BRAD PITT: NOT JUST A PRETTY FACE

A few days ago Brad Pitt celebrated his 42nd birthday. From 1989 to the present, Pitt has appeared in 29 films. These films ranged from Pitt having a lead role, supporting role, a bit part, and 1 film that featured his voice. Of these 29 films I rated 7 of them no lower than an "8" on the Jamie scale.

Pitt is an under-rated actor who is usually associated with his pretty face rather than his acting abilities. Pitt is a risk taker. His memorable characters have been a vampire, a spy, a druggie, a cop, IRA terrorist, a trout fisherman, thief, drifter, explorer, a Dating Game contestant, and my personal favorite...a leader of an underground fight-club. He could have easily taken short-cuts in his career by appearing in moves such as MUST LOVE DOGS and HOW TO LOOSE A GUY IN 10 DAYS. Instead, he consistently chooses scripts that involve memorable characters. I tend to remember movie characters more often than movies themselves.

To honor Brad Pitt and his birthday, I decided to make a "TOP 5 BRAD PITT MOVIES" list. When choosing the top 5 I only included movies that featured Pitt in a leading or supporting role. As I stated above, 7 of his movies are rated no lower than "8", so it would stand to reason that my "top 5" Pitt films are all rated "8" or higher. To spark debate I will not include the remaining two films of the 7. I give you the.....

TOP 5 BRAD PITT MOVIES

1. Fight Club
2. Seven
3. Legends of the Fall
4. Interview With a Vampire
5. A River Runs Through It

For the record..."TROY" is my least favorite Pitt flick.

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT: STAY AWAY FROM THE 10 WORST MOVIES OF 2005

Sorry for the delay folks. Summer took me away from the movie business much like it did last year. I started this post in December and just recently finished. Hopefully you didn't waste too much money on these stinkers at your neighborhood rental facility. FYI...2006 is on its way to being the worst movie year ever. To date I have graded only 1 film an "8" or higher.

Wishing you little ice in your large drink, extra butter on your popcorn, and a cheap movie ticket...I give you the 10 worst films of 2005.

1. THE HITCH-HIKER'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY is filled with eccentric characters, tons of special effects, and crazy looking monsters/aliens. Unfortunately the eccentric characters are uneven and boring, the special effects are exercises in futility, and the monsters/aliens are unimaginative. Based on the popular book of the same name, the movie introduces us to Arthur Dent played by Martin Freeman. Arthur is one of the last survivors of Earth after the planet is destroyed to make room for some kind of "space highway", Yeah...Whatever! Arthur travels across the galaxy for reasons that I didn't understand. Along the way he finds himself in several little adventures and somehow meets a god-like figure who recreates Earth. The most disappointing aspect of GALAXY is the waste of good talent. The film features 3 great performers: Sam Rockwell, Zooey Deschanel, & Mos Def. Bottom line: THE HITCH-HIKER'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY is the worst sci-fi flick I've ever seen...Stay away from this movie. If you want to watch a great sci-fi flick, rent STARSHIP TROOPERS on DVD.

2. BEWITCHED: Nicole, Nicole, Nicole...Stop it! You're killing me with your poor choice of movies! I didn't think it was possible for Nicole Kidman to be on my worst movie list two years in a row (2004 THE STEPFORD WIVES). I was wrong. Above, I mentioned wasted talent. BEWITCHED is another good example of this. Kidman is a great actress. Her performance in TO DIE FOR is one of my all time favorites of a female. And what about Will Ferrell? He's a bit over-rated at this point however, he did redeem himself a bit in 2005...He made it on to my top ten best films list of 2005 for MELINDA & MELINDA.

3. ELEKTRA: I thought she was dead? One could only hope for such miracles. What is the purpose of Elektra's super-hero costume? If super-hero costumes are supposed to conceal one's identity, Elektra's costume achieves the exact opposite. Only Elektra can save the day and perform on a brass pole at your local gentlemans club without changing cloths. A horrible movie.

4. THE WEDDING DATE: DEBRA MESSING...DON"T QUIT YOUR THURSDAY EVENING JOB.
SL "Hello Debra...I'm Shelly Long...How are you?"
DM "I'm fine Shelly...And you?"
SL "I'm Great! Ever since leaving Cheers my life has had one success after another".
DM "I'm so looking forward to many Hollywood successes after WILL & GRACE finishes up this season. I feel I'm too talented to waste any more time on Thursday must see TV."
SL "I felt the same Debra. My advice to you is...GO FOR IT and never look back."
DM "What projects are you working on currently?"
SL "I'm working set decoration on the Mudville Community Theater's production of Humpty Dumpty...If you're in town next Thursday night...I'll leave a ticket for you at the box office."

5. XXX: STATE OF THE UNION...ICE-CUBES WATER DOWN GOOD DRINKS
I'm one of the few people who enjoyed the original XXX. Its critics thought Deisel was a stiff whose acting abilities were just short of being able to cut the mustard of sheep #3 in an elementary school production of Mary Had a Little Lamb. Although Deisel's career has run out of gas as of late XXX was the kind of film that didn't require great acting skill in the lead part. Films like XXX needs lots of action and cool stunts. XXX supplied this. I gave it a 7. Its sequel, STATE OF THE UNION was pathetic. Ice Cube can easily play a barber and a boy in the hood ( a self portrayal), but he doesn't have the style or the look to garner a following as an action star. Pube's...opps...Cube's performance is watered downed. He simply went through the motions without the emotions. The action sequences were so fake one could tell they were animated or computerized.

6. ALONE IN THE DARK: STEPHEN DORFF = BOMB
When was the last time Stephen Dorff was in a good film? Remember Cold Creek Manor?...Deuces Wild?...Fear dot com? Dorff is a box office kiss of death. Hiring Dorff to be in a movie would be like hiring Norman Bates to manage your Bed & Breakfast after the Bates Motel incident. Dorff and Bates are bad hires.

7. MISS CONGENIALITY 2: ARMED & FABULOUS
The first installment has been a guilty pleasure of mine over the past few years, but I hated this sequel. Luckily, Sandra Bullock was in Crash so 2005 wasn't a complete bust.

8. THE RING 2: Making Up the Rules As They Go
See post from Spring of 2005

9. CURSED: SHOW US THE GOODS!
Remember in the 80s when horror movies featured unknown actresses willing to get naked on screen before getting killed off? I miss those days. On second thought...Do I want to see Christina Ricci naked?

