Not the biggest victory, but we’ll take it!
Fight On USC Trojans!

Hit - Starring Simon Pegg, Kate Ashfield, Nick Frost, Lucy Davis

Shaun has decided to turn his world around by winning back his ex-girlfriend, making amends with his family, and by killing any zombies that may keep him from attaining his goals. All-in-all a funnier version of Dawn of the Dead.

A sci-fi / zombie film spoof that will keep you in stitches. If you had no idea this was a movie about zombies, at what point in the film do you think this idea would become clear? This question made me think for a moment, but I believe the moment it became clear to me that this movie was about zombies was (of course the title, but besides that…) when you see a man practically performing Michael Jackson’s Thriller in the park (seen in the background of a shot early in the film). The movie has some great moments of laughter. Bottom line: If you like zombie films, you will like this zombie spoof.

Best Scene: When Shaun is re-playing his scenario of how he will make everything ok.

Rated R for zombie violence/gore and language.
Comedy
Running Time: 1 hour 39 minutes

Photo © Rogue Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

Miss (been there, done that) - Starring Katie Holmes, Amerie Rogers, Marc Blucas, Michael Keaton, Lela Rochon Fuqua. Directed by Forest Whitaker.

Film Synopsis: See movie synopsis for Chasing Liberty, only change the “Europe Trip” to “University of Redmond.”

The target audience for this movie is Mother’s with elementary age children. I am not a mother and nor do I have an elementary age child, therefore I found this movie to lack all originality and fun. This movie did nothing except steal my money and laugh in my face. Don’t get me wrong, the mother’s and their children, loved this movie. They are waiting in anticipation for the sequel. But for me, I felt that First Daughter was a sequel, the sequel to Chasing Liberty. Except Mandy Moore has been replaced by Katie Holmes.

Have you ever noticed that Katie Holmes has a habit of talking out of one side of her mouth? Back in the days of Dawson’s Creek (the high school years) I found this quality to be quite charming. Now it simply bothers me. Katie Holmes is delightful in this role but the story is weak and unsupportive of the talent that is brought to the table. Amerie Rogers plays a quirky college roommate to Katie Holmes. I enjoyed Amerie in her first feature film debut. She has all the qualities of a typical college roommate that you may have come into contact with sometime in your college career, if you haven’t already, you will some day.

In the beginning of the story, the film editor brought interesting transitions. Unfortunately, the film editor beat those transitions to a pulp and made us aware of how every new scene would be introduced. Once again, a lack of originality. Bottom Line: Does not meet the needs of the late teenage to early thirties demographic.

Best Scene: When Jay Leno makes a joke about how Samantha (Holmes) is going to fund her father’s campaign.

Rated PG for language, sexual situations and alcohol-related material.
Romantic Comedy
Running Time: 1 hour 45 minutes = Too Long!

Photo © 20th Century Fox. All Rights Reserved.

Miss (already forgotten)Starring - Julianne Moore, Dominic West, Gary Sinise

Wife and mother Telly Paretta (Moore) is grieving because her 8-year-old son has died in a airplane accident. Telly’s psychiatrist tells her that her son is simply a figment of her imagination. Refusing to believe her psychiatrist, Telly seeks out another individual who is experiencing the same thing.

Hands down I would consider this movie to be one of the year’s biggest let downs. The only reason why I would believe this movie to be so bad is because it looks so interesting (from the previews and television spots) but in actual reality, it makes me want to vomit. Element that kept me going: original score by James Horner. The man is a musical genius, I really don’t think there is anyone better. As for the rest of the film… there is not much to say, except… Mediagold had it right when he said:

Mediagold: “Hi! I’m the guy that left the post about how moronic this movie is because it involves kidnapping and wallpapering aliens. The sad thing is.. the culprits *are* aliens! Not the kids, not the CIA, not the Men in Black, not the Hamburgler (though that would make more sense). It’s aliens. For whatever reason, aliens have traveled trillions of miles to kidnap our kids and to wallpaper our rooms. By looking at the trailer, the scenes that are happening in the movie are simply the makers of the film trying to get cheap thrills (people getting sucked up into the sky while Julianne watches in awe, wallpaper being removed to reveal a child’s bedroom wall while Julianne watches in awe, etc) but in reality they’re just insulting the audience’s intelligence. At least I felt the filmmakers were insulting my intelligence.., “(IMDB.com).

Mediagold - thank you for dispensing your movie knowledge. Now that I have seen the film, I too believe that the Hamburgler kidnapping the children would make more sense.

But the one thing I would like to ask is…would it be possible to hire these “aliens” to remove people of my choosing? I already have one name in mind…

Best Scene: The car crash involving the NSA.

Rated PG-13 for intense thematic material, some violence and brief language.
Science Fiction
Running Time: 1 hour 29 minutes

Photos © Columbia Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

S-O-U-T-H-E-R-N C-A-L-I-F-O-R-N-I-A!

Hit (video recommendation only) - Starring Bernie Mac, Angela Bassett, Paul Sorvino, Mr. Big

Stan Ross (Mac) is an arrogant baseball player who decides to quit the game the night he achieves 3,000 hits. Years later, Ross is now a business man with an entire sports complex that thrives off of his fame. Before the hall of fame vote, baseball accountants discover that three of his hits were counted twice and therefore he is three hits shy of 3,000. Now, Stan must set things straight, get back on his team, and get three more hits.

3,000 laughs! Ok, so maybe it wasn’t 3,000 laughs… this movie is an adult comedy with mild humor. I don’t believe this movie is suitable for children under the age of 17 because of it’s adult content and humor, anyone younger than 17 would find this movie to be a drab. The target audience of this movie ranges from 17 to 65.

