Sometimes your chick makes you watch a movie you don't necessarily want to watch but hey, you do it anyway. The movie occasionally ends up being horrible but sometimes it can be a fun surprise. THE PRINCESS DIARIES falls in that latter category. The most obvious reason why this movie is enjoyable rather then horrible is Anne Hathaway. She brings such an energy that you can't help but like her. She's a relatable character thrust in a situation is far out there.

As it is with these kind of comedies, the supporting cast is important. I'd say Hector Elizondo does a great job as the driver. Maybe it's just that I like his type of character.

While it is essentially a chick movie, THE PRINCESS DIARIES won't bore guys either and can be enjoyed by anyone with an open mind.

When it comes to vampire movies it seems like mostly everything has been done. In this movie though it seems to be mixing the zombie genre with the vampire genre. The vampires act very much like mindless zombies so the worlds do feel melded together. I'm just happy to see vampire as monsters and not sparkling pansies.

The two main characters, Mister and Martin, had an interesting dynamic. Mister acted like a father/mentor to Martin but without showing much affection. He wanted to teach him how to survive in this crazy world without letting feelings get in the way. There was obviously an attachment between the two but I'm glad they kept it subtle because in this world there would be no room for any hugging and such. The other survivors they meet on the way each offer a little something but nothing spectacular.

The crazy cult offers an extra and interesting villain to the film. It shows how humanity would break down in such a situation and all kinds of splinter groups would form. They were in fact a bigger threat then the vampires and felt more threatening.

Stake land works as a post apocalyptic movie that is depressing but not so much that it will make you hate life as result. You definitely leave it feeling pumped but it's a decent effort that combines multiple items together (vampires, apocalyptic future, cults) that works.

THE MATADOR works good as a buddy comedy. On one hand you have Greg Kinnear as the straight business man. On the other you have Pierce Brosnan as an assassin. Pierce Brosnan always looks cool and on top of everything. But in this movie he also adds a bit of crassness. He drinks a lot, he has sex with prostitutes and well he kills people for money. Both of these actors work and play well off each other. Even though one of the main characters is a killer, it has a light heartedness about it and there are a few sincere emotional moments from both characters. Despite being goofy you kind of feel like these two guys could be friends in real life. I had a good time with THE MATADOR and say it's worth watching for anyone looking for an enjoyable and light hearted movie to watch.

While the plot makes it sound like a typical old school action movie, this is not the case here. DEATH SENTENCE takes a more serious and dramatic note. While there are some intense and good action scenes, the focus of the movie is how the events affect the father of the family played expertly here by Kevin Bacon. We see the transformation of a good family man into the monsters he is trying to destroy. It draws some comparisons to Walter White from BREAKING BAD. Kevin Bacon does a fantastic job. He plays it low key for the most part but you can see the transformation happening in his mind. The supporting cast here is tight as well. Kelly Preston does a good job as the mother of the family. The street gang is just what you'd expect; downright despicable and horrible in every way. You're cheering for Bacon the whole way, but you feel horrible for what this is doing to him. We also get some John Goodman being a tough gun dealers...[more]...

This was a surprisingly fun movie. While the plot is simple, the way the race and action turn out is extremely entertaining. Jason Statham is the man here, kicking ass all the way through. It hit all the notes right; extremely violent, gory and great car action done without CGI to bring it down. Make sure to check this out if you haven't seen it yet, it will be worth your time.

How to describe THE SPIRIT? One part 60s Batman TV series, one part SIN CITY, another part total madness. This movie just has a very weird tone to it. Most of the time it doesn't seem to be taking itself seriously at all. Samuel L. Jackson wears some ridiculous costumes and has cloned henchmen complete with their names on their shirts. Then we got some of the dialogue that is extremely cheesy. It really felt like this was a 1940s movie on coke but with modern technology. I did like the comic book style Frank Miller was trying to recreate.

It feels like everyone involved was told to just have fun with it. Unfortunately it feels all over the place and silly. Maybe that's exactly what they were going for but it just didn't really work for me.

WILD WILD WEST, one of the most infamously bad movies in recent times. Does it live up to it's reputation? Unfortunately, yes. While I have seen many much worse movies, this one is just simply not good.

