Harold Movie Review by Derek_Fleek

Harold Movie Review by Derek_Fleek

Somehow, in some inconceivable way, Harold delivers unexpected belly laughs in the process of being predicable, goofy, and a bit repulsive at times.

Harold (Spencer Breslin) has just turned 13; however he acts like he is 60. Prematurely bald and rectally examined at a very tender age, Harold is now forced to move to a new town. This is a hard pill to swallow for a bald, overly mature 13-year-old kid who doesn't fit in with his age group. With the help of the high school janitor (Cuba Gooding Jr.), Harold plans to become a town hero by winning the town go-cart race.

With a handful of some admittedly bad moments that I blame on editing and some pretty bad narrative, it can only be said that Harold shifts between being distasteful and enjoyable. This rare mixture doesn't sound like something appetizing, but if you can get past the look, it's surprisingly refreshing.

It doesn't surprise me Harold has the aspects of a television series reminiscent of My Name Is Earl or, better yet, an SNL skit. This is what one would expect from a film directed by T. Sean Shannon, who is responsible for writing over 150 SNL episodes. It doesn't have the quality to be a true winner, nor does it have characters you feel comfortable rooting for. However, when you meet Harold, you begin to believe that a one-joke SNL premise can actually be stretched into a feature length film successfully based solely on the look and personality of a character. It's Pat tried this and the outcome was disastrous. Unlike It's Pat, this chintzy approach is exactly what makes Harold work in its own puny way.

It becomes apparent that the only way to actually get laughs out of me is by making Spencer Breslin look completely ridiculous and then ridiculing him. Whatever works, right? Harold is a film that takes a stab at one of Hollywood's most disrespected child actors for laughs and this somehow works. Peppered with a few good in-jokes based on the elderly's taste in cereal and cologne, a couple of good laughs, and Cuba Gooding Jr., who is repeatedly mistaken for a child molester, Harold is time well wasted.

While the message here is clichéd and entirely oblivious, the film works in a way that can only be described as "shamefully enjoyable". I was expecting bottom of the barrel material. What I got was sloppy fun — a film that avoids the dreaded banana peel and goes about without a noticeable stumble. So, when you have nothing else to look forward to on television, Harold just might fit the bill for something to pass time and not regret watching.

The DVD's special features include "U.S.A. Trailer" and "Interviews With The Cast and Crew". Not much for special features, but truthfully, the film doesn't deserve any more than its release to DVD on September 16. 3/5 stars

Kiss of the Spider Woman Movie Review by Derek_Fleek

Kiss of the Spider Woman Movie Review by Derek_Fleek

The Academy Award winning independent classic Kiss of the Spider Woman got a suitable DVD release from City Light Home Entertainment and I suggest you pick this one up. Even if you aren't completely enticed, you should be gratified to behold such tailor-made material.

The story follows the complicated relationship of two cellmates, imprisoned in Latin America, who have different views on life. As a way of escaping from realism, a lonely homosexual named Luis Molina (William Hurt) tells his straight cellmate, Vallentin Arregui (Raul Julia), of a movie he is fond of. This builds emotional intensity and leads to a growing relationship between two opposites and an unlikely friendship. Directed by Hector Babenco and based on a novel written by Manuel Puig, Kiss of the Spider Woman is worth viewing at least once.

Indeed, this is a well-rounded film, beautifully shot, magnificently acted, and sharply directed. However, enjoyment was pretty much scarce. This is a movie surely worthy of critical acclaim, but not very appealing in the sense of entertainment. It is about as pleasant as listening to two cellmates exchanging stories with one another. So, while Kiss of the Spider Woman is more thought-provoking than entertaining, it's still powerful stuff.

While William Hurt's earnest and grounded performance as the confused homosexual is clearly the highlight of the film, a remarkable performance by Raul Julia deserves nearly just as much acclaim. Kiss of the Spider Woman isn't great, nor is it completely interesting. On the other hand, it was daring for its time and featured some really incredible performances to savor.

This is an offbeat, ambitious, and timeless tale of fantasy and escapism with strong affection for its characters. It's a rare film that makes its mark in history as the first independent film to ever receive the top four Oscar Nominations, including Best Picture.

