Quick Look: G.I. Joe: Retaliation (2013)

This is the followup to 2009's GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra.  I had a chance to see this movie in 3D on opening night - a rare feat indeed - and I was not disappointed.  'PG-13' rating is for stylized violence involving gunfire and explosions.
The plot is overly simplistic; Cobra (the evil terrorist organization), hatches a plan to destroy the GI Joe's then attempts to take over the world.  Bullets fly and explosions light up the screen.  The characters on both sides are cartoonish in their portrayals, with the Cobra Commander being my personal favorite because of his voice.  The special effects and visuals of the different locations shown around the world were excellent.  The stunt work and choreography were also very entertaining - possibly made better by the 3D.  My favorite stunt scene is the oft-advertised fight on the side of a mountain involving Snake Eyes (Ray Park).  Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is the lead actor as Roadblock, and Bruce Willis shows up about 2/3 of the way through, but there was nothing outstanding about their portrayals or dialouge.  Ray Park and Byung-hun Lee (who portrays Storm Shadow) were the most noticeable actors for their martial-artistry and stunts.
**spoiler**
The lovable character Duke (Channing Tatum), dies.
Despite the odds, Roadblock, Flint, Lady Jaye, and Snake Eyes foil Cobra's plans and save the world.

Recommendation: This looks and feels like a big budget summer movie, so the release in March was a bit of surprise.  A bit of reading revealed that this movie was to release last summer, however, it was held to convert to 3D - which as I noted did work well.
As a purely adolescent action/thriller based on the toys/comic book/ cartoon GI Joe: Retaliation delivers.  

Quick Look: Commando (1985)

People in the Movie: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Alyssa Milano, Rae Dawn Chong
Director: Mark Lester
Pigeonhole: Action / Thriller

Commando is light on plot and script, but it what it lacks in those areas, it completely compensates for in gunfire and explosions.  Schwarzenegger plays John Matrix, a retired special forces operative, who is raising his daughter Jenny (Milano) as a single parent.  A crazy South American warlord named Arius (Dan Hedaya) tries to blackmail Matrix into helping him to assassinate the current ruler of a fictional country called Val Verde, by killing all of Matrix's former comrades and kidnapping his daughter - all so Arius can take over.
Matrix decides to instead kill his escort (sent by Arius), and then he "enlists" the help of stewardess/ pilot-in-training named Cindy (Chong) to garner a cache of weapons and fly to Arius' staging area near Val Verde to kill everyone.  Literally.  Oh, and to rescue his child.

The 80's actions genre was really led by Schwarzenegger, Stallone, and Willis.  Commando, while not the crown jewel of Arnold's action days, is still a fun hour and half ride that requires no thinking; there are no double crosses to reconcile; and there is no silly attempt to try to force in a love story.  The audience clearly knows who the bad guys are, who the good guy is, and frankly that can be a breath of fresh air.  Commando moves along at a good pace - yes there is a little suspension of disbelief at how Matrix gets the clues to save his daughter - but it does not get bogged down with any fluff.  Arnold does spout off some sarcastic remarks, but still nothing close to Willis' Die Hard movies.
Anyone with a Y chromosome will enjoy the hail of bullets and destruction caused by rocket launchers being used (similar to a Stallone film out earlier in 1985).  An entire mercenary army cannot stop Arnold on the way to saving to his daughter.  And speaking of Alyssa Milano (who was just a year into her role on Who's the Boss) did a good job to be the scared teenager without being a whiny brat, which I really appreciated.
Rae Dawn Chong does a serviceable job as Cindy, the reluctant helper, although at times it was tough to tell if she was the comic relief or some victim of circumstances.
Bill Duke (who later joins Arnold in the movie Predator) is probably the "best" actor of the bad guys.  He comes off as very reserved, but when time for action he is ready to fight.  Plus he has very distinct voice which is perfect for action movies.

Recommendation: See this film for video-game-esque slaughter of bad guys who were ignorant enough to kidnap an ex-special forces colonel's daughter.  Enjoy Arnold's dispensing of said villains with impunity. Commando, beginning to end, stays serious enough to not degenerate into lame one-liner spewing, or attempting to wedge in a sad-sack romance.  **I could not detect any difference in the unrated cut from the theatrical release.
'R' rating is for violence, language and brief nudity.

