movies: news • premieres • awards • star birthdays • new to DVD • coming soon
posters: just in • hottest • extravaganzas • stand-ups | capsules: previous • next]
Most Recent Movie Reviews:
review archive: 2005 • 2006 • 2007 • 2008
(click a poster to purchase a poster)
Movie Review of Hancock (2008) [PG-13] 92 minutes
WIP™ Scale: $13.75
Pow…Zowie…Kerplunk…Smash…Ahhhhhhhheeeeeeahhhhh…splat…If you thought the Batman Returns sequel, The Dark Knight, was the only superhero movie with any real gusto this summer, and now that summer is half over you still think Iron Man is the best…well, you might be right because Robert Downey Jr.'s performance will be hard to top for years to come…however, now that Will Smith has started to get back in the swing of things as the action hero her really is with his 'inspired sort of' return in I Am Legend which was a bit over the top to his virtual resurrection as Hancock on the spot on the annual calendar that once might have been relabeled, "The 4th of July as brought to you by Will Smith" back when a Will Smith action movie actually meant it was going to be a fireworks-packed, all-you-can-eat-barbeque-ribs, no-holds-barred, alien-smashing, celebration worthy of the birthday of the world's oldest-surviving with a continuously-operating government country on the face of the globe (insofar as we know, and we don't know that we aren't the puppets of the hive mind of the bees).
[Don't worry that does not break the record for longest sentence ever, not even close, but it does capture how exasperatingly good both Will Smith and this movie are. Exasperating because most people, well maybe only I, didn't want there to be a better super hero movie this summer/year than Iron Man. And, probably, Hancock actually isn't quite as good, but it's within a George Carlin word or 50 shy. It's actually kind of too bad that the writers decided that potty mouth is back in and to virtually exhaust George Carlin's list in the first 10 minutes. Had it stopped there, it might have made Hancock more kid friendly than it is from the language point of view. It's still also quite bloody and violent, which is also a shame for the kids who might really get to dig this film without having to break house rules and get the "all you have is your honor" speech from their parents and guardians trying to do the right thing. And, it is the right thing really for pre-teens, probably, not to see this film un-chaperoned. They'll hear worse on certain cable channels, but to be on the safe side, if you want them to see the film, and it's never a bad idea to preview it yourself first, go along with them and be informed or able to answer questions.…continued…or read the spoiler points…
The 4th of July as brought to you by Will Smith.
Movie Review of Wanted (2008) [R] 110 minutes
WIP™ Scale: $14.00
Many people have been unfamiliar with the Wanted comic book series by Mark Millar and J.G. Jones and the Russian director of Night Watch (Nochnoi Dozor) but no more. In the first summer 2008 blockbuster that exceeds expectations, Wanted, starring the multiple talents of Morgan Freeman, Angelina Jolie, Terrence Stamp, and more impressively James McAvoy who's absolutely new to this genre, literally blows everything else away.
Tracing its roots back to The Matrix when it comes to special effects and stunts that become the movie rather than merely enhance the movie, Wanted is 2008's Die Hard 4, Bourne Ultimatum, Hitman, and The DaVinci Code all rolled into one powerful, fun, supercharged video game-esque, Fight Club for the 2000s that will simply blow you away. …continued…or read the spoiler points…
…first summer 2008 blockbuster that exceeds expectations
Movie Review of Get Smart (2008) [PG-13] 110 minutes
WIP™ Scale: $10.00
Whether due to too much build up of anticipation from the previews and popular AT&T "Silence your cell phone" promos, over-excitement of the thought of dramedy superstar Steve Carell uttering "missed it by that much" in nearly perfect Don Adams cadence, or just a failure to translate well into the 2000s, it's difficult to report that the new Get Smart film also featuring the acting talents of Anne Hathaway (Agent 99), Dwayne "formerly The Rock" Johnson (Agent 23), Alan Arkin (The Chief), and Terence Stamp (Siegfried the really bad dude), despite some amusing parts and great tributes to the original show and stars, didn't turn out very well. First, there's something just off about everything from the first frame to the last. Certainly, there's a prime case of everyone overdoing it a bit—which is to be expected. Second, it's just not that funny and nearly all of the funniest parts are in the preview (including but not limited to the part where Agent 23 uses a stapler to staple a memo to Agent Larabee's head). Third, the story is about an intriguing and interesting as that used for Mission: Impossible I. There is a twist, but if you cannot see it coming a mile away, you fell asleep at the umpteenth self-deprecating line for Maxwell Smart. If you loved the original TV show, you'll enjoy the many tributes to it, but you'll probably be wondering if you'd still love the show if you watched it new today. It's always difficult to predict what will translate well into a future update; and, despite perfect casting for the leading roles, this one just didn't translate well.…continued…or read the spoiler points…
