The Amityville Horror (Widescreen Special Edition) (2005) Review

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(More customer reviews)In 2002, I happened to see the original Amityville house on Long Island (which was renovated to replace the creepy looking windows). That got me interested in the story and I finally watched the original horror film, which was so bland and lacking in suspense that I don't know why previews of that movie gave me nightmares as a child.
With today's film technology, I looked forward to seeing this new version. Signs were not good when the film's distributors refused to allow film critics to pre-screen the movie for the Friday write-ups. Roger Ebert created his "finger wave" category for the distributor's cowardice in facing the film critics.
While this film is a big improvement on the 1979 film, it still has a lot of cheap shots and comes across as manipulative. What it lacks in horror, they make up for it by spiking the scary music and quick jumps to startle the audience. Although based on a true story (whether it happened or was an elaborate hoax continues to be debated), so many instances strained credibility...such as the daughter walking dangerously on the roof. Yeah, right.
The scene I most like in this film, however, deals with the babysitter, as she adds much humor to the story. Because of her and having actor Ryan Reynolds walk around shirtless, showing off his well-sculpted body, its obvious that the makers of the film settled for a sexed up version for modern audiences to make up for the lack of suspense and true drama/horror. That also strains credibility, but its only a movie...one that's hard to take seriously from the get-go.
The truly horrifying scene takes audiences into the basement to discover the house's secret past that explains the haunting. It is the most graphic part of the film and the scariest. If this film had more of that, instead of trying to be a cheap imitation of "The Sixth Sense" (which is what I thought of everytime that ghost girl popped up unexpectedly for no other reason than to startle the audience), I would give it another star. As is, its an okay film for a few laughs and an improvement upon the original.

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From Michael Bay, the producer of "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre," comes the true story of Amityville. In November 1974, a family of six was brutally murdered. Now, a year later, an unsuspecting young couple, George (Ryan Reynolds, "Blade: Trinity," "The In-Laws") and Kathy Lutz (Melissa George, TV's "Alias"), and their children move into the house that was the site of the horrific event and is now haunted by a murderous presence. What follows is 28 days of unimaginable terror. With demonic visions of the dead and relentless screams of terror, this is the haunted house story that isn't just a movie - it's real.

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Adventureland (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)I got to see this film at a sneak preview. I got free tickets at an 80's club I frequent. I only had a mild interest in seeing this film when I saw the trailers. In other words, this one was going to be one to wait for on dvd. Free is free, and I went with a tribe of folks on a Wednesday night.
To my surprise, this was a really sweet, funny, well-acted, and truly great film. Yes, this is a film, not some flash-in-the-pan, cash in on the youth market, gross out comedy. Sure, it has elements of that too, but they're more subdued and the humor is less broad and more sublte. It's basically about characters you already know or have met in your life. It takes place in the 80's and it's basica plot involves the horror any 20-something would face during a recession, getting a really crappy summer job!
The real revelation I found with this film came in the form of Kristen Stewart. She's the real deal. I had seen her in Twilight recently and found everything anyone did in that film to be hollow. Here, she really shows her acting chops playing a confused youth afraid of the unknown. Jesse Eisenberg is the main character in the film, and I expected nothing but greatness from him, I previously saw him in the brilliant The Squid and the Whale. He is a very talented young actor who I expect to see a lot more from in the future.
The film has all the details of a youth summer job that sucks pegged. Everything from the one hot-chick that everyone wants, the low-rent customers, the over-zealous and possibly dellusional bosses, and on-job romance. It's all done with genuine emotion and situations. Nothing feels contrived or forced. Characters make mistaks and things go wrong, but there are no moments of the characters becoming overwrought and giving prefunctory speeches regarding the film's main themes. This is really well written.
I must warn all the video game obsessed, vapid, youth drones about what they're getting with this film. It has real characters, and a believable situation. It's a hang-out picture. You just spend time getting to know a particular group of characters who share the same crappy theme park summer job. There is no contrived plot devices, like switched or confused identities, no one is masquarading as one of the opposite sex, no plot devices to keep a false narrative going, and no gags just stuck in the film like an overlong action sequence to get yucks. Yes, the kids get wasted and high, but it has more to do with them coping with their boredom, and it also helps lead to their bonding.
The film manages to be honestly touching as well, something I really didn't expect from this piece. It was made by the same director of Super Bad, a really brilliant and funny youth comedy, but it is nothing like it. It's not as great, but its not going for the same thing. The humor comes from character and honest situations and not from over-blown comic situations just set up for the yucks.
If this film would've been advertised differently, I would've paid to see it.

