American Gangster

OK. This is a movie that I have been patiently waiting for. I am a GIANT fan of the Godfather series (By series I mean part 1 and 2... 3 is another animal) and most critics promised this to be the modern Godfather. Well, without further ado, I will tell you... It was a great movie and well worth going to see but it couldn't shake a damn stick at the Godfather.

I truly enjoyed the fact that the movie seemed like a throw back to the 80's where massive amounts of constant violence weren't necessary. I can't come up with a better word for this movie than "gritty." It really felt like I was watching Scarface with different actors. All of whom, I will add, did a wonderful job. Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe definitely put their heart into the roles and did one hell of a job. You could literally watch Washington's character fall into a decline as he got more powerful. His acting methods completely changed and made for a very interesting movie.

The plot, although at times a little too Scarface-ish, kept you interested and it never really seemed to drag. As for negatives about this movie, I don't know what to tell you. It was great, kept me intrigued, but it was missing a certain "je ne sais quoi." Let's put it this way, if I were given the chance to see this movie again, I probably wouldn't. It was brilliant the first time I saw it but it is definitely lacking on replay value. Perhaps it is a bit too long, I mean, almost 3 hours can run you a bit dry whether you know it or not.

Anyways, it is WELL worth giving a chance. However, I wouldn't feel it necessary to see it in theaters. But try it nonetheless. I feel it is one of the better movies of the year that I have seen thus far.

Overall: 4.5/5

30 Days of Night

So, being extremely skeptical concerning vampire movies in recent years, I went into this movie thinking (oddly enough) that it would be good. The main reason for this is that everyone who I know that likes horror movies (and I trust their opinion) said it was a good movie. Happily, I was not let down. Although it did not hold the appeal of some of the best horror movies from the past, it definitely held my interest and brought a novel appeal that I enjoyed.

Interestingly, I was mainly impressed with the vampires themselves. They diverged from your typical mysterious/seductive role to a more badass/leave no prisoners role. This was by no means your typical Vampire movie. Even the violence seemed a bit more intense. Also, certain parts of it were actually pretty funny. Moreover, not to give anything away, but I felt that the ending was rather imaginative. I haven't seen a movie where the final concept of how to kill the main vampire was carried out in the same manner.

Overall, it was a fun movie to watch. Kept me interested throughout most of it. The only downside to the movie that I will mention is the overall dry and dead feel. I mean, it seemed like they purposefully picked actors and actresses who had little to no emotion. That, coupled with the already existing drab atmosphere from the constant darkness, made the move drag at some points. However, NOWHERE near Michael Clayton. Mainly, it's a good movie to watch and forget about any mental activity.

Overall: 4/5

Saw IV

First off, I know its been a while since my last post. I've been slackin my ass off. However, school is getting to the grind and eating at my time. However, How could I leave you all without movie reviews. I mean, thats probably the one productive thing this site produces (some might argue).


Let's begin by informing you straight up... if you have not seen parts 2 or 3... DO NOT SEE THIS MOVIE. The plots and characters are so intertwined that certain events will leave you sitting there wondering what the hell just happened. In fact, I have seen the other two, however, I haven't seen them in a while and I was real confused when I saw the movie. With that disclaimer in place, lets get to the meat of this bitch.

First off, the story was VERY complex and convoluted. It seemed to race between flashbacks and reality just to get the original guy who played the killer into the movie. Eh... that was a bit much for me. Then, like I previously mentioned, random characters from past movies are brought in with no introduction and we are all expected to just inherently know who they are. Damn guys, I ain't THAT big of a fan of your series.

Moreover, it seemed like the traps even lost some appeal to me. I really enjoyed the first one for the novelty and I liked the second one because it put a group of people in one big trap like rats in a maze. Both this one and part 3 seem to lose the appeal slowly. There is nothing special really. Only originality comes in the different fatality techniques. Even those didn't impress me all that much it seems. However, I definitely thought it was better than Part 3. Part 3 just holds a lot of hatred in my heart. It was plain stupid.

Also, let me go on record by saying that... Yes... I did go see this movie at midnight of the night it opened. I know, I am an idiot. I am just a sucker for a horror movie. I mean, there hasn't been that great of one over the past couple years. I was just hoping. What can I say? I was let down. OH YEA!!! And I almost forgot to mention... The twist ending was predictable as hell. You ain't gotta be Sherlock Fucking Holmes to figure out what is going on.

Ultimately, if you are a fan of the series, go see it. It is better than part 3. If you are a fan of horror movies, its kinda worth a shot (however the next movie I will review is better). Otherwise, it is just a mindless movie to see if you don't want to think about ANYTHING.

Overall: 2.5/5