Rated: R

Running Time: 83 Minutes

Release Date: 10-July-2009

Nudity: Everything, Man and Woman.

One Sentence: This man has huge brass balls.

Wow, wow.  If I had to say one thing about this movie, it's that Sasha Baron Coen, the man who plays Brüno has balls the size of Canada.  I would never in a million years attempt any of the things he pulled off in this movie, and he does them with a level of character immersion that even seems to make Borat feel fake and weak in comparasion.  This is just 83 minutues of pure hard core hilarious vulgar awesome, and I think if you can handle a whole lot of gay and offensive humor then Brüno is a must see. 

I think pretty much from the very beginning to the last scene I was laughing my ass off.  I was shocked, amazed, slack-jawed and rolling in the aisles.  This movie was extremly offensive and funny, but I think it might be the funniest movie of the year.  I just loved it.  I don't have much else to say, so this is my whole review.  If you thought Borat was funny, you will like this more I think, and if you thought Borat was offensive in a bad way, then you will think this is worse.  So base your pick on that.  And now a warning.

This moive deals with race, gay issues, gay sex, men kissing, penis', group sex, fashion, rural America, and a lot more, in a way that is meant to shock you.  It is very in your face and does not apoligize for it in any way.  There were times where I thought how this is not a NC-17 movie, so be warned.  If that does not sound like something you would like to see then this movie is not for you.  However if you don't mind that, then I hope you liked Brüno as much as I did. 

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Rated: R

Running Time: 93 Minutes

Release Date: 12-Jun-2009

Nudity: None

One Sentence:  Cost prohibitive believability.

I am not sure what to say about Moon, the new independent Sci-Fi moving staring Sam Rockwell, that you have probably not heard of.  It techincally is a fine crafted wonderful true sci-fi movie that sustains itself for the 93 minutes with mostly a single man and a HAL like robot played by Kevin Spacey.  This should be satisfactory, and enough for me to say this movie is good.  That this movie is a renter, and that you should consider adding it to your queue especially if you like Sam Rockwell or true Sci-fi.  However I feel like I don't want to say that. 

Moon seems to want to stand up and say look at me I am smart, interesting and purely low budget, while telling a original (sort of) story and I am proud of myself for staying away from Hollywood.  It has all these good elements, but feels so empty about them, that I am not sure if I liked Moon at all.  I left the movie feeling like I did like it, but now a couple of days later, I am feeling like this movie could have never been made and if I had not written this article no one would have ever known it existed and it would not matter if they found out.  

I think the feel of this movie had made it feel as isolated as the main character in the movie.  It feels empty, baren, without responce, and so I too feel this way about this movie.  I think that is probably stating that the movie is good, and it is correctly portraying it's feel on people but that feeling is so cold and empty, that I am not sure if I liked it or not.  So that is all you get from me on Moon.  Check it out if you think it sounds like a movie for you. 

Rated: PG-13

Running Time: 150 Minutes

Release Date: June 24th 2009

Nudity: None

One Sentence: Too much comedy, too much movie, not enough cool transformers. 

I thought the original Transformers movie from 2007 was the perfect summer movie.  So it was with great anticipation that I thought Michael Bay and his transformers team with the help of ILM could pull it off again.  Just go a little bit bigger, just a little more, and keep it together and they will have another great movie.  I do have to say ILM did pull it off again, however Michael Bay, very much did not.  I was willing to forgive so much from the past.  

Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen was this years Episode 1 (Star Wars).  Great CG, and a wonderful villain put next to a whole lot of unnecessary plot and story and a very annoying CG stereotype character that could of been completely removed from the movie and it would have made the movie better. I don't say this lightly but Transformers had 2 characters, Skids and Mudflap, who were as bad as Jar Jar Binks and perhaps worse becuase there were two of them.  The whole movie had these two in it, and a lot of this forced low level comedy that infected the movie and helped make it a complete and total weak shell of it's predecessor. Then they bring in 2 of the best Decepticons that were ever created and underused them in place of these comedy characters.  It was a horrible waste of CG, time, and story and really ruined the whole movie.