Bob's Review: The Human Centipede: First Sequence (2009)

Principal cast: Dieter Laser, Ashley C. Williams, Ashlynn Yennie, Akihiro KitaMura
Director: Tom Six
Genre tags: Horror, Thriller

The Basics 
The film starts like a multitude of horror films. Two American girls touring Europe are driving through the woods, this time in Germany, and blow a flat tire right before a heavy rain storm. Instead of staying with their car, then run through the forest trying to find shelter or a phone and come to the home of Dr. Heiter, a frightening looking German surgeon. The doctor drugs the two girls and takes them down to his basement laboratory where he also brings a Japanese tourist. This is where he unveils his plan to unite the three individuals into one being by surgically attaching one person’s mouth to another person’s anus, and the third person to the anus of the person in the middle, creating a human centipede. The operation is a success and the doctor has a new pet to play with.

My Recommendation
Fans of indie horror and/or “medical” based psychological thrillers, if there is such a thing yet, might enjoy this one. The film is rated R for violence, disturbing images, nudity, and adult language. 

My Two Cents 
*Spoiler Alert* This movie has a cult following primarily because of the “weirdness” of the idea, namely sewing people together ass-to-mouth and adjusting their knees so they cannot bend. Tom Six has also stated that he consulted with surgeons prior to filming who confirmed that the human centipede designed is possible, which I will admit is what brought me to the theater of Netflix to view the film. But does it live up to the hype, as they say?
For the most part, I did enjoy this movie. First, the idea of creating a three person centipede is a unique, if not strange, concept. This movie also seeks to unnerve the audience on the psychological level instead of relying on blood and gore, which it could have very easily done given the subject matter. Dieter Laser’s performance as the mad doctor is grade A; unnerving, and just downright creepy. That is not to knock the performances of the other actors, who were all admirable in their roles, but Laser was nothing short of astonishing.
As far as the physical aspects of the movie are concerned, I can say that what was presented was disturbing to a point. Even though most of the posterior was covered with gauze, they still showed the flaps of skin from the front person’s buttocks sewn to the face of the person behind, which I will admit sent a shiver down my spine. But, even considering the focus on psychological vs. gore scare factor, there was still a surprising lack of blood. I think it is common knowledge that surgery scars do seep on occasion, and you would think they would bleed especially when the centipede is walking around and the skin flaps are pulling away from the behind faces. I know there was a limited budget on this film, but fake blood is cheap to make.
As far as the medical aspect of this film is concerned, the other problem I had was the fact that the doctor’s plan called for the back two parts of the centipede to be fed on the feces of the person in front. The doctor in the movie is a highly credited surgeon who would have know that a person cannot survive on human waste alone. They will either starve to death, or die from one of the many sicknesses that can be cause by fecal consumption, and there was nothing said about nutrients or antibiotics being given through iv, or anything like that. And, it IS clear that the mad doctor wants his creation to survive as long as possible, so these things would have been nice to see. But, given the time span of the movie (at least the implied time span) the events of the movie aren’t beyond the scope of belief, I guess.
Once you get past the weird idea and the scary doctor, who we can assume is an ex-Nazi, there’s not a whole lot more to this movie. Once the human centipede is created, the only real human presence in the Japanese front person who expresses extreme anger to his situation, which I liked. But from that point, the two female leads are forced to the background (no pun intended.) They show no force of will or any sign of humanity other than whimpering and slight eye movement. I would have like to see more of a reaction from them on the situation, or an attempt to communicate outside of the scene where they try to escape.
This is a movie that I enjoyed, but understand the reasons why many people didn’t. It is a unique film, and I like the focus on psychological terror, but a little more blood for clinical detail and some more character involvement would have added that certain something. I still recommend this film, even to say that you saw that one movie people have been talking about (or did a few years ago.)

Rating 

Story: Interesting. Good build on a fascinating idea.

Cast Performance: Excellent. Laser is outstanding as the mad doctor and cast of the “centipede” deserve special commendations, which is something that sadly cannot be said of many horror films these days. 

Violence/Gore: Moderate. The images are disturbing, but not very bloody.

Nudity: Moderate. The two females are uncovered from the waist up, but all things considered, no real focus is given to their form.

Ambiance/music: good. The doctor’s home is made to be sterile and in order on that certain creepy level. 