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ADVENTURELAND - DVD Movie

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The Blade Trilogy (Blade/ Blade II/ Blade: Trinity) (1998) Review

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(More customer reviews)The Blade Collection is finally here! For moviegoers, it all began back in the summer of 1998:BLADE (1998) 1 Disc Rated R (2.35:1) - Talk about a movie experience! From the opening shots, you are literally sucked in (no pun intended) to the world of the vampires. Wesley Snipes completely embraces the role of the title character and plays him to the hilt, with just a bit of dry cocky humor that is very refreshing. As we first meet Blade at a Vampire techno club (which uses a great remix of a song called "Confusion" by New Order) we just know he's a force to be reckoned with as he slices, dices, burns & just plains blows up every vampire he gets a hold of (including Traci Lords, in a very memorable cameo). Kris Kristofferson plays Whistler, Blade's mentor and creator of the various weapons at his disposal, including guns & knives, bombs, & more. ("We have a good arrangement. He makes the weapons, I use 'em"). But it's Stephen Dorff as the bloodthirsty Deacon Frost that helps catapult the film from average action fair to the stuff of comic book legend. With most actors, this would be a one or two dimensional performance, but in the hands of Stephen Dorff, he turns the character of Deacon Frost into something much more multilayared. The interaction he has with Blade as well as his other fellow vampires give off this feel of someone we should not underestimate. Because a truly great villain is a huge key to a movie's success. The whole mythos of vampires in this film moves the genre in a very interesting direction. According to Blade, pure silver, garlic & sunlight are the main tools to combat vampires. ("Crosses don't do d***, so forget about what you've seen in the movies") But the fact that the pure blood vampires are personified as old & disposable, while the nonpure vampires are young and virile, looking to take over and run things, can really be looked at as a depiction of our society, with the old guard being kicked out by the new one, lest anarchy ensue. A Classic. Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. 120 MIN.BLADE II (2002) 2 Disc Rated R (1.85:1) - Part 2 begins in Prague, with Blade searching for the location of Whistler, who has been turned into a Vampire and subsuquently tortured. The action sequences are even more elaborate than the first, with the camera actually following jumps and flips in a spiral fashion. By now most of you know the story, which involves a new breed of vampire called Reapors, that are trying to take over their predecessors and eventually enslave the world. The vampires turn to Blade for assistance in helping them wipe out these vicious beasts. In a sort of "Dirty Dozen" meets "Aliens" tradition, Blade teams up with an elite group of vampires, who, turns out, were originally put together to hunt him down. They instead work together to seek out the Reapors to destroy them, but find that killing them is not as easy as they'd hoped. The film gives Wesley Snipes more range to show some drama this time, with a subplot involving a female vampire named Nyssa, who's a pure blood, working for her father. Twists and turns abound in this comic book action thriller that gives off a nice feel of energy while at the same time making sense. There's plenty martial arts action to make anybody happy, as well as some much needed dry humor from Snipes and company. All in all a satisfying experience that will leave most moviegoers in an upbeat fashion. Dolby Digital 5.1 & DTS 6.1 Surround Sound. 117 MIN.BLADE: TRINITY (2004) 2 Disc Unrated & R rated versions (2.35:1) - In the final installment, Blade teams up with the Nightstalkers, a ragtag group of vampire hunters lead by the sexy Abigail Whistler (Jessica Biel) & the quickwitted Hannibal King (Ryan Reynolds) who are out to track down and kill the vampire of all vampires: Dracula (played by the musclebound Dominic Purcell). Watch out for Parker Posey, as the scene stealing Danica Talos, the equivalent of a vampire constantly tripping on acid. Snipes has less to do this time out as Blade, with the newer characters taking up much of his screen time. But when he's onscreen, he still shines and plays the character perfectly. A shame that there was turmoil between him and director/screenwriter David S. Goyer (notice, for example, Snipes's unwillingness to contribute to the audio commentaries for the movie even though he had done so for the first two films). And seeing Dominic Purcell's performance as Drake makes one wish that the Stephen Dorff character of Deacon Frost could somehow be resurrected in order to show these guys how playing a first-rate villian is really done. Still, with all it's flaws, the film still works, just not as well as most fans would've liked. The new footage in the unrated version is interesting, as well as the slightly different ending, that many fans may find much more preferable to that of the theatrical version. Worth having. Dolby Digital 5.1 & DTS 6.1 Surround Sound. 113 MIN & 122 MIN.Besides the gripes about the 3rd film, the real disappointment with this wonderful collection is that the original Blade movie is not presented as a 2 disc Platinum Edition with DTS 6.1 Surround Sound the way its sequels are. It truly deserves the much needed upgrade. The Box itself is very nice to look at, with a very nicely done 3-D front cover. For the most part, this is what every Blade fan has been waiting for since that summer of 1998 when one of the best comic book franchises began its journey. This is definately a collection worth ice skating uphill for! Blade Trilogy: The Ultimate Collection - Bloodsuckingly Brilliant! "Blade. Ready to die?" - Dominic Purcell as Drake
"Since the day I was born." - Wesley Snipes as Blade

