Big Nothing (2006)

7/10
Starring Simon Pegg, David Schwimmer and Alice Eve

A frustrated, unemployed teacher joining forces with a scammer and his girlfriend in a blackmailing scheme (courtesy of IMDB)

Big Nothing is funny, full of plot twists and very entertaining. The film has just the right amount of dark humor balanced with the familiar techniques for a crime/blackmail movie.

Casting is great, Schwimmer and Pegg does a wonderful performance in the lead with a great support from Eve.

The overall plot twist is predictable, HOWEVER this film has so many small twists that it'll entertain you from beginning to end.

The cinematography and editing is fantastic in Big Nothing. There is never a dull shot, or a boring moment. I would watch this film again just for the cinematography.

Better Off Dead (1985)

5/10 

 Better off not watching this film. It's hard to really like this film when you can't stand the protagonist

What redeems this film is the weird/crazy/wacky/quirky/bizarre group of supporting characters.

John Cusack's character Lane Meyer, is a spoiled teen who can't seem to be relied on and is overly obsessed over Beth, a girl who doesn't really have much personality but somehow everyone likes her...reminds me of Bella from a movie saga that must-not-be-named.

This film wanted to be one bizarre/hilarious/fun adventure but it just ended up skimming the surface of all these categories. Better Off Dead tried but it just didn't succeed in my books. I much prefer Teen wolf or Breakfast Club or Back to the Future or or Honey I Shrank the Kids. This flick just didn't have any deeper meaning to it, and the comedic element it wasn't there.

Bill (2007)

7/10

Light hearted comedy with a few surprises

Plot: A guy fed up with his job and married to a cheating wife reluctantly mentors a rebellious teen.


This film is great as it addresses certain serious subjects using a light and humourous tone. It focuses on a man with no authority over his own life takes control-with some help from a kid with an authority issue. The underlining tone of this film requires a more mature and well read audience.

Aaron Eckhart, who's normally suave and sharply dressed, plays a very different type of character in this film. His performance is great as we witness his character go through some big transformations.

Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989)

4/10

Mediocre film that's not very thoughtful

Plot: Two seemingly dumb teens struggle to prepare a historical presentation with the help of a time machine.

When I started this film, I expected a ton of time travel that would make you think. What I received was a very linear storyline about two dumb and extremely dull teens who are caught up travelling through time in an attempt to finish a history report. Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure is just a bunch of different famous people from history thrown together in a phone booth....that's it.

Pros: The graphics and special effects for the late 80s is quite well done for this film. The different time period costumes are well done and detailed. The backdrop for each history time frame is believable

Cons: The time travelling aspect lacked in element and though. The story focused all of it's energy in introducing the viewer to the varies history time periods/personalities and spent no time on the effects of time travel has on the present/future. The dialogue was dull and the two main characters didn't appeal to me at all.

If you want GOOD time travel movie, DON'T bother with this one..you're way off base. I recommend you check out Back to The Future trilogy and Frequently Asked Questions About Time Travel.

Barfuss (Barefoot) (2005)

7/10

Cute, wacky German film with content

Baruss (English "Barefoot") is about Nick, a hedonistic bachelor, falls for an escaped mental patient.

Great acting, believable and simple story line to follow. Til Schweiger and Johanna Wokalek are the perfect duo for this film. Wokalek plays the socially awkward mental patient who found herself with the troublesome bachelor, played by Schweiger. A bunch of ridiculous and quirky situations ensues.

A fantastic German chick flick with a lot of underlining messages that I highly recommend!!

BLood Simple (1984)

7/10 

Slow slow story but so captivating with the twists and cinematography

plot: A rich but jealous man hires a private investigator to kill his cheating wife and her new man. But, when blood is involved, nothing is simple.

Film-noir style with a double-cross that will have your head spinning. I'm not a fan of the slow pace but the storyline caught my attention and did not let it go.

Well shot and intense, but slow in the action that might lose some viewers' attention.

It is Joel Coen and Ethan Coen's writing and directing debut.

The Brest Fortress (2010)

7/10

well shot with good set decoration

plot: A war drama set during the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941, in which Russian troops held on to a border stronghold for nine days.

Forgettable, but it is well edited and has a ton of emotion.

Battle Los Angeles (2011)

6/10

not bad but not overly epic

Plot: A Marine Staff Sergeant who has just had his retirement approved goes back into the line of duty in order to assist a 2nd Lieutenant and his platoon as they fight to reclaim the city of Los Angeles from alien invaders.

Alien/robots are attacking and we follow a marine staff sergeant as the battle rages. Staff Sergeant's aim to get his platoon and civilians (there's 4 in total that they saved) out to safety. Sound's pretty familiar doesn't it? That's because it is. This tale has been done before, just this time they threw in aliens.