Amongst all the boredom (and undeniably, there is quite a bit of it) is a masterpiece in disguise. A minor gem of filmmaking can be scoped out within the directing and acting. This is a film with enough elements in their topmost form to keep critics cheering, but leaves casual movie-goers rather drained emotionally. While, personally, it wasn't my cup of tea, I do recommend it for anyone who hasn't yet seen it to experience firsthand William Hurt's Academy Award winning performance.

This collection contains plenty to behold for those who truly found this to be a masterpiece. Disk one's special features include a trivia track in both English and Spanish and the original theatrical trailer. Disk two includes "Manuel Puig Mini-Documentary: The Submissive Woman's Role", "Spider Woman On Broadway: Mini-Documentary with Hal Prince, John Kander, Fred Ebb, Chita Rivera, Terrence McNally, and Manuel Puig", "Slide Show Commentary: Transition from Novel to Film", and "Photo Galleries: Over 150 Exquisite Images". 3/5 stars

Added The Blue Elephant DVD to prize catalog

Another great prize offered at Popcornmonsters.com

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THE BLUE ELEPHANT is a heartfelt story that follows the adventures of one elephant and the many life lessons he learns along his journey. The film features all-star voice talent including Martin Short (Spiderwick Chronicles, Santa Claus 3), Carl Reiner (“Father of the Pride,” Ocean’s Thirteen) and Miranda Cosgrove (“iCarly,” “Drake & Josh”).

THE BLUE ELEPHANT is the perfect movie to share with the family! The DVD also includes great bonus features that will give children a fun insight to the making of CGI animation! It includes a special tutorial on how to draw a character from the movie, as well as an exclusive behind the scenes look at the animation process, voice recordings and more!

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Incident On and Off A Mountain Road Movie Review by Derek_Fleek

Incident On and Off A Mountain Road Movie Review by Derek_Fleek

Looking back at the filmography of director Don Coscarelli and the minor horror gems that he has put to the screen, Phantasm in particular, Incident On and Off A Mountain Road seems like a footnote to his greatness.

After an accident spirals her car out of control, Ellen (Bree Turner) meets a rather eerie bystander. This bystander, named Moonface (John DeSantis), is a psycho who plucks the eyes out of his victims and ties them to a cross, allowing moonlight to shine through the eye-sockets. What Moonface doesn't know is that he is messing with the wrong woman. Ellen has been trained to kill by her ex-husband and uses her mad skills to take on Moonface in a final confrontation.

It is the villain and the sexy and well-acting lead that make the movie. Moonface could be an iconic serial killer in a full length feature, like Jason and Freddy, becoming an unwanted, unstoppable sequel spawning machine. However, like most short films, the material provided isn't exactly cream of the crop and usually is mediocre at best. Incident On and Off A Mountain Road, which could've been simply titled Moonface, delivers exactly what is expected: a shrilling, atmospheric, and worthy time-waster.

Stunning visuals of dead corpses, nail-biting suspense, and a truly frightening villain render the spooky moments. Take The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, mix it with torture porn, and add a rebellious lead character who is capable of fighting back (think Jamie Lee Curtis in Halloween) and you have a somewhat pleasing entry in the Masters of Horror series.

But is all of this filler really necessary in a 51 minute feature? An awkward relationship between Ellen and her survivalist ex-husband Bruce lessens the fear factor and detaches the audience from the creepy atmosphere.

Writer and Director Don Coscarelli (Phantasm, Bubba Ho-Tep) bypasses the original wall-to-wall blood-fest cliché and goes for making a fright-fest with a pneumatic ring to it. It works in the sense that it is rental worthy and actually scary at some points.

Like most of the shorts from the Masters of Horror anthology, it contains too much piffle, too much of an unwanted subplot to be entirely alluring. I did enjoy it, as should many others; it's visually startling and kindled with some minor jolts. But Incident On and Off A Mountain Road doesn't quite have what it takes to fully claim its spot in memory. 2.5/5 stars

Match Point Movie Review by dirty_pop

Match Point Movie Review by dirty_pop


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To be honest, I wasn't expecting much from match point, and that's because the movie seems to be some kind of a romance story with some ups and downs here and there.

However, I was VERY wrong, this movie has so much to it, it simply keeps the viewer guessing even after the movie finishes, and leaves you with many questions in your mind.

