I’m not sure there are enough words in the English language to describe the monumental impact and fantastic achievement that is Avatar. I just might have to use the Na’vi language to convey my awe and amazement. James Cameron’s career is filled with ground breaking epic films that seem to set a high bar for the movie industry for the next decade to come, and Avatar just might be Cameron’s greatest work yet. The special effects in this film, are so far and above anything released r to date, that there isn’t really anything to compare it to. It’s sort of started its own genre. The 3-D isn’t even distracting like most movies, it just adds to the depth and grandeur of the whole experience. Now, every other film is being released in 3-D, (unfortunately) but Hollywood still doesn’t seem get it. It isn’t the 3-D, its the vision and passion with which Cameron makes his movies that is the difference.

Jake Sully – Sam Worthington is called upon to take the place of his deceased brother in a mostly military, part scientific program called Avatar. The scientists take human DNA and combine it with alien DNA to make a hybrid life form that can be remotely controlled by it’s human consciousness, so, when they link the brain patterns, you now control the body of a Na’vi, a twelve to fifteen foot tall blue life form from the planet Pandora. The humans have been there for five years now. Teaching the Na’vi English and trying to build some sort of friendship so they can take advantage of the Na’vi and plunder the natural resources of the beautiful lush forest/jungle world. To get their hands on the rare mineral that may save the Earth, Jake is enlisted to be sort of a double agent. Gain the Na’vi trust by becoming one of them, then hopefully finding a weakness that will give the humans the edge they need to clear them out of their home tree, which sits right on the richest mineral deposit on the planet. Jake meets Neytiri – Zoe Saldana, while almost being killed on his first night in the jungle, and his loyalties come in to question. Jake soon understands that he is playing for the wrong team and decides to help the Na’vi defend their land against the greedy human invaders. The journey and the discovery of this new life form and their wonderful planet are nothing short of spectacular.

You can draw similarities to almost any major problems facing our planet and human condition you like. Consumption, technology, war, greed, or anything from our past. The American Indians, Vietnam, racism, and thats just a few. The story has been told many times before, in almost every type of setting you can think of. Many movies have had this same plot before, but the difference is, this isn’t just another movie. This is a mans vision and conviction to tell a story that means something to him and is relevant to the times we live in. Nothing short of an absolute masterpiece that will be copied (unsuccessfully) and revered for years to come. If you are a human (and you haven’t seen it yet) don’t miss this movie.

Although I’m not a fan of the first film (Twilight), I thought New Moon was better in some area’s and worse in others. Being more depressing than Twilight was going to be hard. It was also much more predictable. At least there’s a little more action this time. The special effects were average as they decided to go werewolf style instead of vampire style this time around. You would have expected better with the budget they had to work with. It was much more mysterious and suspenseful when you knew they were werewolves but never really saw them. I don’t know, 10 foot tall, 500 pound werewolves made it just a little silly and overdone for me but, legions of loyal fans made the movie a huge success at the box office. So who am I to argue.

As the film picks up where Twilight left off, as we find Bella Swan – Kristen Stewart and Edward Cullen – Robert Pattinson are breaking up, which sends Bella into a long, tiring, depressive state. Bella begins seeing mirages of Edward whenever she’s in danger, trying to warn her, so decides to do anything dangerous just to see his face. When she finally begins to come out of her shell there’s Jacob Black – Taylor Lautner ready to try and swoop her off her feet and fill the void. You never really believe she is going to give up Edward for Jacob and thats where the film kind of loses it’s bite. Eventually Edward will return and the love triangle will start to cause drama (no surprises there). The film deals with love lost, friends trying to become more than friends and all the young love issues in between. I really kind of miss the vampires because the werewolves are just a bunch of wild teenagers looking for thrills and there just not that interesting. It’s always going to be team Edward and you all know it.

If my review sounds a little on the negative side it’s because the whole teenager depression thing just isn’t my cup of tea. most teens will really like this, and the true Twilight fans will love it. I do have to give praise to Kristen Stewart though, she really is the star of movie, and plays her part very well. She seems to be the only person in movie with real emotion and character. Is it what-to-watch? It sure is.

Strong, one of the better thrillers to come along last year. One of those rare movies where you really root for the bad guy, who is really a good guy. Just like in the film Taken, you understand the revenge of the character and identify with his pain. Sort of evil genius, and, loving father who has been wronged by the system, Now has one singular vision to make everyone involved pay with their lives. You cant go wrong with Gerard Butler and Jaime Foxx facing off either.

