The Social Network by Troy

The Social Network, Rated PG-13, Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, Justin Timberlake
Directed by: David Fincher
Written by: Aaron Sorkin (screenplay) and Ben Mezrich (book: The Accidental Billionaires)

Rating: Movie Quality: 8 Entertainment: 9 Overall: 9

So it's been a little while since I've posted - well since March actually. In my defense there has been a lot going on. Anywho - The Social Network, I thought, was quite a good flick. I think I may be a bit too generous giving this film a 9 - but I had no real good reason to give it any less. The acting was good - especially by Jesse Eisenberg. Eisenberg played the role of a rude nerd very well. I've never met or seen the actual Mark Zuckerberg so I don't really know how accurate he is to the actual character, but his acting was great. Other actors/actresses were decent, not bad enough to be distracting, but not great enough to stand out. I do have to point out though that the Winklevoss twins were played by the same guy (Armie Hammer). Does that mean he should be paid double for playing 2 roles? Props to him for his performance(s). The cinematography didn't really stand out too much except for party and crowded scenes. The editing in this movie, I think, is really what stood out to me. I really enjoyed the sequences when he created facemash in the beginning, drunk, at 2 am. I also really enjoyed the dialogue in the film. Everyone is either a student at Harvard or a lawyer so their dialogue can be a bit educated and hard to follow sometimes, but when you catch certain things it can be really funny. In the end - spoiler? - you were happy for him that he had created something that is now worth billions, yet sad for him because (as the poster suggests) he made a few enemies on the way. Kudos to David Fincher, Aaron Sorkin and Ben Mezrich for providing an excellent story told through an excellent film.

Movie Quality: Great acting, decent cinematography, great dialogue, wonderful story. 8

Entertainment: Good laughs (hold on, just have to check your math), connection to character(s). 9

Overall: 9

Shutter Island :By Chris

I wanna start off by apologizing to Leonardo Dicaprio for all those years I called him a wiener and a sissy. That little kid i watched grow up on Growing Pains is actually a lot older than I am, and became a dang good actor. Baby face or no his movies have been gold for the last 10 years. and Shutter Island is no different. Dicaprio basically put on a one man show in this motion picture, and the amazing Martin Scorsese directed this with a unique vision.

When i pictured my ticket for the film, the woman at the counter gave me a warning "be careful, this is the scariest movie i have ever seen, Our projectionist had to leave his booth because he was too scared to finish the movie"... I believe the next words out of my mouth were "BOOYA GRANDMA!" I was pumped!! which now brings me to my one complaint about the movie, it was not scary enough. There are parts that made your skin crawl, made you think and made you jump out of your seat. But a scary movie it is not. What it is ladies and gentlemen is one of the best thrillers i have ever seen. Not since Alfred Hitchcock has anyone made a movie like this. Scorsese almost managed to mimic Hitchcock from the creepy music, to the position of the camera in a shot. I do believe "hitchcockian" is actually a word we can use now ( thank you Urban dictionary.com)

The movie itself develops itself in such a solid way you don't even know its happening. Even the island and the Asylum feel like characters in the movie. You get the feeling that something is going on here, and everyone is in on it. It pulls you in and gives you subtle clues to figure out the conspiracy for yourself. When the ending is finally revealed you are either blown away , or you were smart enough to figure it out. either way its still more than satisfying. And the ending leaves it for you to decide and makes you think. Now i know there are plenty of people out there who hate endings that make you think (oh don't make me think i just wanna be entertained-Ben stiller in Dodge Ball) but i for one love a smart film that has you draw the conclusions for yourself. I couldn't recommend Shutter Island enough, and i am excited to see what the rest of the movies in 2010 has to offer.

