13Hrs (2010)

What starts out as a dysfunctional weekend outing for a group of young adults quickly turns into a nightmare as they are hunted by a terrifying creature. The story isn't bad and it has a pretty cool series of twists, but between the candy ass male characters and all the bickering in a situation that's ending lives I was annoyed rather quickly. However some stupid funny things happen so it wasn't a total bust. I don't know if revealing the nature of the beast would take anything away, so I will leave it unsaid. Sort of a could be but not quite movie with a promising ending.

Agora (2009)

A historical dramatization of the murder of philosophy in the ancient world. Set in Rome's Egypt, this is the story of Hypatia of Alexandria, a woman of philosophy and science. The rise of the Christian horde turns a quiet life of teaching and study into a struggle to stay ahead of the narrowing tolerance for those not adhering to the dictates of the growing influence of a charismatic and power hungry priest. Now before anyone's panties get in a wad, this is just a movie and the destruction of the great library is still a mystery. Man has been corrupting the word of God since the first 3 pages of Genesis so don't get lost in minutia. This movie is not a documentary, although I would say this is not an unreasonable interpretation. Be that as it may, thats only part of the movie, the other part deals with the main character, a woman so steeped in the desire to understand what her eyes tell her about celestial movement that it consumes her life. This may be nothing more than a retelling of Lilith, but whatever the facts are it was an enjoyable and entertaining watch. It is presented in a very serious manner though, so quell the urge to 'go do something' when the end credits roll. Recommended.

2:13 (2009)

Ritualistic serial killings test the depths of one detectives sanity. Better than average cop chasing crazy killer movie. Better than average character depth, natural sounding dialogue, and a sense of the routine make some of the story turns easier to digest. There is some disturbing imagery, but overall its more cop drama than bloody thriller. Sort of along the lines of Manhunter (1986) and Red Dragon (2002) but lacking the colorful 'from the psycho perspective' segments. A solid and enjoyable watch.

Hachi: A Dog's Tale (2009)

A serendipitous story about one dog's devotion. Based on a true story that took place in Japan around WWII, it has been reset in the American Northeast. A truly heart warming tale that is told one in another. You have the shell, that of a grandson who never knew his grandfather and the meat- which is the tale of Hachi. Light hearted and whimsical up until the 'event' (you will know when it happens), then its time to break out the tissues for the masterful finale'. You don't have to be a dog lover to enjoy this one its just damn fine story telling. There are a handful of players you will recognize, but they neither add nor take from the story in a significant fashion. Great family viewing. Warning- may result in dog ownership. Highly recommended

Stoic (2009)

Three young inmates vent their savage nature on a fourth when a prank goes wrong. This is a hard movie to view. The mindless brutality and cruelty dramatized is all too real these days and is a real statement on a society that pushes helplessness as some sort of virtue. All I could think of while I watched this was why the kid didn't fight back. But I guess had he done that they wouldn't have this movie. All the mechanics are fine, no complaints on the players and only a few on the FX. For a wonderful journey into just how fucked up people can get, this is just the movie for you. It took me days to watch this and I can't say I enjoyed it.

The Last Airbender (2010)

Live action interpretation of the anime Avatar: The Last Airbender (TV Series 2005–2008) by M. Night Shyamalan. This movie represents Book One, or The Book of Water from the series. Being a fan of the series I went into this viewing with a bit of trepidation and excitement. Unfortunately trepidation was the proper emotion. I'm sad to say this movie missed at every level and its unlikely they will finish what should be a trilogy. I am very familiar with the storyline and had a hard time following this movie. The players were for the most part wooden and the dialogue was more befitting a grade school play. On the plus side FX were good, especially Momo and Apu (the lemur and bison). I recommend you pass on this and instead go with the original series, not only will you enjoy it more, it will make a lot more sense than this one did.

Piranha (2010)

Spring break at a lake town winds up to be more excitement than bargained for. Mindless T&A, bloodshed, sight gags, screaming, chaos, and everything else needed for a big budget B style monster movie. While the basic set-up is the same as Piranha (1978) this is more a high testosterone remake than a sequel. Sort of a Club Dread (2004) with more gore and less humor. Leave your brain somewhere safe, grab some suds, and enjoy 85 minutes of FX, breasts, and a couple million flesh eating prehistoric fishes.