Batman: Under the Red Hood (2010)

For those who have been keeping count, or are hapless geeks like myself, there are a total of 4 Robins; Dick, Jason, Tim and Carrie. This is the story of Jason. While this is animated, its not a kiddie cartoon.. there is death and murder and realistic violence, including people being burned alive. Now that the disclaimer is out of the way, this is top shelf Batman including a Heath inspired Joker. The story is well written, the animation is adequate, the characters are well voiced and thoughtfully utilized. I have long enjoyed animation for the freedom it gives storytelling and that is certainly what happens here. A must see for fans of the genre and a great choice for those who have been enjoying the superhero movies of late. Highly recommended.

The Runaways (2010)

A look at the birth and death of America's first grrl rock band. Gritty but sanitary look into the rock industry and the band that would launch Joan Jett and later Lita Ford. A drama along the order of Almost Famous (2000) and a less than flattering look at life as a rock star. Kristen Stewart plays a sizzling hot Joan Jett and I was a little surprised to see Tatum O'Neal as the mother of the drug whipped lead singer Cherie Curry. Good mix and presentation. A chick flick that the guys can enjoy too.
Pic is an actual shot of the band.

Cop Out (2010)

Another silly ass cops movie where a pair of zany whack jobs dodge bullets and gun down bad guys at will. Its the same cookie cutter formula with new dancers, this time Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan. If you didn't know Kevin Smith was the director going in, a couple of straight guys talking about cock like Twinkies and the inevitable "ass to mouth" comment is the give away. I guess Kevin missed out in his youth. Some laughs are to be had however, but most come at the expense of Tracy Morgan's self respect... I hope he didn't kill himself after seeing the screening. If you are a fan of this formula know that its not anywhere near as funny as Running Scared, Beverly Hills Cop, or 48 hours. This serves up like sweet pickle appetizers.

The Losers (2010)

A super bad spec op squad is double crossed by a CIA super spook and they've come looking for payback. This is an 'A Team' meets 'Smoking Aces' flick, with surprisingly little blood for all the shooting that goes on. Rock'em sock'em he-man style movie with PC diversity. Don't think about it, just strap in and enjoy the ride. Humor, action, and one very hot tough grrl sends this one to the recommended table. Good clean fun... with guns!

Clash of the Titans (2010)

Rehash of the 80's flick. In the time of the Greeks the people of Argos are haughty and thumb their noses at the gods. In this version Hades is loosed upon the city, and demands the life of the princess or the destruction of Argos. I liked this version, my biggest gripe being it was too short, could have used another 30 minutes. Be that as it may, once the action starts it doesn't stop till the movie ends. Very cool Medusa, shame we didn't get to see more of her. Calibos is hideous and driven. Some changes are made to the storyline giving this version a more meaty feel. For fans of the genre definitely worth your while, for everyone else not a bad choice at all, compare to Beowulf or Pathfinder.

Hulk Vs. (2009)

Hulk vs Wolverine and Hulk vs Thor are included on this disk. Pretty much 80 minutes of animated ass kicking.
Hulk vs Wolverine: Team X is back looking to harness the power of the Hulk. Animation is very good for a marvel production, with actual blood being spattered. Fans of Wolverine should enjoy the fairly well rounded rehash of his origin as well as some blasts from his past. Storyline is fairly solid, done from a Wolverine pestpective, and brings along with it a very violent and destructive Hulk.
Hulk vs Thor: Loki brings the Hulk to Asgard in an attempt to kill his accursed 1/2 brother Thor. A bit more 'cartoon-ish' with no real blood or death. Good portrayal of Thor though, even with the cosmetic issues.
Overall a good viewing experience and a must have for fans of the big green guy.

The Last Legion (2007)

The Goths sack Rome and the last Caesar flees north seeking refuge. A pretty fair swords and sorcery style action flick, and an interesting prequel to King Arthur. Nothing exceptional here except perhaps the inclusion of a very beautiful Aishwarya Rai as the warrior Mira. Everything is fairly cookie cutter as far as characters and dialogue. Expect to see it showing up in super saturday marathons before too long.

Reign of Fire (2002)

A construction crew in England awakens a sleeping dragon and sets mankind on the brink of extinction. A very cool movie pitting modern man against medieval monsters. The dragon FX are very well done, as well as the rest. Very convincing in depth and scope. A small group of people hiding near the coast in England are struggling to outlast the beasts as hunger and sickness ravage their numbers. One day a group of American National Guard shows up and the fireworks begin. Fans of the genre will especially enjoy, but its a good movie in its own right. Great ride. Recommended.

The Wrestler (2008)

Mickey Roarke stars as Randy the Ram, a pro wrestler 20 years past his heyday. Life comes at Randy off the top ropes when he suffers a heart attack and is told to stop his lifelong passion of working the mat. Co-starring a very tasty Marisa Tomei as an equally faded stripper. A good drama with action, with the camerawork making you feel like you are in the room instead of watching on a screen. I don't know how accurate the portrayal of pro wrestling is, but it paints a fairly dismal picture. Sort of a downbeat movie that is fun to watch and maybe a little too easy for some of us to relate to. A solid piece of work. Recommended.

Seven Pounds (2008)

A man kills 7 people in a car accident and spends the rest of his life doing penance. Once again Will Smith commands the screen with his range and presence. This is a top shelf drama and chick flick on the order of 'The Notebook', but with salt instead of sugar. It will definitely wring the water from your eyes if you still possess a soul, so be prepared. The only reason it doesn't make my top 10 is because its so damn hard to watch.. not in a bad way... but you are pretty worked over by the time the movie ends. The ending is a bit shocking if not suprising, with the only candy coated moment being the last two before the credits roll. This is a serious gut check flick. Very Highly Recommended.

The Haunted World Of El Superbeasto (2009)

Rob Zombie animated flick for twisted adults. A former masked wrestler and current playboy and bad ass, El Superbeasto is on a collision course with Dr. Satan and his plan to be transmogrified and enjoy all the sudsy powers of hell!!! It would help to have a seriously twisted sense of humor as well as a Heavy Metal view of T&A to wring every bit of viewing pleasure from this one. See the toon they couldn't show on TV. WARNING: seriously this isn't for kids. Recommended.

Galaxy Quest (1999)

*TOP 10 ALERT*
A group of has been actors are thrust into living their TV show roles. Spoofing the Star Trek phenomena, and exploiting nearly every stereotype there is, this is a hilarious family friendly movie (I know she SAYS 'fuck that', but they dub it even though they didn't re shoot the scene). Its not necessary to be a fan of the genre, but having seen at least one of the cheesier episodes of an old space TV sci-fi series will help things a lot. Of course boobs are good, and who knew Sigorney packed such a pair!?!?(they stay mostly covered in a very well made push-up). But don't fixate, there are too many other things that make this a great movie. I've watched it in excess of 25 times and still laugh out loud. Highly Recommended.