Blog entries tagged Reviews

Machete **

Dan Hudak — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 04:48:23 +0100

Is it worth $10 No

“Machete” is the first movie I’ve seen in which someone is decapitated, then the severed head is split in two by a machete before it hits the ground.

You must admit, that’s pretty original. And disgusting. Either way, after reading the first sentence you likely immediately know if you wanted to see this movie. And if you do, it’s my responsibility to tell you the action comes in spurts, and there’s a serious ratherRead More...

The American ***1/2

Dan Hudak — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 14:59:27 +0100

Is it worth $10? Yes

There’s a minimalist, quiet intensity to “The American,” a mood and atmosphere created by director Anton Corbijn to directly reflect the mental state of the main character, Jack. As played by George Clooney, Jack is a tormented figure who longs to feel a human connection again after years of work as an assassin, but finds trouble escaping his demons in this superb drama. More...

[video:http://vimeo.com/14600751 570x315]

The Last Exorcism ***

Dan Hudak — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 00:44:18 +0100

Is it worth $10? Yes

When we first meet Reverend Cotton Marcus (Patrick Fabian) in “The Last Exorcism,” he’s a man without faith. Born into a family of preachers, he performed his first exorcism at age 10. Then through a series of tragic events, he loses his belief in GodRead More...

Going The Distance ***

Dan Hudak — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 05:30:26 +0100

Is it worth $10? Yes

How ironic that a movie called “Going The Distance” would be so funny for its first 90 minutes before completely falling apart in the end. Oddly enough it doesn’t even fall apart in typical romantic comedy ways, it just plays out in a way that’s not loving or generous. More...

[video:http://vimeo.com/14442805 570x315]

Takers ***

Dan Hudak — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 05:26:19 +0100

Is it worth $10? Yes

In heist movies, usually plots twist and turn and twist again only to have greed condemned for the sake of good. Been here, seen this. But ironically, it’s this expectation makes “Takers” seem fresh: It doesn’t overly twist its story, but it is a solid action drama that’s tense and smart. More...

[video:http://vimeo.com/14442956 570x315]

Piranha 3D **

Dan Hudak — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 04:23:04 +0100

Is it worth $10? No

A busy holiday week. Thousands of tourists. A body found in the water. The head of local law enforcement thinks it might be a boat propeller accident and wants to close down the beach. Little does anyone know that a menace is lurking in the water, ready to feed.

That&rRead More...

Lottery Ticket *1/2

Dan Hudak — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 06:38:54 +0100

Is it worth $10? No

Dumb people do dumb things. It’s a fact of life. But when dumb people do dumb things and $370 million is at stake, it’s just sad. And when they do it in an unfunny, painful-to-watch comedy, it’s even worse. More...

[video:http://vimeo.com/14258190 570x315]

The Switch **1/2

Dan Hudak — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 06:33:49 +0100

Is it worth $10? No

“The Switch” is yet another example of why Jennifer Aniston is not a movie star. The longer she continues to play Rachel from “Friends,” the harder it is for her to break away and do something interesting. Oddly, the movie is often sweet and funny in spite of her, not because of her. More...

[video:http://vimeo.com/14258323 570x315]

Eat Pray Love **1/2

Dan Hudak — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 04:29:02 +0100

Is it worth $10? No

Julia Roberts has a winning smile. Anyone who has seen her in "Pretty Woman" and "My Best Friend’s Wedding" knows this. She knows this too, and she also knows that she can turn it off for dramatic effect. Sometimes this works ("Erin Brockovich") and sometimRead More...

The Expendables ***

Dan Hudak — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 17:53:46 +0100

Is it worth $10? Yes

“The Expendables” is spectacularly bad and spectacularly awesome at the same time. There’s no plot, the dialogue is terrible and the acting is on the level of professional wrestling. But oh what fun it is. Fist fights, car chases, knives flying everywhere, bigger, more powerful guns than you’ve ever imagined, explosions galore. “The Expendables” is crack for action movie junkies, and it left me high as kite. More...

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Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World *1/2

Dan Hudak — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 17:51:06 +0100

Is it worth $10? No

“Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World” is determined to entertain, and it does for a while, until it becomes too much of everything. This is a movie made for video gamers with ADD in search of a seizure. It’s an over-edited, one-dimensional mess with a simplistic story that lacks the guts to be about anything more than its self-indulgent style. More...

[video:http://vimeo.com/14092232 570x315]

The Other Guys **

Dan Hudak — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 04:21:28 +0100

Is it worth $10? No

Traditional cop movies are fun. They provide thrills, laughs, sex, danger and intrigue. There are muscle cars, sexy women, tough guys and lots of guns. The audience is invited to go on a journey as the cops solve a big case, and along the way is entertained by shootoutsRead More...

Step Up 3D *1/2

Dan Hudak — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 06:00:00 +0100

Is it worth $10? No

The good: The 3-D in “Step Up 3D” looks great – it’s bold, striking and vivid. The bad: Everything else about the movie is terrible.

Surely the street dancing is good, you say. Maybe it is. It’s certainly physically impressive. But for a movie in which everything relies on how well someone dances, it’s a critical flaw to never explain what makes this form of dancing good or bad. There are competitions, winners andRead More...

Dinner for Schmucks *1/2

Dan Hudak — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 22:54:06 +0100

Is it worth $10? No

Comedy is all about context and delivery, and “Dinner for Schmucks” succeeds at neither. Director Jay Roach’s (“Austin Powers”) film is one unfunny comedy sketch after the next, including the actual dinner scene, which doesn’t come until the movie’s final 20 minutes. More...

Charlie St. Cloud **

Dan Hudak — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 05:31:18 +0100

Is it worth $10? No

If looks were everything, Zac Efron would have it all. But even a dreamy heartthrob such as he will wilt under the strain of a sappy tearjerker story that’s predictable and goes nowhere, as is the case with “Charlie St. Cloud.” More...

[video:http://vimeo.com/13752055 570x315]

Cat & Dogs: The Revenge Of Kitty Galore ***

Dan Hudak — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 16:58:47 +0100

Is it worth $10? Yes
Is it worth $14 (3-D)? No

Sometimes a movie just makes you smile.

“Cats & Dogs: The Revenge Of Kitty Galore” made me smile with its humor, good-natured story, quirky script and spirited visuals. And for a kid-friendly movie of this nature, smiling is all it takes. More....

[video:http://vimeo.com/13735856 570x315]

Salt **

Dan Hudak — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 16:44:00 +0100

Is it worth $10? No

“Salt” opens with Angelina Jolie in her underwear. Her character, Evelyn Salt, is getting tortured in a North Korean prison, and keeps repeating: “I am not a spy, I am not a spy,” which savvy moviegoers know means that she is most definitely a spy. More...

Inception ****

Dan Hudak — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 18:51:44 +0100

Is it worth $10? Yes

“Inception” couldn’t have come at a better time. In a summer full of tired retreads, here is a movie that is completely fresh and original in every way. Each scene merges imagination and thought seamlessly, and the end result is a brilliantly told mind-bending action drama that’s one of the best movies of the year. More...

[video:http://www.vimeo.com/13367988 560x315]