Overall rating: 3.75/5.0

Review: Angel Heart (1987)

People in the Movie: Mickey Rourke (9 1/2 Weeks, Sin City), Robert De Niro (Heat, Godfather II), Lisa Bonet (TV's The Cosby Show)
Director: Alan Parker (Pink Floyd: The Wall, The Life of David Gale)
Pigeonhole: Mystery / Suspense / Detective / Film Noir (or Neo Noir)

Briefly: Set in 1955, a down-on-his-luck detective named Harry Angel (Rourke) is hired by a suave looking gentleman named Louis Cyphre (De Niro) to locate a singer named Johnny Favorite.  It seems that Johnny owes Cyphre a debt, but Harry is not told more about it at this point.  The search begins in New York and soon proceeds down to New Orleans, where it seems Favorite was mixed up with a very eclectic collection of individuals, including voodoo practitioners.  At every turn Angel's leads turn up dead soon after speaking to him, with Harry thinking that he must be close to locating his target.  And then he finds out the truth.  The movie comes full circle and Johnny is located, much to the horror of Harry Angel.

More:  Easily one of the most underrated movies of the 1980's, Angel Heart is a very stylish looking film that brings some elements of film noir (a cynical detective, femme fatale, sexual elements, scenes shot in the shadows, for example) to the table.  The scenes in New York looked tough, cold, and dirty, while the scenes in New Orleans looked hot, sweaty, and tense.  Parker really deserves superior marks for the scenery, backgrounds, sets, costumes (including the actors appearances in general), and locations - plus being a period piece made it that much tougher to maintain the look and feel of 1955, as well.  Rourke carried the action, the dialouge (except maybe the ones with De Niro), held the scenes, and really shined as Harry Angel.
I think a previous "bad rap" this film may have garnered upon its release was because of Lisa Bonet appearing nude in different scenes, which allegedly got her ostracized from the very popular Cosby Show (she went onto the spin-off show 'A Different World' before finally returning).  What is most ironic, in my opinion, is that Lisa Bonet was probably the weakest actor in the entire film.  I feel that she brought very little to the screen, and that negative publicity of the "Cosby kid gone bad" hurt an otherwise great movie.
**spoiler alert**
After Harry's first meeting with Louis Cypher, he goes to a psychiatric hospital where Johnny was last known to have been.  Harry learns that a Dr. Fowler had accepted a 25,000.00 dollar bribe back in 1943 from two of Johnny's friends to maintain a record that Johnny was still at the hospital, while the friends removed Johnny that night.  Harry also learns that Johnny's face was heavily bandaged from his wounds received in World War II (part of the reason for his hospitalization), so Dr. Fowler did not even recollect what Johnny looked like.  Harry leaves Dr. Fowler at the doctor's house, locked in his own bedroom, promising to return with more questions, while Harry goes to a diner to eat.  Upon his return, Harry discovers Dr. Fowler has shot himself in the head.  Harry cleans up after himself, to remove evidence of his having been in the house, and returns to New York to let Louis know the information he got from Fowler and that he wants off the case, because he does not want to be mixed up in a murder investigation.  Cyphre offers Harry another 5000.00 to stay on the case, which Harry reluctantly accepts. 
Harry contacts a girlfriend/lover of his who works at a newspaper to gather any known information about Johnny Favorite.  He learns that before the war, Johnny was engaged to a wealthy southerner named Margaret Krusemark, but  Harry also discovers that Favorite had a lover named Evangeline Proudfoot - so Harry heads to New Orleans to continue his pursuit.  Margaret informs Harry that Johnny is dead, or at least dead to her and gets nowhere with new information.  Harry then attempts to track down Evangaline, but learns that she is dead. She did, however, have a child named Epiphany Proudfoot (Bonet) that was Johnny's daughter.  Epiphany offers Harry nothing as to Johnny's whereabouts.
Thinking he is near a dead end, Harry discovers an old Johnny Favorite band member playing in a bar named Toots Sweet.  While Toots tells Harry nothing useful, Harry believes him to be lying, so after his set, Harry follows Toots out to the swamp and witnesses a voodoo ritual, which Epiphany appears to be leading.  After the ceremony Harry confronts Toots about what he just witnessed and the whereabouts of Johnny Favorite.  Toots directs Harry back to Margaret Krusemark.
The next morning Harry is awakened in his hotel room by the police informing him of Toots' murder the previous night, and that he could be a suspect.  Harry heads back to Margaret's house to find her murdered - her heart cut out.  Now leaving in full blown panic mode, Harry is jumped by men hired by Ethan Krusemark, Margaret's father, and Harry is informed to leave town.
Harry goes back to his hotel where Epiphany is waiting for him.  They have sex - in a very weird scene where Harry hallucinates that blood is pouring from everywhere in the room - and Epiphany reveals after that Johnny was an evil man who hurt everyone he met.  Harry leaves to go confront Ethan Krusemark and the reveal / twist is finally made.
**better not read here if you don't want the end ruined**
Johnny Favorite had sold his soul to the devil for his fame.  In an attempt to break his contract, as it were, Johnny, Toots, and the Krusemarks kidnapped a solider to perform a voodoo ritual in which Johnny would remove and eat the boy's still beating heart to steal the victim's soul and identity.  Guess who the solider was?  Harry Angel.  Louis Cypher, aka Lucifer, appears and tells Harry/Johnny he has known all along, with Harry denying this nefarious plot saying "he knows who he is".  But Lucifer unleashes Johnny's memories and Harry realizes he is Johnny, and he has actually killed everyone he came in contact with on this case, including Ethan (moments earlier) and Epiphany (his daughter who just recently had sex with).  A very creative, self-destruction of an ending, to say the least.

