0SF.com - Entertainment Reviews

Directed by: Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Faris
Written by: Michael Arndt
Cast: Alan Arkin, Abigail Breslin, Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Paul Dano, & Greg Kinnear

You've undoubtedly heard about the vast praise received by Little Miss Sunshine in the past few months. The film about a dysfunctional family taking a road trip has already racked up numerous awards, and has even been given Oscar nods for best supporting actress (Abigail Breslin), best supporting actor (Alan Arkin), best original screenplay, and best motion picture of the year. One or more of your friends has definitely recommended it, but do you trust their taste in films?

Well, you should.

It's not the typical indie film that attempts to insert metaphors into every scene and it doesn't overuse profound words of wisdom that people like to quote in their AIM or MySpace profiles. What Little Miss Sunshine does give to its audience is a solid comedic drama, with a variety of memorable characters, each with their own unique take on what it means to be a family.

The storyline is centralized around the fact that a "cute" little girl, Olive, (she really is cute, but your supposed to think she is plain) has to fill in for the winner of her hometown's beauty pageant in a regional contest. The problematic family has to come together, take a road trip, and get their single grain of inspiration - Olive - to her destination so she can compete. Along the way, the family comes to a number of realizations, while simultaneously figuring out their lives in an intriguing and hilarious way.

Recommendation: Move Little Miss Sunshine to your must see list.

Cast: Josh Hartnett, Bruce Willis, Lucy Liu
Director: Paul McGuigan

A crime drama with comedic undertones pits two crime bosses against one another with the wrong man in the middle. Nick played by Josh Hartnett is the mistaken man who owes two crime bosses money The Boss (Morgan Freeman)and The Rabbi(Ben Kingsley). To fix the situation he has to kill The Rabbis son. The first few minutes of the movie quickly pile up bodies and the viewer is not really sure what is going on. As time goes on the story unfolds and Hartnett is not the naive person he comes to play. A different twist on the crime story with times a little corny but entertaining. Bruce Willis plays the quintessential cool bad ass hitman whose role you only find out about near the end. It seems its either a hitman or cop for Willis these days but he plays it well. Lucy Liu plays a quirky neighbor who seems a little desperate for love and finds him in the first few minutes in Hartnett, sorry guys no nudity.

Grade: B-

Written and Directed by: Darren Aronofsky

The Fountain is undeniably complex and is certainly not driven by a traditional narrative; basically it doesn't follow a chronological timeline. But even with Aronofsky's artistic independent approach, it doesn't mean you should give up on this film in the first 10 minutes- even when, most likely, your questions will outweigh the answers.

On a very basic level this film explores a love story and the quest for eternal life. Tommy Creo (Hugh Jackman) is a scientist in the year 2000 trying to save his dieing wife, Izzi Creo (Rachel Weisz), from a cancerous brain tumor. The audience can see this struggle in easy terms, but are also faced with some simultaneous challenges. The Fountain changes between 3 time periods: the modern one previously mentioned, the 16th century in which Tommy is a conquistador, and another in the 26th century, which shows Tommy as an astronaut. The confusing part is that the audience doesn't see the time periods in succession, so you have to balance the images/scenes with what you think is happening in each "dimension." If you don't read an official plot summary before the film, you'll be left to guess whether the past and future are real to the modern Tommy or if they are imagined sequences.

The Fountain has magnificent visual effects, both beautiful and mysterious. The themes are also intriguing: eternal life, rebirth from death, eternal love, and higher powers (to name a few). What Aronofsky attempts to do with this film should not be scoffed at as though it is some kind of failed blockbuster. What The Fountain does do, is provide its audience with a unique way of looking at a film that touches on the questions that everyone will ask at some point in their life.

Don't let the confusion and enigmatic qualities of The Fountain scare you. Step outside of your box.

Cast: Tommy Lee Jones, Barry Pepper, Julio Cedillo
Director: Tommy Lee Jones

The plot: Melquiades Estrada is accidentally shot near the border by Patrolman Mike Norton (Barry Pepper) and is left for dead. A ranch hand and friend played by Tommy Lee Jones has promised Melquiades to bury him in his home town and kidnaps Mike Norton to help transport the body. A sweeping tale of the border crossing shows the beauty of the desert and mexico. Lee plays the old leathered ranch hand well, while Pepper's character takes as much physical pain as possible while still somehow being slighlty humorous. Dwight Yoakam has a small but well played role as the local police.

A different story makes for a fun viewing. I also learned salt and antifreeze wont keep a dead body too fresh.

Grade: B-

Rent The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada

Cast: Pierce Brosnan, Greg Kinnear, Hope Davis
Director: Richard Shepard

A dark hitman comedy, what happens when a burnt out hitman meets a burnt out salesman at a bar. They become friends and soon it seems the salesman becomes part of the jobs. Brosnan is funny as the emotionally drained hitman who has done one too many jobs and has no friends. So what does he do, drink and screw to keep going, but finds even that is not enough. An entertaining movie with not a deep plot, but fast paced enough to keep the viewer interested. Kinnear is likeable enough as the everyday man that he always seems to play.

Grade: B+

Rent The Matador
Buy The Matador

Cast: Vincent Gallo, Chloë Sevigny, Cheryl Tiegs
Director: Vincent Gallo

Vincent Gallo wrote, directed and starred in this slow moving story of a motorcycle racer Bud Clay who has lost his love, but constantly tries to replace the void with women he meets on the road. Only at the end of the movie do you find out what happens to Daisy his ex played by Chloe Sevigny. Like many art films this movie could have been shortened way down, very little happens in this movie to make you watch it on normal speed. The scenery on his trip is enjoyable, but is there any reason to spend time filming a guy filling his van up with gas? Little dialogue in this movie stacks up with the likes of Matt Damons art house film Gerry. The rest of the film shows Gallo in constant anguish until the end of the movie which is what started so much controversy and garnered any viewings of this film.

Many viewers may just fast forward through this movie to a graphic blow job scene by Chloe Sevigny. I haven’t seen this type of sex scene outside of a porno. I have to ask as a director at what point do you tell an actress in this intense scene we’d like it to be real no hidden camera angles so you’re going to actually blow your co star and oh yeah that’s me. Apparently this film did not hurt her chances as she moved on to HBO’s Big Love. This sound in this intimate scene is very muted so if you plan on understanding it turn the volume way up. What you find out is Daisy his one true love at a party passed out from drugs and alcohol and was raped by 2 guys at the party. Gallos character walks in on this and not knowing what to do leaves only at the end do we find out she dies from her mixing of drugs. Sorry if I gave out the ending, but you will most likely be watching the movie for the last 5 minutes.

