Diamond Dead (script) "If even half of the better concepts in this script make it to screen, there's going to be no better way to spend midnight with a couple hundred fans in a theater. It just kinda nags at me that what could be the ultimate campy thrill ride could also be something even better than that. Give Mathias more backstory, a reason to stop Death, the band, and Aria in the process and it becomes a far more effective zombie action flick than the Reverend-eating finale. Focus more on Aria, on the road as Death, it could become something else. Hell, carry the media coverage of the concert and its entire supernatural doings to its fullest potential, shoot it documentary style, this could even be turned into a sick homage to Spinal Tap. There's an almost limitless number of ways to play these cards laid out for this story that could raise this just far enough above camp to make it great..." (full review)
13 Going on 30 "Not exactly groundbreaking storytelling. However as it is played with such lively joy by Jennifer Garner, this trite, overly sweet story is surprisingly funny. Garner tosses her dignity to the curb and goes full speed ahead into being a thirteen-year trapped in the body of a thirty-year-old. Not only is she believable, she is very funny. Garner infuses the role with more acting talent than you expect for such light material. She's also very well matched with Mark Ruffalo whose credibility as dramatic actor gives the film's melodrama a needed gravity..." (full review) "Now I don't want to just sit here and trash the film non-stop. I will say that the women around me, especially the group of girls to my left who were passing Kleenexes back and forth constantly, seemed to love everything about it. I think in the end this film just wasn't made for guys like me. It's not a terrible movie, just predictable. For the most part the performances are solid, and the movie is directed well by Gary Winick. I would've liked to see more of the eighties moments. In fact Gary should do a film that takes place entirely in the eighties, just for the comedic possibilities. As for Jennifer Garner, I think she's best when she's serious. ALIAS proves she can play drama and action flawlessly. Maybe I just didn't like seeing her play everything so silly. I'm not sure how to feel about a film like this, other than to say it's just not my kind of flick..." (full review)
Connie and Carla "Facing her follow-up film to the once-in-a-lifetime success of "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," writer/star Nia Vardalos has decided to embrace her silly side. "Connie and Carla" is a fairly unabashed rip-off of "Some Like It Hot," but the zany, farcical spirit, and two very committed lead performances from Vardalos and Toni Collette keep things running smoothly. It's nice to see a picture enjoy irony-free comedy so much..." (full review) "Vardalos and Collette are amazing, bringing twice the requisite warmth and wit their two characters need. The film's messages of acceptance, understanding, and believing in your self transcend the usual heavy handed, after-school-special-type morality lessons so often found in films these days, and seem genuinely heartfelt. Finally, the films treatment of gays as real people with real concerns rather than hyperactive eclectic hairdressers whose sole mission in life is to makeover straight men is a wonderfully welcome addition..." (full review)
Kill Bill, Volume II "Tarantino has done an incredible job with this film and once again shows what a unique talent he is. The storytelling and acting is superb, and as in the first film the cinematography is just simply amazing. His use of filming styles, lighting, and of course an incredible soundtrack all work together in Vol. 2 to create a film that not only wraps up everything seen in Vol. 1 but also stands alone quite ably as its own piece of film art..." (full review) "Quentin Tarantino outdoes himself with Kill Bill Vol. 2. By adding more character development in this second installment, the brilliant auteur creates a film that is thrilling like the first, but one that is also emotionally involving and dramatically satisfying. Alone, the two films are fantastic. Together, they add up to a true classic..." (full review) "Maybe without everything being spelt out for us, the film's final twists and turns would have actually been surprising. Most of the audience predicted nearly every single thing that eventually happened in "The Last Chapter" somewhere back around Chapter Six. Quentin had a great 3 hour movie with Kill Bill. Volume 1 was an excellent 100 minutes at the movies and there's enough good in Volume 2 to recommend it as a bargain matinee. Fans of spaghetti westerns will enjoy the soundtrack and feel of the film. It's too bad that, by the time Vol. 2 is over, a more fitting title for the stale and padded second installment would be Overkill Bill..." (full review)
The Punisher "Punisher really feels like an 80's action movie, complete with stand-in-line henchmen who meet gruesome deaths, a tropical locale, and a brooding hero forced to act his way through more preens and poses than he should be made. At the end of the day, The Punisher could have made itself so that we were laughing and cheering with it. Sadly, most of the time, you're laughing at it. And you're not even supposed to be laughing in the first place..." (full review) "The movie looks amateurish. The scenes are disjointed and poorly edited. You can tell which scenes were shot together then inserted into different parts of the film. All movies are filmed in chunks, but only bad films make it look obvious. The character's have terrible dialogue and look goofy saying their lines. It's almost as if they can't believe they're saying something so stupid. The action scenes are pathetically limp. The film, despite all of its shortcomings, would have worked if the action kicked ass. It doesn't and that sucks..." (full review) "While directly continuing the adventures of The Bride, "Kill Bill: Vol. 2" has a much different atmosphere than last autumn's "Vol. 1." Gone are the bullet train-like momentum, the shameless geekfest, and the spurting blood. "Vol. 2" is more of a cockeyed drama, packed with classic Quentin Tarantino dialogue and a decidedly longer running time. "Vol. 2" is also a perfect way to conclude this labyrinthine story from Tarantino, and the sheer radiance of the filmmaking could give eyesight to the blind..." (full review)
Prozac Nation "Gathering dust on the shelf for three years now, "Prozac Nation" offers many great reasons why it should never see the light of day. This biopic of writer/drug connoisseur/spaz Elizabeth Wurtzel is so abysmal and misguided, it's a wonder why anyone would want to take this subject on in the first place. Christina Ricci doesn't help matters much turning in a terrible performance, but that really is the least of this turkey's problems..." (full review)
