filmtub

REC 2 (2009)

2010-08-08T15:18:00.000+02:00

Genre: Horror

Directed by: Jaume Balagueró, Paco Plaza
Starring: Manuela Velasco, Jonathan Mellor, Óscar Sánchez Zafra
Running Time: 84'

Verdict: ⊗⊗⊗⊗

It's how it usually goes with zombie films; if at least 2 people, other than the director, watched the movie, it's gonna get a sequel. Well, thousands of people watched REC, so of course it's gonna get a sequel. Now, at first I was very skeptical about this movie for a number of reasons. First, zombie sequels never work out. Second, Quarantine was a failure (I know it was a remake, but still). Thirdly, the original presentation from the first movie won't be that original. Granted, REC 2 loses it's element of surprise after REC and Quarantine, doing the same claustrophobic setting (in the same house, actually). But nevertheless, it's still very effective as a horror film, one of few these days. Movie starts with four SWAT-like (only Spanish) team members coming to the house. Three armed with weapons and one with camera. I guess recording everything is more important than staying alive. The movie switches between more perspectives. For a time, it follows a group of kids who have entered the house, despite it's quarantine. The movie makes a very strange turn when it starts explaining zombie infection with demon possessions and suddenly it's not a zombie movie anymore, but an exorcism film filled with action scenes. And yes, the movie manages to pulls it off and even make possession scenes very realistic. This sequel is also presented with claustrophobia, great acting and effective scary scenes, even though it's theme suddenly changed.

Rokin

Snatch (2000)

2009-10-23T21:48:00.000+02:00

Genre: Comedy

Directed by: Guy Ritchie

Starring: Brad Pitt, Benicio Del Toro, Jason Statham

Running Time: 104'

Verdict: ⊗⊗⊗⊗

Guy Ritchie was brilliant to come out with that kind of scenario and he made some amazing film with good actors. Snatch is fantastic movie which demonstrates that the British movie industry is capable of rivaling the best of what Hollywood can offer. It's a movie with great plot, hilarious lines and amazing cast. Everyone in the film puts in an excellent performance, but Pitt stands out as a charismatic gypsy boxer. He shows that he is far more than a pretty face. All the way long the movie kept going and there were not a single moment when I was bored. It's pretty rare that you see a movie like Snatch! This movie is definitely worth a viewing! The word "fuck" is used all the time so it's not recommended for children.

Mika

The Machinist (2004)

2009-10-22T23:11:00.001+02:00

Genre: Thriller

Directed by: Brad Anderson

Starring: Christian Bale, Jennifer Jason Leigh, John Sharian

Running Time: 102'

Verdict: ⊗⊗

I've never been very impressed with Christian Bale's acting, but after this movie I'm definitely impressed with his dedication. He lost more than 27 kg for the role, because his character needed to look drastically thin. He portrays Trevor Reznik, a man who didn't sleep for a year due to a chronic insomnia. The Machinist is a psychological thriller, following Reznik that starts going through some confusing stuff. You should probably watch the movie for the "psychological" part instead of the "thriller" part. The movie keeps you interested for a while, but towards the end (that is not so satisfying, and even might be disappointing) it gets too mixed up and doesn't leave much room for unexpected twists. But, thanks to it's visual part (which includes very good combinations of blue filtering, dark moods and slow pace), the movie feels very unique. Although it's on English, the movie itself is Spanish, and is filmed in Spain (despite it's setting in the US). That gives you a constant feeling that something is off, and in my opinion contributes the visual part in a good way. Still, with all that "uniqueness", The Machinist is not so entertaining or interesting to be a good film.

Rokin

Postal (2007)

2009-10-21T22:54:00.003+02:00

Genre: Comedy

Directed by: Uwe Boll

Starring: Zack Ward, Dave Foley, Larry Thomas

Running Time: 107'

Verdict: ⊗⊗

It's one of the most violent, disgusting and offensive, thrash movie I've seen lately. Once you get over the shock, it is a hilarious movie. Anyway, this movie is very funny, if you're into this sort of movie. I don't know much about Uwe Boll, but he brings some freshness of the scenes and plots. It has sick and pointlessly funny humor both political and sexual. Take a few friends with you when you go watch it, and you'll probably leave in a good mood too. Postal is hilarious for those with a bit of a darker sense of humor, but if you are not one of them, don't watch this movie. It was not great, but it was way more better than i thought it would be.

Mika

Garden State (2004)

2009-10-20T23:05:00.001+02:00

Genre: Drama

Directed by: a

Starring: Zach Braff, Natalie Portman, Peter Sarsgaard

Running Time: 102'

Verdict: ⊗⊗⊗

Garden State is Zach Braff's directing and writing debut, and for the first movie, it's quite impressive. The directing part little more that writing. Braff also stars in it. That wasn't that impressive. "Garden State" is a nickname for New Jersey, where the film sets place. There isn't much of the story in the film, it just follows Braff's character through his return in New Jersey after his mother dies. With nothing much happening, the movie can get a little dull and strange. Natalie Portman is there to save that, so you will mostly just enjoy watching her. The movie is (surprisingly) very well directed and just hits every scene the way it should. Along with that, Braff compiled an amazing soundtrack for the film (for which he won a Grammy). The music fits the scenes, but also steals a lot of focus from them. Garden State is a good movie in many ways, but don't expect for it to leave you astonished.

Rokin

The Departed (2006)

2009-10-17T19:20:00.002+02:00

Genre: Thriller

Directed by: Martin Scorsese

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson

Running Time: 151'

Verdict: ⊗⊗⊗⊗

First think you should notice in this movie is the cast; DiCaprio, Damon, Nicholson, Sheen, Baldwin, Wahlberg... Which is very impressive. I have no problems with the acting performances in the film, every one of them did a great job. The Departed is actually a remake of Infernal Affairs, a Hong Kong film from 2002. It follows a police officer infiltrating an Irish Mob, and a mole in the police department working for the Irish Mob. As the two men become aware of one another, each of them attempts to discover other one's identity, while still trying to stay undercover. The plot is very interesting, and the way the story develops is entertaining. What I liked the most is the Reservoir Dogs alike resolution, but in a much more complicated way. One thing I didn't like is the time to get to that resolution, with movie being two and half hours long. Still, it will keep you interested through that time, so I think it's worth it. The Departed is one of Scorsese's better movies, and is definitely worth watching, at least because of the cast.

