Shutter Island

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Michelle Williams
Director: Martin Scorsese
Suspense/Thriller, Rated R (2010)

Two US Marshall's travel to Shutter Island in stormy weather to investigate the disappearance of one of it's criminally insane patients. Upon arrival the pair find that the facility harbors many secrets and appears to be making every attempt to lie and thwart their investigation. As he digs deeper into the investigation Teddy (DiCaprio) is troubled by haunting memories of his late wife and his stint as a soldier in World War II freeing Nazi concentration camps. His question. What is really going on at Shutter Island? Is it a truly compassionate care facility for the worst of the worst mentally ill or is it a breeding ground for evil experiments.
The opening images of the stormy island, chained prisoners, and dark buildings really set the tone for the movie.

• I started to get just a little annoyed at all of the bizarre flashbacks of his wife and his war days that didn't seem to make too much sense. I kept wondering what the point was.
• The movie definitely got better as it went along. The last 45 minutes or so got more interesting as the plot began to unfold and the connection between the two sets of flashbacks is revealed.
• DiCaprio is an amazing actor. You could feel his pain and confusion coming through the screen.
• It wasn't as freaky as I was hoping and expecting but it was a good suspense filled movie and I liked it.
• This movie does have a twist. Even when the twist was revealed for some reason I still didn't believe it.

5 STARS

The Box

Starring: Cameron Diaz, James Marsden, Frank Langella
Thriller, Rated PG 13 (2009)

Norma (Diaz) and Arthur (Marsden) are a young couple in their 30's who are struggling financially. Out of nowhere a man called Arlington Steward (Langella) appears on their doorstep and offers them a box and proposition that if they push the button they will receive 1 million dollars, however someone they do not know will die. The couple struggles with this decision and questions whether or not it's some kind of hoax or not. They only have 24 hours to decide and the choice they make has consequences that neither one expected and they are faced yet again with a tough decision to make.

• This movie was directed by Richard Kelly who also did Donnie Darko. There is some similarity in the supernatural bizarre story line but not quite as weird.
• I didn't realize that this movie was set back in the 1970's. That was a surprise to me.
• As the story goes on the origins of the box and Arlington Steward is revealed and it begins to make more sense.
• This is a very unforgiving box and a reminder that sometimes it's best to just do the right thing just because.
• It causes one to question your own morality-what would you do? The prospect of 1 million dollars is very tempting indeed.

4 STARS

Law Abiding Citizen

Starring: Jamie Foxx, Gerard Butler, Leslie Bibb
Rated R, 2009

A man looses his entire family in a senseless act of crime and over time he plots an elaborate diabolical plan to avenge their death. He really has nothing to loose and pursues those who played a part in the crime and subsequent legal trial that did not do his family justice. With cutting edge maneuvers and surprise attacks he lauches his plan that has everyone confused and searching for answers.

• I have loved Gerard Butler ever since 300. He did the tough guy gladiator thing, a romantic comedy (The Ugly Truth) and now he is taking on the role of law abiding citizen gone deranged killer. He does them all well.
• This movie was very good. It kept me guessing. It was a bit long but I didn't notice because the movie action just kept coming.
• Jamie Foxx is awesome as usual. He is funny as ever but takes on this role of hot shot city attorney and plays it to perfection.
• I have to say that I loved that the mayor was this incredibly powerful black woman yelling at the power suit wearing DA and city attorney Foxx to fix this mess now!! Their eyes got big as she told them how badly they screwed up. I felt sorry for them because honestly, what is anyone to do? This was kind of an unusual situation after all.
• By the end of the movie I didn't know whether to love or hate Clyde (Butler). I mean, how far is too far especially considering all that he lost and how the system failed him?

