logangiese Reviews

Underworld: Rise of the Lycans (2009)

Vampires vs. Werewolves. What could be better than that? It appears everything else

[2/10 · 23 March 2010]

Vampires vs. Werewolves. What could be better than that? It appears everything else. This movie fails on so many levels it's hard to figure out what to start with. This prequel is set in the Middle Ages where you see star cross lovers start a rebellion. Werewolves are slaves to the vampires and their leader Lucian is having an affair with the head vampire's daughter Sonja. The head vampire finds out and Lucian rebels. That's about it. The special effects, which are important in movies like this, are terrible and obviously computer generated. The visual effects make it seem like this movie should have been a straight to DVD release instead of it hitting theaters. The only good part of this movie is Martin Sheen who plays Lucian. You can tell that his acting abilities are far superior then this type of movie. Playing David Frost in "Frost/Nixon" to playing Lucian in "Underworld" seems like a big stretch since one was nominated for Oscars and the other was one of the worst movies released in 2009. Regardless of the movie he still is an excellent actor but he should start making better career decisions and not sign on to do whatever is offered to him. This film also stars Rhona Mitra as Sonja, the daughter of the head vampire, who reminds you more of the Octomom then the film's last star Kate Beckinsale. She is definitely no Kate Beckinsale and seems to try to be just like her but obviously does a poor job in doing so. This movie makes the first two seem like masterpieces in comparison and that is a lot to say since they weren't gems either. The director of the first two, director Len Wiseman, must be horrified of what new director Patrick Tatopoulos did to his franchise. Underworld: Rise of the Lycans fails to deliver because it could have been so much more if given to the right person. The feature length time of this film is 92 minutes but it seemed twice that and it dragged forever. When you are waiting for a movie to end and it's taking an eternity to do so that is a bad sign of the quality of film you are watching. I remember now why I waited to rent this film instead of seeing it in theaters.

1 out of 5 stars

Cool factor: Martian Sheen being Badass as Lucian

Lame Factor: The special effects are horrendous

S. Darko (2009)

PLEASE DON'T SEE THIS MOVIE, it truly is awful.

[2/10 · 23 March 2010]

This film is by far the worst movie of 2009. The makers of "Donnie Darko" should be embarrassed that they called this a sequel and it is a good thing Donnie (the character) is not around anymore so he doesn't have to watch this monstrosity. This film is about Donnie's little sister Samantha and her friend Corey (who is super hot and the only bright spot in this trash movie) getting stuck in a rural town. Twenty minutes into this film you can tell right away why it was a straight to DVD release. This movie would have been so much better if they just used the "Donnie Darko" script and put Samantha Darko in Donnie's role instead. It might have been confusing but at least it would have made more sense, be more believable and not a waste of time. Instead the director Chris Fisher tries to do something new and different but fails miserably. They're both seeing things (why is Corey even seeing things? It's stupid.) like Donnie did and that's what I gathered before zoning out of the movie because it was all over the place and incoherent. For some reason the just needed to put Frank the Rabbit in this movie even though he really has nothing to do with Samantha and shouldn't be in this movie. This movie is so ridiculous they even have Elizabeth Berkley (Famous for playing Jesse from Saved by the Bell) making an awkward local townswoman appearance. PLEASE DON'T SEE THIS MOVIE, it truly is awful.

1 out of 5 stars

Cool Factor: The same actress (Daveigh Chase) that played Donnie's little sister plays the same character in S. Darko.

Lame Factor: They shouldn't even made this movie, truly a waste of 100 minutes.

Angels & Demons (2009)

If you have to see this movie you should wait to rent it because it not worth going to see it in theaters.

[6/10 · 23 March 2010]

Professor Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) finds himself yet again solving a mystery surrounding the Vatican and its hidden secrets. This time around it's all about the secret and evil anti-Vatican organization, the Illuminati, who was shun hundreds of years ago by the Church for saying science explains the world's mysteries and not God. Flash forward to present day and the Illuminati want their revenge on the Church and the Church needs Robert Langdon to help solve their problems. This movie is just like the first one but it is not as edgy and there is absolutely no character development that lets you connect with who they are and why they do this. I really didn't even realize Tom Hanks was even in the movie and couldn't care one way or the other what happens to him because the movie didn't give me a chance to connect with his character. This movie is about 45 minutes too long and all it shows is Tom Hanks running around Italy trying to solve clues. But what this movie lacks in originality it makes up for in is its effectiveness to keep you interested. This fact is due to the excellent directing by Ron Howard who is one of the best directors we have today. It's somewhat fast paced for the type of movie it is but you would like to think that there was somewhat more to the story then what they give you. The so-called twist at the end should have been more shocking and not so subtle and predictable. Ewan McGregor does a great job playing Father Patrick McKenna and is very believable as a priest. He is the only one that shines among the rest of the cast who seem to be there just to collect a paycheck. If you have to see this movie you should wait to rent it because it not worth going to see it in theaters.