Recommendation: I highly recommend this film, it is a great detective-noir story with some horror type elements mixed in.  This is one of Rourke's best performances, in my opinion.  De Niro, although on screen for just a few minutes, really was a memorable evil character.  
There is an 'R' version and an 'Unrated' version, the difference being the editing of the sex scene, and the on screen violence/gore shown of the killings. 
Beginning to end there is an ominous, foreboding feel in Angel Heart, that I highly enjoy.  If you go back and watch it a second time, suddenly all of the mannerisms, conversations, and flashes to the elevator (to hell) seem to go on a slightly different slant knowing the twist.

Interesting Facts: Gone Baby Gone (2007)

- This is Ben Affleck's major film directoral debut, and his first screenplay credit since Good Will Hunting.

- It is based on a book of the same name by author Dennis Lehane, who also wrote books-that were-turned-into-movies Mystic River and Shutter Island.

- All of the extras were Boston locals, intentionally cast that way for authenticity.

- Ben Affleck considered starring in the film, instead the lead went to his brother Casey.

Little Known Facts: The French Connection (1971)

- The lead characters Popeye Doyle and Buddy Russo were based on 2 real NYPD detectives named Eddie Egan and Sonny Grosso.  The detectives even consulted on the film with director William Friedkin.

- The car chase sequence is considered one of the all time best in film.

- There is a shot of the Manhattan skyline where you can see the first tower of the World Trade Center still being built.

- The film won 5 Oscars and was nominated for, and won, a slew of other hardware.

Little Know Facts: Beverly Hills Cop (1984)

- Other actors considered for the role of Axel Foley were Mickey Rourke, Al Pacino, James Caan and Sylvester Stallone

- Stallone was actually set to be Axel until about 2 weeks before filming began.  He left taking some of his writing ideas from this film and used them for what would become the movie Cobra (1986). 

- Eddie Murphy, Judge Reinhold and John Ashton improvised many of the comic scenes.  Many takes were ruined because cast, crew, and even the director would be laughing so hard during the filming.

- Inspector Todd, Axel's boss, was actually played by Detroit Police Homicide Detective Gilbert Hill.

- This holds as one of the 3 highest grossing 'R' rated films of all time; the other 2 being The Passion of the Christ and The Hangover.

Quick Look: WarGames (1983)

People in the Movie: Matthew Broderick (Ferris Bueller's Day Off), Ally Sheedy (The Breakfast Club)
Director: John Badham (Saturday Night Fever, Short Circuit)
Pigeonhole: Drama / Suspense

In Summary: Set during the early 80's era of the Cold War, a high school computer hacker named David Lightman (Broderick) accidentally connects to NORAD's supercomputer called WOPR (War Operation Plan Response) while trying to find a game company's new video games.  Seeing other games listed in the computer's directories David begins to play a game called Global Thermonuclear War, unknowingly triggering a simulation at NORAD they believe is genuine attack.  David soon realizing something is "not right" attempts to end the game, however, the computer's AI (artificial intelligence), which is referred to as 'Joshua' throughout, insists that the game be played to completion which will involve launching nuclear missiles to destroy the opponent.  David is arrested, because the government believes he could be a terrorist, and he is taken to NORAD for questioning.  Because Joshua is connected to NORAD's computers, the belief is that the computer simulation will inadvertently launch the U.S.'s nuclear missiles and start World War III.
But it's all just a game, right?