5 STARS

The Stepfather

Starring: Penn Badgley, Dylan Walsh, Sela Ward, Amber Heard
Suspense/Thriller, 2009 (Rated PG 13)

A teenage boy (Badgley) comes home from military school to find that his mother is about to marry a man she has known for six months. The guy is likeable enough. The scariest thing about him is that he is almost too perfect but strange bits of information and behaviors keep popping up that make Micheal suspicious. When Michael catches him in a lie he is determined to find out exactly what his soon to be stepfather is hiding.

• This movie was full of suspense and had me jumping and holding my breath on more then one occasion which I like.
• It was a typical kind of story line about a crazy person who sets out to fool everyone and hide his mental illness.
• Michael's girlfriend Kelly (Heard) is obviously the eye candy in this movie and there were several convenient shots of her in her undies. Her primary wardrobe was a bikini and midriff baring shirts. She has a hot bod and they certainly wanted everyone to see it.

4 Stars

The Book Of Eli

Starring: Denzel Washington, Mila Kunis
2010, Thriller

Eli (Washington) is an exceptional man in a post apocalyptic world on a near impossible mission that is taking him out West by foot. There are no laws and very few morals among those who have managed to survive making his task even more difficult. He is trying to protect something so powerful that it could ultimately save the human race which at present is sinking further and further into despair. Along the way he meets Solara (Kunis) who could use some saving herself and together they continue on the journey.

• This movie takes survival of the fittest to a whole new level. There isn't much left but dust and people are driven to do anything to survive.
• Denzel Washington is excellent and nice to look at even in a bombed out dirty world as usual.
• It was nice to see Mila Kunis in a different kind of movie then what she has done in the past.
• Plenty of action and great fighting scenes but I must say the ending felt just a little flat.
• A testament to the power of faith.

4 Stars

Pandorum

Starring: Dennis Quaid, Ben Foster
Suspense Thriller, 2009 (Rated R)

Two astronauts awaken after an extended slumber on a space ship to a nightmare of killer mutated creatures and more questions then answers as they try to recover their memories and piece together what happened to derail their journey to a newly discovered planet called Tana. They encounter other survivors and attempt to keep the ship from shutting down so that they can continue onto their destination.

• I remained interested as the movie went on and more and more questions were answered about who they were and why they were there.
• Overall decent movie but it didn't knock my socks off in any way.

3 STARS

District 9

Starring: Sharlto Copely, Jason Cope

Thriller, 2009 (Rated R)

Twenty years ago a flying saucer appeared over a small town in South Africa. A company called MNU (Multi National United) has been assigned the near impossible task of controlling the aliens and integrating them in whatever way possible into society. They have been relegated to a ghetto like slum in an area called District 9 and their presence has caused all kinds of problems as humans are now forced to cope with this alien and often times violent population. The situation comes to a head when MNU has decided to relocate the aliens to a new area and one of their head employees Wikus Van de merwe (Copely) has an unfortunate exposure to alien fluid inside one of the alien homes. He suddenly finds himself on the run from the company that just promoted him.

• I really had no idea what this movie was about and was quite surprised at what I saw in the first 30 minutes.
• It was a satirical comedy/parody documentary style. A comedy mostly because of how such bizarre subject matter was being presented in such a straight forward dead pan manner.
• There were mostly unknown actors and the acting was good.
• The movie got better for me as it went along and the actual story line began to develop.
• I really fell in love with Wikus. He was such a kind man who found himself in a horribly awful situation but never gave up fighting.
• There was plenty of action and plenty of blood and icky stuff if you are into that sort of thing. Which I am!!
• Those aliens are so nasty looking!

5 Stars

A Perfect Getaway

Starring: Milla Jovovich, Steve Zahn, Timothy Olyphant, Kiele Sanchez

Thriller, 2009 (Rated R)

A couple on their honeymoon in Hawaii meet up with another pair after news breaks that there has been a brutal murder on a nearby island. As time goes on the newlyweds second guess their decision to tag along and hike this rural trail together. As they travel together and they become wary of their new friends. Nick is an ex military special ops trained war vet and Gina is a free spirited sweet yet tough girl. Both couples cross paths with a strange hard edged couple that looks like trouble. If anyone killed anyone it seems that they are the likely suspects but you quickly realize that looks can be deceiving.