I understand that they were trying to go for a cheesy and campy throwback to old west stories. The problem, just like in movies such as BATMAN AND ROBIN, is that they go way too far. Jim West is every character Will Smith has ever played cranked to 11. He's constantly spouting one-liners, is good at everything he does and of course is a badass. Artemis Gordon is a wacky scientist who makes up all sorts of crazy inventions. Hilarity is supposed to ensue, but it doesn't really happen. Then you have Kenneth Branagh, chewing every scene he's in. These aspects are just so outlandish it's embarrassing. And the giant metal spider, the less said about that the better.

It's tough to get through this, even with Salma Hayek. This movie is an example of how to seriously overdo things and repel anyone who may have enjoyed certain aspects it.

On paper, this movie sounds like a great idea. A gritty reboot of the 80s TV show directed by legendary crime film director Michael Mann, what's not to get excited about. Unfortunately, the potential was there but was never reached. It just never feels quite right. The two leads, played by Jamie Foxx and Colin Farrell, seem to try too hard to look like badasses but don't have all that much of a personality. There wasn't enough of an internal struggle for them. Given the situation, there could have been a lot achieved.

Half the film seems to be focused on a love story between Crockett and Isabella. It slowed down the plot to a crawl. Also, it was very difficult to see anything. Most of the movie takes place at night with very little lighting. Is Tubbs the one shooting, is it Crockett, I can`t tell. After a while it just becomes shadows running around.

While not terrible, MIAMI VICE could have been so much. With the cast and director assembled together, this could have been something special rather then a forgettable crime movie.

NIGHT OF THE CREEPS is a great throwback to old school 1950s B horror movies. The intro especially is a striking homage to that genre. The movie as a whole keeps that tone as well, even when its set in the 80s. It keeps the old stereotypes of jocks being douchebags and nerds trying to woo the pretty. Even though there are some gory death scenes, the movie never feels mean spirited and is always light hearted fun.

I love that Tom Atkins is here playing the role he does best, disgruntled cop. There`s a reason he is a genre the legend and this movie in particular may be the reason why. His one liner (The good news is your dates are here. The bad news is they`re dead) should tell you what you need to know about the movies tone. All the other cast members are adequate at their roles. No one is utterly spectacular but they play their role well.

NIGHT OF THE CREEPS is a fun genre movie that is suprisingly unknown in the mainstream. You would think that more people would have seen it back in the day. It`s a great throwback, has some awesome practical effects and is a fun time.

At some point producer Joel Silver though DMX was going to be the next big action star. He ended up in a few movies with other action stars (such as Jet Li) and basically always played the same character (a tough guy with good intentions). This time Seagal joins him and it ends up working out ok. They don't necessarily have much chemistry together, but it's not a totally unimaginable teaming...[more]...

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When THE BUCKET LIST came out it was widely ignored and it’s hard to see why. It stars two living legend in Nicholson and Freeman and the plot is an interesting idea. That being said this is actually a pretty good movie. Both actors work great together; Nicholson with his intensity and Freeman’s serenity are a great match...[more]...

Legal dramas most often fall into two categories; they can be filled with jargon and very boring or they can create an interesting plot that keeps the viewer interested without losing them in the whole legal process. MICHAEL CLAYTON falls more into the second category. The movie starts out interestingly; it gets you hooked to follow along for the ride. However, I wasn’t quite sure what was going on, not because of the legal jargon, but because they were deliberately keeping me in the dark. Sure enough, by the end of the film everything was explained, but for most of the film it is hard to know for sure what is going on. Sadly, because of this, some of the interest and excitement does get lost over time. The ending suddenly happened and then that’s it, end of movie. I will say I did like the ending credit sequence; it’s always good to see something creative...[more]...

It’s hard not to compare this movie to the 1986 original. The original was tense and extremely well executed and acted. This one, not nearly as good. The plot is nearly identical with only one major change. Instead of there only being one person being stalked, we now have a couple. This works against the movie. It removes a lot of the isolation and paranoia given that there are two people that can comfort each other. Speaking of the two leads, they got on my nerves the second I saw them. It’s never a good idea to cast a couple of WB stars in a horror movie. Especially the male lead, he was such a whiner. They make you want to side with John Ryder...[more]...

