SeminolePhenom Reviews

V for Vendetta (2005)

The Wachowski Brothers have done it again- An Incredible film to follow The Matrix!

[10/10 · 22 March 2006]

A terrorist in a futuristic dictatorship of Great Britain known only as V (Hugo Weaving) goes on British Television and declares that November 5th of next year will be known as a day for revolution against the dictatorship that they live in. In the course of waiting for that day to come, V spends his time with a young girl named Evey Hammond (Natalie Portman).

We first saw such brilliance from the Wachowski Brothers with The Matrix and they do not disappoint with V for Vendetta. This film is incredible in every aspect. It is clever, entertaining, artistic, thrilling, dramatic, and even humorous at times. Blending 1984 themes with a superhero background, V for Vendetta focuses on realistic concepts of government and fear that face us every day. Frighteningly close to what could be our future, "V" opens our eyes to the world we live in as well as entertaining us with incredible fight scenes and fast-paced action. Everything about this film is wonderful including a brilliantly wonderful performance by Natalie Portman and incredible direction by James McTeigue with writing that is to die for. Overall, this film is incredible on all accounts. I have only one thing to say to the Wachowski Brothers. Bravo. Bravo.

I highly recommend this film.

Night Watch (2004)

An original and entertaining beginning to what could be a wonderful trilogy.

[7/10 · 22 March 2006]

To end a catastrophic battle in ancient history, the others (People who possess various supernatural powers) signed a truce between dark and light. This truce ensured that no side will influence another other's choice of which side they want to be on and that the night will belong to the light, to make sure that the dark doesn't break the agreement. The day will belong to the dark to ensure the same. In present day Moscow, a man named Anton Gorodetsky helps ensure the balance at all costs.

What makes this film so entertaining and promising is that it is original in most aspects. It holds basic themes like Good vs. Evil, but still finds itself to be original, which is hard to find in modern day cinema. It seems like everything has been done. Night Watch proves that there is creativity out there and with two more films on the way, you can be sure that you will hear more about these films. Being as Russian film, the movie is mainly in sub-titles but this is a good thing, because you learn to read facial expressions in a film that its drama is based on. And let me just say that this film is entertaining to the end. It may not be the greatest film ever, but not one moment of it is dull. Every second, I felt as if I was watching Star Wars for the first time. On top of it all, the ending was incredible. It doesn't actually end though so ill say how it begins is amazing. Overall, I can't wait to see the next two films after witnessing such wonderful entertainment. This could have been the most promising film of the year.

I recommend this film.

When a Stranger Calls (2006)

A long boring conversation...

[4/10 · 18 March 2006]

Jill Johnson (Camilla Belle) is a high school student who has just recently broke up with her boyfriend and in an attempt to pay back her parents for cell phone bills, must watch over a doctor's kids in his gigantic house. While keeping herself entertained as the kids sleep, she is greeted with a phone call from a stranger who won't stop calling. What she finds out next is a bigger surprise- the stranger is calling from inside the house.

This is another horror remake and not a very entertaining one at that. The movie dragged along with the phone tag and then just spat out action all at once in an UN-impressive fashion. It was extremely UN-realistic just as you might expect. Jill Johnson is wonder woman compared to the serial killer who has killed a huge amount of young girls with his bare hands! All of this could have been predicted and the film did not surprise me in any way other than wonderful cinematography. I could never have imagined that such a film as this could ever have great cinematography but it did. But things like that don't make a movie! There needs to be a lot more. Overall, the film was just another disappointing teenager horror film and their will be more like it because teenagers love to see crappy PG-13 films. When will it end? I do not recommend this film.

The Hills Have Eyes (2006)

Hard on the eyes-In a good way...

[6/10 · 18 March 2006]

A family taking a trip to San Francisco is met violently in the deserts by people who have been mutated due to nuclear testing in the 50's.

