[6.25/10] Blood Creek a.k.a. Town Creek (2009)

Blood Creek

a.k.a.

Town Creek (2009)

Short review: Joel Shumacher's latest project "Blood Creek" is rather ambitious. The storystarts in pre-WW2 America with German immigrants that sets a cold, creepy mood with a slow pace. It then shifts to modern times and quickly gains a lot of speed. This imperfect, yet original thriller deals with such batshit insane subject matter as undead Nazis, demonic horses, Viking runes, zombies, suits of bone armor, human sacrifice, and the beginning of an occult war that Germany began back in the 30s. Iffy acting, senseless plot, and bad CGI are not enough to defeat the high entertainment value of this fast-paced flick.

• My Rating: 6.25/10
• Rotten Tomatoes: 33% (4.1/10)
• IMDb: 5.9/10

[3.75/10] Albino Farm (2009)

Albino Farm (2009)

Short review: From the first 10 minutes it was clear that "Albino Farm" is going to be another cliché, unimaginative, poorly-written slasher which will be lurking in the bargain bin along with fifty others of its type. The actors here, especially the Leads, are that bad that you may ask how they get their parts. Maybe because they didn't cost money. A poor script is another reason why this film sucks, and the direction wasn't anything to write home about either. If you're looking for gore, suspense, chase sequences and creative deaths in this movie, then look elsewhere. Most of the characters end up dying within the last fifteen minutes of the film, and when they do die - it's unsatisfying, quick and uncreative. The mutants in the film had some decent makeup effects, but they ultimately came across as poor imitations of the killers from "Wrong Turn" and "The Hills Have Eyes".

• My Rating: 3.75/10
• Rotten Tomatoes: N/A
• IMDb: 3.8/10

Rewind: George Beremov's TOP 10 Favorite Movies of 2006

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George Beremov's

TOP 10
Favorite Movies of 2006
________________________

1. Pan's Labyrinth (10/10)
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2. Curse of the Golden Flower (9.75/10)
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3. The Descent (9.75/10)
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4. The Prestige (9.75/10)
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5. Apocalypto (9.50/10)
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6. Fearless (9.50/10) 
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7. The Departed (9.50/10)
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8. Children of Men (9.25/10)
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9. Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (9.25/10)
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 10. Casino Royale (9.25/10)
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[8.75/10] Up in the Air (2009)

Up in the Air (2009)

An intriguing characteristic of this movie is that it doesn't seem to really find itself in any specific category of film. It's neither a romantic comedy nor a drama - it's just a story! However, to simplify this film is failing to do it justice, especially to a film packed with complex moral undertones and nuances of ever-growing characters, both which create a solid foundation for Clooney's brilliant performance. The characters are all flawed thus relatable and the story is told with such flair and pace that one never seems bored. "Up in the Air" is clearly Reitman's vision and he's assembled a team that executes it perfectly. There are no bells and whistles here - visuals take a back seat to the performers, and Eric Steelberg's cinematography is observant but not intrusive. Dana E. Glauberman's editing is efficient and economical. The cast is by all means excellent. Clooney plays Ryan as very confident and self-centered, yet rarely does he come across as selfish. Its the kind of role Clooney specialises in, and he's damn good at it. Farmiga basically plays a female Clooney, and manages to keep up with him somehow. Jason Bateman is unfortunately underused as Ryan's lazy boss. The true standout is Anna Kendrick as the naive Natalie who, despite an annoying crying scene, steals the show. "Up in the Air" is basically about a man that we can relate to, given in perfect accordance to George Clooney. He is trailed by a beautiful and shivering Anna Kendrick and correct stars, obviously pushed with a masterful script that knocks well on today's crisis time.

