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Most Recent Movie Reviews:
review archive: 2005 • 2006 • 2007 • 2008
(click a poster to purchase)
Movie Review of 21 (2008) [PG-13] 123 minutes
WIP™ Scale: $11.50
Fans of the Ben Mezrich book beware that the term 'inspired by' is used very loosely as the Allan Loeb / Peter Steinfeld screenplay bears only mild resemblance to the book. The film version of Bringing Down the House: The Inside Story of Six M.I.T. Students Who Took Vegas for Millions re-entitled 21 concerns a boy-genius named Ben Campbell (Jim Sturgess) who has the intention of becoming a physician and graduating from Harvard Medical School as a tribute to the hard work of his working class mother and long-deceased father. His vehicle for admission is an M.I.T. undergrad degree and his plan to afford the $300K price tag is a special full-ride scholarship. He works diligently with his two side-kicks Miles (Josh Gad) and Cam (Sam Golzari) to perfect a self-driving car from which they all three hope to derive great acclaim, that is until devious professor Micky Rosa (Kevin Spacey) lures Ben to his 'dark side' involving a card-counting team of wunderkind math geniuses and the prospect of earning his Harvard tuition in one weekend.…continued…or read the spoiler points…
Movie Review of Stop-Loss (2008) [R] 113 minutes
WIP™ Scale: $13.00
A lot of pundits have been writing about the lack of commercial success for films about the Iraq – US war. One of the reasons they cite is that the films in and of themselves show a lack of support for the troops who are risking their lives every day longer the conflict ensues. The illogic of this position is simultaneously disheartening as it is fascinating because logic would show that being anti-war is in and of itself being supportive of troops because what could ensure their safe return more fervently than and end to the war? It is fascinating because films which elucidate the many hidden or complex implications of any war, nearly should be required viewing especially for those who adamantly support war in general rather than the other way around. It tends to be people who are very supportive of the troops, in actuality, that see these films as they are avoided by people who actually support the war. …continued…or read the spoiler points…
Movie Review of Funny Games (2008) [R] 107 minutes
WIP™ Scale: $13.00
In 1997, Michael Haneke's Euro-version of Funny Games hit the screen unleashing his nihilistic and gruesome portrayal of the worst side of human immorality onto to the sophisticated audiences. It remained to be seen, however, how, if at all, the film might play in the USA where "Enchanted" Disney® themes play well as do gruesome horror gore fests. But how would an unnerving and diabolical story of two young men who 'innocently' worm their way into a family's summer home with happenstance approaches only to subsequently entangle them into a deceitful web of lies, imminent danger, and horrific torture find any appeal? The film requires a bit more analytical skills than does a Saw or a Hostel film. There's so much intelligence playing out onscreen as to present the film with one very major flaw…weren't the characters smart enough of have figured out what was going on and what was going to happen before it was, well, too late? While some less sophisticated viewers will too quickly dismiss the film as pure 'torture porn', it's nowhere nearly that. First, Mr. Haneke is too smart for that. He goes so far as to use a few 'in your face' devices to prove that he's too smart of that. This film isn't for people that simply like to watch co-eds get chopped up by a crazed axe murderer. This film is for people who want to understand why those people want to watch those kinds of films. Funny Games (2008) and the original are intense psychological games (funny or not) that really the director is playing with the audience more so than the young men in the film are playing with the onscreen family. …continued…or read the spoiler points…
Movie Review of Shutter (2008) [PG-13] 85 minutes
WIP™ Scale: $8.50
