internetguy.ws/TheInternetGuy&rss null's blog en-us Sat, 21 Dec 2024 17:18:41 UTC Sat, 21 Dec 2024 17:18:41 UTC http://internetguy.ws/TheInternetGuy&p=A4C0174B11A1B760E040A8C0AC004EE3 Daniel Craig stars as Tuvia Bielski, one of four Jewish brothers who escape from Poland into the forests of Belarus during World War II to lead a band of resistance fighters and create a safe haven for Jewish refugees. The real-life sanctuary established by the Bielski brothers saved more than 1,000 Jews from persecution and death. Liev Schreiber, Jamie Bell and George MacKay also star in this moving historical drama based on actual events. I remember seeing Daniel Craig promoting this movie on “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.” In this interview Daniel Craig confessed he was nervous about being on the show and around Jon Stewart. A very happy Jon Stewart responded “oh my God, I make James Bond nervous. That’s the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me!” Daniel Craig was very proud of this movie. I am giving this one 4 stars. The movie itself is 3.6 but with the extras on the DVD I am giving it 4 stars. The extra on the Bielski brothers’ families were very moving and inspiring. The Bielski brothers were real people and this movie is based on actual events. I do question some things like how the brothers keep finding each other after they get separated. I also question some of the discussions at the camp. I have read other reviews of this movie. Either people really liked it or they really disliked it. There does not seem to be any middle. I am in the “really liked it” camp. The Bielski brothers had different ideas on how to handle a situation and each one of them was right. There are no easy answers in life. That is what I am taking from this movie. Click here for the Netflix link in case you would like to add it to your queue. All the best, Alan Alan Zibluk The Film Movie Critic Cell: (203) 500-3834 E-mail: alan@internetguy.ws 2011-08-21 11:52:47 http://internetguy.ws/TheInternetGuy&p=A4C01642F6FBB760E040A8C0AC004EE3 Career bank robber Doug (Ben Affleck) and his volatile partner, Jim (Jeremy Renner), hit a roadblock when Doug falls for bank manager Claire (Rebecca Hall), whom he kidnapped during their last heist. Worse, an FBI agent (Jon Hamm) is now trailing the thieves around their Charlestown, Mass., territory. Affleck directs and co-writes this smart, intricate actioner that co-stars Blake Lively as Krista, Jim's sister and Doug's troubled former flame. The only problem with this movie is the title. I am a fan of "Entourage" and when I think of "The Town" I can’t help but think of Johnny "Drama" Chase television show "Five Towns" where he plays the Irish older brother. The character of Johnny Drama is trying to make a big comeback just like Ben Affleck. I can’t help but laugh at the similarity. Having said what I just said I loved this movie. This movie is what “Heat” starring Al Pacino and Robert Deniro should have been. The one scene with Ben Affleck and John Hamm had together reminded me a lot of this and they both did a much better job. Kudos you guys! I am willing to buy all of you a pitcher of Guinness. I know society is still mad at Ben Afflect for the whole “Bennifer” thing but after seeing this movie I say let’s forgive him. I loved how this movie played out. I understood all the characters’ motivations and this movie worked on so many levels. The only reason I can’t give this movie a solid 4.0 stars is I think escaping a police road chase to be impossible. There are helicopters and cameras everywhere. I have to give this one 3.8 stars. It is a really good movie and I recommend it. Click here for the Netflix link in case you would like to add it to your queue. All the best, Alan Alan Zibluk http://www.filmmoviecritic.com/?p=178 Cell: (203) 500-3834 E-mail: alan@internetguy.ws 2011-06-05 18:06:06 http://internetguy.ws/TheInternetGuy&p=94AB413045DE423AE040A8C0AC001F5C Barney (Sylvester Stallone) leads a ragtag band of hired guns charged with overthrowing a South American despot, a job no official military unit is willing to touch. But once on the ground, the team learns there's more to the mission than they were told. Their next move determines whether they survive -- or are, indeed, expendable. Jason Statham, Mickey Rourke, Dolph Lundgren and Jet Li round out a stellar