Compared to the 1977 film by Wes Craven, I would say the new rendition is an equal. This new film captures a new sense of horror that moviegoers today find more entertaining than the classic spooks. Not leaving any details of mutilation out, The Hills Have Eyes is hard on the eyes, but keeps the audience entertained throughout. I must admit that the film is definitely a little corny and the way the mutants look is sure to make someone laugh but the new "trailer" scene is bound to leave no smile on anyone's face. I was so impressed by this scene that I really feel that this could be one of the better horror films this year just due to that one particular scene. I must warn audiences though that the scene is extremely brutal as the director Alexandre Aja doesn't hesitate to leave anything out for imagination. Overall, this was a mediocre horror film but is surprisingly entertaining from beginning to end, making it an above average film and deserving of a recommendation.

I recommend this film.

Crash (I) (2004)

Like no other...

[10/10 · 31 January 2006]

Many characters of different race find themselves facing racial tension that sparks the intervening of their lives, changing them forever.

This is one of the rare films made today that is not only pure and original in the way that it changes the outlook that people have on their lives, but is also incredibly well done. The acting by Matt Dillon, Don Cheadle, and Terrence Howard were absolutely phenomenal. Their acting really shows a certain character development that was needed in this type of film. The movie really does spark a roller coaster of emotion that leaves you breathless to the film's end. What makes it even better is that it focuses on something that each and every one of us faces every single day of our lives: Racism. Crash not only makes people focus on racism as a whole but also brings up very interesting points that at some points contradict themselves somewhere in the film, making each and every character more complicated and realistic. Overall, Crash is just one of those revolutionary films that must be seen to truly enjoy its greatness.

I highly recommend this film.

Glory Road (2006)

Entertaining, but focuses way too much on the racism when it should be focusing on the game.

[6/10 · 16 January 2006]

When a women's high school basketball coach named Don Haskins (Josh Lucas) is offered a position as a division 1 men's basketball coach for a small Texas Western school in 1965, he will stop at nothing to win…even recruiting colored basketball players that no one else wanted.

Glory Road did a good job on many things but lacked everything else needed to make it an outstanding film. What I did like about the film was that it was the first college basketball film made in a long time and it actually did something that I have never seen in a sports film and that is the recruiting process which I found to be original and entertaining. I found it to be quite interesting to see the coach's point of view on winning, but found the deal on racism to be a little over-eccentric. I didn't understand why fans had problems with three or four colored players on the team if some opposing team's best players were colored. The message of the film didn't really come together very well.

The acting of the film was overall mediocre. Josh Lucas did not impress with me with his first star dramatic role at all. He just kind of flowed with the movie without actually making a difference in the film. Derek Luke also fell short of his last performance in Friday Night Lights which was incredible and Jon Voight also gave a pretty weak performance. Overall, the film was just an average film that deserves a recommendation for its entertainment value.

I recommend this film.

Before Sunset (2004)

Not your average love story...but you will still love it!

[9/10 · 14 January 2006]

Nine years after a fling in France between Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Celine (Julie Delpy), the two reunite after Jesse is in France for a book signing of his new book that is closely related to the relationship they shared together.

Originality is one word to describe this film. Richard Linklater created a whole film about a few hours spent between two reunited lovers who reminisce of their past together. The whole entire movie is a just one giant conversation. It is just absolutely incredible in every way. Overall, the movie is flawless in every aspect of film and is perfect in every way possible.

I highly recommend this film.

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)

Greatness: Enough said!

[10/10 · 14 January 2006]

The third and final chapter to the Lord of the Rings trilogy begins with Frodo (Elijah Wood), Sam (Sean Astin), and Gollum (Andy Serkis) making their way to Mordor to destroy the one ring that could be the end of all civilization, in the fiery pits of Mount Doom. As they embark on this journey, Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen) and the others attempt to bring the armies of man together to hold off the vicious orcs sent by Sauron to destroy all of mankind.