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Item Name: The Blade Trilogy (Blade/ Blade II/ Blade: Trinity); Studio:New Line Home Video

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Blade Trinity (Unrated Version) (2004) Review

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(More customer reviews)When I first heard that "Trinity" was on the way, I had my reservations about it. I was worried that the film would become cluttered with heroes, what with Blade and Whistler fighting necksuckers, and now Hannibal King and Abigail Whistler thrown into the fray. Somehow, a balance is found between the heroes that keeps all of them out of each others way.
The plot is reflective of the other films in that once again the vampires are looking for a way to become daywalkers. Instead of calling up a vampire god or creating a mutant race though, they decide to go to the source of their "virus"--Dracula. Hoping to use his blood to make them perfect immortal beings and eventually herd humans like livestock to feed them, a group of vampires seeks out and revive the dark prince. He looks like something from a GWAR concert, then morphs into this medieval looking guy. Dominic Purcell portrays him, and does a better-than-average job. Parker Posey plays a vamp who is very over-the-top. At first, I didn't think she'd work in this picture, but she does a really good job. WWE fans were happy to see Triple H get his chance to flesh out a vampire with silver caps on his teeth. His character is like the schoolyard bully of the bunch. He's big and bad, but has a soft spot for Pomeranian dogs. The rest of the vampires are pretty stock as far as modern vampires go. They somehow all know martial arts, are unusually good at science, and enjoy techno music.
Wesley Snipes looks very comfortable in his role as Blade. His character has lightened up a bit as far as humor goes, but he's still one bad mama-jama. Kris Kristofferson looks comfortable as the tough old fart/father-figure Whistler. Jessica Biel was very good as Whistler's daughter, Abigail. Of all the characters, she seems to be the one person you'd least expect to play a butt-kicker, but she pulls it off in grand style. Ryan Reynolds plays Hannibal King, a smarty pants vampire hunter who was once one of them. His one-liners are hilarious most of the time, but he gets pretty annoying during parts of the film. His humor was probably highlighted a little more than the average "Blade" audience member goes for, but I think he did a pretty decent job. The rest of Abigail and Hannibal's group, the Nightstalkers, features a pretty stock bunch of characters who are really only here to provide weapons and victims for the film.
The action is much better than in the second film. There is very little evidence of CGI tampering in the fight sequences this time around. The majority of the action is shot up-close and personal. Blade, as usual, has that strike-a-pose mentality about him and has some very good-looking moves in this film. Hannibal is mainly a gunslinger. Abigail favors a bow and her boots when it comes to killing vampires.
Of course, no "Blade" film would be proper without some techno music. This time around the music has a little nu metal flavor to it and more of a gangsta feel than the other two films. The music should be considered a major character, since it moves the entire movie at a swift pace. Of all of the films, I believe that "Trinity" has the best soundtrack.
I've heard that this film would be the final installment in the "Blade" series. That's probably a good idea since it looks like the vampires are starting to run out of options to become daywalkers. I've also heard that this movie is going to be used as a springboard for the characters of Hannibal King and Abigail Whistler. Much like the Elektra character in "Daredevil," I'm sure that this duo can pull off a film on their own. I don't think they will have the drawing power of "Blade," but there is an audience out there for them.
