On Second Look: Saw

On Second Look:

First Impression:
When I first watched Saw, I was drawn in by the mystery of it all and the slow reveal of it. I also relished the twisty ending. However, even on first viewing, I remember starting to lose interest at points due to the overly long flashbacks. I also remember finding Danny Glover and Cary Elwes performances as odd feeling, especially Danny Glover playing an obsessed cop.

Now:
The B-movish feel, even as compared to later sequels, is glaring. The chase sequence that includes dueling car interiors is just silly. The performace of one of the main characters (who was also the screenwriter) is noticibly weak. The meandering flashbacks still seem so and the twistiness is not quite as impressive as it was. Not that it affected my enjoyment of the film, but the bathroom where the central drama takes place is much smaller than I remembered. Still, on the whole, the film holds up.

One stark contrast to the later films is the lack of a focus on horror or gore. It is a thriller about the hunt of a serial killer told in parallel with the perilous state of his latest victims. There are a few scares and a little gore but not enough to hang its hat on, as it were.

All in all, it holds up a bit better than I expected dispite iffy acting and directing.

Grade: B

Looking back at the Saw Franchise

Having just seen Saw VI, it got me to thinking about the franchise as a whole in terms of the shifting nature of the films and their relative quality. In the next week or two, I'm going to watch the first five again and start a new segment called "On Second Look".

Movie Breakdown: Deja Vu

Plot Architype: A Mystery Type [Come Back To]

Page 1: Terrorist Attack

Act I: Doug Carlin begins his investigation of the attack. He begins to make headway, and impress people.

Inciting Incident: Doug becomes invested in female victim, Claire, professionally and personaly. AND Doug finds out his partner was killed in the attack.

End of Act I: Doug accept offer to help with "special" team despite his reservations because of his partner and the female victim, Claire.

Act II, Part 1: Doug works with secret team to begin to investigate attack with their special technology, focusing on the female victim's life. Doug becomes more invested in Claire.

Mid-Point: Doug convinces team to send note back in time. BUT Doug's partner, Larry, finds it instead of him.

Act II, Part 2: Doug and team catch up with the terrorist using their technology and follow him.

Protagonist's lowest Moment: Larry is murdered by the terrorist.

End of Act II: Doug tries to find peace with Claire's death but cannot. He can't let go. So... Doug is sent back in time.

Act III: Doug, in the past, sacrifices himself to stop the bombing, saving Claire and the 500 people.

End: Doug from that timeline meets Claire.

GREAT SCENE: Mid-Point Scene in which the technology is explained to Doug and he convinces team to send the note back.

ODD SCENE: Doug's scene in Act II, Part 2 when he is deposing the terrorist. Dialogue kinda goes all over the place to get to the end that the writer wanted.

ODD SCENE: Claire's funeral at the begining of Act II, Part 1. Is it needed? What's up with the Limo Drivers?

TIMING ANALYSIS: Act III is a bit long 40+ minutes. Otherwise, the movie is timed well.

Movie Review: W. (2008)

I was entertained watching this movie because of the deftness with which the Bush Administration was portrayed (the acting and the dialogue). There are some well done scenes. However, as a cohesive 2 hour narrative, W. fails.

The movie is an exercise in character study of a sort. It intermixes a narrative of the run-up, execution, and immediate fallout of the Iraq War II with a fast-forward narrative of the youth of George W. Bush. These things are interesting to watch in the abstract, but there is no narrative arch taking you through it all.

The life of George W. Bush is a great (i.e. intriguing) story. But the plot of W. makes poor use of it. It stands only an solid exercise in the staging of history.

Grade: C

Movie Ratings: 2009

ALL MOVIES
The Hangover (2009): A
The Hurt Locker (2009): A
Sherlock Holmes (2009): A
Up In The Air (2009): A-
State of Play (2009): B+
District 9 (2009): B
Avatar(2009): B
The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 (2009): B
Notorious (2009): B
A Perfect Getaway (2009): B
Star Trek (2009): B
Moon (2009): B
Fast & Furious (2009): B
The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard (2009): B
Zombieland (2009): B
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince(2009): B
Inglorious Bastards (2009): B
Saw VI (2009): B
A Serious Man (2009): B-
X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009): B-
The Informant! (2009): B-
Couples Retreat (2009): B-
Public Enemies (2009): B-
Terminator Salvation (2009): B-
Taken (2009): B-
Surrogates (2009): B-
G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009): B-
Paul Blart: Mall Cop (2009): B-
Underworld: Rise of the Lycans (2009): B-
I Love You, Man (2009): B-
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009): C+
2012 (2009): C+
The International (2009): C+
He's Just Not That Into You (2009): C+
Extract (2009): C+
Watchmen (2009): C+
Push(2009): C+
Armored (2009): C+
Away We Go (2009):
The Invention of Lying (2009): C
Knowing (2009): C
Funny People (2009): C
Friday the 13th (2009): C
Dance Flick (2009): C-
Law Abiding Citizen (2009): D
Whiteout (2009): D
Observe and Report(2009): D
Bruno(2009): F (Didn't Finish)
TBD(2009): TBD