With such wonderful adaptations from the books in the first two films, it was not hard to predict that such greatness would come from the finale of the greatest trilogy ever put on film. The Return of the King includes the greatest performances from just about every single actor in the film you can think of. The plot thickens, leaving audiences breathless and yearning for more. And the visual effects!—they are absolutely incredible. At 3 hours and 30 minutes, The Return of the King is never boring and is always jaw dropping, even after seeing 10 times.

Overall, The Return of the King is easily one of the greatest films ever created. I highly recommend this film to anyone.

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)

A visual masterpiece!

[10/10 · 25 December 2005]

The journey to Mount Doom continues for only Sam (Sean Astin) and Frodo (Elijah Wood). The fellowship has been broken, but not entirely. Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen), Legolas (Orlando Bloom), and Gimli (John Rhys-Davies) have stuck together in an attempt to regroup with the captured hobbits (Pippin and Merry). Darkness becomes stronger than ever in Middle Earth as Saruman (Christopher Lee) creates the army of Isengard and Sarun grows more powerful. The adventure grows more perilous in the 2nd part of the epic trilogy.

What can be said more than this is singly one of the greatest films ever created? The acting is phenomenal in this film. The Fellowship showed great supporting roles, but nothing real strong from the main characters which The Two Towers is filled with. Elijah Wood really starts to express the power that the ring posses and Viggo Mortensen gives a performance unlike any other. Gandalf may have been wonderful in the previous film as well as this one, but the other characters really just start to shine in The Two Towers. You really start to see the characters transition into the hero.

The story takes a whole new level in this film also. The adventurers experience Roahn, one of the kingdoms of man for the first time on film and are greeted with grief that has not been seen in the Lord of the Rings films yet. Not to mention the greatest battle scene ever put on film! The battle at Helm's Deep is the most phenomenal battle of all time. It is only a totally different league with battles from other movies like Braveheat or Gladiator. Overall, The Two Towers is one of the greatest films of all time. Enough said!! I highly recommend this film.

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)

A wonderful beginning which sparks a fantastic middle and perfect ending.

[10/10 · 22 December 2005]

A hobbit named Frodo (Elijah Wood) has been given the task of taking a powerful ancient ring to the fiery pits of Mount Doom, so it can be destroyed with the help of The Fellowship, which consists of Boromir (Sean Bean), Gimly (John Rhys- Davies), Legolas (Orlando Bloom), Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen), Gandalf (Ian Mckellen) and three hobbits named Merry, Pippin, and Sam (Dominic Monaghan, Billy Boyd, and Sean Astin). The ring once belonged to a powerful warrior named Sauron, who it wishes to return to, causing him to rise to power once again.

The Fellowship of the Ring is the first of three Lord of the Rings films and sparks the journey that has intrigued millions of people. Peter Jackson does an excellent job explaining the background of the ring and the background of the characters as well as tying their pasts into the journey they all begin to take. Contradictions between the heroes and the enemies are frequently found throughout, making the film quite complicated, which I found to be one of Jackson's greatest success with character development.

The most mind-blowing thing about the film though has nothing to do with the characters or story. It is Jackson's creation of Middle Earth that fascinated me more than anything. Jackson puts so much detail into the setting of every scene that the audience visualizes a whole different world without even thinking. Jackson's success at making the audience accept this different world and all of the different types of mythological creatures that live on it was really the key to making the films what they are. Overall, The Fellowship of the Ring is just an incredible beginning to the greatest trilogy ever put on film. Bravo Peter Jackson, Bravo.

I highly recommend this film.

King Kong (2005)

Entertainment at its best...

[8/10 · 18 December 2005]

A washed out filmmaker named Carl Denham (Jack Black) goes against his studio's will and takes a ship to an uncharted "Skull Island" where he plans on shooting his film. After realizing the island is inhabited by a large amount of natives, the tribe kidnaps the beautiful lead actress (Naomi Watts) as a sacrifice for a 25 foot ape for whom they worship as a god. The crew aboard the ship led by the film's writer, Jack Driscoll (Adrien Brody) takes a journey to rescue her and eventually captures the ape, bringing him back to 1930's Manhattan, from where he breaks loose and wreaks havoc upon New York and climbs the Empire State Building.