Bernie Mac makes the character Stan Ross a person that people love to hate. At the beginning of the film this character comes on strong but by the end we realize that he has made a few attitude changes for the better. Angela Bassett’s ‘performance is abbreviated©’ and the audience does not find a real connection between her character (Mo) and Stan. The entire subplot concerning Mo and Stan should have been left on the cutting room floor. This plot did not take the movie in a particular direction, it just kept the audience from the more interesting parts of the movie concerning the game of baseball and the baseball team. The baseball team is led by Paul Sorvino who plays a stoic baseball manager / coach named Gus. Gus still harbors negative emotions for Stan (since he was the manager when Stan quit the team the first time around) and gives Stan the silent treatment until necessary. Once Gus finally opens his mouth you feel excited to see that he ultimately is displaying some emotion. Bottom Line: Entertaining film with good laughs; excellent video recommendation.

Best Scene: Stan’s final commercial endorsement.

Rated PG-13 for sexual content and language.
Comedy
Running Time: 1 hour 44 minutes

Photo © Touchstone Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

Colorado State Fails to Score, Now that’s a win!

Hit- Starring Milla Jovovich, Sienna Guillory

Just when you thought the nightmare was over. General Cain has ordered The Hive to be reopened, and in doing so, he infects an entire city with the T-Virus. Now, Alice (Jovovich) and others must find a way to survive in a city of the walking dead. In addition to fighting off the walking dead, Alice must also face Matt Addison (aka Nemesis). Matt has been altered by the Umbrella Corporation to kill everything in his path. Will Alice and her friends be able to survive?

One word of advice to all parents and single parent families: Leave your children at home. It hurts me to see young elementary school children being exposed to this type of gore and violence. The children’s ticket runs about seven dollars. Save your ticket money and hire a babysitter. I will be your babysitter, please take my advice, this movie will give your children nightmares.

This movie was a great continuation of the first. As expected of a sequel, it had all the right elements including: a higher body count, more advanced weaponry, the main character knows how to kick more booty than in the first film, and slight nudity. What more can you ask for? Also included in this movie were two characters of comic relief. One of these characters doesn’t hang around for long but both of them manage to deliver great one liners. Bottom Line: Just as good as the first.

Best Scene: Alice’s first action sequence of the film where she kicks some booty.

Rated R for non-stop violence, language and some nudity.
Science Fiction / Horror
Running Time: 1 hour 34 minutes

Photo © 2004 Sony Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

Hit - Written, Directed, and Starring Zach Braff

People magazine raves about Lindsay Lohan being the new triple threat to the entertainment business. Well, no offense to People magazine, but the real triple threat to the business is Zach Braff. Garden State is a story of hope during a time of uncontrollable sadness. The characters in this film make you want to laugh, cry, and understand exactly what they are experiencing. Natalie Portman displays her best comedic performance since the musical/comedy Everyone Says I Love You. Zach Braff is a Hollywood ‘diamond in the rough’ that can create a movie as stunning as a classic film. This kid is on fire. Bottom line: Cult classic capabilities, and watch for this movie during the Oscars (You heard it here first: Hit or Miss Movies).

Best line: “Don’t talk about knights in front of Mark, it’s a sore subject.”

Rated R for language, drug use and a scene of sexuality.
Dramedy
Running Time: 1 hour 49 minutes

Photo © Jersey Films. All Rights Reserved.

September 7, 2004

Bookies ( R ) – Nick Stahl

The Ladykillers ( R ) – Tom Hanks, Marlon Wayans
Hit or Miss: Hit

The Punisher ( R ) – John Travolta, Thomas Jane, Rebecca Romjin-Stamos
Hit or Miss: Miss

Soul Plane ( UR ) – Snoop Dogg, Kevin Hart, Tom Arnold

Sexo, Pudor y Lagrimas (Sex, Shame and Tears) (1999) ( R ) – Demian Bichir, Susana Zabaleta, Monica Dionne

The United States of Leland ( R ) – Ryan Gosling, Don Cheadle, Chris Kline, Kevin Spacey

September 14, 2004

Angels in America ( NR ) – Al Pacino, Meryl Streep, Emma Thompson

Home on the Range ( G ) – Rosanne, Judi Dench, Jennifer Tilly
Hit or Miss: Hit

Man on Fire ( R ) – Denzel Washington, Dakota Fanning, Christopher Walken

Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleased ( PG ) – Freddie Prinze Jr., Sarah Michelle Gellar, Matthew Lillard
Hit or Miss: Hit

September 21, 2004

Coffee and Cigarettes ( R ) – Roberto Benigni, Steven J. Wright, Joie Lee

Mean Girls ( PG-13 ) – Lindsay Lohan, Tina Fey, Rachel McAdams, Tim Meadows, Lacey Chabert.
Hit or Miss: Hit (Home Movie pick of the month)

Star Wars Trilogy (on DVD) – Hit or Miss: Hit

September 28, 2004

The Alamo ( PG-13 ) – Dennis Quaid, Billy Bob Thorton, Patrick Wilson

Envy ( PG-13 ) – Ben Stiller, Jack Black
Hit or Miss: Miss

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind ( R ) – Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet, Tom Wilkinson, Kirsten Dunst
Hit or Miss: Hit

Super Size Me ( PG-13 ) – Morgan Spurlock
Hit or Miss: “McHit”

Walking Tall ( R ) – The Rock
Hit or Miss: Miss