Kick-Ass

The title says it all

There have been many, many stupid movies over the years, too many to list in fact. From Borat to The Hangover and everything in between, but in terms of utter stupidity, nothing has come close to Kick-Ass. This is quite possibly the dumbest movie to come along in years and also quite possibly the funniest.

This movie features many stars in the making including Aaron Johnson and Christopher Mintz-Plasse as well as action and superhero film vertan Nicholas Cage. Johnson (known to fan for his portrayal of a teenage John Lennon in the biographical drama "Nowhere Boy") stars as Dave, a nerdy, misfit teenager with a love of comic books. He wonders why no one has ever tried to become a real life superhero and despite his doubting friends, he sets out to become one. Doning a wet suite and calling himself "Kick-Ass" he does a lot more taking punches than saving people until he suddenly becomes a Youtube sensation and New York City starts to view him as an actual hero. On one job however, he finds he's bitten off more than he can chew. Things look bad, but thankfully two new "superheros" come to his rescue; the father-daughter duo of "Big Daddy" and "Hit Girl."

Big Daddy is David McCreedy (Cage), a former cop sent to prison for a crime he did not commit. Angry over the loss of his job and the death of his wife, he sets out on a personal quest for vendetta against the man responsible; Frank D'Mico (Mark Strong) a crooked cop turned crime boss who framed him for dealing drugs years ago. Mintz-Plasse (known to fans as 'McLovin') costars as D'Mico's son Chris, a poor little rich boy with a love of comic books. When his father puts a price out on Kick-Ass's head, Chris creates his own superhero alter ego, in an attempt to bring Kick-Ass to justice. Thus "Red Mist" is born. It all adds up to one show-stopping finale you won't want to miss. This is the best spoof Hollywood as turned out since "Spaceballs." While there's no getting around how lame it looks and sounds, it really is a very enjoyable movie. Just give it a try. You'll be glad you did.

5 Stars

The Help

Important Oppression Drama Documents the Power of the Press

This was another movie I didn't expect to be impressed by. I went to the theater more unsure than anything else, but I have to admit, this is very engaging movie that focuses on some important, often overlooked points in U.S. history. It reminds us that the African American race's hard times didn't end with slavery..at all. Times were still very, very hard many years after its members were given their freedom.

The American film classic Gone With the Wind depicts the character of "Mammy" as a black but nonetheless very caring devoted maid who is very loyal to the family she works for. This movie features a cast of similar characters. Set in Jackson Mississippi, it tells of Eugenia (nicknamed Skeeter) a young woman from a well-to-do family who returns to her home in Jackson with a college degree and dreams of becoming a writer. She gets a low end job writing an advice cleaning advice piece for the local newspaper, but soon becomes interested in another topic - the treatment of black people in her home city. Having been raised by a black maid herself, Skeeter feels a certain attachment to the maids of the city that the rest of her family and many of her friends to do. Surrounded by cruelty and racism, Skeeter sets off on a quest to give the local blacks a voice by publishing a book of interviews given by black maids, testifying how bad they really have have it. It's a well written, well acted film that does the original book justice. Emma Stone leads a group of B-list actors all of whom give top notch performances. This film also documents how far the power of the press can go and proves better than anything to come along before it that the pen is in fact mightier than the sword. Anyone looking for a good movie should give this a go - it's an important film that everyone of age should see.

5 Stars

Just Go With It

Decent, but too much romance for the genre

Happy Madison productions got it's name from two early movies it's founder, Adam Sandler stared in; Happy Gilmore and Billy Madison. Those were both rude, raunchy comedies. Since then, the company has produced many movies, among them The Benchwarmers, Blades of Glory, and Grown Ups. When this movie first hit theaters I expected lots of laughs and crude humor. I was sorely disappointed. This isn't a bad movie but it just had too much romance for the Happy Madison genre. A good way to phrase it would be "Just Go With It is 80% romance and 20% raunch. Not cool Adam Sandler, not cool at all.

Sandler stars as Dr. Danny Mcabee, a successful, single plastic surgeon who uses a fake wedding ring to score with women. Things go great for him until the one girl he actually falls for discovers his secret. In order to cover up his story Danny enlists the help of his office aid Catherine (Jennifer Aniston) to pose as his soon to be ex-wife. That is supposed to be the end of it, but couldn't you guess it, through a series of unfortunate events, Danny is soon forced to drag her kids into his web of lies as well. One thing leads to another and before Danny knows what's happening, everyone (that's right, everyone) is headed to Hawaii for some fun in the sun and more chaos than anyone is prepared for. Don't go looking for Adam Sandler's usual potty humor but this actually isn't a bad date movie. It's got just enough romance to hold a woman's interest and just enough laughs to keep a man entertained.