Shutter Island - 9/10

Apocalypto by Troy

Apocalypto, Rated: R, Starring: Rudy Youngblood, Dalia Hernandez
Directed by: Mel Gibson
Written by: Mel Gibson, Farhad Safinia

Rating: Movie Quality: 7.5, Entertainment: 8, Overall: 8.5

Ok - So I'm probably being a little more harsh on this movie than I really should be . . but I can't help it. This was a very very good movie. The fact that it's a Mel Gibson film means I critique it a little harshly - I liked The Passion, I wouldn't watch it again - but I liked it, I liked Paparazzi - don't really remember it but I liked it - Apocalypto was probably the best of the 3. I think I have a pretty weak stomach and can't really handle gore very well - so I was a bit squeamish in some scenes. The scene where the village was ravaged definitely created a lot of emotions - anger, sadness, fright . . it was sad as hell. One thing I didn't really like was that if you're paying enough attention you'll get the rest of the story from the prophecy of the sick little girl - I wasn't so it was cool to see the things she say come to pass. This movie flowed really well, great cinematography - especially by the waterfall. Jaguar Paw is probably one of the coolest characters. The acting was very good. The ending at the beach was very good - obviously since it has to do with the Mayan History it's a little predictable - but I think it depicts the actual historical events well - not that I'd know how it really happened - but it created the emotion. If you were paying attention you know a bit more how the movie ends . . sorry about the spoiler. I was thoroughly entertained throughout the movie and therefore the subtitles didn't really bother me - in fact, because there wasn't any English at all and there weren't any white actors throughout I think it really created the effect that you were actually there, especially the sacrificial scene. Great movie - not a perfect 10 - but I would suggest it.

Movie Quality: Great acting, by everybody. Great directing, Delicious cinematography, wonderful scenes. 7.5

Entertainment: Great elements. A lot of enjoyable scenes. 8

Overall: 8 - superb

Public Enemies by Troy

Public Enemies, Starring: Johnny Depp, Christian Bale
Directed by: Michael Mann
Written by: Ronan Bennet, Michael Mann

Rating: Movie Quality: 7.5, Entertainment: 3, Overall: 4

This was such a disappointing movie for me. It had all of the elements of a great movie. It had Old-Time Gangsters, great actors: Johnny Depp (although Chris would disagree ;) ) and Christian Bale, Great Cinematography, great story and serious potential. What ruined this movie for me was merely the entertainment and the length. It was way too long. It had some great scenes. I loved the part where John Dillinger walks right into his own department at the police station and actually asks the cops what the score of the game was (whether that part was true I'm not sure, but great anyway), and the ending. The big shootout at the bed and breakfast the gangsters were staying in had a lot of potential, but it was the most boring shootout in a movie I've ever seen. It was 10 minutes of back and forth tommy-gun - with nothing happening except bullet holes in a building. I think that part could have been cut down in length and had a few more entertaining elements. For instance, I remember seeing a documentary on that bed and breakfast (sorry folks but I forgot the name of it) and there is a legend that Mr Dillinger actually buried his share of the robbery somewhere on that land, near a lake I believe - if they could have added that one little bit I think it would have made it a D scene to a B- scene. Overall I think that it should have been shorter OR more entertaining. Johnny Depp did an EXCELLENT job as a gangster and Christian Bale did an EXCELLENT job as a cocky copper. Like I said before, with such a great story, great actors, etc. . it had all of the elements - it just wasn't tied together. Blame the editors?

Movie Quality: Great acting, great screenwriting, decent directing, and beautiful cinematography. Solid 7