Rokin

Bob the Butler (2005)

2009-10-15T23:58:00.003+02:00

Genre: Comedy

Directed by: Gary Sinyor

Starring: Tom Green, Brooke Shields

Running Time: 90'

Verdict: ⊗⊗

Knowing that Tom Green was in this movie, I thought this would definitely be a vulgar and morbid movie! I can't believe that I would let my little cousin watch this movie (because Tom Green is in it) but really, this is a family film with easy plot, even with Tom Green as lead actor. I hope he will not do more movies like this one because I like him in dark comedys. I'm selfish, I know! This is American type of movie. We have a loser that becomes butler and ends up in Brooke Shield's bed! The movie really teaches a lot of good morals so it's good for everyone. Tom Green was not being himsel, but still he was very funny. I was trying to find some vulgar messages but there's really nothing offensive in the movie. All in all it was cute and funny and worth watching.

Mika

Simon Birch (1998)

2009-10-14T23:22:00.002+02:00

Genre: Drama

Directed by: Mark Steven Johnson

Starring: Ian Michael Smith, Joseph Mazzello, Ashley Judd

Running Time: 113'

Verdict: ⊗⊗⊗⊗

Simon Birch (played by Ian Michael Smith) is a twelve-year old boy afflicted with Morquio syndrome (disease which causes dwarfism). He accepts it and often charmingly turns it into a joke. He believes God put him on the world for a purpose, to become a hero. The movie is his story, narrated by his life long best friend Joe. Now, the movie starts with grown up Joe standing over Simon's grave, so it's obvious that Simon dies in the story. But, his death is not that important. His life is. Jim Carrey, briefly playing the grown-up Joe, narrates the movie and takes us back to 1964, when he (played by Joseph Mazzello) and Simon were 12. The story is touching and emotional, as you would expect. Ian Michael Smith, crucial to the movie, was not just good for the part because of his physical condition, but also proved to be an excellent actor. He played Simon with a great charisma and charm. He and (little more experienced) Mazzello very well played two best friends that would stick together through anything. Even having a little sad ending, the movie is mostly joyful and bright, with friendship, hope and faith as main motives. It's not the most entertaining movie, but it's so moving it actually might make you change your whole view on life.

Rokin

AVP: Alien vs. Predator (2004)

2009-10-13T23:42:00.009+02:00

Genre: Action

Directed by: Paul W.S. Anderson

Starring: Sanaa Lathan, Raoul Bova

Running Time: 101'

Verdict: ⊗⊗

It begins with a group of annoying people collected from all around the world who answered on a call from some rich man who looks like... hmm... Bishop from Alien! Btw, his name is also Bishop in this movie but he is not synthetic, he is human with some lung disease?! Alien Vs. Predator has some cool scenes and some other entertaining moments but mostly the film it sucks. The death scenes are boring and stupid because you can't even see what's going on because everything happens to fast. The actors are so bad that you have a better chance of laughing then being scared. The film is predictable and that is very bad for that kind of movie... It's stupid because you know what will happen and who's going to survive. I like the creature special effects. I had some fun watching this but this film but I must admit it's bad for a movie with that name! Predator is a funny guy with dreadlocks and a silver mask that covers his ugly face because he's so ugly that he could kill an alien with that piece of shit (he think it's face) and that would be too easy... They made the aliens here more aggressive but I did not not understand who won at the end... You should see that for yourself if you want, but I recommend to watch last 15 minutes for that!

Mika

The Boat That Rocked (2009)

2009-10-12T22:52:00.001+02:00

Genre: Comedy

Directed by: Richard Curtis

Starring: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Tom Sturridge, Tom Wisdom

Running Time: 129'

Verdict: ⊗⊗⊗

1966, the greatest era for British Rock & Roll. Pirate stations anchored in the North Sea play Rock and Pop 24 hours a day. One of those stations is Radio Rock that is broadcasting from a ship. We follow young Carl (played by Tom Sturridge) who is sent to the ship by his mother after he got kicked out from school. There, Carl befriends with the DJs. The story actually follows the radio's struggle to stay on air, being constantly criticized and attacked by the government. There isn't any specific storyline here, as most of the film you will just watch the ships crew having fun in any way they can. Don't expect sex and drugs though. Well, not much of it, at least. The movie has an excellent ensemble cast, from which I have to point out Phillip Seymour Hoffman (I like this guy more and more) and Bill Nighy for their brilliant performances. The movie is fun to watch, if you don't mind it's length. After a while, you expect some kind of plot twist or something, but you don't get it. The final scenes just don't feel rewarding enough. Still, I think you should try this movie. I don't have to mention it has a great soundtrack, and the cast is amazing. Give it a go, if you feel like watching a light and reasonably fun comedy film.

Rokin

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009)

2009-10-11T22:36:00.004+02:00

Genre: Adventure

Directed by: Carlos Saldanha

Starring: Denis Leary, Queen Latifah, John Leguizamo

Running Time: 94'

Verdict: ⊗⊗⊗

I was really impressed by the film. It stayed true to the characters and themes we fell in love in the Ice Age franchise. The film also introduces a new character, a crazy cool weasel named Buck. The animation was beautiful. The scenery and colors were great, and the characters were also well done. A lot of people seem to have an issue with the dinosaurs. They claim it isn't realistic. WTF, it's animated movie made for fun! And... if they payed more attention they would understand that they put a dinosaurs in ice age. The film has many laughs along the way. The script was pretty good, the soundtrack was excellent. The dinosaurs add a lot to the plot. Ice Age 3 is an above average animated film. The story is easy to follow and I think it's amazing to realize how much stuff they managed to put into barely an hour and a half.

Mika

American Pie Presents: Beta House (2007)

2009-10-10T20:11:00.003+02:00

Genre: Comedy

Directed by: Andrew Waller

Starring: Steve Talley, John White, Eugene Levy

Running Time: 100'

Verdict: ⊗

Get this. Geeks became the new bullies, and they are terrorizing the cool guys. The movie follows the rivalry between BETA house and GEEK fraternity (come on...) on a college campus. It's not the standard plot, though. You see, the geeks are becoming more and more popular, and they are attracting all the hot girls (there are so many things wrong in that sentence). So, the BETA house is becoming more and more endangered. Being a sequel to the American Pie Presents: The Naked Mile, the movie follows Erik Stifler trying to get in the BETA house by performing various tasks and mischief against the GEEK fraternity. After that we have a competition between BETA house and GEEK frate... You know what? Let me cut this short. Don't watch the movie. It's just full of failing attempts of gross-out humor without any specific story. Just stick to the original American Pie trilogy.