10. FUN WITH DICK AND JANE...NO FUN AT ALL
This film is void of laughs, grins, and any type of amusement. FWDJ is Jim Carrey's worst movie to date.

ME AND YOU AND EVERYONE WE KNOW: A QUIRKY EXPERIENCE

The most annoying aspect of independent films are that most are overly quirky. Independent films have quirky titles, quirky characters, and quirky plots. At one time seeing an Independent film meant seeing a true original idea that is turned into a memorable film. Today these films all seem to be the same. I never thought the day would come when typical Hollywood fare released in the mega-plexes each weekend would have more originality that most independent films. The characters are usually weird or more simply stated, odd. Film makers would like to believe that their audience actually know people similar to their quirky characters in their screenplays.

ME AND YOU AND EVERYONE WE KNOW (MYEWK) is billed as a film about how technology is involved in the relationships that isolated Americans have. OK...What does that mean? All I know is that the only technology involved in the film is the "on-line" relationship between an adult woman and a seven-year-old boy. The movie is much more simple than its official website would have you believe. For the record, most movies are. MYEWK deals with two central quirky characters. The first is Richard, a shoe salesman, played by John Hawkes. Richard is extremely aloof. His wife has recently asked him to move out and he seems content, if not happy about it. If Richard is simply aloof...I have to respect his reaction to his wife's request. If Richard isn't aloof...He might be a dumb-ass. Richard has two children and although he cares for them both, they seem to realize that their father is a tad flighty and they may have to raise themselves. Like I stated above, the seven-year-old is swapping perverted messages to an on-line chat partner. His oldest son, a young teenager, is being teased by two female classmates who want to use him as a sexual experiment. The two females feel that if they can "practice" on their classmate...they will be prepared for future sexual experiences. MYEWK is not for young viewers and justifies its "R" rating.

The second central character is Christine, played by Miranda July. July directed and produced MYEWK and her character in the film feels like its a self portrayal. Christine is an artist who deals with multi-media items such as video tape and her verbal recordings. In other words...it's art that no one wants to buy. She also works for a cab company that specializes in transporting senior citizens. The viewer takes an instant liking to Christine. One day Christine notices Richard at his shoe store. She goes ga-ga over him. The last half of the film deals with the relationship between Christine and Richard and the characters that enter their lives: Richard's children and the characters they encounter, the senior citizens that Christine deals with, Richard's friend and co-worker. The idea of interweaving plot lines is most popular in the Independent film genre. It works well in MYEWK.

Technically, MYEWK is a success. I really enjoyed the film's musical score. Its difficult to explain but most of the score sounds as if its an electric organ purchased at Wal-Mart. It's a simple score for a simple movie. ME AND YOU AND EVERYONE WE KNOW receives a "7".

Independent movies work best when the quirky characters are played by no-name performers. No one wants to see Harrison Ford play an odd-ball after seeing him play such characters as Indiana Jones and the President of the United States (AIR FORCE ONE "8"). When a no-name performer plays an odd-ball its as if the actor is playing themselves. Ironically...there are a plethora of odd and quirky people working in Hollywood...And they don't have to act to be that way.

John Hawkes has had bit parts in several films. Although he is not the reason for me to recommend the films below...I give you the "TOP 3 MOVIES THAT JOHN HAWKES HAS APPEARED IN...BUT NOT INCLUDING MYEWK".

1. FROM DUSK TO DAWN (1996) I consider this one of the most under-rated movies of my generation. I love watching it with someone who doesn't know the plot. They are always shocked at whot happens in the middle of the film. Hawkes has about 5 minutes of screen time. "10"

2. THE PERFECT STORM (2000) Yes, the storm actually happened. Yes, the fishing boat in question was lost at sea. But to call this a true story is ridiculous. No one will ever know what happened on the fishing bout leading up to the hours of the storm. Regardless, the film is thrilling and deserves to be viewed. Hawkes has a major supporting role in the film with lots of screen time. "7"

3. IDENTITY (2003) A good thriller with an above average twist ending. Once again Hawkes has a supporting role with at least 15 minutes of screen time. IDENTITY has a great cast which includes John Cusack, Amanda Peet, and Ray Liotta. Fans of the television series LOST will enjoy this film."7"

WHITE NOISE: WINNER OF THE GOLDEN FLEECE

Does Michael Keaton care about his movie career? Keaton is a good example of an actor who after reading an awful script decides to cash the check knowing (unless he's an idiot) that the movie will be a bomb. Examples of this are MULTIPLICITY, JACK FROST, and HERBIE: FULLY LOADED (ok, I didn't see Herbie...But I assume it won't be nominated for an Oscar). Since leaving the BATMAN franchise, Keaton has not been in many memorable roles. Even if Keaton is in a good film an argument can be made that he wasn't the reason for the film's success. 1994's THE PAPER and 1997's JACKIE BROWN were both critically acclaimed films but I don't remember any accolades being thrown Keaton's way.

Michael Keaton continues his history of bad film decisions by participating in WHITE NOISE. Keaton plays Jonathan Rivers an architect who is mourning the disappearance of his beautiful wife. After accepting the fate that he will probably never see his wife alive again he meets a strange man who tells him that his wife is trying to contact him via radio waves and recording devices...electronic voice phenomena (evp). This is an example of how truth is stranger than fiction because in real life there are actual wackos who live among us that believe in the junk science that evp is based on. The degenerates who believe in evp are the same morons who believe that one can get to the other side of the universe by hitching a ride on a tail of a comet. My only wish is that it was true...Hopefully it would be a one way ticket.

Keaton's character slowly becomes obsessed with trying to communicate with his wife by staying up all night listening to radio static...I guess it beats listening to rap music. Up to this point the movie is an average thriller that kept my interest. What happened to Jonathon's wife? Will Jonathan contact her? The movie goes south when the villains are introduced. I'll call the villains the 3 shadows because they appear as shadows on television screens. The 3 shadows seem to be terrorizing the dead people who are trying to contact their loved ones via radio air-waves. I never really understood why the 3 shadows were doing this. As the movie continues it is revealed that the dead people are trying to warn their loved ones that other people will be killed if they don't stop the 3 shadows. Somehow the dead people can foresee the future with their e.s.p. ability. The movie also reveals that the 3 shadows have control over a man who is killing people. Difficult to understand? I agree. The movie would have worked if it simply would have concentrated on the dead wife that is trying to contact her husband story. The movie never explains who or what the 3 shadows are and never explains what its motives are. Villains must have motives. If the motives of the villains are not explained...How can the audience root for the good guy?

