as a waste of time, then I was relief it finished, but then I thought about it, and I realize that the movie is not as bad as it seems, first of all I realize it was a drama instead of a horror, it has comedy, an enigmatic villain, and there are parts where it keeps the audience intrigued, of course the resolution let you with a sour taste in your mouth, since it fools you in a wrong way. Baghead has just one word to describe it: Cheap. Which is not necessary a synonym for bad on the contrary you get a lot for what its worth. Do not expect any special effects, or astonishing performances, but you might get some suspense, and a lot of laughs.

The movie flow is slow, most of the movie is the four main characters talking in the cabin about writing a movie and the situation they are facing emotionally and professionally, which might upset the audience who expected more action out of it. Nonetheless, as the movie advances and the Baghead shows up the audience get to know the characters, their fears, frustrations, goals, and ambitions. Without knowing if Baghead is real or imaginary, he ends up being a secondary character that the four of them get to face in their own way, and it is in this confrontation where their real selves comes out. This is what makes this movie great, that it is not the bad guy itself, but the actions of the characters to face their situations. This plus the perfect timing the director have in showing us the Baghead, and the used of conventional horror movies situations like the Cell phone with no signal or the broken car keeps the audience guessing and enjoying the flick.

As I stated before there is not much to say about special effects or acting wise for this movie even the sound everything is kept real, which is a good thing. The performance by each actor is convincing in depicting real people with real emotions, and believable reactions that anybody could relate to anyone of them. Visually it looks like it is shot with a regular camera, without the nauseated feeling other films make, this adds a more real sensation to the movie.

Baghead is a movie that have an exclusive audience, and has to be appreciated for what it is. I think the purpose is not to scare you with gore or meaningless killings nor to make you laugh with pointless humor, but to show you a scary side of people and real situations, so if you expect to see a bloody or a classical horror movie this is not for you, even if you want to see a horror parody full of crude humor like Scary movie you will definitely not enjoy this one. This is for people who think outside the box, who enjoy dramas, and a special kind of suspense. The Duplass brothers shows us that we do not need to see gore, sex scenes, or to make a horror movie, sometimes you only need five people and a paper bag to create a somehow scary movie. I recommend this movie to people who enjoy independent films, with an open mind and an exquisite sense of humor.
Review By Milo

Release Date: December 27, 2008

DVD DETAILS
OWN DVD

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Resident Evil Degeneration DVD Review

Saturday, December 27th, 2008



In resident Evil: Degeneration we get to see something that the majority of video game based movies do not accomplished: To keep within the universe of the game. There is no a different and awkward story, or made up characters in this movie. Degeneration took what in my opinion had been the best Resident Evil story, RE 2, and expanded it to a great sequel paying tribute to those fans of the series, at the same time, it is equally entertaining and even persuading to a not fan audience.

Although the story and the characters are kept within the original video game what makes Degeneration a success in not its past, but the story in general. It was well thought out. The writers have put a lot of thought of what had happen in Raccoon City and expanded it with what could be a possible outcome scenario wise, with the government getting involved, Corporations trying to make money out of this catastrophe, activist trying to stop them, terrorist trying to used the virus, and of course, corrupt individuals playing both sides. This environment creates a perfect scenario for the development of the story. Then the story itself is not bad, although it seems quite predictable at first glance it begins to evolved into a more complex and challenging story as time progresses. Also I loved how they incorporated some scenes from the game in it like the way Leon and Claire meet for the second time. Visually, I think is where the movie has its flaws. Being a CGI movie, it seems that the animators did not have consistency through out the movie, there are some scenes where the characters look amazing resembling human people to the max, but there are other fewer sequences where they look as square as the game itself, some effects also look to fake, which is not a big problem, since this movies tend to be like this. What annoyed me the most was one of the main character’s portrayal Leon looked to stiff and serious even when he was joking, the animators fail in showing this character’s expressions when there was a close up, and if we add that at some point he is shown with superhuman strength that is just ridiculous, also most of the character’s mouth did not match the words.