And oh yes the title comes from a chocolate bunny Bud bought Daisy a long time ago.

Grade: D

Rent The Brown Bunny
Buy The Brown Bunny

Cast: Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Rinko Kikuchi
Director: Alejandro González Iñárritu

A moving story that spans 3 countries and several people from different backgrounds all impacted by a gift to a guide. The story starts in Moroco where an American couple on vacation is involved in a shooting and the wife Susan played by Cate Blanchett is hurt. Stranded in a small Moroccan village Richard the husband (Brad Pitt) does all he can to get his wife help. The story moves into Japan and Mexico slowly showing how all the characters are related. The story is told from different points of view in non chronological order as it seems to be the trend in film. Overall the story is very moving and the soundtrack is equally emotional keeping you in the moment of Mexico, Japan and Morocco. All the acting is well done and Rinko Kikuchi stands out as a deaf mute girl in Japan who is having a hard time coping after her mothers death.

A possible nomination for best director this moving film is a must see.

Grade: A-

Cast: Johnny Knoxville, Katherine Heigl, Brian Cox
Director:Barry W. Blaustein

This movie was HORRIBLE, I almost turned it off but always feel obligated to watch a movie all the way through.

Steve Barker played by Johnny Knoxville and His Uncle Gary (Brian Cox) go about rigging the Special Olympics to pay off debts. I knew the plot going in before the movie and thought it had a chance to be funny, wrong but funny. The writing was dull with very few funny lines. And the premise is an old one guy falls for the girl but has some secret which she eventually finds out and at the end he still gets the girl. Come on would anyone date a guy if they found out he was pretending to be mentally challenged? Knoxvilles acting was dull and he always seems to be falling down like its another episode of jackass.

I am not sure what Katherine Heigl was thinking, stick with Greys Anatomy or read the script next time before accepting.

Pass on this movie, even if all there is is a Lifetime movie on television.

Grade: D

Cast: Claire Danes, Steve Martin, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Anand Tucker

The basic plot: Mirabelle Buttersfield (Claire Danes) has recently moved from Vermont to LA and works at the glove counter at Saks Fifth Avenue. She has little friends but meets Jeremy Kraft (Jason Schwartzman)a quirky artist and they start a short lived fling. After some time Ray Porter (Steve Martin) a wealthy businessman asks out Mirabelle and a budding romance ensues, but he has made clear it is am open relationship.

Shop Girl starts off slow, but picks it up with some emotion. The movie provided a little bit more depth as they delve into Claire Danes bored character with depression. Jason Schwartzman's character Jeremy Kraft was very annoying in the beginning and you wonder how someone could care for him, but he slowly grows on you like mold.

A somewhat entertaining movie with likeable characters.

Grade: C+

Rent Shop Girl
Buy Shop Girl

Directed By: Larry Charles
Cast: Sacha Baron Cohen, Ken Davitian

Quick Background: The Borat movie is about a Kazakhi journalist who is unfamiliar with the American way of life, yet is extremely interested in learning about the U.S. culture. Borat (the character) decides to come to America and make a documentary about his travels to help "benefit" the people of Kazakhstan. The character originated on the HBO series "Da Ali G Show."

Borat is absolutely one of the craziest/provocative comedic films that has ever been released in major theaters across the U.S. The video clips of this film circulating around the Internet are just as insane as the entire movie. Basically take those clips and add about 20 more, along with a small plot about traveling across the United States and that's the movie. It sounds simple, but every scene includes the bizarre behavior of Borat. I think what makes this movie so hilarious is the fact that Sacha Baron Cohen (Talladega Nights) makes the people in the film believe that his character, Borat, is a real man facing cultural differences. The film doesn't lead you to believe that Borat is fake, but if you know that he is an actor messing with real people before you watch the film, then it just might make it funnier (I think most people get the actor part anyway, I hope).

This film has had a lot of controversy surrounding its release. If you don't like to see people get messed with, this might not be a great pick. If you are uncomfortable with jokes about religion, race, sexual identity, and/or don't want to see male nudity- then this movie definitely wouldn't be a great pick. However, if you like "Da Ali G Show," like that "Jackass" kind of humor, and somehow might want to look at this film as a comedic commentary on our ever growing global-society...then you just might like it. NIIIIIICE.

Label: Warner Bros. Records

Robert Randolph & The Family Band's second studio album, "Colorblind," takes a slightly different direction than their typical jam-band sound on previous recordings. You don't find those instrumental tracks and there is definitely a focus on studio sound quality, instead of that "earthy" independent feel. One finds more refined vocals, more refined guitar riffs, and a funkier sound. There is also a stronger emphasis on God and equality, but that shouldn't surprise any RR&TFB fans, after all he did learn to play the pedal steel guitar in church.

I liken the RR&TFB transformation to that of the Dave Matthews Band's "Stand Up" album and O.A.R's "Stories of a Stranger" album, in that the bands both took a step away from old favorites and put one foot into the mainstream pop genre. This change for RR&TFB isn't a step in the wrong direction though. You can still jam to the songs on "Colorblind." The songs "Ain't Nothing Wrong With That," "Thrill of It" and "Homecoming" are catchy, flavorful, and uplifting, revealing the true talents of all four band members. The album also features the musical greatness of Eric Clapton and Dave Matthews.

Cast: Aaron Eckhart, Katie Holmes, William H Macy
Director: Jason Reitman

An amusing story of a Tobacco Lobbyist Nick Naylor played by Aaron Eckhart whose job it is to change peoples minds about the perils of smoking. Nick loves his job and does it well manipulating the media and anti smokers. William H Macy plays the crunchy Vermont senator who wants to put poison labels on all cigarette packs, has Nick finally met his match? Nicks life is quickly turned around when he meets the beatiful news reporter Heather Holloway (Katie Holmes). Rumor has it Tom cruise had the producers delete a topless scene of Katie Holmes, too bad.