What can be said about Die Hard that hasn't already been said. This is one of the greatest action movies of all time. Every component, from the acting, directing, script, score, you name it and it's top notch. This movie spawned new genre of "Die Hard on a ..." imitators.

Let's begin with the story. Everything is very tight, no time is wasted. It sets up a great situation for an action movie. There aren't that many bad guys, but each fight takes a toll on McClane and by the end he's a mess. What's great is that the action and character development work hand in hand. There's a scene where John is really starting to think that he won't make it out of this and it works extremely well. I love the relationship he had with Al (Reginald Veljohnson) over the walkie talkie. Some great man to man talk.

The action never feels too over the top, it's always somewhat grounded and fairly plausible (except for the firehose scene maybe). Al Rickman plays the legendary Hans Gruber to perfection. The villain he portrays is sleek, stylish but is pure evil when he wants to be.

There's just so many great things about this movie that if I describe them all I'll be here all day. Merry Christmas to everyone and if you can find some time today to watch what I consider the ultimate Christmas movie.

This movie has some decent things going for it but there are many other things that are really annoying. For one, there are many annoying side characters. They're just so loud and obnoxious that whenever they open their mouth I just cringe. They're was a song that kept playing that was just as annoying as these characters.

On the plus side, Richard Dreyfuss is fun here. His character is a lovable loser and he gives him just enough quirkiness to be likable. We also have a young Jennifer Tilly here who is looking amazing! Robbie Coltrane is also good as the ticket agent who ends up rooting for Dreyfuss.

LET IT RIDE is a comedy that is just ok. There are quite a few chuckle or smirk jokes but not many laugh out loud jokes. It is kind of fun to see the lighter side of degenerate gambling but it won't stay in your mind much longer after you've finished watching it.

This movie is a very strange mix of various styles. They way people talk, their hair style and some of their clothes is very 50s. On the other hand you have some people who dress like it's the 80s and the music sounds very 80s ish. I also find that it feels like a musical (even though characters don't sing to each other). Overall it's an interesting look but I don't find it gelled that well with me...[more]...

It is difficult to describe this movie because it is so strange. In a movie where there’s wizards, guys who can shoot lightning and a weird creature that looks like the love child between Chewbacca and a Predator where do you begin. Let’s begin with the style. It is very campy and fun. Nothing here is taken too seriously, which works very well with the movie. The look of the movie is also great. Everything is just colorful enough to be fun but not overly bright with neon lights...[more]...

First off, I have to say I’m surprised the title went through without the endorsement of either company as mentioned in the end credits. Anyway, the film itself is mostly ridiculous and very macho. Harley and Marlboro are drifters; neither really has a home and just lives day by day. It plays into some the things all guys wonder if life would be more exciting this way. They fight in bars, get women and ride on motorcycles, all badass stuff. And throughout all of that they are at heart good guys looking out for each other and their friends...[more]...

Teen comedies sometimes work and sometimes fall flat on their face. It all depends on how they mix and use the elements they have. Focus too much on the love angle and it makes it too sappy. Focus too much on the hijinks and it becomes ridiculous. The teen movies of this last decade have mostly fallen in that first category where they are so lame nobody wants to see them.

The plot of the movie works well because it takes the main motivation of earlier college movies and pits the normal students against the douchebag snooty dean and rich kids. It’s easy to side with Justin Long’s gang when they’re up against so called “intellectual elites�.

The characters in Justin Long’s crew are quite likeable. Jusitn Long himself is pretty funny but the best ones are Jonah Hill and Lewis Black. They each steal their respective scenes, Hill being awkward and Black with his rants. And of course the dean of the rival school is a major asshole and his lackeys are all kids with rich daddies. It’s always important to have fun adult characters in these movies and it delivers.

The whole film ends in court scene that although not realistic in the least, is still uplifting somehow like all these movies manage to make them. ACCEPTED is a fun movie that manages to keep the good balance that was mentioned previously. If more teen comedies worked like this movie the genre would be much better off.