3 out of 5 stars.

Cool Factor: Seeing the Vatican

Lame Factor: Not as edgy as it should have been.

Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (2009)

fewer laughs and a so-so love story

[6/10 · 23 March 2010]

If you like the first one you will probably like this one. The only condition is that this one has fewer laughs and a so-so love story with the truly gifted actress Amy Adams most famous for "Enchanted". This movie is the definition of family comedy. There wasn't as much heart in this sequel as there was in the original. Ben Stiller just goes through the motions while the rest of the cast seem to be putting their A game on.

3 out of 5 stars

Cool Factor: All the same characters from the original

Lame Factor: Jonah Hill (Superbad) is only in the movie for 2 minutes. Yeah, that one scene you've already seen in the previews

Rurouni Kenshin: Trust and Betrayal (1999)

This great movie will go down as the best of the best and rightfully so

[10/10 · 23 March 2010]

Samurai X is the movie prequel to the anime series Ruroni Kenshin. The movie is loosely based on actual events that took place during the feudal era of Japan. The story is about Kenshin, an assassin trying to make the world a better place by the end of his sword, killing whoever is in his way. The film shows his trial and tribulations with what he is doing and how he comes to terms with himself. This particular anime has first class animation that makes the picture look amazing and the fight scenes are the best I have ever seen in an anime before. This is a very bloody yet thought provoking movie that earns its rights to be consider one of the best anime films ever. This film is nothing like the free spirited and almost heartwarming anime series it is based off of. Every scene is vey intense even though the characters might not be doing anything important. What makes the movie so great is not those awesome action scenes or the complex character development that Kenshin goes through but it is the ending that really delivers. The ending is truly moving and ironic at the same time and it leaves an impression on you that you can't forget. This great movie will go down as the best of the best and rightfully so. If you are in the mood for violent, sword slashing, though provoking, intense drama then this is the movie for you.

5 out of 5 stars

Cool factor: Violent and Bloody but Brilliant at the same time

Lame factor: Can be slow at times

The Verdict (1946)

Peter Lorre at his best!!

[5/10 · 23 March 2010]

This film stars the great-unappreciated Peter Lorre and the large villainous Sydney Greenstreet as they match wits to try to solve a murder. This is a classic who-done-it murder mystery set in London during the late 1800's. The foggy backdrop that plays through the entire story sets the mood of murder and mayhem. The film starts out with Judge George Gordman (Sydney Greenstreet) making a fatal mistake by convicting an innocent man to death and therefore has to be relieved of his duties and is comforted by his friends and neighbors Victor Emmric (Peter Lorre) and Arthur Kendall (Morton Lowry). Arthur is a Member of Parliament and seems to have many enemies including a political rival and a former mistress threatening him and later that night Arthur is found stabbed to death in his room with the door locked from the inside. After they find their friend dead, Peter Lorre and Sydney Greenstreet are on the case to figure out who is the murderer. The film keeps you interested but that is about it. The story itself seems like it was torn out of a Sherlock Holmes novel that had an incredibly mild theme. The beginning was great but it dragged through the middle of the film making it so that you are detached from what's going on. The only thing that saved "The Verdict" was the ending where they reviled who actually the murderer was. This was considered a B film and not a lot of money went into it, but bearing that in mind they made a fine quality film with great acting that shouldn't go unnoticed. Peter Lorre once again is amazing as he plays the same old mysterious villainous type character that he is best known for and which he perfected since "M". Sydney Greenstreet also plays the villainous role flawlessly and seems to demand attention when he is in the room because of his large physique. These two starred in nine movies together because of the chemistry they have with one another but it seems that Peter Lorre's star shines brighter every single time. You can't deny the fact that Peter Lorre had that swagger that is only found in a handful of actors. This is not a great movie by any means but it is a good murder mystery.

2.5 out of 5 stars

Cool Factor: Peter Lorre being Peter Lorre

Lame Factor: The Film could have been Great

Enter the Dragon (1973)

If it weren't for Bruce Lee who knows where the action genre would be right now

[8/10 · 23 March 2010]

"Enter the Dragon" is Bruce Lee's fourth and final film in which he plays an undercover fighter in a tournament trying to expose a drug cartel on a secluded island. This unfortunately is his only Hollywood production but it is his best and it's sad that we couldn' t see more of this martial arts expert. If it weren't for Bruce Lee who knows where the action genre would be right now. He is always to the extreme and very fierce with his fighting ability especially with his nun-chucks. This film has a pretty descent nun- chuck scene but Bruce Lee's "Return of the Dragon" (aka Way of the Dragon) is his best by far. The other two main characters of the movie are an eccentric afro loving karate master Williams (Jim Kelly) and a gambling preppy Roper (John Saxon) who is later known best for playing Nancy's father in "Nightmare on Elm St." They are a representation of us as a society. They try to make it so everyone can relate to the good guys since one is black, one white, and last but not least Asian. It is effective because they all have their unique personalities and everybody brings something to the table. The fighting scenes in this movie were authentic for its time due to the fact that Bruce Lee was also the fighting coordinator. His raw power and confidence is something that you can't fake or act making him more then just an actor but a symbol for something greater. He represents his generation more so then John Travolta strutting his stuff or Sylvester Stallone running up some stairs. Bruce Lee surpasses being just an actor and becomes an ideal. He sets the bar for being as close to perfection then anyone can achieve and that is what makes him so great.

