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Similar. Average. Comedy. (SAC)
Final Verdict: This movie is just a repeat of the Rush Hour series, albeit with a different comedian (Owen Wilson) and a different setting. Don't get me wrong, it's not a bad movie; Jackie Chan and Wilson both perform their parts well, but it's just not original. In fact, it's so unoriginal it's almost insulting. I did enjoy the film for its merits however, and it's a fun way to spend a couple hours. Just don't expect anything new.
Spoiler(s): [Insert Rush Hour 1, 2, or 3 spoiler]
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 78%
"I don't know karate, but I know kar-azy, and I will use it!" - Roy O'Bannon
Goofy. Youthful. Fighting. (GYF)
Final Verdict: Kung Fu Panda is geared more towards children than movies like Shrek or Harry Potter, but that doesn't mean adults can't still enjoy it. In fact, evey fight scene had me on the edge of my seat in suspense because of the level of violence involved. The plot doesn't feel completely original because it's a kids tale and we've all grown up reading/hearing similar stories, but Jack Black adds enough of his own personality to keep the movie interesting, fun, and in some cases, hilarious. This movie won't be for everyone, but I found myself thoroughly enjoyed!
Spoiler(s): To make something special you just have to believe it's special.
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 89%
"I just ate, so I'm still digesting, so my kung fu may not be as good as later on." - Po
Fun. Mesmerizing. Kung-Fu. (FMK)
Final Verdict: I can't say I've seen a whole lot of Jackie Chan's films, especially his older ones, but I'm certain this is him at his best. There is great chemistry between the story, which is goofy and fun, and the martial arts, which is graceful and captivating. The "drunk boxing" is incredible to see on film, and Chan pulls it off with such style and fluidity that it makes you beg for more. Maybe I just appreciate kung-fu movies in general, but I thought this was top-notch entertainment. It makes me want to learn some mixed martial arts and whoop on some punk asses.
Spoiler(s): I've killed a group of armed men with my bare hands...while still in the womb. So suck it.
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 73%
Worldy. Captivating. Brutality. (WCB)
Final Verdict: I avoided seeing this movie for a while because I was so appalled by Mel Gibson's last film, the crucifixion flick, Passion of the Christ. And while this movie uses the same degree of violence as it's predecessor, it is far more bearable (and enjoyable) because it comes in quick, jolting spurts rather than long, drawn-out torture scenes. The first half of the film is a very interesting and immersive look into the decay of the Mayan civilization, while the second half, surprisingly, plays out more like a Rambo adventure. Both the first and the second half compliment each other very well, and it is only the ending which I don't find completely satisfying. Mel Gibson does a great job directing and an extraordianry job representing the ancient civilization for all it's faults and glories. This one is not to be missed!
Spoiler(s): No hablo Mayan.
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 65%
"I am Jaguar Paw. This is my forest. And I am not afraid. " - Jaguar Paw
Funny. Simple. Heartwarming. (FSH)
Final Verdict: This film is basically an autobiography of Adam Carolla had he not found his way into The Man Show and Hollywood. The brillance of the film comes from it's very simple, good-natured humor. It isn't a big budget Hollywood film, and it doesn't feel like one; nor feel like it's trying not to be one. Theres's a constant struggle between the comedic moments and the dramatic ones, but it's executed so naturally it almost feels more like a documentary rather than a work of fiction. Adam Carolla shines in this film for both his performance and his script, and I hope to see more of him in the future. Please see this one! It's one of my favorites of the year!
Spoilers: Adam Carolla was a carpentor and a boxer in his youth. Jerry Ferro, the lead character played by Adam Carolla, was also a carpentor and a boxer in his youth. If you don't see the analogies I'm clearly drawing our for you, then you're an idiot and a fuckhead. Thank you.
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 71%
"You guys sure seem to love Nicaragua except for the part where you risked your lives not to live there any more" - Jerry Ferro
Slow. Average. Copy. (SAC)
Final Verdict: Take Superbad, remove the R rating and replace each comedian an with uncharismatic, overacting kid, mix in You, Me and Dupree, and throw in a formulaic plot about high school bullies and social outcasts and you've got Drillbit Taylor. There are some genuinely funny moments involving Owen Wilson, but they are few and far between and aren't worth more than a chuckle. Furthermore, the teenage actors (Nate Hartley, Troy Gentile, David Dorfman) are stereotypical and boring, and I hope to never see them in a film again. This movie isn't an autrocity by anyone's standards, but there are much better comedies out there.
Spoiler(s): N/A (it's hard to spoil a movie that's been done a million times before)
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 26%
"Crap on a shit sandwich!" - Drillbit Taylor
Weird. Artistic. Uninteresting. (WAU)
Final Verdict: If anything , the artistic direction in this film is absolutely amazing. The characters look unique, creepy, and out-of-this-world, while the environments and scenes are so breathtaking they practically steal the show. Unfortunately, everything else falls desperately short. The plot is drek and non-sensible, while the characters are so uninteresting and lack so much chemistry between each other that it becomes tiresome and frustrating to even care what happens to them. If you need to waste some time, there are better movies for that. Don't even bother with this one.
Spoilers: Hellboy is gonna be a father-- does ANYONE care?
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 88%
"I can turn my back on the whole world... as long as you stay with me." -Hellboy
Hilarious. Light-hearted. Vulgarity. (HLV)
Final Verdict The film takes a somewhat formulaic plot and makes it incredible by adding extremely likeable characters, great acting, vulgar children, and an R-rating. The lead male actors, Seann William Scott and Paul Rudd, are spectacular, but some of the funniest moments lend themselves to Jane Lynch (Best in Show, The 40-Year-Old Virgin), the recovering-cocaine-addict-turned-children's-volunteer. This is a must see by anyone's standards.
Spoilers: Whispering eye.
Rotten Tomatoes Rating:75%
Unemotional. Action. Holes. (UAH)
Final Verdict: For some reason, other than in the comics, nobody can seem to nail down the Hulk's alter ego, Bruce Banner, correctly; not Bill Bixby in the original Hulk series, nor Eric Bana or Edward Norton from the more recent Hulk films. They're always missing one key element: a cowardly, passive-aggressive, tortured persona. There's just too much "confidence" in all of these interpretations to make the character interesting or believeable. In any case, the action is enough to make the film enjoyable and some of the computer-generated animations are amazing. It's much better than the Hulk movie from a few years back, but nothing as extrodinary as Iron Man or The Dark Knight.
Spoilers: There is no resolution for the villian of the film... kinda strange and a bit of a letdown.
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 67%
Cool. Rebelious. Symbolic. (CRS)
Final Verdict: This is a classic film about raging against the machine and finding salvation. It's amazing and one of my favorites. Go see it!
Spoilers: Into the abyss // You don't exist // Cannot resist // The Judas kiss
Rotten Tomatoes Rating:100%