The plot simply talks about an Irish tennis coach (Chris) who happened to teach a guy who is from a high-class English family(Tom), he gets to know the family and starts dating Toms sister (Chloe) and falls for Tom's fiance (Nola), so he gets into this swirl of whether to stick to Chloe or leave her for Nola.

Off course, there is so much more to the story, but I don't want to add any spoilers to the review, but all I'll say is that there's gonna be some major changes in the events.

The reason why I really liked it, is that I'm a fan of movies that have unexpected events, and I'm telling you, this goes way beyond your imagination.

Meyers acting was fair, but I really liked Johansson's performance, she's a great actress with amazing beauty as well.

I highly recommend this movie for anyone who like Romance with twist of Thriller events, cause of so, then you're gonna love this movie.

9/10

Added The Scorpion King 2: The Rise of a Warrior DVD to Prize Catalog

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The Scorpion King 2: The Rise of a Warrior


See how the legend of The Scorpion King began! When a young Mathayus witnesses his father's death at the hands of the king (UFC Champion Randy Couture), his quest for vengeance transforms him into the most feared warrior of the ancient world. From the producers of The Mummy and the director of Resident Evil: Extinction and Highlander comes a heroic adventure filled with heart-stopping action and thrilling visual effects!

Mirrors Movie Review by Derek_Fleek

Mirrors Movie Review by Derek_Fleek


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While it doesn't quite do for mirrors what Jaws did for the water, Mirrors might have some effect on you the next time you use the bathroom.

A retired cop named Ben Carson (Kiefer Sutherland) discovers that mirrors are steadily killing people and gaining their souls. That's pretty much it. Yep, it's that simple. Nothing complicated, nothing to think about, just enjoy the time spent watching mirrors inflict physical and mental pain.

It's a movie with a whole lot of unintentional laughter, a silly premise, and features Kiefer Sutherland walking around aimlessly sporting a flashlight most of the time. However, if your similar to the crowd I was with, you'll jump, you'll laugh, you'll scream, and you'll walk away more satisfied with it than most recent Asian horror remakes. I personally wasn't scared, but it does have a few moments worthy of a look and the majority of the audience seemed frightened.

Kiefer Sutherland doesn't do quite as well as I thought he would, but was still sufficiently engaging throughout. Director Alexandre Aja never tops High Tension, but creates a much more pleasant and entertaining film than The Hills Have Eyes and P2. If you enjoy Alexander Aja and are familiar with his work, you might be a little disappointed in the fact that it seems like he holds back on the gore with the exception of one jaw-dropping scene involving Amy Smart. This hideous scene is the moment everyone will be talking about.

The camera work was stylish, other than the sketchy end sequence involving a battle with the captured soul of a nun, and the majority of the time I enjoyed myself. Mirrors just might be the most entertaining Asian horror film I have seen, topping The Grudge and The Ring by a hefty margin. Never once does that familiar long, dark-haired Asian lady show up. I am sure everyone has had their fair share of her, who is used in just about every Asian horror movie.

Take your date to this one. A couple of flashy images, a few around-the-corner jumps, a sexy-looking Paula Patton, and a nifty twist ending won me over. But keep in mind, waiting for DVD would probably be the sufficient thing to do. 3/5 stars

Tropic Thunder Movie Review by Derek_Fleek

Tropic Thunder Movie Review by Derek_Fleek


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What was suppose to be the comedy event of the year ended up being a film that I admired rather than enjoyed.

The plot is simple. A group of actors playing soldiers in a movie titled Tropic Thunder are thrown into live action when the director sets them up in a actual battleground. Still abiding by the script and completely unaware that each attack is real, these actors now must actually survive the movie they are making. Sound funny? Well it isn't, and I was in a laughing mood.

I respect the audacity to spoof Hollywood characters so directly and accurately. Although each and every one of these characters are obnoxious, they symbolize Hollywood precisely. Ben Stiller (who co-wrote, directed, produced, and starred in the film) is Tugg Speedman, who is in dire need of an Academy Award. Jack Black plays the heroine-addicted Jeff Portnoy, known for his farts, and Robert Downey Jr. plays five time Academy Award-winning Australian actor, Kirk Lazarus, who underwent skin surgery in order to play an African American soldier. Talk about commitment.