cast. This movie is a throwback to classic 1980’s action movies. This movie is about fists, kicks, explosions and one-liners. That's it! There is nothing more to it. Do not expect any character development. I liked this film as it doesn’t pretend to be anything else. Dolph Lundgren and Jet Li are just horrible in delivering their lines. Please note I am not complaining as it was fun to watch. My favorite scene is in the beginning with Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone and Bruce Willis in the Church going over the mission. The only two people missing here are Steven Seagal and Jean-Claude Van Damme. I am actually glad of this because I never thought they had much of a sense of humor. Sylvester Stallone definitely has one as he did star in “Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot.” I say suspend belief in this and enjoy the film. I am giving it 3.5 stars as I have seen a lot of different action movies over the years and it was fun to watch them work together. Click here for the Netflix link in case you would like to add it to your queue. All the best, Alan Alan Zibluk The Film Movie Critic Cell: (203) 500-3834 E-mail: alan@internetguy.ws 2011-06-01 17:12:07 http://internetguy.ws/TheInternetGuy&p=94AB4250ADC855F0E040A8C0AC001F5A Joni (Mia Wasikowska) and Laser (Josh Hutcherson), the children of same-sex parents Nic (Annette Bening) and Jules (Julianne Moore), become curious about the identity of their sperm-donor dad (Mark Ruffalo) and set out to make him part of their family unit, often with hilarious results. But his arrival complicates the household dynamics, and nobody is sure how he fits in -- if at all -- in this Oscar-nominated, Golden Globe-winning comedy. This movie is about strained relationships. I did like it but wouldn’t consider this a “feel good comedy.” About halfway into this movie Julianne Moore’s character has an affair with the sperm donor dad. The last half of this movie deals with the fallout. Annette Bening does a fantastic and convincing job as a person who has been betrayed. I admit I would not be friends with her bossy character in real life but I did feel sorry for her and was mad at the other two characters for causing this kind of pain. There is nothing cool about betraying another person’s trust. I have mentioned before I do have a little crush on Julianne Moore. She was Amber Waves in Boogie Nights and she does have some steamy love scenes here. She is good in the drama department but feel she is lacking in the comedy. I still like her but she is no Zach Galifianakis. I found this film to be thought provoking. One scene has Annette Bening putting down Mark Ruffalo’s character as he is into organic gardening and leads an alternate health lifestyle. Mark Ruffalo’s character on the other hand makes fun of the Mexican gardener. It always seems we have to put someone down to make us look better in front of others. It is something I have noticed in human nature and something I really don't care for. I guess people do this when they are insecure. I am giving this movie 3.2 stars. It is not the best movie ever but it goes by quick. In the end is really is about the kids being alright. They are tougher than they look and deal with things like everyone else, one day at a time. Click here for the Netflix link in case you would like to add it to your queue. All the best, Alan Alan Zibluk Film Critic Extraordinaire Cell: (203) 500-3834 E-mail: alan@internetguy.ws 2011-05-31 15:47:25 http://internetguy.ws/TheInternetGuy&p=94AB424D89DA55F0E040A8C0AC001F5A In the world of this sci-fi thriller set in the not-too-distant future, artificial organs are readily available to anybody with a credit card. But what happens if a buyer falls delinquent on his payments? Jude Law stars as an organ repo man who's now fleeing his ex-partner after failing to keep up the payments on his own recently installed ticker. Miguel Sapochnik directs; Forest Whitaker and Liev Schreiber co-star. I wish I had my two hours back. There are only two things I liked about this movie. I liked the actors and the soundtrack. The soundtrack included songs like "Cry Me a River", "Feeling Good" performed by Nina Simone and "Dream A Little Dream Of Me" performed The Mamas & The Papas. I would not mind owning a copy of the soundtrack for this movie. This film started strong. I liked the potential and