MOVIES TO SEE
-Up(Pixar Flick)
-The Messenger(Oscar Flick)
-Night At The Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian
-Angels and Demons
-Drag Me To Hell
-The Uninvited
-Monsters Vs. Aliens
-Crank High Voltage
-Gamer(Cheesy Looking)
-TBD

MOVIES OF GENERAL INTEREST
-Invictus(Oscar Flick)
-Crazy Heart(Oscar Flick)
-The Blind Side
-The Lovely Bones
-Sorority Row
-9
-Pandorum
-Whip It
-The Final Destination
-Halloween II
-Bride Wars
-The Unborn
-My Bloody Valentine 3-D
-I Love You Beth Cooper
-Year One
-Adventureland
-Coraline
-Tyler Perry's Madea Goes To Jail
-12 Rounds
-Ghosts of Girlfriends Past
-TBD

Stand-Up Comedy Specials 2000-2009

STAND-UP SPECIALS RATINGS
Dave Chappelle: Killin' Them Softly (2000): A
Dave Chappelle: For What It's Worth(2004): A-
Steve Harvey: Still Trippin'(2008): B+
Ricky Gervais: Out of England(2008): Liked (B/B-)

Kathy Griffin: Everybody Can Suck It (2007): B-/C+ Kathy Griffin: ...Is Not Nicole Kidman (2005): C

Movie One-Liners: 2008

New for 2008 are my movie one-liners. They are just a brief bottom line comment on the nature and quality of the films.

Doomsday - 10/20/08 - A Post-Apocalyptic B-Movie with good action sequences and a decent story. It's filled with cliche like the Escape for New York plot and Road Warrior action, but it's all pretty enjoyable. The first half of the movie felt unique; the second half felt all too familiar. The flick was also kinda corny and very gory. You can tell the writer/director had a lot of fun making it: B-

Death Race - 10/20/08 - This movie is exactly what you would expect if you see the commercial. It meets those expectations but doesn't surpass them. It's proud to be a B-Movie. And the ending is a bit under-whelming. The best parts of the movie are the racing scenes. They make it worth seeing.: B-

Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanemo Bay - 11/03/08 - About the same caliber a movie as the first Harold and Kumar, though I think the story is actually a bit better. However, this movie was probably not as funny as the first film and the last third of this movie drags a little. FYI, this is a movie made for teenagers and it includes nudity for humor (and just for nudity's sake) and generally sophemoric behavior, language and humor: B

Saw V - 11/06/08 - This is the first Saw movie that, for fans of the series, I would not recommend they see in the theater (they'll feel jipped). What always attracted me to Saw was the twisted plots (and the Saw premise itself). This plot was complex, but that complexity weakened it instead of strengthening it. It barely held my interest. The end twist is particulary poor. There isn't much gore, which I was fine with, but may disappoint others.: C+

EW Recommendations

EW.com had a list of great movie endings. A few of those movies I have listed below.
I haven't seen these and now I want to.

-The Killing (1956)
-Pride and Prejudice (2005)
-North by Northwest (1959)
-Manhattan (1979)
-Boogie Night (1997)
-The Third Man (1949)
-Valley Girl (1983)

Movie Ratings: 2008

ALL MOVIES
The Dark Knight (2008): A
Wall-E (2008): A
The Wrestler (2008): B+
Traitor (2008): B
Quantum of Solace (2008): B
Body of Lies (2008): B
Iron Man (2008): B
Get Smart (2008): B
Frost/Nixon (2008): B
Step Brothers (2008): B
Street Kings (2008): B
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008): B
Eagle Eye (2008): B
Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay (2008): B
Tropic Thunder (2008): B
Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008): B
Four Christmases (2008): B-
Incredible Hulk, The (2008): B-
Death Race (2008): B-
Baby Mama (2008): B-
Doomsday (2008): B-
Kung-Fu Panda (2008): B-
21 (2008): B-
Vantage Point (2008): B-
Dan, In Real Life (2008): B-
Sex In The City The Movie (2008): B-
Jumper (2008): B-
Rambo (2008): B-
Wanted (2008): B-
Yes Man (2008): C+ [from memory]
Punisher: War Zone (2008): C+
Be Kind, Rewind (2008): C+
Semi-Pro (2008): C+
88 Minutes (2008): C+
Righteous Kill (2008): C+
Drillbit Taylor (2008): C+
The Happening (2008): C+
Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist (2008): C+
First Sunday (2008): C+
Cloverfield (2008): C+
Superhero Movie (2008): C+
Saw V (2008): C+
The X-Files: I Want to Believe (2008): C+
Valkyrie (2008): C+[from memory]
Untraceable (2008): C
W. (2008): C
Pineapple Express (2008): C
Strange Wilderness (2008): C
Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008): C
Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008): C
You Don't Mess With the Zohan (2008): C-
Fanboys (2008): D
The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008): D
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008): D
Hancock (2008): D
Meet The Spartans (2008): D
The Spirit (2008): D
Prom Night (2008): F