4 Stars

The Green Hornet

Special Effects Good; Rogen Saved by Costar

From Freaks and Geeks to Knocked Up, from Observe and Report to Funny People, Seth Rogen has played a dazed and confused teenager, a complete loser who manages to get lucky in love through bad judgement, a down on his luck mall cop and a wannabe comedian, but this is the first time he's ever played a superhero...oh wait, he's not a superhero. He does just about nothing in this movie.

Roger stars as Britt Reid, the son of a wealthy Los Angeles newspaper tycoon who's content to let his life go nowhere. Apart from the money, the character is similar to the one he portrayed in "Knocked Up" years ago. When his father dies, however, he meets Cato, a brilliant young martial experts who also happens to be a wizard with building and technology. Tired of feeling like a loser, Reid gets Cato to deck out one of his father's cars and the two become an undercover crime fighting duo. Their heroics usually include Reid trying to be a hero but completely messing things up in the face of danger, and Cato having to come to his defense. Reid then turns to his late father's newspaper, which he has been left control of, to make his new alter ego "The Green Hornet" as big as possible. The public comes to have mixed feelings about this masked murad...er...poser who attempts to take down the city's top crime lord on almost a regular bases, but his attempts never quite go as planned. He also leaves business cards after every "bust." That's right, business cards! This isn't your average super hero flick, and it sometimes feels like a spoof. It's not horrible, but if your looking for a decent superhero action this is not a good choice. If your just looking to laugh though, Green Hornet might not be so bad.

3 Stars

Meatballs

Most Underrated Comedy Of the Millennium

Blast from the past! In honor of summer vacation starting I thought I'd review one of my all time summer favorites. This grossly underrated comedy was not only Bill Murry's first leading role, its also the original 'slobs vs. snobs' flick that laid the ground for many others.

Bill Murry stars as Tripper Harrison, the laid back thirty something womanizing head counselor at the slightly run down Camp North Star. He normally devotes his summer to cracking jokes, chasing female staffers, and leading the teenage CIT's in pranking the nerdy camp director. However, when Rudy, a shy middle schooler comes to camp, Tripper takes him under his wing, determined to give him the summer of his life. Along the way he woos the woman of his dreams, helps some socially awkward CITs win over their dream girls, continually pranks the nerdy camp director Morty (i.e, sets him adrift on the lake in his sleep, among other things), and shows one boy what it truly means to be a winner. Murry steals the show, but this movie is very well acted and doesn't have a bad line of dialogue in it. The Only downside? You'll be singing the theme song "Are You Ready For the Summer?" for weeks after you hear it, as well as the parting campfire song "We Are the North Star CITs." Anyone looking for a good time this summer should check out this heartwarming summer flick. It truly has something for everyone, be it lively middle schoolers, bored teenagers, or even their parents. Are you ready for the summer?

Gulliver's Travels

Cute Movie, But Nothing New from Jack Black

Jack Black has yet to make an unentertaining movie, but he'll need better writing next time if he wants people to keep taking him seriously. The works of Jonathan Swift just don't seem to have been written to be performed by someone like him. The story is more or less the same, Black playing the title character Gulliver, a lonely mail room clerk who talks big but knows his life isn't going anywhere. When he scores a travel writing job taking him to the Bermuda triangle, he doesn't plan on being sucked through a giant whrilpool into Liliput, a world of tiny people. They people are frightened and take to calling him "The Beast" but when he saves the king's palace from a fire by peeing on it, things start to look up. Jason Seegle costars as his pint sized wing man Horracio. This is a good family movie, and even features Jack Black singing "War, What is it Good For?" with a chorus of tiny people providing backup. Don't go looking for any moral substance, but if you and/or your kids are just looking for a good time, Gulliver's travels isn't a bad choice at all. It's bound to please children who enjoyed the book and even one's who didn't.

3 Stars

Robin Hood

Big Budget Take is Worth Every Dollar

Over the years there have been many versions of this classic story, some animated, some with guys in tights singing, but none quite like this. Director Ridly Scott has finally brought the world a film version of Robin Hood with a creative twist. This doesn't tell the story of the Robin Hood we know, but what happened before...how Robin of Longfellow became Robin Hood.