Rokin

Children of Men (2006)

2009-10-09T22:47:00.005+02:00

Genre: Adventure

Directed by: Alfonso Cuarón

Starring: Clive Owen, Paul Sharma

Running Time: 109'

Verdict: ⊗⊗⊗⊗

Well, I loved it and I can tell everyone that it was very pleasurable surprise because I did not expect anything special. It's very strange and violent, but it's beautifully filmed. To tell you the truth, it's a little bit scary when you see what can happen in the future... The future in the movie was not bright at all... I am surprised that they created something so fresh and moving and so disturbing on that subject. The cinematography is fantastic. It's not typical. Some scenes were very long but they made some amazing atmosphere. Very interesting movie, but it's a little bit heavy! It's an extremely well created film that makes you go through the emotional struggle the characters go through and makes you feel that you're in the middle of it all. Not recommended for children!

Mika

Assassination of a High School President (2009)

2009-10-08T19:08:00.003+02:00

Genre: Comedy

Directed by: Brett Simon

Starring: Reece Thompson, Bruce Willis, Mischa Barton

Running Time: 93'

Verdict: ⊗⊗

The title hints on the comedy style of the film, but it's misleading about it's plot. Assassination of a High School President is kind of an attempt to combine film noir and comedy or just to be a parody of film noir in general. Set in a high school, it follows a wannabe reporter (Reece Thompson acting as a private eye) who, searching for the story for the school paper, discovers some sinister activities in the school. The movie is visually dark, and follows lots of rules for a film noir (narration, crime, hot girls), but that's intentionally broken with comedy, using a high school setting and lot of comical characters. However, being a combination of those two, it doesn't quite work as any. The story is very weak, and while the plot may seem interesting, the climax is hardly dramatic or surprising. The movie has few comical moments, but not enough for a comedy, and they are usually all on the same basis (failing drama moments because of the high school setting). Bruce Willis plays the funniest character in the movie (the principal), and he plays it reasonably funny. And Mischa Barton plays the hot chick. In a film noir. You do the math.

Rokin

Finding Nemo (2003)

2009-10-06T19:16:00.005+02:00

Genre: Adventure

Directed by: Andrew Stanton

Starring: Albert Brooks, Ellen DeGeneres, Alexander Gould

Running Time: 100'

Verdict: ⊗⊗⊗⊗

There is nothing I can say about the movie that has never been told before. The film tells the story of a widowed clownfish named Marlin. Because of an incident that killed his wife Coral and all their children except Nemo, Marlin is an overprotective and restrictive father to his only son. Because of this, Nemo ventures out into open water to prove to his father that it is safe to do so... The story is funny and touching when it's necessary. The humor resonates on all levels. Movies like this aren't just being made for children exclusive... They're good for everyone to realize you have to entertain yourself from time to time and just to enjoy all that small things in life. The moral and valuable life lessons are always present like in other Pixar movies. It's a simple but great story line! Excellent work by the musicians and the director. The casting of actors doing the voices is just amazing. I loved this film, loved everything about it. I highly recommend this movie - even for people who don't normally care for animated films.

Mika

American History X (1998)

2009-10-05T22:14:00.004+02:00

Genre: Drama

Directed by: Tony Kaye

Starring: Edward Norton, Edward Furlong, Beverly D'Angelo

Running Time: 119'

Verdict: ⊗⊗⊗⊗⊗

Wow, look at the poster. That has to be a controversial movie, right? Nah, forget that, that's not important. American History X follows the story of two brothers, Derek and Danny, both influenced by the neo-Nazi movement. However, Derek (the older one) ends up in prison for killing two black guys, where his ideology drastically changes. The story primary follows (now rehabilitated) Derek's attempts to set his brother straight from the movement he got him involved into. However, most interesting parts of the movie are black-and-white flashbacks from which we learn more about the two brothers (one particular scene I liked was a discussion between Derek and a Jewish professor about Rodney King). The film features a brilliant dialogue and deals with some heavy subjects; racism, neo-Nazism, street life, gangs... Two brothers are played by Edward Norton and Edward Furlong, both doing a fantastic work. In fact, in my opinion, that was Norton's best performance ever. The movie is dark, brutal and heavy, so it's not for everyone. But that doesn't change the fact that it's a great movie.

Rokin

The Chronicles of Riddick (2004)

2009-10-04T20:11:00.002+02:00

Genre: Action

Directed by: David Twohy

Starring: Vin Diesel, Colm Feore, Thandie Newton

Running Time: 119'

Verdict: ⊗⊗⊗

Riddick is the bad ass buffed anti-hero that we would all like to be sometimes! There are some similarities between the Necros in TCOR and the Borg in the latter Star Trek movies, but who cares? Anyone who likes Scifi and enjoys fantastic visuals will love this movie. The Chronicles of Riddick is completely different from the first movie (Pitch Black) but in a good way. Pitch Black was sci-fi/horror not action. The action sequences in this are amazing as well as the fight sequences. Vin Diesel was born to play this character like Arnold to the Terminator. I was surprised at the depth of the story line, excellent character development and special effects. I was not expecting to be absolutely glued to the screen when I first sat down to watch this movie, but I was. My only regret was that I did not see it in a cinema. I hesitate to call this art, but it has been a long time since a movie has entertained me so much. It was very refreshing to watch a science fiction movie with a great story and fantastic acting. I hope there is a sequel to follow this movie.