4 out of 5 stars

Cool Factor: Every scene with Bruce Lee

Lame Factor: Could have had a better villain

Star Trek (2009)

Best J.J. Abrams movie to date

[10/10 · 23 March 2010]

The new Star Trek movie is the second coming of what seemed to be a dead franchise. It brings back the classic characters of the mischievous yet responsible Captain Kirk and the always uptight but humorous in his own right First Officer Spock. The film begins with a great but one-sided battle between the Federation and a mysterious alien ship that seems to have a vendetta against anything that moves. Fast forward twenty some odd years later and you have a young rebellious Kirk joining the Federation out of pure frustration and Spock being disobedient to his elders by also joining the Federation. Spock's story alone makes for a good movie and his character really evolves from what viewers are used to. He seems to have a certain swagger that he didn't have before. Of course Spock and James T. Kirk meet up at Federation school and have several humorous moments before their fate collides them together into a fantastic voyage. What makes a good movie great are the side characters involved. All the characters from the original show are in this movie and every new actor playing that character is magnificent. Everybody from Dr. McCoy played by Karl Urban to Scotty played by the delightful Simon Pegg. Director J. J. Abrams hits another homerun that seems certain to be one of the highest grossing blockbusters this summer. The special effects are what you expect from this type of movie, which is top notch and the script writing allows you to dive right into the movie. The other summer blockbusters have a lot to live up to now.

Valkyrie (2008)

Tom Cruise a Nazi?

[6/10 · 23 March 2010]

Tom Cruise a Nazi? In this film Tom Cruise plays Colonel Claus Von Stauffenberg as a member of the Nazi party who tries to kill Hitler and end World War II with his fellow conspirators. Obviously he fails because we all know Hitler didn't get assassinated but during the whole movie you are pondering how he fails and that is the only reason why this film is somewhat interesting. This is the only film that you may know nothing about but still know how it's going to end. Bryan Singer, who made the only good "X-Men" films, does a good job by making a film seem like there is a lot of action in it but realistically it's just a bunch of close-ups of Tom Cruise looking constipated. Mr. Singer didn't cast Mr. Cruise for his acting ability but rather for his presence or quite simply his star power. This was supposed to be Tom Cruise's comeback movie after the commercial failure of "Mission Impossible 3". At best, this movie achieved lukewarm reviews from critics to audience alike. Watching this movie you realize why Tom Cruise is an action star and not known for his dramatic performances even though he had a few. Tom Cruise may look just like the person he is playing but you got to wonder if this film could have been better if anyone else played his role, for example Leo? The whole supporting cast effortlessly out acts Mr. Cruise and it's almost embarrassing for him because he seems to be trying so hard. All in all it' s a decent film if there is nothing else at the video store and I feel lucky that I didn't spend more than 3 dollars on it by going to the theater.

3 out of 5 stars

Cool factor: Nazis

Lame Factor: Hardly any action in what appeared to be an action movie.

The Chaser (2008)

I rank this movie in my top three greatest thriller/serial killer movies of all time somewhere between "Seven" and "Silence of the Lambs"

[10/10 · 23 March 2010]

What a movie. When I rented this movie I didn't know what to expect. It is usually is a hit or miss for Korean movies but this was a grand slam out of the park type of movie. The film is about a former detective turn pimp trying to catch a serial killer who is killing his prostitutes. It's a big cat and mouse game between the two throughout the whole movie. The plot sounds thin but there is so much more than what meets the eye. This is one of the best thriller/serial killer movies I have ever seen and I don't want to say too much about the plot because it is very edge of your seat kind of stuff. The film never drags and it becomes more intriguing the more you watch and you feel like you know the character because the actors portray them so well. This is a very violent and gruesome film that shouldn't be viewed by the squeamish even though there isn't that many bloody scenes for being a serial killer movie. The movie achieves so much more with less, which hardly ever works in films that need violence to be a success. I wish that Hollywood or even European films would have the brass to make a film this unique and daring at the same time. The thing that this film has going for it the most is that it's wonderfully erratic. You can never guess what is going to happen next and that is the reason why Korean movies are so fantastically entertaining. I rank this movie in my top three greatest thriller/serial killer movies of all time somewhere between "Seven" and "Silence of the Lambs". The characters of this film really flesh out the story and let you jump right in. I can't help but stress the point that this film is very unpredictable and the style of the story telling is subtle but very effective. This film is a sure bet and you will not leave disappointed.