UPDATE: Movies I Recommend for 2008

There are quit a few To Be Announced (TBA) in the Fall movies season but once I see some previews for movies coming out in the fall I will update this list. For more info visit: http://www.comingsoon.net, http://www.kerasotes.com/Home.aspx, http://www.movieweb.com/, or http://www.videodetective.com/Default.aspx ,

Number Ones for July:
National: The Dark Knight or Hellboy II: The Golden Army
Indies: The Wackness
Comedy: Step Brothers
Family: Journey to the Center of the Earth

Number Ones for August:
National: The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor
Indies: Midnight Meat Train
Comedy: Tropic Thunder
Family: Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Number Ones for September:
National: Eagle Eye
Indies: The Duchess
Comedy: My Best Friend's Girl
Family: Igor

Number Ones for October:
National: TBA
Indies: The Changeling
Comedy: Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
Family: City of Ember
Halloween: Saw V

Number Ones for November:
National: Quantum of Solace or Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Indies: Milk
Comedy: TBA
Family: Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa or Bolt

Number Ones for December:
National: Frost/Nixon or Will Eisner's The Spirit
Indies: Youth in Revolt
Comedy: TBA
Family: Twilight

2009

Inkheart
Watchmen
X-Men Origins: Wolverine
Star Trek
Angels and Demons
Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen

Review: Hellboy II: The Golden Army

Synopsis: The Golden Army begins when an ancient truce existing between humankind and the invisible realm of the fantastic is broken; Hell on earth is ready to erupt. Hellboy 2 tells the tale of a ruthless leader who treads the world above and the one below, defies his bloodline and awakens an unstoppable army of creatures. Its up to the planets toughest, roughest superhero to battle the merciless dictator and his marauders. He may be red, he may be horned, he may be misunderstood, but when you need the job done right, its time to call in Hellboy (Ron Perlman), and the B.P.R.D. The Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense (BPRD) will travel between the surface world and the unseen magical one, where creatures of fantasy become corporeal, along with his expanding team pyrokinetic girlfriend Liz Sherman (Selma Blair), aquatic empath Abe (Doug Jones), and protoplasmic mystic Johann Krauss (James Dodd), the newest member of the BPRD. Hellboy, a creature of two worlds who is accepted by neither, must choose between the life he knows and an unknown destiny that beckons him.A slip-up results in the F.B.I. being forced to reveal the existence of BPRD to the general public. Brash old Hellboy doesn't play well with the public, which only increases the instability of his already-turning-rough relationship with Liz. However, fellow paranormal Johann (who is a sort of ectoplasmic spirit held within a very special containment suit) is far better with the public -- and with Liz, apparently. But in the end they've all got to come together to fight Prince Luke Goss (son of the Woodland King), who, with his army of ghouls, faerie, and the like, is attempting to resurrect a golden army once controlled by his father. http://www.imdb.com

Other Reviews:

Ebert & Roeper: Due Out On Tuesday http://kplusb.org/ebertroeper/
Fandango: 59 Oh No, 33 No, 78 So-So, 130 Go, 225 Must Go http://www.fandango.com
Rotten Tomatoes: T-Meter: 86% (Fresh), Top Critics: 83% (Fresh), RT Community: 74% (Fresh) http://www.rottentomatoes.com
Metacritic: Critics: 78 out of 100, Users: 9.1 out of 10 http://www.metacritic.com
Yahoo Movies: Critics: NA Users: B+ http://movies.yahoo.com

