Thursday, March 27, 2008

UPDATE: movies I Recommend To See In 2008

A new list of movies I recommend to see in 2008 (May-June). The July-Dec list is still TBA (in the works) more info go to www.kerasotes.com or www.comingsoon.net


Number Ones for May:
National: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull or Iron Man
Indies:
The Tracey Fragments
Comedy: What Happens in Vegas
Family: The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian

Number Ones for June:
National: The Happening, The Incredible Hulk, or Wanted
Indies: None
Comedy: Get Smart
Family: WALL•E or Kung Fu Panda

Review Drillbit Taylor

Synopsis: Three kids hire a low-budget bodyguard to protect them from the playground bully.

Other Reviews:

Ebert & Roeper: Two Thumbs Down
Fandango: 8 Oh No, 6 No, 46 So-So, 66 Go, 53 Must Go
Rotten Tomatoes: T-Meter: 24% Rotten, Top Critics: 19% Rotten, RT Community: 72% Fresh
Yahoo Movies: Critic: C Users: B-

My Review: Could Judd Apatow be loosing his touch? No he not, this was PG-13 Apatow. He has had more success with vulgar comedies so he might want to stick with that. I just going to say today kids laugh at penis jokes and vulgarity, everything else is just to sophisticated. In my opinion Juno was the funniest film from 2007 and maybe even the best film all together. Other would place Superbad and Knocked Up on top of their list but I will disagree. As for Drillbit Taylor rent it if you’re a fanboy of Judd Apatow. I wouldn’t waste the money to see it in theaters.

Saturday, March 15, 2008

Never Back Down Review

Synopsis: Set against the action-packed world of Mixed Martial Arts, NEVER BACK DOWN is the story of Jake Tyler, a tough kid who leads with his fists, and, often, with his heart. Jake Tyler, played by Sean Faris, is the new kid in town with a troubled past. He has recently moved to Orlando, Florida with his family who has relocated to support his younger brothers shot at a professional tennis career. Jake was a star athlete on the football team at home, but in this new city he is an outsider with a reputation for being a quick tempered brawler. Making an attempt to fit in, at the invitation of a flirtatious classmate, Baja (Amber Heard), Jake goes to a party where he is unwittingly pulled into a fight with a bully named Ryan McDonald (Cam Gigandet). While he is defeated and humiliated in the fight, a classmate introduces himself to Jake and tells him about the sport known as Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). He sees a star in Jake and asks that he meet with his mentor, Jean Roqua, played by Djimon Hounsou (Blood Diamond, In America). It is immediately apparent to Jake that MMA is not street fighting, but rather an art form he wants to master. Roqua will take Jake under his wing, but it is up to Jake to find the patience, discipline, willingness and reason within him to succeed. For Jake, there is much more at stake than mere victory. His decision will not just settle a score; it will define who he is.

Other Reviews:

Ebert & Roeper: NA
Fandango: 8 Oh No, 3 No, 3 So-So, 6 Go, 6 Must Go
Rotten Tomatoes: T-Meter: 22% Rotten, Top Critics: 12% Rotten, RT Community: 52% Rotten
Yahoo Movies: Critic: C- Users: B-

My Review: I liked this movie and I recommend it. I saw this movie as a cross between Step Up and Fight Club (Well a PG-13 version). It has the same dialogue and archetypal storyline as Step Up. Both movies are based on a sub culture “sport” mix marshal arts (Never Back Down) and competitive street dancing (Step Up). This type of movie has become the new age sports film. I remember when football and basketball champs is what made you king of the school, but now underground competition champs are who rule the schools. Fight Club is one of the best fighting movies. Well, this one is no Fight Club but it has its spirit. It dose justice to mix marshal arts. It not a lame knock off of mix marshal arts but a good reputation. If you watch UFC and Pride Fighting religiously then you most like will like this movie.

