[4.75/10] Don McKay (2009)

Don McKay (2009)

Short review: "Don McKay" is a low-key, quirky mystery movie by first-time writer/director Jake Goldberger. Thomas Haden Church stars as the title character, an introverted janitor who is summoned back to his hometown by his high-school sweetheart, who is dying of some mysterious sickness. Although "Don McKay" promises big, it offers not one moment of thriller tension and despite the mystery of plot, the script let's it down largely by dragging the the secrets at the core of the story out for too long, thus ultimately losing the impatient viewer. It’s a matter of too much too late and the audience is left feeling cheated that the filmmaker let the characters take their journey alone. In addition, some of the characters are played so over-the-top that they become caricatures. Yes, I'm talking about Elisabeth Shue, who overacts like she plays in soap opera or something. Haden Church is deadpan enough for the title character, but he does look bored sometimes. "Don McKay" never quite catches fire as a thriller and, truth то be told, it's not much of a character study either. It's just a bizarre, pretentious and flatly-executed neo-noir thriller wannabe.

• My Rating: 4.75/10
• Rotten Tomatoes: 45% (4.7/10)
• IMDb: 6.5/10

[4.25/10] Just Another Pandora's Box (2010)

Just Another Pandora's Box (2010)

Short review: Like his earlier films, Jeff Lau’s "Just Another Pandora's Box" combines slapstick humour revolving around movie spoofs: John Woo’s “Red Cliff,” “House of Flying Daggers” “Kung Fu Hustle,” “Kung Fu Panda” – to name a few, with silly romance to create ridiculously cheesy comedy, featuring a whole a horde of stars from mainland China and Hong Kong. The non-existent plot, with Cheng tangled up with both sides in the "Red Cliff" battle, is simply an excuse for endless word-play jokes and star cameos, but the handsome mounting is eye-catching on its own terms, with lush photography and detailed production design by Bill Lui. A certain level of stupidity and lameness is good enough to make a nonsense comedy like "Just Another Pandora's Box" entertaining and fun to watch, but when it goes beyond that it just becomes annoying. It is a hit and miss affair that depends largely on audience knowledge and goodwill to make it a success.

• My Rating: 4.25/10
  
• Rotten Tomatoes: N/A
• IMDb: 5.0/10

[5.00/10] The New Daughter (2009)

The New Daughter (2009)

Taking it down a few notches from co-writing the claustrophobic horror masterpiece “[Rec]” and 2008’s “Quarantine”, Luis Berdejo decided to direct his first English-language film from John Connolly’s short novel. To start with the obvious, "The New Daughter" represents what may be Costner's most lazy performance. It seems he has no interest in the story whatsoever. Here he has to carry a lot of screen time and emotion, and fails on both big time. The talented Ivana Baquero, who played Ofelia in Guillermo del Toro's "Pan's Labyrinth" steals every scene she’s in with her intensity and presence. "The New Daughter" could have been a much better film if the first hour of the film did not drag with its lackluster suspense and story that seems to be going nowhere.The real action and horror of the film seem to all take place at the end, but by then, it’s all too late. The film has good production value with some basic location sets and some good special make-up effects. It has that old school thriller feel going on for it and both, photography and cinematography is gorgeous. There are loads of false scares in "The New Daughter". The sound designers must have loved playing with this. Unfortunately, they never add up to much, as tension is lost or broken, or not even capitalized on. Overall, "The New Daughter" feels a bit like a made-for-TV horror/thriller that borrows liberally from similar movies, but is still watchable and occasionally entertaining little horror.

• My Rating: 5.00/10
• Rotten Tomatoes: 29% (4.4/10)
• IMDb: 5.4/10

[2.25/10] Future X-Cops (2010)

Future X-Cops (2010)

Short review: Chinese-language sci-fi action film "Future X-Cops" stars Hong Kong superstar Andy Lau as a cop who travels back in time to foil a corporate conspiracy against a doctor who has created an alternative energy source that threatens the company’s monopoly on energy resources. Andy Lau reportedly agreed to do the movie only after the 19th revision of the script! He should have known that a script that needs nineteen revisions can’t be fixed and the movie will most certainly turn out an incomprehensible mess. "Future X-Cops" is insanely horrible and should only be viewed by children under the age of six, and people who love deliciously terrible movie-making. There's laughs to be had from the ridiculous action sequences and the poorly-constructed CGI effects. Director Wong Jing's skills with visual effects haven't improved at all and neither has his storytelling and directing. With its laughably bad dialogue, C-grade special effects, and with one of the most idiotic stories ever put on paper "Future X-Cops" is an absolute disaster!