I'm giving WHITE NOISE a "5". Audiences that don't see many movies will enjoy the film's attempts at scaring them (Please see the Ring 2 review). Experienced film fans will enjoy the first half of the movie and will be disappointed at the lack of intelligence in the second and third acts.

Why did I pay money to see WHITE NOISE? Although the movie was lame...It did have one thing going for it...Its trailer. The preview of the film was great. The trailer didn't actually show too much of the film. The trailer simply showed/played sound bites of supposedly actually real life examples of the the electronic voice phenomena. After the sound bite was done a voice-over explained that this recording was made on a certain date by Jane Doe...Jane Doe was killed in a car accident 3 years before this recording was made. The trailer was well made and instantly had me asking myself questions like: What the hell? Obviously this phenomena doesn't exist but the trailer raised enough interest that made the public want to see the film. Typically, film's released in January don't make money. White Noise made close to 60 million at the box office. The film was critically panned by professional critics.

All of the work on the trailer paid off. It won the "Golden Fleece" award at the 2005 Golden Trailer Awards. The "Golden Fleece" award goes to the trailer that makes an awful movie look good. Basically it's an award for dooping the American movie-going public. Thanks a lot Hollywood.

LORDS OF DOGTOWN: A TALE OF JUVENILE DELINQUENTS

I've never been a skateboard fan. Skateboarding is not a sport, it's a hobby that requires a great amount of skill. Like the hobby of bird-watching, the love of skateboarding is an acquired taste. For the record, skateboarding provides my wife and I with an 87th item that we disagree on. She thinks "skater-boyz" are cute.

LORDS OF DOGTOWN (LDT) is billed as the true story of how/why skateboarding burst onto the scene in the mid 70's. The story revolves around 3 youngsters who idolize a group of losers who own a local surf shop. The youngsters, when not getting high, prefer to go surfing instead of going to school. The film depicts the boys as free spirits...I saw them as juvenile delinquents.

The first delinquent is Stacy Peralta, played by John Robinson. Stacy is portrayed as the "responsible one". He's responsible because he has a job at a dive restaurant. The movie doesn't let the audience know how many hours Stacy works, but it can't be many with all of the punishing hours he spends on crafting his hobby. Stacy is also responsible because he ONLY watches his friends shop-lift...He doesn't actually partake in any shop-lifting activities. Before LDT, Robinson's claim to fame (other than looking like the 4th member of Hanson) before LDT was appearing in the over-rated ELEPHANT (0) from 2003.

The second delinquent is Tony Alva, played by Victor Rasuk. Tony is the "wild one". He is quick to start a fight and loves the ladies..Or as I like to call them..."skater-hags". Tony longs to gain the acceptance from his father who calls his son a "future ditch digger". In real life Tony becomes the first skateboarding World Champion. Rasuk was average in his portrayal of Alva. During his "wild" moments he was too over the top and during his "quieter" moments he was over-shadowed by the other delinquents. In 10 years he will be another Hollywood cliche. Rasuk will be dead of a drug overdose or he will be working the night shift at a Las Vegas buffet doing dishes.

Jay Adams, the third delinquent, is played by Emile Hirsch. Jay is the "loner" who secretly pines for for his buddy's girlfriend (eventually getting her) and looks at success a little differently from his two friends. Jay needs cash to pay the rent for his loser mother and is willing to sacrifice a huge score as long as the rent can be paid by getting a smaller paycheck. Delinquents one and two sign contracts with sponsors who supply them with flashy clothing and cool hot rods. Hirsch has the ability and look to be a big star. Check him out in 2002's THE EMPEROR'S CLUB (8) which got my vote for the most under-rated film of that year. Also check out last year's THE GIRL NEXT DOOR (6). It probably deserved a (7), and received my "guilty pleasure" award of 2004.

LDT succeeds in capturing the look and feel of the 70's. The clothing and dialogue fit the times which shouldn't be a surprise because the movie is based on the 2002 documentary DOGTOWN AND Z-BOYS directed by the real life Stacy Peralta. He served as an advisor on LDT. Peralta lived it so I will give the film makers the benefit of the dought on the authenticity of the film. Ironically, at the beginning of the movie the audience is told that the story is "inspired" by actually events. What the hell does that mean? Is it a true story or not?

The film gives a lame reason why the delinquents switch their interest from surfing to skateboarding..."we can skateboard everyday...when surfing you have to wait for the perfect wave...dude"(I added the "dude"). I have to believe there was more to it than that. The cinematography is repetitive. Once you've seen the delinquents zoom around an empty swimming pool on a skateboard in slow motion 20 different times, it ceases to be cool and becomes dorky. I did appreciate the gritty picture quality of the first 15 minutes of the movie. It looked as if it was filmedwith a hand-held camera. The look fit the rough nature of the surfing scenes in the beginning of the movie.

The most memorable character in LDT is Skip, played by Heath Ledger. Ledger perfectly plays the ultimate surfer-dude. As co-owner of the surf shop he is the first to see dollar signs when he sees the delinquents skate. It's his idea to start a skateboarding club. Unfortunately, Skip is a drug addict and is unable to stay grounded and sober to see his skateboard manufacturing dream become a reality. Skip was one of the many free-spirited hold-overs from the 60's who missed the meeting that informed his kind that they were not going to change the world.

LORDS OF DOGTOWN receives a "7". To a select few skateborading is a religion, and I'm sure LDT is their PASSION OF THE CHRIST (10). I was born in '71. I don't remember skateboarding being a big thing. The only kids that owned skateboards were the ones who were picked after the fat girl with freckles when choosing football teams. Maybe you needed to be a juvenile delinquent from the west coast to get in on the action.

THE ASSASSINATION OF RICHARD NIXON: DEATH OF A SALESMAN

THE ASSASSINATION OF RICHARD NIXON is the type of "based on a true story" that I like to watch. Before this movie, I had no idea that a crazy office furniture salesman tried to kill Nixon. It is easier to view a "true story" when I don't know the facts or the ending. Yes, I know Nixon was not assassinated...But what happened to the crazy office furniture salesman? For example, I've never seen APOLLO 13. Everyone knows the space cadets make it back to Earth with the help of the fine pocket protector trekkie officials in Houston. We love happy endings, but do all "based on a true story" endings have to be happy?

