"Fifty Pills"

Lou Taylor Pucci
Kristen Bell
John Hensley
Nora Zehetner
Michael Pena
Jane Lynch
Monica Keena
Eddie Kaye Thomas



Unrated           83min           2006



Darren Giles (Lou Taylor Pucci, “Southland Tales”) has lost his college scholarship and doesn’t have the cash to stay in college another semester. Unless he can survive a teenage dominatrix and New York’s biggest drug mogul, convince his parents he’s not gay, write a passing paper on Dante’s Inferno, escape three thugs chasing the wrong guy, and sell fifty pills of Ecstasy in time to make his tuition payment, he’ll never get the chance to date the girl of his dreams (Kristen Bell, TV’s Veronica Mars). – from the back cover

“Fifty Pills” is a quirky low budget indie film. I was drawn to it because of the actors in the film but was pleased by the story being told. Taking place over one day our protagonist meets some of the strangest characters during the day. It’s may not a story you would tell your children or grandchildren but one you would tell your friends you meet after college.

This is a film that you truly just want to find out what trouble Darren will get into over these fifty pills. Every character in this film had some kind out growth. What’s left after this film would make an interesting serial of some kind. He’s left at the turning point and could go several ways.

If you’re a fan of any one of the actors in “Fifty Pills” then you will like this film. If you’re a fan of off the beat path comedic indie film this will appeal to you. Although it concludes the story of fifty pills there is so much that could be explored with this eclectic characters.

This DVD is low on features. It has deleted and extended scenes. There is a behind the scenes featurette. There is a auto commentary by the film makers. There are movie previews fro “Beer League”, “Soup of the Day”, “Glow Ropes”, and “The Big White”.

I give it 3/5 Gs.

"Alpha Dog"

Ben Foster
Shawn Hatosy
Emile Hirsch
Chris Marquette
Justin Timberlake
Anton Yelchin
Sharon Stone
Bruce Willis
Amanda Seyfried
Olivia Wilde

R           118min           2006


They grew up together in the suburbs of LA, living their own version of the American dream, with every day a blur of partying and looking for the next thrill. Johnny (Emile Hirsch, “Lords of Dogtown”) is the leader in their sordid world of drugs, greed, power and privilege. But when he is double-crossed by another dealer, things quickly begin to spiral out of control, and an impulsive kidnapping leads to a shocking conclusion. – from the back cover

Inspired by the life of Jesse James Hollywood and the kidnap and murder of Nicholas Markowitz. It’s a stark reminder of what happens when parents don’t take the time to get involved in their children’s lives. Several people along the way had chances to change the outcome and that is what is so tragic about this story. It’s also one of the reason everyone should see this movie.

"Alpha Dog" is heartbreaking cautionary tale. It should be a wake up call to parents and make kids realize that they are not invincible and should be mindful of their surroundings. But the fact that nearly forty people knew he was kidnapped and didn’t report it is an egregious criminal negligent on their part. Some of that forty should be charged to. Evil prospers when good people do nothing.

For his part Nick Cassavetes does a great job of capturing the heart of this story. He shows that negligence comes in many forms and that we must be mindful of them. If just one person would have decided to be an individual and notified the police, Marzursky would be alive. Even with knowning how this story ends it still a gripping thriller.

"Alpha Dog" is one of those film that I just could not believe that it happened. Once I took a step back and just analyzed the individual step it just show the darker side of man’s potential. Man’s nature is to be self-serving until the day he dies. It also showed that the destructive nature of man is like dropping a pebble in a pond it has everlasting ripples.

This DVD has only two special features. One special feature is a making of featurette on “Alpha Dog”. The other special feature is a timeline of the eyewitnesses. The also have clips from the movie. There are movie previews for “Breach”, “Children of Men”, “Smokin Aces”, “Hot Fuzz” and “The Hitcher”.

I give it 5/5 Gs.

"Next (2007)"

Nicolas Cage
Julianne Moore
Jessica Biel
Thomas Kretschmann
Tory Kittles
Peter Falk
Jose Zuniga
Jim Heaver
Enzo Cilenti
Jason Butler Harner

PG13           96min           2007


Cris Johnson ( Cage) earns his living in a seedy Las Vegas magic act, but his ability to see a few minutes into the future is authentic. Government agent Callie Ferris (Moore) know this, and relentlessly recruits him to help thwart a terrorist group from detonating a nuclear bomb in the heart of Los Angeles. – from the back cover

Based on the short story “The Golden Man” by Philip K. Dick, "Next (2007)" uses special effects efficiently to tell the tale of a this science fiction paranormal drama. It’s a tale that worked as a film but as been done so many times before. Nicolas Cage does his normal waverly coherent acting.

The special effects are prominent but they enhance the film. There is nothing spectacular about them but they do get the job done. They are the standard effects that are tailored to this film. They make this film entertaining in a plot that has been done similar so many times before.

"Next (2007)" is a standard science fiction paranormal drama. It’s an expanded tale from a story but over the decades many time travel films have come before. It’s an interesting talk on the genre but it does not to enhance or redefine the time travel wheel.

