Since I work at a Blockbuster and have access to films before their release dates and since some here ask for my opinion on films, I felt I would just go ahead a make a weekly movie recommendation. I know this week's releases came out yesterday so I'm a day behind but oh well.

RELEASE DATE: 01/15/08

HE WAS A QUIET MAN

An office worker inadvertently becomes a hero after he saves a woman's life.

Probably the most impressive roles I've ever seen from both Christian Slater and Elisha Cuthbert. Slater is an office worker who is constantly bullied by management, keeps a gun in his briefcase and is on the verge of using it. However, another disgruntled coworker beats him to the punch, wiping out a handful of workers before Slater ends his reign of terror. Cuthbert is a survivor of the attacks and is a quadriplegic as a result. When she is released from the hospital she asks Slater for one favor, to finish what the coworker started.

A very powerful film that I would say is a cross between OFFICE SPACE and TAXI DRIVER without the humor. This is only director Frank A. Cappello's third film and I look forward to more from him after this performance. Unfortunately, this will be passed over by many at the video store but with it being a slow week (other releases include: GOOD LUCK CHUCK, MR. WOODCOCK, SUBURBAN GIRL, THE TEN, STRAYS, and SCENES OF A SEXUAL NATURE), you can't do much worse.

Nice idea Irish

Thanks svsg. Let's see how long I keep up with it but I think it was a good idea too. Also, for anyone who ever watches my recommendations, I'd love to hear feedback be it positive or negative.

Glad to see your back Irish!

Thanks Blibble

Good idea Irish!

I will keep an eye out for this one!

Good, I hope you enjoy it

Please no trash..

Well please remember two things:

1) These are my picks - you may agree with them and you may not. It's the movie(s) I enjoyed the most for the upcoming week.

2) Some weeks will be slower than others where there will be nothing but trash.

RELEASE DATE: 01/22/08

SAW IV 1/2

Jigsaw and his apprentice Amanda are dead. Now, upon the news of Detective Kerry's murder, two seasoned FBI profilers, Agent Strahm and Agent Perez, arrive in the terrified community to assist the veteran Detective Hoffman in sifting through Jigsaw's latest grisly remains and piecing together the puzzle. However, when SWAT Commander Rigg is abducted and thrust into a game, the last officer untouched by Jigsaw has but ninety minutes to overcome a series of demented traps and save an old friend or face the deadly consequences.

Some here should have known this would be the film I would be recommending since I'm such a big fan of the horror genre, particularly the SAW franchise. If you've seen the first three, this is definitely worth the watch to see how the story continues to unfold. If you've never seen a SAW, start from #1 or else this won't make any sense. There were only two things I could complain about this film:

1) It feels like this franchise is starting to run its course
2) This is in a lot of ways a remake of the original

RELEASE DATE: 01/29/08

THE KING OF KONG: A FISTFUL OF QUARTERS 1/2

Diehard video game fans compete to break World Records on classic arcade games.

One of the best documentaries I've probably ever seen. If you're a gamer or just a casual video game fan, I think this is for you. Billy Mitchell, the Donkey Kong champion for the past 25 years and Gamer of the Century is being tested for his crown and claim as "champion of the world" by middle-school science teacher Steve Wiebe. What ensues is nothing short of amazing

The documentary opens up describing Billy Mitchell, his accomplishments and how much they mean to the people within the inner circles of the competative video game world. The other half of the film follows Steve Wiebe, his training and how this man taught himself to be one of the best in the world. Again, if you're interested at all in video games (particularly Donkey Kong), have every played it or just want something fresh and new, this is a great film!

RELEASE DATE: 2/5/08

ACROSS THE UNIVERSE 1/2

A dock worker Jude travels to America in the 1960s to find his estranged father. There he falls in love with sheltered American teenager Lucy. When her brother Max is drafted to fight in the Vietnam War, they become involved in peace activism. The film title and main characters are named after various songs by The Beatles.

A very beautiful and original movie. This may not be for everyone out there (check your Beatles fan I.D. card before entering). But what I loved the most was the way the director, Julie Taymor was able to attach a story to every song used. In some instances, I was able to appreciate the song in a different context (I Wanna Hold Your Hand and Strawberry Fields Forever come to mind quickly). A sometimes powerful and musically entertaining film. I hear rumors of a possible sequel and I'd LOVE to see it. Don't be fooled by Jodie Foster's THE BRAVE ONE coming out this week, rent this instead!

Uhuh.

You knew that THE BRAVE ONE sucked from its trailer....right?




right?

RELEASE DATE: 2/12/08

WE OWN THE NIGHT 1/2

A New York nightclub manager tries to save his brother and father from Russian mafia hit men.

GONE BABY GONE 1/2

When 4 year old Amanda McCready disappears from her home and the police make little headway in solving the case, the girl's aunt Beatrice McCready hires two private detectives Patrick Kenzie and Angie Gennaro. The detective freely admit that they have little experience with this type of case, but the family wants them for two reasons - they're not cops and they know the tough neighborhood in which they all live. As the case progresses, Kenzie and Gennaro face drug dealers, gangs and pedophiles. When they finally solve the case, they are faced with a moral dilemma that tears them apart.

