Bullet to the Head (Blu-ray, 1st viewing) – decent enough, but it’s got an overly simplistic plot, and there’s not anything here you haven’t seen before. The leads make a decent pair, but there isn’t enough humor for this to be a memorable buddy cop film. Stallone still has enough moves to make a serviceable action film, but nothing too great. Fans of his earlier work and the genre will find it watchable (I did), but everyone else should skip.
5/10
Movie 43 (Blu-ray, 1st viewing) – It’s not really a movie, but more a collection of unrelated skits. Most of them are slightly amusing, with a few being horrible, and one or two evoking a laugh or two. Mostly, it’s just some really great actors participating in juvenile, embarrassing gags. The rough reviews it received from critics are mostly justified. I wouldn’t class it in with the worst movies of all time, but it’s only a notch above that.
3/10
Spring Breakers (Blu-ray, 1st viewing) – I didn’t care too much for it, but I can see it being one of those movies where opinions are mostly divisive. Like I’ve said before, I guess it’s just because I’m not insightful enough, but I didn’t really “get” this movie. There wasn’t much in the way of a coherent story to me, and it all seemed a little too far fetched. James Franco turns in a solid performance as a drug-dealing rapper; other than that I didn’t take much from it. See it for yourself, though.
4/10
The Siege (Blu-ray, 1st viewing) – Edward Zwick is probably in my top 10 favorite directors, and this is another solid film from him. Denzel provides a solid, steady performance, and Shaloub, Benning and Willis round out the cast well. For a movie of its age, it feels pretty timely, and is definitely thought provoking. Has enough action to keep you engaged, but this is more cerebral than your typical thriller. I think this movie, though, is one that could have benefited from a little more buildup, and a more solid introduction. The runtime was a modest 110 minutes, and I think adding 20 or so could have improved it some. It’s not as emotionally charged as his superior films, Glory and The Last Samurai, but is still an above average action thriller.
7/10
World War Z (Blu-ray, 1st viewing) – I haven’t read the book, but I’ve been waiting to see this for quite some time. It reminded me of a combination between Contagion and Dawn of the Dead, with it being a little more actioney than the former, and not as comical as the latter. It’s easily one of the most engaging 2 hour movies I’ve seen in a while, too. I think maybe it was a little too slack in the character development department, but overall it’s a very good movie, and definitely deserving of a viewing for fans of many different genres. You could probably class it as horror, action, and/or thriller.
7.5/10
The Departed (Blu-ray, 2nd viewing) – I haven’t seen this since it was first released on home media, but it was as good as remembered it being. Scorsese’s one of the greatest directors of all time, and though I wouldn’t consider this his greatest work, it’s still a very, very good movie. The cast is good, the pacing is solid, and I really like the conclusion, even if it is a bit dark. There’s no need for me to sell you on this one, just watch it if you haven’t.
8/10
Rambo IV (Blu-ray, 3rd viewing) – It’s essentially an 80 minute action flick, mostly void of a story and/or development. The violence is a little over the top, but I think it’s pretty good at what it sets out to be.
6/10
5/10
Movie 43 (Blu-ray, 1st viewing) – It’s not really a movie, but more a collection of unrelated skits. Most of them are slightly amusing, with a few being horrible, and one or two evoking a laugh or two. Mostly, it’s just some really great actors participating in juvenile, embarrassing gags. The rough reviews it received from critics are mostly justified. I wouldn’t class it in with the worst movies of all time, but it’s only a notch above that.
3/10
Spring Breakers (Blu-ray, 1st viewing) – I didn’t care too much for it, but I can see it being one of those movies where opinions are mostly divisive. Like I’ve said before, I guess it’s just because I’m not insightful enough, but I didn’t really “get” this movie. There wasn’t much in the way of a coherent story to me, and it all seemed a little too far fetched. James Franco turns in a solid performance as a drug-dealing rapper; other than that I didn’t take much from it. See it for yourself, though.
4/10
The Siege (Blu-ray, 1st viewing) – Edward Zwick is probably in my top 10 favorite directors, and this is another solid film from him. Denzel provides a solid, steady performance, and Shaloub, Benning and Willis round out the cast well. For a movie of its age, it feels pretty timely, and is definitely thought provoking. Has enough action to keep you engaged, but this is more cerebral than your typical thriller. I think this movie, though, is one that could have benefited from a little more buildup, and a more solid introduction. The runtime was a modest 110 minutes, and I think adding 20 or so could have improved it some. It’s not as emotionally charged as his superior films, Glory and The Last Samurai, but is still an above average action thriller.
7/10
World War Z (Blu-ray, 1st viewing) – I haven’t read the book, but I’ve been waiting to see this for quite some time. It reminded me of a combination between Contagion and Dawn of the Dead, with it being a little more actioney than the former, and not as comical as the latter. It’s easily one of the most engaging 2 hour movies I’ve seen in a while, too. I think maybe it was a little too slack in the character development department, but overall it’s a very good movie, and definitely deserving of a viewing for fans of many different genres. You could probably class it as horror, action, and/or thriller.
7.5/10
The Departed (Blu-ray, 2nd viewing) – I haven’t seen this since it was first released on home media, but it was as good as remembered it being. Scorsese’s one of the greatest directors of all time, and though I wouldn’t consider this his greatest work, it’s still a very, very good movie. The cast is good, the pacing is solid, and I really like the conclusion, even if it is a bit dark. There’s no need for me to sell you on this one, just watch it if you haven’t.
8/10
Rambo IV (Blu-ray, 3rd viewing) – It’s essentially an 80 minute action flick, mostly void of a story and/or development. The violence is a little over the top, but I think it’s pretty good at what it sets out to be.
6/10