Nicolas Cage is a geek at heart but is miss cast in this part. I don’t know if its Jessica Biel as his love interest or what but I felt Cris Johnson would have been a younger manThe character seems to be facing the problems of someone younger. Biel’s character was just too trusting and placed too be the damsel in distress. Julianne Moore as the FBI Agent hunting him was more of a comparative love interest. I think that if the roles between Moore and Biel had been reversed the film would have been more interesting.

Overall there are a few things wrong with "Next (2007)" but it works. It’s science fiction and a suspension of belief goes with the territory as longs as the tale is coherent. The actors are a little miss cast but they make it work. The special effects enhance the film and make it is entertaining.

This DVD’s special features are just half assed promotional featurettes. It has four featurettes talking about four aspects of the film but saying the same thing. There are no other bonuses. It has movie previews for “Transformers”, “A Mighty Heart”, and “Blades of Glory”.

I give it 3/5 Gs.

"Knocked Up"

Seth Rogen
Katherine Heigl
Raul Rudd
Leslie Mann
Jay Baruchel
Jonah Hill
Jason Segel
Martin Starr
Harold Ramis
Joanna Kerns


Unrated           133min           2007


The writer and director of “The 40-Year-Old Virgin delivers another hilarious hit comedy!

They say that opposites attract. Well, for slacker Ben (Seth Rogen) and career girl Alison (Katherine Heigl), that’s certainly the case – at least for one intoxicated evening. Two months and several pregnancy tests later, Ben and Alison go through a hysterically funny, anxious and heartwarming journey that leads to huge laughs in the most outrageous comedy of the year! – from the back cover

"Knocked Up" is truly one of the funniest films of 2007. Judd Apatow found lightening twice and I don’t think it will be the last time. Somehow he takes the ordinary and finds a way to make it extraordinarily funny. This is a film that you want in your collection.

It gives that glimmer of how to all the slackers and geek that are hoping to find gold in the love department. If you haven’t seen the movie then it’s hard to believe she would fall for him. Once you do you realize that love can be found in all sorts of nucks and crannies. You can suspend belief root for them.

Not matter what version of "Knocked Up" you buy its worth its weight in gold. Every viewing you find something funnier about this movie. You will notice funny little character moment that passed you by on previous viewing of this film.

The audio commentary is a funny piece of recording. It’s Judd Apatow, Seth Rogen and Bill Hader talking about the film. Apatow and Rogen give insight into the film and Hader along the way does impression of Al Pacino, Vincent Price, and a few others. You can not help but to laugh from the things they talk about.

This "Knocked Up" is loaded with special features. There are several deleted and extended or alternate scenes. Line-O-Rama gives different line reading for certain scenes and a gag reel. A documentary on tricking Jay Baruchel onto a roller coaster, who happens to get panic attacks from roller coasters. “Directing the Director” is a mockumentary about Universal Studio, Bennett Miller to watch over Judd Apatow. Rounding out this DVD is a video by Loudon Wainwright featuring a live version of “You Can’t Fail Me Now”, an topless scene from the web design company, and a funny audio commentary by Judd, Seth and Bill Hader. It has movie previews for “Heroes: Season 1”, “White Noise 2”, and “Bring It On: In It To Win It”, the fourth in the franchise.

I give it 5/5 Gs.

"Cherry Crush"

Nikki Reed
Jonathan Tucker
Julie Gonzalo
Michael O'Keefe
Haviland Morris
Dennis Boutsikaris
Frank Whaley


R           99min           2007


Privileged teenager Jordan Wells finds himself expelled from prep school after taking provocative photos of his female classmates. Now enrolled in the local high school, he becomes helplessly blinded by the beauty of Shay Bettencourt, a stunning temptress from the other side of the tracks. She is everything he wanted, everything he needed, and nothing he expected. As the relationship heats up, Jordan finds himself wrapped up in the web of her fatal beauty… and an accessory to murder – twice. "Cherry Crush" stars Jonathan Tucker (“Texas Chainsaw Massacre”, “Hostage”) and Nikki Reed (“Thirteen”, TV’s “The O.C.”) – from the back cover

Another film that shows that film noir has morphed and found new life with a teen genre. The modern film noir works well with teens in the lead. Setting them in the teen world show the dark, complicated, and twisted world than teens face.

I found that "Cherry Crush" comes across as a little vague in nature. I don’t know if it was meant to set up a sequel but it certainly does. I would like to see how this second act would play out. I think the crossing and double cross possibilities could make an interesting sequel.

Jonathan Tucker holds the lead and he comes across as the victim caught in the web of a black widow. Nikki Reed plays a femme fatale to perfection I never really got her angle. When I final realized it I would have already stepped into the shit but would have never keep going as far as Jordan did. In the end, Jordan Wells ended up in a nightmare of his own design because he could detach from her web.

I think if you love film noir you will like "Cherry Crush". It’s interesting and tells a good tale. Leaving the view wanting more but still satisfied with the tale told to them. Another good film noir is “Brick”, film that I saw a in 2006.

This DVD is essentially bare to the bone. It contains on featurette of the behind the scenes making of “Cherry Crush”. The only other special features is movie previews for “The Contract”, “Earthstorm” and “Kovak Box”.

I give it 4/5 Gs.