Akhu's Movie Reviews: 'Paul' (2011)

Movie: Paul

Year: 2011

My Rating: 6/10 Stars ******

This was actually funny, although the main comical effect in the movie is the colorful use of cuss-words. I don't know how I could doubt a Pegg-Frost duo movie, but I must admit I had my doubts after seeing the preview. Paul is an ET on the run from the government, and he hitches a ride with 2 unwitting British UFO enthusiasts (Pegg and Frost). Check it out, it actually is funny and worth watching once. 

Akhu's Movie Reviews: "The High Cost of Living" (2011)

Movie: The High Cost of Living

Year: 2011
My Rating: 6.6/10 Stars ******'

This is not a comedy for those who think that because it has Zach Braff in it that its going to be like Scrubs or something. A Montreal drug dealer is involved in a hit and run accident where he accidentally runs down a pregnant woman who as a result of the accident loses her baby, while she herself survives. The dealer (Braff) discovers that she lives, and that he is responsible for the death of the baby, and secretly tries to help the woman without her knowing that he was the hit and run driver. An intense movie.

Sneaks' Movie Reviews: 'Jump Tomorrow' (2001)

Movie: Jump Tomorrow (2001)
Director: Joel Hopkins
Rating: 7.9/10 Stars *******'

Sorry for the gap in posts fans, I've been a bit busier as of late and not much time to post but I am back with another, and really need to catch up on my movie reviews list! This movie was good, and different too. A romantic comedy about George, who is set (by his family) to be married to fellow Nigerian family friend but falls in love with a Spanish woman he randomly meets at the airport. Their lives seem to synchronize as George and his newfound French-pal (Girardot), make their way to George's looming wedding. and they get more than one chance at discovering their true feelings for each other despite the expectations of others. Check this one out, its a good laugh, and check out the soundtrack, its quite good. 

Movie Reviews: 'The Notorious Landlady' (1962)

Movie: The Notorious Landlady (1962)

Director: Richard Quine

Rating: 3.1/5 Stars ***'

A comedy movie from 1962 starring Jack Lemmon, Kim Novak and Fred Astaire. Jack Lemmon's character moves to London to start a new job at the US Embassy only to find that his attractive and youngish landlady is being investigated for the murder of her husband. This along with the fact that he is romantically interested, and so is just about every other man who she comes across, and the story unfolds. Check this one out.

Brief Movie Review: 'Nine' (2009)

Movie: Nine (2009)
Director: Rob Marshall
My Rating: 2.5/5 Stars **'
This movie is really more of a musical than I expected it would be. I don't really fancy musicals that much so I can't say I am going to be a very good reviewer of it. Basic story is about a famous Italian director who has seen his hey-dey and struggling to make another big hit. He also just happens to be a Don Juan sort of character who sleeps with lots of different beautiful women, most of whom are the actresses in his movies/musicals. Cast includes Penelope Cruz, Daniel Day Lewis, Nicole Kidman and more. I don't recommend this to you if you aren't a big fan of musicals as you will probably find it boring in that case. 

Brief Movie Review for 'The Hustler' (1961)

Movie: The Hustler (1961)
Director: Robert Rossen 
Rating: 4.2/5 Stars ****'

After seeing The Color Of Money (1986) I decide I should see the original, and I must say it was quite a bit better than the follow-up, even though he actually won the Oscar for the The Color Of Money (1986). Definitely check this movie out, its a classic Paul Newman movie and well worth watching, even more than once too :)

A Brief Movie Review for 'The Hangover' (2009)

Movie: The Hangover (2009)

Director: Todd Phillips

Rating: 3.9/5 Stars ***'

Allright, so after many people telling me how good this movie was, and then hearing that the sequel is already old hat, I decided to finally watch the first one. I must say that this movie was funny and worth watching once, although I doubt I will watch the sequel as its been reviewed by others as a just quick and easy money-maker for Hollywood, and just a poor re-make of the first one. What makes this movie funny really isn't the situations or the formulas, but the actors and their ability to play off of each other well, which I think most people would find funny. So, watch the first one at least, its good to have a dose of humor once in awhile.