• My Rating: 2.25/10
• Rotten Tomatoes: N/A
• IMDb: 3.9/10

[4.75/10] Valentine's Day (2010)

Valentine's Day (2010)

"Valentine's Day" strives to be what it clearly could never reach - a genuine romantic comedy with actual depth. Or, in other words, "Love Actually". While the film dies have it's moments of sincere laughter and undeniable cuteness, the majority of the film relies on all to familiar romantic comedy story lines and plot twists. For all the star-power, one could have anticipated something more, but at least there are a lot of familiar faces to improve the general mediocrity. There are so many stories going on at the same time that we are never allowed to get involved with or even keep up with what's happening to any one couple. The all star cast is wasted because nobody gets more than a few minutes of screen time to act out their clichéd roles. There were a couple of adequate performances though. I thought Julia Roberts and Jennifer Garner were OK, Anne Hathaway and Jessica Biel provided some comic relief, as did Taylor in an odd goofy kind of way. Other than these performances everybody else was either bland, bad, or their part so small it wasn't significant enough to even give opinion. Ashton Kutcher and Jessica Alba however once again provide outstanding evidence that they can't act for toffee. Easy on the eyes still seem to be their strongest quality. Overall, "Valentine's Dayis" has its moments and it's far from awuful, but it's a perfect example of quantity over quality and also that sometimes less is more.

• My Rating: 4.75/10
• Rotten Tomatoes: 18% (3.8/10)
• IMDb: 5.7/10

[6.50/10] The Human Centipede (First Sequence) (2009)

The Human Centipede
(First Sequence) (2009)

Mad doctor has a dream of connecting three people?!?! "Human Centipede"'s concept is so inherently nasty and discomforting that many will turn away from it immediately. And, let's not mince words here, it is nasty! Strangely enough, it's also really well done and surprisingly, carefully handled in places. Writer/director Tom Six may become the target of a lot of vitriol, but he's actually very good at picking what to show, what to imply and what to avoid altogether. The film ain't perfect though. Setting up the movie was cliché, as the girls were entirely unlikeable, and rather stupid. Actually even deep in the movie, the decision making on their parts verged on mental retardation. And this is where you're supposed to realize it's a horror movie, led by a Mad Scientist. The good stuff is what matters, and believe me, the story itself and how it's presented was all good. What elevates "The Human Centipede" from its high concept is the tension, the elements of pitch black humour, the subtle skewering of horror conventions and finally the performance of the main villain. The good Doctor Heiter is played by German Dieter Laser and he is truly terrifying, icy, ruthless and completely unsympathetic towards his captives. He has no motives behind his motives, which makes him even more horrifying. This movie raises the bar when it comes to grotesque, stomach turning violence and is a crazy new turn in the horror genre, yet it has similar elements from other horror films in recent pass, like "Martyrs"& "Hostel". "The Human Centipede" is easily the most talked about horror film this year. It's supposed to be disgusting, vile and downright gross. Well, it is! You're not shown extremely graphic stuff, but what you do see, and what is implied is done well enough to get you squirming in your undies.

• My Rating: 6.50/10
• Rotten Tomatoes: 47% (5.0/10)
• IMDb: 5.8/10

[7.00/10] Solomon Kane (2009)

Solomon Kane (2009)

This was the first thing that struck me about "Solomon Kane" - it looks amazing! The film boasts surprisingly high production values with great sets, costumes, special effects, and many well-staged sword fights. From its locations to the costumes and make-up the scene is set and the viewer is drawn in by the gritty realism of it all. The fantastical plot mixed with this kind of scenic realism is a brilliant mix and director Michael J. Bassett gets the balance just right. The next thing to mention is James Purefoy as Solomon Kane. He gives a brilliant performance and has screen presence to spare as the character truly comes to life, especially in the vibrant and brutal action scenes. He receives fine support from the more experienced actors surrounding him, including Max Von Sydow and Pete Postlethwaite. Yes, "Solomon Kane" was a tad predictable, well it was from the creator of "Conan", so you could hardly expect high art. But, unlike you would have expected, it was quite a dark film, one man's quest to redeem his soul, and you believed in it, Purefoy played the complete ruthless murderer and the tortured soul, and in the confines of the film you believed it. The choreography was decent and the action sequences are realistic and sweeping. Many of the fight scenes were shot in what had to be difficult conditions. "Solomon Kane" isn't without its flaws, but is basically the gory, more adult, and definitive version of what "Van Helsing" should have been. With the amount of decapitated heads that are rolling around, every action scene littered with splattered blood, and its darker twists on religious views, "Solomon Kane" delivers a blood-soaked cinematic delight!