The story begins in England, Robin Longfellow (skillfully portrayed by Russell Crow) is an ordinary English soldier, fighting beside King Richard in the great crusade. When the King is stuck dead by a renegade arrow, Robin and a few friends try to escape and bring his crown back to England. Before they can do so however, they encounter a dying soldier known as Robin of Locksly who begs them to bring his sword back to England, to his father. Robin vows to do this, but upon returning to their native shores, he is shocked by Prince John's cruelty. Not willing to take it, he assumes the identity of Robin of Locksly and begins romancing his widow, Maid Marian (Cate Blanchett) all the while gathering allies and keeping one step ahead of corrupt Prince John. The show is stolen by Mark Strong who portrays the Sheriff of Nottingham, even outdoing Alan Rickman's performance of years ago. This isn't your traditional Robin Hood flick, so don't go expecting that, but is remarkable well written and acted. Anyone in the mood for a good time should certainly give this a shot.

5 Stars

Get Him to the Greek

Dinner for Schmucks Meets Superbad

This movie isn't as good as "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" the film it follows, but its not too bad either. The only problem is, in "Sarah Marshall" Russell Brand plays the same character while Jonah Hill plays someone completely different. In this, Hill stars as Aaron Green, a young record company intern with big dreams of making it to the top. He feels like his life's going nowhere, but his big break comes when he's given the chance to escort unruly rockstar has-been Aldest Snow, ex boyfriend of Sarah Marshall across the globe for a concert. Green has 72 hours to get him from London to the Greek Theater in LA and thinks everything should be fine, but along the way a few things happen that slow things down...just a little. Snow, a once platinum selling artist, has become an out of control partying druggie with some deep seeded emotional problems. He has a hard time understanding some things, but Green is determined to let nothing stand in his way, no matter what comes along. Get Him to the Greek isn't quite as funny or as Smart as some of Judd Apatow's previous works but its certainly worth seeing if your into movies like "Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Knocked Up, The 40 Year Old Virgin....ect" if not try to avoid this movie. Don't go looking for any moral fiber or good messages, but if your just looking for some cheap laughs and a good time, this may just be an enjoyable movie.

4 Stars

Battle: LA

Gives Aliens and Soldiers Alike a Bad Name

This was not a movie I would have gone out of my way to see, but during my recent travels in Columbia, I decided to catch a movie at the local cinema and this was the only thing they had playing in English. My time would have been better spend looking at posters out front.

This movie has absolutely 0% originality. The plot is this - a rogue troop of U.S. Marines battling Aliens on a Los Angelous freeway. During the fight the Marines attempt to shelter a lost family. There is some plot twist where a secret about the Staff Sargent in Command is discovered, but it is not at all made clear. This movie was a lot of things, but most of all it was badly written. The special effects were decent, but tremendously overused. The action was decent, no A-List names, pretty much what you'd expect from a mid-budget action flick. I didn't expect to be impressed, but this was just a horrible movie, in every manner of speaking. Of course judging by the title, "Battle: LA" anyone with a second grade education should be able to guess this isn't a movie worth seeing. Anyone considering watching this movie should save their money and go do anything else. As of today Battle:LA is number three on my list of worst movies ever made.

1 Star

Knight and Day

R.I.P Tom Cruise

This has been a pretty good year for action comedies. We had Cop Out and The Other Guys but it stopped with Knight and Day. We all know Tom Cruise hasn't been all that selective with his movies as of late, (Vanilla Sky, War of the Worlds, ect) but this "action comedy" as it was somehow dubbed was just awful. There can be no doubt that Cruise has lost a few steps since his "Mission Impossible" days. The fact is, he hasn't made a decent action movie, or just a decent movie in general since 2003's "The Last Samurai." Granted, political thriller "Lions for Lambs" wasn't too bad, and even historical action thriller "Valkyrie" was almost worth watching, but after this, I simply cannot take him seriously. It wasn't all Cruise's fault, this movie was not well written or directed. Arn't the girls in action movies supposed to be young and beautiful? Cameron Diaz doesn't exactly match that description..just my opinion. This movie should have been labeled a spoof because thats what it comes across as - a spoof on Tom Cruise action flicks. How Cruise will land anymore action gigs or just acting gigs in general after this, I really can't imagine, but hey; I said the same thing after Vanilla Sky and he bounced back ok from that, even if it was to make movies like this. My best advice to Tom Cruise can be summed up in three short words; "Fire Your Agent."

1/2 Star

Megamind

All Star Cast, Not Much Else

Another animated superhero flick aimed at 10 year old boys...I was in no hurry to see this movie but sitting on a plane, bored out of my mind I decided to give it a try.