Mika

Eyes Wide Shut (1999)

2009-10-03T21:18:00.002+02:00

Genre: Thriller

Directed by: Stanley Kubrick

Starring: Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Sydney Pollack

Running Time: 159'

Verdict: ⊗⊗⊗

Kubrick's last film, Eyes Wide Shut is an erotic thriller starring (then married) Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, although the movie mostly follows Cruise's character, Dr. Bill Harford. His adventures start after his wife confesses to him that she wanted to have an affair. Shocked by that, he goes out to roams the city in the night and this eventually leads him to crashing a very secret masked orgy. For a two and a half our long movie, it doesn't have much story development. It's mainly about Harford dealing with the situation he found himself in, and trying to get to the bottom of it. Also, the movie has many psychological elements in it. It's dark and mysterious, but erotic. Kubrick did a brilliant job directing the movie, but the movie itself doesn't have much to offer. Characters don't develop in any significant way. The relationship between Harford and his wife is not as nearly as interesting as it should be, since it's what drives the plot further. The pace of the movie is too slow, even for a psychological thriller, and the ending doesn't feel really rewarding. Still, Kubrick manages to keep you interested until the end. Making a good movie from less than average story just proves that he was an effective director.

Rokin

Little Miss Sunshine (2006)

2009-10-02T23:59:00.001+02:00

Genre: Comedy

Directed by: Jonathan Dayton, Valerie Faris

Starring: Abigail Breslin, Greg Kinnear, Paul Dano

Running Time: 101'

Verdict: ⊗⊗⊗⊗

The story is about a dysfunctional family, and about the way that their love for each other is somewhere underneath the varying shades of crazy. "Sunshine" is one of the best comedy that came out in American cinemas in 2006. It's a great movie that relies on a script that understands the differences between generations in the same family. It doesn't explain why each character is so weird and it doesn't build much background because it is not needed to make the film work. This is a film that will provide you with plenty of much needed sunshine. It has no special effects, it has nog big stars... This film has just great characters, unusual but perfectly understandable circumstances, amazing dialog and great cinematography. I laughed, I laughed and I laughed! This is one good old-fashioned movie for everyone over 13. The whole cast was great, Paul Dano, Greg Kinnear, Steve Carell ... When I started to watch the movie, I thought it was a drama at first but I was wrong... Highly recommended!

Mika

District 9 (2009)

2009-10-01T19:57:00.002+02:00

Genre: Action

Directed by: Neill Blomkamp

Starring: Sharlto Copley, Jason Cope, Robert Hobbs

Running Time: 112'

Verdict: ⊗⊗⊗⊗⊗

Now for a little different movie about aliens. They are not here to make an invasion and/or conquer the planet. This time, they are just stuck here. They came in a mothership, and for some reason they cannot leave. So humans transfer them all to District 9, a quarantined, militarized area near Johannesburg arranged for the aliens. The movie deals with xenophobia and discrimination, more specifically, human treatment of unwelcome aliens. Aliens themselves don't feel very friendly about the whole situation, so District 9 becomes a quite hostile environment. Movie follows Wikus van de Merwe, agent assigned for relocating all aliens to another area (District 10) through legal procedures. His life becomes much more complicated after he comes in contact with some alien technology and starts experiencing some physical changes. Through the movie we observe human-alien relations and protagonist's position(s) in them. The movie is primarily action-based, but it's blended perfectly with it's emotional part. Special effects are done amazingly well, but the camera is too shaky for the big screen. Speaking of that, the whole film is made as a combination of a documentary movie, video surveillance footage, personal perspectives etc.. And it's very interesting to see how it all fits good together. District 9 is one of the best action films in a while now, with few (very) minor flaws. And it even has a message! Definitely recommended.

Rokin

Freddy Got Fingered (2001)

2009-09-30T00:03:00.001+02:00

Genre: Comedy

Directed by: Tom Green, Rip Torn, Marisa Coughlan

Starring: Tom Green,

Running Time: 87'

Verdict: ⊗⊗

Disgusting, strange, offensive, idiotic and funny- all at the same time. Comedy is perhaps the most subjective of all forms of entertainment. There are no two people that will laugh at the same thing for the same reason. Comedy, in many ways, says more about the people who are laughing than the comedians themselves. Still, the film does what it is supposed to. Half of the time you're laughing, the other half just staring at the screen shocked. You can hate "Freddy", you can love it, but either way, you have to admit that you've never seen anything like it before. People are too easily offended by the actions of Tom Green, they are not able to see the comical genius this movie has. Breaking barriers is comedy, and that is exactly what Tom Green does in this film. The things he does-from jerking off a horse, to pretending to be a deep sea diver- are all great ways to get the point across, this movie is something different. In the end this movie is nothing more then an inspired way of making me laugh. Recommended for Greens fans and people with different sense of humor!

Mika

Quarantine (2008)

2009-09-29T23:44:00.003+02:00

Genre: Horror

Directed by: John Erick Dowdle

Starring: Jennifer Carpenter, Steve Harris, Jay Hernandez

Running Time: 89'

Verdict: ⊗

We have homages, we have remakes and we have copy-pasted movies. Quarantine is copied from a Spanish horror film [●REC] and pasted in English, Hollywood style. What I mean by that is that it's a "shot for shot" remake, having almost the same story, setting, scenes and dialogue. However, it is still significantly different. And what I mean by that is "worse". The presentation of the story is the same; we watch the movie through TV crew's camera, only this time we get to see the cameraman, and he becomes a little bit more important character, probably to make him more noticeable. In my opinion it wasn't worth it, as it takes focus of the main character, the young reporter played by Jennifer Carpenter. Unfortunately, her performance wasn't very satisfactory, mostly because of the first part of the movie where she tries to act as a real reporter. However, later scenes (involving paranoia, fear, screaming and running) were very impressive. Other characters were changed from the original movie to look tougher, cooler or universally more likeable. Another bad move, as it significantly takes away the realism. The movie has few more scenes than the original, but it's not better in any way. Seriously, it's more entertaining to watch [●REC] for the second time than going through this Americanized remake that got made too early anyway.

Rokin

O' Horten (2007)

2009-09-28T19:16:00.002+02:00

Genre: Drama

Directed by: Bent Hamer

Starring: Bård Owe, Espen Skjønberg, Ghita Nørby

Running Time: 90'

Verdict: ⊗⊗⊗⊗

O' Horten is a Norwegian movie about a train driver (Odd Horten, the title character) who is finally retiring after many years of, well, driving trains. He is not very excited about that, because trains are his whole life. So we follow him through his turning point in life and watch him trying to deal with this new "freedom". The movie has a deep philosophical layer that deals with life (most significantly old age), and pursuit of happiness over loneliness. The pace of the film is slow, and it might get a little boring for some. But, thanks to it's presentation of O' Horten as a character with modest wants and needs, it will keep you interested until the end, at least to find out what happens with him. Don't expect a great story, because the film is primarily lead by emotions. I think the movie is made to encourage you to take chances to make yourself happy in life, with a note that it's never too late. So, I encourage you to watch the movie. Even though you watched a hundred movies like it, it will still fell unique.