• I was on the edge of my seat the entire time.
• There was an amazing unexpected twist and everything that led up to it kept me guessing.
• Stunning Hawaii backdrop with vibrant beautiful colors. Spending 3 days hiking through muddy trails and sleeping in tents is NOT my idea of fun but the scenery was beautiful.
• Jovovich does it again. I love her as an actress. She is as engaging to watch as she is beautiful.

5 Stars

The Fourth Kind

Starring: Milla Jovovich

Thriller, 2009

This movie is based on the true story of Dr. Abigail Tyler who was a psychotherapist in small town Nome Alaska . It focuses on what happened after her husband dies in 2000 while they are both in the midst of delving into some strange incidents being reported by her patients. What happens to Dr. Tyler and her family are said to be related to alien encounters of the 4Th kind. What you believe is for you to decide.

• I didn't know too much coming into this movie except that Jovovich was in it and that it looked scary. That was enough to make me want to see it.
• I found it very interesting how the raw footage from the actual events are shown in a split screen with scenes from the movie. The acting was so excellent that the movie scenes very closely resembled the real footage.
• It is especially chilling that everything in the movie is based upon actual audio and video recordings.
• This was a good movie. It had some good scary moments but when I walked out of the theatre I could only describe it as OK.
• It definitely gets you thinking about what might be out there can't be explained and that we know very little about.

3 Stars

100 Feet

Starring: Famke Janssen, Michael Pare

Thriller, 2008

A woman who was abused by her husband throughout her marriage is sentenced to house arrest for his murder. She soon finds out that till death do us part is not always the case. Even in death she is haunted by her abusive husband but is at a loss as to what to do about it because he is already dead.

• This movie somehow slipped under the radar. I don't really even recall ever hearing about it and just happened to see it at blockbuster.
• It had some very scary and thrilling moments.
• Janssen is a great actress.

4 Stars

Orphan

Starring: Peter Saarsgard, Vera Farmiga, Isabelle Fuhrman

Thriller, 2009

A married couple that already has two children adopt a 9 year old girl. She seems to be the perfect new daughter at first but the mother quickly realizes that Esther isn't what she seems. Terrible things seem to happen when she is around and their family begins to fall apart as she pitts one person against the other. The mom is suspicious and made out to be merely paranoid and ill, while Esther has the father wrapped around her little finger. The mom searches for clues as to the origins of their new daughter but if she doesn't find answers soon enough it might be too late to save her family.

• Classic story line about the child who is a "bad seed." Accordingly she appears charming to some but shows her evil side to others and has amazing powers of manipulation.
• This movie had the that classic story line but with a little twist that I didn't see coming.
• Very action packed and engaging.
• They really picked the perfect little girl to play Esther.
• It was perfectly scary while keeping me entertained and interested.

4 Stars

Surveillance

2008, Thriller (Rated R)
Starring: Julia Ormond, Bill Pullman, Pell James

Two FBI agents show up in a small town police station to uncover the events that led up to a grisly murder scene. There are killers on the loose and this is not their first crime in this small town. As the agents begin questioning the surviving witnesses-a little girl, a junkie, and a police officer-a major unexpected twist occurs. You find out that people definitely are not who they seem as they each tell their version of how the events went down.

• The best word I can think of to describe this movie is ugly. Dirty evil small town cops, sick and twisted killers, a family and a couple of junkies all come together in a way that make this movie very ugly. Ugly people doing ugly things.
• It definitely keeps you guessing and wondering along the way, which to me is a good quality in a movie.
• There is a very unexpected twist about 1/2 way through.
• I'd say go ahead and watch it but just be prepared for some ugly sick and twisted scenes.

4 STARS