Maria Bello and David Koechner put in good performances as Nicks only friends and evil spinmasters. Aaron Eckhart makes his character likeable even when being despised and makes some valid arguments when trying to explain to his son played by Cameron Bright why he does what he does. A fun movie even though I hate smoking.

Grade: A-

Rent Thank You For Smoking
Buy Thank You For Smoking

Pompeii

Robert Harris 2003

Another perfect novel from the Author of Fatherland, Enigma, and Archangel. This "alternative history" novel is not so much alternative. This time, Harris weaves a thrilling tale into real history with phenomnial historic detail. Playing on the real-life first hand accounts of Pliney the Elder, Harris tells the tale of a Roman Aqueduct Engineer, "Aquarius", that is dragged into the currupt world of the Bay of Naples. Strange events begin to unfold imediatly as the Aquarius arrives at his new post. The drama builds quickley and keeps going to the end where the book finishes with a bang, several bangs actually.

Harris readers will not be dissapointed. Now, when will Imperium be released in paperback...

Cast: Kate Beckinsale, Scott Speedman, Tony Curran
Director: Len Wiseman

What can we say about Underworld Evolution? Better than the first but then again thats not saying much. It's vampires & werewolves meet the Matrix. The story takes place where the first left off, Selene played by Kate Beckinsale dressed in tight leather yes a Trinity knock off but she looks much better than Carrie Ann Moss has killed one of the elder vampires and she is being hunted. Along with her is a hybrid vampire/wereelf played by Scott Speedman. The ladies will appreciate the fact that he wears no shirt throughout the movie. They attempt to wake up the original vampire to tell them what has happened, but too late he's awake and hunting Selene down becuase little does she know she knows something of great importance. The story unravels the origins of vampires and werelwolves.

Pretty good action and special affects, but I always wonder why Selene constantly uses guns, she's a vampire and should be able to kick ass without them. Plus I don't understand why she needs a flashlight shouldn't she be able to see in the dark.

The plot is a little to intricate, everyone has to make these sci fi stories with multiple plot lines, gets a little annoying.

Beckinsale shows very little skin during her love scene, not much since her husband was behind the camera directing.

Overall entertaining, but the story line lacked interest and Beckinsale just shot endless bullets into people when she should have just bit their heads off.

Overall: C

Rent Underworld Evolution

Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg, Alec Baldwin, Vera Farmiga
Director: Martin Scorsese

The Departed looks to be based on the life of Boston Gangster Whitey Bulger, though never mentioned. Taking place in modern day Boston, it's the telling of a gangster who has put moles into the Boston State Police to act as his informants. You find out everyone is on the take and its a fine line between cop, criminal and informant.

Scorsese's film is a great mix of violence and humor and the multitude of talented actors stand out. Jack Nicholson does a stunning job as Frank Costello the Boston Mob Boss and may be nominated. Alec Baldwin is humorous as Captain Ellerby who heads up the Special Units department and the two main characters, Billy Costigan (DiCaprio) and Colin Sullivan (Damon) play well as the local boys becoming cops. Even Mark Wahlberg the foul mouthed Sargeant does a great job as the hard ass cop. Vera Farmiga plays Police Psychiatrist and the love interest in both Billys and Colins life. Eventhough I dont really see a shrink falling in love with a drug addict, undercover cop but thats just me.

A great unexpected ending that left the audience gasping in the theatre, but the final scene while thrown in for humor I felt should have been left out.

Overall a great little brother to Scorsese's pinnacle crime drama Goodfellas.

Grade: A-

Get Tickets to See The Departed

Cast: Charlize Theron, Marton Csokas, Jonny Lee Miller, Pete Postlethwaite
Director: Karyn Kusama

Based on the Animated Series Aeon Flux falls very much short. The plot; a plague has ravaged the world leaving less than 10% of the population left who know live in the city Bregna. Taking place 400 years in the future Aeon Flux an assasin part of the Monican rebellion is assigned to kill the leader of the government Trevor Goodchild (Marton Csokas). Aeon is played well by Charlize Theron, but her character lacks much except for skin tight outfits and a little ass kicking. The cartoon rarely made sense and neither does this plot. I have yet to see too many futuristic plots that make sense or are truly entertaining, not since Blade Runner. I was surprised she would sign on to make this movie, while the potential was there the script was god awful.

Just once I'd like to see a futuristic movie with weapons that make sense, soldiers that aren't pathetic and a good plot.

I'd pass on this movie

Rating: D

Rent Aeon Flux

Buy Aeon Flux

We've had the Rancher for over two seasons now. We bought it new from a local hardware store with the optional hard case. The tool was delivered fueled and the store gave a brief demonstration/instruction on how to operate the saw.

I bought this saw as an upgrade to the old Homelite Profesional saw I inherited from my father. Struggling with it's exceptionally high tendencey to flood despite a recent professional tune-up, I decided I spent more time fiddling than cutting.

I surveyed a few friends and relatives regarding their prefrences and then did some homework. After a breif time with Google, I found there are really only two brands of saws on the broad markte; Stihl and Poulan. "Poulan?" you might say. And this is where the stoddard old timer will say "Bull$#!%, you obviously don’t know anythign about saws. My Johnsered will run circles arround your department store Poulan". And he is right, at least about his Johnsered. The reality is that Husqvarna and Johnsered are both owned by Poulan. It’s a tierd pricing stratagy. Johnsered gets all the new features and is the conesours saw. Husky is the workhorse, blue collar if you will. And Poulan is the economy, homeowner saw.

So anyway, this cut the field down tremendously as I only had to compare Husky/Jonsered and Stihl. I have a good friend who did smoke-jumping for a year with Stihl saws. He admits they beat the crap out of them, but they seemed to burn out the motors frequently. To me, this is NOT where a 2 cycle chansaw should have it's issues. Provided it gets proper oil mixture, has an air filter, and the crank seals arent dried out from age, a 2 cycle should _never_ fail. I've got two "Echo" made snowmobiles from the 70's and the Homelite pro almost as old, a Mercury outboard from the early 60's, and two others from the 70's. None of these engines suffer wear damage. If a saw is going to wear out, if it's not clutches, bars, or chains, I'm not impressed.