Rokin

Silent Hill (2006)

2009-09-26T20:58:00.003+02:00

Genre: Horror

Directed by: Christophe Gans

Starring: Radha Mitchell, Sean Bean, Deborah Kara Unger

Running Time: 125'

Verdict: ⊗⊗⊗

For start, this movie was very good. Beginning to the end it had me drawn in. This movie breaks the rules and thinks outside the box. The movie was made to have that dream/nightmare feel. It was an amazing movie if you actually paid attention to it. The movie is supposed to make you sit back and go "what the fuck?" when things randomly happen...that's what Silent Hill is all about. The story is very deep! And if you still don't get it, it doesn't mean the movie sucked...it just means you don't get it. I haven't played the game, but I think this is definitely one of the best movies based on game made in recent years. The atmosphere is really scary and the monsters and effects are so creepy. Sound effects are great too. Script is well and everything makes sense in the end. So, it doesn't leave you puzzled nor prepare some basis for a sequel. It is overall a very satisfying horror movie, and absolutely worth the two hours you spend watching it.

Mika

Star Trek (2009)

2009-09-25T16:28:00.003+02:00

Genre: Adventure

Directed by: J.J. Abrams

Starring: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Leonard Nimoy

Running Time: 127'

Verdict: ⊗⊗⊗⊗

Well I must admit I just loved Star Trek. Abrams, Orci and Kurtzman have reset the series. It’s not just that we are starting when they are all in their 20s, but the new team switched it up a bit. I think technology has finally caught to Star Trek. The battle scenes are truly great. I’m not sure that this movie could have been made 10 years ago. And talk about the perfect casting! I cant't belive that they made a great movie with cast ready for teen comedy... Just amazing!!! It’s a great story, with spot on casting and awesome special effects. I was honestly never a fan of the original series, I mean, I love sci-fi and space fiction, but I am more of a Star Wars and Alien type of guy. What JJ Abrams has done is create a film that can be enjoyed by all, its irrelevant whether or not you have seen Star Trek before, this film stands alone as brilliant entertainment. Of course there are going to be the "hard core" fans who will criticize certain aspects.Good story line, plenty of humour, non-stop fast action, fantastic special effects, great acting from all the main "crew", Zacchary Quinto and Chris Pine especially. Can't wait for the next one to see more in-depth character development. Film fans are going to love this film and that means Star Trek Lives Long and Prospers! Wicked!

Mika

Public Enemies (2009)

2009-09-24T15:25:00.004+02:00

Genre: Drama

Directed by: Michael Mann

Starring: Johnny Depp, Christian Bale, James Russo

Running Time: 140'

Verdict: ⊗⊗

Few days ago I got to see Public Enemies. Anyway, I went to the cinema with my girlfriend and her colleges. We were late a few minutes to the movie. I sat down and gave Public Enemies my full attention. Let me make clear at this point that you will need to be fans of Michael Mann or Johnny Depp to see this movie. I know that Man is one of most talented working filmmakers but that what I saw didn't impress me at all. It was only halfway through Enemies when I almost fell asleep. I know is a little bit brutal but movie was so boring. Mann structured his story so precisely but scenes were just too long. However, he creates an almost hypnotic atmosphere, a blend of sights and sounds (or silences) that stimulate our senses. After I saw the film, I was furious to read somebody's review. The funniest part was that almost every review I have read was positive?! How can I make a positive review when I really didn't like the movie. Almost half of cinema fell asleep. I also can't overlook a number of atmospheric missteps. I can notice that there are some glaring inconsistencies in the film's look. In the end, I guess it's a matter of opinion, and this is merely mine. But for now, I will say that I regret Michael Mann's efforts with this film. Recommended only for lovers of the genre and Johnny Depp!

Mika

The Hangover (2009)

2009-09-22T22:55:00.017+02:00

Genre: Comedy

Directed by: Todd Phillips

Starring: Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis

Running Time: 100'

Verdict: ⊗⊗⊗⊗

We all know that nothing good can happen at the bachelor party, especially the one that is in Vegas. After a night of blackout drunkenness, Phil, Stu and Alan realize they've stolen a cop car, destroyed their fancy hotel suite, kidnapped a baby (cute little charmer Carlos) and stolen a tiger. The movie is full of salty language so it's not for the children. Bring a group of coolest friends (and girlfriend, of course) and head out to the cinema or sit in front of DVD player. The story is simple and it's not unique but they made an excellent movie. The great thing about the Hangover is that these guys went on trip to spend best time ever, but they fucked up and something went wrong so there was a lot of mess to clean up. It’s fun to watch these guys pick through clues to remember what happened. The laughs are many, and the guys are funny. It’s so vulgar and disgusting that I was thrilled. Any movie like this requires chemistry of the stars so they could fit into the movie. The Hangover is very funny and is highly recommended from me to those with sense of good vulgar humor!

Mika

Walk the Line (2005)

2009-09-21T02:47:00.002+02:00

Genre: Drama

Directed by: James Mangold

Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Reese Witherspoon, Ginnifer Goodwin

Running Time: 135'

Verdict: ⊗⊗⊗

Named after one of his many songs, Walk the Line is a biographical film about Johnny Cash. More specifically, the film focuses on his rise in the music scene and his romantic relationship with June Carter. So, the last 35 years of his life aren't covered. I don't know if that is a good or a bad thing. Cash was active in his work throughout his whole life, even in his last years. Still, it would be hard to cram all those years in just two hours and still make a good movie. Joaquin Phoenix did a fine job starring as Cash, although I never actually got the impression that I'm watching Johnny Cash, but only Joaquin Phoenix playing Johnny Cash. Maybe it was just the scar (pardon, birthmark). Reese Witherspoon however, did an outstanding job playing June Carter. Cheerful and sweet, but serious when necessary. Both Phoenix and Witherspoon did their own singing, and they did it amazingly well (which was proved with a Grammy for the movie's soundtrack). Even though it has some minor artistic flaws and feels a little incomplete, the movie is enjoyable to watch. Johnny Cash deserves a better movie about his life, and maybe he will get it some day. But in the meantime, this one will do.