Now for the reasons I couldn't enjoy it. Good concept, bad execution. It's profane, crude, offensive, and wildly uneven. The use of foul words may work in some films (Pineapple Express, Harold and Kumar) because it is done in a forgivable manner solely because it is funny, but here it just feels labored. Most of the major jokes fall flat (mainly because the high production value used to sharpen the look of the film and fast-paced action strangles the jokes), while the subliminal jokes (Alpa Chino's Booty Sweat and a drug-crazed bird) manage to be just somewhat funny.

Robert Downey Jr. gives the best performance of his career. His transformation from a blond-haired, blue-eyed Australian to a fast-talking and self-contained African American is phenomenal. It is just too bad that this film is disappointing in the fact that it aggressively puts down the mentally ill ("Simple Jack" remarks) and so willingly uses inappropriate words for laughs. This is the one comedy in a long time that actually wiped the smile off my face when it used jokes pertaining to the mentally ill so shamelessly.

A lot of talk is going around about the cameo appearance by Tom Cruise, most of it being positive. Here I go again, being in the minority. The Tom Cruise dance scenes have got to be the worst moments filmed in 2008. I'm not joking. The theater was silent while an overweight, obnoxious, and hairless Tom Cruise was frolicking around to hip-hop moronically. Not too many people in the theater I was attending thought that this was funny. These dance scenes were rather irratating.

This film is a huge disappointment. It just might be the most disappointing film of the year. There is some talent here and there (Robert Downey Jr.'s performance in particular), but the true moments of the film strive for false laughs. It is just too hard to shake off the offensiveness of Tropic Thunder and the film ends up requiring an effort to enjoy. The laughs here feel more strained than ever and don't have any real bite.

If your really curious about Robert Downey Jr.'s performance, see it on DVD. He is just about all Tropic Thunder has going for it. The tone is very similar to Zoolander, which is a let-down. This is a messy and insanely offensive comedy that generates nothing but controversy and stiff, lifeless laughs. 1.5/5 stars

Doomsday Movie Review by Derek_Fleek

Doomsday Movie Review by Derek_Fleek


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After completing a couple of shocking horror movies (Dog Soldiers, The Descent), director Neil Marshall decided to make what seems like an homage to some of the best apocalyptic cult thrillers of all time.

After a lethal virus known as The Reaper contaminates most of Britain, authorities discover survivors. These survivors prove that there is some hope of a cure. As further discussions suggest a mission to acquire the cure is necessary, Eden Sinclair (Rhona Mitra) appears to be the perfect soldier for the job. She is sent to find the survivors and bring back a cure to save mankind. However, the survivors have gone renegade and have become destructive anarchists bent on killing all those who seek the cure. The result is Doomsday, although a more appropriate title would have been Freaks of Anarchy.

Like John Carpenter (who is a cult phenomenon known for films like Halloween and Escape From New York), Neil Marshall is expanding his ability to entertain by switching genres from horror to fire-and-brimstone. Doomsday is a wild, gritty, and deliriously entertaining throwback to cult classics of the late '70s and early '80s. It successfully combines a Mad Max persona with Escape From New York imagery into something new and worthwhile.

Rousing fights scenes, aggressive camera work, and brutal violence, all from a director who isn't afraid to drown his audience in blood — this is the type of movie that leaves you with a silly grin printed on your face. It might be trash, but it's high quality trash and brings out the rough-and-tough, unchained ruffian at its core. If this doesn't sound like your kind of movie, don't see it — otherwise you will be wanting to skim through your Disney DVD collection to wash off the dirty feeling. Those who are interested will be cheering on the action with clenched fists.

It does contain some faulty narrative and the action in the beginning is rather mundane. But in a film that has weapons that automatically blow away wildlife (in this case a bunny), has hardcore car stunts, cannibalization, and a severed head that crashes square into the camera, one pretty much forgets all the blemishes. I had a blast with this film. If you're in the mood for an ultra-violent and coarse tribute to cult classics you shouldn't be disappointed.

I was throughly entertained, having taken the time to relish the subliminal jokes built in for those of us having a good time. Rhona Mitra's character exhibits what turns men on. She's hot, she's tough, and she knows how to handle firearms and swords. Having said that, Rhona Mitra is reason enough to see it.