Director Peter Jackson was a huge fan of the original King Kong, so it is not a surprise that Jackson stayed very close to the original. This is not something that can be said for very many 1930's remakes. Another thing he did wonderfully was the special effects. Not since Jurassic Park have I seen such a wonderful adventure using CGI. The film takes a little while to get moving, but once it starts, it is a rush. The film at three and a half hours is one of the most entertaining films I have ever seen. As unrealistic as the action may be, it will still keep you entertained from scene to scene. I admit, the relationship between Ann and King Kong was quite corny at times, but you just have to look past that and enjoy the film for what it was meant to be. Peter Jackson did about as good of a job as he could have done.

The performances on the other hand could have defiantly been better. With Naomi Watts and Adrien Brody giving below-average performances, the relationship between Jack and Ann was quite unconvincing and boring. The half-hour in which Jackson focuses on their relationship is just the one major weakness of the film. They express no on-screen chemistry as well as very little on-screen chemistry between Ann and Kong. The relationships between the characters were just very unconvincing for the three and half hours the audience gives to the film. One performance did stand out though. Jack Black as Carl Denham was absolutely fantastic, proving once again the theory that Comedians are the best "serious" actors. This was also proved with Jamie Foxx in Collateral and Ray as well as Jim Carrey with Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Overall, the movie was just a well done, entertaining adaptation of the classic film.

I highly recommend this film.

Gladiator (2000)

An epic masterpiece. One of the greatest films of all time...

[10/10 · 10 December 2005]

An aging Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris) has decided not to leave the empire of Rome in the hands to his only son Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) and instead has decided to leave it to Rome's greatest General and his greatest friend Maximus (Russell Crowe). Forced to make a decision by morning, Maximus sleeps on the idea while Marcus Aurelius breaks the news to his son who does not take it well and kills his father in his anger.

Maximus wakes up in the morning to hearing the news of the Emperor's death, the only one knowing who the true successor was supposed to be and with an accurate assumption of who killed the Emperor. Refusing to pledge his allegiance to Commodus, Maximus is sentenced to death and escapes and journeys to save his family, only to find them all dead. With nothing left to loose, he lives his new life as a gladiator called The Spaniard, taking his vengeance on other gladiators.

This is one of the greatest epic stories told on film. The idea of a man with nothing to loose has intrigued audiences for years but not since Russell Crowe have they witnessed the barbaric violence of a roman gladiator. Crowe plays the greatest gladiator I could have ever imagined and Joaquin Phoenix is one the greatest, most complicated villain ever shown on film.

The action is incredible. Not since Braveheart, has there been such wonderful battles and fight sequences. From beheadings to throat slits, Gladiator does not hesitate to show the gory realism of the roman Coliseum. Breathtaking surroundings bring Rome to life though eloquent displays of architecture and the large quantities of people, quenching their thirst for the mindless violence shown in the roman arena. This as well as the wonderful writing and incredible acting bring Rome to life as well as creating a story that could entertain anyone.

Gladiator is so inspiring and entertaining that I could watch it daily and still find myself still feeling as strongly as I feel about it now. The film is flawless in every aspect. Ridley Scott makes his greatest film of all time, surpassing Blade Runner and Alien. Overall, Gladiator succeeds in every aspect and is one of the greatest films of all time.

National Security (2003)

Martin Lawrence at his wors...no this is about average...

[4/10 · 10 December 2005]

Earl Montgomery (Martin Lawrence) lies and tells police that he was beaten by a good cop named Hank Rafferty (Steve Zahn) after getting kicked out of the Police Academy. Sending Hank to jail for a hate crime, Earl continues to live his life without any problems, working as a security guard at a warehouse until he realizes Hank has been given the same job after getting out of prison and that they are being the victims of a smuggling operation. The two team up and adventure to stop the smugglers.