Sean Penn is a great actor. When Penn isn't preaching on a soapbox or trying to save poor people from themselves by using a leaky boat...He can supply a believable character in any genre of film. In ARN, Penn plays a loser named Sam Bicke. In most film's, losers are played as "lovable losers" on screen. Sam Bicke is a loser, but not lovable. Bicke's social skills are minimal, he's rude, and simply not very bright. One of the film's highlights is when Bicke tries to convince a Black Panther leader to allow whites to join their club. Bicke explains that if the Black Panthers change their name to "The Zebras" whites will join the club and membership will double. The Black Panther leader looks at him similar to how conservatives look at todays far left...With a look of "what color is the sky in your world?!"

In the beginning of the film Bicke is being groomed as the next great office furniture salesman...Bicke is destined to fail. But there is always good news. When a salesman hits rock bottom they can always sell hotel rooms for a living (kidding). Bicke's wife, played by Naomi Watts, can't stand him. We learn that they have been legally separated for a year. If the story is true...It's amazing she married him in the first place. Bicke's best friend is Bonnie, played by Don Cheadle. Bonnie realizes that his friend Bicke is a fool but allows him to hang out at his car repair shop as a form of charity. Sam Bicke starts the movie as a loser and then switches to being pathetic.

Eventually Bicke's wife files for divorce, he quits his job (right before he gets fired), and gets his best friend Bonnie arrested. All of this is the fault of Richard Nixon. In movies, as in life, it is always easy to blame people in authority for your problems and short-comings. In today's world Bicke would be a flaming left wing wacko...Completely unstable, unrealistic and quick to blame the establishment for his and the world's problems. The solution to Bicke's problems is much easier than killing the President. Bicke and people like him need to look in a mirror and then run into oncoming traffic...Problem solved.

The movie ends with Bicke actually finding the nerve to go through with his plan to assassinate Nixon. The plan involves the hi-jacking of an airplane and flying it into the White House. Obviously the plan fails. With Bicke's luck...Even if his plan succeeded and he actually hi-jacked the plan and made it crash into the White House...Nixon probably wouldn't have been home. When people like Bicke have success, its usually achieved by accident.

THE ASSASSINATION OF RICHARD NIXON is a good movie. On the "Jamie" scale it receives an "8" and makes the Honorable Mention List for the best films of 2004. Sean Penn does a superb job playing a crazy person..Although he has a great advantage. It is easy to play a crazy person when in reality you are already insane. Sean, I know you must live near a highway or interstate...Remember...The solution is simple.

A CURE FOR THE END OF SUMMER MOVIE SEASON

The end of the 2005 summer movie season is approaching a welcomed end. On the horizon I see only one movie that we can look forward to seeing...RED EYE starring Rachel McAdams and Cillian Murphy. Historically, when I look forward to seeing a movie...it usually blows chunks. RED EYE will be an exception to that rule. Because August isn't supplying us with much to hold our interest (I don't care how high Jessica Simpson wears her shorts...I'm not interested in the DUKES remake), I'm supplying my loyal readers to my Best of 2003 list. You need to see these movies immediately. Without further ado...the TOP TEN BEST MOVIES OF 2003.
1. OPEN RANGE was my favorite movie of 2003. I love westerns and it has the best (and longest) gun battle in any western I've seen. If I'm wrong...let me know.

2. FINDING NEMO: I hate to agree with the masses...but FN was a great movie. It also proves the impossible...Ellen DeGeneres can be funny (as long as someone else writes her material).

3. KILL BILL: KB may be the third best movie of 2003, but its the best kung fu movie ever made. FYI...I love Uma Thurman.

4. OWNING MAHOWNY: My wife thinks I have a gambling problem? Check out this true story of a banker who issues fake business loans to himself so he can play craps in Atlantic City.

5. TEARS OF THE SUN: Bruce Willis is best at playing characters who are under great pressure. In this movie he delivers again. The movie has great action, great suspense, and great drama. I also thought it was a good commentary on why and how terrorists of the world need to be dealt with.

6. MATCHSTICK MEN: Nick Cage is in way too may movies, but this is one I'm glad he participated in. A con-artist movie directed by Ridley Scott...its hard to fail when you have that combination.

7. SOMETHING"S GOTTA GIVE: Yes, another "masses" movie. It always kills me to like/love a simple masses movie but I cared for all of the characters involved. This would have been the 4th best movie of the year, but fell to 7 because of the Diane Keaton's nude scene...no thank you.

8. PHONE BOOTH: This was released in February of 2003...it got decent reviews but no one went to see it. The flick is less than 90 minutes long and is extremely suspenseful.

9. LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING was a great movie but I found myself thinking during the movie..."thank god this series is over".

10. THE RUNDOWN: I still have hope for THE ROCK. This is a great action movie which can be compared to ROMANCING THE STONE.

HONORABLE MENTIONS
Shattered Glass (Why most Americans trust used car salesmen more than journalists)
Dark Blue (Kurt Russell as a bad guy?...it worked!)
Cold Mountain (liked the movie although the ending stunk)
City of God (you think your neighborhood has a crime problem?)
American Splendor(proof that a talentless hack can become successful)
The School of Rock (Jack Black...enough said)

THREE DAYS, 179 MILES...AND 5 MOVIES

To ride bicycle or to watch movies...That is the question. As the years pass the answer to that question is usually...Bicycle. My knees continue to feel good and my endurance gets better and better each year. Although I know this won't continue forever I feel I need to take advantage of the situation for as long as possible. Over the weekend I rode 179 miles. Not a big deal in the big scheme of things (if you don't like bragging...Don't read on), but what I was most proud of was reaching the 30,000 mile mark for the decade. I started keeping track of miles ridden on January 1, 2000. In that first year I rode just over 2300 miles. Each year I've increased that total. In 2004 I rode 6709.1 miles. Currently, I'm at 5054.9 miles for 2005...It shouldn't be a problem crushing last years mark. In short, bicycling takes up most of my movie watching time. But sometimes the movie and bicycle Gods look down on me with large toothy grins and the planets become aligned so that I can do both...Bicycle and watch movies. On second thought...Maybe it was because my wife went on vacation without me? Needless to say, it was a good weekend. Along with the 179 miles that I rode I was able to see 5 movies. Below is a short review of each. Enjoy.