The DVD's special features includes an unrated version of the film that claims to have extra, more explosive action not seen in theaters (it really doesn't), "Anatomy of Catastrophe: Civilization on the Brink", "The Visual Effects of Doomsday", the original theatrical trailer, and more. I found the unrated version to be no different from the rated version. Nevertheless, see it and enjoy it for what it is: hardcore, gritty entertainment. 4/5 stars

21 Movie Reviews by star757

21 Movie Reviews by star757


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This movie is about a group of students from MIT who are led by their professor, Kevin Spacey, and decide to scam at Blackjack. The group recruits a new member to their team. He is trying to find a way to pay for Harvard Med School and decides he might do this just until he has enough money. Of course they are all extremely smart and come up with a way to play in Las Vegas every weekend. They have a system and make lots of money until someone catches on. Laurence Fishburn plays the man monitoring the cameras in the casino, while other casinos are moving toward computer face recognition systems. Can this group of students win and get out without being caught? Why is their professor so involved, but never actually plays? Will they get kicked out of school? This was a good movie. Interesting to watch and it kept moving. It is based on a true story, but this movie takes place now. I would recommend it for something fun and light to watch.

100 Million B.C. Movie Review by Derek_Fleek

100 Million B.C. Movie Review by Derek_Fleek

A scientist (Michael Gross) leads a group of Navy SEALs back to when dinosaurs walked the earth to rescue the surviving team that traveled back many years ago. After meeting with the long lost team, they discover that teleporting back to the present time comes with gigantic mishaps.

Originally aired on the Sci Fi Channel if I’m not mistaken, this movie had no right to be made into a DVD. From the costumes to the lighting, this wouldn’t receive the mildest recommendation from the world’s most lenient critic. It lacks any coordination (the camera work is extremely flimsy) and the characters are paper thin. Kids ages 6-8 might get a kick out of the artificially furnished CG work, but it has too much violence and profanity for that particular age group. Everyone else will just find it artless, soulless, tasteless, and senseless.

Terrible, terrible, terrible. The concept is ridiculous (this same idea was put to better use in the film A Sound Of Thunder), the acting was horrendous, and the CGI effects are equivalent to those of a poorly rendered video game. If by some miracle you come across this DVD, avoid it entirely.

Overloaded with seriousness and bombarded with overacting, it is obvious that nobody was having fun making this movie, resulting in unintentionally funny moments being unworthy of laughs. Hear that! It is so bad I couldn’t even laugh at it! It will end up being a dust collector in my collection of DVDs. Even Michael Gross (Burt of Tremors) gave an atrocious, out-of-this-world bad performance.

Other than the forest scenery, this is an ugly and colorless film. Nothing stands out as redeeming qualities. 100 Million B.C. shamelessly borrows its concept from A Sound of Thunder, modifies it in unskilled ways, and then decides to have it undergo unpolished production. The result might very well be one of the most embarrassing and helpless pieces of cinematic trash ever. There is no value to this movie. No entertainment to be found, no fun to be had, and no surprises to relish.

If, for some bizarre reason, you already have the DVD, be sure to watch the four trailers before the film begins. It is about the only fun to be found on the entire DVD. That being said, I am pretty sure everyone knows what the verdict is here. 0.5/5 stars

Special features include the original widescreen presentation, 5.1 Surround Sound, “100 Million Years Back In Time”, “Dino-evolution”, a blooper reel, and deleted scenes.

Dark Knight Movie Review by Nived

Everyone has that special ‘theatrical’ experience that seems to stay with them forever. Some have Star Wars or Raiders of the Lost Ark to latch onto, as the night they first saw it is imprinted deep in their brains. THIS is my “Star Wars”. Christopher Nolan’s follow-up to 2005’s Batman Begins is bloody brilliant: a relentlessly gripping two and a half hour nerve-rattling roller coaster ride, and the moment it was over all I wanted to do is take it for another spin. The Dark Knight is one wickedly overwhelming time at the movies, and left me exhausted, but absolutely loving every minute of it.

To call it the “best comic-book movie ever” wouldn’t be doing it enough justice. It makes Iron Man and Spider-Man look like child’s play. It’s a massive step up from Begins on virtually every level. No, this is so far at the top of its genre, it transcends everything “comic book movies” typically are, and is most certainly Oscar-worthy on multiple levels. The film works as a fun superhero movie, an engaging adult-minded crime-thriller and as a twisted morality play, but best of all it doesn’t sacrifice intelligence or heart for non-stop thrills. You can have both.