My Take: This is an excellent film with some still relevant messages about technology, the military, and the idea of mutually assured destruction.
Broderick was coming off of his film debut just months earlier (Max Dugan Returns) and is perfect as the lead.  He comes off as the misunderstood geeky type and curiously innocent in his actions, compared the more cynical "I do what I want" attitude of today's high schooler portrayals.  Ally Sheedy plays Jennifer, David's friend, in a minor supporting role before her foray into her bigger 80's characters.
The idea from the opening of the film is that humans would hesitate to intentionally launch nuclear missiles even at their enemies, so the decision making should be turned over to a computer to make those life and death choices.  However, the big fallacy of letting a computer make those choices, especially choices that could lead to worldwide destruction, is exactly what was illustrated here - what if the computer was "wrong", and could not distinguish between a simulation and reality.  In the end of WarGames, Joshua "learns" that there would be no winner in a nuclear war, in a seemingly hopeful conclusion. 
Also portrayed well was the civilian versus military personnel in decision making that happened at NORAD, as well as the old school (humans do everything) versus the new school (computers do everything) involvement.
A point I would like to make about WarGames, is that in 1983 there was not a computer in every household, like now.  David's system would have been upper level for home use, but I suspect if my son looked at it, he would laugh at what a "dinosaur" it is.  There were not instant news updates every second, and mobile phones were still over a decade out of the mainstream.  Seeing this movie at the time was tense, because theoretically, it could have or may have actually happened and we (the general public) would never have known.  Seeing WarGames today might not have that same tension, but it really is an excellent movie, and one of the best of the 80's. 
A little more brain food to think on: even today, what could a highly skilled hacker do to unleash a cyber attack that could result in military response?

The movie is rated 'PG', but would likely be a 'PG-13' now and purely for language.  (There was no PG-13 when this film was released.)

Review: Flatliners (1990)

People in the Movie: Kevin Bacon, Julia Roberts, Billy Baldwin, Kiefer Sutherland, Oliver Platt
Director: Joel Schumacher (The Lost Boys, 8MM, The Number 23)
Pigeonhole: Thriller /Drama/ Suspense

Briefly: Five sexy med students (ok, Platt is arguable) decide to "flatline" - stopping their own hearts for various amounts of time so they are technically "dead", while the other four monitor and then resuscitate - to supposedly discover what is beyond life and death.  After revival, what they find is their guilty consciences for past actions have come out to haunt them in the form of hallucinations, and in one of the doctor's cases, physical attacks.
Schumacher created a great looking film with great sets and scenery; attractive actors; and excellent style with cameras, editing, and sound.  Even with these now well established names, the acting in Flatliners is very borderline, with Bacon probably turning in the best performance, and the plot comes off shaky at best. 

More: **spoiler alert**
- Steckle (Platt) - is the geeky bow-tie wearing sort.  He has a decent supporting role in this film; he comes off as the voice of reason, although that "reason" is usually ignored, and is the only one of this "crew" that does not flatline.  Which is probably for the best.
- Nelson (Sutherland) - is the first of the group to flatline.  Nelson comes off as a bit obsessive, and has "something to prove" as far as his doctoring skills go.  His initial motive for this demented experiment seems to be genuine scientific exploration.  During his flatline he sees some fast, intense flashes from his childhood involving an incident while he and some of his friends bullied a boy named Bill Mahoney.  After he is revived Nelson then begins to have waking hallucinations of this bullying incident, except Billy (still a boy) is now attacking Nelson, the adult.  The "incidents" begin to increase in intensity, and Nelson sports fresh injuries after each new hallucination.  However, Nelson chooses to lie to the others about where his injuries are coming from, because he wants to continue the flatlining experiments.
We piece together as the film progresses that as a child Nelson and his friends bullied Billy; in the instance Nelson keeps seeing, Billy climbed up a tree to escape his tormentors while they pelted him with rocks.  One last rock was thrown which struck Billy causing him to fall out of the tree and he dies from his injuries.  It seems that Nelson's guilt over Billy's death is causing him to harm himself, and in the last scene of the movie he flatlines again to try to finally resolve the battle in his mind.
- Joe Hurley (Baldwin) - Joe is the second of the group to flatline.  Joe is engaged, but is still a "player" of sorts since his fiance currently lives out of town.  Joe has had sex with multiple women over an indiscriminate period of time, and secretly videotaped each of these trysts.  After his flatline and revival he reports to the group having had an "erotic" experience, garnering some sarcastic chuckles.  However, Joe's reality turns into him having hallucinations of the women he had one night stands with, and each woman now confronting him - but not violently.  This "horror" culminates when his fiance visits his apartment, discovers his video collection, and then breaks off their engagement.
- David Labraccio (Bacon) - is probably the best doctor of the bunch.  While he might not initially agree with the idea to flatline, he decides that there could actually be some deeper knowledge in the experience and becomes the third of the group to go.  His visions and hallucinations after coming back center around him (as a child) and his friends bullying a girl at school; her name is Winnie Hicks.  Winnie appears (still as child) and begins taunting David the adult as he is riding the subway one afternoon - again it does not result in a physical attack, like Nelson.
David decides to locate the adult Winnie Hicks and apologize, which lifts the burden of guilt.  He informs the others this is the way to "cure" whatever happened.
- Rachel Mannus (Roberts) - is the fourth flatliner.  Her emotions seem fairly flat through the movie until she goes under.  Of the group she probably had the most personal reason to search for meaning in "anything" after death.  Her revival was particularly difficult for various reasons, and her hallucinations center on seeing flashbacks of her father.  We learn through her progression that he was a veteran and that he killed himself when she was a child (she was also in the house at the time), and she continues to harbor deep guilt about it.  Rachel in a waking hallucination discovers that her father was a heroin or morphine addict, likely because of something that happened in the war, and that she is able to make peace with him and his suicide.  