A Brief Movie Review for 'Never Let Me Go' (2010)

Movie = Never Let Me Go (2010)

Director = Mark Romanek

Rating = 3/5 Stars ***

This movie is a sci-fi movie about a group of kids who are raised in a fictional society that makes them donate their organs to their "sponsors" until they die. This allows the sponsors to live extra long lives at the expense of this group of people who are raised specifically to be used as organ donors and then done away with. The story follows a couple of friends as they grow up in a fancy British private school and eventually learn they will be sacrificed as donors (by force, which seems more like extrication then donor-ship to me) when they reach a certain age. This sort of ethical situation is probably not all that far off from how it would really be if the wealthy-class thought they could get away with something like this to extend their own lives at the expense of others. Interesting movie and it will make you think, although definitely not too much humor in this one.

A Brief Movie Review for 'Welcome To The Rileys' (2010)

Movie = Welcome To The Rileys (2010)

Rating = 4/5 Stars ****

Kind of a crazy story about believable characters, although I don't reckon that the story is all that believable, but who knows...Great acting jobs Stewart, Leo, and of course Gandolfini (quite refreshing to see Gandolfini play a non-mobster/hitman role, and without that Long-Island accent too!). A middle-aged couple who have lost a daughter years ago are still struggling to find purpose and meaning in their lives, as well as finally starting to process some of their pain and grief. Another element of this film is the focus on how in some lives unlikely people/souls come together to help each other along their paths (especially when stuck in a rut) and then they part again. I know that I have had these kinds of brief but life-changing relationships in my own life and my life changed-track as a result, so that definitely is an element of realism there. I recommend checking this one out if you get the chance.

A Brief Movie Review for 'The Girl Who Played with Fire (Flickan som lekte med elden)' (2009)

Movie  = The Girl Who Played with Fire (Flickan som lekte med elden) (2009)
Writer = Stieg Larsson
3/5 Stars ***

This is part 2 of the Millennium Series by Swedish author and journalist Stieg Larsson. While part 2 still keeps you a bit on your seat it doesn't quite live up to the quality of the The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (Part 1) but I have often found that this is how trilogies most often seem to be. The father of computer hacker Lisbeth re-emerges to wreak some havoc and as we uncover more of her past and family ties. The plot isn't quite as strong as the first story was, but it seems to all tie together in the end. Apparently Hollywood is re-making this movie already (despite the real-versions being made in 2009), although I doubt I will even bother to watch it as the Independent Swedish-versions are surely better than a Hollywood version could be. If you liked the first story you will probably like this one, and their is a third part to this series as well, so keep an eye out for that one too.

Brief Movie Review for 'Baby It's You' (1983)

 Baby It's You (1983)

4/5 Stars ****

This movie is more than just your standard formula 80's teen movie. It really is a social commentary film about class and opportunity in America. The young-hot-shot guy who is filled with the confidence of youth, but comes from a poor family and neighborhood (with no real support network) goes for the pretty jewish girl, who's father is a successful Doctor, and who has a family that supports her emotionally and financially. This movie is more honest in my opinion about the two different worlds that these two come from and how that in the end, ultimately reveals how they ultimately never had a chance to begin with. Nuff said, check this one out.

Brief Movie Review for "The Good Heart" (2009)

The Good Heart (2009)
5/5 Stars *****

Another 5 star! Good movie, interesting characters and again, not your typical film. An old, grumpy, and rapidly declining in health bar owner takes a young homeless man he meets during a hospital visit under his wing to help run his bar and to give a chance. That said, I don't really want to give any more of it away, so you will have to go out and watch it. I would watch this movie again, and I highly recommend it.