This is a mildly humorous action-comedy with some good action sequences but fails to find itself entertaining throughout. I lost my patience with the film about an hour in and was not anticipating the finale at all. Martin Lawrence's performance is just annoying and UN-original. He plays the same character in every film!! Steve Zahn puts up the only decent performance and keeps this film from failing miserably. The scene in which he is thrown into jail for his "hate crime" was absolutely hysterical but the rest of the film just fails to keep up with the entertaining beginning. Overall, this movie is just your everyday Martin Lawrence crap and is no different from any other low-budget comedy.

I do not recommend this film.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005)

A masterpiece converted into a masterpiece.

[8/10 · 9 December 2005]

When sent away to live with a Professor, four siblings encounter on an adventure through the land of Narnia after making their way through the inside of a wardrobe. Told that they had been prophesized to come to Narnia to save it from The White Witch, the children team up with Aslan to bring peace back to the snow-covered Narnia that has been terrorized with evil for one hundred years and take their throne as king and queens of Narnia.

I will start out by saying that I found the books by C.S. Lewis to be fascinating and had quite high expectations for the movie.

The beginning of the story starts out quite boring (even in the book), but picks up pace quickly. The movie really doesn't start to get entertaining until about 30 minutes in. But once it did, I really enjoyed the film. Besides the numerous errors, the film actually did not leave me disappointed, especially after watching the incredible battle at the end of the film. The battle was so incredibly well done that the only film it could possibly even be compared to, was The Lord of the Rings. Splendid visual effects and terrific animation fill the audience with wonder and excitement.

Andrew Adamson also kept quite close to the book, which made me extremely grateful after seeing so many wonderful books be torn to shreds by directors trying to make a work of art. Condensed on time, Adamson of course, had to leave a few bits and pieces out but still creates the first of what I hope to be many wonderful movies.

Surprisingly, this epic "war" movie was rated PG even with one of the most incredible battle scenes of all time. I found at no times was there any inappropriate humor or excessive violence, helping create the ideal "family film", while still creating a superb film. The audience gave it a standing ovation both times that I saw it on the opening night in a two different sold out theaters. Overall, The Lion, the witch, and the wardrobe succeeds in the adaptation of a classic masterpiece for all ages and still beholds the massive amount of allusions and symbolism that was held in the book.

I highly recommend this film.

Mississippi Burning (1988)

A remarkable, tormenting film about hatred and racism.

[9/10 · 9 December 2005]

Agent Alan Ward (Willem Dafoe) and Agent Rupert Anderson (Gene Hackman) find themselves investigating the disappearances of three civil rights workers in a small, segregated town in Mississippi. Searching for the boys leads to them finding more corruption and hatred that could have ever been imagined.

Mississippi Burning is one of the few films that actually capture the brutality of some events that took place during this sad era in history. The audience is shocked and thrown around through a series of emotions, helping bring across the meaningless of hatred and the realism of that time period. The visual images portrayed are very hard to watch, making the film quite successful in its attempt to bring a point across.

Willem Dafoe and Gene Hackman play "the good cop, bad cop" partnership perfectly, helping create an almost flawless film. The chemistry they held was almost so obscure and confusing, it was realistic and some how gives the audience a feel of a real-life partnership. The persistence of the two men's characters was very courageous and inspiring also, making even me want to be an FBI Agent after watching the film. Overall, Mississippi Burning is a remarkable, brutal film with themes of racism and hatred scattered throughout.

I highly recommend this film.

Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story (2005 Video)

Seth Mcfarlane's Masterpiece in film...

[9/10 · 8 December 2005]

When Stewie faces a near-death experience, he decides to change his evil ways and be nice to everyone (Including Brian) but becomes distracted when he sees someone who looks exactly like him but older on television which causes him to journey to find him, leading to more adventures on the way.

