Constantine

Everyone knows that this world is going to hell in a hand basket. John Constantine (Keanu Reeves) is doing everything in his power to stop that from happening. Rejected by heaven and coveted by hell, COnstantine is the only one standing between humanity and certain destruction. When he uncovers a plot to bring the son of Satan to life, he realizes that the mistakes he made in the past can't prepare him for the actions he's about to take.

The concept of this movie was a good one. The execution of said concept was a bad one. There was no solid back-story for the character and left me wondering what the heck his (true) motivation was. The visuals were outstanding, however, and are almost worth the rental. Definitely not one of Keanu's better films.

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Man of The House

Texas ranger Roland Sharp (Tommy Lee Jones) takes on one of the biggest challenges of his career: protecting five cheerleaders from possible repercussions of witnessing a murder. It's stone-face Roland against the peppy, attractive women he must now live with as he tries to crack his case.

This was a cute movie. Great jokes and well-balanced action made it highly enjoyable. Worth the trip to your local Blockbuster!!!

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Ice Princess

Casey Carlyle (Michelle Trachtenberg) has been working towards Harvard for her entire life. When the opportunity to do a research project to gain a Phsyics scholarship arises, Casey is pressed to find a decent topic. During a revelation while watching a figure skating competition, she realizes that physics may play a bigger part in the sport than she originally thought. Through her research, Casey realizes that her dreams might not be what they seem, as she falls in love with figure skating and embarks on a quest to make that dream a reality.

This was a touching, standard Disney affair. Great family flick, especially for mothers and daughters. The girls in the house will enjoy this one!

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Million Dollar Baby

Overall:

Maggie Fitzgerald (Hilary Swank) dreams of becoming a professional boxer. Her tenacity and determination more than make up for her lack of money and her lack of youth, yet Frankie Dunn (Clint Eastwood), one of the great coaches of all time, refuses to give Maggie a chance.

Not to be discouraged, Maggie continues to show up faithfully, day after day, at Frankie's gym until, with the gentle proddings of Eddie "Scrap-Iron" Dupris (Morgan Freeman), Frankie finally gives in and takes Maggie on as his boxer.

Maggie's rise to the top is steady and rewarding until, during one of the biggest matches of her life, a cheep shot from her opponent takes Maggie out of the ring for good.

Likes:

Okay, I normally don't go in for boxing movies, so I was unsure of what I was getting into. The visuals were brutal, yet honest, as CLint Eastwood captured the rough-and-tumble world of professional boxing.

Dislikes:

I can't watch boxing. Makes me nauseous. There were some very graphic bits of people getting the crap knocked out of'em, which made my stomach hurt.

In Closing:

I found this movie to be worthy of each Academy Award that it picked up, and that, my friends, is saying something. If you have the opportunity to see this one, please do.

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Hide and Seek

David Callaway's (Robert De Niro) life is falling apart. After the suicide of his wife, Alison (Amy Irving), the therapist moves himself and his daughter Emily (Dakota Fanning) into Upstate New York, where he hopes to find solace in the isolation offered by their new house.

Things begin to go awry as Emily's new imaginary friend, 'Charlie', starts to disrupt the life of the Callaway family, driving a wedge between father and daughter, and leaving a trail of unexplained, yet highly disturbing incidents and even murder.

This movie is definitely in the top 5 of the flicks coming out in the thriller-suspence genre. De Niro and Fanning play excellently against each other, which lends a credibility to the over-all events of the story. Kept me guessing right up until the end.

Check this out if you're into something creepy, but not overly-gory.

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Flight of the Phoenix (2004)

After an oil-rig is shut down in the Mongolian desert, the crew (Giovanni Ribisi, Miranda Otto, Tony Curran, and several others) along with the pilots (Dennis Quaid, Tyrese) responsible for shipping them out crash land in the middle of nowhere after a sandstorm blocks their way. Tensions run high in the after-math of the crash, with no consensus on what should be done next. With the promptings of an odd drifter who is part of neither group, the stranded lot decide to use the old plane to build a new one.

It becomes a race against nature, humanity and rapidly dwindling supplies as the group must pull together to achieve the impossible: rescuing themselves from a fate totally worse than death.

