Juno Movie Review by Mr-eccentric

Juno Movie Review by Mr-eccentric


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The movie starts out like most good movies do. Great music and great cinematography. The plot thickens quick when you find out juno is pregnant, still in high school, and deciding an option. Along with this you find she is still falling down the wacky whole of affection for her "lover". What i think really made the movie was the personal philosophies of juno's perception of the world. The way her character seems to accept quickly her pregnancy and cope rapidly with the social complications. Her very simple mind and yet witty quotes make it a very enjoyable movie and truly give a new outlook on pregnancy.

Hell Ride Movie Review by Derek_Fleek

Hell Ride Movie Review by Derek_Fleek


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In tradition to the motorcycle flicks made popular in the late '60s and early '70s, Hell Ride basically plays out like a broken record, repeating gratuitous nudity, vindictive violence, and ceaseless drug use regardless of whether or not it makes any sense at all. It can be amusing (at times I did have fun with it) if you can subdue the fact that the nonsensical storyline (somewhat cleared up in the special features) is just a condonable way for Larry Bishop to exploit himself in a role that provides tons of female persuasion for him to vex and seduce.

Introduced in the opening scene are three center-stage characters titled Pistolero (Larry Bishop), The Gent (Michael Madson), and Comanche (Eric Balfour), who are the leading members of the biker gang known as The Victors. After the murder of one of their well-respected members, The Victors are determined to find the gang responsible. Fingers are pointed at The Victors' rival gang known as The 666ers and they are willing do whatever it takes to make them literally spill their guts. Hell Ride also features cameo appearances by David Carradine and Dennis Hopper

It isn't exactly the pompous acting that spoils the film's reputation (keep in mind these characters are suppose to be self-centered badasses), but mainly the inefficient scripting and dreadful dialog. The search for a missing safety deposit box and the battle between two ruthless biker gangs seemed to be the two main roots of the story and are scattered poorly throughout the film. Subplots include a lost love, betrayal, and rebellion.

I like the sex, drugs, and violence theme that Larry Bishop has surrounding the storyline, which is occasionally depicted with some charisma. What I didn't like was the fact that this obviously distracted him from his central storyline, which is the whole thing behind the missing safety deposit box. This portion of the story seemed to be lost in the mix until nearing the final act, where Bishop suddenly realizes he must somehow squeeze this very important plot into the ending.

The violence is done fairly well, some scenes are decently shot and resemble a throwback to biker flicks, and it's jam-packed with a high quota of beautiful topless woman. It does, at times, come mighty close to revamping the biker genre. It's trashy, malevolent, and occasionally entertaining as well. However, the dialog is devoid of brainpower (it tries so hard to image Tarantino's wit but fails miserably) and, thanks to Bishop's convoluted storyline, the attempt at possibly bringing back the lifeless biker genre has now become less probable.

By no means a good movie and just a notch above what I would consider mediocre filmmaking, Hell Ride does have some potential to be a gritty, rough-and-tough biker flick but doesn't quite have enough to lighten up a dying genre. If Tarantino had revised the script, making the appropriate adjustments in dialog, storyline, and editing, it is possible this would be an accomplished piece of grindhouse art. But unfortunately he didn't, therefore it's not.

Special features are a must-see if renting the film. Included in the special features is the much needed clarification of the story and some interesting facts about the movie itself. Also, a few featurettes about the babes, bikes, and tough characters, a video diary, and a theatrical trailer. 2/5 stars

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull review by Star757

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull by star757


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I enjoyed watching this movie. I will have to say though, the other three are better. This movie starts out in 1957 at Area 51 where a bunch of KGB, headed by Cate Blanchett, have Indiana Jones and need him to find a certain box for them. He finds it, escapes a test of the atomic bomb, and the gov't. thinks he is helping the Communists. The movie keeps going from here. It is action packed like all the other Indiana Jones movies. There are new characters, like Mud Williams played by Shia Leboeuf, and old ones like Marian Ravenwood, played by Karen Allen. In this adventure Indy is convinced by Mud to travel to Peru to rescue Mud's mother, find his friend Ox, and unravel the mystery of the crystal skull. Of course this is also of interest to the Communists. This movie was good, but there were some scenes that were a little odd. Like swinging through the trees with monkeys and going over all the waterfalls. Of course Indiana Jones always did wild and crazy things, but some of these are a little over the top. Overall I thought it was a great movie. Check it out, especially if you've seen the others, but it's just not quite the same.