Megamind was about like you'd expect, with a few good twists, mainly that it was written from the bad guy's point of view. Will Ferrell was the voice of the title character, an alien sent to earth by his parents. The opening scene was a direct rip-off of Superman, where Megamind's parents shipped him to earth. On the way down though, another alien baby being sent to earth crosses his path. Thats the first encounter Megamind has with Metro Man, as his soon to be arch enemy would come to be known. Megamind ended up being raised in a prison by inmates while Metro Man was raised by rich, loving parents in a life of comfort. As adults they become rivals, constantly battling in the city, Metro Man always winning. One day Megamind thinks he's actually destroyed his arch enemy, but things in Metro City arn't always as they seem. The evil mastermind soon gets bored, having no one to battle. This isn't a bad movie but its not very good either. Anyone looking for a movie with some depth should avoid it but if you or your kids are just looking for a funny family flick, Megamind isn't a bad choice.

3 Stars

True Grit

You Can't Beat John Wayne...But Jeff Bridges Comes Pretty Close

You don't have to be a fan of the original, 1969 John Wayne classic to enjoy a movie like this. But for the thousands who are, you should be in for a rather pleasant surprise; this is actually a decent John Wayne remake.

Joel and Ethan Coen wrote and directed this western remake. The story stays the same, telling of a young girl who's father has just been shot down in cold blood by a cowardly whisky drinker named Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin). Fearing justice will not be served, she takes matters into her own hands and hires a U.S Marshall, the life hardened, one eyed, eye patch wearing Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges). Cogburn is not an easy man to work with. Ignoring the girls pleas to go with him he sets out alone without her known. She catches up with him, but adding to the mix is a bumbling texas ranger (Matt Damon), pursing Chaney for other reasons. Wanting more than anything to see Chaney face the gallows in her home town, our young hero throws her life on the line to bring her father's killer to justice. Jeff Bridges shown as Cogburn, doing his best to fill the shoes left by John Wayne. Not an easy role for anyone, but Bridges does it very well. All the supporting cast was solid as well. Not one of my favorite movies, but certainly worth checking out.

4 Stars

Cop Out

The Other Guys With Real Action, Less Plot

It's honestly hard to tell weather Cop Out is meant to be action or comedy. It's defined as an action comedy but theres almost a laugh for every bullet fired, making it hard to tell what this movie really is. Not to say that its a bad movie, its not, at all. The acting is pretty good, a solid performance by Tracy Morgan, and Bruce Willis is good in his usual role - life hardened aging cop. Stealing the show is Sean William Scott, who costars as a talented thief with a knack for annoying the cops bringing him in. Willis stars as NYPD detective Jimmy Monroe, a desperate cop with no way to pay for his only daughter's wedding. His ex-wife's new husband, Jason Lee, offers to pay for the wedding the Jimmy won't hear of it. In a last attempt to come up with the money, he tries to sell the most valuable thing he owns, a baseball card worth thousands of dollars. Before he can close the deal, however, the card is stolen and thats where our story begins. Morgan plays his paranoid but well meaning partner who's constantly distracted by the fear that his wife is cheating on him. The bumbling duo is thrust into a drug ring, finding romance, discovering shocking secrets and much, much more. This movie ultimately seems more like an action flick but it has enough laughs to earn a comedy rating as well. Whichever is your preference, give Cop Out a shot.

4 Stars

Yogi Bear

Life's a Pick-a-Nic and So is This Movie

When I took my younger brother to see this, I didn't expect much. Right from the opening scene though, I could tell this wasn't going to be as bad as I'd thought. On the contrary, it was great! Yogi Bear is the best family film to come along in ages.

Based on the beloved cartoon, this charming family animation tells the story of two talking bears living in the beautiful but unpopular Jellystone Park. The ever cunning but somewhat dimwitted Yogi loves 'pic-a-nic' baskets and whenever a family arrives with one, Yogi tries his best to steal it. His plans however, also backfire miserably. Meanwhile, the long suffering Head Ranger Smith, known to the bears as 'Mr. Ranger' is in some hot water. The corrupt mayer of the city wants to close down Jellystone and sell its logging rights. In order stop him, Ranger Smith must come up with thousands of dollars in ten days - not as easy as you might think with Yogi running around. Meanwhile when a beautiful, nature loving film maker named Rachel arrives to film a documentary, sparks begin to fly. Yogi, despite Boo Boo warnings tries to help Ranger Smith, but despite his best efforts, he somehow manages to ruin more things than he fixes. This movie has it all, non stop laughs, action, political corruption, romance and even a good message. Truly a movie anyone can enjoy, this is not a comedy to be missed.