MOVIES TO SEE IN THEATER
-Burn After Reading
-Appaloosa
-The Tale of Despereaux
-Bolt
-The Bank Job
-Milk
-Ghost Town
-RocknRolla

MOVIES TO SEE ON DVD
-Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears A Who
-The Love Guru
-The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor
-The Rocker
-Mirrors
-Speed Racer
-The Forbidden Kingdom
-Quarantine
-City of Ember
-Miracle at St. Anna
-Blindness
-Marley & Me
-Twilight
-Doubt
-27 Dresses
-What Happens In Vegas
-The Strangers
-Run Fat Boy Run
-Stop/Loss
-Lakeview Terrace
-Gran Torino
-Cadillac Records
-Max Payne
-

Documentary Reviews: 2000-2009

BEST OVERALL DOCUMENTARY


BEST POLITICAL DOCUMENTARY


BEST SOCIAL SCIENCE DOCUMENTARY


BEST SPORTS DOCUMENTARY


BEST TRUE CRIME DOCUMENTARY
Capturing The Friedmans

BEST MUSIC-RELATED DOCUMENTARY


BEST BIOGRAPHY


DOCUMENTARY LIST:
Street Fight (2005): A
Who Killed the Electric Car? (2006): A
Spellbound (2002): A
Word Wars (2004): A
Bigger Stronger Faster (2007): A [Human Interest / Current Events]
Maxed Out (2006): A-
The Future of Food (2004): A- [Current Issues]
Biggie & Tupac (2002): A-
Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004): A-
No End In Sight (2007): A- [Recent History Retelling]
Who Killed The Electric Car? (2006): A-
e-Dreams (2002): A-
Capturing The Friedmans (2003): A-?
Beef (2003): A-?
An Inconvinient Truth (2005): A- [Speaker(s)]
Welcome to Deathrow (2001): B+
Super Size Me (2004): B+
Backstage (2000): B
Bowling for Columbine (2002): B
March of the Penguins (2005): B [Science]
The Heart of The Game (2005): B
Life and Debt (2001): B [History]
Outfoxed: Murdoch's War on Journalism (2004): B
This Film Is Not Yet Rated (2006): B [Investigative Journalism]
So Goes The Nation (2006): B [Story of 2004 Election from Ohio POV - A Retelling]
Can Mr. Smith Get To Washington Anymore? (2006): B
Everything's Cool (2007): B [Current Issues]
Confessions of a Superhero (2007): B [Human Interest]
Control Room (2004): B [Recent History Retelling]
ENRON: The Smartest Guys In The Room (2005): B?
Hacking Democracy (2006): B?
In Debt We Trust (2006): B-
Beef 2 (2004): B-
McLibel (2005): C+ [Legal Retelling]
The Business of Being Born (2007): C+ [Lopsided conversation about how one chooses to give birth - Also, has story aspects]
The Future We Will Create (2007): C+ [Speaker(s)]
The Corporation (2004): C
The Hunting of the President (2004): C?
Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson (2008?): TBD [Biography]


OLDER DOCUMENTARIES:
Hoop Dreams (1994): A-
Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky (1993): B?
Roger and Me (1989): B-?
The Show (1995): B
When We Were Kings (1996): B?

DOCUMENTARIES TO SEE:

The Invisible (2007)

"Ghost With Troubled Teens"

PRO: ACT;
CON: PLOT;
The movie does a great job in the first Act 1 setting up the characters; infusing them with personality and giving us sympathy for them. Some of it is a bit heavy-handed, but it works, and efficiently.

One lesson a screenwriter could learn from a movie like this is that a writer must be conscious of what previews and promotions are likely to tell the viewer before they watch the movie. A bit of the second act is spent watching the protagonist catch up with what the viewer was almost explicitly told in previews. This actually didn't take up a lot of time, but it felt like a long time.

Another lesson is that a movie can be ruined by faulty, dishonest promotion. I see this all of the time and 'The Invisible' is another victim. It is sold as a Stir of Echoes / Sixth Sense type of super-natural thriller but has more in common with 'Ghost'. I came in expecting a thriller, but there are few thrills and the plot itself is a bit shaky.

As a drama, I found the character development in Acts 2 and 3 not entirely convincing. The characters have clear cut start and end points, but their journeys have something to be desired.