• My Rating: 8.75/10
• Rotten Tomatoes: 90% (8.1/10)
• IMDb: 8.0/10

[8.00/10] The Princess and the Frog (2009)

The Princess and the Frog (2009)

First and foremost, "The Princess and the Frog", in its storytelling, art and music, is for the most part genuine! Instead of using the now traditional method of computer animation, "The Princess and the Frog" is like a trip right back into the early 90s. The film gains much respect from me by avoiding any superfluous references to the present day, and thereby serves the purpose of an animated movie: to make the audience forget about their own dreary lives for ninty minutes by transporting them to a time and place far away from anything they've ever seen, heard or otherwise known. The animation is flawlessly expressive and fluid, for the most part, and even an improvement on most of Disney's recent past. The music is outstanding! Randy Newman, who replaces the venerable Alan Menken does a quality job of incorporating jazz, blues, gospel, African, and more into a quintessential Disney musical. As an avid jazz musician and listener, Newman's work accurately and eclectically captures the music of early XX century New Orleans. The vocal cast of this movie was excellent as well. Anika Noni Rose has a powerful, emotional voice that brought life to the character of Tiana, and Bruno Campos performed the part of the prince with charm and humor, something that doesn't always seem to be apparent in Disney princes. "The Princess and the Frog" is a beautiful, sweet, adorable movie that will delight audiences of all ages!

• My Rating: 8.00/10
• Rotten Tomatoes: 83% (7.4/10)
• IMDb: 7.7/10

[7.00/10] My Sister's Keeper (2009)

My Sister's Keeper (2009)

Short review: Director Nick Cassavetes brings American author Jodi Picoult's original 2004 novel to the big screen in the new emotional family drama of the same name, "My Sister's Keeper". If there's something you can expect from Nick Cassavetes is consistency, so fans of his work will most likely be pleased with this film.Once again, he did what he does best, tearjerkers, films that play with emotions,intense stories which one cannot feel indifferent to. The performances are all pretty solid. Sofia Vassilieva is outstanding! Her conviction in assuming the part of Kate is such emotionally in-depth and ultimately is rather effective. Cameron Diaz will never, in my opinion, be stellar in a dramatic role but she does good here. She finely plays Kate and Anna's mother Sara - a dramatic and tense portrayal. Abigail Breslin who played Anna Fitzgerald deliveres a fantastic performance! Alec Baldwin, in a small but crucial part, is also very good, as is Joan Cusack in a delicate but pitch perfect performance. "My Sister's Keeper" is quite an affective family drama that will have many fighting back tears. The film is often overly-melodramatic and sentimental, but it works.

• My Rating: 7.00/10
• Rotten Tomatoes: 47% (5.6/10)
• IMDb: 7.4/10

[5.50/10] I Sell the Dead (2009)

I Sell the Dead (2009)

Short review: "I Sell the Dead" is a sloppy horror comedy that refuses to take itself too seriously. This has advantages and drawbacks. The 85 minutes of the film breeze by and "I Sell the Dead" is full of bits sometimes funny, sometimes scary, sometimes gory, occasionally all three at once, but the individual bits are much better than the sum of the film's parts. Since the movie is a series of grave-robbing anecdotes confessed by Arthur (played by Dominic Monaghan), it becomes a sort of horror anthology - a series of disjointed tales, all linked by a similar cast and a similar theme. Like most horror anthologies, there is no consistent mythology, because all mythologies are true and happening simultaneously even when they contradict one another. Glenn McQuaid shows talent as a director, script-writer and editor, yet in all three capacities here he makes odd choices and then largely fails to justify those choices. All in all, the atmosphere was nice, the acting OK, the story gruesome, but in the end it left a bad taste in my mouth.