The 4400: The Complete Series now in the prize catalog

We have just added a new prize to the Prize Catalog on Popcornmonsters.com.



Over the last century, thousands of people have gone missing. Suddenly and inexplicably, 4400 missing people are returned, all at once, exactly as they were on the day they vanished. Unclear what this world-altering event means, the government investigates the 4400 to piece together where they've been and why they've been returned. It quickly becomes apparent that their presence will change the human race in ways no one could have foreseen.

Check out this great 15 Disc set that is over 32 hours in length.

Review for RUN LOLA RUN by star757

Run Lola Run by star757


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This movie stars Franka Potente. It is a German movie with subtitles, but I didn't mind that. If you've never watched a movie with subtitles before it's not that bad. The movie is fast paced and it's easy to understand what's going on through reading the dialogue and watching the characters' actions and emotions. This movie started out a little strange. It is about a man who works for a mob boss and loses the 100,000 marks he is supposed to deliver in 20 minutes. He calls his girlfriend, Lola, to help and she is on a race to help save his life. Once I got into the movie I thought it was good. Lola runs around like crazy pretty much throughout the entire movie. It is interesting because the movie shows three versions of what happens in the end. In each version the outcome for all the characters is different. Will Lola be able to help her boyfriend, Manni? How will they come up with the 100,000 marks? This movie is different and a little crazy, but overall a good movie that is not your average predictable film.

PROM QUEEN and THE FLIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS NOW IN PRIZE CATALOG

We have just added two more movies to the Prize Catalog on Popcornmonsters.com. Something for teens and kids.



Every young girl grows up wanting to be Prom Queen. And for the students of Edward Adams High, it’s not only a tradition but an ideology—and for some, an obsession. Little do they know that there lurks a secret that threatens to unravel the institution forever. As usual, senior year is full of characters—some hot, some not—who all have their eyes turned toward Prom, the night when dreams come true. Sweethearts will split apart, friendships will be tested, hearts will be broken . . . lucky for them, summer is just around the corner. Still reeling from Prom Night, with high school finally behind them, the former classmates are certainly due for a vacation. And what better place to escape to than Mexico? Catch up with the former students of Edward Adams High in Prom Queen’s next chapter, Summer Heat, as they embark on a summer of fun, adventure and mystery. Watch as relationships ignite, pasts flare up and the mystery continues to blaze in Summer Heat.



In THE FLIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS young reindeer named Niko dreams about flying like his father who he believes is a member of Santa's famous Flying Forces. Despite suffering from severe vertigo, he sneaks out of his home to take flying lessons from his friend Julius, a clumsy flying squirrel. Soon after, Niko and Julius learn that Santa and his reindeer are in serious trouble so the pair gather their forest friends and head North to save the day.

Be sure to check out all the great prizes for everyone in your family.

HELL RIDE DVD added to the prize catalog.

We have just added a new prize to the Prize Catalog on Popcornmonsters.com.



Pistolero, the leader of the biker gang The Victors, sets out to exact revenge on a rival gang known as the 666ers. But there's dissention amongst the ranks when his members begin to question his leadership. This DVD is available in the prize catalog courtesy of Dimension Extreme.

