Cloverfield

Movie Title: Cloverfield

Genre: Sci-fi Thriller

Starring:
Michael Stahl-David
Mike Vogel
Lizzy Caplan
Jessica Lucas

Review:

Look out!

Eager to find out if the film lived up to the hype and if the magic JJ Abrams has so successfully fleshed out on TV (think Felicity, Alias, and Lost) translates well on the big screen (he was mildly successful in MI:3), I went out and saw Cloverfield for myself. And just as the ticket seller was handing out my movie ticket, she blurted out a disclaimer about how the movie was filmed like a handheld camera was used, and that it is not the fault of the theater's film projector if it drove me nauseous later. I said to her, I know...like I knew what I was getting into (and paying for). Let me start by saying that this movie is not for everybody. Not for anyone who enjoys the comfort of seeing film that is shot in focus. And certainly not for anyone who jumps at the sight of a small bug hovering nearby. Because minutes shortly after you've found a good seat, the movie gets into high gear and tries mightily to keep you at the edge of your seat, if not make you squirm uneasily as the characters, played by mostly unknown actors, not only run for cover, but run for their lives. The film succeeds in exposing just enough horror, the monster is not seen in its entirety, and takes you as close to the destruction, and cluelessness as to what is actually happening, as the characters themselves.

reviewed by: Avid

Rating: 7.5
10 - worth dying for!
9 - magnificent; don't miss it!
8 - great movie; worth your time
7 - good movie; very entertaining
6 - passable, if you don't have anything important to do
5 - not worth your time
4 and below - i never knew such movies existed

Semi Pro

Movie Title: Semi Pro

Genre: Comedy

Starring:
Will Ferrell
Woody Harrelson
Andre Benjamin

Review:
Synopsis: Will Ferrell stars as Jackie Moon. a One Hit Wonder artist that amassed enough wealth from that One Song to afford him to own an ABA team just right before the Merge with the NBA.

Aka... Will's using the basketball theme this time as his excuse or canvass for his usual brand of nonsense talk comedy style.

Review: Jackie Moon pretty much echoes the whole movie. extremely entertaining, but also shallow at the same time. Yes, even more shallow for Will Ferrell Movie standards. However, it will deliver you belly ache after belly ache of laughs.

The jokes, either you get it or not, simple as that. If you've never liked The Anchorman, don't waste your time with this one. If you like Will's movies, this one won't turn into a classic, but worth a watch.

reviewed by: BeerhandBop

Rating: 6.0
10 - worth dying for!
9 - magnificent; don't miss it!
8 - great movie; worth your time
7 - good movie; very entertaining
6 - passable, if you don't have anything important to do
5 - not worth your time
4 and below - i never knew such movies existed

Gone Baby Gone

Movie Title: Gone Baby Gone

Genre: Drama

Starring:
Casey Affleck
Michelle Monaghan
Amy Ryan

Review:
Late last year, I had the fortune of seeing what I thought was easily one of the top 5 movies I've seen in 2007: Gone Baby Gone. I remember how actress Jennifer Garner, Ben Affleck's wife, was so proud of this film, back when it was still in production, while Late Show host David Letterman was visibly unconvinced. It turns out that Garner wasn't just patronizing. Gone Baby Gone is clearly a gem. Ben Affleck, in his directorial debut, has chosen the right project and the right actors. His brother, Casey, is perfectly cast. The younger Affleck may just be one of the guys in Ocean's 11 to 13, but in this movie, he shines and surprises us at how good he is at every turn. Set in Boston, the movie zooms into the investigation of a missing child, and how the community has responded. Sooner rather than later, you, too, as the viewer will also be thinking what's the best thing to do in this situation. Often in the theater, you'd just be sitting there and enjoying the cinematic ride. This movie is different. It dares you to be emotionally involved.

reviewed by: AVID

Rating: 9.0
10 - worth dying for!
9 - magnificent; don't miss it!
8 - great movie; worth your time
7 - good movie; very entertaining
6 - passable, if you don't have anything important to do
5 - not worth your time
4 and below - i never knew such movies existed

Atonement

Movie Title: Atonement

Genre: drama/romance/war

Starring:
James McAvoy
Keira Knightley
Ailidh Mackay

Review:
It is touted as one of 2007's best movies. Based on Ian McEwan's novel, Atonement is all about the power of perception, and how it ultimately changed the lives of the three protagonists. Brilliant performances and outstanding cinematography elevate this love story, set in pre-war and wartime England, into a future classic.

reviewed by: AVID

Rating: 9.0
10 - worth dying for!
9 - magnificent; don't miss it!
8 - great movie; worth your time
7 - good movie; very entertaining
6 - passable, if you don't have anything important to do
5 - not worth your time
4 and below - i never knew such movies existed

Transfomers

Movie Title: Transformers

Genre: action/adventure

Starring:
Shia LaBeouf
Megan Fox
Tyrese Gibson

Review:
Honestly, I wasn't planning to see this movie. Why would I sit through more than two hours for a movie that is expectedly all about mayhem and explosions? But I still went...I felt I needed to relax and a see a movie that's not too demanding on my brain. So there it is...I got what I paid for. Movies now are, more than ever, all about taking you into another world...and Transformers does that: you're in a world where cars or any other electronic appliance can turn into powerful, giant robots. Humans are relegated as spectators. And we can't help it but just watch, and see if these highly advanced robots will settle their own issues among themselves and leave us alone with our favorite gadgets.

Transformers isn't going to be the best film of the year, but it is entertaining enough for us to see the magic that is computer animation. The live actors are not useless. They provide comic relief between these spectacular sequences. Yet with the exception of newcomer Shia Labeouf, the robots are the stars of the show.

reviewed by: AVID

Rating: 7.0
10 - worth dying for!
9 - magnificent; don't miss it!
8 - great movie; worth your time
7 - good movie; very entertaining
6 - passable, if you don't have anything important to do
5 - not worth your time
4 and below - i never knew such movies existed

The Last Kiss

Movie Title: The Last Kiss

Genre: comedy

Starring:
ZackZach Braff
Jacinda Barrett
Casey Affleck

Review:
This is one of those movies that I hate and love at the same time. I hate it because of the values the characters have shown in terms of love and relationship. I love it because it left many questions in my head and made me reflect on my own experiences. I often argued for some instances in the movie that the message conveyed by the characters are immoral… well, ideally speaking. But what I like the most about the movie is it kept me thinking for hours…

Rating: 8.5
10 - worth dying for!
9 - magnificent; don't miss it!
8 - great movie; worth your time
7 - good movie; very entertaining
6 - passable, if you don't have anything important to do
5 - not worth your time
4 and below - i never knew such movies existed

Gridiron Gang

Movie Title: Gridiron Gang

Genre: Sports; drama

Starring:
The ROCK
Xzibit
Jade Yorker

Review:

This movie is an eye-opener for me. If you have seen “Dangerous Minds” and “Coach Carter” and were inspired by them, then you’ll love this movie as well. The story is about a coach of who plans to change a group of lost young individuals in a correctional facility into a great football team. In his journey, he meets a lot of hardships that would challenge his faith. What’s even more interesting is that this is based on a true story. At the end are some video clips of the real people in action they are portraying in this movie.

Rating: 8.5
10 - worth dying for!
9 - magnificent; don't miss it!
8 - great movie; worth your time
7 - good movie; very entertaining
6 - passable, if you don't have anything important to do
5 - not worth your time
4 and below - i never knew such movies existed