4 Stars

She's Out Of My League

I'm Reed Fish meets John Tucker Must Die meets Beauty And The Beast

This coming of age comedy (even though the main character is over 20) tackles the topic of self esteem and why listening to your friends is such a bad idea. In short, listen to your heart, not your friends.

Jay Baruchel stars as Kirk, an insecure airport worker with a disfunctional family and shallow, superficial friends. He's hung up on a former lover who is closer to his parents than he is, until he meets the gorgeous Molly. Quite by accident he stumbles across her phone, goes to return it to her, and thats where our story begins. When the two start dating, his friends and family are all in shock. Adding to the mix is Molly's handsome, successful, pilot ex-boyfriend who's determined to win her back. Kirk can't believe his luck, but things are never quite as they seem. His best friend classifies him as a 5, with Molly as a "hard 10." Kirk's unsupportive family only makes things worse. With so much on the line, our hero is faced with many choices with shocking and often hilarious results. This light hearted comedy is not a movie to be missed. Don't go looking for any moral value, but if you've got nothing better to do, give "She's Out Of My League" a spin.

5 Stars

Observe and Report

Right Now the World Needs a Hero...and it Sure as Hell Ain't Seth Rogen

I finally got around to seeing this movie and looking back now I wish I hadn't. This foul mouthed "action" comedy isn't funny...at all. Its full of profanity, graphic male nudity (don't ask me to elaborate on that) and just about everything else we as human beings don't need to see. The worst thing though, is its just so unoriginal. In short, this movie is a rip off of Paul Blart: Mall Cop without the laughs and good natured humor of Kevin James. Seth Rogen should stick with Judd Apatow.

Rogen stars as overweight rent-a-cop Ronnie Barnheart who spends his days pretending to be a hero at the local mall and his nights with his alcoholic mother. He hides his dream of being an actual cop from everyone and secretly crushes on cosmetics counter cutie Brandi (Anna Ferris, stealing the show as always, though in a movie like this it isn't that hard). When a chubby pervert clad only in shoes and a bath robe starts flashing his private parts to women in the mall parking lot, Ronnie sees his chance to become a real cop. Only thing standing in his way? Tall, handsome, sucessful Detective Harrison (Ray Liotta) who actually knows how to do his job. Theres a lot more to the plot, but I'm not even going to bother going into detail, as this is a movie no one needs to see. Observe and Report ranks with Norbit (http://wiseguyreviews1.blogspot.com/2011/02/norbit.html) as one of the worst movies ever made. Avoid it at all costs.

1.5 Stars

Rise Against - Endgame

Solid Band, Solid Album

Rise Against continues to impress me. They remind us what alternative rock is all about, and their usual sprinkles of war and political themes always make for a great record. With so many bands selling out these days I was a little worried about RA, but I needn't have been. Rise Against still has their signature sound, mostly heavy guitar riffs mixed in the occasional acoustic track. Help Is On the Way and Survivor's guilt get my votes for the top tracks, but really, this album doesn't have a bad song. All I can say is Rise Against won't let me down, down (yes, that was a reference to Prayer of the Refugee, not a track from this album, but a great Rise Against track never the less) Fans of the band will not be disappointed. If you'r just thinking about trying out Rise Against, there's no better time than now.

4 Stars

Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps

Guess the Stock Market isn't the Only Thing that's Recently Crashed...

Money never sleeps but Oliver Stone sure does. This follow up to the Douglas/Sheen classic was began filming 23 years after the first. That's right, 23 years. Oliver Stone, like many filmmakers seemed to have fallen asleep at the wheel, but when it looked like bad times were coming he seized his chance to step back into action.

Shia LaBeouf is truly a rarity among today's young stars. He went from Disney Channel to Wall Street, I'd like to see Miley Cyrus do that. LaBeouf plays Jake, an ambitious young trader who just so happens to be dating the daughter of fallen Wall Street kingpin Gordon Gekko. Just as he's set to propose to his girlfriend Gekko is released from prison and his mentor, Lou (skillfully portrayed by Frank Langella) takes his own life when his company boots him. Josh Brolin is solid as Bretton James, greedy new megalomaniac behind Lou's demise. Gekko's daughter has a broke relationship with her father which she doesn't want to fix. Jake wants to fix things for them but discovers that the deeper he goes, the worse things get. All that said, its not a bad movie, by any means. "I once said that greed was good, not it seems its legal" states Gekko. "We take a buck, shoot it with steroids and call it leverage." This movie should hit home for anyone who lost money or was hurt in any way when the stock market crashed in 2008. If you liked the original give Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps a try.