FINDING AMANDA movie review by DerekFleek

Finding Amanda Movie Review by Derek Fleek


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What happens in this movie should've stayed in the studios. With a total of only two movies (Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Glory) considered good in the eyes of many, Matthew Broderick's career doesn't show much signs of upgrade with Peter Tolan's sleazy, anti-romantic comedy Finding Amanda. A comedy writer for a television show has a keen desire to drink and gamble his life away, even when it means having to lie to his wife, steal checks, and lie some more. After two years of sobriety and already a victim to his gambling addiction, Taylor Peters (Matthew Broderick) vows to his wife that he will go to Vegas without spending a dime on gambling or having a drop of alcohol to urge his niece to go to rehab. Apparently, this is not as easy as it sounds. From the mundane, yet quick-witted, delivery of Matthew Broderick's character to the smirky, degrading performance by Brittany Snow, I can't say this film is either funny or entertaining. It's rude, uneven, and far off the track of successfully combining dark comedy (something I am very fond of and enjoy immensely) and heavy melodrama. Peter Tolan (writer of Bedazzled) directs and writes this hokey and dreary comedy set in unfamiliar Las Vegas casinos and nightclubs, which pours out a stream of laziness as it crawls its way to the credits. Is Finding Amanda really a bad movie? Yes, it's absolutely dreadful. The slow pace, stale characters, and insipid storyline prove it. The script does have some spurts of intelligence, but all of the clever lines are demolished by the deadpan delivery of Matthew Broderick. And what could've possibly been saved by a charming lead like John Cusack (who can save practically any movie from being a complete disaster) is simply unable to recover with subpar actors at the helm. Half of the problem is the script, the other half of the problem is poor casting and washed-up, battered down acting. Another major defect in the film is its sudden and senseless ending. The film carries on an extra ten minutes leading to a conclusion that leaves one with a question mark floating around. What does it all mean? This is the type of ending that is an immediate let-down given that if ended it at the right moment, this would've been a grave recovery attempt. Trust me when I say that a poor movie can somewhat recuperate from its badness with an amusing end note, which this movie fails to provide. Finding Amanda mindlessly descends into a truant attempt at making an event usually regarded as sober into a humorous matter. Never once does the film provide any humor that can be treasured as moderately amusing. This might be from the poor combination of drama , romance, and comedy, or possibly just bad filmmaking. When all is said and done, there is nothing marginally farcical about a man falling off the wagon. Now for the DVD special features — are they really worth your time? Truth be told, the world premiere interviews with Matthew Broderick, Brittany Snow, and Peter Tolan are much more amusing than the film itself. However, this doesn't help the film rise above the rank of being a giddy misfire and an unsatisfying journey into one man's problem land. 1/5 stars

The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything: A Veggietales Movie Review by star757

The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything: A Veggietales Movie Review by star757


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I just watched this movie today, and think it would be great for the whole family to enjoy together. It's about three veggies who work as cabin boys at a pirate dinner theater. They want nothing more than to actually be in the play so they can impress their girlfriends, wife and children. When their audition doesn't work out they don't know what they'll do until a magical orb appears. They are sent back in time to be heroes for a princess whose brother has been captured by pirates. Can they save the day and be true heroes? This was a good movie. The animation is great, very colorful and vivid. The characters are funny, and well developed for a cartoon. If you've seen Veggietales before you'll like this one. I've not seen a full length Veggietales movie before, but this was a great movie. Definitely something the whole family can see together. Unlike most kids' movies today, everyone can enjoy the humor in it. There aren't bad adult jokes in it that kids aren't supposed to understand. The message of the movie is about what a hero really is. A great movie for all.

South of Pico Movie Review by Derek_Fleek

South of Pico Movie Review by Derek_Fleek


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This unpleasant, heart-sinking drama stuns its audience with its painfully honest ending and unspeakable occurrences beforehand. South of Pico easily ranks among cinema’s most harrowing and distraught dramas including Sleepers, Bully, and Kids.

While somewhat relevant to Crash provided that a tragedy links these strangers together, it never intertwines racial conflict like Crash did. Rather than stereotyping racial equalities (or lack thereof), the film centers on five ordinary people having a really bad day that leads to a freak tragedy ending in the most unfortunate way.

Guided by an impressive cast that includes Henry Simmons, Gina Torres, Kip Pardue, and Soren Fulton, this dark and menacing drama about the worst day in the lives of five average people deeply scars the memory.

South of Pico is one of those movies that makes you feel sick in the pit of your stomach, and this feeling doesn’t just go away. It marinates for weeks on end and (like the worst day you ever had) it sits firmly in your brain for the rest of your life. There is no shaking the film’s powerful emotions, no stopping the overpowering fact that we have no control over our emotions when overtaken by rage. While unforgettable and disdainfully true to life, the feeling of sadness is overwhelming and nearly unbearable. This causes profound depression, sorrow, and anguish to viewers. It hurts, but the film is booming with importance and deserves attention.

Superbly directed and skillfully written by Ernst Gossner, South of Pico isn’t exactly flawless (the needless conversation pertaining to a secret recipe for mashed potatoes immediately springs to mind), but it’s certainly a hard-hitting, real-life drama. Following the true life story step by step isn’t exactly the best way to engage the audience, especially when there is a lot of boring nonsense about a secret mashed potato recipe to be found. However, powerful performances from the sturdy cast and the violent tale within is something that audiences aren’t fully familiar with. Watching South of Pico once is more than enough, but spreading the word is a must.

So while I really didn’t enjoy the film, its staining effect and penetrating look into the tortured souls of many good-hearted people is an eye-opening and painfully moving experience. This award winning feature is a film I will never forget. Within this raw, intense, and unnerving true-life story lies one of the most unforgettable endings in movie history. It slips us firmly into the belief that humans can become complete savages when too much is weighed down on us, both emotionally and physically.