This movie kinda works as an super-natural drama, but I'd rent Ghost instead: C

Bonus Note: I watched the deleted scenes and they left out an important dinner sequence with his Mother. It isn't very long and explains an important decision later in Act 1. Some of the stuff did need to go, but the last deleted scene should have stayed in. It has dramatic impact.

Heart of the Game (2005)

PRO: N/A
CON: N/A
A solid documentary about a Women's High School Basketball team under the direction of an excentric new Head Coach. The documentary's biggest weakness is the lack of character exploration of the individual characters. In fact the DVD shows some of that very detail that was cut out. The documentary can't seem to decide if it is about the one Black player on an otherwise White team or about all of the players. Ultimately, it chooses a middle ground, giving more focus to the Black player than any other but otherwise giving some "shine" to everybody involved, including a rival's coach. Balancing the different focus points is difficult but the movie is mostly successful.: B

Fantastic Four (2005)

PRO: SFX;
CON: DIA; PLOT
I came into this movie expecting the worst, but what I got was a solid superhero movie that just wasn't ambitious enough. Looking at the previews, I though the casting was horrible. However, their choice of the guy from Nip/Tuck as Doctor Doom worked better than I expected and Johnny Storm was cast very well. The major problem with the movie is that it just wasn't tryin to do very much. It is an origin movie and that's it. I will say I am looking forward to the sequel. If you are a fan of comic books and you don't mind a very simple plot, I recommend this movie. It is an enjoyable experience.: C+

The Break-Up (2006)

Starring Vince Vaughn and Jennifer Aniston
Pros: N/A
Cons: END; NFUN;
Review: When I saw the previews, I expected a romantic comedy. I love to laugh, and I enjoy all types of comedies. I did not expect what I got, a romantic movie that couldn't decide through much of it whether it wanted to be funny or taken seriously. I guess it wanted to be both, but that is a tall task, rarely executed well. As for this film, it just isn't very funny. The serious relationship stuff is average, but not done well enough to be notable. Also, the ending isn't very good: C+

Movie Reviews: 2007

BEST MOVIE
300

BEST DRAMA
Michael Clayton

BEST ACTION / ADVENTURE
300

BEST COMEDY
Knocked Up

BEST THRILLER
The Lookout

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT
Spider-Man 3

WORST MOVIE
Next

SPECIAL AWARD FOR UNIQUE FILMAKING
300

SPECIAL AWARD FOR UNIQUE FILMAKING (1st Runner-Up)
Grindhouse: Deathproof

ALL MOVIES

300 (2007): A-
Knocked Up (2007): B+
The Bourne Ultimatum (2007): B+
The Lookout (2007): B+
Gone Baby Gone (2007): B+
Live Free or Die Hard (2007): B
Disturbia (2007): B
Perfect Strangers (2007): B
Saw IV (2007): B
I Am Legend (2007): B
Shrek 3 (2007): B
Pirates of the Carribean: At World's End (2007): B
3:10 to Yuma (2007): B
Michael Clayton (2007): B
In The Name of Elah (2007): B
Rendition (2007): B
Transformers (2007): B
The Kingdom (2007): B
Smokin' Aces (2007): B
Juno (2007): B
National Treasure: Book of Secrets (2007): B
I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry (2007): B
30 Days of Night (2007): B
Superbad (2007): B
Blades of Glory (2007): B
A Mighty Heart (2007): B
88 Minutes (2007): B-
AVP: Requiem (2007): B-
Lions for Lambs (2007): B-
Good Luck Chuck (2007): B-
Shooter (2007): B-
The Simpsons Movie (2007): B-
Rattatouie (2007): B-
Eastern Promises (2007): B-
Grindhouse: Deathproof (2007): B-
Grindhouse: Planet Terror (2007): B-
Norbit (2007): B-
Fracture (2007): B-
The Reaping (2007): B-
Zodiac (2007): B-
The Vacancy (2007):B-
American Gangster(2007): B-
Breach (2007): B-
No Country For Old Men (2007): B-
1408 (2007): B-
There Will Be Blood (2007): B-
Ocean's 13 (2007): C+
Hot Fuzz (2007): C+
Resident Evil: Extinction (2007): C+
Mr. Brooks (2007): C+
Balls of Fury (2007): C+
The Brave One (2007): C+
Spider-Man 3 (2007): C
The Brothers Solomon (2007): C
Evan Almighty (2007): C
Shoot 'Em Up (2007): C
Sunshine (2007): C
The Invisible (2007): C
Hot Rod (2007): C-
Rush Hour 3 (2007): C-
Premonition (2007): D
Next (2007): F