Entertainment: Long and boring. Some good elements. Generous 3

Overall: 4 - only because of the acting and the actual story

Hotel Rwanda by Jake

Hotel Rwanda, Rated PG-13; Starring: Don Cheadle, and Nick Nolte

Directed by: Terry George

Written by: Terry George and Keir Pearson

Rating: Movie Quality: 10, Entertainment: 9, Overall: 10

This movie is an amazing piece of artwork. Before I saw this movie I knew of and liked Don Cheadle, but after I saw this movie I became a full on Don Cheadle fan. By far the best acting performance of his career. The film was nominated for 3 Academy Awards; Best Writing in an Original Screenplay, Best Actor, and Best Supporting Actress. It is sad that the film came out the same year as "Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind", "Ray", and "Million Dollar Baby" cause it would have won those awards any other year. I still feel that Don Cheadle was robbed of that Oscar. It is really hard for a filmmaker, not impossible, to ruin a true story that is good. This film focuses on the humanitarian aspect of the Rwandan genocide of 1994. It makes different political statements as well, which I usually hate. One of the most memorable quotes from the movie illustrates the statement being made. It is given from Nolte's character, Colonel Oliver, to Cheadle's character, Rusesabagina, Oliver looks at Rusesabagina and says, "The West...they think your dirt...You're black. You're not even a nigger. You're an African." It follows a Hotel manager Paul Rusesabagina, Cheadle, who is a Hutu citizen of Rwanda who married and is sympathetic to Tutsi's. When the Hutu president is murdered and the Tutsi's are blamed for it the Hutu's begin a nationwide massacre of all the Tutsi's, in the end just under 1,000,000 Tutsi's are killed. Rusesabagina does all that he can, risking his life multiple times, to protect the ones he loves. This movies does an impeccable job in connecting you with the characters, even the extras. You care about every single person that is murdered. It is an emotional roller coaster ride. When they avoid being killed once you are so relieved but then the knowledge that it is only temporary comes back and you start worrying about how they will live through the next 12 hours. It is very difficult to take a story like this and put into 2 hours and keep the pace so that it doesn't get boring. George and Pearson did a very good job at this. There is not a lot of action in this movie but there is enough suspense to keep you interested. It is a movie about a person in the conflict, not about the conflict itself. Seeing that, I think it would have been inappropriate to show any more action than it did. They made sure that when there was action that you felt like a spectator and not a participant. Overall it was a great movie that was very well put together. It starts right off and goes till the end.

Movie Quality: Superb acting, great screenwriting, amazing directing, and beautiful cinematography. All this adds up to nothing less than a work of art. Huge 10

Entertainment: Just enough suspense to keep you interested and intrigued. Ties you to the characters so that you care about everything that happens. A solid 9

Overall: One of the greatest movies I have seen. The combination of all the things that I have said above makes me give this movie a perfect 10

Teminator Salvation by Jake

Terminator Salvation, Rated PG-13; Starring: Christian Bale and Sam Worthington.

Directed by: McG

Written by: John D. Brancato, and Michael Ferris

Rating: Movie Quality: 9.5, Entertainment: 10, Overall 10

I'm a huge fan of the Terminator franchise and was ecstatic when I first saw this movie was going to be made. Months of waiting and anticipation led up to me sitting in the theater next to my compadre, Chris, and we weren't disappointed at all. This movie was amazing, despite all the critics and halfwits that say that this movie "destroyed" the Terminator franchise. The writers are pure genius and should receive awards for what they did here. They tied all the Terminator movies together to help the overall Terminator story make sense. Using lines from previous movies and eluding to things that happen in the past/future. This is probably why people didn't like it. I had a Terminator marathon a week before the movie came out, and that helped so much. If you haven't seen the other movies in a while then all the nuances of the writing won't make much sense to you. I suspect all the negative critics didn't pick up much on the old lines and the foreshadowing. I was worried how they were going to incorporate the classic Terminator lines of "I'll be back." and "Come with me if you want to live." into the movie without being cliche or tacky, but they did not disappoint there either. I was impressed with the way the roles of Kyle Reese and Marcus Wright were played. The movie had great acting and the action scenes were superb. Sam Worthington, in his first major role, proved to be a great action hero and has a big future in this genre. The action was great and kept everyone in the theater on the edge of their seats. Watching the two terminators fight each other was especially awesome. This movie had some of the greatest cinematography I've seen in a movie to date, the scene when Bale is piloting a crashing helicopter and there is one camera angle for the entire scene is one example. I am usually not a fan of having a "shaky" camera, a la The Bourne Supremacy, but if it is done correctly it can be very effective. The "shaky" camera was very effective in making you feel you were a part of the action without making you "sea-sick." The scene progression made the story easy to follow. McG is a highly controversial director, he doesn't have much talent and tries to be taken seriously. In this case, though, he did an amazing job. The directing in the movie was good and fit well for an action thriller. The only stains on this film are those left by Helena Bonham Carter and Moon Bloodgood. Two of the worst actresses to ruin a movie screen. I did not like the little psychic girl, it was just kind of random and didn't do much for the story. I hate when there are characters that are not needed but are forced into the movie. I was disappointed when I got the DVD and saw that they showed Moon Bloodgood topless in it as well. If there are two things that ruin a movie for me it is excessive swearing, and nudity. Those two things are examples of lazy ways to either fill seats in a theater or to fill time in a movie, I'd rather it be 30 minutes shorter than have to sit through your depraved mind (that was to the director). The movie ended with the crowd cheering and I still give the movie two thumbs way way up. Overall this is one of the greatest films of 2009.