Having not seen the original, I cannot compare, but I enjoyed the movie very much. Each actor brought what they could to the roles and the dynamic made the movie plausible and touching. This was released to DVD back in March, but with the slim pickings of August coming up, it'll be a good time to revisit missed movies or old favourites.

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The Pacifier

After a botched mission to save a prominant government scientist (Tate Donovan), Shane Wolf (Vin Diesel) is tasked with protecting the man's kids while their mother (Faith Ford) investigates a lead on the whereabouts of a top-secret project that her husband was working on.

All of Shane's training could not have prepared him for life in Suburbia, as he finds out the real meaning of the term "baby-sitting" while trying to cnvince the kids that he's right and they are wrong. In a classic case of one group learning from the other, the kids discover that Shane Wolf could very well be the best thing that has ever happened to them, and Shane discovers that he is cut out to command troops half his size.

This was a typical Disney movie that was quite entertaining. Vin does an outstanding job at balancing the "tough-guy" persona with the comedic and softer elements of his character. Brilliant movie, for what it was worth.

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Cadet Kelly

Kelly Collins' (Hilary Duff) world is about to be flipped upside down and smooshed flat as her divorced mother (Linda Kash) marries Joe Maxwell (Gary Cole), the newly appointed Commandante for the nearby Military School. Not only is Kelly enrolled as a student, she has the awkward position of being the principal's step-daughter.

As Kelly is brought through a rude awakening during her first week by Cadet Captain Jennifer Stone (Christy Carlson Romano), she finds that, although the work is tough going, she can make a difference in the lives of those around her if she keeps her head high and kicks some butt!

This made-for-TV movie is another Disney flick, which was surprisingly fun to watch. Not having had any military experience I couldn't tell y ou how accurate it was, but it was definitely a fun ride. And for once, Hillary Duff didn't sing. Pick this one out for the young teen girls in your household, as well as yourself.

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Coach Carter

Ken Carter (Samuel L. Jackson) has returned to his old high school to coach the basketball team. When he arrives, he is appalled by the fact that no one seems to care much about the players when it comes to anything outside of playing basketball. Taking a stand, Carter decides to show these boys what it means to work hard and how important excelling off-the-court really is. Benching the entire team until they bring up their grades, Carter stands against the teachers and the parents of the players as he struggles to teach these kids that they are worth more than what everyone has been telling them.

This was a touching film, well written and well played. It makes a poignant statement on the obvious Catch-22 that kids in tough neighbourhoods are in, being told that they are only good enough to succeed in sports and are not good enough to reach the academic standards that will keep them off the street and out of jail while, at the same time, they are being told to shape-up or ship-out.

Coach Carter captures the essence of what it is to live and work with these kids and I pray that it will shed light on this too-common affliction.

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Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous

Several months after Gracie Hart (Sandra Bullock) was sent to the Miss America pageant, she finds that her new celebrity status has become a hinderence more than an asset, as she returns to under-cover duty with the FBI. After a botched mission, she is reassigned to become the new "Face of the FBI", hitting the talk-show circuit, and the book-signing circuit.

Things go sour for Gracie, however, when Cheryl Frasier (Heather Burns) and Stan Fields (William Shatner) are kidnapped. Itching to go find her friend and trying to stay within her mandate, Gracie can't help but find the clues needed to close the case and rescue Cheryl and Stan. Can Gracie figure out the case and rescue Cheryl and Stan???

Of course she can.

Okay, so this didn't suck as badly as I was thinking. It was actually pretty good, as far as sequels go. Some good lines and a passable performance by the entire cast.

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Hitch

Meet Alex Hitchens (Will Smith), Date Doctor extraordinaire that guarantees you a lasting relationship after only three dates with the woman of your dreams. He's made an art form out of wooing the opposite sex, and many men have him to thank for their successful love lives.

Things get sticky for Hitch when his current client (Kevin James) has his sights on mega-star Alegra Cole (Amber Valletta), and firey Gossip Columnist Sara (Eva Mendes) gets wind of it. Not only does Hitch fall for Sara, but he also becomes her target as she races to expose him and his client.

A cute movie for a rainy night. It was funny and Will Smith turns out a lovely performance. Some mild language, and definitely some sexual themes, but an overall enjoyable 2-hours.