My Review: Hellboy II: The Golden Army is the underdog comic book movies of the summer. The two giants: Marvel’s Iron Man and D.C.’s Batman (The Dark Knight) and then there is Hellboy II: The Golden Army. It is a good film but it will never live up to the name of Iron Man or Batman. This film is more of a “fanboy” type of film made for the fans and comic book lovers. In the shadows of the great comic book movies of Iron Man and Batman lives a beautiful masterpiece of art and cinema. Guillermo del Toro again show his genius. He is the master of fantasy. He knows how to make fantasy a reality. He does this by incorporating a brilliant mix of real and unreal. Hellboy II: The Golden Army could be described as Pan’s Labyrinth II because the beauty and masterpieces of the creatures from Pan’s Labyrinth was brought to the table when creating the creatures for Hellboy II: The Golden Army. If Hellboy and Pan’s Labyrinth had a baby it would be Hellboy II: The Golden Army. If there is one movie you see before The Dark Knight destroys the Box Office it is Hellboy II: The Golden Army. I recommend it and give it high remarks. Until next time God bless and happy times at the movies.

Updates Review Ebert and Roeper

Wall- E:

Two Thumbs Up

Wanted:

Thumb Down (Phillips), Thumb Up (Roeper)

Review: Handcock

Synopsis: John Hancock (Will Smith) is an unhappy and reluctant superhero who is living in his own world. For some unknown reason, Hancock is depressed and has started drinking very heavily. He has saved many lives in Los Angles over the years, but in doing so, he has no regards for damaging buildings, trains, roads, cars, or anything that gets in his way to get the job done. The last time he captured several criminals, it cost the city $9 million to fix the damages. The public has had enough of Hancock, and they want him to stop or go to another city. Then one day, Hancock saves the life of Ray Embrey (Jason Bateman) from being run over by a train. Ray is a Public Relations executive who now can go home to his wife and child, because Hancock was there. Ray owes Hancock his life, and he makes it his mission to change his superhero's image and have the public cheering him. Ray's wife, Mary (Charlize Theron), believes Hancock can not be fixed, and she doesn’t want Ray to be hurt http://www.imdb.com

Other Reviews:

Ebert & Roeper: Due Out On Tuesday (7-08-08) http://kplusb.org/ebertroeper/
Fandango: 19 Oh No, 12 No, 66 So-So, 167 Go, 334 Must Go http://www.fandango.com
Rotten Tomatoes: T-Meter: 35% (Rotten), Top Critics: 34% (Rotten), RT Community: 65% (Fresh) http://www.rottentomatoes.com
Metacritic: Critics: 48 out of 100, Users: 5.5 out of 10 http://www.metacritic.com
Yahoo Movies: Critics: C+ Users: B+ http://movies.yahoo.com

My Review: This is one of the greatest So-So films I have seen. I like it but at the same time it did nothing for me, here’s why: The lack of action. There was action but no real good action sequence. There was maybe one good one if you want to count the fight between Handcock and Mary. Bad lore/ mythology/ back story of Handcock and Mary Embrey. The back story was literally here is the back story, any questions, no, ok moving on. No connection to the genre of superhero/ comic book movies. No real villain. Well, the there was three “villains” inner demons (Handcock’s), thugs/criminals, and they/them (past “villains”). Even thought it had some major flaws it was unusually entertaining and quite funny (in parts), mainly the one liners and Jason Bateman. This could be hard to believe but I think the rated-R version would have been better. Until next time happy hunting and God bless.

Review: Wall-e

Synopsis: In the distant future, a small waste collecting robot that slowly begins to become sentient inadvertently embarks on a space journey that will ultimately decide the fate of mankind. http://www.imdb.com

Other Reviews:

Ebert & Roeper: Due Out On Tuesday (7-01-08) http://kplusb.org/ebertroeper/
Fandango: 58 Oh No, 73 No, 261 So-So, 700 Go, 2079 Must Go http://www.fandango.com
Rotten Tomatoes: T-Meter: 96% (Fresh), Top Critics: 97% (Fresh), RT Community: 90% (Fresh) http://www.rottentomatoes.com
Metacritic: Critics: 93 out of 100, Users: 9.0 out of 10 http://www.metacritic.com
Yahoo Movies: Critics: A- Users: A- http://movies.yahoo.com