4 Stars

The Other Guys

Die Hard Meets Dumb and Dumber

Action comedy is a hard genre to perfect. You can either have Die Hard or Dumb and Dumber, not both. However, this movie found a way around that rule.

Featuring action stars Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Samuel L. Jackson and Mark Wahlberg along with comedy mastermind Will Ferrell, this movie has just about everything. The bullets fly fast, but the laughs fly faster and theres even some romance. Johnson and Jackson star as flashy, heroic cops who meet their demise in the line of duty early on. When New York City needs a hero, who's left to save the day? Certainly not the other guys, the desk cops who do the real cop's paperwork. At least thats what the city thinks. Among the desk cops are an unlikely pair; Terry (Wahlberg) is an angry cop who longs for action. His demise was mistakenly shooting Derek Jeter during the 07' worse series. Allan (Ferrell) is his easy going parter who just likes things quiet. When duty calls, however, the dimwitted duo is forced to step into action and thats just where our story begins. Weather your taste is action, comedy, or both, give The Other Guys a spin. Not a movie to be missed.

5 Stars

Dropkick Murphys - Going Out in Style

You'll Never Beat the Irish

With St. Paddys Day rapidly approaching I've been jamming out to a lot of Irish music, both folk and rock. When the Dropkick Murphys's new album hit the shelves I knew I had to give it a listen. I've long been a fan of the band and they didn't disappoint me here.

This album features great covers such as The Irish Rover first made famous by Irish folk group The Pogues years ago. I didn't think anyone would be able to beat their version but The Dropkick Murphys proved me wrong. There are of course many great originals, including the title track. Rock and Roll legend Bruce Springsteen is featured on Peg O' My Heart, which is my favorite track of the album. If they Dropkick Murphys never released another album they would certainly be going out in style with this. So far the year's top album this is not an album to be missed. Happy St. Patrick's Day to The Dropkick Murphys and all those who love the Shamrock Shore.

5 Stars

The Catcher in the Rye - J.D. Salinger

First and Biggest Name in Young Adult Fiction. Emphasis on First

I'm like tons of American teenagers. I enjoy reading but I can rarely find a book that I simply can't put down. When The Catcher in the Rye was assigned as an English assignment I didn't think much of it. I had heard mixes reviews from adults and teens alike regarding the book. I knew, however, that it had once been banned in schools and I was curious as to why. By the end of the first chapter I knew I had stumbled upon something special.

I'm sure your familiar with Holden Caulfield, the depressed and complex heroine of Catcher in the Rye. Confused and unsure of himself and what he wants he runs away from his posh Prep School and heads to New York City before telling his parents that he's been expelled form yet another school. He wanters through the city almost in a daze where he encounters, old friends, old flames, prostitutes and their pimps and eventually his own younger sister, the sole human being who he feels truly understands him.

Told in a remarkable teenager like voice, this is truly a book every teenager should read. I think everyone can find a little bit of Holden Caulfield if they search deep enough. Its not an overly long book but I sometimes wish it was. Its really a remarkable book, the likes of which have never been seen since.

5 Stars

The Social Network

Of All the Cinematic Shockers....

Theres no getting around it - many of hollywoods biggest film makers have fallen majorly asleep at the wheel. Majorly. But sometimes, out of desperation and come pure greatness and The Social Network stands alone as living proof of that.

When Facebook's 500 Million users (myself included) log on every day, chances are their not thinking about the men who started it all, who made Facebook what it is. Jessie Eisenberg skillfully portrays Mark Zuckerberg, a nerdy and somewhat bitter Harvard Freshmen who happens to be exceptionally talented in the technology field. His friend Eduardo Saverin (portrayed equally as skillfully by Andrew Garfield) happens to be equally as talented in the business field. At the start of the film, a recently dumped Mark creates a website known as "Facemash" where students can compare Harvard girls. The site gets so many hits that it crashes the Harvard network. Word gets around and soon two wealthy upperclassmen brothers known as Tyler and Cameron Winkelvoss who want to create a "Harvard Network" and need a skilled computer programer. Mark agrees and thus begins the birth of Facebook. He is backed financially by Eduardo. Everything goes fine until he decides to break away from the Winkelvosses and create something all his own - something he dubs "The Facebook."

Thats just the start of a long journey, full of lawsuits, anger, corruption, romance and wild partying. Justin Timberlake all but steals the show as cocky, laid back Napster founder Sean Parker who steps in to lend Mark a hand along the way. Anyone with a Facebook, and anyone who doesn't shouldn't miss this movie. When it was first released, many, myself included, were a bit skeptical to say the least. This movie proved me wrong though. I'm rooting for it for best picture at The Oscars. This movie deserves to win.