The movie is basically just your average family guy episode but only four times as long. It contains the same basic humor and hysterical variety of characters that have appeared on the show over the past few years. I found the movie to drag out quite a bit at times, but still found it to be highly enjoyable. I must also say that the beginning of the movie with the movie premiere and movie trailers, was one of the funniest ideas that Family Guy has ever came up with. Bravo Mr. Mcafarlene, you did it again. Overall, the film is highly enjoyable for anyone who enjoys the T.V. shows but I must warn you that since it is not on T.V., it is uncensored and a little rough on the ears at time.

I highly recommend this film.

Derailed (I) (2005)

Two big names that create an entertaining thriller but nothing we haven't seen before.

[6/10 · 6 December 2005]

Charles Schine (Clive Owen) finds himself living an UN-exciting married life until a day in which he meets Lucinda (Jennifer Aniston) on a train. Finding themselves immediately attracted to one and another, they end up at a hotel at which a man named LaRoche (Vincent Cassel) attacks Charles and rapes Lucinda.

Dealing with frustration and guilt about the incident, Charles finds his life getting even worst but then is forced to deal with the criminal for a second time as LaRoche pesters Charles's family and threatens to let them know about his affairs if not paid heavily for keeping quiet.

"Derailed" is just your average thriller involving two big names (Aniston and Owen). These types of movies have been made for several years now and always tend to make a nice amount of money for minimal special effects and a nice twist. "Derailed" falls straight into this category. I must admit, I was very entertained by the constant twists and bloody violence of the film, but failed to see myself considering it to be a "good" movie. The only thing that makes this film different from all of those "other thrillers" was the wonderful performance given from Clive Owen. He proves to me once again that he is a wonderful actor and can fit into any role, even the fall guy. Overall, "Derailed is a mediocre thriller that will entertain but not amaze".

I recommend this film.

The Whole Ten Yards (2004)

By no means as good as the original...

[4/10 · 30 November 2005]

When Oz's (Matthew Perry) new wife Cynthia (Natasha Henstridge) is captured by the mob, he is no one else to turn to but his old friend Jimmy the Tulip (Bruce Willis). Teaming up with Jimmy and his new wife (Amanda Peat), Oz experiences another crime filled adventure with the mob.

Although not nearly as funny or as exciting as the original, The Whole Ten yards will surely entertain…for the most part. About half of the movie is clever and entertaining and would have deserved my recommendation, but the twist at the end is terrible and made the movie seem worthless. After the twist, follows a ridiculous display of events that are horrible, making the movie in my opinion a failure but still not absolutely terrible. Overall, the movie follows in the footsteps of an entertaining comedy but falls short of what could have been.

I do not recommend this film.

Play It Again, Sam (1972)

I'm not a big fan of Woody Allen but I really enjoyed him in this film.

[8/10 · 30 November 2005]

Allan Felix (Woody Allen) is a quirky film critic who has very minimal success with the ladies after being dumped by his wife. With the help of his two friends (Diane Keaton and Tony Roberts) and an imaginary Humphrey Bogart, he attempts to find a mate, but falls for the wrong one.

Like I said in the summary, I really don't find Woody Allen to be that great of an actor. Play it Again, Sam changed my mind! This is a lighthearted comedy that I found to be his greatest film. Woody Allen plays the same character he always plays in his movies, but I actually found him to be quite funny in this one. The whole idea of Humphrey Bogart teaching him how to get women was just hysterical to me also. Jerry Lacy was a wonderful Bogart and the on-screen chemistry between Keaton and Allen was as wonderful as in Annie Hall. Overall, Play it Again, Sam was a wonderful quirky comedy but defiantly contains Woody Allen humor.

I highly recommend this film.

Notorious (1946)

A stunning thriller...

[10/10 · 27 November 2005]

After meeting a government agent named T. R. Devlin (Cary Grant) at a party, Alicia Huberman (Ingrid Bergman) is offered a job in Rio de Janeiro where she must spy on a Nazi named Alexander Sebastian (Claude Rains) who has drawn some attention from the American government. With a past of affairs and alcoholism, she seemed like the perfect woman to seduce a Nazi, but finds herself in a complicated relationship with Devlin, as she rapidly becomes more intimate with Alex Sebastian to the point of marriage.