Movie Review of The Happening (2008) [R] 91 minutes
WIP™ Scale: $14.25
What to do if your very first commercial film wins the Academy Award® for best picture and you churn out 4 more films that not only fail to top your first film, but they receive decidedly negative criticism ultimately earning you the label of a has been before you've ever sort of really been? Well, you could take a really long vacation, you could retire altogether, you could quickly change your name and try again, or you could do what M. Night Shyamalan has done and that is stay absolutely true to your own artistic and aesthetic vision capitalizing on your fame to keep on going forward. He may never again see the acclaim he garnered during The Sixth Sense glory period, but that need not stop him from making outstanding films unlike anything people have seen before. Of course, given that he debuted in the genre of suspense / thriller films with a twist and The Sixth Sense has just about the best twist ever conceived, not just in film, but EVER, simply filling his own shoes has been a very worthy task indeed. Arguably, only The Village has even gotten close to the same level of twistyness. Alternatively, this may also be because Mr. Shyamalan's films have gotten more artful and mysterious when it comes to comprehending what they are really about. The best example of this was his Lady in the Waterwhich was labeled "twistless" by many when, in fact it had a brilliant twist that quite simply wasn't accessible to people without a more global and systems approach to their thinking. Thus is also the case with The Happening. …continued…or read the spoiler points…
Movie Review of Son of Rambow (2008) [PG-13] 96 minutes
WIP™ Scale: $13.75
Deliriously engaging from the raucous opening sequence juxtaposition of the lives of two English school boys: Lee Carter's a maverick, virtually unsupervised renegade, and Will Proudfoot's the son of Brethren parents and now single mom after his father's untimely brain aneurysm, Son of Rambo represents the collision of the imaginations of two opposites attracting and discovering in each other a best friend and eventual blood brother. The gifted young actors, Will Poulter and Bill Milner, star as Lee and Will respectively; and, not since Jamie Bell starred as young Billy Elliot, have English lads so captivated and commanded the big screen. Both are perfectly cast with Poulter as a middle school bully turned budding filmmaker, Lee Carter, and Milner as the scrawny cartoonist turned Lee Carter's personal stunt man. The duo are introduced when Lee, routinely tossed out of class by teachers whose patience he wears razor thin, and Will whose mother's religious rules prohibit him from viewing on the television the instructional documentaries his history teacher utilizes frequently thereby subjecting him to a solitary life in the hallway, tussle over Will's sketch book ending in a smashed gold fish bowl and a date with the Headmistress. Lee capitalizes on the opportunity, in exchange for his taking the full blame, to extract penance from Will including a protracted commitment to serve as the stunt man for his film which he intends to submit to the Screen Test Contest sponsored by the BBC. Two shades shy of Charlie Bucket when it comes to weight class, don't let Will's size fool you though for within his tiny package lives the soul of the son of Rambow. …continued…or read the spoiler points…
Other Recent Reviews:
The Incredible Hulk (2008) [PG-13] 114 minutes WIP™ Scale: $12.50
The Love Guru (2008) [PG-13] 88 minutes WIP™ Scale: $7.50
Kung Fu Panda (2008) [PG] 92 minutes WIP™ Scale: $14.00
The Wackness (2008) [R] 108 minutes WIP™ Scale: $12.50
You Don't Mess with the Zohan (2008) [PG-13] 113 minutes WIP™ Scale: $10.25
The Strangers (2008) [R] 90 minutes WIP™ Scale: $11.00
Sex and the City (2008) [R] 148 minutes WIP™ Scale: $11.25
Indiana Jones 4 (2008) [PG-13] 124 minutes WIP™ Scale: $13.50
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008) [PG] 147 minutes WIP™ Scale: $12.75
Frontier(s) (2008) [NC-17] 108 minutes WIP™ Scale: $4.25
What Happens in Vegas (2008) [PG-13] 99 minutes WIP™ Scale: $12.75
Speed Racer (2008) [PG] 129 minutes WIP™ Scale: $13.25
Made of Honor (2008) [PG-13] 101 minutes WIP™ Scale: $10.75
Iron Man (2008) [PG-13] 126 minutes WIP™ Scale: $14.00
Film Premiere and Award Photo Sets
archive: 2008 • 2007 | Videos from the Latest Premieres
Listed in Order of Publication in the mEd database not necessarily chronologically...