• My Rating: 5.50/10
• Rotten Tomatoes: 72% (5.8/10)
• IMDb: 6.2/10

[6.75/10] Dorian Gray (2009)

Dorian Gray (2009)

"Dorian Gray"'s story is adequate at best and a disappointment for anyone who read the book, but for anyone who hasn't read Wilde's classic, will be thrilled! There are enough sexual escapades, both male and female, and exhilarating scenes to keep them enthralled through the film. Barnes displays promising talent as a star in the making but the weakness of the script is the downfall to this classic. Barnes' porcelain face and innocent demeanour captures the malevolence and pleasure that is Gray. Oliver Parker applies the talents of Colin Firth again and as result Firth dazzles in his performance as Wotten; a cynical womaniser who is responsible for Gray's adoption of a wicked lifestyle. He implores the depths and characterises of a human to the very core of peer pressure and introduces Gray to a lifestyle he couldn't have dreamt up in his stable days. Visually, "Dorian Gray" is stunning! You'll be dazzled by a myriad of immaculate cinematography showcasing the artificial mess that was 19th Century London The editing and framework is pretty good, and in some places atmospheric and quite artistic. Also, there are some nice uses of sound, constantly building anticipation toward a final glimpse of the decaying picture of Dorian Gray. Parker's take on the story is dark and surreal, placing slightly more emphasis on the real than imagined. "Dorian Gray" is entertaining and effective!

• My Rating: 6.75/10
• Rotten Tomatoes: 47% (5.1/10)
• IMDb: 6.6/10

[6.50/10] It's Complicated (2009)

It's Complicated (2009)

Short review: "It's Complicated" is a pleasant enough romantic comedy that is not decently-done, but it is also quite formulaic and there are a lot of situations that will not be all that surprising. Director Nancy Myers again comes up with another film about the female psyche, driven by its main female protagonist, like her previous output "The Holiday" and "Something's Got to Give". While the script may be a little problematic, the film remains to be watchable and likable because of the wonderful star performances. Streep is funnier than the script, adding wonderful mimic to several scenes, and Baldwin is a joy to watch making fun of his aging, not-so-well-kept body. He and Streep are well cast opposite each other, never stealing the scenes for themselves. John Krasinski highlights his comic talent in a small, but charming role as the boyfriend of one of Streep and Baldwin's daughters. Steve Martin is a really good actor that is unfortunately too seldomly used for quasi-serious roles as here. He is an interesting choice for a character that is not un-funny, but not hilarious either, in a movie that is, taken as a whole, a comedy. All in all, "It's Complicated"is entertaining enough and Streep-Baldwin on screen chemistry is very enjoyable to watch.

• My Rating: 6.50/10
• Rotten Tomatoes: 57% (5.8/10)
• IMDb: 6.8/10

[4.25/10] The Hangover (2009)

The Hangover (2009)

Short review: Forget the hype! Here's the fact! "The Hangover" is simply below average! Other than Zach Galifianakis everything here has been done and even his character would simply be the clichéd bumbling idiot if not for Galifianakis' genius. The plot itself is very thin and poorly though out. If these guys simply utilize the logic that everyone else uses when something goes missing the movie would be over very quickly. Instead they go on this over bloated journey full of insanely obvious red herrings and numerous secondary characters that never seem to fit in with the atmosphere of the movie. But again this is comedy and because it is, it allows itself room for illogical plot holes and unnecessary silliness. There are plenty of comedies that are more outrageous than this one, but they pull it off because they have the comic delivery to make us laugh enough that we just don't care. In the case of "The Hangover", the delivery is just not funny, witty or foolish enough to make any of the major comic devices work. As a result, most of the content just seems gratuitous and annoying, and falls really flat. "The Hangover" is not awful! It's watchable enough, and you will laugh a couple of times, but don't let the over-the-top reviews fool you. It's just not that great. Not even good! It's ridiculously overrated!