And so: This film is pretty entertaining, and it is great to be able to look back and see these actors in the early stages of their careers.  Schumacher created a great environment, and good crescendo of intensity that does really make this a thriller film.
Where this film flatined was in the diversity of experience after the death and subsequent revivals.  Bringing people's guilt into a waking hallucination as a plot driver?  It worked best for Nelson and Rachel because it was obvious their experiences were still affecting their daily lives, and in Nelson's case he was in true physical danger after his flatline.  And I will compliment Schumacher for keeping us guessing about what was going on in the bathroom with Rachel's father (his drug use) that caused him to bolt out of the house and kill himself when Rachel, as a child, opened the door.  That was excellent work with these two characters and did make this film worth seeing.
But David and Joe's experiences offered literally nothing to the plot.  I felt absolutely no tension or danger coming towards them, and in Joe's case it was almost like we should think "good, he got what he deserved".  In fact, I question whether Joe even really felt guilt about his past acts, other than getting caught.  Had something more been done with these two characters - maybe altered the post-flatline experience to something beyond "guilt", and created either more danger or conflict - Flatliners could have been a truly great film.

Review: 28 Weeks Later (2007)

People in the Movie: Robert Carlyle (The Full Monty, Trainspotting), Jeremy Renner (The Town, The Avengers)
Director: Juan Carlos Fresnadillo
Pigeonhole: Horror / Apocalyptic / Thriller

In Summary: This movie builds on some plot elements from its predecessor 28 Days Later, but none of the original characters returned.  At the end of the previous movie the characters saw a plane flying overhead, implying that the infection may not have spread to the rest of the world as they had believed.
Early in this film we learn that 5 weeks after the initial outbreak all of the infected have died of starvation.  A U.S. led NATO force comes to take control of Great Britain at "11 weeks", where it will remain under strict quarantine; at "18 weeks" it is declared relatively safe, and then 28 weeks after the initial spread of the Rage virus people are brought back (folks who either hid out, were abroad, or found their way to a protected area) with the assistance of the NATO force, to repopulate and resettle the London area.
A woman carrying the virus, but without the "rage" symptoms is soon found and brought to the quarantine.  Predictably the virus is, once again, quickly spread through the people there and decisions have to be made who lives and who won't.

Recommendation: I think 28 Weeks Later is a pretty good sequel; it looks and feels like a bigger budget film compared to its predecessor. While there are some very cliche horror movie moments, and a fairly predictable plot unfolding, it is entertaining to watch.  'R' rating is for language, violence, and gore.