MOVIES TO SEE
-We Own The Night
-Flawless
-Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007) - (Missed it in Theaters)
-Charlie Wilson's War (2007) - (DVD)
-Beowolf (2007) - (on DVD)
-Bee Movie (2007) - (on DVD)
-Halloween 2007 Remake (2007) - (on DVD)
-Mr Bean's Holiday (2007) - (on DVD)
-Rescue Dawn (2007) - (on DVD)
-28 Weeks Later (2007) - (on DVD)
-Are We Done Yet (2007) - (on DVD)
-Bug (2007) - (on DVD)
-The Ex (2007) - (on DVD)
-Meet the Robinsons (2007) - (on DVD)
-TMNT (2007) - (on DVD)
-Surf's Up (2007) - (on DVD)
-Reno 911!: Miami (2007) - (on DVD)
-Stomp The Yard (2007) - (on DVD)
-The Ex (2007) - (on DVD)
-I Think I Love My Wife (2007) - (on DVD)
-War (2007) - (on Cable)
-Dead Silence (2007) - (on Cable)
-Stardust (2007) - (on Cable)
-Lucky You (2007) - (on Cable)
-Wild Hogs (2007) - (on Cable)
-The Condemned (2007) - (on Cable)

Movie Reviews: 2006

BEST MOVIE
Dreamgirls

BEST DRAMA
The Departed

BEST ACTION / ADVENTURE
Casino Royale

BEST COMEDY
Scary Movie 4

BEST THRILLER
V for Vendetta

WORST MOVIE
Snakes On A Plane



ALL MOVIES

Dreamgirls (2006): A
The Departed (2006): A-
Casino Royale (2006): B+
V for Vendetta (2006): B+
The Prestige (2006): B+
Blood Diamond (2006): B+
Catch A Fire (2006): B+
Little Miss Sunshine (2006): B+
Glory Road (2006): B+
United 93 (2006): B
Deja Vu (2006): B
Children of Men (2006): B
Stranger than Fiction (2006): B
Smokin' Aces (2006): B-
Saw III (2006): B-
Underworld: Evolution (2006): B-
The Da Vinci Code (2006): B-
Mission: Impossible III (2006): B-
Cars (2006): B-
Borat (2006): B-
Dave Chappelle's Block Party (2006): B-
Inside Man (2006): B-
Miami Vice (2006): B-
Rocky Balboa (2006): B-
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006): B-
Scary Movie 4 (2006): B-
X-Men 3: The Last Stand (2006): C+
Failure to Launch (2006): ~C+
16 Blocks (2006): C+
The Break-Up (2006): C+
A Scanner Darkly (2006): C+
Silent Hill (2006): C
Superman Returns (2006): C-
The Ice Harvest (2006): D
Grandma's Boy (2006): F
Snakes On A Plane (2006): F



MOVIES TO SEE
-The Illusionist (2006) - (Missed in Theater)
-The Fountain (2006) - (on DVD)
-Fast Food Nation (2006) - (on DVD)
-Renaissance (2006) - (on DVD)
-Apocalypto (2006) - (on DVD)
-We Are Marshall (2006) - (on DVD)
-Akeelah and the Bee (2006) - (on DVD)
-The Queen (2006) - (on DVD)
-Eight Below (2006) - (on Cable)
-The Fast and The Furious Tokyo Drift (2006) - (on Cable)
-Alpha Dog
-Running Scared (2006)
-Letters from Iwo Jima (2006)
-Flags of Our Fathers (2006)
-Happy Feet (2006)
-The Last King of Scotland (2006)
-Invincible (2006)
-Gridiron Gang (2006)
-Ice Age 2: The Meltdown (2006)
-Final Destination 3 (2006)
-ATL (2006)
-Let's Go to Prison (2006)
-Dealing Dogs (2006)
-Civic Duty (2006)
-Rescue Dawn

Movie Reviews: 2005

BEST MOVIE
The 40-Year-Old Virgin

BEST DRAMA
Hotel Rwanda

BEST ACTION / ADVENTURE
Star Wars: Episode III

BEST COMEDY
The 40-Year-Old Virgin

BEST THRILLER
Saw 2

WORST MOVIE
XXX: State of the Union

ALL MOVIES
The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005): A
Hotel Rwanda (2005): A-
Walk the Line (2005): A-
Star Wars: Episode III (2005): B+
Saw 2 (2005): B+
Serenity (2005): B+
Sin City (2005): ~B+
Flightplan (2005): B
Wedding Crashers (2005): B
Hustle & Flow (2005): B
Kingdom of Heaven (2005): B
Batman Begins (2005): B
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005): ~B
The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005): B
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005): B
Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room (2005): B
Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price (2005): B
Heart of the Game (2005): B
Coach Carter (2005): ~B
The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe (2005): B
The Longest Yard (2005): B
Lord of War (2005): B
War of the Worlds (2005): B-
Syriana (2005): B-
Stealth (2005): B-
The Ring Two (2005): B-
Hostage (2005): B-
Dark Water (2005): B-
Assault on Precinct 13 (2005): B-
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005): B-
Good Night, and Good Luck (2005): B-
The Island (2005): B-
King Kong (2005): B-
Harsh Realm (2005): B-
Two for the Money (2005): B-
Munich (2005): B-
Fantastic Four (2005): C+
Rebound (2005): C+
Red Eye (2005): C+
Mr. and Mrs. Smith (2005): C+
Idiocracy (2005): C+
Hitch (2005): C+
Freedomland (2005): ~C+
The Constant Gardener (2005): C+
Bad News Bears (2005): ~C+
Constantine (2005): C+
Four Brothers (2005): C+
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005): ~C+
Fun with Dick and Jane (2005): C
Sahara (2005): C
XXX: State of the Union (2005): D