• My Rating: 4.25/10
• Rotten Tomatoes: 78% (6.7/10)
• IMDb: 8.0/10

[8.00/10] An Education (2009)

An Education (2009)

Scherfig's skilfully directed film of Lynn Barber's poignant memoir of growing up in England in the 60s contains some outstanding performances in the main roles. In particular Carey Mulligan is utterly convincing as the sixteen-year-old Jenny despite the fact that the actress was herself 23 when the movie was made. Peter Sarsgaard is very good as the rotten Goldman and you would not know that he is an American actor. Well done him! There is also a fine cameo from Emma Thompson as Jenny's disbelieving and condemnatory headmistress."An Education" is a movie whose focus is on the choices that people make, why they make them, and what their repercussions are. We come to see that Jenny isn't the only one being forced to make big decisions, but these decisions all have big consequences for her. The director completely nailed it with the overall focus and tone of the movie. It presents some morally questionable activities without being preachy or condemning. Given that the subject matter of the film is somewhat sordid, "An Education" is quite funny, with the main humour coming from Jenny's overbearing but clueless and easily manipulated father, played by Alfred Molina and David's friend's stupefyingly dim girlfriend Helen, played by Rosamund Pike. Nick Hornby's screenplay is tight and realistic and true to the period, as is Ben Smith's brilliant art direction. "An Education" is not only one of the best character-driven movies of 2009, but also the strongest British movie of the year! A gem!

• My Rating: 8.00/10
• Rotten Tomatoes: 94% (7.9/10)
• IMDb: 7.7/10

[7.75/10] Sherlock Holmes (2009)

Sherlock Holmes (2009)

Short review: After a slew of cinematic atrocities, Guy Ritchie has finally managed to conjure up a successful formula once again and will undoubtedly keep the franchise of Holmes successfully safe in the majestically talented hands of Downey Jr. Adding a gritty tone, he's playing around with the speed of shots and some exciting action, Guy has reinvented Sherlock without losing the essentials. The plot is brilliant, with plenty of twists. It will keep you guessing, and the ending is tremendously satisfying. The script is in general impeccable, with hilarious British verbal comedy , sharp and witty dialogues and well-written, thoroughly developed and credible characters and relationships. Every acting performance is spot-on. Downey Jr. continues to illustrate his exquisite acting chops while Jude law provides a notable performance. Strong is the dark horse that captures and portrays his character unexpectedly well and almost steals the limelight. Rachel McAdams provides excellent backing performance. Guy Ritchie's "Sherlock Holmes" is a visually spectacular feature! It has the perfect balance of mystery, drama and action, with a charismatic cast and a brisk pace which should entertain everyone that is willing to go along for the ride.

• My Rating: 7.75/10
• Rotten Tomatoes: 69% (6.1/10)
• IMDb: 7.7/10

[7.50/10] The Blind Side (2009)

The Blind Side (2009)

"The Blind Side" is a sports story, yes this is a biopic, but it is also in large part an interpersonal drama. It is rare to see a movie these days that relies on drama to carry it. Not special effects, lush historically accurate wardrobe, or astounding make up, but just a story that resonates with the viewer. That this story is based on contemporary facts makes it all the more resonant. Events that might have been handled superficially, predictably or exploited for dramatic purposes were instead presented in a nuanced and profound manner. The actors brought plenty of life to the characters they were playing. It was a pleasure to watch Tim McGraw as Sean Tuohy, making a somewhat minor character in the film memorable. Quinton Aaron's portrayal of Oher leans heavily to the strong, silent type, but there is a quiet grace and gentleness that comes through. Frankly, I've never seen Sandra Bullock like this before, because for one, she's embodied a character fully and completely, and secondly, she's not the center of attention. It's a nice change. All in all, "The Blind Side" is an emotionally satisfying drama featuring a bravura performance by Sandra Bullock as Mama Tuohy and an excellent script by director John Lee Hancock.