Brief Movie Review for "Swedish Auto" (2006)

 3.5/5 Stars ***

Not your typical formulaic movie, which is nice for a change. About a young single auto-mechanic who is infatuated with a violinist, but who in turn discovers another attractive blonde girl who is infatuated with him. Her family life, however turns out to be troublesome. I would recommend this one.

A Brief Movie Review for "Things You Can Tell Just By Looking At Her" (2000)

2/5 Stars **

Mildly interesting weaving of the lives of a few different women living and enduring life's struggles in Los Angeles. I don't know that I would recommend it, its definitely not an up-lifting movie but a bit more depressing...I wouldn't watch it again.

Brief Movie Review for "Night of the Iguana" (1964)

4/5 Stars ****

Good and goofy movie! The character interactions (and the quality actors) are the key to this movie (as with most), but it really focuses on the characters and what seemed like mostly realistic emotional and not always logical way of dealing with the challenges in their lives. Richard Burton's character is classic, actually the first of his movies I've seen, and surprised he never got any James Bond roles. Definitely not your run-of-the-mill film or plot, so check it out, at least you'll get something different from the typical formulas, that is unless you are a formula person. Great poem there to btw.

Brief Movie Review for "Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers" (2009)

5 STARS *****

A truly enlightening documentary about the history of the Vietnam War and the American named Daniel Ellsberg who helped to leak the famous Pentagon Papers, which led to the Nixon-Watergate scandal and more importantly and end to the Vietnam War (which lasted from 1955-1975). This documentary is a history lesson for me and anyone who watches it. It is also interesting to see this in the face of the current wiki-leaks situation, and just how history repeats itself. A must see for anyone who gives a damn about history and the future of our world.

Brief Movie Review for "The Darwin Awards" (2006)

** 2/5 Stars

"I found this movie a little bit hard to follow for some reason, it didn't seem quite together, but maybe that was part of the point of the movie? Anyways, its based on the actual "Darwin Awards," and I CBF to explain them here so look them up yourself. Is about a brilliant blood-phobic detective who loses his job due to the fact that he passes out when he sees blood, thus homicide detective is probably not the best position. So he gets a new job working for insurance claim companies by helping to prove that large filed claims are not legitimate. Winona Ryder helps a bit, but not really due to her acting abilities. I wouldn't watch this one again, but its worth one viewing."

Brief Movie Review for "Secret of the Grain" (2007)

4/5 Stars ****

A great french-language movie! This movie portrays family interactions very well, and in a very realistic light, so beware, it may remind you of your own family. Its about an Arab family living in France where a recently laid-off senior dock worker decides to buy an abandoned fishing boat and turn it into a seafood cous-cous restaurant, is a bit nerve-wracking though, especially at the end.

Brief Movie Review for "The Ghost Breakers" (1940)

3/5 Stars ***

Funny movie, pre-US involvement in WWII which makes it interesting to me. I remember Bob Hope vaguely, but he was actually quite funny, which would make sense as to why he was so famous. Its a little discomforting to see how Hollywood portrayed black people back in those days, but I guess that is just how it was then, and we should be grateful that we have moved forward some. Good movie for some laughs.

Brief Movie Review for "Virtuality" (2009)

2.5/5 Stars **.5

Interesting as far as space movies go, and it seemed to have an interesting premise. A movie (and actually a TV-Pilot, which I was previously suspicious but unsure of) about a reality tv show of people living on a space station and traveling for 10 years to a distant star while massive flooding is occurring back on Earth. This actually could have a made a good series if it was utilized that way. In my opinion the story was good up until about the last 10 mins in which the directors swiftly wrap up the story in a way that sort of leaves you irritable. I don't know about anyone else, but does every frickin space movie have to have the "person trapped in an airlock and the computer is unresponsive, and there is only a minute or so before the trapped person gets sucked out into space" scene?? Be sure to check it out if you like space movies though.