MOVIES TO SEE

-Domino (2005)
-North Country (2005)
-Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous (2005)
-Grizzly Man (2005)
-A History of Violence (2005)
-The Ice Harvest (2005)
-Into the Blue (2005)
-The Dukes of Hazzard (2005)
-Waiting... (2005)
-Broken Flowers (2005)
-The Legend of Zorro (2005)
-The Cave (2005)
-The Transporter 2 (2005)
-Hide and Seek (2005)
-Corpse Bride (2005)
-Thank You for Smoking (2005)
-Wallace & Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005)
-Rent (2005)
-Murderball (2005)
-Beef 3 (2005)
-Murder on a Sunday Morning (2005)
-The Jacket (2005)
-Get Rich or Die Tryin' (2005)
-Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo (2005)
-Bewitched (2005)
-House of Wax (2005)
-Robots (2005)
-Self-Destruction of the Ultimate Warrior (2005)
-Kim Possible Movie: So the Drama (2005)
-Hard Candy (2005)
-Unleashed (2005)
-Are We There Yet (2005)
-Derailed (2005)

Movie Reviews: 2004

BEST MOVIE
The Incredibles

BEST DRAMA
Million Dollar Baby

BEST ACTION / ADVENTURE
Spider-Man 2

BEST COMEDY
Meet the Fockers

BEST THRILLER
The Butterfly Effect: Director's Cut

WORST MOVIE
The Chronicles of Riddick

ALL MOVIES
The Incredibles (2004): A
Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004): A-
Shrek 2 (2004): A-
Million Dollar Baby (2004): A-
Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004): B+
Spider-Man 2 (2004): B+
The Bourne Supremacy (2004): B+
Super Size Me (2004): B+
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004): B+
Troy (2004): B+
Meet the Fockers (2004): B
Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle (2004): B
Shaun of the Dead (2004): B
Saw (2004): B
The Butterfly Effect: Director's Cut (2004): B
Dawn of the Dead (2004): B
Shark Tale (2004): B
Collateral (2004): B
I, Robot (2004): B
The Aviator (2004): ~B
Maria Full of Grace (2004): B
The Day After Tomorrow (2004): B
National Treasure (2004): B-
Walking Tall (2004): B-
The Village (2004): B-
The Terminal (2004): B-
Mean Girls (2004): B-
Eurotrip (2004): B-
Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (2004): B-
Soul Plane (2004): B-
King Arthur (2004): B-
Cellular (2004): B-
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004): B-
Ocean's Twelve (2004): B-
Saw (2004): B-
Hellboy (2004): B-
Alien vs. Predator (2004): B-
Sideways (2004): B-
Starsky & Hutch (2004): B-
House of Flying Daggers (2004): C+
Team America: World Police (2004): C+
The Perfect Score (2004): C+
Mr. 3000 (2004): C+
White Chicks (2004): C+
The Manchurian Candidate (2004): C+
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004): C+
Finding Neverland (2004): ~C+
Man on Fire (2004): ~C+
Taking Lives (2004): C
Taxi (2004): C
Suspect Zero (2004): C
Blade: Trinity (2004): C-
Resident Evil: Apocalypse (2004): C-
The Chronicles of Riddick (2004): D
Friday Night Lights (2004): N/A (Definitely Good)
Twisted (2004): N/A
The Forgotten (2004): N/A
Breakin' All the Rules (2004): N/A
Against the Ropes (2004): N/A

