Fragments

Drama, 2008 (Rated R)
Starring: Dakota Fanning, Forest Whitaker, Kate Beckinsale, Jennifer Hudson

On a typical day in a small town diner a man walks in and begins shooting. The story that follows starts here where we see how one event can impact many lives in many different ways.
All the different stories played out as each person leaves the diner and tried to get on with their life in the wake of such a tragic event. Some characters intersect and others do not.

• I'm not sure what it was for me but some of the story lines I just didn't get and because I didn't get it I kept waiting for answers that never really came. Most of the story lines made sense but on in particular involving a doctor who actually opened the door for the shooter before leaving and his wife had me totally confused.
• Great acting all around.
• I'd say this movie is OK. It kept me interested because I wanted answers but felt a little let down at the end when I didn't get them.

3 Stars

X Men Origins: Wolverine

Action, 2009 (Rated PG 13)
Starring: Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber, Danny Huston

This movie provides the back story on Wolverine one of the Characters in X Men. We meet his brother Victor and it takes the viewer from his childhood when he first discovered his mutant abilities to adulthood as he and his brother fight side by side using their powers as tools for the US Government. Eventually, he turns his back on that life of killing in favor of becoming a lumberjack but his old life comes back for him and he finds himself once again on the battlefield except this time it's against the man he used to fight for.

• I really hate it when people are mean and evil for no reason and when good innocent people die. Both happen within the first 30 minutes of this film.
• Great acting, great action.
• The movie also has a twist that I didn't expect involving the love of his life who is murdered by the very same group that he used to fight with.
• I put off watching this movie for a while. I wanted to see it but once I got it home I kind of didn't. I should have watched it sooner because it was very good. I actually sat and watched without surfing the net at the same time which I seem to have been doing on the last couple of movies I watched.

4 Stars

Bring It On Fight to the Finish

2009, Rated PG 13

Starring: Christina Milian, Rachele Brooke Smith, Holland Roden,

A captain cheerleader of an up and coming E Los Angeles cheer squad is forced to move to Malibu and finds her All Star cheerleading dreams crushed. The squad at her new school is lackluster and needs a lot of work to dazzle any crowds. She grudgingly joins the squad Sea Lions, recruits two of her best friends from her old squad and leads the charge to beat the rival All Star squad led by the snobby popular Avery (Smith).

• If you aren't into the whole cheerleader dance movie thing this is not your movie. I watch an cheerleading, dance or gymnastics movie I can get my hands on.
• If you liked all of the re makes since the original Bring it On you will like this one too.
• It's the same formula but just different actors and a slightly different set of factors. There is star cheerleader who is uprooted to a different inferior squad. There is a love interest and a plethora of extreme cheerleading stunts that culminate in a high stakes cheer competition.
• There are ab muscles popping out all over the place under these extremely short cheerleading uniform vests.
• Avery (Smith) is played by the same actress that starred in Center Stage: Turn it up. I also noticed a face from the Sea Lions squad that was in Stick It.
• Totally unrealistic but cute!!

3 Stars

Dance Flick

Comedy, 2009 (Rated PG 13)
Starring: Daman Wayans Jr, Shoshanna Bush, and a bunch of other Wayans Brothers too!

A white girl who has just recently given up dancing after the death of her mom moves from the suburbs to an inner city school to live with her dad and tries to fit in.

• Basically a spoof of Save The Last Dance with Julia Stiles and then adds in a bunch of other spoofs from various dance movies.
• I usually don't go for the movies that I know are going to be ridiculously and stupidly over the top but I really like dance movies and have seen just about every one out there so I went for it.
• There were some funny moments in the beginning but then I really just lost interest and wasn't paying attention to the point where when the ending credits rolled I didn't even know what had happened. I was too busy on my laptop.

1 Star

An American Affair

Drama, 2009 (Rated R)
Starring: Gretchen Mol and Cameron Bright

Explores the relationship between a beautiful woman who has had an affair with president John F Kennedy in the past and her horny teenage neighbor Adam (Bright).

• This movie was kind of slow for me.
• Cameron Bright is an amazing young actor. He has been impressive in everything i've seen him in. He had some very risque scenes in a movie with Nicole Kidman called Birth.
• I didn't really "get" this movie. Caswell (Mol) was a former mistress of JFK that keeps a diary so important that the CIA is after it. Her ex husband who also happens to be a CIA agent watches her at night through the window and often comes over unannounced for a dramatic "I want you back" fest. Huh?