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Trauma

Ben's (Colin Firth) world has fallen apart. He's just woken from a coma to find that his wife (Naomie Harris) has been killed in the same car crash that sent him to the hospital. Dazed by the news, he wanders in an odd world where nothing is what it seems, as he first meets Charlotte (Mena Suvari), then finds that he may be implicated in the murder of pop-star Lauren Parris (Alison David).

Odd, odd, odd. Colin Firth was great in this movie. He usually does romantic comedies, so it's nice to see him in a different role for once. If you like strange and unusual, you'll enjoy this. It keeps you guessing and the visuals are excellent, if a little graphic. Very creepy.

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Tarzan II

In this Disney Sequel, we follow Tarzan (Harrison Chad) on his quest to find out what he is. In a delightful array of colours and animation, this movie fills in the gap that was covered by a montage of scenes in the first Tarzan movie.

A great family movie for kids of all ages, with new songs and familiar themes from Phil Colins.

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Star Wars: Revenge of The Sith

Overall:

Three years after AotC finds Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi as brother Jedi, fighting along-side each other in battle after battle. After being recalled from the Outer-Rim to save the Chancellor, the two Jedi Knights battle their way to victory once again over the besieged skies of Coruscant.

It's at this time when Chancellor Palpatine (the hugely talented Ian McDiarmid) starts making his boldest moves in pushing Anakin towards the Dark Side. With carefully dropped remarks about a certain Senator (who's pregnant, by the way), the Chancellor assures that he has young Skywalker's full attention as he reveals that he knows more about the Jedi and the Sith than he's been letting on.

Meanwhile, Obi-Wan is sent after the Separatist Army's General Grevious (Matthew Wood) in an attempt to cut off the remaining leadership so that the war can finally be brought to an end. It is while Kenobi is away from his former protégé that Anakin falls and the Jedi are wiped from the face of the Republic.

In a climactic battle to the death, Obi-Wan confronts his former friend and sets into motion the circumstances that will bring forth, from out of the ashes of Anakin Skywalker, the dreaded Sith Lord, Darth Vader.

Likes:

Wow. Just, wow. Nice job of tying off loose ends, even if it felt a little forced in some circumstances. Was greatly relieved to see that the "love" scenes between Anakin and Padme were short and far and few in between.

Some great, heart-wrenching moments in there as well, so if you're the crying-type, bring kleenex.

A couple of nods to original trilogy ship designs as well as a cameo by the Millennium Falcon (blink and you'll miss it!). You can't go wrong with Blatant Foreshadowing!

Dislikes:

Uh...hrm. Seeing it once won't help me decide what I didn't like. I was just overwhelmed by the Ohmygodloud! And the glowy lightsabres. Can't forget those. Once this hits video, I'll be sure to update this!

In Closing:

If you're a fan who felt that Lucas dropped the ball on the Prequels, then this one makes up for it. It was a good movie, though not spectacular. Warrents at least a visit to the theatre to see it, as the space battles are second to none and the lightsabre duels are just...yeah, go see this.

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Assault on Precinct 13 (1976)

Overall:

It's Ethan Bishop's (Austin Stoker) first night on the job. He's eager to get his feet wet, so it's not wonder that he's dismayed about being assigned to watch over Precinct 13 for the night, as they are in the process of moving to a new location and carries the promise of a boring night.

That promise is broken when an unknown man stumbles through the doors of lonely Precinct 13, claiming that he's being followed. In the ensuing investigation, Bishop finds out that the local gangs have declared war on the cops, just to get een with the unknown man for killing one of thier own.

To compound the problem, three inmates being transported to Death Row have been deposited at Precinct 13, due to the fact that one is seriously ill. When the guards and the ill inmate are killed in the ensuing fire-fight with the gangs, Bishop is saddled with two dangerous men, as well as an army of ruthless killers on the outside.

What evolves is a night of endless and pointless violence, with no hope of rescue until circumstances take an unexpected turn.

Likes:

While a little disjointed, and a little unclear as to what the gangs were up to in the set up of the ultimate seige, this movie was a good action film with good tension. The music was interestingly composed and added a sinister feel that only John Carpenter can create.

Dislikes:

It would have been nice to have a bit more clarity on the movements of the gang leaders in the first half of the movie. I know it was supposed to come off as senseless violence, which it did, but it seemed as if it was a bit much.

Then again, that's what happens when one takes the minimalist approach and doesn't write a lot of dialogue for the movie.