One other note, this is the first "Blade" film to feature the easily recognized Marvel tagline at the beginning of the film. It's nice to see that Avi Arad and Stan Lee are finally giving a little more respect to this series, since it seems to have done pretty well without them the first two times around.
Well, I recommend this flick to fans of the first two films and folks who liked "Daredevil" and "Punisher." Also, if you like brooding heroes or action flicks like "Resident Evil: Apocalypse," I'm sure you'll enjoy this film. Children should not see this movie. It isn't so much that it is scary, but f-bombs drop left and right in this flick. The signature burn-up of vampires is also here, so that might be a little disturbing for some kiddies. The R-rating is well deserved due to the excessive foul language(more than the first two films) and the obvious vioent aspect of the film. That's just something to keep in mind if you're turned off by cursing. I get pretty tired of it in a film if it seems to be put in just to have the character come across as tougher or meaner.
Hope you enjoy this movie, it's a fine addition to the "Blade" saga.

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The final battle begins and the trinity comes to an end! Blade is back and his enemies have grown in number since they resurrected their king, Dracula. Together with a new group of vampire hunters, called the Nightstalkers, led by Whistler's strong but beautiful daughter Abigail and the wise-cracking Hannibal, they must finally defeat the vampires or face inevitable extinction.

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Definitely, Maybe (Widescreen) (2008) Review

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(More customer reviews)The concept here is great: on the eve of his divorce, a father tells his daughter the story of how he fell in love with her mother by changing names so she has to guess who she is in the story. What's so amazing is how they were able to pull off this story with three female leads all interacting with the same man, and yet somehow make us cheer each of them on in their own way. Ryan Reynolds is great in the lead, easily flowing from the caring father of the present to the stricken college student of the past and beyond. As the story unfolds, you'll meet Emily, April, and Summer--three women who will have a dramatic impact on his life in various ways.
There are some genuinely funny moments in this film, and I honestly can say I never really got bored at any point. It was like watching three romances unfolds and ultimately fall apart for different reasons. No doubt you will find yourself choosing a favorite, and like Maya (the daughter), you'll be hoping your favorite will turn out to be her mother. Be prepared to be surprised though.
As the movie drew closer to the end, I honestly thought I was going to be disappointed in how it ended. But the movie managed to end perfectly. Reynolds is a great actor who can be flippant and cocky one moment, then broken-hearted and in love during the next. Isla Fisher does a great job as April, the outgoing copy girl who works with him during the Bill Clinton campaign.
If you're looking for a great romantic movie, this is the one.

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From the makers of Notting Hill and Love Actually comes the charming and irresistibly funny romantic comedy Definitely, Maybe. When Will (Ryan Reynolds) decides to tell his daughter (Abigail Breslin) the story of how he met her mother, he discovers that a second look at the past might also give him a second chance at the future. Co-starring Elizabeth Banks, Rachel Weisz and Isla Fisher, it's the heartwarming story that makes you realize it's definitely never too late to go back…and maybe find a happy ending.

