Movie Reviews and Ratings

‘The Expendables’ is #1 for a second week

2010/08/23 at 12:00am

‘The Expendables’ is #1 for a second week

08.23.2010 | By Mack Chico |

Sylvester Stallone and “The Expendables” managed to somehow beat Julia Roberts again at her own box office game. Looks like she’s lost her touch a bit.

The action film, directed by and starring Sylvester Stallone, also beat out in its second straight week the debuts of “Vampires Suck,” “Pirahna 3D,” “Lottery Ticket,” and “Nanny McPhee Returns”.

“The Expendables” has a cast that includes Jet Li, Steve Austin, and Jason Statham, with cameos by Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Here are the top five box office films:

#1 “The Expendables” ($16.5 million)
#2 “Vampires Suck” ($12.2 million)
#3 “Eat Pray Love” ($12 million)
#4 “Lottery Ticket” ($11.1 million)
#5 “The Other Guys” ($10.1 million)

By Jack Rico

2010/08/20 at 12:00am

Reviews

The Switch

08.20.2010 | By Jack Rico |

‘The Switch’ could have been very good but ends up being just okay. Jennifer Aniston has more of a supporting role here while Jason Bateman is clearly the star of the film. The chemistry between them is non existent and the story, although intriguing, fails to compel because of an over-extension of plot. This is a clichéd trick screenwriters use to fill gaps of time in the middle of a movie to build ‘momentum’ for the final scenes. Case in point, writer Allan Loeb over-extends the inevitable confrontation scenes between Bateman and Aniston so much that when it arrives, you’re annoyed and ultimately uninterested.

The premise is a good one though… A single 40-year-old woman (Aniston) turns to artificial insemination in order to become pregnant. Seven years later, she reunites with her best friend (Bateman), who has been living with a secret: he replaced her preferred donor’s sperm sample with his own.

At its best, The Switch is reminiscent of About a Boy starring Hugh Grant but it never goes deep enough to illicit a tear. If something could be praised about the film is the acting by the supporting cast. Jeff Goldblum who plays Bateman’s cynical and wise cracking friend still can deliver a funny line. I don’t know why he’s not working more frequently but he is a delight on screen. And we can’t forget young actor Thomas Robinson who plays Bateman’s 6 year old son Sebastian. The kid has the goods and delivers some true acting as a melancholic pessimist who thinks he has hypochondria.

The Switch generates some occasional cheap laughs, but it doesn’t come together. It feels generic. There are two directors on the film, Josh Gordon and Will Speck, and if two people couldn’t get this right, then its probably not worth the theatrical viewing. This film might play better on a Saturday night at home on DVD.

Wesley Snipes goes Cuban in ‘Havana Heat’

By Mack Chico

2010/08/19 at 12:00am

Movies

Wesley Snipes goes Cuban in ‘Havana Heat’

08.19.2010 | By Mack Chico |

In what seems to be a straight to DVD movie, former action star Wesley Snipes will star in ‘Havana Heat‘ about a Homeland Security agent who is murdered while undercover in Havana, and the investigation which follows that death.

The film will also star former hearthrob Joey Lawrence, who looks like he’s jacked as all hell.

Havana Heat will start shooting November with a cast that includes Michael Dudikoff, mixed martial artist Heath Herring, Puerto Rican actress Zulay Henao (Fighting), Lorena Rincon, Puerto Rican actor Raul Julia Jr. and Nicolas Brown (Kites).

The film will be out sometime 2011.

By Jack Rico

2010/08/19 at 12:00am

Reviews

Nanny McPhee Returns

08.19.2010 | By Jack Rico |

In today’s Hollywood spectrum it seems that the best family films are animated. There are some live action fare that reached critical praise such as Percy Jackson and the Olympians and The Karate Kid, but none can be compared to what I believe to be the best family film of 2010 so far – ‘Nanny McPhee Returns’ starring Emma Thompson.

In this sequel, Nanny McPhee (Emma Thompson) arrives once again to help a harried young mother, Mrs. Green (Maggie Gyllenhaal), with running the family farm while her husband is away at war. With Mrs. Green’s children waging a personal war with their two spoiled rich cousins, Nanny McPhee comes to the rescue using her magical cane to teach the kids five important new lessons.

It might not seem that difficult to the novice eye, but blending in comedy, action, drama and special effects to create a family film with an affecting message is tougher than one might think. The original film, though sweet and endearing, was much more targeted to seven year olds while dismissing adults. Not so in this follow up where director Susanna White and screenwriter Emma Thompson delve death into the parameters of the story with panache and care.

It cannot go unsaid how remarkable the cast is, in particular the child actors Eros Vlahos and Rosie Taylor-Ritson who play the spoiled, rich cousins from London. Their acting skill is leagues apart from the rest of the young cast, which you could argue, might be a detriment to the picture. Nevertheless, it is rare to see actors this young being this good. It is a rare treat to see and enjoy. Maggie Gyllenhaal on her part, who is a true blue American, makes us forget she is from the States with an uncanny authentic British accent. It is perhaps better than Gwyneth Paltrow’s. Ewan McGregor is barely seen in the film but his scene is perhaps the most moving.