Clyde Shelton – Gerard Butler is the victim of a horrible home invasion
where his daughter and wife are raped and murdered while he watches helplessly tied up on the floor. The two men responsible are caught but, the prosecutors use one to testify against the other to get the death penalty. It makes Nick Rice – Jamie Foxx look good and keep up his conviction rate high while he aspires to higher office. The problem is, the system doesn’t serve justice as it should, and just do whats right. Well, Clyde just happens to be an inventive tinkerer with years to spend planning his revenge. Clyde finally gets to exact his revenge on the real man responsible for his families death and does to him what he deserves. Soon, Clyde is arrested for the gruesome murder and once they lock him up, the killing spree really gets started, and even behind bars, everyone who was involved is now in danger.

Gory in some parts, but not excessive. Acting is top notch all the way through, even the supporting cast is really good. An all around good thriller for most everyone. Check it out, it’s what-to-watch.

For me, THE best movie of 2009. Sure Avatar is the crowning achievement of the 2009, but up until late December, this was the best movie of the year. The perfect low budget sci-fi film that proves you don’t need Transformers type CG to make a great movie with special effects. The story is exceptional and has some great plot twists as well. The acting is absolutely great, and you don’t know any of the actors. Extreme gore but with purpose, and a plot thats actually believable. A harsh look at the human condition and prejudice regardless of the species. All in all, an utterly engrossing, fantastic movie.

28 years ago an alien space craft stalled high above Johannesburg South Africa. When the humans finally get inside they discovery an entire race of extra terrestrials (about a million) starving and sick. The government quickly sets up a refuge camp below the broken ship in an attempt to nurse the aliens (called Prawns) back to health, and keep them in one place. As the aliens begin to venture out into the city and cause trouble and the camp soon gets walls and becomes part ghetto, part concentration camp. The “aliens rights” bill is past, and it looks like the Prawn’s are here to stay. The human population reaches its end with the alien problem as their numbers have increased to almost two million, and wants them moved out of the city. A government group called MNU decides to relocate the alien population 200 miles away to a new tent city called District 10. This movie is about what happens when you try and evict two million alien life forms from a slum they have been oppressed in for 25 years.

District 9 is as original and entertaining as any alien movie in the last decade. The special effects only help with the realism, they don’t take over the movie. The best part of this movie is the story and, the interaction of the characters. Harsh, gross, and in the end, sad and heart felt. There are no excuses why you haven’t seen this movie yet.

Well, what can you say. Quentin Tarantino at his usual fantastic best.
Dialog and character richness in a way that no one else can seem to manage. His movies are becoming a genre of their own since no one else can even come close to making a movie with that kind of substance. With an ensemble cast that’s absolutely stunning. Everyone delivers in this world war II fantasy where they manage to rewrite history.

An elite group or soldiers (Jewish soldiers) called the Basterds are being assembled to do one thing, kill Nazi’s. Lead by Lt. Aldo Raines (Brad Pitt) who tells his small group of men that as of now, they all owe him 100 Nazi scalps. They roam the countryside killing Nazi’s and collecting scalps. The other half of the plot has you following the Jew Hunter,
Col. Hans Landa (Christoph Waltz) who proceeds to steal the movie as the man the Germans call in when they need the best. During a raid on a small farm, Landa loses a teenage Jewish girl named
Shosanna (Melanie Laurent) and the film manages to follow her as she grows up and waits for the perfect time to exact her revenge. With the Basterds, Landa, and Shoshana all on a collision course the films last act is just what we all wish would have happened to end the war.

With the acting and dialog at its absolute best, this film was one the five best last year. If you are a fan of Tarantino’s movies (and I don’t know how you couldn’t be) this will be known as his best work since Pulp fiction. Exceptionally bloody and violent, the film is perfection on every level. Don’t miss it.

One of the best of the year? Yes. J.J. Abrams’ fantastic slick new remake pays homage to the old movies and TV shows as well as paving a brave new world for the next generation of Sci-fi fans. With up to the minute special effects and an excellent cast of mostly unknowns he reinvents the franchise just when you thought there was nothing left. Great story, and back story for that matter, along with good acting, directing, and a good villain no less.

We go back in time to Captain Kirks birth. The story begins with Kirks father at the helm of the USS Kelvin while the crew abandons ship. He realizes he must stay aboard and pilot the ship, suicide style, into the seemingly invincible enemy, Nero – Eric Bana while he saves his in labor wife and soon to be son, James Tiberius Kirk – Chris Pine. Years later, we see Kirk as a rebellious youth in need of direction. We also follow the childhood and maturing of Spock – Zachary Quinto, who battles demons of his own, being half human and half Vulcan. The origins continue with USS Enterprise herself as we get to see the ship being built and her maiden voyage no less. Kirk soon discovers he has the quick wit and tough nerves required to lead.

Everyone in the cast is superb. all the younger versions of the old Star Trek crew were perfectly cast. This is the Star Trek movie everyone has been waiting for. Respect for the old but in with the new, just what the doctor ordered. boldly go out and buy this one, or rent it. Whatever, just watch it, Right now.