If they cut out about 30 minutes of this movie, stuck with the story of "The Fallen," only, got rid of Skids and Mudflap and a lot of the horrible comedy, I would say this would have been a good movie.  The CG was top notch, better than the last, slower fighting so you could see even better what you wanted to see so much of last time, really shows what a difference even 2 years can make in the CG world.  It could have been as good as the last, or better, but someone somewhere decided to make this movie funny and had no idea what comedy is and shit all over this movie.  I would say this is almost completely skippable, so if you must, I would say rent it but it comes with a warning. 

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Rated: PG-13

Running Time: 107 Minutes

Release Date: 19-June-2009

Nudity: None of the bits shown, but somewhat. 

One Sentence: Better than most romantic comedies. 

Lately I have given up on any romantic comedy delivering anything that is not a mainstream laugh, and not following a very tight formula that we have all seen a million times.  I am sure the ladies are getting tired of it, and I am for sure getting tired of it.  So I am happy to day that The Proposal is heavy on the laughs, light on the romance, and great as a movie.  I think putting Ryan Reynolds, and his mouth next to Sandra Bullocks's edge and let them go crazy with it really worked out.  Then add in a touch of crazy Betty White and you have a great date movie that everyone should have a great time at. 

I would say this movie is 75% comedy, and really good sarcastic back and forth comedy, between Sandy and Ryan, and 25% romance.  This balance led to a movie that was very funny, but also far better than the last few romantic comedies I have seen.  It really allowed a much better story being told, and felt far more believeable. The romance felt more natural, and less like a comedy fairy tale that leaves your girlfriend asking you why you don't do all the things the guy did in the movie.  

I do like both Ryan Reynolds and Sandra Bullock so that could have something to do with this review, but I don't think so.  It just was a quality movie, and I think a great date movie, one that you guys should have no problem saying yes to.  So I would go check it out in the theater even, as it is good enough to warrant the date price.  Obviously you renters out there, can feel good adding it to your queue and checking it out once it is on DVD, but if you are looking for a reason to get out, I would check out The Proposal. 

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Rated: PG-13

Running Time: 93 Minutes

Release Date: 05-June-2009

Nudity: None

One Sentence: Different than the show, but not exactly a bad thing. 

So on one side you have this horribly cheap kids show from the mid 70's that had a large following but visually was terrible.  On the other side you have a lot of money and the Hollywood of the 21st century making a movie.  Fans saying not to ruin the show, and other people saying please don't make it like the show.  What can you do to make this movie work at all?  It seems like you get Will Ferrell and director Brad Silberling together who are both fans and hope for the best.  What came out I can saw is probably the best movie with what they had to work with. 

Land Of The Lost ended up being a fun, silly, action/comedy that pays homage to the 1974 series, and keeps it real in the year 2009.  This is something I don't think anyone thought was possible, and I can't believe I am writing it now.  The movie brought together Will Ferrell, and his level of goofy authority, backed up by Danny McBride, who seems to play very well with Will, and delievered a pretty fun movie. There were scenes that looked like they spent 10 dollars on the set, which I think made it feel like the old show, then there were others, that visually were amazing.  Great CG and cheap props all tied together really made this a great movie that was really focused on it's intentions and I think executed them very well.  

I was never a fan of the old show, but went with a fan and she liked it very much.  I think that Land Of The Lost was quite a surprise, and hit all the right spots for fans and non-fans alike.  However this movie is pushing the PG-13 really hard, and some of those with kids they want to bring might want to second guess that decision.  Depends on how open you are with your kids and what they see.  Otherwise this movie is a renter for sure, and maybe if you want to skip the rated R comedy this weekend, Land Of The Lost would be good to check out this weekend. 

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Rated: R

Running Time: 100 Minutes

Release Date: 05-June-2009

Nudity: Some boobs and tiny man penis.

One Sentence: Just as good as the trailer makes it look, if not better. 