This is a masterpiece, and for Nolan, it’s his finest film to date. Showing total and impeccable control on his craft, The Dark Knight is filled with so much sensational, riveting drama one feels as if they’ve just walked away from a sumptuous buffet of badass—stuffed, satisfied, and not feeling the need for another film in the series. How could they possibly be able to top it? This is the best film of the year, and a definite contender for Best Picture. Yes, it really is THAT great. Ledger’s performance as the Joker is nothing short of genius; he’ll terrify you, and knock you dead with laughter all in the same breath, which is all the more frightening. It’s one of the best portrayals of evil in the history of cinema. It will become just as iconic as Darth Vader.

Filled with resonant characters pushed to their breaking points and constantly challenged by moral dilemmas about terrorism, anarchy, heroism, the value of human life, surveillance eavesdropping, and the lengths to which good should go to combat evil, the film raises many tough questions, and never provides any easy answers. It's the most savvy and intelligent post-9/11 film made, and who would have suspected it'd come from a Summer time comic-book movie? There are plenty of explosive set-pieces, all shot on an epic scale, from its heart-pounding opening to its nail-shredding finale which will certain put knots in your stomach. The Dark Knight is a wild time at the movies I just didn’t want to see it come to an end, and I’ll never forget it. Nolan, you’ve just changed things… forever.

Added Elite XC: Uprising DVD to Prize catalog

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Elite XC: Uprising.

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Pineapple Express Movie Review by Derek_Fleek

Pineapple Express Movie Review by Derek_Fleek


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I was really excited about seeing this one. Maybe even more so than The Dark Knight. Okay, that might be pushing it, but lets just say the buzz level was very high. I was there opening night. So, a little preparation and a bit of body spray to cover it up, and I was off to ride the Pineapple Express.

Seth Rogen and James Franco team up for the first time as two of the most gratifying stoners to reach the big screen. Dale Denton (Seth Rogen) is the stoner who witnesses a murder and is chased by a ruthless killer. He heads to his dealer's house, Saul Silver (James Franco), in spite of panic. After dragging his dealer into the mess, Dale Denton and new buddy are on the run.

Chock full of hilarious one-liners, tons of over-the-top comedic violence, and lots of cloudy smoke — yeah, you're sure to get a second-hand high off of this slap-happy stoner comedy. Pineapple Express is the Citizen Kane of its genre. It's the funniest comedy I have seen in ages. There's plenty for the stoner crowd to savor, enough to satisfy action junkies, and it even works for the casual movie-goer as a warming buddy flick.

Is it audacious? Sure it is. There is one scene in particular where Dale and Saul sell dope on a school playground that is sure to stir up some controversy.

The film has a great director (David Gordon Green who directed Snow Angels) and a character soon to be inducted as a vintage in stoner history; Saul Silver ranks among the greatest (Spicoli, Chong, Kumar, ect.) and is equally funny. Unlike Judd Apatow's previous work (Superbad and Knocked Up), this film lowers the profanity level yet it is much funnier. How about that? A film that doesn't use profanity as a subject of hilarity. This is a good thing, Judd Apatow. Your work is finally taking a turn for the better. Maybe next time you can take notes from Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg on writing a funny script that is light on profanity.

I don't know if my stomach hurts because I busted a gut or because I ate too much popcorn. Either way, this is the most entertaining film of the year. The script is intelligently funny and the performances are priceless. If you're not laughing every minute, you'll be laughing every thirty seconds. There's never a downhill for this movie.

A high, high recommendation for Pineapple Express. It's an instant classic, a film equipped with non-stop laughs and and violent surprises. The kind of person who says "no" will probably still like this movie, but being familiar with the source material would help. 5/5 stars

Harold and Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay Movie Review by Derek_Fleek

Harold and Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay Movie Review by Derek_Fleek


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After seeing and loving pretty much every moment of the theatrical version of Harold and Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay, I had to see what the unrated version was all about. What a mistake that was.

The title tells you the basic story. The two lovable stoner buddies Harold and Kumar (John Cho and Kal Penn) are mistaken for terrorists and are sent to Guantanamo Bay where they escape and become fugitives. Hence the name Escape From Guanatanamo Bay.