Rokin

Watchmen (2009)

2009-09-20T18:22:00.004+02:00

Genre: Fantasy

Directed by: Zack Snyder

Starring: Malin Akerman, Jackie Earle Haley, Patrick Wilson

Running Time: 186'

Verdict: ⊗⊗⊗

It's another superhero comic book adaptation, but it's not "just" another adaptation. The story and the "look" from the comic book are transferred very well. In fact, the whole movie is clearly made in a comic book style, and in my opinion even better than Sin City. However, for a three-hour movie it's constantly dark and slow, which can get very tiring. Through the movie we follow a group of superheroes (of which only one has actual superpowers) in an alternate-history trying to solve a murder of their colleague. As the movie progresses we learn about the heroes through various flashbacks, clip compilations and occasional narration. And there is many of those scenes, quite non-linearly intertwined, so it can get hard to follow the story. Nevertheless, the story itself is great, but with a questionable happy-end. I guess it was meant to leave you thinking. I also want to mention that this movie probably has a worst Nixon imitation anywhere. The voice is there, but the guy's face is so obviously covered with makeup and extra parts. Not that it makes any impact on the movie experience, but it's just... awful. Not everyone will enjoy the movie, maybe because it's not a "standard" superhero movie, or it can get a little confusing, or just because it's dark. Others will find it a entertaining because of those same reasons. But fans of the comic will definitely enjoy it.

Rokin

Valkyrie (2008)

2009-09-19T23:47:00.004+02:00

Genre: Thriller

Directed by: Bryan Singer

Starring: Tom Cruise, Kenneth Branagh, Bill Nighy

Running Time: 120'

Verdict: ⊗⊗⊗⊗

I think this movie got much more popularity because of Tom Cruise than what's it actually about. At the time of it's release there were many anti-Scientology protests because of Cruise. Fortunately for you, I don't review movies based on main actor's "religious" believes. So just to get him out of the way, Cruise's performance was satisfying, no more, no less. Now, about the movie itself. It follows a few Nazi German officers and politicians and their plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler and take control of the country with a goal to end World War II. That is "Operation Valkyrie". Considering that it's based on true events (and the real world is usually very boring), the movie is quite intense and kinda just sucks you in. Even though you already know how it will end (or can very well assume), you still want to watch how a scene will develop and what will it result in. That feeling sticks with you until the end of the film, which is very good. One thing I noticed is that almost every character looks, talks and behaves as an Englishman. And then you have some ("bad") Nazi officers (and Hitler himself) who speak English with a noticeable German accent. Little confusing, but still fun to watch. In any case, movie is quite good and worth watching, especially if you're interested in the 20 July plot.

Rokin

Seven Pounds (2008)

2009-09-18T15:48:00.002+02:00

Genre: Drama

Directed by: Gabriele Muccino

Starring: Will Smith, Rosario Dawson, Woody Harrelson

Running Time: 123'

Verdict: ⊗⊗⊗

Will Smith plays a guy who sets out to change lives of seven people. That's the plot of the movie. I don't know how to put it in any other way or to tell you more, cause the plot of the film is very confusing... until the end. Throughout the move you can't understand what and why is happening. You simply can't connect the scenes. And then the end of the movie, with a dramatic plot twist, gives you all the missing pieces and drastically changes the perspective. Even that climax, that final plot twist is different than in other movies. It's not as much that something happened, but rather that something was always there and you just missed it before. One way or another, the end of the movie is emotionally devastating (it was for me). And I think the end itself is the reason why anyone should watch the movie. Through the rest of the film you can enjoy very good performances by Smith, Dawson and Harrelson (he plays a blind guy this time). Now, don't get me wrong, the movie is actually not that amazing. Yes, it has a brilliant plot twist and a great acting line-up. But it's too long and too dark for watching something you can't understand. Not to mention that it's also pretty depressing. So if you like to be overwhelmed by all those emotions, I very much recommend this movie to you. If not, watch Hancock.

Rokin

The Notebook (2004)

2009-09-18T00:33:00.006+02:00

Genre: Drama

Directed by: Nick Cassavetes

Starring: Ryan Gosling, Rachel McAdams, James Garner

Running Time: 123'

Verdict: ⊗⊗⊗⊗⊗

The Notebook begins with a romance between a young aristocrat girl Allie and a poor boy Noah. Despite the huge differences in wealth and possibilities they fell in love. Allie’s family wants nothing to do with Noah and her mother works to keep them apart. When the family leaves after the summer, the mother drives a wedge between them, but their love continues to bring them back together. While the overall story isn’t my kind of film, I did find this movie brilliant to watch. I cried 80 minutes?! WTF Overall, this is a bit of a romantic fantasy, which assumes love at first sight and young passion can overpower reality. However, that's unlikely in real life. Still, for someone who loves these sorts of stories, it would be a fantastic movie. Love does manipulate people, and love is damned sentimental. What's more, love is the best thing people have going for them. The best movie of the genre I've ever watched. Once, in my review I said I'll give best verdict to the movie that makes me cry... Here it is... The Notebook!

Mika

Hancock (2008)

2009-09-17T23:30:00.002+02:00

Genre: Action

Directed by: Peter Berg

Starring: Will Smith, Charlize Theron, Jason Bateman

Running Time: 102'

Verdict: ⊗⊗⊗

Will Smith as John Hancock, the drunk superhero. The problem is, everyone loves Will Smith so nobody can't imagine him like a lousy character. I liked the idea of unperfect superhero but they went a little bit too far. It was funny he was drunk whole the time. First hour of the movie is very good, but after that I was little confused because they put so much in a little time. There was nothing special about the effects in Hancock, but they are solid so you won't be disappointed with them. The entire time Hancock was flying and fighting like it's meant to be for action movies. What can I say, a very good idea but they could do it better. It has plenty of fun, but there was some mistake in the second half of the movie. Will Smith was amazing like always. Recommended to everyone... if you want to free your mind and have fun.

