"Alex Rider: Operation Stormbreaker"

Sarah Bolger
Robbie Coltrane
Stephen Fry
Damian Lewis
Ewan McGregor
Bill Nighy
Sophie Okenedo
Alex Pettyfer

PG       93min      2006

“Alex Rider: Operation Stormbreaker” is totally a British produced film and was imported into American. It’s a quick paced film that you don’t realize 90 minutes has gone by. It’s entertainment for the whole family. As it’s British produced its imbued with British sensibility and an almost entirely British cast.

The book that the movie is based on was only about 200 pages, which lent itself to the quick pace. It moves by at lighting speed and having read the book I know some things that happen in the book that didn’t happen on screen. It could feel like a lot of things weren’t explained properly. If you watch the movie and don’t like it I suggest you read the book and then give it another shot.

I think where Anthony Horowitz made changes for the movie improved and moved the story along much better. As I have only read Stormbreaker, and don’t know what’s coming to Alex Rider in the future; I do know that Jack Starbright knows Alex is a spy sooner and one character is introduce in this movie instead of the third book.

Everyone in the family can watch it and enjoy it. Stormbreaker takes itself more serious that ‘Cody Banks’. There is not any foul language and relatively small amount of violent for an action film. It moves so fast that the kids will enjoy it also.

This movie was film entirely in England. The cast is English except for Alicia Silverstone and Mickey Rourke. They have their own sensibilities and it comes through in the film and it’s not a bad thing either. If you liked ‘Cody Banks’ you’ll like Alex Rider better.

The DVD is a little thin on extras. It gives you about six featurettes and that's it. There is one about where Anthony Horowitz talks about the reasons for the differences in the book and movie. Two features about stunts and the marital arts of the film and one feature about the special effect shots of the film. There are no delete scenes and no outtakes. Overall its a bare DVD.

I give it 3/5 Gs.

"The Prestige"

Hugh Jackman
Christian Bale
Michael Caine
Piper Perabo
Samantha Hall
Scarlett Johansson

PG13           128min           2006

“The Prestige” is a story of two magicians in a bitter rivalry of one-up-manship in a race of ‘Who is the Best Magician’.

You hear ‘The Prestige’ and it sounds unremarkable but this movie is a gem in disguise. This is one of the best movies I have ever seen. This is no exaggeration. This movie is compelling and thought provoking. It has so many things happening all the same time. But just as with all magic tricks once its revealed it loses some flare and at the same time keeps you questioning the characters’ motives.

These characters take rivalry and demented to another whole level. The things that they do to each other are some times inhumane and insane. The answers to some of your questions are throughout the entire film. Some are in plain site and other are vaguely alluded to. A smart person will figure out some of the clues early on and others you will never be figured out even in the ending credits.

If you don’t like it is because it left you with too many unanswered question. This is one of the reasons I liked it. Watch again or debate it with a friend and you still will never have all your questions answered. I have never come out of a movie this satisfied and have so many questions unanswered. This is what makes the movie so entertaining.

The way Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale deliver their dialogue and the emotional state of the characters is key in this movie. This is some of the best acting I have seen from Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, and Michael Caine. This is acting at its best.

This one should be seen in the theaters. “The Prestige” should not be missed. If you don’t see this in the theaters you will kick yourself. Only blown up to 16 feet due you catch the clues laid out in front of you. It definitely should be up for some awards. This movie will not disappoint you.

I give it a resounding 5/5 Gs.

"All the King's Men (2006)"

Sean Penn
Jude Law
Kate Winslet
James Gandolfini
Mark Ruffalo
Patricia Clarkson
Anthony Hopkins

PG13           128min           2006

“All the King’s Men”, based on the novel by Robert Penn Warren, is about a man Willie Starks’s (Penn) humble beginnings to Louisiana Governor. How power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely, and that destruction and betrayal goes hand in hand with corruption.

Sean Penn gives an Oscar worth performance. His performance stands out in a film with exceptional performances. Everyone in this film is excellent. All the Kings Men should get an Oscar for the entire ensemble.

This story is riveting and keeps you in your seat. The inspiration for Willie Stark is Huey Long, Louisianan State politician, Governor from 1928-1932 and Senator 1932-1935. It shows you that Willie Starks a good intended man is corrupted when politics comes into play. This one should not be missed its will worth its price.