5 Stars (only because I don't rate higher)

Dinner for Schmucks

Dumb and Dumber Gets a Corporate Twist

Ok, this is hands down the comedy of the season. I don't care what other titles you throw at my face, nothing I've seen this year beats Dinner for Schmucks for laughs.

Paul Rudd plays Tim, a successful but nervous businessman up for a big promotion at the office. When he starts to reel in a Swiss millionaire client he thinks he'd got it made but soon realizes he must pass one more test. Find the biggest idiot he can and bring him to his boss's annual dinner party. At the party the boss and his workers make fun of the guests. Tim's girlfriend objects to the idea and Tim is about to turn down the invitation when the ultimate schmuck falls right into his lap. Barry (Steve Carrell) is a dimwitted but lovable IRS worker who's only hobby is taking dead mice and using them to create scenes from history and such like. Having no friends he willingly accepts Tim's invitation never suspecting his new friend's true desire. Tim relaxes until Barry shows up at his apartment and starts to quickly burn every bridge Tim has. From almost ruining Tim's relationship with his girlfriend to almost costing him his job Barry leads to one giant fail after another in the form of a very funny story. This is truly one of the funniest movies I have seen in a long time. Not to be missed

5 Stars

Sherlock Holmes

Odd Cast, Awesome Movie

When I first got wind of this movie's cast, I was skeptical, like most Americans. I mean, Robert Downy Jr. as Holmes was surprise enough, but Jude Law as Dr. Watson? That got me thinking. I wasn't sure that turning Watson into a sex symbol was a good idea. I was wrong.

This movie was well cast, well written, well acted, well shot and in short, well everything. The special effects were great and the leads, Downy Jr and Law were great. Rachel McAdams was wonderfully cast in her role as Ms. Adler, the only woman capable of capturing Holmes's heart. Mark Strong was good too, as the villain, Lord Blackwood. This is one movie that truly has it all, action, romance, frightening moments, and just about everything else. Mark my words, this movie will have you out of your seat giving Holmes and Watson a standing ovation as the end credits roll. Not sure if this movie qualifies as action, drama or something else, but whatever genre it is, its great. This is one movie that should not be missed by anyone.

5 Stars

Norbit

Pure Cinematic Garbage

Hollywood has turned out so many pieces of trash over the years I won't even bother to list them all. I don't like to review bad movies but I just have to warn anyone thinking about watching this cinematic abortion..DON'T. Simply put, Norbit is the worst movie ever made.

This movie doesn't have a witty line of dialogue in it. Its gross, irreverent, offensive, and beyond crass. Eddie Murphy really should only play one role per movie. The story tells of a nice guy (title character) who through a messed up childhood and a string of unfortunate events ends up married to a disgusting, vile woman known as Rasputia (also played by Murphy). She is obese, arrogant, and cruel, not to mention controlling. Norbit wants nothing more than to ditch his repulsive spouse who he does not love, but Resputia is backed by her three older brothers, Big Terry, Earl, and Mac, who are all large, violent, and cruel. Knowing her husband is powerless against her, Resputia treats Norbit horribly. He is miserable enough, but when his beautiful former crush moves back into town (played by Thadia Newton) Norbit's world threatens to explode. There's more to the plot, but frankly its just not worth discussing.

Just how fat is Resputia? When she and Norbit visit a water park she has to lift up her stomach to show she's wearing bottoms. If that's your kind of humor, Norbit is hilarious. If not, stay away. This is the only movie I've seen that truly ears a negative number of stars. Save your money and watch something else.

-5 Stars

The King's Speech

Don't Be Deceived by Trailers...

Being a teenager, I didn't expect to enjoy this movie. I was, however, very pleasantly surprised. This tale of King George VI (Collin Firth) focuses on his embarrassing speech impediment and stutter. It has always been a problem for George or "Bertie" as he is known to his family and close friends, but when suddenly forced upon the throne, he is told he must address all his subjects with a live radio broadcast. Afraid, and unsure of himself, George feels lost until his wife arranges for him to see unusual speech therapist Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush). Logue's unorthodox methods confuse and anger George at first, but he soon comes to accept the man and his odd ways. Logue eventually forces a strong, everlasting friendship with George that serves him and his country well. England is on the brink of World War II when George takes the throne. This movie was well written, well acted, and well directed. It also had a fresh, original plot which was fantastic considering how many film makers have fallen asleep at the wheel as of late. This is a movie anyone, mature teens and up can enjoy. Just give it a try - King George VI will steal your heart and leave you cheering.