‘Nanny McPhee Returns’ is a delightful experience, but different than the original film, I believe adults will be able to indulge a bit more in the story. Leave no bones about it, kids are going to like this charming sequel.

By Jack Rico

2010/08/18 at 12:00am

Reviews

Vampires Suck

08.18.2010 | By Jack Rico |

‘Vampires Suck’ directed by Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer plain ol’ sucks. Now don’t get me wrong, I like spoof movies, but ones that are full of hilarity such as The Naked Gun, Hot Shots and the Scary Movie series to name a few. The level of creativity to get this film off the ground is elementary, nothing seems to be out of the box thinking and 10 year old girls must have been consulted.

The premise, as you can tell by the trailers and posters, is a spoof on the Twilight films where teenager Becca (Jenn Proske) finds herself torn between two boys, a vampire (Matt Lanter) and a wolf (Chris Riggi). As she and her friends wrestle with a number of different dramas, everything comes to a head at their prom.

‘Horror-ble’ and painful comes to mind when I think of having watched this, though I must admit that actress Jenn Proske mimics Kristen Stewart’s delivery and speech patterns to a tee. Not much else can be praised from this film as a chuckle might as well be interpreted as a ‘pity chuckle’ for the sake of all the honest hard working technicians that put the production together.

I’m not going to get into revealing scenes of what I think is awful and boorish, but for the sake of your pocket and mental sanity, stay away from this film full of dreadful, inept jokes, paltry pop culture references and awful dialogue. ‘Vampire Sucks’ is on my top 10 lists of one of the worst movies of the year.

New stills from ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1’!

By Jack Rico

2010/08/17 at 12:00am

Movies

New stills from ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1’!

08.17.2010 | By Jack Rico |

It’s that time of the year again! Warner Bros. will once again treat us to a Harry Potter movie, but this time we are closing in on the end. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I will be released in two parts with the first one releasing November 19th, 2010 and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II relasing on July 11th, 2011.

We just obtained 9 new movie stills from Part 1 for your enjoyment. Below is the official synopsis followed by the stills.

Synopsis: “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,” the seventh and final adventure in the Harry Potter film series, is a much-anticipated motion picture event to be told in two full-length parts. Part 1 begins as Harry, Ron and Hermione set out on their perilous mission to track down and destroy the secret to Voldemort’s immortality and destruction—the Horcruxes. On their own, without the guidance of their professors or the protection of Professor Dumbledore, the three friends must now rely on one another more than ever. But there are Dark Forces in their midst that threaten to tear them apart. Meanwhile, the wizarding world has become a dangerous place for all enemies of the Dark Lord. The long-feared war has begun and Voldemort’s Death Eaters seize control of the Ministry of Magic and even Hogwarts, terrorizing and arresting anyone who might oppose them. But the one prize they still seek is the one most valuable to Voldemort: Harry Potter. The Chosen One has become the hunted one as the Death Eaters search for Harry with orders to bring him to Voldemort…alive. Harry’s only hope is to find the Horcruxes before Voldemort finds him. But as he searches for clues, he uncovers an old and almost forgotten tale—the legend of the Deathly Hallows. And if the legend turns out to be true, it could give Voldemort the ultimate power he seeks. Little does Harry know that his future has already been decided by his past when, on that fateful day, he became “the Boy Who Lived.” No longer just a boy, Harry Potter is drawing ever closer to the task for which he has been preparing since the day he first stepped into Hogwarts: the ultimate battle with Voldemort.

By Jack Rico

2010/08/17 at 12:00am

DVD Reviews Reviews

The Last Song

08.17.2010 | By Jack Rico |

Rating: 2.0

Rated: PG for thematic material, some violence, sensuality and mild language.
Release Date: 2010-04-02
Starring: Nicholas Sparks & Jeff Van Wie
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country:USA
Official Website: http://touchstone.movies.go.com/thelastsong/

Â Go to our film page

Of his six titles sent to the big screen, â€˜The Last Songâ€™ is Nicholas Sparks worst film. Most of the drawbacks hinge on Miley Cyrusâ€™ acting. She is officially on my list for a 2011 Razzie for worst actress. But perhaps the biggest problem with the film is the calculated, manipulative script that delivers phony, inorganic moments that donâ€™t seem plausible enough for any teenager or adult to believe. It has some feel good moments, but not enough to deserve praise. This is definitely not a date movie adults will enjoy, but rather a transitional primer young fans of Cyrus will be expecting from her in the near future.

â€˜The Last Songâ€™ centers on a rebellious girl (Miley Cyrus) who is sent to a Southern beach town with her brother (Bobby Coleman) for the summer to stay with her father (Greg Kinnear). Through their mutual love of music, the estranged duo learn to reconnect, but in typical Sparks fashion, some sort of calamity strikes.