It seems like comedy has come into it's own the last few years, every movie seems as good or better than the last, pushing new limits, trying new things, and using new people along with old favoirtes.   This is making for a wide range of smart, adult comedies that are worth anyone checking out renting or seeing in the theater.  The Hangover is another one of these great movies.  This one deals with one night in Vegas that went a little too far and the guys trying to piece together the night before.  It works and it is hilarious.

What I think is so great about The Hangover is it feels natural.  These 4 guys going on this trip seem like real guys, in real lives, with real relationships.  I think it makes the story, and the crazyness that ensues a little more believeable, and not just some wild comedy ideas they threw randomly into a movie.  There is very little if not anything I can say about this movie negatively.  Sitting here staring at the screen thinking of something to say that was bad, I can't think of anything, so I guess that is good.  

So you get a big reccomendation from me for The Hangover for this weekend in the theater, which is going to be interesting becuase tomorrows review will also have the same recomendation.  I think The Hangover is a big, check out in the theater this weekend. You can also rent it, but I would not want to wait on this one, I think it was that good.

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Rated: PG-13

Running Time: 99 Minutes

Release Date: 5/29/2009

Nudity: None

One Sentence: Old school Sam Rami horror. 

Back before Spider-Man there was a man, a director, who made cheap movies, movies that used a lot of zoom, a lot of old scary women, and a lot of make-up.  He used conventional methods of film making, and stayed away from CG.  He had a huge cult following and launched the career of Bruce Campbell, that man was Sam Rami.  The director of the Evil Dead trilogy, Darkman, The Quick and the Dead and yes the Spider-Man trilogy.  A lot has been said about Sam since he took over Spider-Man, he lost his old school roots, he will never go back or could go back.  Drag Me To Hell is his response to those critics, and that response is, I still have it and I never lost it. 

Drag Me To Hell is the horror movie you have been waiting for if you loved the Peter Jackson and Sam Rami horror school of the 80's.  A blend of make-up, fear, story, camp, humor and just plain gross stuff makes Drag Me To Hell the nostalgic trip down good movie lane that at least I have been missing out on.  I love the new world of movies and extreme CG, but sometimes, a puppet and some makeup go a long long way, and Rami uses them in a way that I think a lot of people have been missing.  It doesn't hurt that not only does he hit on these old school buttons, but the movie is good too.  It is funny, creepy, made me jump a lot, had things that were just wrong, and was damn scary in some parts.

Now this movie is a little flawed, but I think it was intended.  Everything about this movie seemed like it was made for anyone that wants that type of horror back.  The acting was a little weak, the story was a little far fetched, and it just worked so well.  I just had a fun time being scared by Drag Me To Hell, that I can't reccomend it enough.  It delivered a lot, and a lot more than I expected and I would reccomend renting it for sure, there is no way I can say go see it over UP, but I did consider it for one second.  So add this to your queue and if you want to go see two movies this weekend, go see UP, and then go see Drag Me To Hell. 

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Rated: PG-13

Running Time: 115 Minutes

Release Date: 5/21/09

Nudity: None

One Sentence: Action movie that doesn't break the story.

After the tragicly horrible Terminator 3, I think people were done.  They had 2 good movies they could count on and just ingore that 3 ever existed.  I hardly remember it at all so I was met with quite a lot of meh when I head about Terminator: Salvation staring Batman.  I really like Christan Bale and I don't care about his outburst that hit the net a few months ago.  I was just worried about yet another horrible Terminator and that MCG would not be able to carry.  I do have to say that Salvation is not an amazing movie, but it is not horrible and it tries it's best to keep the story line striaght which I think is very imporant.  

This movie is 99% balls out action and it is good action.  MCG I have felt has always done good with stupid adreneline filled action with little regard to plot, story, or reality.  It seemed like a perfect fit here with Terminator, and I think it really shined.  If you are just looking for crazy action, big robots, and some very slick solid shots then you will not be disappointed with T4.  They invented some very cool new bots and terminators, and kept all the old stuff in the line as well.  They had Kyle Reese (John Connor's father) appear and the kid they used in the movie looked very much like his 1984 counterpart, which I liked very much. 