Alfred Hitchcock made many incredible films, but Notorious is most certainly one of the best. With an Oscar-worthy performance given by Ingrid Bergman as well as splendid editing and screenplay, Notorious is simply stunning in every aspect. Hitchcock takes an already terrifying situation and turns it in to a classic hear-thumping thriller, proving once again to be the master of the drama. There really isn't that much needed to be said about the film except that the performances are blissful and the editing is some of the best I have ever seen. Overall, Notorious is a highly enjoyable classic thriller by the master of thrillers, Alfred Hitchcock.

I highly recommend this film.

Madagascar (2005)

Following in the footsteps of great animated films, Madagascar finds itself stopped short...

[5/10 · 27 November 2005]

Alex the lion (Ben Stiller) is king of New York City. Well, Central Park Zoo to be precise. The only thing that would possibly make him leave such a pampered lifestyle is when his best friend Marty the zebra (Chris Rock) escapes from the zoo and Alex is forced to find him with help of friends Melman (David Schwimmer) and Gloria (Jada Pinkett Smith). But while searching New York City for Marty, the animals become considered dangerous and are sent away from the New York City to a strangle place called Madagascar.

I must admit that I really did want to see this movie after seeing the trailers and advertisements. Who wouldn't want to see another animated film after such films as The Incredibles, Shrek, and Toy Story 2? Some of the greatest comedies of the past few years have been animated, so why not take a chance on Madagascar. Well, the reason is because Madagascar is not the same kind of humor that made the others so great. Madagascar appeals to only one audience (that being "kids") whereas the other films appealed to all audiences. There are a few exceptions as always. There are a few adult-oriented jokes throughout the film, but for the most part Madagascar appeals only to children. Overall, Madagascar fails to live up to its expectations and pattern of great animated films, only to be enjoyed by kids 10 and younger.

I do not recommend this film.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)

A darker but marvelous fourth chapter to the incredible saga...

[8/10 · 17 November 2005]

Harry Potter(Daniel Radcliffe), Hermione(Emma Watson), and the Weaselys attend the Quidditch world cup over their summer break, but it is terrorized my a large amount of Death-Eaters shortly after the match, showing signs of Voldemort's loyalty.

After the Qudditch World Cup, they return to Hogwarts to find that Hogwarts is hosting the Tri-Wizard Tournament, in which three schools compete for the Tri-Wizard cup. One student from each school will be chosen from the Goblet of Fire, but you must be 17 or older to enter. Mireacously, Harry finds himself the fourth champion selected and becomes hated by many because the widely spread belief of cheating on his part. As if he doesn't have enough problems with his friends, a nasty reporter, and vicious dreams involving Voldemort, Harry finds himself battling dragons, solving puzzles, and dealing with sea creatures in the name of "Eternal Glory".

Let me start my review by saying that The Goblet of Fire is a personal favorite for me, so I most certainly viewed this forth film with extremely high expectations.

Being the forth film to the saga, and third director used, "Goblet of Fire" shines brighter than any other of the Harry Potter films, or shall I say "darker". If you thought that the previous Harry Potter film (Prisoner of Azkaban) was dark, then you are in for a treat. This is by far one of the darkest family films I have ever seen, but it most certainly impressed me. Vicious, bloody battles are scattered throughout the Tri-Wizard tournament along with wonderful acting on the part of Daniel Radcliffe, who I am starting to find more talented with each movie. The brutality of this film was so much more than the previous three, that it might be hard for parents to enjoy as much with their kids. The film is definitely more clever and humorous at certain points, but can get extremely intense and dark. The one single aspect of the film that I can see fans having a problem with is the way the movie flowed and their choices of what scenes to use or not use. The story differed a little from the book and the movie seemed to move a little fast but then again, what choice did they have. The movie is still two and half hours long and they had to narrow down a thousand page book! Fans need to get over it and just enjoy the film for the film, not the book. Overall, The Goblet of Fire did not disappoint my extremely high expectations in any way whatsoever and the film set forth what should be an excellent next couple of movies.