So I decided the Rancher 455 fit my needs for power and price. It seems targeted for the guy like me. I'm not a "rancher" per say, but I have a decent wooded lot in rural New England that needs occasional maintenance of felled trees etc. Some of these can be >18" of both pine and hardwood. The rancher comes with either an 18 or 20" bar and has a decent size engine to pull that long of a chain through a 20" oak.

One of the key diffrences between a "pro" saw and a homeowner saw is engine speed. This is all about productivity. The faster you can pull the chain through the log, the faster you cut. The Rancher doesn’t rev as high as the similar pro models, but has plenty of power not to bog down with all but the toughest of wet logs. A sharp chain litteraly falls through an 18" pine with no pressure.

Probably the best nicety of the saw is the decompresson valve. This is an extra cam locked valve that vents the combustion chamber to atmosphere for easy starting. As soon as the fuel detonates in the chamber, the resulting pressure wave immediately closes the valve and the engine runs as normal. This makes for effortless, and usually one pull, starts.

My only complaint so far, and likley my own fault, is that the bar oil is now leaking when at rest. I have not investigated the issue, but the vlave is probably stuck with saw dust or dirt. I would expect this not to happen, but I should also clean the saw more thouroughly than wipign the exterior with my glove befor putting it away.

So far so good, I give this one an "A".

“Long Term Test Drive”

In general, the Honda Civic and the Toyota Corolla get lumped into the same "econo" bucket, with good reason. The Civic is our commuter rat. We put at least 82 miles per week day on this car. It’s not so pretty any more and is often adorned with empty coffee mugs and bagel crumbs. We bought the car with about 70k miles on it some 7 years ago. We’re now running 233k trouble free miles, at least relatively trouble free.

The entire time we’ve had the car, the only non consumables I’ve replaced are the C.V. joints, the radiator, a rubber control arm bushing, a ball joint, and the thermostat. Not too shabby for 160k miles of use. The CV’s cost about $100, the Radiator another $100, bushing $50, ball joint $120, and the thermostat with new gaskets about $40. Now if you’re not handy, the CV’s are going to cost you some decent labor. There not difficult to do, but they take time since several major front end assemblies need to be removed for this repair.

As for consumables, the big ones to note are the timing belt and, for standard transmission models, clutch. This is an “interference” engine as in most foreign cars and as such the timing belt MUST be changed on a prescribed interval else you risk a fatal engine failure. The belt doesn’t cost much, $30-60, but the labor to install it is going to run in the mid hundreds. Similar with the clutch, aftermarket parts are available for about $100 but the labor again is going to run in the mid hundreds. I’ve changed the clutch once and need to do the timing belt for the third time now (60-90k interval).

The major bonus on this car however is the fuel economy. You may see this influence my other automotive reviews, particularly American cars. The Civic averages an easy 38mpg. This is not like the Passat where you have to baby it to get 30mpg. The Civic gets 38mpg _all_ the time. On bad days you might get 36mpg. The car isn’t a “write your name on the pavement doughnut monster” by any means, but it moves right along. We typically commute on the highway at 80-90 MPH without any issues regarding available power or fear of being rear-ended while merging. You will have to rev this little motor to generate that merging power which I’ve found seems frighten many American car drivers. But, this really isn’t going to hurt this engine one bit. Redline is in the 7k range.

Interior durability is very high. This car is fitted with tan fabric upholstery. There are no tears or even noticeable wear spots. There are few stains here and there, but nothing that affects the integrity of the seating.

Interior noise and elbow room are the main detractors for this car. There is significant wind and tire noise at all speeds. Elbow room is cramped to say the least. Driver and passenger can’t fasten the seat belt simultaneously and there is no arm rest. Space between the bucket seats is just enough for the hand brake.

Exterior durability is also very high. Now at 13 years old and 230k miles, were getting some minor bubbling on the leading edge of the hood and at the rear of the rear wheel wells. However, these bubbles are _slow_ growing. They actually have been there for a year or two with little noticeable growth. The hood rot is due to road debris damage, and should likely be avoided with a protective clear film. The rear wheel well is a minor design flaw. This area collects road debris and remains damp.

All in all, this is a great car. I highly recommend the brand and the Civic in particular.

If you enjoyed Grand Theft Auto than you will enjoy Saints Row; it looks and feels just like any of the GTA games. In Saints Row you are caught up in a gang battle for your city, Stilwater. You are in the 3rd street saints and need to battle the other gang in order to take control of the entire city. I would have given this game a 5, but there are no other vehicles you can use like, motorcycles, boats or planes and the ones you can use don’t go as fast as I would have liked.

Overall: I rate it 4/5 skulls

Cheat Codes for Saints Row

To imput these codes press start and scroll to your cell phone and dial the password below. You will then see the cheat under "cheats" on your cell phone; press "A" to active.

Password
Result

#sunny
clear skies

(555) 018-0174
Eagleline Yellow (Taxi Service)

#Shepherd
Enables "Give .44 Shepherd"

#12Gauge
Enables "Give 12 Gauge"

#AS12Riot
Enables "Give AS12 Riot"

#3373352623
Enables "Give Fer De Lance" the best car

#GDHC50
Enables "Give GDHC .50"

#Grenade
Enables "Give Hand Grenade"

#Knife
Enables "Give Knife"

#Molotov
Enables "Give Molotov Cocktail"

#Nightstick
Enables "Give Nightstick"

#NR4
Enables "Give NR4"

#Pipebomb
Enables "Give Pipe Bomb"

#Rocket
Enables "Give RPG Launcher"

#T3KUrban
Enables "Give T3K Urban"

#Tombstone
Enables "Give Tombstone"

#Vice9
Enables "Give Vice 9"

#fullhealth
Full Health

#27409863
Give Ar-40 Xtnd Rifle

#K6Krukov
Give K6Krukov

#66639
Give money

#pimpcane
Gives a pimpcane shotgun

#Macmanus
Gives McManus Sniper Rifle

#Macanus
Gives you the "McManus" sniper rifle

#10
God's Wrath (random lightning strikes)

#AMMO
Infinite Ammo

#SPRINT
Infinite Sprint

#nocops
No Cop Notoriety

#nogangs
No Gang Notoriety

#BaseBall
Spawn BaseBall Bat

555-455-8008
TNA Taxi Service

Directed and written by: Greg Marcks

Cast: Shawn Hatosy, Hilary Swank, Patrick Swayze, Clark Gregg

11:14 is an unlucky time of night in the town of Middleton. The lives of a number of unsuspecting townspeople will come together in a chaotic and gruesome climax, as the viewer watches each terrible situation, one at a time. It's filmed in fragments, similar to the Academy Award winning film Crash (2004), but it doesn't have an important underlying theme, well maybe it's- don't do something bad. Anyway, this is an independent film, but it draws a few big name actors like Hilary Swank and Patrick Swayze. The performances are believable, but not memorable. There were a number of times when I found myself furrowing my brow for one reason or another, but mostly because of shock. If you're a fan of movies like Happiness (1998), KIDS (1995), Memento (2000), or Bully (2001), this movie is right up your alley. Basically this film asks a lot of its viewer, but is nonetheless interesting.