Overall this movie is the movie T3 should have been, and I think it did justsice to one of the great Sci-fi stories we have.  It didn't have anything new to carry or change from the old T2 line, it was action packed and fun to watch, and it was well enough put together that I was not ashamed of having seen it.  I think everyone would be at least semi-pleased with this Terminator, and is for sure a rental, if not the movie to see this weekend.  

Rated: PG-13

Running Time: 126 Minutes

Release Date: 05/07/2009

Nudity: None

One Sentence: A prequel by which all others should be measured. 

There are not that many prequel's out there right now.  However I think there is going to be a much larger tend going that way, especially with the buzz, hype and excitement Star Trek is creating and will create starting tomorrow.  The prequel's we do have now are generally horrible, I can think of Hannibal, Star Wars 1-3, and even Wolverine from last week as horrible examples of prequels.  If there are going to be more of these, I hope at least some of them are as good as Star Trek.  Which was an amazing movie, prequel and something that fans I think can stand up and be proud of.  Which are some big words when talking about a 40 year old tradition. 

Everything from the casting, story, CG and acting of these younger actors of the original characters we have all grown up with seemed to fit into our new generation of story telling.  It was cleaner, shinier, and had more action.  It was everything great about the old Star Wars, and adding all the amazing technology and movie making magic we have gained since the last movie.  It was funny, made refrences to the past (future) and was a great story to boot.  However what I think seems to be the most important part of this prequel is that it didn't crap all over the fans and the history.  It seemed to enhance it, make it better, deeper, and more detailed.  It did not take 40 years of history and throw it out the window for some movie studio's decision to make some money, and this is where I think the fans will be most grateful.  

So if you have not seen Wolverine, and are facing the choice I would say pick Star Trek, those who already saw Wolverine, I know you are going to see Star Trek probably tonight at midnight anyway, and it is so worth it.  Employers don't worry about the spike in the number of people calling in tomorrow for being sick, there is a Swine Flu Epidemic on our hands and you don't want those who might actually be sick coming in, so just let it slide, you never know who might actually have Swine Flu. 

Rated: PG-13

Running Time: 107 Minutes

Year: 2009

Nudity: Noneish.  Some Wolverine semi-nudity.

One Sentence: Note, do not ruin the story line of other characters that have movie potential.

So when you get to a "Part 4," of a movie you run the risk of messing things up.  You run the risk of breaking old story lines, and really breaking old rules, lines, and ideas.  X-Men Origins: Wolverine is all about doing this.  I don't even read comics, but I know the train wreck of story lines that occurred in this movie are going to lead to a lot of mending in the other worlds and story lines.  This seems especially disappointing to a lot of us movie comic book fans, because the track record with Marvel has been mostly very good when it comes to these types of things.  Wolverine didn't seem to notice or care about these things, and kills off some characters before they actually existed in comic book time lines and ruined their movie potential, which is disappointing.

As far as a stand alone movie, I think that Wolverine was ok.  I felt like when you pay 20 Million for the main actor you really should go all out with the rest of the movie, and the CG in Wolverine was substandard.  It was really poor, bordering on low budget, and it really suck out taking away from the quality of the rest of the movie.  This alongside a rushed story and weak general action save for a few good fight scenes really left me a bit let down.  The origins line seems to make sense when you say it out loud, but when you flesh it out, you are dealing with characters and story lines that happened outside of the main comic book lines with the most solid stories, and perhaps don't need to be made into movies. This is really what Wolverine felt like, it just didn't need to be made to supplement the other movies, or the Marvel movie story line at all.  Instead it was forced and just put there to consume ticket dollars, instead of deliver a good comic line. 

However it seems like my girlfriend and others about that have already seen it seem to like it, so I am probably just have fanboy nerd rage.  I of course still recommend this for this weekend's viewing, and it is no where near bad enough for me to say stay away from it, in the theater or rental later.  So yea check it out, but don't expect anything as good as X-men 1 and 2, but I do have to say it is better than X-men 3.