Mika

Twilight (2008)

2009-09-17T02:19:00.005+02:00

Genre: Fantasy

Directed by: Catherine Hardwicke

Starring: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Billy Burke

Running Time: 122'

Verdict: ⊗⊗⊗

What can I say??? Another movie where opinions are different every time I talk with another person. Female part of population adores this movie, especially because this handsome vampire Edward. They make him so pretty that in a moment I liked his white dummy face. Guys have their opinions. Usually... gay movie, teen shit and something like that. Exception were gay guys. It's so full of melodramatic teenage dialogue like; Edward: I'm designed to kill. Isabella: I don't care. Edward: I've killed people before. Isabella: It does not matter. WTF Anyway, there was some fun stuff. Family of vampire students (5 of them) goes to school with at least three cars? It's one family, in my country we could transport 5 family members in just one car!!! Well, I guess my country is weird or we are just not enough rich like an average American vampire family! I noticed in the beginning of the movie that Edward likes to move objects with his fist so I came to conclusion that he loves fisting. I haven't read the book but I heard that they stayed closest they could. At the end of this review I would recommend this piece to every woman but I can't recommend it to the guys!

Mika

Zombies! Zombies! Zombies! (2008)

2009-09-17T00:39:00.004+02:00

Genre: Comedy

Directed by: Jason M. Murphy

Starring: Tiffany Shepis, Hollie Winnard, Jay Laga'aia

Running Time: 79'

Verdict: ⊗

Uh, I didn't know whether to put this as a comedy or a horror film. Actually it doesn't really matter cause it fails at both. It's a trash movie about (slow-walking) zombies and (topless) strippers. I think you can guess which way this is going. A virus starts infecting people, turning them into zombies, who then infect other people by biting or scratching or eating or spiting on them or whatever zombies do... This all happens next to a strip club, so it's erm... employees get caught in the mess. Shotguns, chainsaws, running, screaming, blood and gore... all the standard things are included. Still, this movie doesn't rank as average or bad, even for a trash movie. It's just... awful. Every attempt at humor fails miserably. Special effects are hardly special or effective (har har har). And the acting... I honestly didn't even think it was possible to act this bad. Unfortunately, I'm talking here about every actor in the movie. Just plain... awful. I can't think of any reason why you should watch this movie. Strippers are pretty (before becoming zombies, of course), but they are not that pretty. It's just not worth it, even for the tits.

Rokin

[●REC] (2007)

2009-09-16T23:10:00.003+02:00

Genre: Horror

Directed by: Jaume Balagueró, Paco Plaza

Starring: Manuela Velasco, Javier Botet, Manuel Bronchud

Running Time: 75'

Verdict: ⊗⊗⊗⊗

It's hard to come up with an original horror movie these days. Every idea has been chewed up so many times. Spanish horror film [●REC] is not original because of it's story, but because of it's presentation of the story. The plot of the film is basically this; TV crew follows firemen in a building where they get locked in together with it's occupants. And shit starts happening. The thing is, we view everything through the TV crew's camera. One camera. A claustrophobic setting, unexpected events and extremely fast pace (at least in the second half) make this a pretty effective horror film. Shots are long, and there is a lot of things happening, so I was amazed by the coordination of the crew. I also need to compliment the actors (and extras) for a great job. They made it all look so spontaneous, like you're actually watching a real documented event that went horribly wrong. It all just kinda fits together perfectly, and the movie will hardly leave you indifferent. The only thing is, it's a foreign movie (by that I mean it's not on English). Personally, I don't mind, but I know that it will be a reason why some people (and by "some" i mean "American") will skip it. Oh well, their loss.

Rokin

Bean (1997)

2009-09-16T21:50:00.008+02:00

Genre: Comedy
Directed by: Mel Smith
Starring: Rowan Atkinson, Peter MacNicol, John Mills
Running Time: 90'
Verdict: ⊗⊗

A sense of humor is a funny thing. Not all people have it. I'll tell you right now... I don't like that kind of people. You certainly can't buy one. I know my jokes are not funny every time but at least I try! Let's get back to the movie... Mr. Bean works as a caretaker for Royal National Gallery, and nobody likes him cause his a lazy worker. To get rid of him they send him on a trip to disaster. The disaster is like always Mr. Bean. Because he's a lazy worker, the board of directors plans to fire him, but the chairman will not permit this. There is a lot of people that enjoyed Bean, people like my father. He loves English humor. I loved the film and it made me laugh but it's not that good like I expected it to be. I can't say it's a great film but some scenes are hilarious, of course thanks to Rowan Atkinson. For me, he's the Chaplin of the new era. Bean hardly speaks at all, but he can kill you with his gestures, body movements and that incredible facial expressions. The movie is just for chosen ones... those people with a sense of humor. So I can't recommend it to everyone!

Mika

Taxi (2004)

2009-09-15T14:52:00.002+02:00

Genre: Comedy
Directed by: Tim Story
Starring: Queen Latifah, Jimmy Falon, Jennifer Esposito
Running Time: 104'
Verdict: ⊗⊗

This should be the American version of the French Taxi films but it's much worse than the original serial. If you look at this title like an independent title than it's watchable, even funny. The best part of the movie was Queen's acting and her personality. Meet Belle (Queen Latifah), she's a classic New York fatass loudmouth with a buffed boyfriend and weird jobs. By day, she works as a bike messenger and by night, she spends her time transforming her Crown Victoria into supercool yellow cab... I don't understand why did they even bother? They changed the sex of the lead actor and they changed other characters to the point of stupidness. There are some funny scenes where I could laugh, but movie was nothing special. There is also some action, two fast cars and a little brain damage. I would recommend it if you don't have anything else to watch.

Mika

A Complete History of My Sexual Failures (2008)

2009-09-15T14:28:00.002+02:00

Genre: Documentary

Directed by: Chris Waitt

Starring: Chris Waitt, Alexandra Boyarskaya, Danielle McLeod

Running Time: 90'

Verdict: ⊗⊗⊗

Weird title, huh? Chris Waitt decides to make a documentary about all his previous relationships to find out why they didn't work. It makes you wonder why would someone expose themselves in this way. Actually, the title and the subject matter of the movie is just the tip of the iceberg. Chris starts slowly, trying to interview his ex-girlfriends about him and their relationships. But somewhere in the movie he looses track of the idea and ends up doing some random things, like asking for sex almost everyone on the street or ending up in a S&M dungeon. The film is blunt, but surprisingly honest and straight-forward. With every next scene we find out more about how Chris is fucked up in so many ways. Still, you got to appreciate his bravery or complete indifference for making this movie, because it doesn't just make you laugh at his expense, but actually makes him a joke. A good alt rock soundtrack follows the movie, although there isn't much of it. The film is here primarily for the laughs. There isn't much you can learn from it, except how to not act like a complete ass. Or maybe you can?