Both of these are dramas so you're not gonna get much of a difference between the two. Both were great and I couldn't decide so I'm saying watching them both. WE OWN THE NIGHT has a great cast starting with the showstopper himself, Joaquin Phoenix, Mark Wahlberg, Eva Mendes and Robert Duvall. A little more action than GONE BABY GONE if that's what you were interested in.

As for GONE BABY GONE, Casey Affleck is quickly becoming his own man with another great performance. This film has more suspense than WE OWN THE NIGHT and is basically the unofficial sequel to MYSTIC RIVER.

RELEASE DATE: 2/19/08

AMERICAN GANGSTER

Following the death of his employer and mentor, Bumpy Johnson, Frank Lucas establishes himself as the number one importer of heroin in the Harlem district of Manhattan. He does so by buying heroin directly from the source in South East Asia and he comes up with a unique way of importing the drugs into the United States. As a result, his product is superior to what is currently available on the street and his prices are lower. His alliance with the New York Mafia ensures his position. It is also the story of a dedicated and honest policeman, Richie Roberts, who heads up a joint narcotics task force with the Federal government. Based on a true story.

Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe and Ridley Scott are all back and all is right in the world again. This is Scott's best film since 2000's GLADIATOR but I am so displeased that this film only received one Oscar nomination (it went to Rudy Dee for best actress in a supporting role as Frank's mother). I'm really angry Denzel didn't get at least a nod or that the film wasn't on the Best Picture list. This is easily the best crime film since last year's THE DEPARTED and is a new gangster classic! With this being a gangster bullentin board, I'm sure a lot of you will be checking this out this week. Good, you won't be disappointed.

RELEASE DATE: 2/26/08

BEOWULF (2007) 1/2

The warrior Beowulf must fight and defeat the monster Grendel who is terrorizing towns, and later, Grendel's mother, who begins killing out of revenge.

Another visual achievement in cinema history and Robert Zemeckis does a fantastic job retelling this age old story with some great action! I'd say it's a mix of 300 and ERAGON. Ladies and gentlemen, Zemeckis is back from his from his 3 year hiatus since 2004's THE POLAR EXPRESS!

I had a feeling THE DEPARTED's win last year would hurt AG's chances. It was an excellent movie, but not likely to win because it's another gangster film.

Ruby Dee's solo nomination is just the academy being "pc," again.

It's one of the reasons I hate the Oscars.

Is it worth watching without 3D?

I am yet to see American Gangster yet


i am looking forward to it though

Sure. I wish I saw this in the theaters but it's still awesome on DVD

Let us know what you think of it

True, but I still think Denzel should have got the nod over Tommy Lee Jones (IN THE VALLEY OF ELAH) or Viggo Mortensen (EASTERN PROMISES)

I saw a commercial for the Beowulf dvd's... they are releasing an unrated version and a PG-13 version. Was it originally PG-13? I thought it was R with all the nudity I kept hearing about.

It was PG-13 in theatres, w/ AUSTIN POWERS-esque object placement to hide his twig & berries.

But tits? Galore baby!

I wasn't impressed with the film. My initial reaction was that it was a solid, EXCALIBUR0-esque treatment on a legend.

Then I watched EXCALIBUR again, and realized......its alot better movie than I rememebered, and guess what?

BEOWULF aint that good. Its like a retard trying to act clever, and his parents shaking their heads in the background.

BEOWULF (2007) - **1/2

Interesting metaphor.

will do mate

RELEASE DATE: 3/04/08

AWAKE (2007) 1/2
(First Viewing)

While undergoing open heart surgery, a man's failed anesthetic leaves him completely alert, but paralyzed and unable to tell his doctors.

An interesting and original script however I felt the film could have been more. I'm not on the "I hate Hayden Christensen bandwagon" and thought his films post-STAR WARS have been pretty decent. As usual, Terrence Howard does not do bad films.

RELEASE DATE: 3/11/08

NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN
(Second Viewing)

In rural Texas, welder and hunter Llewelyn Moss discovers the remains of several drug runners who have all killed each other in an exchange gone violently wrong. Rather than report the discovery to the police, Moss decides to simply take the two million dollars present for himself. This puts the psychopathic killer, Anton Chigurh, on his trail as he dispassionately murders nearly every rival, bystander and even employer in his pursuit of his quarry and the money. As Moss desperately attempts to keep one step ahead, the blood from this hunt begins to flow behind him with relentlessly growing intensity as Chigurh closes in. Meanwhile, the laconic Sherrif Ed Tom Bell blithely oversees the investigation even as he struggles to face the sheer enormity of the crimes he is attempting to thwart.

Wow, the Coen brothers are back in a big way! Everything positive you've heard about this film is absolutely true. This is their best film ever! What I loved most about the film was the fact their isn't a lot of dialogue. The first half of the film is a great cat-and-mouse game that is so intense and the actors are providing the right emotions to strike excitement and fear in the audience without saying anything.

Josh Brolin was awesome as the southern gentleman, Llewelyn Moss, who stumbles upon this little stack of cash. However, the show belonged to Javier Bardem. He owned this film! I was so glad the Academy rewarded him for his efforts with his Oscar and that this film won Best Picture and Best Director. As much I loved THERE WILL BE BLOOD, I do think this was better and the right movie IMO won.

Thanks for the review Irish,im looking forward to seeing this