4 Stars

Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World

Of All the Cinematic Disappoints....

Ok, this was far and away the worst movie I have seen in a long time. Being a slacker and a struggling, young musician myself, I tried hard to get into this movie - nothing worked.

A young musician who barely graduated high school is living with a gay roommate, and dating an geeky girl from a strict catholic high school (yes, she's still in high school so their relationship is illegal) when he's dragged my his band mates to a party where he meets a strange girl with pink hair who he'd dreamed about the night before. She makes it clear very quickly that she couldn't be less interested in him but for some reason he remains on her trail until she agrees to go out with him. They sort of hit it off, but what she doesn't tell him is that she has seven evil ex-boyfriends, all of whom have superpowers and that's where our story begins. Scott discovers that to win Ramona (thats the girl's name in case you haven't already figured that out or didn't know or both) he must first battle all her ex-boyfriends and win. Adding to the mix is Scott's gorges ex-girlfriend who has hit the big time since her breakup with Scott and who's guitarist happens to be one of Ramona's evil ex-boyfriends. Scott is faced with seven grim battles that he must fight and win to win the girl of his dreams. This was just a badly written movie with way too many special effects. Don't bother seeing it. Some graphic novels should just stay on paper.

2 Stars

Social Distortion - Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes

True - Blue Fans Will Not Be Disappointed

Social Distortion never ceases to amaze me.

As a long time fan I was pumped when I heard Social D was putting together a new album. I bought it the day it came out and upon hearing the first two songs was not disappointed. It's a solid album with ten solid songs - nothing that compares to "Sick Boys," or "Born to Lose" but its good stuff. Be warned though, the sound is different (different meaning bluesy and slower than their earlier albums.) Mike Ness experimented with the blues years ago on "Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell" with "Bad Luck" and now he seems to be using that style on a whole album. His voice is still buried behind the mic but if you don't mind that you won't mind this album. The top songs would have to be "Machine Gun Blues," "Alone and Forsaken," and "California (Hustle and Flow)" which for some reason unclear to me was offered on iTunes as the free "single of the week" the week of the album's release. Seems strange but hey, when Owl City's "Fireflies" was first released on iTunes it was also the "Single of the Week" and a few weeks later it was number one on the charts. God knows I hate Owl City but I love Social Distortion. Give this album a spin.

4 1/2 Stars

Linkin Park - A Thousand Suns

Some good stuff, but an overall disappointment to the fans of old..

Linkin Park Timeline -

200 - Release of Hybrid Theory: Linkin Park bursts onto the scene and delivers awesome songs such as "Papercut," "One Step Closer," and "In the End."

2002 - Linkin Park remixes Hybrid Theory and titles it "Reanimation." Different, but still some solid music.

2003 - Linkin Park tops their debut album with the release of "Meteora" featuring songs such as "Hit the Floor," "Breaking the Habit," and "Nobody's Listening."

2004 - Linkin Park teams up with Rapper Jay-Z and produces "Collision Course" six wonderful collaborations. 

2007 - Linkin Park releases Minutes to Midnight featuring awesome new rap type songs such as "Bleed it Out," and "Hands Held High." Though some hardcore fans were unhappy with the new styles, it was still a solid album.

2010 - Linkin Park sells out and releases "A Thousand Suns" a disappointment of an album full of techno such as "The Requiem," and "Fallout." Another great band selling out to what is popular just to sell more albums.

Just another great band selling out...first the Black Eyed Peas and Now Linkin Park..who's next? Can't wait to the next from Escape the Fate or We Came as Romans. All we can do is hope that all the bands who have yet to sell out stay true to who they really are when their writing their next album.

1 1/2 Stars

Vampires Suck

Vampires Suck and So Does This Movie

The title explains it all - Another cheap spoof from the idiots who brought us "Disaster Movie," "Epic Movie," and several other cinematic abortions comes "Vampires Suck" from the guys who couldn't sit through another vampire movie. I myself couldn't sit through another vampire movie but due to countless ravings from friends (both good and bad) I just had to give it a try. I didn't think I could find another movie that could possibly make any part of the Twilight saga look good but this movie proved me wrong. It follows more of less the same story line but in this case, following the Twilight storyline is not typically a good thing. This was a movie that couldn't even make me laugh.

I won't bother summarizing the plot since I'm sure your all familiar with the oh so popular series - girl moves to small town, falls for pale guy who turns out to be a vampire..bla, bla, bla...point is avoid this movie at all costs. This was two hours of my life I'm never going to get back.

1 Star