In the continuing stream of remade Asian ghost story films, it was only a matter of time before a Thai film would join the list. The original Shutter was the 2004 film by Banjong Pisanthanakun. Sticking pretty well, at least with the premise, the Hollywood version, written by Luke Dawson and directed by Masayuki Ochiai, starts with a young couple (in this case newlywed New Yorkers Benjamin [Joshua Jackson] and Jane Shaw [Rachael Taylor]) relocating to Tokyo for his new job as a high fashion photographer. They are mixing their honeymoon with the move and plan to stay a few days in a rural resort with a stunning view of Mt. Fuji prior to moving into their new flat / studio apartment. While driving at night to the resort, Jane is startled when she believes she's just hit a woman crossing in the middle of the winding, forested road. She's shaken, but when they awaken in the ditch and contact the police, no one nor any body is ever found. She tries without much success to forget the incident while Ben wants to enjoy his new bride and the time off before he must plunge into his stressful new job. Ben's been recommended for the position by longtime buddies Bruno (David Denman) and Adam (John Hensley) who hold various positions of influence within their respective companies all headquartered in Tokyo. No sooner, of course, do Ben and Jane move in, however, then does Jane start to see visions of the woman she believes she hit and other strange things start to happen. …continued…or read the spoiler points…
Movie Review of Drillbit Taylor (2008) [PG-13] 102 minutes
WIP™ Scale: $9.00
With all due respect to the Judd Apatow fan club which seems to be green-lighting everything and anything he touches, there comes a time when all good things either come to an end or become saturated and weary. Unfortunately, after huge success with great winners like Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story and Knocked Up (sorry Superbad was not really that great), Drillbit Taylor comes along to sink the cruise liner. This film wouldn't be considered that great even if it didn't have to be compared to its predecessors. Part of the problem though is not only that the comparisons must be drawn, but that the plot, the characters, and even the character actors who seem to need to be in every Apatow film, seems to be recycled from previous films and all thrown together in this film to see if they don't knock each other off one by one.…continued…
Other Recent Reviews:
Doomsday (2008) [R] 105 minutes WIP™ Scale: $10.75
Never Back Down (2008) [PG-13] 110 minutes WIP™ Scale: $10.50
Horton Hears a Who (2008) [G] 88 minutes WIP™ Scale: $12.75
Semi-Pro (2008) [R] 90 minutes WIP™ Scale: $6.50
10,000 B.C. (2008) [PG-13] 109 minutes WIP™ Scale: $13.75
Jumper (2008) [PG-13] 90 minutes WIP™ Scale: $11.75
The Spiderwick Chronicles (2008) [PG] 97 minutes WIP™ Scale: $12.75
Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins (2008) [PG-13] 114 minutes WIP™ Scale: $13.00
Shrooms (2008) [NR] 84 minutes WIP™ Scale: $7.00
Fool's Gold (2008) [PG-13] 113 minutes WIP™ Scale: $7.25
Wild West Comedy Show (2008) [R] 100 minutes WIP™ Scale: $5.00
The Kite Runner (2007) [PG-13] 122 minutes WIP™ Scale: $13.25
The Eye (2008) [PG-13] 97 minutes WIP™ Scale: $12.00
Teeth (2008) [R] 88 minutes WIP™ Scale: $12.50
Over Her Dead Body (2008) [PG-13] 95 minutes WIP™ Scale: $9.00
Strange Wilderness (2008) [R] 87 minutes WIP™ Scale: $3.00
How She Move (2008) [PG-13] 98 minutes WIP™ Scale: $12.25
U2 3D (2008) [G] 85 minutes WIP™ Scale: $13.75
Rambo (2008) [R] 93 minutes WIP™ Scale: $6.00
Meet the Spartans (2008) [PG-13] 84 minutes WIP™ Scale: $5.75
Untraceable (2008) [R] 100 minutes WIP™ Scale: $9.75
27 Dresses (2008) [PG-13] 107 minutes WIP™ Scale: $9.75
Film Premiere and Award Photo Sets
archive:2008 • 2007
Listed in Order of Publication in the mEd database not necessarily chronologically...
Film-Related Awards, Galas, and Celebrity Event Photo Sets
39th NAACP Image Awards • 2008 British Academy of Film and Television Film Award Winners • 39th NAACP Image Awards Nominee Luncheon • Orange British Academy Film Awards 2008 Photos • 2008 Hasty Pudding Woman of the Year Award - Charlize Theron • 80th Annual Academy Award Nominees Luncheon • George Clooney Holds UN Press Conference • (continued)
Film Premiere Photo Sets
Nim's Island Premiere • 21 Premiere • Stop-Loss Premiere • Never Back Down Premiere • Vantage Point Premiere • Horton Hears a Who Premiere • Semi-Pro Premiere • 10,000 B.C. Premiere • The Accidental Husband Premiere • Filth and Wisdom Premiere • The Other Boleyn Girl Premiere • Cherry Blossoms - Hanami Premiere • Elegy Premiere • The Elite Squad Premiere • Fireflies In The Garden Premiere • Gardens Of The Night Premiere • Jumper Premiere • The Counterfeiters Premiere • Shine a Light Premiere • The Hottie & The Nottie Premiere • The Spiderwick Chronicles Premiere • Step Up 2 the Streets Premiere • (continued)
Brand New Movie Posters Just In:
New Movie Poster Archive: 2007 / 2008 | TV Posters: 2005 2006 2007
New as of 24-March-08
Recent Movie Star Birthdays:
birthdays: last month / this month / next month / by month / alphabetically
[click star names to see tribute pages]
| 13-Feb | 12-Feb | 11-Feb | ||||||||||||
| Mena Suvari | Christina Ricci | Jennifer Aniston | ||||||||||||