Directed by: Louis Leterrier

Cast: Jason Statham, Amber Valetta, Keith David, Alessandro Gassman, Kate Nauta

Quick synopsis: After a little boy is kidnapped, an emissary or "transporter" attempts to stay true to his pledge that no one will hurt the youngster. The transporter goes all-out to try to get the boy back to safety and single-handedly take on countless bad guys.

Transporter 2 certainly makes use of its action genre film status in its 87 minute runtime. From the opening scene until the end the audience finds little downtime from the car chases, martial arts, gunfire, and explosions. The action also takes place on land, sea, and air, supporting the main character, Frank Martin, (Jason Statham) as versatile fighting unit that faces little damage for only being human. But the audience is basically seeing what appears to be a superhero without the cape. You can't go into this movie hoping to be floored, however, Transporter 2 does provide for an entertaining hour and a half. Some of the action sequences are even quite well done, but if you're looking for a film with some substance, this one probably won't cut it.

Directed by Michael Ferris Gibson

1) Interested in the internet? Check.
2) Interested in voyeuristic documentaries? Check.
3) Interested in the secret life of many San Francisco citizens? Check.

Then 24 Hours on Craigslist may be the film for you.

24 Hours on Craigslist is a movie about the people that post on http://www.craigslist.org, the free online classifieds started by Craig Newmark.

After seeing this flick go view the “Best of Craigslist” section on the Craigslist site. Funny Stuff.

Overall: A

Rent: 24 Hours on Craigslist

Directed by: Spike Lee

Cast: Denzel Washington, Clive Owen, Jodie Foster

On the same level as Ocean's Eleven (2001) and The Italian Job (2003), Inside Man depicts a one-of-a-kind heist that keeps the audience interested until the end. The film basically jumps right into action, showing the beginnings of a dynamic bank robbery just minutes after the opening credits. Even though Inside Man pushes reality a little bit, it doesn't push enough to make the audience question the believability. Overall it stays true to the world the film creates. Jodie Foster does a good job playing her character Madeline White, except I couldn't figure out her character's profession. I knew she was in a high power position because she had the mayor and everyone else wrapped around her finger, but was she a property investor or a lawyer of some sort or even something else? I just couldn't tell. Fortunately Denzel Washington clearly played Detective Keith Frazier, an entertaining and witty character that remained unperturbed by the robbers: the basic kind of protagonist the audience roots for.

Compared to other movies in this genre of cops and robbers I found it to be a fairly memorable one.

Directed by: Sidney J. Furie

Cast: Peter O'Toole, Joan Plowright, Alicia Silverstone, Lochlyn Munro

One of the most popular bands from the United States takes a break from the media attention of being rock stars and relaxes on a stately manor in the countryside of England. The band is also trying to incorporate a new member after the disappearance of an original band-mate, so taking a break from the public eye is just what the record label big-shots prescribe. The viewer is left to see if the band can work things out in a new setting and with a new face.

The premise sounds interesting, but the movie plays out mediocre. Rock My World, also known under the title Global Heresy (2002), basically feels like a made-for-TV movie, except it has an R rating. By looking at the cover of the movie case a viewer is led to believe that the film revolves around Alicia Silverstone's character, when in fact the film is about everyone in the band, as well as, the owners of the English manor. Rock My World stays generally light hearted and humorous, but there are a few intense moments which are basically the highlights of the movie. The music the band "plays" throughout the movie isn't bad, so at least their stardom is believable in the film.

Label: Triple Crown Records

With a track titled "Love, Love, Love (Love, Love)," you may have guessed it: As Tall As Lions' sophomore, self-titled album has got a lot to do with love. The lyrics refer to finding love and fleeting love and everything in-between. But not to worry, this sophomore release isn't sappy emo or mushy ballads, it's a serious attempt at carefully crafted poetic lines that flow with their ambient indie sound. Lead singer Daniel Nigro's vocals sooth the listener throughout the album, complimenting the band's wave-like melodies. The band has it together and songs like "Ghost of York" and "Song for Luna" are sure to have you singing or at least humming along.

As Tall As Lions is recommended for your music entertainment pleasure.
One of the best bands I've heard in recent years.

Directed by: Michael LaBash & Anthony Leondis

Writing credits: Anthony Leondis & Eddie Guzelian

MPAA: Rated PG for some mild action.

Originally planned to be the theatrical sequel to the first Lilo & Stitch film; Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch was released direct to Disney DVD.

The fact that this was planned for theaters shows through. It obviously uses the techniques for film animation as opposed to the TV crew that produces the Disney channel series.

It contains several references to Elvis and one sad moment that kids may cry during, but overall a fun continuation of the original.

Overall: Rent / B+

Rent Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch

Directed by: Warren Beatty
Screenplay by: Warren Beatty & Jeremy Pikser

Cast: Warren Beatty, Halle Berry, Don Cheadle, Oliver Platt, Paul Sorvino, Jack Warden, Isaiah Washington – lots of other recognizable actors as well

On the last leg of the 1996 California Primaries, Senator Jay Bulworth (Warren Beatty) drops his original campaign plan, changing his style and beliefs overnight, while shocking his campaign staff. The film follows Jay Bulworth's life until the primaries close and the results are in.

Bulworth was probably really funny when it was first released, but stylistically the premise makes it lose its timelessness and some of its humor. The film does, however, become more interesting as it progresses into the storyline and fortunately I didn't feel like I wasted my time. Warren Beatty does a good job being a corny, rapping politician. Halle Berry seems to have difficulty playing a gansta chick and the role doesn't fit her as an actress.