Wanted Premiere • Wall-E Premiere • The Love Guru Premiere • Kung Fu Panda Premiere • The Incredible Hulk (2008) Premiere • The Happening Premiere • Hancock Premiere • Get Smart Premiere • Camp Rock Premiere • You Don't Mess with the Zohan Premiere • Sex and the City Premiere • Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull Premiere • What Happens in Vegas Premiere • Made of Honor Premiere • Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay Premiere • Forgetting Sarah Marshall Premiere • The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian Premiere • (continued)
Brand New Posters Just In:
New Poster Archive: 2007 • 2008 | TV Posters: 2005 • 2006 • 2007 • 2008
New as of 3-July-08
Brand New Stand-Ups Just In:
New Stand-Ups Archive: 2008
New as of 3-July-08
Recent Movie Star Birthdays:
birthdays: last month / this month / next month / by month / alphabetically
[click star names to see tribute pages]
| 6-Jul | 5-Jul | 3-Jul | ||||||||||||
| Sylvester Stallone | Edie Falco | Tom Cruise | ||||||||||||
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| Also: Ned Beatty Shelley Hack Geoffrey Rush Gregory Smith | Also: Patrick Wilson | |||||||||||||
| 2-Jul | 1-Jul | 30-Jun | ||||||||||||
| Lindsay Lohan | Liv Tyler | Lena Horne | ||||||||||||
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| Also: Ron Silver | Also: Pamela Anderson Dan Aykroyd Karen Black Dale Midkiff | Also: Brian Bloom Vincent D'Onofrio | ||||||||||||
| 29-Jun | ||||||||||||||
| Gary Busey | Related DVDs | Related DVDs | ||||||||||||
(click to purchase) | ||||||||||||||
| Also: Christopher Egan Richard Lewis |  |  |
Movies Now on DVD and Download:
DVD releases: Archive / This Week / Next Week
(click poster to purchase)
Drillbit Taylor (2008) [PG-13]-- W.I.P. Scale™ Rating: $9.00
Review-lite: With respect to the Apatow fan club, there comes a time when all great things come to an end or become saturated. This latest film, Drillbit Taylor, directed by Steven Brill, represents just that point. Set in a random California, high school, the story surrounds two best friends: one a nerd Wade (Nate Hartley) and his pudgy side kick Ryan (Troy Gentile) as they start out at the bottom of the pecking order. Does this sort of sound familiar to Superbad fans? After attracting the attention of school bully, Filkins (Alex Frost), they acquire a bodyguard. Enter Drillbit Taylor (Owen Wilson). Posing as a substitute teacher, he infiltrates the school setting in motion a series of predictable events: the boys discover their inner strength, another teacher falls for him thinking he's all that he's not, two bullies are brought to justice, and Drillbit, of course, learns that he is not quite a scoundrel. The film has a few comedic moments and some cathartic ones as well but none that made the story worthy of a major motion picture treatment. (click for full details and complete review) • (click to purchase Drillbit Taylor)
Also This Week:
Meet the Browns • My Blueberry Nights • Sex and Death 101 • Vantage Point • War, Inc.
Previously or Recently Announced Available for Pre-Order:
21 • August • The Bank Job • College Road Trip • Doomsday • Hannah Montana And Miley Cyrus: Best Of Both Worlds Concert • Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay • Meet Bill • Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day • Never Back Down • Nim's Island • Prom Night • The Ruins • Step Up 2 The Streets • Stop-Loss • Superhero Movie
Movies Coming Soon:
Dynamic Calendar Jan 2007 - Jun 2009 with links to official sites, trailers, reviews & more
Plain Calendars: 2006 • 2007 • 2008-09
Thursday, 2 July 2008
Kit Kittredge • Hancock
in limited release only: Gonzo • The Wackness
Friday, 11 July 2008
Hellboy 2 • Journey to the Center of the Earth 3-D • Meet Dave
in limited release only: August
Top 10 Hottest-Selling Movie Posters:
(source: our friends at
| #1 | #2 | #3 | #4 |
| The Dark Knight | Indiana Jones 4 | Sex and the City | Hancock |
| #5 | #6 | #7 | #8 |
| Wall-E | Iron Man | Twilight | Mummy 3 |
| #9 | #10 | ||
| Chronicles of Narnia 2 | Quantum of Solace |
Movie Poster Extravaganzas:
archive
Here we honor the George Lucas / Steven Spielberg collaboration, the Indiana Jones Quadrilogy with this movie poster extravaganza.
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