• My Rating: 7.50/10
• Rotten Tomatoes: 70% (6.2/10)
• IMDb: 7.9/10

[4.00/10] The Stepfather (2009)

The Stepfather (2009)

"The Stepfather" is yet another movie remade and re-imagined but they couldn't really take it to far as the original did. By-the-numbers is probably the best term I would use to sum up my impression of the new 2009 "The Stepfather". It offered nothing new or different! Characters in this movie were poorly thought out and extremely static. The way many of them acted was so unrealistic that it was hard to watch at points. Amber Heard's character was undeveloped and pointless, merely a factor of eye-candy as she was in her underwear or a bikini almost throughout the entire movie. Thankfully, Dylan Walsh in the title role manages to be effective enough. As an obsessed family man who murders one wife and set of children after another and keeps moving on, ever in search of the perfect household, he is suitably intense and deranged when he needs to be. But as the latest divorced woman he chooses to shack up with, Sela Ward isn't especially memorable here, and the best that may be said for her is that she looks pretty good for a lady in her 50's. The soundtrack was riddled with horrible music choices that clashed entirely with the mood of the movie. And the plot was extremely predictable and overdone. "The Stepfather" is a definition of cliche and overall a poor remake!

• My Rating: 4.00/10
• Rotten Tomatoes: 11% (3.4/10)
• IMDb: 5.2/10

[8.25/10] Los Abrazos Rotos a.k.a. Broken Embraces (2009)

Los Abrazos Rotos

a.k.a.

Broken Embraces (2009)

The usual Almodovar themes of love, sex and death are revisited in this film and there are some beautifully written and acted scenes around all three of these subjects. Almodovar one of the best storytellers out there with films under his belt like "Talk to Her" and "All About My Mother", has again touched on the essence of what makes us tick-including our dark sides. The film journeys between the past and the present, and interweaves diverse stories and viewpoints, to construct a fascinating drama full of twists and turns. Almodóvar's direction in this film is full of passion, and his precise work is mostly noticed on the extraordinary performances from the cast. Direcotr's fabulous muse, Penelope Cruz, is back and in full splendor. Pedro has always had a talent for exciting and fully developed female characters and here, both Ms. Cruz and Blanca Portillo are absolutely fascinating. "Los Abrazos Rotos" is absolutely powerful, both visually and emotionally. The music score by Alberto Iglesias is simply alluring. Cinematography by Mexican Rodrigo Prieto is beautiful. But the beauty of the film is basically due to the enormous talent of Señor Almodóvar.

• My Rating: 8.25/10
• Rotten Tomatoes: 82% (7.0/10)
• IMDb: 7.3/10

Rewind: George Beremov's TOP 10 Favorite Movies of 2005

________________________

George Beremov's

TOP 10
Favorite Movies of 2005
________________________

1. Kung Fu Hustle (10/10)
________________________

2. Sin City (9.75/10)
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3. King Kong (9.75/10)
________________________

4. V for Vendetta (9.75/10)
________________________

5. Batman Begins (9.50/10)
________________________

6. Tim Burton's Corpse Bride (9.50/10)
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 7. Wallace & Gromit:
The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (9.50/10)
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8. Brokeback Mountain (9.25/10)
________________________

9. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (9.25/10)
________________________


 10. The Chronicles of Narnia:
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (9.25/10)
 ________________________

[5.50/10] Where the Wild Things Are (2009)

Where the Wild Things Are (2009)

Short review: Director Spike Jonze succeeds in one respect with "Where The Wild Things Are", but he fails utterly in another respect. Great production designs and costuming distinguish this avant-garde film, but an abysmal plot with narrative gaps and unsavory character like the abusive, juvenile delinquent protagonist who bites his mom on the shoulder and runs away detract from the film. The monsters in the film are marvelous, taken right from the books illustrations and very life-like. It is the direction and, especially, the cinematography, that is greatly lacking in "Where The Wild Things Are,". The film just does not have a good pace, nor good editing, and the photography is downright horrible, resulting in a movie that looks like an afterschool special on a tight budget. Faulty, also, is the decision to include some violent behavior, especially by Carol, and the overall 'dark' tone of the film. "Where The Wild Things Are" is a mediocre film, but it is a mediocre film with a lot of good stuff. Unfortunately, in this case, the bad outweighs the good.

• My Rating: 5.50/10
• Rotten Tomatoes: 73% (7.0/10)
• IMDb: 7.6/10