Spiderman 3 Review

Spiderman 3: The web slinger is back in his third installment and this time his web was stuffed with one to many storylines. The Hollywood formula for these blockbusters is to always top the last one…..well sometimes more is less, as is the case with Spiderman 3. For starters, Peter Parker has a record - 3 villains to take on while balancing his relationship with Mary Jane and new love interest Gwen Stacy. On top of that he is overtaken by a mysterious black substance that gives way to a “darker” Spiderman and Peter Parker. All of this crammed into a 2 hour 20 minute action packed movie, there is no wonder it feels “rushed” at the end. This is not to say that the movie is without highlights. The action sequences are a plenty and are the best of the series. Catching me by surprise was the humor the movie had, this is by far the funniest Spiderman. As for the 3 villains mentioned before: Sandman played by Thomas Haden Church was well done and looked fantastic on screen, but due to limited screen time, never lived up to his stature. The New Goblin played by James Franco came out with a lot of energy, however needing to stretch his plotline out, he gets thrown into a soap opera storyline for much of the movie. Finally we have Venom played by Topher Grace, all I can say is “way under written”. It felt Venom was just thrown in there to satisfy some hardcore fans as he appears late in the movie with almost no back story. The ending has everyone and everything colliding for a climatic battle atop New York City. It was the 1st time I finished a Spiderman movie and did not feel totally satisfied. This is in no way a BAD movie, it just failed to live up to the expectations the first two movies created for it. I enjoyed a lot of it, I was disappointed by some of it, the result….an average Spidey 3.
* * and ½ or a grade: C+

If this movie had parents they would be: Batman & Robin and Superman II

With a running time of 120 minutes
This film is rated PG-13

Grindhouse

Grindhouse: A double feature paying tribute to the “B-movie thrillers” of the past, from directors Robert Rodriguez & Quentin Tarantino. I give big thumbs up for the ambition of the project which is comprised of 2 full length movies (each about 1:25 minutes in length), accompanied by faux “coming attractions” before and in between the features. The two films have nothing tying them together plot wise; however some of the same sets, props, and actors are used in both films. Up first is Planet Terror by Rodriguez. The film is a “gore fest” of a zombie movie. The story uses basic zombie movie understanding – everyone is infected with a virus which turns them into man eating zombies. A small group of rebels remain uninfected and need to get to a safe area to produce a cure to the virus. The humor in the movie is spot on, making fun of itself as it goes along. The second feature is Death Proof by Tarantino. I loved this movie. Kurt Russell plays Stuntman Mike, a mad man who likes to kill people in his death proof-(made for a stuntman)-car. The reason I found Death Proof to be a superior film is that not only did it pay tribute to old B-movies, but at the same time you were getting some classic Tarantino cinema!! I did not get that blend from Planet Terror. In fact I was getting bored by the mid-way mark of the first feature. Tarantino had the right mix and it worked. The final car chase was one of the most exhilarating scenes I have seen in a long time. Between the outstanding faux trailers and the extremely fun ride of Death Proof, Grindhouse gets a recommendation from me.
The Breakdown – Planet Terror : * * // Death Proof * * * *

Grindhouse (as a whole): * * * or grade: B

If this movie had parents they would be: Shaun of the Dead & Duel

With a run time of 191 minutes
This film is rated R

Perfect Stranger Review

Perfect Stranger: Halle Berry, Bruce Willis, and Giovanni Ribisi team up for this mind numbing thriller. I left this movie with 1 BIG question…..how do scripts like this get green lit? Berry plays Rowena, a journalist always looking for the big story. When a childhood friend of hers is murdered she jumps onto the case – because in movies like this the star journalist is always better at solving crimes than actual cops. Rowena’s profound investigation finds that her friend was having an affair with the top advertising executive in NYC – Harrison Hill (played by Bruce Willis and a damn good “movie name” if I do say so myself). To get the inside scoop on Harrison Hill, she gets a temp job at his advertising firm. From there the plot thickens as we are given even more reason to think that Hill is our perpetrator. Of course, what would a thriller of this nature be without a twist or two……..or five. The movie does have a couple tense moments, but I would have liked a little more given that the movie is like so many we have already seen. The ending is creative, but it is almost laughable when you put it through the “believability test”. Every once in a while a movie of this nature is done right, with just enough thought put into it to allow us to believe in the irrationality of it all. Unfortunately, Perfect Stranger does not have the smarts to make it all work.

* * or a grade of a C -

If this movie had parents they would be: You’ve Got Mail & Basic Instinct

With a running time of 109 minutes
This film is rated R

Ry's Top 10 of 2006

Sorry for the delay in getting my top 10 list out, but it just takes time for me to get out there and see all the late arriving films of 2006. I finally feel I have seen all the notable films that one should see. Like every year it all seems to come together to make a good crop of films. I liken it to a vintage of wine – you can look back at the years and argue or discuss what years were better for movies. I don’t think 2006 will be remembered as a great year for cinema, however there were most certainly some gems that stand out above the rest. In the list below I give you the 10 best gems of 2006. Now, for the almost 60 times I ventured out to the cineplex and the countless movies I rented throughout the year there were always another set of eyes watching with me. It is only right to give a second opinion and include Jennifer’s list, especially because she is the one that makes seeing all these movies so much fun.

With out further ado, I give you Ryan’s Top 10 of 2006. Each film will have a link to click on where you can read my full review of the film. Please feel free to make a comment and discuss the year in film by clicking on the comment link on the bottom…thank you.

10. Brick – Highly imaginative world of crime centered around high school students. Full Review

9. Pursuit of Happyness – A man overcomes poverty and homelessness in reaching his dream. Full Review

8. Half Nelson – Ryan Gosling plays a teacher addicted to drugs in this heartbreaking tale. Full Review

7. The Last King of Scotland – A tense ride, Idi Ami (Whitaker) had me sweating. Full Review

6. Notes on a Scandal – Acting at its finest between Dench and Blanchett, this movie will make you squirm. Full Review

5. The Queen – an inside look at the royal family in the week after Princess Diana’s death. Full Review

4. Pan’s Labyrinth – Fantasy world meets cold hearted corrupt world in this beautiful film from Guillermo del Torro. Full Review

3. The Departed – Martin Scorsese gives us yet another mob masterpiece. Full Review

2. Little Miss Sunshine – Humorous?….hell yes, but it was the message about beauty and family that made this film stand out. Full Review

1. Children of Men – It was the movie that transported me the most, I felt totally immersed in this futuristic world. On top of that it had a message of hope for the human race. I was delighted with how well the movie was made and was emotionally moved by its story. Full Review

A Second Opinion, Jen’s top 10 of 2006
10. Children of Men

9. The Departed

8. The Queen

7. The Pursuit of Happyness

6. Blood Diamond

5. The Last King of Scotland

4. Pan’s Labyrinth

3. Notes on a Scandal

2. Little Miss Sunshine

1. Half Nelson