the magically disastrous Prestige

How can a movie with a top notch director, and superb cast and a neat plot bomb? Well it can't silly.
Just look at my review for The Departed and you'll understand what I'm talking about.
BUT!!!! let me tell you this. For all the bells and whistles this movie had going for it (even beating the shot outta Flag of our Fathers) this movie should've been much much much better.
Just like The Illusionist, I figured out the bid mystery midway through. But unlike The Illusionist, this movie didn't pop and sizzle.
Now don't get me wrong, I did like this movie. Greatly due to the fact that anything Michael Caine is in is always a pleasure. And the rest of the cast was good as well.
Hugh Jackman as the obsessed magician, Christian Bale as the fractured magician and even Christopher Nolan doing his best at keeping it all together.
Everything was done well and I believe I would have much more to say but I went for one of my double features and the first movie was The Departed which is one of the best movies I've seen in a while.
I will be the first in line when most of this cast comes together again for a little flick called THE DARK KNIGHT based on a little known character called BATMAN, so don't you worry none Mr. Nolan. Ya ain't losing anyone with this well done piece of crap. Just don't expect me to come flocking to any other little pieces you might fling my way.
IMHO :)

The Dearly Departed

Sweet charity and God's mercy, I do believe I have found the first great movie of the season.
Seems all it takes is a great cast, a great director and a great plot. Who knew?
Let me tell you something Academy Voters, you better stop ignoring Leonardo and Mark cause they are two totally awesome entertainers that deserve their due.
Also major props to da main man Scorsese for popping out another screen sizzler. And speaking of Martin's, Sheen was mystifying in that scene where he's protecting DiCaprio's Costigan from being made by Nicholson's Costello. Very intense!
Speaking of Jack, how many great "Joker" moments can you count in this masterpiece. He was in top form popping out scene after scene of unbelievable cinema gems. We are not worthy...we are not worthy.
Matt Damon although spectacular as the "Rat" really fell short of all the over the top performances that were being bleed from these actors. The sheer emotion flowing out of DiCaprio was Oscar worthy as was my man Mark Walhberg who needs at least a nomination under his belt already. His acting has Phoenixed into such a Blaze of Glory that anyone who has witnessed it shouldn't even think twice about this man's award.
Give It To Him Already.
And while we're at it Leonardo DiCaprio needs to go over to Jamie Foxx's house and get his Oscar for Best Actor for The Aviator and then add it for his performance for this role.
IMHO :)
All in all just stop wasting time and go see this masterful piece of cinema while you still can.

Be-Grudge-ed too

I knew I had to see Grudge 2 and I also knew that Hollywood would get their sticky fingers all in this sequel and I also knew that my mom had not yet seen the first one.
SO.......
I layed a plan to get everything in place to see Grudge 2.
First off I bought the first cause it was so good plus Wal-Mart had it for like 5 bucks. I then fit it into my extremely packed schedule so that mom could see what was going on and I could catch up.
I was so tired at the end of the dvd yet I wanted to catch the deleted scenes just in case I needed to know some small detail for the sequel. Turned out there were 2 pages of deleted scenes and my exhaustion was more powerful then my curiosity.
2 days later, mom and I are at the mall and we're buying tickets to see Grudge 2 although she kept picking The Departed (we'll get to that one next week...maybe) and I kept saying she was crazy. We just watched the dvd so we could catch the movie this weekend (Friday the 13th and all) and she keeps saying Departed. Huh?
Anyway we go see it and it's the same shit as it always is in Dumb Bump Port Charlotte. Not saying the town is "Dumb" but the movie goers are.
Case in point.
There were yet again 2 couples behind me. One kept burping and belching thru-out the whole movie I shit you not. Here I am watching Sarah trying to escape that freaky Japanese Goth chick and out of no where BURPPPPP!!!!! It was like that beer guy from the Simpsons.
Then we had a revival of Mystery Science Theatre 3000 complete with all the little snide comments and the cute voice overs.
After all that mess how could I possibly critique this movie. Suffice to say that it kept my interest even though it bounces back and forth through 3 different story lines. So if you are planning on seeing this movie keep that in mind. Also if you remember the first one then you should remember that's how they did it there as well, just with 2 different stories instead of 3.
All in all if you've seen the first go see this one and if anyone is belching and burping through out the movie think of me and tell the pig to leave the damn theatre...cause I was too timid to do it myself.
Thanks in advance for your courage and if that pig yells at you or throws their popcorn at you well you just tell the manager and get a free pass. ;)

I'm leaving on a Jet Li plane...and I AM FEARLESS

Saying goodbye is always a hard thing to do. I don't care who you are, if you really loved that objection of affection then saying goodbye to it is difficult.
Case in point...Jet Li's Fearless.
This is supposed to be his farewell fighting flick so you have to say to yourself..."Damn I hope he goes out fighting in top form."
Well "Fear" not cause he is unbelievably good in this top notch ode to one of his country's greatest inspirations.
The story follows the life of China's Huo Yuanjia and how he fought his whole life to be someone but didn't find out until too late that revenge and arrogance only lead to damnation while clean mind and clean body leads to clean soul.
I really don't want to say too much about the plot so just know that this movie is based on the life of a great Chinese fighter who started the Jingwu Sports Federation to help the world understand his people and to let us know that they are not "Weak men of the East".
Jet Li's interpretation is so superb that it will bring a tear to your eye and a thought to your mind.
I really didn't have a need to see this movie but figured since it was his last martial arts film that I should at least pay my respects.
GLAD I DID!
I would have really hated to miss this small masterpiece and I say now that if Jamie Foxx can win an Oscar for his portrayal of Ray Charles then Jet Li should at least get a nomination for his portrait of Huo Yuanjia.
Ronnie Yu really outdid himself with his direction of Jet Li and should get his country's admiration as well as the world's.
All in all this is a perfect ending to that nasty baddie in Lethal Weapon who kicked Mel's butt to this honorable warrior who truly learned to fight his own demons.
Well done Jet. I am honored to have shared your dream of Huo's.