My Take: **spoiler alert**  This movie opens during the original Rage virus outbreak.  Don (Carlyle), his wife Alice (Catherine McCormack) and several others are hiding out in a cottage.  A group of "infected" break into the cottage to attack; the group runs upstairs and Don goes in a different direction than the rest of them .  He dives out of a window leaving his wife and the other to become infected.
Now at 28 weeks later people are being admitted back into London to repopulate the area, but under the watchful eye of American military and medical supervision.  Among this group of "settlers" are Tammy and Andy - Don and Alice's children - that were traveling in Spain during the outbreak.  Don is now a service engineer, and after reuniting with his kids he explains that he survived by making his way to a military area after the attack on the cottage, but that Alice did not make it. 
One day later the kids predictably break protocol and leave their "safe zone" on a scooter to go back to their house, in an "unsafe area", to collect some of their personal effects.  An Army Sergeant named Doyle (Renner) sees them leaving and follows.  Tammy and Andy arrive, and after going through the house to pick through belongings, find their mother still alive sitting in her bedroom in a near catatonic state.  The soldiers arrive and take everyone back to their district.  Alice is quickly quarantined in a biohazard area, and the doctor discovers that she is carrying the Rage virus - also still highly infectious - but she is displaying no symptoms (other than the red eyes the infected have), which is encouraging because now the doctor may be able to work on a cure.
However, in an extreme stupid horror movie moment, Don sneaks through security to see Alice in the biohazard area.  He apologizes for leaving her behind and kisses her.  Oops.  Don becomes immediately infected, kills her and goes on an Rage virus spreading rampage.  Almost every civilian in the district becomes either infected as they have contact any newly infected person or is killed immediately during the attack.  I think this was another slight disconnect I had with this film - that these "highly trained experts" (medical and military) did not seem to account for what might happen if an infected person got into the district, and how they would react/respond.  On the plus side, it did really highlight the panic that would ensue if a virus like this one were to ever spread, but there was a supposition of ignorance, again, considering the circumstances that was a reach.     
As the chaos is taking hold, a doctor named Scarlet (Rose Byrne) grabs the two kids to escape just as the Army is being order to shoot at will to contain the outbreak.  Doyle, ignoring his execution orders, grabs the three to escape, as well.  He radios a friend of his named Flynn, who flies a helicopter, to assist in their evacuation.  Flynn states to meet at Wembley stadium, where he will be able to land.  It is now a scary cat and mouse chase through the deserted streets of London between the four protagonists, the newly infected, and the Army trying to extinguish anything moving because they are considered risks.  Doyle is soon killed, and while Scarlet and the kids are making their way through the London Underground, Don emerges, kills Scarlet and bites Andy.  Tammy then shoots Don, while we see Andy's eyes turn red, but he does not display any other rage symptoms, just like his mother.  The two get the stadium and Flynn takes them France, per the pre-arranged instructions.
In the final scene, it is noted to be 28 days later; we see the now abandoned helicopter and hear a voice shouting for help over the radio.  The city is Paris, and a group of about a dozen infected people are witnessed running amok.

In Conclusion: Other than the 2 colossal acts of stupidity - the kids leaving the safe zone, and Don being able to get to his wife causing the new outbreak - I really like this film, and it is a great complimentor to 28 Days Later.  The environment is tense and foreboding, the actors were all well cast, and the action kept up at a good pace.  Plus, the movie's conclusion was congruent with previous 96 minutes and did not feel forced or improbable (both huge pet peeves of mine with endings).  If this is the new face of the "zombie genre" as were Danny Boyle's stated intentions, then I am on board.    

Awesome movie quotes: Major League (1989)

".. ahh, Jesus, I like him very much, but he no help with curveball."

"Are you saying Jesus Christ can't hit a curveball?"

"Alright Harris, let's not start a holy war."

Bob's Quick Look: The Last Exorcism (2010)

Cotton Marcus is a southern preacher who is suffering a crisis of faith and is therefore looking to retiring from the evangelical profession. As a final act, he seeks to expose the fraudulent nature of exorcism by inviting a camera crew to follow him as he performs his final “battle” against the forces of Hell. The documentary team behind him, Cotton answers a letter from a widowed father believing that his daughter has been possessed. The preacher shows the audience the tricks of the trade, such as hidden wire, prop smoking crucifixes and the like, and walks the onlookers through his performance. Once it is over however, the girl’s plight is not over as he “symptoms” continue, and Cotton’s investigation into the family’s past brings him closer than he has ever come to true evil.

*Spoiler Alert* This movie takes an interesting approach to exorcism horror. The main character is admitting that he is a fraud and is showing the audience how he, and many people in his profession, bilk people into believing their loved ones are healed when they might require medical and/or psychological treatment. The film does a good job of bringing this point up, while remaining focused on the main character and his internal conflicts.

The film moves at about the pace you would expect from either a pov or exorcism movie, but it manages to remain constant rather than slowing down and speeding up as some horror films tend to do. In other words, I never found myself saying to the screen, “will you just get on with it already?” as I have found myself doing lately (people in the theater tend to dislike this.)
The cast turn out a solid performance. Special props go to Ashley Bell who performed all her own body contortions and bends for the exorcism scene, eliminating the need for special effects.
The film moves towards a certain twist, namely that even though it is concluded the girl was grief stricken, disturbed and needed a shrink, she really is demon possessed and the main characters pay for their error. But when we get to the twist, the writer goes so far into left field that I would almost, almost classify this as a diarrhea-splatter ending. The one thing that is staying my hand on this, is the fact that the twist that is presented is not what I was expecting, so it succeeded in throwing me for a loop. But, when it came, I found myself saying, “What the Hell?”
Fans of both pov and exorcism styles of horror should check this one out. It will not disappoint.