This movie is better to be seen on DVD. The extras on the DVD are will worth it and enhance the experience of the movie. Never having heard of Huey Long it made me want to read up on him. It seems that he was a color full character that demanded the same reform as Willie Stark. Huey Long made it all the way to Senator with ambition of running for President.

Everyone loves a good underdog story. If you missed it at the movies or want to see it again, All the King’s Men, is worth giving a look to. It has strong performances from the entire cast. The story grabs you and keeps you intrigue. The DVD extras enhance the movie when you find out about the history behind this movie, inspired by 1946 Pulitzer Prize winning novel of the same name.

I give it 5/5 Gs.

"Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby"

Will Ferrell
John C. Reilly
Sacha Baron Cohen
Lesile Bibb
Michael Clarke Duncan
Amy Adams
Gary Cole


Unrated       122min       2006

“Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby” is a Will Ferrell vehicle driven to absolute hilarity. Ferrell stars as Ricky Bobby, NASCAR’s #1 Racecar driver that lives by the motto “If you’re not first you’re last”. After being on top he has a devastating crash and has to pick himself up from the bottom.

This movie is totally hilarious with a few too many homoerotic moments thrown in. It was one moment after another. They would throw in a funny moment and then a homoerotic moment and if you were laughing at the funny moment you would miss the homoerotic moments.

Talladega Nights is a movie of total escapism. Will Ferrell and cast did a great job in this comedy. With all the homoerotic moments and it being the unrated, uncut version, I would have thought to have seen at least one pair of breast. It was hinted at several times but no cigars.

Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly played well together as redneck best friends. This movie screamed redneck pride from the beginning moments to the very end. This cast enjoyed making this movie. The “dinner pray” scene will go down as one of the funniest scenes of all-time. It’s like the Matrix you cannot be told about it you can only see it to appreciate how funny it truly is.

Overall it’s a totally hilarious NASCAR comedy full of homoerotic jokes that distracted me from the funny moments. It’s a comedy that will have you laughing you’re a** off because of the cast ability to bring the comedy. It stand right up their with other Will Ferrell’s movies like Old School and Anchorman.

This DVD is packed with special features. The outtakes are so hilarious you wonder why these weren't in the movie. Outakes of the product places. Featurettes of Will Ferrell at Talladega.

I give it 3/5 Gs.

"The Butterfly Effect 2"

Nick Lively
Erica Durance
Dustin Milligan
Gina Holden
David Lewis
Andrew Airlie

R           92min           2006

“The Butterfly Effect 2”, is the same as the first movie. This time around Eric Lively plays Nick who a year after he loses the woman he loves, played by Erica Durance, of Smallville fame, his best friend and his girlfriend in a car wreck is left in a dead end job and headaches from the crash. When he realizes that he can look at a photo and go into the past he starts to change his life for personal gain.

The sequel just doesn’t work as well as the first. With such a great premise, you wouldn’t think that it could go wrong. The demise of this film sits squarely on the backs of NEW LINE CINEMA. This sequel is far inferior to the first but superior in the fact that the studio only gave the filmmaker 20 days to shoot this film. No film that relies heavily on the story can be cohesively filmed in twenty days. I don’t think any decent film can be shot in less than forty days, as always there are exceptions to the rule.

The entire conflict in contained a two-year period. The lack of time to film plagues it and it shows in the story told. In one instance Nick goes back one year and lands a promotion that causes him to become an asshole over night with no provocation or explanations. There is no way someone becomes an asshole that quick.

There are plot holes big enough to fit a hump back whale through. When Nick has a drastic change in his life he doesn’t remember the year as clearly as Evan did in the first. Several major events in his life that he should remember he doesn’t. There was some scene that did not play well in the film and it really didn’t move the plot along.

Next time a different approach should be taken. Maybe it should be a girl and take more than 20 days to film it. From these two films we learned that its genetic and the only way to get a grip on “the butterfly effect” is to commit suicide or give up trying to control everything. Something that would be interesting to see handled by a woman.

I not saying you will like it, but if seen enough of the The Butterfly Effect and are looking for a new take on it’s premise, give it shot.

I give it 2/5 Gs.