Iâ€™ve seen Mileyâ€™s work on TV and Iâ€™ve seen her in concert. Her work seemed to embody the desires and ambitions of her contemporaries and it fit perfectly well within those parameters, but now her and her team of agents and managers are treading treacherous territory to put her in the same dramatic genre where the likes of Carey Mulligan and Anne Hathaway feast on. She isnâ€™t ready to act in these roles that demand so much of her limited emotional range. As a result, the scenes where she has to push and drive the emotional guts of the film fall flat. The rest of the cast do well, but Kinnear and Coleman are the highlights. Kelly Preston was probably the most irrelevant character in the film, she was never around.

Nicholas Sparks is a co-screenwriter here and once again we see the trail of sentimental tragedy he has left in his way. His recent â€˜Dear Johnâ€™ from last month, doesnâ€™t help either, if it hadnâ€™t been for actor Richard Jenkinsâ€™ gravitas and acting credibility, it could have been a low point for all involved.

Bottomline, you can find this schmaltz for free on Lifetime or Oprah, donâ€™t pay to see it here.

‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’ has a new star!

By Jack Rico

2010/08/17 at 12:00am

Movies

‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’ has a new star!

08.17.2010 | By Jack Rico |

Actress Rooney Mara has been officially casted to play Lisbeth Salander, the lead in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, the first of three Sony Pictures films based on the late Swedish writer Stieg Larsson’s Millennium Trilogy book series.

If you are unfamiliar with the young thesp, join the club. We did some research and found out she is a New Yorker who belongs to the Mara family, owners of the New York Giants football team. She has been in a few movies, nothing worth boasting about – Dare, The Winning Season and Tanner Hall in 2009. In 2010, she appeared in Youth in Revolt and starred in A Nightmare on Elm Street, a remake of the 1984 horror film. I saw ‘Revolt’ and the ‘Nightmare’ and barely remember her.

This book to film franchise is the hottest thing in Hollywood right now. David Fincher (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Social Network) is set to direct and Daniel Craig and Robin Wright are set to star along with Mara.

Scarlett Johansson, Natalie Portman, Ellen Page, Harry Potter’s Emma Watson and Alice in Wonderland’s Mia Wasikowska were rumored for the role, I imagined they auditioned for the part too, but Mara must’ve blown the lids off the producers to get this highly sought after gig.

Mara’s contract also includes an option to cast her in two further films, The Girl Who Played with Fire and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest.

For those of you who have not yet seen the original Swedish film version, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, is a gripping, thrilling yet sexually disturbing piece of work that will discompose more than a few viewers. Ultimately, its more than 2 hour duration is a satisfying product worth your time and investment.

Mr. Fincher reportedly plans to start shooting The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo in Sweden next month, though one assumes the Scandinavian country will be doubling for a part of North America. He will also be in charge for the two sequels, while Craig has also signed on for three films. The first movie is due to hit cinemas on December 21, 2011.

Larsson died in 2004, and his books were only published posthumously. Like his character, Blomkvist, he was the editor of a left-leaning magazine with a talent for documenting and exposing Swedish extreme right and racist organisations. His novels have sold more than 27m copies around the world, and he recently became the first writer to have sold one million e-books on Amazon.com.

Here is Rooney Mara in a clip of her most recent film, the remake of ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street. Do you think she can pull off playing the tough and complex hacker played so well by her Swedish counterpart Noomi Rapace? Check out the clip and let us know what you think in the comments section below.

‘The Expendables’ are #1 at the box office

By Mack Chico

2010/08/16 at 12:00am

Movies

‘The Expendables’ are #1 at the box office

08.16.2010 | By Mack Chico |

Sylvester Stallone’s ‘The Expendables‘ topped the weekend box-office with an estimated 35 million dollars.

On the other hand, Julia Roberts’ second-place Eat Pray Love (23.7 million dollars) scored the actress’ best debut in nearly 10 years.

At the third place was ‘The Other Guys’, with 18 million dollars at the ticket window, reports E!Online.

Rounding off at the fourth and fifth place was Leonardo DiCapril’s ‘Inception’ and ‘Scott Pilgrim vs. the World’ with 11.4 million dollars and 10.5 million dollars respectively.

#1 “The Expendables” ($35 million)
#2 “Eat Pray Love” ($23.7 million)
#3 “The Other Guys” ($18 million)
#4 “Inception” ($11.4 million)
#5 “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World” ($10.5 million)

By Alex Florez

2010/08/13 at 5:47am

Movies

Make Your Website Compatible for All Browsers

08.13.2010 | By Alex Florez |

Professional Montreal Web Designing for You

Creating a website had been the domain (geddit?) of professional designers and coders, but due to free website builder applications, nowadays it’s something anyone can tackle. it-devgroup.us It doesn’t matter whether you you could make your own landing pages yourself or focus on templates. You’re still prone to exactly the same design mistakes I see throughout the web – and listed below are seven of the most common to avoid.

Web Design and Your Worst Client

Whether you intend to refresh or redo your complete site, these website redesign recommendations may help ensure your company’s website redesign project goes smoothly and generates the final results you need. The same thing goes for each sale of promotion you hold.

Better yet, create multiple landing pages for each product/service, targeting some other audience or characteristic. A small business is going to have different requirements from accounting services rather than a larger enterprise, for example.