Title: Kick Ass.Starring: Aaron Johnson, Nicolas Cage, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Chloe Moretz, Clark Duke, Mark Strong.
Brief Synopsis: Dave Lizewski (Johnson) is just a kid who happens to have an obsession with comic book heroes and wonders why there isn't a real super hero. So, he creates the alter ego Kick Ass and begins to fight crime. Of course, he is terrible at it, but he gains a bit of a following thanks to YouTube. On the other side of things are a father and daughter combo of vigilantes - Damon Macready (Cage) and Mindy (Moretz) or as they are also known as, Big Daddy and Hit-Girl. Big Daddy is trying to take down local crime lord Frank D'Amico (Strong). D'Amico, however, believes Kick Ass is responsible for everything that is happening to his organization, so he sends his son, Chris or Red Mist (Mintz-Plasse) in to befriend him and plans to eliminate Kick Ass.
Opinion: I was really impressed with this film and I am glad I knew that it was as violent as it was as I was heading in, because I don't think I would have been prepared for it and I feel I wouldn't have enjoyed it as much. But, knowing it was coming I was so into the film. My favorite character was obviously Hit-Girl, my new favorite superhero. I was almost pissed at the title of the film because Kick Ass was really just a dufus in a costume, but he redeemed himself and erased my thoughts about him.
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Title: Charlotte's Web.Starring: Dakota Fanning, Steve Buscemi, Julia Roberts, John Cleese, Oprah Winfrey, Cedric the Entertainer, Thomas Haden Church, Andre Benjamin.
Brief Synopsis: This is pretty much a carbon copy of the original cartoon classic also calle Charlotte's Web. I don't recall ever reading the book, so I am not sure how close that cartoon was to the book, but I would have to say this film must be pretty close. Anyway, Wilbur is a runt of a pig rescued from death by Fern (Fanning) and raised in a small barn. It is obvious that as Wilbur starts to get bigger that he will be sold for his meat. Along comes a spider named Charlotte (Roberts) who comes up with a way of writing words in her web to help save the pig. A bunch of actors are in for voice work, but non better than Buscemi as Templeton the rat. Perfect casting.
Opinion: If you enjoyed the cartoon version of this film than you will like this one. It is, like I said before, a carbon copy. The lone thing missing, from what I can remember, is the music from the cartoon. A good, family movie.
Grade:
Title: The Losers.Starring: Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Zoe Saldana, Chris Evans, Idris Elba, Oscar Jaenada, Columbus Short, Jason Patric.
Brief Synopsis: After a mission goes horribly wrong, five members of the US Special Forces - Franklin Clay (Morgan), William Roque (Elba), Jake Jensen (Evans), Linwood Porteous (Short) and Carlos Alvarez (Jaenada) - are presumed killed by their own company when their helicopter is shot down without them on it. Aisha al-Fadhil (Saldana) lets them know that it was "Max" (Patric) who commanded they be killed and she knows how to get to him, as long as they kill him.
Opinion: I actually really enjoyed this as well. Pretty action packed and a few twists that I did not see coming. I really enjoy Evans and Morgan, and great to see Stringer Bell as well. I don't believe I had ever seen Jaenada before, but for most of the trailers I could have sworn he was Justin Long.
Grade:
Title: Clerks II.Starring: Brian O'Halloran, Jeff Anderson, Rosario Dawson, Trevor Fehrman, Jason Mewes, Kevin Smith.
Brief Synopsis: Our two boys from the Quick Stop, Dante (O'Halloran) and Randal (Anderson) are now working at Mooby's due to the Quick Stop being torn down. This is Dante's final day as he is moving to Florida with his fiance and will be working at his father's car wash. This is essentially his final day and he reminisces about everything that has happened with his manager, Becky (Dawson) - who he sort of has feelings for. Randal, meanwhile, is pissed off that his best friend is leaving him behind.
Opinion: I must call blasphemy on myself for waiting this long to finally watch this movie. I am a huge fan of Kevin Smith films and loved the original Clerks movie. I wanted to see this when it popped out in theaters, then I got the DVD but took forever to watch it. I am glad that I did though because I really enjoyed it. I love the relationship of Dante and Randal and the way they treat each other. This isn't as good as the original, but a solid sequel. I was expecting the 'dirty' scenes to be dirtier than they were - I was not expecting what was shown though.
Grade:
Title: Cop Out.Starring: Tracy Morgan, Bruce Willis, Kevin Pollak, Sean William Scott, Adam Brody, Jason Lee, Rashida Jones.
Brief Synopsis: Jimmy (Willis) and Paul (Morgan) have just been suspended without pay for a failed capture that causes a neighborhood shootout. Needing the money to pay for his daughter's wedding, Jimmy tries to sell his Andy Pafko baseball card. While trying to sell it, he is robbed by Dave (Scott), who then sells it to drug dealers. The rest of the film is Jimmy trying to track down his baseball card - and possibly get reinstated on the force.
Opinion: Another Kevin Smith flick, this one sans Jay & Silent Bob. It was a decent comedy/action flick, but not as good as I was hoping for. I laughed a few times and the action wasn't as great as it could have been. Good for a watch or two, but not the best of films.
Grade:
Title: 17 Again.Starring: Zac Efron, Matthew Perry, Leslie Mann, Thomas Lennon, Hunter Parrish, Michelle Trachtenberg.
Brief Synopsis: Mike (Efron) was a huge basketball star in the late 80's and is getting scouted by a college basketball program when his girlfriend tells him before the game that she is pregnant. As he tries to get through the game he realizes that he loves her and runs off to get her. Fast forward 20 years, Mike (Perry) is getting divorced from Scarlett (Mann), and has lost his job. He moves in with his friend Ned (Lennon) and believes that everything that has gone wrong in his life is because he didn't finish that game and accept his scholarship to college. He wakes up one morning as a 17 year-old again, but remains in the same year. So, he heads back to school - with his children - and tries to recreate his life in the 80's.
Opinion: In the same vein of Big and 13 Going On 30, this film is not too bad, but also pretty odd. It was weird seeing Efron hit on Leslie Mann - who is technically his wife, but at this point is way older than he is. I do have to say that if I was rich and a huge dork (ok an even bigger dork because Mrs. Kano will surely call me a dork) I would have Ned's apartment when he is older. Amazing things in that apartment - I was geeked way out..
Grade:
I hope to have a bigger review on the new Harry Potter film for Friday - if I find the time to write it. I saw it a few weekends ago in the theater, my first theater film in awhile. So, I will try for that on Friday.
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