Unfortunately, there are no special features on the DVD release. This is disappointing considering that the film leaves us questioning what happens to those involved in the tragedy. This crucial detail could’ve easily been clarified in the much needed special features, but the release fails to provide that. Aside from a lack of extras, the harrowing ending and magnificent performances in this bold drama will take your breath away. The DVD release date is September 9. 4/5 stars

Chaplin and When We Left Earth-The NASA Missions

We have just added two more prizes to the Prize Catalog on Popcornmonsters.com. Please check back often because we have a lot of new movies on the way.



CHAPLIN is a dramatized biography of the highs and lows in the life of one of the foremost comic geniuses the silver screen has ever known. With the use of flashback, an elderly Chaplin (Downey Jr.) discusses his autobiography with his editor (Hopkins) who urges him to be more vulnerable and emotionally honest with his memoirs. Together, they journey through Chaplin?s poverty-stricken childhood, closest friendships, many marriages, and his ingenious invention of The Little Tramp, as well as J. Edgar Hoover's merciless pursuit, Chaplin's shocking exile to Switzerland and his triumphant return to Hollywood. Downey's astonishing mimicry of Chaplin's gait, gestures and accents complete a dazzlingly authentic portrait of one of cinema's first pop culture icons.



Check out WHEN WE LEFT EARTH-THE NASA MISSIONS. Since the dawn of mankind, we have stared up at the lights in the sky and wondered... Now join the heroic men and women who have dared the impossible on some of the greatest adventures ever undertaken - the quest to reach out beyond Earth and into the great unknown of space! To celebrate 50 years of incredible achievements, the Discovery Channel has partnered with NASA to reveal the epic struggles, tragedies and triumphs in a bold chapter of human history.

Day of the Dead Movie Review by Derek_Fleek

Day of the Dead Movie Review by Derek_Fleek

This high-octane, more dynamic, so-called remake of George A. Romero's 1985 horror classic Day of the Day (astonishingly given the same title) is simply nothing at all like the original. It never once recaps scenes from the original version, and therefore doesn't quite play out like a remake, but more like a stylish retrofit. It's not that I didn't enjoy Romero's classic, this one just triumphs in aspects the original lacked. Smarter zombies with hyper-kinetic behavior, better characters, and much more action, Halloween H20 director Steve Miller's Day of the Dead is, to my surprise, a worthy retrofit of a somewhat-dated classic.

After an virus epidemic sweeps through the town of Leadville, Colorado, a handful of survivors immune to the virus fight to survive. Taking shelter in homes, cars, and radio stations, they begin their escape from the town's overwhelming infection. The zombie guidelines are as followed: shoot them in the head, don't get bitten, and run as fast as you can. The undead can be quicker than you think.

With an uncommonly terrific look, nifty make-up effects, and a script that marginally out-smarts the original, this retrofit pulls no punches. It might not have the political commentary (government accusations) and explainations about zombie orgin that made the first stimulate your thoughts, nor does it have the abundance of handmade gore. However, it's the high energy and expanded sympathy for a vegetarian zombie known as Bud (sharply performed by Stark Sands) that provides the continuous fun the first lacked.

Even as a stand-alone zombie picture, this has enough tense moments and gross-out features to keep the enjoyment flowing steadily throughout. Even the small appearance by Ving Rhames is amusing. But what really keeps the film so alive (no pun intended) are the solid performances by the zombies, Mena Suvari, Nick Cannon, and a stand-out performance by Stark Sands.

Screenwriter Jeffrey Reddick (writer of the Final Destination films) provides his well-known intellect for thrillers to a film that, without Miller and his talents, probably would've been just another dead-head zombie flick. This action-packed thrill ride with limited piffle leads to a predictable, if satisfying, ending that will provide either a goofy smile or major eye-rolling gestures. However you see it depends on your mood. If you aren't satisfied with the ending, an alternate ending is provided in the special features that I found to be a humorous conclusion to the film.

Included on the DVD (complete with an eye-popping holographic cover) are some pretty fascinating extras. The alternate ending for those who were "expecting the black man to die" is very funny and certainly worth a look, a well-collected photo gallery featuring close-ups of zombies and characters is fun to skim through, and the most interesting of all in the special features is the on the set featurette. This is a well-organized DVD and a great time awaits inside. 4/5 stars