DARK WATER: I'm so incredibly tired of the Japanese horror remake phenomenon. Did THE RING begin this craze? I personally think THE SIXTH SENSE was such a huge and surprising success that Hollywood was desperate to cash in on the "ghost" excitement. In DARK WATER Jennifer Connelly stars as a mother who loves and protects her daughter so much that it just might be driving her mad. She refuses to make the same mistakes her mother made. In doing so she pays more attention to not making parenting mistakes instead of actually taking care of her child. After separating from her husband and low on cash, she moves into an awful apartment building. I swear you can scroll down to THE RING 2 review for the rest. You might like this flick id you haven't seen the movies that it is trying imitate. Although the movie is a little boring it did have to strong points. The first is John C. Reilly, he plays a slimy realtor that is convinced that the awful apartment is a utopia. It was comical listening to him convince the Connelly character of this lie. ABC...Always Be Closing. I also liked the ending. Without giving the ending away the sacrifice that Connily makes and the scene with her and the "ghost" worked well. However, because the entire movie seems so redundant I can't recommend it. DARK WATER gets a "5".

Summer mmovie season exists for directors like Micheal Bay. Over the past 10 years no director has bigger explosions or more action than Bay directed movies. BAD BOYS (7), THE ROCK (9), and ARMAGEDDON (8) (yes, I'm purposely not mentioning PEARL HARBOR and BAD BOYS 2) were all crowd favorites that supplied dramatic explosions and elaborate action scenes with a special flare for making the actors involved look very cool. THE ISLAND begins with the introduction of Lincoln, played by Ewan McGregor, and Jordan played by Scarlett Johansson. For the record, Johansson has never done anything for me...But in this movie...She is hot! I've never seen anyone make an all white jogging suite look so good. Lincoln and Jordon seem to live in a perfect utopia. Their eco-pod world may not provide the best food or many options for clothing styles but it seems that everyone gets along and everything is done for them. Lincoln however is bored and very curious. With some investigation and help from a maintenance man played by Steve Buscemi Lincoln discovers that he is nothing but an insurance policy; A clone used for spare parts when the real Lincoln becomes sick or disfigured. After discovering this He and Jordan escape the eco-pod into the real world that they didn't know existed. Believe it or not the movie was working on a perfect 10 at this point. Bay's vision of the clone utopia was stylish and fun to look at. The suspense and thriller aspect was increasing rapidly...Until bay decided to go to familiar territory and turn a great story into a mindless chase movie. After escaping, they are hunted down by a special forces agent for hire played by Djimon Hounsou. Professional critics have written that was a practice in bad casting. I thought Hounsou played the bad guy for hire role very well. The action sequences were are well done but I had to keep asking myself..."Haven't I've seen all of this before?" THE ISLAND gets a marginal thumbs up...A "6". Most science fiction fans will like the beginning but may not like the second half.

THE BAD NEWS BEARS is a remake of the 1974 movie of the same name starring Walter Mathou. I've never seen the original so I had to judge the film on its own Merritt. The current version stars Billy Bob Thorton as a drunk who for some extra cash decides to coach a cast of misfit kids in a summer baseball league. You have to respect Thorton. Not many men could walk away from Angela Jolie to go on tour with a horrible bar band. Thorton is a man you can admire. His character, Morris Buttermaker, is much the same. His nonchalant attitude takes an immediate effect on the young baseball team. The kids constantly fight while calling each other non-politically correct names. This was my favorite aspect of the movie. The world is so damn politically correct that it makes me sick. If you are offended by the worst player on the team, who happens to be a quadriplegic confined to a wheelchair, being placed in right field...You don't want to see this film. THE BAD NEWS BEARS is funny in subtle ways. Its not laugh out loud funny but I had a grin on my face through the entire movie. THE BEARS get a "7".

What the hell is Rob Zombie doing writing and directing a movie? What the hell is Hollywood thinking allowing him to write and direct his own movie? What the hell was I thinking paying good money to see his movie? What the hell! Rob Zombie has as much business directing a movie as a bald man entering a Rod Stewart look-a-like contest. Interesting fact: Rob Zombie's real name is Robert Cummings...He doesn't sound so cool now does he? The movie in question is THE DEVIL'S REJECTS, a sequel to 2003's HOUSE OF 1000 CORPSES. I'm not going to waste a lot of time explaining what the movie is about. I will tell you that it has several disgesting murder scenes, awful awful language, and the world's scariest clown. Remember the the 2nd chick who replaced Suzanne Summers in Three's Company? She's in this movie! After reading this I'm sure you will be surprised to read...I kind of liked the flick. Am I ashamed?...Yes. I look at mindless entertainment as a "brain cleansing". Once your brain is cleansed you can be free to totally absorb good wholesome entertainment. THE DEVIL'S REJECTS gets a generous "6". One more thing. I wish I would have had a camera to take pictures of the freaks that were seeing this movie. The weight of their heads had to be doulbled with all of the face, ear, nose, eye brow, chin, lip, and cheek piercings. As I sat in the last row of the theater, I swear to God I could see the silhouettes of their heads wobbling back and forth...Their necks straining to keep their heads in an upright position. Poor pathetic magnetic bastards.

As a child,WILLY WONKA & THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY (4) was never one of my favorite movies. Although a child, I found it to look cheap and boring. As an adult I viewed the film in a different way. In addition to still looking cheap and still being boring I thought it supported certain psychedelic themes that are irresponsible...Especially when dealing with a movie that children will be watching. Needless to say, when I heard that Hollywood was remaking the film and renaming it CHARLIE & THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY, I didn't get to excited. My feelings changed a bit when Tim Burton was assigned to direct and Johnny Depp came on board to play the mysterious Willy Wonka. Burton and Depp have a history of making very good to great movies together: Edward scizzorhands (8), ED WOOD (10)(If you haven't seen this movie...Why haven't you?), and Sleepy Hallow (10). Could they make it 4 in a row? Five months ago movie fans were able to get the first look of what Depp looked like as Willy Wonka. I was diappointed...He looked like a freak. This may be an obscure reference but he reminded me of a crosss between Michael Jackson and Martin Short's character in the movie CLIFFORD (0). Any thoughts of Michael Jackson and a children's movie brings way to many bad vibes. Because of this and after a marathon movie weekend I determined that I wasn't going to like CHARLIE & THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY before I even sat in my seat. As Depp made his appearance my initial concerns were validated. Jackson...I mean Depp...Simply looked creepy. As Wonka started to guide the golden ticket holders into his magical factory I began to salivate over the "candy room"...Who wouldn't want to drink from a chocolate river? The screenplay supplied Depp with several good one-liners directed to the obnoxious parents and their children. I must admit...I love being condescending to children (and sometimes to adults). Wait a second...With my love of candy...I have a lot on common with Willy Wonka. Depp's version started to grow on me throughout the film and I began to judge the entire experience separately from the 1971 movie. And lets not forget about the Oompa Loompas. The vertically changed actor Deep Roy received the pleasure of getting cloned Hollywood style. Seeing clips of the Oompa Loompas before the actually movie was another reason that contributed to me predetermining that I wasn't going to like the movie. But, like the Wonka character I was proven wrong. The Oompa Loompas were my favorite character(s) in the movie. Their musical numbers were hilarious. I give CHARLIE & THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY a surprising "8". The team of Burton and Depp are 4 for 4.