In Closing:

Not being up on John Carpenter's work, I had no idea what to expect. This is one of his  first movies and let me tell you that it was weird. It's definitely a change of pace from modern action films, and the low -budget quality of the project gives it a unique character that puts it into a realm of its own.

If you want a change from the same 'ole- same 'ole, pick up this original instead of it's remake.

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Are We There Yet? (released May 24)

Nick Persons (Ice Cube) is a player that hates kids, especially when those kids come attached to his flavour of the week. When Nick sees Suzanne (Nia Long), he's definitely in love, but then he gets a look at her kids, Kevin (Philip Bolden) and Lindsey (Aleisha Allen). This Romeo quickly finds himself as Suzanne's best friend, but he wants more.

The only thing that stands between Nick and Suzanne are Kevin and Lindsey, and as "Uncle Nick" agrees to drive the kids to Vancouver, Kevin and Lindsey discover that they have finally met their match.

This movie had so much potential! It really did. Ice Cube and the kids were great. They had a beautiful dynamic together. I couldn't stand Nia Long, though. Seriously, I despise the way she does that simpering goody-goody role. It makes me want to do Not Nice Things. And, unfortunately, all the best parts of the movie were in the trailer and the rest of it wasn't that great. A good time-waster if you're waiting on a more popular release, otherwise, don't bother.

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Get a Clue (released May 31)

This made-for-TV effort finds student Advice-Columnest Lexy Gold (Lindsay Lohan) on the juicy end of a strange case. When one of her teachers goes missing and is presumed dead, it's up to Lexy and her friends to get to the bottom of things and crack the mystery.

This is one of those Disney deals where, if you aren't between the ages of 9 and 15, don't bother. And, to her detriment, Lindsey Lohan comes across as needing acting lessons big time. I just hope her performance is solid in her upcoming movie "Herbie: Fully Loaded".

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De-Lovely (released 2004 )

This fantabulous musical follows the life of Cole Porter (Kevin Kline), one of the greatest composers of the past. In this retrospective, Cole gets a chance to review his life before he passes on with the help of an Angel and all the familiar faces of the past. Examining his romance with wife Linda  (Ashley Judd) and his stunning career, De-Lovely is a journey laced with some of Porter's best songs.

Kevin Kline is superb in this movie and a nice performance is turned out by Ashley Judd. It was a little lengthy and it felt like it, which was bad, but it didn't detract too much from the movie as a whole. If you enjoy artsy movies with a little song and dance thrown in, then pick this one up while everyone else fights over those new releases

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White Noise

After losing his beloved wife Anna (Chandra West), Jonathan Rivers (Michael Keaton) gets an unexpected visit from a man (Ian McNeice) who claims that Anna has been contacting him from beyond the grave. What begins as strange coincedence becomes obsession, as Jonathan submerged himself in the world of EVP.

Unwittingly, his meddling invokes the wrath of otherwordly beings, and Jonathan must now fight to save not only himself, but those that he has been trying to protect through this strange phenomena of EVP.

This was a trippy movie. It had an amazing amibiance, great musical score and fantastic cast that produced a great movie over-all. I was impressed by the fact that the entire set-up of the main plot took less than 18 minutes, tops!

Definitely pick this one up as soon as you get a chance!

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Kinsey

Alfred Kinsey (Liam Neeson) finds himself in the spotlight as he takes on one of the greatest taboos in the name of science: the sexual behaviour of men and women. In a time when morality and chastity are publicly touted in sex-ed classes around America, Kinsey breaks down the barriers and truly begins answering some of life's wildest questions about what goes on behind closed doors.

Make note that this film has pulled out all the stops and doesn't even pretend to be polite in the language and imagry it uses. Oh! And nudity! Of the full-frontal variety. Be warned!

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Team America, as far as I'm concerned, does not merit a review. I only post this note to warn the parents out there that this movie is NOT intended for children.

It is rude, vulgar, incredibly explicit and just wrong on so many levels. Please note that Blockbuster has labeled this as a Youth Restricted Video and that no one under the age of 18 will be allowed to rent this.

And from what I was told by my manager, the only reason why it didn't earn the MPAA Rating of NC-17 is because the cast is not comprised of real people. If that doesn't tell you what kind of movie this is, then I don't know what will.