It really is nice to watch an urban drama that is not about gangs, drugs, or the rap game. I know as much as anyone, that most street dramas are about what happens on the streets, but the ex-drug dealer trying to make it off the harsh streets and out of the hood by rapping is getting old. Self Destruct manages to tell a touching but violent story of what it takes to survive when you have responsibilities to take care of but no other options available. Written, produced, and directed by Curtis “50 cent” Jackson he does a great job of keeping the film authentic while not falling into the usual street movie cliches.

50 Cent stars as Clarence, the older son in a fatherless home, trying trying to find a job and a life after blowing out his knee during the championship game of a high profile street ball tournament. Although he does land minimum wage job at local grocery store, life is just passing him by. When his mother, who holds the family together, is killed as an innocent bystander in shot out, Clarence and his younger brother Shocka must figure out how to survive day to day while grieving over their moms senseless death. When Clarence finally exacts his revenge on the boy responsible, opportunities begin to open up as he enters a whole new lifestyle that seems to be suited perfect for him.

The movie drags a little bit during the middle half hour and the acting of the mother and girlfriend leave much to be desired. Overall the movie’s pretty good. Great camera work and editing for a street movie. Jackson proves he’s a very competent director. Now in his fourth film role 50-cents acting is still developing, and in my opinion, he needs to start looking at roles other than street hustler if he intends to have that breakout performance. All in all, pretty good, I’m waiting for the sequel.

What are we really looking for in a zombie movie? Blood and guts with a little suspense thrown in right? Ok, The Norwegians have managed to make a really good and gory zombie flick that’s well worth watching. It seems like under the radar gems these days are coming from other countries. I think the days of this kind of gore and complete disregard for the politically correct rules are over in American cinema. A small warning for the younger crowd, this is an absolute, complete gore fest and wont sit well for those who don’t like blood.

It starts just as most zombie or slasher films do. A group of young adults headed to some remote location for a weekend of fun, sex and whatever, but this little snowy retreat holds a deep dark secret. During world war II, a Nazi squad sent to hold the town for strategic reasons but ended up torturing its villagers until they revolted. they chased the Nazis out of the town and in to the mountains. The problem is, they never left, and now the mountain is an evil place where unspeakable things happen and people are warned not to go anywhere near.

Its just good gory fun. Sometimes funny, sometimes shocking violence, but it is really quite good for a foreign zombie movie. Enjoy it if you dare.

I always thought this book would make better movie than the DaVinci Code, just because there was more action and suspense. The murders were pretty gruesome, and, you don’t have to sit through the history lesson. Where it was obviously impossible to squeeze all the information and detail contained in the DaVinci Code in to a 2 hour or even a 4 hour movie, Angels and Demons fits that movie mold much better. That being said, some how, Ron Howard just cant seem to make these books into blockbusters, as much as everyone wishes they would be (myself included). The movie is good, better than DaVinci Code easily, but there is just something missing. I don’t know what it is (maybe it’s just me).

Robert Langdon – Tom Hanks is once again called in to solve a crime. During the conclave, the process where Catholic cardinals gather in Rome to elect a new Pope, someone has abducted four of the members and is threatening to kill them (one each hour) until the final act, the destruction of Vatican City itself. Religion and science collide once again as Langdon must decipher the clues and rescue the cardinals with the help of a pretty young Italian scientist Vittoria Vetra – Ayelet Zurer, while he tries find the mole within the Vatican, all the while being hindered and obstructed by the ones he’s trying to help. A race against the clock thriller with a pretty spectacular twist ending.

All in all the movie is good, I just wanted great. Ron Howard, Tom Hanks, good book, come on. I want great. So here’s the question, is it What-to-Watch?…Absolutely, Yes it is, better than most of the movies this year, enjoy.

Just on the strength of Will Ferrell alone, I just had to watch, even against my better judgment or my inner child voice, even my son said “Dad please don’t watch that movie”. Well as it turns out they were all right. I shouldn’t have watched it. It may not be the worst movie of all time because of its sophomoric bathroom type humor, but it’s Ferrell’s worst effort so far, by far. Please just read this review and skip the film.

Dr. Rick Marshall – Will Ferrell teams up with Will Stanton – Danny McBride and some chick as they travel by mistake (sort of) into an alternate dimension where the past, present, and future collide in a sort of junk yard waste land with dinosaurs. No real story what so ever. Not only is it not funny, but it’s not fun either. In a strange comical kind of way, the T-Rex kind of steals the show, but the other creatures are just pathetic. In what was supposed to be kind of a tribute to the campy 70’s kids TV show of the same name, but it really is just bad.

Please don’t watch this unless you have a thirteen year old that likes that type of corny (Scary Movie or Meet the Spartans) humor. other than that its What-not-to-Watch.