Check it out if you are looking for a film somewhere between a comedy and a drama. However, this isn't a must see.

Cast: Don Johnson, Virginia Madsen, Jennifer Connelly
Director: Dennis Hopper

A drifter (Don Johnson) comes to a small town in Texas and gets a job as a car salesman. He comes up with a way to make a quick buck, rob the local bank and use a building on fire as a decoy. He falls for a coworker (Jennifer Connelly) but sleeps with the wrong woman, his bosses wife played by the seductive Virginia Madsen. Steamy sex scenes with Madsen and Johnson as well as Jennifer Connelly and multiple plot twists make this a fun movie to rent. Don Johnson in his prime before Nash Bridges and Virginia Madsen before she put the weight on. Check this movie out.

Grade: B+

Rent The Hot Spot

Buy The Hot Spot

It’s nearing time for my familie's (nearly) annual trip to Quebec City. For the past 5 years we have been camping in Quebec on the American Labor Day weekend. This place means a little extra to me in particular. The first of my Family name to land in the “New World” landed in Quebec City in the late 1600’s. The city has a long and rich history. In fact, it’s the only walled city in North America. With narrow cobble streets lined with quaint shops, it is New France indeed.

Quebec City is located on a bluff overlooking the Saint Lawrence Seaway. The geology of the site made for a near perfect location to build a frontier colony. It is substantially inland, close to the fur trade, yet the St. Lawrence is still wide enough to tack a large sailing vessel. Unspoiled natural areas abut the urban center, with Scandinavian like Fjords just an hour north along the river and unending snowmobile trails in the winter.

Nearby natural attractions include the Chute Montmorency, or Montmorency Falls.

This spectacular waterfall is only minutes by car from the city center. There is an extensive staircase from the river bank or a gondola for a quicker ride to the top. A little further up the road is Les Sept Chutes, or the Seven Waterfalls. This is actually the sight of an old Hydroelectric Power station. Wooded trails wander down the hillside along the river giving scenic vistas of several smaller falls. Even further still is the Saguenay Fjords. Kayak tours of the Fjords are sometimes greeted by Beluga and Finback whales feeding on the rich outflow of the estuary.

In the winter, there is the Carnaval de Québec, or winter carnival. Usually held in late January early February, this is a chance to get out and enjoy the cold weather. There are also several large ski resorts nearby including the famous Tremblant, Massif, and Mt. St. Anne. Snowmobile trip companies abound featuring multiple day trips across the areas many trails.

Downtown is about as European as it gets. At the center is the Chateau Frontenac.

Once a castle, now a Fairmont Hotel with the finest of appointments, it towers above the city. It is perched at the top of the bluff with a commanding view of the harbor and the river. Arround it’s base is the busiest part of the old city. A long wooden boardwalk runs across the hilltop, Terrasse Dufferin is often speckled with ice cream and candy vendors.

Looking down from the Terrasse, you will see Le Petite Champlain. This very quaint alley is lined with shops selling ware of all kinds including live glass blowing.

Restaurants and souvenir shops abound.

Up the hill from the Terrasse is the old fortress. Tours are available and you can learn about the shifting tides of ownership of the new world as most of the major battles were centered here in Quebec. Over in England, you’ll find a statue of General Wolfe at Greenwich commemorating his triumph here over the French whose king brushed off the defeat saying “We fight not over barren plains of snow”. This area has traded hands several times, at one point pushing my ancestors (the Acadians) south to the USA. Some of these peoples ended up following the seaway all the way to Louisiana where they became known as ‘Cadians or Cajuns.

Quebec is a French speaking province and Quebec City is perhaps the most French. However, in the city limits you will not likely have any problems speaking English. Should you wonder further to some of the smaller towns, you may find yourself doing a lot of hand waving if you don’t speak any French.

Cast: Bruce Willis, Kevin Pollack, Ben Foster
Director: Florent Emilio Siri

An LA Police Negotiator (Bruce Willis) fails to save a child and leaves the LA Police Force to be a small town sheriff. He's caught up in a hostage situation that keeps getting worse when one of the hostages is tied to the mob and they want him and some dvds he has. To get Bruce Willis to comply the mob kidnaps Willis's family.

The movie has plenty of action but little else. One time I'd like to see a movie shootout where the bad guys can actually hit something. In one scene Willis actually shoots 5 armed mob guys in a room.

Grade: C-

Rent Hostage
Buy Hostage

Directed By: Adam McKay
Written By: Adam McKay and Will Ferrell
Cast: Will Ferrell, Sacha Baron Cohen, Gary Cole, Michael Clarke Duncan, Jane Lynch, John C. Reilly

Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, rated PG-13, is a comedic portrayal of a fictitious NASCAR driver's rise to fame. The film satirically looks at the pop-culture of advertising and racing sports. There are also many hilarious lines that you'll probably find yourself repeating to your friends.

Talladega Nights is not the first time that writer/director Adam McKay and writer/actor Will Ferrell teamed up to write a movie. You may remember their film Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004). It was kind of a big deal. Anyway, Talladega Nights is their second major film as a writing team. Similar to Anchorman, Talladega Nights is about a dimwitted main character that is outrageously vain, yet oblivious to the discomfort of the people around him. The main character's arrogance is so dumb that the audience can't help but laugh at the lack of humility. Fictitious NASCAR driver Ricky Bobby (Will Ferrell) is the Talladega Nights main character whose self-promoting idiocy works perfectly with the large amounts of sponsorships and advertising usually associated with NASCAR. The role is unique, but there is nothing incredibly special about Will Ferrell's performance except for the fact that he is a generally humorous actor and uses a believable southern accent. However, John C. Reilly (Gangs of New York [2002] & Magnolia [1999]) does a hilarious job in his supporting role as Ricky Bobby's teammate Cal Naughton, Jr. and Gary Cole, infamously known for his role as Bill Lumbergh in the cult classic Office Space (1999), proves to be a great deadbeat redneck as Ricky Bobby's father.

Talladega Nights stands as a solid comedy and is worth checking out on the big screen or when it comes to video.