Friday, March 14, 2008

Horton Hears a Who Review

Synopsis: One day, Horton the elephant hears a cry from help coming from a speck of dust. Even though he can't see anyone on the speck, he decides to help it. As it turns out, the speck of dust is home to the Whos, who live in their city of Whoville. Horton agrees to help protect the Whos and their home, but this gives him nothing but torment from his neighbors, who refuse to believe that anything could survive on the speck. Still, Horton stands by the motto that, "After all, a person is a person, no matter how small.

Other Reviews:

Ebert & Roeper: NA
Fandango: 5 Oh No, 4 No, 11 So-So, 12 Go, 28 Must Go
Rotten Tomatoes: T-Meter: 82% Fresh, Top Critics: 83% Fresh, RT Community: 74% Fresh
Yahoo Movies: Critic: A Users: NA

My Review: It does the 1970 cartoon justice. I think it is best family film since Alvin and the Chipmunks. List of Family films this year: Alvin and the Chipmunks (Dec 14 2007 but it carried over in Jan) The Spiderwick Chronicles (Feb) and now Horton Hears a Who (Mar). See with The Spiderwick Chronicles I wouldn’t take any child under lets say seven just because it not a flashy cartoon/ slap-stick comedy/ musical it’s more of a per-teen fantasy film that’s beside the point. The point is I would take my whole family to Horton Hears a Who. It give enough flashy cartoon/ slap-stick comedy/ musical type stuff to entertain the kids while at the same time poke fun at pop culture that most adults should get.

Saturday, March 8, 2008

10,000 B.C. Review

Synopsis: A prehistoric epic that follows a young mammoth hunter's journey through uncharted territory to secure the future of his tribe.

Other Reviews:

Ebert & Roeper: NA
Fandango: 25 Oh No, 17 No, 30 So-So, 29 Go, 58 Must Go
Rotten Tomatoes: T-Meter: 03% Rotten, Top Critics: 13% Rotten, RT Community: 41% Rotten
Yahoo Movies: Critic: C-, Users: C+

My Review: There is just as many good things in this film as there are bad. I like the story and how it more of “what could have happened back then” but at the same time I was like those time periods are not even close to each other. Example: When did dinosaurs (rapture that look like a cross of a chicken and a doe-doe birds), prehistoric mammals (cavemen, mastodons, and saber tooth tigers), and Egyptians (during the time of building pyramids) go together? Over all the film was good even with some major false historical events. I am not sure if you would be a person who would like to see it in the movie theater but you might give it a try, even if it is after it is on DVD.

Saturday, March 1, 2008

NEW: The Best Movies for This Month

NEW NEW NEW

The Best Movies for This Month

The blog will be what movies were the best for that month from the following categories:

National:
Indies:
Comedy:
Family:

For the Month of January:

National: Cloverfield
Indies: In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale
Comedy: 27 Dresses
Family: The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything

For the Month of February:

National: Fool's Gold
Indies: Definitely, Maybe
Comedy: Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins
Family: The Spiderwick Chronicles

These films on this list may or may not be the same ones listed on my blog titled “Top Movies I Recommend To See In 2008.” From now on this blog will look like this:

Title: The Best Movies for This Month

Blog: For the Month of_____________:

National: ____________
Indies: ______________
Comedy: ______________
Family: _________________

Then next one will be posted at end of March so look for the next “The Best Movies for This Month.”

Penelope Review

Synopsis: A modern romantic tale about a young aristocratic heiress born under a curse that can only be broken when she finds true love with "one who will love her faithfully.”

Other Reviews:

Ebert & Roeper: NA Yet
Fandango: 1 Oh No, 2 No, 4 So-So, 5 Go, 15 Must Go
Rotten Tomatoes: T-Meter: 55% Rotten, Top Critics: 44% Rotten, RT Community: 68% Fresh
Yahoo Movies: Critic: C+, Users: B

My Review: It was an alright film. I am not hundred percent sure if I would recommend it or not. It could be a “date” movie that “the girlfriend” might like but nothing more than that. I am not saying it sucked. I am just saying it might not be up to par. It has a fairy tale moral to it so it is very archetypal when comes to the ending. So it is good but not that good. It more of a So-So, or OK type of film to me.