Rokin

WALL-E (2008)

2009-09-15T02:40:00.001+02:00

Genre: Adventure

Directed by: Andrew Stanton

Starring: Ben Burtt, Elissa Knight, Jeff Garlin

Running Time: 98'

Verdict: ⊗⊗⊗⊗

In the distant future, Earth is no longer able to sustain life. The planet is abandoned with only a few garbage collecting robots left behind. Wall-E is one such robot. He has spent last 700 years alone. That is just the beginning... To save his chick he's on a biggest adventure of his lifetime. That is the adventure which may lead to the salvation of mankind. WALL-E is some kind of Pixar's masterpiece. I know this could sound gay but the movie was so cute. My sister almost cried even though she' s not very a sensitive person. That says much about this piece. I couldn't believe that animated movie could be so incredibly funny and touching at the same time. We must congratulate those people from Pixar on incredible work. You must watch WALL-E to see how good they made characters face expressions and moves. Probably, you'll wonder why I didn't give the maximum grade. Well, I reserved that for those masterpieces where I cry, laugh and vomit at the same time!

Mika

Lakeview Terrace (2008)

2009-09-15T02:14:00.003+02:00

Genre: Thriller

Directed by: Neil LaBute

Starring: Samuel L. Jackson, Patrick Wilson, Kerry Washington

Running Time: 106'

Verdict: ⊗⊗

So this is a movie about racism. Or "reverse racism", I think they call it. Samuel L. Jackson (the black guy) plays a cop who starts harassing his new neighbors, played by Patrick Wilson (the white guy) and Kerry Washington (the black girl), for being an interracially married couple. This may sound like an interesting plot for a thriller. That's because it is. Still, Lakeview Terrace manages to present it in a pretty boring way. Few "exciting" events in the movie lead to a little more "exciting" (and not satisfying) ending, which is more or less predictable for this kind of a thriller. So yeah, the story sucks big time. The acting performance is solid, from all three main actors (this is hardly Jackson's first role as a racist black guy), although characters just don't have time to develop in a realistic way. It feels like the movie is made to make you think on the whole interracial marriage thing (and convince you that it's not a bad thing). But it's not really a new subject in the movies. One bright light in the film is combining Jackson's character's persistence to terrorize his neighbors, with him using his position as a police veteran to his advantage. It makes him a pretty annoying, but formidable villain. The bottom line is that the movie isn't worth it unless you're interested in handling racist cop situations. That was a joke.

Rokin

Slumdog Millionaire (2008)

2009-09-14T23:01:00.012+02:00

Genre: Drama
Directed by: Danny Boyle, Loveleen Tandan
Starring: Dev Patel, Saurabh Shukla, Anil Kapoor
Running Time: 120'
Verdict: ⊗⊗⊗⊗

Over the last few weeks, whenever someone asks me what movie should he see, I have just two words: “Slumdog Millionaire.” It's a film full of inspiration and is made to cross over all boundaries: race, gender, nation and class. At first, the story introduces one of the brothers as being the subject of a very brutal interrogation to find out does he cheat on "Who want's to be a millionaire". As he answers the questions, we discover that this young man's life story is incredible interesting. This movie is fresh and dynamic. It's kinda sad when you see under what circumstances do people live. If you are sensitive you'll be overtaken by emotions like joy, pity, happiness, anger, and surprise. The story is just incredible and the memories are unforgettable. This film has made me thankful to be alive. Slumdog Millionare is a unique and memorable film!

Mika

Fast & Furious (2009)

2009-09-14T03:34:00.011+02:00

Genre: Action
Directed by: Justin Lin
Starring: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Jordana Brester, Michelle Rodriguez
Running Time: 107'
Verdict: ⊗⊗⊗

I must admit that I didn’t expect too much from Fast and Furious because it’s the fourth movie from serial. Like always, the first movie from the serial is the best and all other are crap. Thank God, this one is not crap, it’s just bad. The story is nothing special, dialog is like in old porn production but there is no action in that way. We get all kinds of tuned cars that will provide you any teenage pussy for the night. Acting is average, line is basic, plot is weak and Diesel is bold and buffed like always. The ending leaves just enough to see that this serial is like Rocky... there is no end of it. Definitely, this is not that kind of movie you must watch, but if you’re tired of everyday routine, boring life and serious themes I would recommend this piece to clean your thoughts and enjoy wild illegal rides. Enjoy it and watch that pussies acting like a real men.

Mika

Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (2007)

2009-09-13T00:28:00.004+02:00

Genre: Comedy

Directed by: Jake Kasdan

Starring: John C. Reilly, Jenna Fischer, Raymond J. Barry

Running Time: 120'

Verdict: ⊗⊗⊗⊗

First thing you should know is that Dewey Cox is a fictional character. I didn't, so at the start I was confused by a biographical film where the main character cuts his brother in half with a machete and then has a conversation with him about greatness. Walk Hard is a comedy biographical movie that parodies other biographical movies, most obviously Walk the Line. John C. Reilly plays the title character, a musician from Alabama, who through decades and many cliches becomes one of the most important people in the American music history. Like other great rock stars, Dewey goes trough his ups and downs, many of them. And it's entertaining watching it all happen. Even in Dewey's darkest moments, the movie can still make you laugh with appropriate joke. Or just by spoofing other rock stars. Doing drugs with The Beatles or listening about karate from Elvis Presley, Dewey crosses paths with many famous rock stars. Along with all that, the movie features an original soundtrack that fits perfectly to Dewey Cox's life, mostly because it's about it. Walk Hard will entertain you, and definitely make you laugh. Especially when you see Jack White playing Elvis.

Rokin

About

2009-09-11T15:25:00.006+02:00

Two movie fanatics team up to create a supermega cool site for reviewing new and old works from the film industry. We are Rokin and Mika, future of the new era of criticism of movies and... other movie-related stuff

Our reviews are short and sweet, our style is unique and our moms are proud of us. This is the only place where you can read movie reviews as they should be; straigtforward, open-minded and without bullshit

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