Cast: Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Vince Vaughn
Director: Doug Liman

The movie that started the hollywood romance. Jane and John Smith (Anglian Jolie & Brad Pitt) are married to each other for 6 years but are bored with their lives. Neither knows they are both governemnt assassins until they are set up as targets. Its a ridiculouse movie with possibly more killed people in 1 movie then I have seen in a long time. Very little else happens in the movie except for 2 pretty people trying to kill each other unsuccessfully. There are occasional attempts at humor with Vince Vaughn, but they are few and not well written. I'd pass on this movie.

Grade: C-

Rent Mr. & Mrs Smith
Buy Mr. & Mrs. Smith

Cast: Yu Wang, Kang Kam
Director: Yu Wang

How great can a movie be when it's written, directed and starred in by the same person, kick ass great if it's a 70s martial arts flick. It's your typical Martial Arts flick with cheesy effects, old men who can kick your ass and the occasional eye gouging. I always wanted to be able to make sounds with my arms and hands and walk on walls but alas I cannot. Heres the basic plot The One Armed Boxer has killed 2 evil students in a previous movie, and their master the blind Fu Sing Wu Chi seeks revenge with his deadly Flying Guillotine. Picture a Beekeeper hat with a saw blade on it that chops your head off with deadly accuracy. The Evil master hunts the One Armed Boxer down but not before he kills any one armed person in his path. There is a martial arts competition going on with some really interesting characters like the indian who can extend his arms to kick his opponents ass or the japanese fighter who fights in more of a Capoeira style. And apparently everyone wants to beat on the poor One Armed boxer to prove they are the best, come on he has just one arm. But wait I think he's hiding it in his shirt. Apparently CGI wasnt invented in the 1970s. Well in the end, smarts and one arm outdo old and blind, Sorry Flying Guillotine.

If you are looking for old school martial arts with cool moves and poor dubbing then you're better off searching for the Kung Fu channel, man I miss it.

If you saw the original The One Armed Boxer, please let me know I dont think I could watch both.

Grade: C-

Rent Master of the Flying Guillotine
Buy Master of the Flying Guillotine

Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Val Kilmer, Michelle Monaghan
Director: Shane Black

A quirky murder mystery with Robert Downey Jr playing a small time thief who after a busted robbery finds himself in a casting call for a new movie. Flown to LA his life quickly takes a turn for the worst when under the tutelage of Gay Perry (Val Kilmer) a detective, he's the witness to a murder then set up as the fall guy. Along the way he runs into his former dream girl from home played by Michelle Monaghan. The movie starts off well with a blend of mystery and well written humor but gets a little tedious and ridiculous. Kilmer does a great job as Gay Perry the homosexual detective picking on the bublimg idiot Downey's character. Michelle Monagahan plays Harmony Faith Lane a would be actress who has been trying for years unsuccessfully to hit it big. She comes across as she's done things in her life shes not proud of.

Overall the movie is funny with great lines, Kilmer plays off Downeys character well but the plot is weak and the ending lacks any sort of credibility. As usual Hollywood throws in the usual nudity scene with Michelle Monaghan who is very hot, but her character lacks substance.

Grade: B

Rent Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

Buy Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

Perhaps better known as “Vulgaria” in the screen adaptation of Ian Flemings’ Chitty-Chitty Bang-Bang, Rothenburg Ob Der Tauber is an amazing little mid-evil town north of Nurnberg. One will find the town still looks like it does in the movie with cobblestone streets and a city wall surrounding it all.

Perhaps one of the more interesting facts about Rothenburg O.D.T. is that it is a living town. People still live and work here. This give the place a soul not found in historic recreations like the Plymouth Plantation in Massachusetts. Granted, the inhabitants don’t all dress in historic garb and carry old word accents, but it is easy to imagine the old city in those days. Cars are prohibited from the old town most hours of the day and you must park outside the city wall. Fear not, because the town is really quite small and can be seen in a long day.

The town is a well know tourist spot along the “Silk Road” and you will find many web pages incuding the town web page at : Rotheburg O.D.T

We recommend these tour books:
Rothenburg O.D.T.

Eye Witness Guide to Germany

We purchased our Passat with 7500 miles on the odometer. Not a new car per say, but pretty darn close. I’ve been driving VW’s from before I even had a drivers liscence. I’ve owned and driven Beetles(type 1), Ghias, Golfs, Jettas, Sciroccos, and a Corrado of various years and use these as comparison.

This is the quetest VW we’ve driven to date, as is to be expected of this class of automobile. The Passat is similar in size, and sharing many components with, it’s sister car the Audi A6. The Passat features mostly the extra leg room over the Jetta or A4. The next newest VW we had was the 2001 Jetta GLS with the same powerplant. My brother also has a GTI of similar vintage also running the 1.8T engine. The Jetta and the Passat are very similar in noise control with a slight advantage to the Passat. I suspect due to the placement of the engine. The Passat differs from most of the VW line with the crankshaft oriented lengthwise in the car. This orientation places the turbocharger between the wheelwell and the engine instead of between the firewall and the engine as on the Jetta platform. As a result, it seems the whisle of the turbo is more muted on the Passat.

Ride is exceptional. The vehicle feels solid and responsive with little chassis roll in corners yet potholes and road imperfections are absorbed with little notice or sound. Performance is spirited with the 1.8T once the turbo is spooled sufficiently, but this can take several seconds as with any turbocharged vehicle.

Fuel economy is good, but not exceptional. We’re spoiled by out 1993 Honda Civic that routinely gets 38-40 MPG with 230,000 miles on the odometer. But the 27 to 30 MPG of the 4 cylinder wagon certainly beats any gas burning Detroit-made vehicle to date.

Interior fit and finish is also exceptional, rivaled only by its luxury sister vehicles in the Audi range.

My only grievances with the car are in the acoustics and rear hatch operation. Both the Jetta GLS and this Passat GLS are/were equipped with the upgraded Monsoon sound system. Interior noise and audio performance were clearly optimized for the front seats only in the Passat wagon as opposed to the Jetta. The Wagon option sacrifices the extreme rear speakers that are traditionally mounted behind the rear headrests on the sedans. This creates a forward biased soundstage for the rear seats. Also to note while seated in the rear is those in the front seats are not subject to the sound of the sunroof while opened. There is almost no noise from the sunroof perceived while seated in the front seats. On the contrary, it is quite loud by comparison in the rear. So for conversations with rear seated passengers, we recommend you close the sunroof.