THE WEDDING CRASHERS: Celebration of Laughs

Comedies are my least favorite movie genre. If a comedy isn't funny...It fails. I don't care if the acting is top-notch. I don't care if the direction and cinematography are praised by their respective guilds. If a comedy isn't funny it ceases to be comedy and becomes an exercise in boredom. On the other hand, when a comedy works audiences can feel a buzz traveling through the theater. Everyone is laughing. Everyone can hear each other laughing ...The theater is connected. After all...Laughter is the best medicine when we're knee deep in summer movie hell. THE WEDDING CRASHERS is a funny movie and will most likely be the best comedy of 2005 (ELECTRA will not be included in the comedy category). In fact, it was so funny that it deserves a 2nd theater viewing. The audience was laughing so hard that I missed a lot of the verbal gags that were plentiful throughout the entire flick.

THE WEDDING CRASHERS tells the adventures of John, played by Owen Wilson, and Jeremy, played by Vince Vaughn. John and Jeremy play life long friends who are divorce mediators. On vacations they like to go hunting...Hunting for babes. Their hunting ground is weddings. As uninvited guests they crash the wedding nuptials and prey on woman who are emotionally vulnerable from all the romance (and alcohol) in the air. The movie begins with a montage of the boys on safari. They crash American weddings, Irish weddings, Indian weddings...Bridesmaids and single woman beware! Of course all of the women are hot, which is total b.s...but its fun to play along. At each wedding celebration they bag the legal limit. All of the weddings I attend never have hot woman in attendance. The only available woman I see are fighting to get as many sliver size slices of cake as humanly possible. Actually, I'm married and don't look at other woman...But it might explain why I didn't get a slice of cake at my own wedding?

As the movie continues the boys decide to crash one last wedding before the end of hunting season. The United States Treasury Secretary's (played by Christopher Walken) daughter is getting married. John, wanting to get involved in politics, feels this would be a great opportunity to meet the secretary. At the wedding John and Jeremy place dibs on their future trophies. John chooses Claire (Rachel McAdams) and Jeremy chooses Gloria (Isla Fisher), both are bridesmaids and sisters of the bride.

We all know the boy is going to get the girl and realize that John and Clair's courtship is the important relationship that the movie's plot revolves around. John's meets Claire by offering help with her wedding toast. Although Claire has a boyfriend she admires John's aloofness and crooked nose charm. Their courtship remains conventional and offers no surprises. There are a few laughs...But like I said above...The boy will get the girl.

Most of the comedy comes from the courtship between Jeremy and Gloria. After scoring easily with Gloria, Jeremy tries to make a quick escape. Claire proceeds to declare her longing for them to spend the rest of of their lives together...yikes! Because John is taking his time with Claire, Jeremy is forced to join his friend and the rest of the wedding party for a weekend in the Hamptons. Along the way Jeremy is sexually molested several times by Gloria who turns out to be a loony nymphomaniac. Most of the jokes are adult in nature and the language gets very bawdy. Isla Fisher (right) steals the movie. As Gloria, I couldn't wait to see what she was going to do to Jeremy next...Besides draining him of all of his bodily fluids. It was a good decision to cast a no-name in this part. If the producers hired a well known actress I'm sure the bawdy gags wouldn't been as bawdy.

Although THE WEDDING CRASHERS is about 25 minutes too long the audience gets a surprise performance from an unbilled star. "Chaz" is played by the hottest comedic actor of the day (no...I won't tell you who who it is). Chaz is the ultimate wedding crasher who has turned to funerals to score with babes. The movie is very funny and would be best seen in a theater full of people. We are nearing the end of summer movie season. THE WEDDING CRASHERS "8" is my favorite of the season so far. Go see this movie.

Movie news: Rachel McAdams is going to be a big star. Have you seen the trailer for RED EYE? It looks great!

KONG! KONG! KONG! The KING KONG trailer is awesome. It might be the best preview I've ever seen! Can't wait until December to see this flick! I knew the film was being made for over a year but did not know that it was taking place in the 1930's...Great decision Peter Jackson.

CH-CH-CHANGES...

First I need to apologize for my long absence. Over the past few months...Vacations, work, and bicycling have taken me away from the movie business. The people have spoken. After receiving several emails, phone calls, and hand written letters relaying to me how my simple blog is the reason for so much happiness in their lives and others...lets just say it put things in perspective. Who am I to take away such happiness? Who am I to be responsible for the billion dollar movie industry's failings? It can't be a coincidence that while I was "away" the film industry failed to met last years weekly earnings 19 weeks in a row! For all of this...I'm SORRY.

The reason for this blog entry is to make a few changes to the "Best Movies List of 2004". It's hard to view every movie released in a given year in that same year. Although I wait a few months to release my list there are always a couple movies that fall through the cracks. Unlike the Constitution of the greatest country on God's green Earth...my list is a living document. Movies will never be removed from the list...But movies can be added. In this case the movies added do not change the Top 10...The movies will be placed on the Honorable Mention list. The changes will be made on the blog entry that has the list. Below is a short synapse of each movie added. As always your comments are welcome...There is only 1 rule: "be pithy if you wish to opine."

THE NOTEBOOK is one of the better chick flicks of this decade. THE NOTEBOOK is the story of young lovers from opposite sides of the tracks who at the end of their summer romance get torn apart by circumstances beyond their control. Pretty basic stuff. What makes the story special is that the above events are retold in flashbacks to an elderly woman, played by Gena Rowlands, by an old-timer, played by James Garner (for the record...The Rockford Files theme music is in the top 5 t.v. theme songs of all time). This portion of the movie takes place in a nursing home and contributes to about 30% of the film's plot. Because of this the viewer is treated to 2 movies in one. It's obvious to any movie fan how the "two movies" are intertwined so the surprise ending is a simple plot arc that you knew was coming all along. However, because of the good story telling and the gentle pulling of my heart strings THE NOTEBOOK (8) is one of the better films of 2004.