Escape's theatrical release is much cruder, raunchier, and funnier than Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle (nearly crossing the line of vulgar remarks, but restrains itself from doing so, making it all the more funnier). So, the filmmakers came up with the brilliant plan to add the unrated version of the film to the DVD. Fair enough. Unfortunately, this version so willfully does the uncalled for, simply resulting in a film that is both messy and filthy.

It becomes one of those movies where the scenes are prolonged and are shot poorly, zooming up wildly on every naked female's lower region, giving off an amateur porn vibe. Most of these scenes in the unrated version (i.e. the bottomless party) seemed like directors Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg (Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle) weren't paying much attention to directing as much as they were paying attention to scoping out the unnecessary. Putting the moments added in the unrated version as deleted scenes in the special features of the DVD would've been sufficient.

This unrated version features extended scenes that mostly consist of unnecessary close-ups of graphic nudity (both pleasant and unpleasant images) and genital jokes that seem unpolished, flat, and once again unnecessary. I regret watching the unrated version because it made me feel terribly disappointed, although it did show that it was well-edited for the silver screen. Scenes are prolonged in length and end up weighing down the jokes rather than making them funnier.

I say, by all means, rent Harold and Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay (one of the year's funniest films) if you haven't seen it yet and watch the theatrical version first. The chemistry between John Cho and Kal Penn is still there, and Neil Patrick Harris reprises his role as NPH. A new over-the-top character played by Rob Corddry is priceless. Its politically incorrect, hard-to-swallow jokes are timed perfectly and are pretty damn funny. And let's not forget the George W. Bush scene. The theatrical version rarely blows stale smoke. However, the unrated version is sloppy, overloaded with repugnant and unessential nudity, and completely unneeded. Trust me. I know it is tempting because of it being unrated and all, but it truly makes the movie much better if you skip the unrated version entirely.

Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay Theatrical Version 4.5/5 stars

Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay Unrated Version 1.5/5 stars

Dark Honeymoon Movie Review by Derek_Fleek

Dark Honeymoon Movie Review by Derek_Fleek



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Paul thinks he has found the right woman, one that will fill his need for love and seductiveness. But Kathryn isn’t exactly the woman of his dreams. In fact, she is the complete opposite. A rush into marriage leads them to their honeymoon vacation in Oregon, which reveals Kathryn’s dark secret and spirals Paul into the morbid madness of a religious maniac.

This is apparently a film that doesn’t quite know what to do with its concept. The plot is poorly structured and messy, switching from a tired interrogation scene to the evidently “dark” honeymoon newlyweds Kathryn and Paul experience. This is one of those movies that you might watch on television when nothing else is on, and even then it will be nothing more than an ineffective thriller and a bad film altogether.

It’s predictable, shallow, and unconvincing. Although it is certainly gratifying to see Roy Scheider (better known for his role in Jaws) in his last completed assignment, nearly everything was lackluster. The acting was questionable, the kills were forgettable, and more importantly the dialog was awkward. Come to think of it, the entire film was inept. Every scene felt like a draft. It’s as if each scene might have had a total of two takes.

On the plus side, Nick Cornish gives a mildly effective performance, but it’s hindered by a terribly flimsy one by Lindy Booth as the seductive psychopath. There are multiple sex scenes, uninvolving characters, and oblivious kills used as filler, which is ultimately dilettantish. But all the filler does help dodge boredom (you can call that a compliment to savor). This is a film with no brains, or skill for that matter, backing it up. It even has one of the most predictable and downright uninspired twist endings I have ever seen.

That being said, it is obvious that I can’t recommend Dark Honeymoon to anyone. This is a film with practically no memorable qualities to redeem it from being the hobbly piece of garbage it is. I say with complete assurance, skip this lurid mess and burn it for me if you manage to get a hold of it. All of the Dark Honeymoon DVDs should be put on display in the bottom of Hollywood’s dumpster. Yes, it’s that bad.

So if after reading this review you are still curious as to how bad the film actually is, you can check it out for yourself. But be aware that you were warned not to waste your time, money, or free rental on it. Maybe this time I will get a few “thank yous”.

The Dark Honeymoon DVD has no special features and certainly isn’t worthy of any either. 1/5 stars