Review: Monster (2003)

People in the Movie: Charlize Theron (The Devil's Advocate, Prometheus, Hancock); Christina Ricci (Prozac Nation, Sleepy Hollow, Black Snake Moan)
Director: Patty Jenkins
Pigeonhole: Drama / True Crime

Very Basics: Monster is a semi-biographical and somewhat sympathetic look at the serial killer Aileen Wuornos.  The film focuses primarily on Wuornos' (Theron) romantic relationship with Selby Wall (Ricci); the murders that Wuornos eventually commits; and her subsequent conviction and death sentence. 
The film, writer/director, and actors were nominated for and rightfully won multiple awards for Monster.

Recommendation: I highly recommend seeing this one- the performances, direction, and production are all top shelf.  Just looking at pictures or news clips of Wuornos, then seeing Theron's portrayal, is really quite chilling noticing the similarites.  I consider this one of the best films of the 2000's. 
I will note that the subject matter is very dark, so caution is warranted.  'R' rating is for violence, rape, and language.

My Thoughts:  Monster begins with Aileen, who is a prostitute, moving to Florida.  She meets Selby in a bar, and after some initial hesitation on Selby's part, the two become romantically involved.  Their bond and passion are both very strong, but Aileen and Selby have no place to live, and no steady income, which causes some strain.
Aileen continues to pick up men, but is soon brutalized by a "john" and she ends up killing him in self-defense as his attack progressed.  After this incident she wants to give up prostitution altogether so she can make a better life for her and Selby, but sadly finds that with her prior criminal record and lack of usable skills, she cannot find legitimate work.  Aileen decides to go back to prostitution, but now with the intent of robbing and killing the potential victims.  We see them spend the stolen money so the two can go out and enjoy themselves, although Selby is naive as to where the money is coming from.
Selby later reads in the newspaper about some of the murders and begins to suspect Aileen.  They have a fight and Selby leaves to go back to her family in Ohio.  The police close in and arrest Aileen, and while having one last phone conversation with Selby, Aileen says that she acted alone to protect Selby from prosecution.  Selby later has to testify against Aileen, for which she sentenced to death for the murders. 

Monster falls into my "once and done" category.  It is an extremely well done movie, but it is also very depressing, maybe even more so because of the portrayal of real events and people.  As I noted above, Wuornos is portrayed sympathetically.  She has mental issues that go back to childhood physical and sexual abuse, and has been a prostitute since she was a young teen to make the proverbial "ends meet".  We see that the first murder is an act of self-defense, and that her subsequent murders were not to satisfy some need to kill, but more out of her desperate desire to maintain a source of income for her and her girlfriend.  That did not make killing "right", and Jenkins does not portray it that way - but it illustrated that Wuornos seemed to be stuck in a cycle of poverty and violence that she was never able to break free from.  I will leave anyone to their own opinions about whether or not Aileen Wuornos was worthy of our sympathies, as I imagine any of her victim's friends and family could have a different take.
The tone and look of the film feels "authentic", nothing is glamorized - from the dive bars, to the costumes, to the scenes and supporting actors.  The story and ending are in no way "Hollywood", and we are left to ponder whether any real justice was served here for anyone, even as the verdict is doled out.  There are many social issues that go beyond the movie and reality behind this story.  I think Patty Jenkins was able to capture this in her direction, and Theron & Ricci were able to give us a glimpse of a woman's life beyond her terrible criminal acts. 

More:
- An item of note (or distinction) - Selby Wall is based on Wuornos' real lover Tyria Moore, who she had been involved with for several years before the murders began.  The movie has Aileen meeting Selby and the murders taking place close together.  Also, Moore may have been involved in at least 1 or more of the real murders with Wuornos - the two were seen disposing of a victim's car together.
- The soundtrack, which was supervised by Steve Perry from Journey, was excellent.
- Aileen Wuornos killed 7 men, and received 6 death sentences - one man's body was never found.
     

Awesome movie quotes: Road House (1989)

"Calling me 'sir' is like putting an elevator in an outhouse. It don't belong."

Awesome movie quotes: Airplane II: The Sequel (1982)

"..and I can sum it all up in just one word: courage, dedication, daring, pride, pluck, spirit, grit, mettle, and G-U-T-S, guts. Why, Ted Striker's got more guts in his little finger than most of us have in our large intestine, including the colon..." 

Awesome movie quotes: American Beauty (1999)

"Janie, today I quit my job. And then I told my boss to go fuck himself, and then I blackmailed him for almost sixty thousand dollars. Pass the asparagus."