3 Stars

Duplicity

Drama/Suspense, 2008 (Rated PG 13)

Starring: Clive Owen, Julia Roberts, Paul Giamatti, Tom Wilkinson

Two government counterintelligence agents have a one night stand that leads to love. They make a plan to go into the private sector as counterintelligence agents in the world of corporate sales to scheme there way into a big score that will make then lots of money and ultimately enable them to retire in someplace like Rome.

• It was almost comical because the world of marketing and corporate sales had a full intelligence branch complete with private jets and surveillance teams. Is it really like that, but I just don't know it?
• I kept expecting an action scene or guns to be pulled out but then I had to realize that this is the world that creates cosmetic products not hostages.
• It was way too long.
• I didn't like it as much as I thought I would but it was OK.

3 Stars

Gigantic

Romantic Comedy, 2008 (Rated R)
Starring: Paul Dano and Zooey Deschanel

A man in his late 20's who is still finding himself and just so happens to have an obsession with adopting a baby from China falls for the daughter of one of the customers at a mattress shop where he works.

• Cute movie but it was dry and very slow.
• Classic Deschanel type indie movie. I watched it because she's in it.
• I still can't quite figure out what the deal is with the homeless man who routinely attacks Brian (Dano).

2 Stars

The Poker House

Drama, 2009 (Rated R)

Starring: Selma Blair, Jennifer Lawrence, Bokeem Woodbine

Shows a day in the life of a 14 year old girl with two younger sisters and a strung out alcoholic drug addicted mother who hosts a nightly poker night/party. Among the guest who attend are prostitutes and pimps. The girls are pretty much left to fend for themselves on a day to day basis with no supervision from mom. Based on a true story, this movie was written and directed by the lead character Agnes. Takes place back in the 60's.

• Great acting.
• Good although very sad story.
• Didn't really hold my attention too much.

2 Stars

The Informers

Drama, 2008 (Rated R)

Starring: Kim Basinger, Winona Ryder, Mickey Rourke, Billy Bob Thornton

This movie is made up of a series of different connected stories about rich dysfunctional people in dysfunctional relationships, most of which are involved in drugs or other illegal activities in 1980's Hollywood. Most of the characters are either directly involved in or loosely related in one way or another to the film/entertainment industry. Theirs is a world where just about anything goes. There is only one story line that has to do with an every day joe trying to make it. He just so happens to have a criminal uncle who drags him into a crime.

• There isn't really a story line or plot. Just the random goings on of a group of intersecting people.
• There is quite a bit of nudity and more then one orgy that takes place.
• Sad stories about mostly sad people.

3 Stars

Guns

Drama, 2008

Starring: Elisha Cuthbert, Colm Feore

This movie weaves together a series of connected stories that are all related to the illegal gun trade in Canada. It starts out with a tragic event that claims the life of a little girl and the series of events that occur after it. The moral of the story is clearly that gun are bad.

• It's a good story but the way the movie is put together did not hold my attention too well.
• Gets a little more interesting as the story progresses...if you can make it that long,
• I was surprised to see Cuthbert in this. It seems like she is usually in better quality movies.
• This is a long one! The first half is 1 1/2 hours long so just when I am ready for the movie to be over I realize I am only half way through. It's good enough for me to want to see what happens but not bad enough for me to shut off.
• The acting is pretty good.

2 Stars

Sin Nombre

Drama/Suspense, 2008 (Rated R)

Starring: Paulina Gaitan, Edgar Flores

A young girl sets out on a journey with a father she is just now meeting and her Uncle to cross the border into the United States all the way from Honduras. This is expected to be a 3 week journey!! Along the way she crosses paths and finds an unexpected friend in a recent ex gang member who is on the run from the violent gang after crossing the leader of the entire gang.

• I find myself rooting for this gang member to cross to the US and maybe have a fresh start even though I know that as a gang member he's done terrible things.
• Gaitan is an amazing actress. I saw her in another really good movie called Trade.
• This is all in Spanish subtitled in English. Be aware that the subtitles are kind of small.
• It's amazing the lengths that people resort to in order to get to the US.
• Really great and moving story. Well executed.

4 Stars