The second grievance is in the operation of the rear hatch. The hatch is always locked unless the rear hatch lever is pulled or the key-fob button is depressed. Combined with this, the hatch does not pop open like the trunk of the Jetta with either of these two actions. This means you will have to pull the leaver with that hand that is holding the key since your groceries are in the other hand; a disappointment for a vehicle with this price tag.

All in all, we give this vehicle a rating of A-, if not for the two above mentioned flaws, it would be an A.

I was in the market for the cheapest 6 cylinder pickup with air conditioning I could find. The payment on my Jetta was a little steep and we were always borrowing trucks from friends and relatives. It was time for my first American car.

It turned out that the Dodge Dakota SXT fit the bill. For that year, the SXT was only 2WD and only a regular cab. I think the price was about $13k-$14k when all was said and done.

I’ve got a beef with the dealership that I will save for the end. But overall we’ve been satisfied with the truck given what we paid for it. I’m not advocating that this is what a truck should cost, because I don’t. I’ll share a rant on that some other time… But compared to what is on the market, it was the bargain.

The truck has over 70k miles on it now with only one issue so far. At about 20-30k miles, it suffered a crank angle sensor failure while my wife was driving it to work. This left the truck lifeless on the side of the road. It was a 1 day repair under warranty but it even if it didn’t put a dent in our wallet it put a dent in our calendar as I had to take a day from work for towing etc. etc.

Cosmetically, the truck is in decent shape except the bumpers. They must have stamped the bumpers from recycled garbage. They started rusting a long time ago. A symptom I see on most dodge trucks of this era. The body is in fine shape however and the bed has been sprayed with rubber liner so it’s in great shape too. The interior fabric is starting to show it’s age. The spaced in the weave are growing and color isn’t as dark as it once was. But, there are no holes or tears yet.

Torque from the 4 liter six is great. Power, not so great. It will pull over a house from a standstill. But, pulling a 20’ boat on the highway is pedal-to-metal and best you get is about 65mph. Uphill of any sort and your downshifting.

The stock tires are WAY too wide. This thing likes to hydroplane and snow performance is useless. A set of Blizak winter tires makes this problem go away however. I really cant say enough about how the Blizaks changed the snow performance of this truck.

Highway driving on the stock tires can be bouncy, but this also has to do with the heavy load package that came standard. This little truck will haul 2 full yards of mulch without riding the bump stops. Even the guys at the yards are skeptical. They have said 150/1500 trucks often only hold a yard without squatting. We’ve even hauled a full yard of stone dust, (WAY, WAY, WAY over the rated limit. Do NOT try this at home kids) but it was riding the bump stops and the tires were handling all of the road imperfections.

As for the dealer experience I mentioned. I stepped out of a 4 cylinder Jetta into this 6 cylinder dodge. I expected two more torque generations per revolution to produce a 50% smoother engine. To my surprise, this motor shakes the cab at idle. I mean shakes. I raised the issue with the salesman and sales manager. They assured me that if it didn’t drive off (0.5 miles on the odometer) they would take care of it. It was noted on the bill of sales as a condition of sale. Well, 70k miles later and several nasty arguments with the dealership and the truck still shakes and no compensation for the condition of sale. The 5 star people from Chrysler called a few times to ask if I was satisfied with my purchase and I bluntly said “absolutely not” explained the situation factually in plane words every time. They would ask if I wanted the dealership to contact me to which I replied yes. I never heard from the dealership and they stopped calling after three times. 5 star rating is a scam, it means nothing.

Anyway, despite the lousy dealership and that I would personally never buy another new Dodge for that reason, the truck gets a B+. It is what it is. It’s a truck and it performs the tasks I expect of a truck reliably. So for that it gets a high rating.

We’ve been running the DYT 4000 for about two years now on our property. We have about 1 acre of mowable grass area once you subtract the house and driveway etc. We bought the mower configured with the Briggs and Stratton 24Hp OHV engine, 48” deck, and 9 bushel triple basket bagger.

Overall, the mower has functioned well. We are fairly demanding of the mower, using for towing dirt in a 17 cubic foot trailer and towing small boats. We drive it into the woods with the clippings and though mud as our property is primarily clay subsoil.

Good points: It always starts no problems. All features that worked when delivered still work. It seems to have enough power, although I think it should have more ‘umph’ given the size of the motor.

Bad points: Mower deck clogs with damp grass easily. I think this is a design issue with the deck as I have heard similar complaints with others. The finish on the topside of the deck is starting to flake. Brake holding power has faded quickly. May be a simple belt adjustment, but I haven’t taken the time to fix it. Hour meter was DOA, I figured it wasn’t worth the hassle to have it fixed. Can’t use trailer hitch when bagger is mounted.

So, I give this mower a B+. Broken hour meter and easy clog deck knock the score down.

Well, this car fits the bill as “Your Fathers Oldsmobile” as the jingle used to say. I grew up driving my parents Cutlass Sierras and Centurys, so I’m a little familiar with this car’s lineage.

I hoped that some fifteen years of development would have resulted in some significant changes in this cars styling and handling. I was disappointed. While some more modern materials and techniques were used in the cars interior and some sleeker lines were used in the familiar body shape, the car is almost the same as the ones my parents drove. The bucket-looking seat felt like a split bench, I slid on the leather surfaces at every turn. The dash certainly looks better than the mid 80’s vintage GMs I was used to, but it still seemed lacking. Certainly compared to what the GM and Pontiac lines have introduced.

Power was sluggish for this size car and engine. Certainly it felt like a mass issue, but I have not checked the GVWR. Steering was equally poor. After turning a corner, one practically has to steer the car back to a straight line. Fortunately/unfortunately the power steering makes turning the wheel effortless to the point of no feedback.

Fuel economy is “American” bad at about 23 MPG, mostly highway.

Overall I give this car a D. Lousy seats, lousy handling, old fashioned styling, and as I’ve commented with the other American cars, poor fuel economy.

2006 Pontiac G6

I’m typically not a fan of Detroit iron, but I have to admit that they are getting a little better. Particularly Chrysler now that they get some German influence. But were talking Chevys here…

I drove the newly released G6 for several days in the mid Atlantic states of Virginia and North Carolina, a lot of highway driving and a decent amount of city and back-road driving. Much like my impression of the