• My Rating: 7.00/10
• Rotten Tomatoes: 82% (6.4/10)
• IMDb: 6.4/10

[4.25/10] Leap Year (2010)

Leap Year (2010)

Short review: "Leap Year" had all the proper ingredients for a good rom-com, but was fairly clumsy in the execution of the formula pieces. It lumbered along point-by-point, as if making the film from a manual on romantic comedy. Nothing wrong with a formula flick following a formula! But this one just didn't do it very well. As far as predictability goes, you can easily hazard a guess film's ending. Not all the magnificent cinematography, the remote towns dotted with quaint cottages and the warm Irish sense of humour can detract from the weak storyline. The movie has too many elements and underdeveloped characters to hook the audience. A disappointing performance by Amy Adams, who usually brings such comedic substance to a character. This one falls far short of what we have come to expect from her. It may be her cheesy lines or seeing her totter on extraordinary high heels throughout the movie that makes her character mind-gratingly annoying. Adams has shown that she has the chops to carry a picture, and Goode buttresses his part well enough, but somehow the anti-chemistry never dissolves into believable passion, and with the paucity of real humor, "Leap Year" turns out not to be either very romantic, or very much comedy.

• My Rating: 4.25/10
• Rotten Tomatoes: 21% (4.1/10)
• IMDb: 6.1/10

[6.50/10] A Single Man (2009)

A Single Man (2009)

As a fashion designer Tom Ford has imposed his artistic merits in his directional debut of Christopher Isherwood's novel. Although "A Single Man" is a small film, spanning over a minimal time period, Ford has ensured that it still holds a significant level of beauty. The juxtaposition of colour and the contrasting lighting, switching between a black and white and a highly saturated colour scheme, engraves George in a world of uniformity and expectations, but also the beauty that is to be found in the ugliest of things. It is a shame given many of the film's stylish qualities that Ford has shown his inexperience as a filmmaker by lingering on these visual aspects. The first act of the film is leisurely paced because of Ford's insistence for slow-motion montages that shift in and out of colour and focus. It is certainly pretty, but it also remains a distraction from the film's core performances. Colin Firth, who was nominated for an Oscar for his performance, was in fact pretty great as the lonely and depressed George, but I don't think his performance was necessarily Oscar material. Julianne Moore has far too little screen time as Firth's one-time lover and now best friend. She does much with the little she's given, but her time on screen is more of a tease than anything else, tantalizing but leaving the audience wanting more, just like the rest of the film. "A Single Man" proves fashion designer Tom Ford to be a competent first-time director, but the film feels oddly slight and insubstantial, and is ultimately unsatisfying.

• My Rating: 6.50/10
• Rotten Tomatoes: 86% (7.3/10)
• IMDb: 7.9/10

[5.75/10] Harry Brown (2009)

Harry Brown (2009)

"Harry Brown"'s opening scenes set up the premise: Scumbags on an estate who are a drain on society. After this, prepare to be bored for the next 20 minutes or so, unless long drawn out, dialogue free, scenes of one man walking around, washing dishes, and looking lonely, get your heart racing. Whilst some further insight into the minds of the reckless youths on the estate would have been interesting, and possibly vital, the viewer is denied this, and all focus is on, the often silent, Harry. Although a few key things do happen, the first half of the movie is incredibly slow, and even though you can feel that something big will happen, eventually, you may become frustrated at the pace, and the extended scenes, and may even want to hit fast forward on the remote. The performances are film's saving grace, with Michael Caine impressive in the lead role, giving it the weight it needs for the film to even come close to working. The villains are also all very good, making the most of rather one-dimensional roles to appear menacing or pathetic in turn. Sean Harris in particular stands out as one of the creepiest bad guys ever seen on film. It is perhaps only with the police that things felt a little more forced, with some actors seeming a little awkward at times. Overall, "Harry Brown" is watchable, but do not expect some extreme entertainment or something that will blow your mind. Just watch and try to enjoy the few good things it has to offer.