Movie Quality: Great acting, cinematography, storyline (especially), and the action made the movie incredible. The female actors of the cast took half a point away from the movie. It is a solid 9.5

Entertainment: WOW! That is all I really can say about how entertaining this movie is. Prefect 10

Overall: If it weren't for Ms. Carter and Bloodgood this movie would be a sloid 10. I am going to give a 10 anyways, any more detailed than a .5 is going to far.

Inglorious Basterds or No Country for Old Men: Which movie was worse

Jake: No Country for Old Men

Neither of these movies were great, but No Country for Old Men was much worse. It had the hardest story to follow, disconnected characters, horrid cinematography/scene progression, and most of all it was BORING!!! The scene progression is what bothered me the most about the movie, it is what made the story difficult to follow. It reminded me a lot of the movie Flags of our Fathers, there is no logical progression that made the story flow. Kinda like random bits put together, to make confusing fodder (I finally used fodder in a sentence and it made sense :). There is no established "good" guy and "bad" guy, which is interesting, but it adds to the confusion. When the main character dies it is very anti-climatic. It gives no background on the people that kill him, or how they found his wife. I never got connected to any character, I couldn't care less if any of them were killed or if they lived. This is all a sign of poor film making. I have been told how awesome the creepy guys silenced shotgun and air-gun were, but him an his weapons both let me down. Overall this movie was a snoozer. It is a great example of a bad movie that got far more praise than it was worth, and it is a black mark on the Academy that it won any awards at all.

Chris: Inglorious basterds

Now this is what were all about. Two critically acclaimed movies, that neither of us thought was very good. Now this topic right here is based off of an actual conversation that Jake and I had were we compared to two filmed and got into a heated argument of which movie SUCKED more! I picked Inglorious Basterds, and here is my reason why. Now i am not some action movie junkie who is easily pleased by explosions, hot women, and slow motion sequences ( that was a stab at you Michael bay you loser!) but when i had saw the previews for inglorious basterds i was expecting a fun fast paced movie. But as we all know by now its not anywhere near that description. the dialogue in this film is lengthy, monotonous, and down right unnecessary. I will never get the time back in my life when i had to watch a Nazi party and drinking games. that took FORTY FIVE MINUTES!! only to have them all die. The action is few and far between. and the characters are all unlikeable. Even the movies strong point, the very well played villain Col. Hans Lander portrayed by Christoph Waltz. In an almost Hannibal Lecter like fashion. Ends up betraying his own Nazi's for money. Now lets a look back at the great villains in cinema history, All are very dedicated to there cause, and develop and almost intimate relationship with the movies protagonist. This movie did not have that. I wish i had four hands so i could give this movie 4 thumbs down!