Character and setting design are also a big plus in this movie Leon looks is like a mix between the RE2 and RE4 character which is appropriate for the film, Claire is by far the best depicted character in appearance and personality she has that charismatic appeal that makes he one of the most appealing characters of the whole series plus she can fight when the moment ask for it, as new characters like Angela and Curtis Miller are introduced they added a uniqueness and freshness to the movie, the final monster looks astonishing keeping him to a resident evil level. This characters are not there just as fillers but they had purpose and add their share to the movie, with out a doubt the character that still the spot light is the Senator, his looks, voice actions and personality are the perfect addition to a known cast. He makes the best remarks, and he is the best depicted even his expressions are better than our heroes. The settings are also beautifully shown like the laboratory and the airport, although it looks like a futuristic look also they do not look outside reality, everything seems possible. Sound and Voice wise I think the director did a great job selecting the cast, the sound is great in makes you feel like you are in there with the characters, and the voices were right on target with each character, for a Japanese movie I got to say that the English version is excellent since they used English voiced actors from the beginning and did not just Dub it. The voices resemble those of the game and are believable for each character.

Taking aside the minor graphic glitches this movie has, I think this is the best video Game to movie adaptation ever made. It surpasses final Fantasy the Advent Children in story and atmosphere. It keeps loyal to the claustrophobic feeling the game got us used to, and it adds possibilities for future games or movies. Another thing that could be argued is that there is not enough interaction between heroes and zombies, like in the game, and that the final monster is defeated in a silly way. In my opinion there were enough to keep the audience interested , and the statement made at the end gave the monster a human side so I think is appropriate. The first 15 minutes might seem slow for fans to the series but for new comers is a great introduction to set in the mood for the rest of the movie. The DVD comes with regular special features that might be interesting for fans of the game, with the preview for the next game in the series being the best feature. Overall, I think this DVD is a great addition for fans of the series or people who enjoyed movies like Final Fantasy, Dawn of the Dead, or Previous Resident evil movies. Just keep in mind, that unlike the previous Resident movies, this has no similarity to with Milla Jovovich‘s version.

Review By Milo

Release Date: December 27, 2008

DVD DETAILS
OWN DVD

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The House Bunny DVD Review

Thursday, December 25th, 2008



REVIEW: “The eyes are the nipples of the face.” Yeah, this is what you’re gonna get throughout . . . silly, silly fun. By the way, this is a Happy Madison Production which for comedy fans would be good news. Well, there are some very funny moments and the premise sounds entertaining enough, but it just misses true Happy Madison caliber. I’ve always been a fan of Anna Faris and I was looking forward to seeing her in her first real starring role, especially something like this which is right up her ally. She wasn’t exactly over the top fantastic but she held her own and really made the movie worthwhile. She is very good at playing ditsy and she has a proven record for comedic mastery. Her line delivery and facial expressions are some of her top talents. In this film she also throws in a heavy dose of sexiness which I always knew she could pull off. The fact that I think she’s adorable helps influence my opinion. Did I just admit that out loud? Anyhow, she is in great shape and looks very hot playing this character. Guys, come on, the background of the story is all about Playboy Playmates and Bunnies, Hugh Hefner, and the Playboy Mansion. Of course the eye candy abounds in this movie, Anna Faris included. Ok, wait a tick, gorgeous, ditsy blonde leaves Playboy Mansion, goes to a college and ends up helping everybody around her including herself . . . this sounds like Legally Blonde meets The Girls Next Door.

Enough about Anna, though, I mean there were other people in the movie too. Colin Hanks, for example, plays Oliver who catches Shelley’s (Anna) eye. He did a decent job. The Zeta house misfits include the likes of Natalie (Emma Stone), Mona (Kat Dennings), Joanne (Rumer Willis, yeah Bruce’s daughter, uh huh), and even Katharine McPhee playing a character appropriately named Harmony. These are some of the bunch and they all gave pretty good performances but Emma stands out and was just as sharp as Anna. It was nice to see Beverly D’Angelo on the big screen again. She plays Mrs. Hagstrom, a snooty sorority house mother. With a story like this one you would expect the variety of characters to be like a melting pot and this piece of work does not fall short. The storyline for this picture is simple and predictable but improved by the Happy Madison flare for the absurd. One of the weaker aspects of the film is the script. Again, the movie had its really funny moments but at other times the dialogue was too corny. Luckily the good funny moments were well spread out so that just as you are about to get turned off by the movie, one of those moments would pop up to keep you going. The appropriate musical selection for the soundtrack also helped entertain.