• My Rating: 5.75/10
• Rotten Tomatoes: 67% (6.0/10)
• IMDb: 7.5/10

[8.75/10] Kick-Ass (2010)

Kick-Ass (2010)

Aptly titled, "Kick-Ass" is an excellent comic book adaptation that proves that there is no stagnation in a superhero genre whatsoever. Based on Mark Millar's violent tale, "Kick-Ass" is directed by Matthew Vaughn, the filmmaker who happens to have a real knack for both, action movies and fantasies. It's more than evident in "Kick-Ass" and although the film has some problems with selecting the proper tone (it verges between campy comedy, dramatic piece and action spectacle), this is a gripping ride from start to finish. What makes this movie totally work and keep you entertained, is the likability of every character on screen. Part of this has to do with the writing, but most of it is the superb acting. Aaron Johnson shines in the lead role, by mixing vulnerability with a delightful down-to-earth personality that's easy to relate to. Nicholas Cage and Chloe Moretz delivered the best performances by portraying a sentimental and deadly father-daughter team that provided some of the best laughs and some of the heavier moments. Moretz is incredible, especially for someone her age; she isn't your typical kid that curses only for laughs - she can kick your arse twelve times before you hit the ground. Its tough to make an audience convicted that a child can perform such maneuvers, but "Kick-Ass" pulls it off without breaking a single sweat. Matthew Vaughn directs this with such glee, such precision and such talent, the entire comic book movie world should start taking notes. The pacing is incredible, the surprises are well-hidden, and the action sequences are edited so tightly, it was inches from perfection. The fights and shootouts were brutal and didn't pull any punches, as you see blood, guts, and absolute mayhem right at your face. "Kick-Ass" is not just a nice homage to all things comics; it's also a wonderful story full of action, suspense, a bit of drama, and all blending in with dark humor. If you like your comic book movies raw, smart, engaging, and downright fun, then "Kick-Ass" should be your cup of tea.

[5.50/10] Chloe (2010)

Chloe (2010)

"Chloe" is an erotic thriller with strong cast and intriguing premise - Julianne Moore is married to Liam Neeson. She is a little worried that he may be cheating on her, so she hires a escort named Chloe to seduce her husband to see if he will take the bait. The movie is fairly interesting to watch at first, but very quickly there are moments that are preposterous and just impossible - chance encounters and text messages, eerie overly-ominous music playing constantly in the background, an out-of-the-blue lesbian scene, an ultra modern house with lots of windows etc. Also, "Chloe" has a predictable climax, before descending into a ridiculous finale. The acting ranges from good to great. While Julianne Moore does what she can with a rather unsympathetic character, Amanda Seyfried is the saving grace of this film. Her performance as Chloe is spellbinding and absorbing. She has a really difficult role to play as the troubled prostitute in search of love and that role could have overwhelmed her, but Seyfried pulled off a great performance with style. Yet the film ultimately does very little with her character. The same is true of Liam Neeson's David Steward who may or may not be the unfaithful husband. Neeson's performance is good as expected, but it exists only on the margins of this movie rather than being an integral part of it. The cinematography is beautiful and there are also great performances in "Chloe", but film's predictable story and mediocre script make it not that enjoyable to watch on the whole and probably goes beyond an acceptable level of credibility in its final part.

• My Rating: 5.50/10
• Rotten Tomatoes: 52% (5.8/10)
• IMDb: 6.7/10

[8.25/10] Iron Man 2 (2010)

Iron Man 2 (2010)