Usually when I describe a movie as being original...Films such as Pulp Fiction, Fight Club, and this year's Sin City come to mind. These movies have larger than life characters, original camera angels and loads of violence. Because of this I was extremely surprised that I liked WICKER PARK so much. If I had to place it in a category it would be romance, but there are equal parts mystery and thriller in it also. And get this...No one dies, violence is totally non-existent and the characters are normal size. The story revolves around Matthew a young photographer who falls in love with a beautiful woman named Lisa, this is the romance part. After two months Matt asks Lisa to move in with him. Shortly afterward, Lisa disappears without a trace. What happened to Lisa (this is the mystery part)? Two years go by and Matt thinks that he spots Lisa in a restaurant. It turns out to be a woman named Rose who happens to wear the same coat and shoes as Lisa. As Matt learns more about Rose he feels that she's hiding something that may connect her to Lisa (this is the thriller part). Do yourself a favor and check this flick out. If I ever make a list of TOP TEN ORIGINAL FILMS...WICKER PARK (8) will be on the list.

For all of us who liked 2002's THE BOURNE IDENTITY (8), the idea of Jason Bourne coming back for round 2 versus the CIA and numerous secret assassins was a welcome idea. THE BOURNE SUPREMACY is much of the same as the series first installment...Which is a very good thing. If it ain't broke...Don't fix it. SUPREMACY consists of the same cat and mouse games and mature action that made the first installment a box office success. Joan Allen provides the audience with a great performance as a CIA department head out to capture/kill Jason Bourne. She's tough as nails and willing to risk the lives of CIA operatives to achieve her objective...You have to respect that. Matt Damon is becoming one of my favorite actors. He's extremely believable in this action role and I look forward to the third installment...Although there is no word yet on the production of such installment. THE BOURNE SUPREMACY (8) is just as good as THE BOURNE IDENTITY.

Have you seen these movies? let me know hat you think!

The Ring 2...Making Up the Rules As They Go

2002's THE RING "5" suffered from a common syndrome in Hollywood: You can't judge a book by its cover syndrome. This syndrome occurs when a movie's director and cinematographer have an over active imagination who care more about impressing the audience visually instead of caring about important things such as the screenplay. In my movie fantasy world Hollywood would use special effects to compliment the screenplay. In today's Hollywood, and most likely in the future, it's the other way around. While viewing THE RING, it looked great. The high production value resulted in several memorable scenes, but unfortunately those scenes amounted to a confusing plot that involved a haunted videotape. Why the video tape was made, who made the videotape, and did they know it was haunted was never clear to me.

In THE RING 2, the video tape is back. Do people still use VCRs? This movie is a mess. In the first RING the rules are as follows: if you watch the videotape you'll die 7 days later. The "curse" can be lifted if you have someone else watch the videotape. If this happens the "curse" is lifted from you and moves on to the person who watched the videotape after you. Ridiculous concept, but easy to understand. In R1 the two protagonists are saved by doing this. Blockbuster's late fees never looked so good! R2 forgets the rules established in R1 because the "curse" or "ghost" is looking for payback from the two protagonists from R1. The screenplay didn't explain this which really bugged the hell out of me. A second rule that isn't followed from R1 is the use of televisions as the "portal" that the ghost uses to travel from "ghost-world" to the human world. In R2 it is implied that digital cameras can be used as a portal. What will be used in R3...A microwave? In R4...An alarm clock? Even the worst horror movies have rules that are followed from sequel to painful sequel. Take the FRIDAY THE 13TH franchise, no matter what gruesome end falls upon Jason...You know he's not dead. His head could be chopped off, he could be struck by lightning, or run over with a hotel van...It simply doesn't matter, Jason is alive...Its a rule and the movie doesn't break the rule.

As the film continues to make up rules the audience is witness to every stock horror trick in the history of horror film making to let you know that you should be scared. Flickering light bulbs, lots of spider webs, eerie music, and the occational ghostly whisper of the protagonist's name are all signs of an uninventive script and a characteristic of a desperate film maker at their wit's end. The "ghostly whisper" device always brings up a couple of questions: Did the character hear the voice? Did I hear the voice or is it someone snoring behind me? It doesn't matter. Once the audience starts asking these type of questions the film has lost all credibility and has become quite lame. R2 quickly reaches this point in it's first 20 minutes.

I didn't like R2. Sometimes a bad movie is so bad that it becomes good. Viewers can be entertained by making fun of the many ways the movie fails. But sometimes a movie is so bad...it's just plain bad. R2 receives a "1".

National Treasure...Where's the Nazis?

When NATIONAL TREASURE was released late year I thought...No way! A movie about treasure hunting without Indiana Jones or Angelina Jolie's lips?!...I'll pass. But when on the road for work, stuck in a hotel room I decided to shell out $9.99 plus .35 cents for handling and applicable taxes and watch NATIONAL TREASURE. Maybe it was the western air, maybe it was the huge steak I ate earlier that evening that put me in a heavenly mood...Regardless...I enjoyed NATIONAL TREASURE.

Nicholas Cage is usually hit or miss. When an actor is in as many roles as Cage you are bound to waste a few reels of film now and then (gee...Does he need the cash like DeNiro?), remember 8MM, TRAPPED IN PARADISE, and SNAKE EYES?...yikes! In NT Cage plays the youngest in the Gates family. The Gates clan believe that America's founding fathers incorporated clues to hidden loot in various "national treasures" such as the Declaration of Independence and the Liberty Bell. As the heroes run from bad guys in Washington D.C. and Philadelphia I became increasingly entertained and interested in the next "national treasure" that was securing the next clue to the hidden treasure...Like I said above, maybe I was delirious from the huge steak.

The one negative aspect to NT is the villain. When it comes to treasure hunting movies I prefer the villains to be Nazis. When Nazis are involved I root for the good guys a little harder and cheer a little louder when the Nazis fail. Can you imagine RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARC "10" and INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE "8" without Nazis as the villains? In NT, the villain is played by Sean Bean (no relation to Mr. Bean). He plays the role flat and isn't very menacing. Other than trying to blow up Cage and his crew at the beginning of the movie with 200 year old gun powder, he doesn't try very hard to rub out the good guys.

On the other hand, the producers of the flick can be commended for this. The violence is reduced to explosions and fist fights. At the end of NT the villain gets arrested! In an action movie isn't the villain supposed to die with a bullet to the head or in a fiery explosion? NATIONAL TREASURE is a fun family movie that parents can watch with younger teenagers, and both will enjoy it. NATIONAL TREASURE receives a "7".