Entire film is filled with battles and standoffs, which if that's what you're hoping for in a film then this is great for you. I didn't mind the endless battles as, in all honesty, it was pretty fun to watch.

The thing I found most annoying about this film is the cliche dialogue and the propaganda to join the marine appeal. It got quite overpowered with almost slogan like dialogue that I was starting to lose focus while watching.

Aaron Eckhart played your typical Hollywood die hard hero. He did a decent job but nothing new there. I'm just glad that he isn't sticking to one type of role and branches out in all genres.

Definitely a macho man type of movie with ton of: gun fire, battles, explosions, alien robots, war and all sorts of weapons. If you like standoff gun fight explosion, this is for you

The Bang Bang Club (2010)

8/10 [Highly Recommended]
An excellent film that looks at action vs observation

Bang Bang Club is based on the true-life experiences of four combat photographers capturing the final days of apartheid in South Africa. (imdb)

I heard about The Bang Bang Club last year at a International Film Festival and have wanted to watch it ever since but without luck finding it. Today I came across it and finally sat down with it. Bang Bang Club is an absolutely amazing film that looks at the internal conflicts of combat photographers who captures moments of war/pain/suffering. It really brings to life what we can only imagine when we see the photographs. It

The great cast, with one of my favourite up and coming actors Taylor Kitsch along with Ryan Phillipe and Malin Akerman, is able to really capture the emotions that is hidden behind the lens. I absolutely love Kitsch's portrayal of Kevin Carter because you can see it in his eyes the conflict he feels between being an observer and not an do-er.

Kevin Carter: "They're right. All those people who say it's our job to just sit and watch people die. They're right."

It is a story about a real group of photographers who, while doing their jobs, comes to realize what Kurt really meant when he said in the novel Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad "The horror!"

I HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend this film for all. Next time you look at a photo in the newspaper, think about the photographer and the situation that is outside of the frame...

Brother Bloom 2008

 6/10


Funny at times, with cooky characters but not overly epic

The Brothers Bloom are the best con men in the world, swindling millionaires with complex scenarios of lust and intrigue. Now they've decided to take on one last job - showing a beautiful and eccentric heiress the time of her life with a romantic adventure that takes them around the world. (imdb)

I read the IMDB plot (above) and was interested enough to check it out. The movie, for the most part, is outline with humor. I especially loved the character Bang Bang played by Rinko Kikuchi. Despite not having much dialogue, Kikuchi's performance was a joy to watch.

Brothers Bloom plays with the old theme of 'crying wolf' and does this so many times throughout the film that you never actually know when the film will draw its curtains.

The overall storyline is mediocre. I felt there could be more content with the story and more twists.

I recommend this film as a simple Friday night entertainment that has many snickering moments.

Breaking Bad (2008-present) TV

8/10
TV series, 2008-present

Do the right thing for all the wrong reasons.
Do the wrong thing for all the right reason.

Great show, well knit drama and characters that you hate to love

Blindness (2008)

/10


[warning: this film has strong violence, nudity and disturbing situations]

Intense, gripping and hard to watch at times.

Blindness is an adaptation based on the Nobel Prize for Literature winner by the same name. It is about a city is ravaged by an epidemic of instant "white blindness". Those first afflicted are quarantined by the authorities in an abandoned mental hospital where the newly created "society of the blind" quickly breaks down. (imdb)

Thriller, Drama and Mystery

Blindness puts human nature under the microscope and focuses on the extent to which it can become when left unattended. I saw this movie 2 years ago and the dreadful events that took place still haunts me. Blindness lays out in extreme the weakness, barbaric actions and greed of people when put into desperate situations.

This is not a feel good movie or a movie to watch for some entertainment. Blindness is a movie that you reflect on and to think about. Can make you feel uncomfortable, but does so to make you realize something.

The acting is great and to the point.

Not for everyone, calls for a tough audience. If you have a strong mind and the guts for it, this movie is definitely worth checking out because the content (and the original book) is gripping and deep.

Bang Bang You're Dead (2003)

6/10

About a boy who is pushed too far and has no one to lean on.

After my movie marathon the one film that touched me the most was "Bang Bang You're Dead". A troubled high school student, Trevor, as a result of bullying is pushed too far. This is the story of his fight to break free.

The use of music and cinematography is mediocre but that doesn't weaken this film at all. The realistic portrayal of bullying, humiliation and pressure shown in this film is so powerful that it washes over you forcing you to feel. A very emotionally raw film that puts a spot light on the reality of bullying.