MOVIES TO SEE

-Crash (2004)
-Never Die Alone (2004)
-Garden State (2004)
-Jay-Z: Fade to Black (2004)
-The Passion of the Christ (2004)
-The Punisher (2004)
-The Machinist (2004)
-Napoleon Dynamite (2004)
-Wicker Park (2004)
-The Cookout (2004)
-Saved! (2004)
-Spanglish (2004)
-The Assassination of Richard Nixon (2004)
-Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle (2004)
-Along Came Polly (2004)
-Slasher (2004)
-Word Wars (2004)
-She Hate Me (2004)
-Metallica: Some Kind of Monster (2004)
-Secret Window (2004)
-Barbershop 2: Back in Business (2004)
-Welcome to Mooseport (2004)
-13 Going on 30 (2004)
-National Treasure (2004)
-Farmingville: POV (2004)
-Chisholm '72: Unbought and Unbossed (2004)
-Michael Moore Hates America (2004)
-Melinda and Melinda (2004)
-Bill's Run: POV (2004)
-Inside the U.S. Secret Service (2004)
-The Year of the Yao (2004)
-Tupac Vs. (2004)
-Trekkies 2 (2004)
-F.E.D.S. (2004)
-Howard Zinn: You Can't Be Neutral (2004)
-March of the Penguins (2004)
-Two Brothers [Tiger Cubs] (2004)
-Baadaassss (2004)

Movie Reviews: 2003

BEST MOVIE
Lord of the Rings: Return of the King

BEST DRAMA
The Last Samurai

BEST ACTION / ADVENTURE
Lord of the Rings: Return of the King

BEST COMEDY
Bruce Almighty

BEST THRILLER
Out of Time

WORST MOVIE
Daredevil



ALL MOVIES
Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003): A- (9/10)
Underworld (2003): B+ (8/10)
Capturing the Friedmans (2003): B+ (8/10)
Out of Time (2003): B+ (8/10)
Gothika (2003): B+ (8/10)
X2: X-Men United (2003): B+ (8/10)
2 Fast 2 Furious (2003): B (7/10)
The Matrix: Reloaded (2003): B (7/10)
Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003): B (7/10)
Bruce Almighty (2003): B (7/10)
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003): B (7/10)
Pirates of the Caribbean: Black Pearl (2003): B (7/10)
The Last Samurai (2003): B (7/10)
Identity (2003): B (7/10)
Shattered Glass (2003): B (7/10)
The Life of David Gale (2003): B (7/10)
The Italian Job (2003): B (7/10)
Master and Commander (2003): B (7/10)
Timeline (2003): B-/C+ (6/10)
Stuck on You (2003): B-
S.W.A.T. (2003): B-/C+ (6/10)
Shanghai Knights (2003): B-/C+ (6/10)
The Cooler (2003): B-
Scary Movie 3 (2003): B-
Lara Croft: The Cradle of Life (2003): B-
Pieces of April (2003): B-
Beef (2003): B-
Mona Lisa Smile (2003): B-
Final Destination 2 (2003): B-
The Core (2003): B-
Cabin Fever (2003): ~B-
The Recruit (2003): B-
Bad Boys II (2003): B-/C+ (6/10)
American Wedding (2003): B-/C+ (6/10)
Paycheck (2003): B-/C+ (6/10)
Old School (2003): B-
Runaway Jury (2003): B-
Matchstick Men (2003): B-
The Matrix: Revolutions (2003): B-
Elephant (2003): C+
Tears of the Sun (2003): C+
Once Upon a Time in Mexico (2003): C+
The Rundown (2003): C+
Basic (2003): ~C
Elf (2003): C
Cradle 2 the Grave (2003): ~C
National Security (2003): ~C
A Man Apart (2003): ~C-
Malibu's Most Wanted (2003): C
Anger Management (2003): ~C
Lost in Translation (2003): C
The Hunted (2003): ~C
Mystic River (2003): C
Marci X (2003): C-
Deliver Us From Eva (2003): C-
Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde (2003): C-
Daredevil (2003): F


MOVIES TO SEE

-Finding Nemo (2003)
-Bad Santa (2003)
-Cold Creek Manor (2003)
-The School of Rock (2003)
-Open Water (2003)
-Thirteen (2003)
-Overnight (2003)
-American Splendor (2003)
-Freddy vs. Jason (2003)
-Bulletproof Monk (2003)
-The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003)
-Seabiscuit (2003)
-Bringing Down the House (2003)
-The Last Round: Chuvalo vs. Ali (2003)
-Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer (2003)
-Touching the Void (2003)
-Girlhood (2003)
-Peter Pan (2003)
-How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003)
-21 Grams (2003)
-Love Don't Cost a Thing (2003)
-Radio (2003)
-Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star (2003)
-The Battle of Shaker Heights (2003)
-Just Married (2003)
-The Missing (2003)
-Open Range (2003)
-Duplex (2003)
-Something's Gotta Give (2003)
-Cheaper by the Dozen (2003)
-Monster (2003)
-Shade (2003)
-Cold Mountain (2003)
-Wonderland (2003)
-Freaky Friday (2003)
-DysFunktional Family (2003)
-Star Wars: Clone Wars: Vol. 2 (2003)
-The Yes Men (2003)
-Unchained Memories: Slave Narratives (2003)
-The Fog of War (2003)
-Raising Victor Vargas (2003)
-Cold Mountain (2003)