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Just Friends (2005) Review

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(More customer reviews)At a high school graduation party, overweight Chris Brander (Ryan Reynolds) attempts to reveal his true feelings for his best friend Jamie Palomino (Amy Smart), but ends up making an utter fool of himself. What's worse, his humiliation takes place in front of his jeering teenage peers. A decade later, Chris has become a success story. He is now thin, prosperous, is a hit with girls, and works as an executive in the music industry. His latest assignment is escorting wacky starlet/pop princess and ex-flame Samantha James (Anna Faris) to Paris, France. But their plane has to make an unscheduled landing in Jersey, Chris's high school home. Rationally, Chris and Samantha decide to stay at his old house. Chris has a reunion with his former buddies, including the winsome Jamie, who immediately rekindles that old spark within Chris. The remainder of the film concerns Chris's efforts to make Jamie see him as more than a friend, while simultaneously fending off the warped Samantha. Competition comes in the form of a former fellow nerd turned sensitive guy Dusty Dinkleman (Chris Klein).
Just Friends is a very funny, feel-good movie. Ryan Reynolds is a hoot as a brash L.A. stud who disastrously channels his inner dweeb whenever he's around unrequited love Jamie. Ryan is really excellent with physical comedy. There are scenes with him that are just uproarious (case in point, the aftermath of his politically incorrect hockey game with the kids). I even enjoyed his frequent Three Stooges encounters with his kid brother (Chris Marquette). And when he has to, Ryan steps outside the slapstick and layers in a deeper nuanced, more introspective performance. I ended up rooting for Chris, even though he was overly cocky and big-timed his home town folks. And then there's Amy Smart, who seemingly can do no wrong. There's just something so lovable and natural about her. She embodies the type of girl every guy would want to be with. Anna Faris's turn as the unstable Samantha adds to the already boisterous feel of the film. Samantha actually scares me. Chris Klein's Dusty, Chris's guitar-playing, song-writing rival, is disgustingly touchy-feely. One would wish that a different sort of arc for Dusty's character had been laid out; the script writer, in my eyes, sold out and made things too convenient for Chris, with regards to Dusty. Julie Hagerty (Airplane!) has a goofy supporting role as Chris's mom.
The special features are tasty:
- a filmmakers' film commentary
- "Tales from the Friend Zone" featurette (the cast & crew talk about real life "just friends" experiences)
- "Developing Just Friends" featurette (wherein we learn of the script's 7 year odyssey and how, originally, Chris didn't get the girl at the end)
- "A Director's Guide to Comedy" featurette
- "The Transformation" featurette (about Ryan's fat face make-up)
- "The Body Shake" featurette (the awkwardness of when you're dropping off a date; do you hug or kiss?)
- "It's Friggin' Cold" featurette (the cast & crew basically complaining about how cold the shooting was)
- "A Writer's Journey" featurette (focus on script writer Adam "Tex" Davis)
- "A Disaster in the Making" featurette (about the making of the Palomino house X-mas decor and its eventual fate)
- "The Reshoots" featurette (the making of the eventual ending of the film, which wasn't the original ending)
- a so-so blooper reel
- deleted scenes
- an alternate ending (this was the initially intended ending; you could see why they changed it)
- an amusing "Jamie Smiles" video
- theatrical trailer
So, try out this movie. It'll make you smile and laugh and even feel nostalgic because, let's face it: just like me, you've been in Chris's position before, too.

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Back in high school, Chris (Reynolds) was an overweight nerd and in love with his best friend Jamie (Smart), but she only thought of him like a brother. Ten years later, Chris is now a hot L.A. music exec and finds himself himself back in his hometown and in love with Jamie all over again. But can they really be more than Just Friends?DVD Features:Alternate endingsAudio CommentaryDeleted ScenesFeaturetteGag ReelMusic VideoTheatrical Trailer

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