I highly recommend this film.

Scarface (1983)

Say Goodnight to the Bad Guy...

[9/10 · 17 November 2005]

In Miami during the 1980's, Tony Montana (Al Pacino) takes himself from nothing to becoming the biggest drug lord in Florida. From women to money to power, Tony experiences everything could ever dream of and things he wished he hadn't.

Being one of my most favorite films of all time, I decided that my 100th review should be Scarface.

Tony Montana is perhaps one the greatest movie characters of all time, due to the amazing actor who played him (Al Pacino) and the incredible story behind him. Rising from nothing, Tony quickly finds himself on top of the world after taking his original partners job, woman, and life. Betrayal, revenge, and loyalty are all major themes to a film in which describes the criminal mind so brilliantly detailed, that the film had to be three hours long.

Al Pacino is a god, when it comes to film. He played Michael Corleone in The Godfather trilogy and many other characters that made him famous. But no one will ever play a character such as Tony Montana like Al Pacino. Flawless is the only word to describe the greatness of his acting during this film. The writing was already good, but Pacino gave the writing meaning with his tone and facial expressions, helping create some of the most memorable movie quotes of all time in large quantity.

"Say goodnight to the bad guy" describes the movie exactly. Tony Montana plays a vicious but needed character in society. Brian De Palma left out no detail in the life of Tony Montana. From chainsaw bloodbaths to cocaine addictions to a gang war in his mansion, Scarface could easily be considered one of the greatest visual experiences ever. I'm not going to go on and on about every single thing that makes this movie amazing but I will leave you with a final summary. Overall, Scarface is flawless in almost every aspect of film and is an instant classic and cult favorite.

I highly recommend this film.

The Emperor's New Groove (2000)

Best Disney film since The Lion King.

[9/10 · 17 November 2005]

Emperor Kuzco (David Spade) is a selfless, mean ruler who is accidentally turned in to a llama by his ex-administrator, Yzma who was trying to kill him for firing her. With the help of Pacha (John Goodman), they find their way back to the palace to turn him self back to normal and retake his throne, finding a friendship on the way.

Disney's animated films had been dull and unexciting until this film. Not since The Lion King, had I enjoyed a Disney film so much. The Emperors New Groove was the funniest Disney film I had ever seen. David Spade was funnier with John Goodman than he ever was with Chris Farley and Patrick Warburton was laugh-out-loud hilarious. As ridiculous as the plot seems, the story flowed really well and didn't seem in any way like crappy children's film but still carried every component needed for kids to enjoy. Overall, this is a great family film, proving that it doesn't have to be made by Pixar to be a great animated film.

I highly recommend this film.

S.W.A.T. (2003)

An average action film with good plot...

[6/10 · 17 November 2005]

A highly trained sniper (Collin Farrell) is demoted to "the gun cage" after refusing to testify against his partner. He works unhappily for six months until he is offered a second chance again by Sgt. Dan "Hondo" Harrelson (Samuel L Jackson), who is creating a SWAT team with himself and a few others (Michelle Rodriguez, L.L. Cool J, etc.). The job was good until an arrested drug lord offers 100 million dollars on national television to anyone who will help him escape. Corruption in the SWAT team soon unravels as they are assigned to transport the drug lord to a high security prison.

The idea, although unrealistic, was quite good. SWAT definitely had potential to be a great action film but fell though in a few key characteristics. Although the acting was bad and the writing was terrible, but the movie had great special effects and wonderful training scenes. The humorous nature of the SWAT team made it not only entertaining but set the mood for the theme for the whole entire movie. Overall, the movie was unrealistic and perhaps a little cheesy at times but still deserves a recommendation due to the wonderful action.

I recommend this film.