The reason that the original "Iron Man" was so good for me, besides the fact that marvel had finally taken creative control over their own characters, was that Robert Downey Jr. was able to completely personify the character of Tony Stark. In "Iron Man 2" he is back again doing all of the things which made the original so great. Mickey Rourke was also amazing as Vanko. With a combination of excellent script writing and an actor who has really found his form again, Rourke was able to take a Marvel character who isn't particularly strong or developed, and give him an amazing screen presence, every scene he is in you feel uneasy, with his appearance intimidating, and his lines delivered to perfection to give the audience the feeling that this guy knows exactly what he is doing. Sam Rockwell is also typically brilliant as the Tony Stark wannabe, with all of the one liners, but none of the charm, every time he is on screen, you can't wait to see him get his comeuppance. Scarlett Scarlett Johansson's acting was a bit off, but she looked sexier than ever and her fighting sequence was very hot, memorable and well-shot. Gwyneth Paltrow is decent as Tony Stark's assistant, but her character Pepper Potts is often annoying, dry, overly serious, career-obsessed... and not very likeable, in my opinion. Returning in the director's seat is the ever-surprising Jon Favreau, once again helming with confidence, flair and creativity. The special effects and graphics here were one up against the previous film, and it was a definite visual feast especially when suits got up against suits, warranting a second look at the film just to catch everything that's happening at the same time. The finale was a full 30 minutes worth of action end to end and features the Iron Man-War Machine tag team up, which served up a lot more than what we've all glimpsed from clips here and there. "Iron Man 2" is an extremely satisfying sequel on all accounts. While the original film is probably slightly better, the sequel does everything right and doubles up on everything in comparison; characters, action and effects. Despite some of its early negative criticism, "Iron Man 2" delivers a worthwhile sequel with fantastic cast and spectacular action.

[4.00/10] The Back-up Plan (2010)

The Back-up Plan (2010)

Again Jennifer Lopez turn to a cheesy romantic comedy to try to salvage her career. Unfortunately, Lopez's acting skills are always under played within this genre, she fairs far better in drama/suspense such as, "Out of Sight" and "Angel Eyes". But Lopez is either too lazy or cannot find a director who believes she is capable of carrying a more dignified movie. All in all another blemish and failure within her career. "The Back-up Plan" predictable and frivolous saga about single motherhood that relies incredibly enough on delivery-related gross-out gags and scatological humor. Sadly, also the chemistry between Lopez and the male lead, O'Loughlin, registers only minor tremors on the Richter Scale. They are agreeable and pleasant, but they don't look like they were meant for each other. Some familiar faces from the past flesh out this lackluster romantic comedy. Namely, Linda Laven and Tom Bosley lighten up this meandering mess as a couple who haven't been able to commit to marriage for 20 years. Comedian Anthony Anderson seems restrained in his two scenes with O'Loughlin as an anonymous playground dad who contends with a son who brings him a fistful of feces. The crude humor about human feces doesn't make you laugh as grimace because the filmmakers struggle to make these poop scenes funny. The laughs in "The Back-Up Plan" are mellow just as the drama is soft-headed. Overall, except for Alex O'Loughlin's good looks, Jennifer Lopez's decent acting skills, and a few good laughs, this predictable film does not have much to offer.

• My Rating: 4.00/10
• Rotten Tomatoes: 20% (3.6/10)
• IMDb: 4.1/10

[8.50/10] Micmacs (2009)

Micmacs (2009)

The imagination of director Jean-Pierre Jeunet has allowed films such as "Delicatessen" and "Amelie" to resonate with audiences because of the considerable charm and visual flair with which they were skilfully made. "Micmacs" is yet another mad jumble of images and daring camera-work and again it turns out to be a film quite unlike the one you were expecting. It's a story of a lonely misfit named Bazil, who after being accidentally injured in a shoot-out, is adopted by a band of other misfits. Together, they take on a band of arms-manufacturers whose products respectively injured Bazil and killed Bazil's father, by triggering tension between them. Aside from a truly riveting series of sly, witty and purposeful acts by this band of revengers, the film is also striking in its beauty with every scene presenting an intense array of colors fusing with incredibly intricate and detailed backdrops. All actors played their characters very well, with their strange characteristics brought forward in a very believable and endearing manner. Dany Boon shines in a performance reminiscent of Charlie Chaplin. He makes his character funny, touching and sad without the aid of dialogue, relying solely on body language. He does have some dialogue, but it is kept to a minimum. Dominique Pinon is a joy to watch as always. Although we've seen him as strange characters before, he remains fresh and he delivers another great oddball performance as Fracasse. Julie Ferrier plays Caoutchouc, who is in need of love and a great deal of attention and she acts really convincing. During the course of the film she and Bazil fall in love, which is shown very subtle. This makes it a joy to watch and when they finally kiss, it is such a tender moment. "Micmacs" is refreshing, visually stunning, incredibly funny and sometimes very touching, yet still delivers a serious message about weaponry, without it getting lost in the fun and without giving you a guilty feeling about feeling happy afterwards.

• My Rating: 8.50/10
• Rotten Tomatoes: 79% (6.6/10)
• IMDb: 7.3/10