16 Blocks

Bruce Willis
Mos Def
David Morse
Jenna Stern



PG13           105min           2006

“16 Blocks” is about an alcoholic cop (Willis) that is assigned the grunt work task of escorting a jittery witness (Def) “16 Blocks” from police custody to the courthouse, when outside forces start to intervene to prevent this from happening.

This is an exceptional well-done drama. Great performances from well established actors. A story that is gritty and well define, it’s a moral tale in disguise. It’s a well-timed jog.

“16 Blocks” is a drama that holds upon inspection. You think it might be a good story and once you watch it you realize it was so much more. Not only was it an action adventure but a drama, mystery, and a good buddy film. IT was makes you fell for this character and even when you know what the outcome will be, you hope for the best. This movie doesn’t disappoint.

It has great performances from great casting. With so many great actors, its Mos Def that standout and outshines everyone else. His subtle nuisance of an OCD witness is perfect. It’s your compassion for this character and his plight than makes this movie work. This is one of his best performances and why he’s a talent on the rise in Hollywood.

This story is well defined and keeps you on your toes. It shows one instant of a man overcoming adversity to be a better man; to give someone the help they need to have a better live. It’s shows the double edge sword of morality, how choices have consequences and being a man takes more.

The DVD is packed full of extras and includes an alternate ending that was far better than the original. It fit better with pacing and story told in the framework of the movie. Maybe one day will better our own movie editors and define the movies the way we see fit.

“!6 Blocks” is a great morality action adventure. It has a standout performance from Mos Def in a great acted ensemble film. It’s a story that was well defined, with good character development and characterization.

I give it 4/5 Gs.

Dave Chapelle's Block Party

Dave Chappelle
Kanye West
Mos Def
Talib Kweli
Common
Dead Prez
Erykah Badu
The Roots
The Fugees
Jill Scott

R           103min           2005

“Dave Chappelle’s Block Party” is documentery of him putting together this block party. It follows Dave Chapelle across the country giving out tickets, meeting the neighborhood, and setting up his all-star free block party in New York.

This film is part sketch comedy, party musical concert, and all brilliance; Dave Chapelle puts together one of the best films of 2005. It’s Dave being Dave and giving back to the community. It has the funny, brilliance, comedy found on his show but in every day life meeting everyday people.

He put together some of the best musicians of the hip-hop community; he even got ‘The Fugees’ to reunite after seven years, to perform some of their hits. Even though, you weren’t there you still fill the vibe and you realize just how powerful it must have been to be there live. It features some of the best music and it makes you wish that you were actually there.

DC’s Block Party is right up there with best comedy concert DVD. I want to say thank you to Dave Chapelle for film this journey. It was a experience that I am glad I had and wished that I could have been there live. I can say nobody throws a block party like Dave Chapelle. The party was truly over there.

I give it 5/5 Gs.

Stay

Ewan McGregor
Ryan Gosling
Naomi Watts
Bob Hoskins
Elizabeth Reaser
Katie Burton
Janeane Garofalo

R           99min           2005

“Stay” is a movie that is about a psychiatrist trying to save a patient from committing suicide while holding on to his sanity.

From the beginning reality is not what it seems and you never grasp what’s going on until the ended. This film flips and turns. Once you think you got it figured out it throws another curve ball. Not until the end of the movie do you get and then you question what you just saw.

'Stay' is poorly executed. When you do finally reach the end you are disappointed. It’s not what you expected from this film. The story didn’t support the talent that was cast in the roles. McGregor and Gosling hold there own against each other.

Naomi Watts did a good job in a character that was under-developed. It was as if she was thrown in just to have a female in the cast. Other characters could have figured out what her character brought to the film. She was definitely misused in this film.

What this film was going for and what it pulled off are two different things. I don’t know if it was designed to be this way given the ending, if it was then it went over my head. I like the actors in the film but I felt cheated at the end. Only fans of one of the actors will appreciate this film.

I give it 2/5 Gs.

"The Cooler"

William H. Macy
Maria Bello
Alec Baldwin
Ron Livingston
Paul Sorvino
Shawn Hatosy
Estella Warren

R           101min           2003

“The Cooler” Is about a man, Bernie Lootz (Macy), with the worse lucky, is so bad that it can rub off other people. He’s employee by the manager of the Shangri La, one of the last casino doing business the old way, to ‘cool’ anyone on a hot streak. Until his lucky changes when he meets his ‘Lady Luck’, played by Maria Bello, a waitress at the Shangri La.

If you’re looking for a good moral tale, this is your man. It’s a believable story with some unbelievable events. I found Macy acting perfection. You get engrossed in this film and root for these characters.

From the start Bernie Lootz is that everyday man, down on his luck, trying to change and find a better way. He is what you imagine what bad luck in Vegas will do to a person. It’s this character that makes you come to love the story. You care for Bernie and hope that he finds the happiness that he deserves.

Macy brings that everyday fell to Bernie. He acts him to perfection, from his bad knee to his rotten luck, Macy portrays him as a optimistic pessimist. He is down and out, with rotten luck and you empathies with Bernie’s plight. When Bernie finds love with a down on her luck waitress, he finds his ‘Lady Luck’ and everything in Bernie’s life changes.

An outstanding cast supports Macy. Alec Baldwin, as the manager of the Shangri La, gives you that old school mobster fill. Maria Bello plays her waitress with a heartbroken warm. Even Paul Sorvino came comes at up out of nowhere and grips you. It was a shocking role, for me to see, from Sorvino that he pulls off.

“The Cooler” is a rare film that was more of an Indy film done with mainstream talent. You care for the character and hope that meet with the best. It is a great ensemble piece. ‘The Cooler’ is a film that shouldn’t be missed.

I give it 4/5 Gs.

X-Men: The Last Stand

Hugh Jackman. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Halle Berry
Ian McKellan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Famke Janssen
Anna Paquin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Kelsey Grammer
Rebecca Romijn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .James Marsden
Shawn Ashmore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Aaron Stanford
Vinnie Jones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Patrick Stewart

PG13           104min           2006

X-Men: The Last Stand finds us returning to the world divided : humans and mutants and mutants. The humans have developed a "Cure" to the mutant phenonmenon and this divides mutant kind. Some mutants want the cure and other feel that human should be more tolerant. Magneto feels humans will impose the cure on to mutant kind and Professor X feels than mutants can make their own choice and humans must be defended from humans.

This one has the conflict reaching its boiling point and the pot boils over. There will be casualities on all three sides. Finding no real resolvtion found. To me the movie felt rushed and ending abruptly. Its still entertaing and a well told story. It felt like the closing chapter of the series where the pull out all the stop to appeased the fan base.

Character not making to this sequel is Nightcrawler. Stay until the end, there is a surprise at the end. Leaving a door open for a 4th. Hopefully they will add the only noticable character not shown, Gambit. You check X-Men and X2: X-Men United.

I give it a 3/5 Gs.