My Review: Let me preface that it was a Disney/ Pixar which is golden. I liked the film. It had the cutesy-kiddy-funny parts, I laughed. Wall-e was a cross between Johnny 5 (Short Ciricut) and R2-D2 (Star Wars) which made him a likable character, while EVE was a cross between an iPod and the robot of the future also very likable. Then there’s Mo a cross between an electric shaver and a vacuum also likable. All the elements of this film scream gold and I believe it achieved that status. Some where deep down inside of me this film doesn’t live up to the Pixar name, I don’t why it just dose. It might be the way Pixar promoted the film or maybe it was the over all theme/ message of the film: Save the World/ Environmentalism. It’s a good message but at the same time I am getting a little tried of the Green campaign in movies. I believe every story has a moral and has something we can learn from it but animated feature focus harder on the moral because of vast amount of kids that will go see it. It seems lately more and more the lesson learned in a film is becoming more political and less simple humanity. That’s the only “negative” thing I saw in the film besides that the film is golden and I recommended it for all ages.

Review: Wanted

Synopsis: "Wanted" tells the tale of one apathetic nobody's transformation into an unparalleled enforcer of justice. In 2008, we're introduced to a hero for a new generation: 25 year old employed slacker, WESLEY GIBSON. Wes is the most disaffected, cube-dwelling, clock-punching drone this planet has ever known. His boss chews him out hourly, his girlfriend ignores him routinely, and his life plods on in interminable boredom and routine. Everyone knows this disengaged slacker will amount to absolutely nothing, and so does he, until he meets the sexy, foxy woman named FOX, and then everything changes. Wes' estranged father is murdered, and the deadly Fox recruits him into The Fraternity, a secret society that trains him to avenge his father's death, by unlocking his dormant powers. And oh boy does he have powers, as she teaches Wes how to develop his lightning-quick reflexes and phenomenal agility, he discovers that The Fraternity lives by an ancient, unbreakable code: to carry out the death orders given by emotionless Fate itself. Wes, with his wickedly brilliant and sexy tutor, plus the paternal guidance of The Fraternity's enigmatic leader, SLOAN, young Wes grows to enjoy all the strength and success he ever wanted. But, slowly, he realizes there's more to his dangerous associates than meets the casual eye. And, as he wavers between new found heroism and vengeance, Wes will come to learn what no one can ever teach him; that he alone controls his destiny. http://www.imdb.com

Other Reviews:

Ebert & Roeper: Due Out On Tuesday (7-01-08) http://kplusb.org/ebertroeper/
Fandango: 85 Oh No, 54 No, 176 So-So, 510 Go, 921 Must Go http://www.fandango.com
Rotten Tomatoes: T-Meter: 72% (Fresh), Top Critics: 76% (Fresh), RT Community: 80% (Fresh) http://www.rottentomatoes.com
Metacritic: Critics: 66 out of 100, Users: 7.1 out of 10 http://www.metacritic.com
Yahoo Movies: Critics: B- Users: B+ http://movies.yahoo.com

My Review: This movie had my addition in first twenty seconds and held it for the whole movie. As soon as it became slightly boring the action would pick up. It is a guy movie no doubt: It based of a comic book, action, blood, sex, cars, and guns. What more can you ask for. This weekend will be good date weekend, especially with Wanted and Wall-e: “If you take me to Wanted I will take you Wall- e.” So guys see it at least with your guy friends if your lady friend won’t take you. Very entertaining, maybe not a must see but it is a good one to see.

The Best Movies for This Month

For the Month of June:

National: The Incredible Hulk, or Wanted
Indies: Mongol
Comedy: Get Smart
Family: WALL•E or Kung Fu Panda

Reminder for July: Movies I Recommend To See In 2008

Number Ones for July:

National: The Dark Knight or Hellboy II: The Golden Army
Indies: The Wackness
Comedy: Step Brothers
Family: Journey to the Center of the Earth