(click photo to purchase) |
| (click photo to purchase) | ||||||||||||
| Also: Josh Brolin | Also: Matthew Lawrence Burt Reynolds | |||||||||||||
| 10-Feb | 9-Feb | 8-Feb | ||||||||||||
| Ziyi Zhang | Nick Nolte | |||||||||||||
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| Also: Joe Pesci | Also: Seth Green Mary Steenburgen | |||||||||||||
| 7-Feb | ||||||||||||||
| Related DVDs | Related DVDs | |||||||||||||
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Movies Now on DVD and Download:
DVD releases: Archive / This Week / Next Week
(click poster to purchase)
The Kite Runner (2007) PG-13]-- W.I.P. Scale™ Rating: $13.25
Review-lite: By the final credits, the Marc Forster's adaptation of The Kite Runner provides ample topics for debate and analysis, especially into the motivations and emergence of the main character Amir from his shady childhood to adulthood. David Benioff's script is thought provoking and historically compelling landing the film alongside a number of others that utilized the elements of the Afghanistan invasion and subsequent rise to power in the resulting vacuum of the fanatical Taliban. Unfortunately, Forster's direction adheres too stringently to a balance of the acts and the narrative relies too heavily on coincidence and deus ex machina. In the end, fans of the novel likely will find the film less powerful than the book, and people learning from the film alone may feel they don't know enough about what's beneath the surface to comprehend the leading characters' true motivations. The film simply flies adrift too far too long. • (click to purchase The Kite Runner)
(click poster to purchase)
The Mist (2007) [R]-- W.I.P. Scale™ Rating: $11.75
Review-lite: The ending aside, Stephen King's The Mist as written and directed for the big screen by Frank Darabont is a chilling and frightening examination of human nature run, quite literally, amok. With a star performance from Marcia Gay Harden, and themes regarding fear and the power of religious zealots, the film is packed with stuff to think about. Unfortunately, the ending, couldn't have just left well enough alone, instead it had to shock and then kick you in the gut. If you plunk down cold hard cash to see The Mist, consider doing the normally unthinkable and leaving just after the groceries at the check stand incident, you'll be glad you did, and you'll have gotten as much as this film really has to give without being kicked in the gut. (click for full details and complete review) • (click to purchase The Mist)
Also This Week:
Jimmy Carter Man From Plains • Shrooms • Wristcutters: A Love Story
Previously Announced Available for Pre-Order:
The 11th Hour • 27 Dresses • A Collection Of 2007 Academy Award®-Nominated Short Films • Aliens vs Predator - Requiem • Alvin and the Chipmunks • Before The Devil Knows You're Dead • Cassandra's Dream • Charlie Wilson's War • Cloverfield • December boys • The Diving Bell and the Butterfly • El Cantante • The Final Season • First Sunday • The Golden Compass • Grace is Gone • The Hottie and the Nottie • How She Move • I Want Someone To Eat Cheese With • Juno • Lars and the Real Girl • Lions For Lambs • Little Children • Mad Money • Nanking • National Treasure: Book of Secrets • Nina's Heavenly Delights • One Missed Call • The Orphanage • Over Her Dead Body • P2 • Rambo • Reservation Road • Resurrecting the Champ • The Savages • Semi-Pro • Starting Out In The Evening • Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street • Teeth • There Will Be Blood • Trailer Park Boys: The Movie • Untraceable • Walk Hard • The Walker • War Dance • The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep • What Would Jesus Buy? • Youth Without Youth
Movies Coming Soon:
Dynamic Calendar Jan 07 - Jun 09 with links to official sites, trailers, and reviews
Plain Calendars: 2006 / 2007 / 2008-09
Friday, 28 March
21 • Backseat • Flawless • Run, Fatboy, Run • Stop Loss • Superhero Movie
in limited release only: none
Friday, 8 April
Henry Poole is Here • Leatherheads • Nim's Island • Religulous • Shine a Light • Wild Child
in limited release only: none
Top 10 Hottest-Selling Movie Posters:
(source: our friends at
| #1 | #2 | #3 | #4 |
| The Dark Knight | Harold and Kumar 2 | Horton Hears a Who | Iron Man |
| #5 | #6 | #7 | #8 |
| Wall-E | Indiana Jones 4 | Semi-Pro | Speed Racer |
| #9 | #10 | ||
| Nim's Island | Chronicles of Narnia 2 |
Movie Poster Extravaganzas:
archive
Here we honor two film series as they began and then merged into one mega film franchise: Aliens and Predators then Aliens vs. Predator with a movie poster extravaganza.
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