The most fun I've had in a movie in years. During the first scene I am literally wondering if we accidentally walked into the wrong movie, and then when the title pops up I just bust out laughing. The dual storyline concept was done beautifully jumping back and forth from a straight-forward horror film and something else. The entire third act is just candy, a bonus to be savored. It's refreshingly unpredictable. It's silly without being stupid. It's serious without being heavy. It's a strange movie definitely worth experiencing, especially if you're a horror movie buff. I cannot believe it was ever greenlit, but I'm extremely thankful it was.

4.5 Stars (out of 5)

If I am comparing this film to any in the Twilight series I would say this is not only a better movie, but the messages are far more positive or at least relevant to our real world. I've not read the books, but I love the distinct differences between the affluent characters of the capital and the hard-working "regular" folks of the other 12 districts. This was probably the film's strongest point. The wealthy folks live life without a care. They have time for crazy make-up and hairstyles. There's always huge banquets of foods laid out as if they were kings. They have the audacity to point out how lucky these common-folk are just to simply enjoy these spoils for 48 hours, even though all but one are about to die in a battle to the death... The crazy thing is most of them actually buy into this. The elites talk of what an honor and privilege it is for these poor children to "serve their district" and they actually believe it. ...continue reading →

There's a lot of depth to this seemingly straightforward silent film. It feels like all the different elements came together perfectly to create a playful yet compelling story: endearing actors, a fun score, peppy editing, and always interesting visuals. I enjoyed the film's humorous take on the ever-evolving film industry. This is a timeless popcorn movie that revels in the magic of movies and keeping the old Hollywood nostalgia alive for future generations. Plus, it has John Goodman in it, so I'm all set.

4.0 Stars (out of 5)

Finally a movie where people get superpowers and don't become superheros. They play pranks on people, show off at the high school talent show, and try to get laid. It's probably how most of us would react if we found ourselves with powers. More interesting to me was the dark subtext of a troubled young man who snaps after being picked on his whole life. Whether he got his hands on superpowers or semi-automatic weapons it seems like his life was going to inevitably reach the same apex no matter what. The film was shot entirely POV style like Cloverfield which made the outlandish special effects seem more genuine.

3.5 Stars (out of 5)

It was fun while I was watching it but in the end it's just another movie in a series where they all feel pretty much the same. Since James Bond has become more realistic and less cheesy recently, it seems these films have picked up the slack. With their high-tech spy gadgets and dry humor you'd think this was an American version of Bond. I bet they're going to keep making these movies. And that's fine by me, as long as Simon Pegg is in them all.

3 Stars (out of 5)

I love a good mystery and at its core that's what this film is about. Much like Joe Friday and his partner the two main characters work together interviewing people and following the clues. I'm a big fan of David Fincher and this is some of his best work. Plus the source material is solid and the actors are a perfect fit. Movies like this are why I love going out to a theater. I'm looking forward to the next two films in the series.

4 Stars (out of 5)

While it's great to see the Muppets get the gang back together, this film felt a little off to me. Pieces seemed to be missing, left out for time perhaps. I would have liked a back-story about why the bad guy is incapable of laughing that could also explain why he despises the Muppets so much. Maybe in his childhood his father ridiculed him for laughing at the Muppet Show or something? At least Jim Parsons was in it for a moment. That's all that matters.

3 Stars (out of 5)

This one feels like they had the biggest budget and yet the least amount of stuff happens. Bella sits on a couch for two hours and Jacob falls in love with an unborn baby? What the hell? The series jumped the shark if you ask me. I did like the honeymoon scenes in the beginning. There were a lot of intentional, and some unintentional, comedic moments in there.

1.5 Stars (out of 5)

This film wisely uses a super-cool Robert Rodriguez film style and the delightful music of Rodrigo y Gabriela. The two sequences with songs by Rodrigo y Gabriela were the best things in the film for me. They're fun songs even without the visual elements. The story is somewhat weak and I hated the Humpty Dumpty character, but it's still a fun (and adorable) ride overall. "How *dare* you do the Litter Box at me!"

3 Stars (out of 5)

Unfortunately this film fails to live up to its concept. The trailer is better than the movie. There are times that the movie is entertaining, but they are short-lived. It's mostly 90 minutes of filler footage shot in boring drainage ditches with drab dialogue cut in between fleeting moments of mild entertainment executed in a mediocre way.

2.5 Stars (out of 5)