Zombieland by Jake

Zombieland, Rated-R; Starring: Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone.
Directed by: Ruben Fleischer.
Written by: Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick

Rating: Movie Quality-8.5, Entertainment-9.5, Overall-9

When the previews first started for this film my first thought was "Oh man, not another 'zombie-comedy'. They're going to kill this genre if they play it to death." I was dead wrong though. This movie, although the plot has been done before, was innovative, creative, and fresh. From the beginning of the movie I was thoroughly entertained. The slow-motion attack sequences made for both huge laughs and for intense action. The cinematography made it easy for the viewers to get fully engrossed into the movie. Reese and Wernick's story telling abilities far outweigh the tired plot. Ruben Fleischer did a great job. He is mainly known for his work in television, but what he did here was no less than artwork. I was fully able to understand the characters different life stories and care about them. The acting was superb by all the actors. They were funny and serious and deep and shallow and everything in between. Most of the comedy came from Harrelson, Tallahassee. He was quick with a joke and always ready to bust a skull. He has come a long way from "Cheers", eh? He's always been funny but going from a wise-cracking bartender opposite Ted Danson to being a wise-cracking BA trying to get the "Zombie Kill of the Week" is impressive. Jesse Eisenberg, Columbus, played the classic, Michael Cera-esque, nerdy, clumsy, but eventually-pull-it-together-in-the-end role. His "Rules for Surviving Zombieland" provided more laughs and entertainment. The zombies, as usual, make you jump at some of the most random parts of the movie. Plus a hilarious cameo by Bill Murray, made this movie one of the must see movies of the year. I have to admit the thought of a zombie-comedy getting a 9 in my book, surprises me. For all you guys that like movies out there this is a good one.

Movie Quality: Great acting, beautiful cinematography, well told story, and star power make it a great movie. Fleischer did a great job and has a huge future. Tired plot, and excessive swearing is what gives the movie an 8.5.

Entertainment: Zombie Kill of the Week, slow-motion attack sequences, and the "wow" factor (it's what makes you sit on the edge of your seat), are nearly perfect and give the rating a 9.5.

Overall: With good movie quality and great entertainment I can confidently say that I would be happy to get back in the theater and see it again. I give this movie a solid 9 and encourage anyone to go see it.

District 9 by Chris

DISTRICT 9

Directed be Neil Blokamp and Produced by Peter Jackson

-Knowing next to nothing about this movie save for seeing the name "Peter Jackson presents" plastered on the poster, i find it safe too say i was extremely optimistic about this movie. Not only was the marketing of the movie genius but the story it self was phenomenal. not since The Dark Knight has a movie managed to completely captivate me in its world.

Coming into this movie and having the Audience not sure what to expect, was the best thing District 9 had going for it. i only wish i could re-watch it again with that same feeling of optimism and unsureity. The opening cinematics manages to pull you in and genuinely makes you care about whats happening.

The Protagonist of District 9, perfectly played by "Sharlito Copley" is Wikus van de Merwe. Not exactly what you would expect the main character of a Sci-fi movie to be, A sniveling coward that you really could care less for. District 9 Progresses its characters and story wonderfully. with so many heart pounding scenes you fear for the characters outcome all to much. I can think of 5 or 6 different times when things looked so bleak for the characters you just knew they were not going to make it. Needless to say i was on the edge of my seat without ever realizing it. The pulse stopping climax of the movie pitting Wikus (Copley) against the movies Antagonist koobus Venter (played by David James) had me cheering out of my seat. Maybe it was the right mixture of being at a midnight premiere and surrounded by die hard movie fans district 9 will always be regarded by me as a Masterpiece!

Now mind you, to me the movie was flawless and i just had one complaint. the Language is terrible and not needed. So keep the little ones away

story 10/10

cinematography 8/10 ( could of used a little less shaky camera)

music 10/10

acting 9/10

entertainment value 10/10

over all 10/10