Movie Reviews: 2002

BEST MOVIE
8 Mile

BEST DRAMA
8 Mile

BEST ACTION / ADVENTURE
Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

BEST COMEDY
Undercover Brother

BEST THRILLER
The Ring

WORST MOVIE
Windtalkers

ALL MOVIES
8 Mile (2002): A (10/10)
The Ring (2002): A (10/10)
e-Dreams (2002): A (10/10)
City of God (2002): A- (9/10)
Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002): ~B+
28 Days Later (2002): B+ (8/10)
Minority Report (2002): B+ (8/10)
Spellbound (2002): ~B+
Narc (2002): B+ (8/10)
Red Dragon (2002): B (7/10)
Signs (2002): B (7/10)
Star Wars: Episode II (2002): B (7/10)
Spider-Man (2002): B (7/10)
Martin Lawrence Live: Runteldat (2002): B (7/10)
Die Another Day (2002): B (7/10)
Hero (2002): B (7/10)
We Were Soldiers (2002): B (7/10)
Phone Booth(2011): B-/C+ (6/10)
Extremely lite plot for a thriller, Phone Booth never-the-less goes down easy with it's brief running time and accelerated pace. It sucks you in, but after it's over, you think, "That's it?"
Undercover Brother (2002): B-/C+ (6/10)
Swimfan (2002): B-/C+ (6/10)
Resident Evil (2002): B-/C+ (6/10)
Super Troopers (2002): B-/C+ (6/10)
Austin Powers 3 (2002): B-/C+ (6/10)
The Sum of All Fears (2002): B-/C+ (6/10)
Orange County (2002):B-/C+ (6/10)
I Spy (2002): B-/C+ (6/10)
Murder By Numbers (2002): B-/C+ (6/10)
Reign of Fire (2002): B-/C+ (6/10)
Paid in Full (2002): B-/C+ (6/10)
Brown Sugar (2002): B-/C+ (6/10)
Bowling for Columbine (2002): B-/C+ (6/10)
Catch Me If You Can (2002): B-/C+ (6/10)
Equilibrium (2002): B-/C+ (6/10)
Halloween: Resurrection (2002): B-/C+ (6/10)
Panic Room (2002): B-/C+ (6/10)
Insomnia (2002): B-/C+ (6/10)
One Hour Photo (2002): B-/C+ (6/10)
Road to Perdition (2002): B-/C+ (6/10)
Blade 2 (2002): B-/C+(6/10)
The Scorpion King (2002): C (5/10)
Black Knight (2002): C (5/10)
I recall this movie having a few good "Martin Lawrence" moments and being easy to sit thru.


NON-SPECIFIC GRADES (Grandfathered-In)
The Bourne Identity (2002):Kinda Good (6-7/10)
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002): Decent (5-6/10)
25th Hour (2002): Decent (5-6/10)
XXX: Special Edition (2002): Decent (5-6/10)
Sniper 2 (2002): Decent (5-6/10)
Unfaithful (2002): Decent (5-6/10)
Friday After Next (2002): Decent (5-6/10)
Eye See You (2002): Decent (5/6/10)
Blood Work (2002): Maybe Decent (4-6/10)
Collateral Damage (2002): Maybe Decent (4-6/10)
All About the Benjamins (2002):Half Decent (4-5/10)
Men in Black II (2002): Half Decent (4-5/10)
Mr. Deeds (2002): Below Average (2-4/10)
Windtalkers (2002): Sucked (2-3/10)
Adaptation (2002): I Don't Know
Biggie & Tupac (2002): Never Graded
High Crimes (2002): Never Graded
Ghost Ship (2002): Never Graded


MOVIES TO SEE
-Ice Age (2002)
-Run Ronnie Run (2002)
-About Schmidt (2002)
-Gangs of New York (2002)
-Bus 174 (2002)
-Punch-Drunk Love (2002)
-The Transporter (2002)
-Changing Lanes (2002)
-Modern Warriors: The Martial Way (2002)
-Devil's Playground (2002)
-Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002)
-Real Women Have Curves (2002)
-Bend It Like Beckham (2002)
-Empire (2002)
-Frailty (2002)
-Secretary (2002)
-Raising Victor Vargas (2002)
-Antwone Fisher (2002)
-The Hot Chick (2002)
-40 Days and 40 Nights (2002)
-Barbershop (2002)
-Monday Night Mayhem (2002)
-Our America (2002)
-The Pianist (2002)
-My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002)
-Frida (2002)
-The Rookie (2002)
-Two Weeks Notice (2002)
-Chicago (2002)
-Unprecedented (2002)
-Stevie (2002)
-Jim Brown: All-American (2002)
-Path to War (2002)
-The Weather Underground (2002)
-Horns and Halos (2002)
-Tupac Shakur: Life of an Outlaw / Thug Angel (2002)
-Big Shot: Confessions of a Campus Bookie (2002)
-Knockaround Guys (2002)