Fred Wolf has been involved as a writer and/or actor in such works as Black Sheep, Joe Dirt, Dickie Roberts, Without a Paddle, and Strange Wilderness. With these comedic credentials, he has the experience to crank out some good stuff as director. This being only his second gig as director, there is room for improvement but he is on the right track. If you are a fan of these kinds of comedies or if you are a fan of Anna Faris, you might want to check this one out.

Film Review By Cine Marcos

DVD: The DVD is presented in 2.40:1 aspect ration preserving the theatrical presentation of the film. The picture is complemented with a 5.1 Dolby Digital audio in English and French.
This version of the DVD includes about 60 minutes of special features. All divided in small featurettes taking viewers behind the scenes of the film. Like it was expected the featurettes are gear towards the male audience, with most of them focusing in the hot girls in the film. It even includes one with the Real “Girl Next Door” girls.

Release Date: December 19, 2008

DVD DETAILS
OWN DVD

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Bedtime Stories Movie Review

Wednesday, December 24th, 2008




The band Journey was really on to something with their hit song Don’t Stop Believing. If you want your dreams to come true, you’ve got to believe. This movie is an adventurous “journey” (yeah, I had to) for Skeeter Bronson (Adam Sandler) to learn exactly that, thanks mostly to his niece and nephew and their vivid imaginations. Gumballs, Ferraris, epic battles, and a kiss from a damsel in distress are all part of the fantasy that makes up this bedtime story. In this film there is a dashed line between fairy tale and reality and that is what makes it special. It has a touch of Disney magic and a touch of Adam Sandler comedy to make it fun for the whole family. Yes it is cliché and predictable, but it is funny, enjoyable, and very cute. That one word probably describes it best . . . cute. The story, the dialogue, the imagination, the niece and nephew played by Laura Ann Kesling and Jonathan Morgan Heit, and even their big-eyed pet Bugsy are all adorable. Oh yeah, so is Keri Russell in the role of Jill.

Even with all the cuteness this movie has, it lacks a little in quality. There is a good amount of character presentation along with the foundation of the story during the opening of this movie and yet the viewer has a tough time identifying with any of the major characters. Adam Sandler’s forte is presenting approachable characters that people can relate to and connect with. It is a large part of his extraordinary success in films. I struggled to figure out Adam’s character in this movie. Is he a slacker, a genius, a lazy bum, a self-centered dreamer, a sleeping giant, or just simply a talented guy who patiently waits for his big break? I couldn’t put my finger on it and thus I didn’t know where he was coming from during the movie. Same goes for his sister Wendy played by Courteney Cox as well as Jill (Keri Russell). These are most of the major characters and you can understand what is going on between them but their development is too shallow and their motivation is unclear. Some of the supporting roles were too obvious to mistake, though. Such as Violet Nottingham played by Teresa Palmer. She is the spoiled, self-proclaimed celebrity daughter of the rich hotel owner Barry Nottingham (Richard Griffiths). Hmmm, sounds familiar doesn’t it? Guy Pearce plays Kendall, the selfish hotel executive with a hidden agenda that benefits only himself. Can I tell you that I didn’t even recognize Lucy Lawless as Aspen who works at the front desk of the hotel and is Kendall’s accomplice. Russell Brand delivers another goofy, light-hearted role as Mickey, hotel employee and friend to Skeeter. All in all, everybody gave a decent performance but those main characters where hard to connect with. Luckily, the story wasn’t.

Given the nature of the story, you would have to expect the visual effects to keep up and they did. Not the best stuff ever but good enough for this production. You are taken to the Wild West with cowboys, Indians, and fast horses, a Roman coliseum for some chariot tricks, medieval times with knights in shining armor, and to the future on board a space station. The sky is not the limit when it comes to the imagination used in this picture. Even when it comes back to reality in the end, the climax of the film is really quite exciting and brings the whole thing together in Disney style. Director Adam Shankman has directed some good projects this decade; Wedding Planner, A Walk to Remember, Bringing Down the House, The Pacifier, and Hairspray to name a few. This is not his best work but it can definitely be included in this list. If you plan to take the kids to see a movie this Christmas, this is your best bet and you’ll enjoy it too.

Wishing you all very Happy Holidays, Merry CHRISTmas and a great New Year!

Review By Cine Marcos

FULL MOVIE DETAILS

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