Have you seen 1987's RAISING ARIZONA "10"? It is Nicholas Cage's first great movie and is on my top 20 list of all time favorite movies. Check it out!

Hide and Seek...Brother, can you spare a dime?

HIDE AND SEEK isn't the worst movie I've seen, I give it a "3", but when considering Robert DeNiro is the star I think it's fair to expect a little more from the actor who breathed life into such characters as Travis Bickle, Jimmy Conway, and the young Godfather. I will avoid the various reasons why this movie blows and instead plead...Beg...Urge DeNiro to consult me before taking roles in any other Hollywood fluff pieces.

Its depressing that a great living American actor is in movies such as HIDE AND SEEK and last year's GODSEND ("1"). This outrage must stop. DeNiro's commercial spot for the American Express Card has more depth and emotion that his last two movies. Does he need the cash? I can respect that, but please do movie fans a favor and be honest with us. Does he need the cash so he can donate to the Save the Yellow Tail Snail of Argentina Fund? Does he need the cash to donate to the ACLU? Does he need the cash to to add an 18th wing to his mansion? Although all of these causes are worthless and idiotic, it would be a better explanation than..."Gee, I think I can make movie audiences care and cheer for a crazy doctor wanting to clone his dead son by injecting the dead son's DNA into a womb of an unexpected woman", or "Wow, I get to play a character slowly going insane who thinks he's a child named Charlie...And terrorizing a little girl at the same time!!..Sign me up!" All I ask is...Bob, be honest with us.

One more rant regarding HIDE AND SEEK. Has an actress ever did less after an Oscar nomination than Elizabeth Shue?

SIN CITY...more comments

Alan mentioned that people walked out of his showing of SIN CITY...I also noticed that...but at the end of the movie about half of the theater stood and applauded(!)...no kidding! The flick grossed $28 million over the weekend.

RAY: Beware of blind men caressing your lower arm.

RAY...I suppose it was a good movie. The movie didn't do any favors for the Charles legacy which surprises me because the producers received blessings from the RC family after the movie was complete. Although I appreciate the talent of RC, I can't get into R&B/gospel. I don't have any of his CDs.

Charles was one hell of a s.o.b. The movie portrays RC as a moody womanizing drug addicted musical genius. The movie wanted to make you believe that his best talent was his piano playing abilities. I was more impressed with his gift of "feeling" if a woman was worth bedding by caressing her lower arm...That's a gift! This is a good example of all musical geniuses: admire the musical talent, not the man.

Jamie Foxx did a great job of winning the Oscar for best karaoke...I mean best acting performance. Being nominated for an Oscar must feel very good after starring in BOOTY CALL. The most interesting aspect of the movie was that RC trusted no one, which I guess makes since because of his blindness. On the other hand, he was a s.o.b, his "friends" seemed to "put up" with him because of that very blindness and because RC was their meal ticket.

I give RAY a 6, just above average. The movie isn't bad, but at the same time did nothing for me on an emotional level. RC's talent wasn't that he was a great piano player... He was a great piano player that was blind. But is that impressive? I can do a lot of things "blind"...With my eyes closed. I can tie my shoes, walk around my house, get dressed, shave...All with my eyes closed. In fact, I bet I could learn to play the piano with my eyes closed. I couldn't play something as impressive as RC...But maybe something simple like Mary Had A Little Lamb or Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.

Before seeing RAY I always pictured him playing a piano, wearing dark shades, big smile on his face...swaying back and forth with his music. Now I picture him playing a piano, wearing dark shades, big smile on his face...swaying back and forth to his music while high on heroin. Thanks Hollywood.

SIN CITY...ULTIMATE GUY MOVIE

...Not only is SIN CITY the ultimate guy movie, it may be the coolest movie since PULP FICTION. SIN CITY has many memorable characters, my favorites were Marvin played by Micky Rourke and Jackie Boy played by Benicio Del Toro. Both characters are played to the helt and take advantage of the creative licence that's issued when playing characters from a comic book. The flick is divided into 3 short stories...I liked the first which featured Marvin best.

SIN CITY is directed by Robert Rodriguez. It's nice to see him come back to "blood and guts" after boring his adult fans for 3 years with the SPY KIDS franchise. Each scene in SIN CITY is memorable and awesome to look at. Mostly filmed in a silvery black and white with dashes of color (mostly red...to show blood) the comic book world really comes to life. The flick reminded me of a fantasy world where men rule and are worshiped by hot chicks that are packing guns and knives. Feminists will not like this movie.

SIN CITY may be the most original movie I've ever seen. I rate it a "9". It will definately make my best movie list for 2005.

If you like violence, blood, witty dialogue, nudity, larger than life characters...go see this movie.

If you want to check out other Rodriguez movies check out FROM DUSK TILL DAWN starring George Clooney. Before SIN...this was his best.

Sticking with the comic book theme....check out 2000's UNBREAKABLE starring Bruce Willis (who is also in SIN CITY) and Samual L. Jackson. The movie isn't based on a comic book but deals with many comic book themes. IT was my favorite movie of 2000.

....looking forward to reading other opinions regarding SIN CITY.

Each year, near the end March, I release my top 10 movies of the year. I rate movies on a scale of 10-0...10 being a great movie...0...being , unmemerable. Without further ado...I give you the 10 best movies of 2004.

1. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
2. Collateral
3. Kill Bill:Volumn 2
4. The Aviator
5. The Passion of the Christ
6. Sideways
7. Spider-Man 2
8. Touching the Void
9. Spanglish
10. Friday Night Lights

Honerable Mentions:
The Notebook
Wicker Park
The Bourne Supremacy
Spartan
Dawn of the Dead
Miracle
Manchurian Candidate
The Incredibles
The Polar Express (good movie...but the elves scared me)
Million Dollar Baby
The Assassination of Richard Nixon

This is the first entry to "Extra Butter Please". Being a huge movie fan and someone who is always willing to give an opinion regarding movies, I thought it would be cool to start my own blog.

To start the conversation rolling...here are a few of my opinions on movies: Starship Troopers is a far superior movie than any of the Star Wars movies.

Robin Williams, Whoopi Goldberg, Julia Roberts, & Cuba Gooding Jr. are all talentless hacks.

Dumb & Dumber is the funniest movie ever made.

Goodfellas is not as good as the first 2 Godfather movies, but it is difinately more entertaining.

That's it for now. My next entry will involve a mini review of the next movie that I see. I'm looking forward to seeing "Sin City" which is released this Friday.

First message.

First message.