immediately thought it could be true sci-fi dark classic like RoboCop and “Starship Troopers.” I did not buy the transformation of Jude Law’s character. He starts off being completely unsympathetic and even makes fun of his victims. Then when his character gets a new heart he gets a new heart (pun intended). The story did remind me a bit of 1976’s classic “Logan’s Run” where the character development was handled better. This story does have a twist at the end which I felt was horrible. I do know others who have seen this movie are agreeing. I am giving this movie 2.3 stars. It had potential of being a good satire but instead seemed focused on showing tremendous amounts of blood and violence. I did not like this movie. Click here for the Netflix link in case you would like to add it to your queue. All the best, Alan Alan Zibluk The Film Movie Critic Cell: (203) 500-3834 E-mail: alan@internetguy.ws 2011-05-30 09:32:11 http://internetguy.ws/TheInternetGuy&p=94AB41E19E9455F0E040A8C0AC001F5A Pharmaceutical representative Jamie Randall (Jake Gyllenhaal) becomes a player in the big game of male-performance-enhancement-drug sales and, along the way, finds unexpected romance with a woman (Anne Hathaway) suffering from Parkinson's disease. Based on the real-life Jamie Reidy's memoir, Hard Sell: The Evolution of a Viagra Salesman, this satirical look inside the culture of Big Pharm is directed by Edward Zwick. I thought this movie was well written and acted. This film is a comedy complete with boner jokes. It also has drama, romance and social commentary. Both Jake Gyllenhaal and Anne Hathaway were outstanding and very believable as a couple. The buzz of this film was Anne Hathaway’s nude scenes. They were very necessary to advance the story. To see a young, beautiful and vibrant woman with a debilitating disease is tragic. I know I am going to take flak for this but I was moved by this movie. Jake Gyllenhaal wants to take care of Anne Hathaway but she loves him so much she doesn’t want him wasting his life on her. You can understand where both characters are coming from. They have great onscreen chemistry here and did the comedy and drama well. I am giving this one 4 stars. Click here for the Netflix link in case you would like to add it to your queue. All the best, Alan Alan Zibluk Film Critic Extraordinaire Cell: (203) 500-3834 E-mail: alan@internetguy.ws 2011-04-24 15:44:13 http://internetguy.ws/TheInternetGuy&p=94AB40E495C6423AE040A8C0AC001F5C Jailed for immoral behavior in Brazil, flamboyant homosexual Luis Molina (William Hurt, who netted a Best Actor Oscar) passes the time by detailing scenes of his favorite romantic movie to fellow inmate Valentin Arregui (Raul Julia), a hard-edged political activist. Slowly, the two forge a bond based on mutual understanding and respect and their relationship evolves. Director Hector Babenco's character study earned an Oscar nod for Best Picture. Netflix recommended this movie to me as I liked both “Body Heat” (starring William Hurt) and Cidade de Deus (City of God). I rated them both 5 stars and do recommend them. Cidade de Deus only had English subtitles for me (a true foreign film for me) but still is a great movie. William Hurt received Best Actor for his performance. I think he overplayed “flamboyant.” I was reminded a lot of the Jack McFarland character from the show “Will and Grace.” I know when this movie was made stereotyping was more acceptable. I think in today’s culture women and gays might be more offended by this as they were implied as being weak and helpless. Raul Julia was terrific here. I liked his performance over William Hurt’s. I wish we had more time with this character. I would classify this movie as avant-garde. It is an interesting character study and we do see decent character development. Two men with different backgrounds killing time as the William Hurt character recounts scenes from a really bad movie. We do get to the see the movie acted out visually. I thought the movie within the movie was clever as it does some foreshadowing. It felt that both William Hurt and Raul Julia were putting on a clinic for acting. I am giving this one 3.4 stars. I am glad to have seen this movie once. I doubt very much if I will see it again. I thought the movie was good but not great. It was a little over 2 hours and prison movies tend to depress me. I should warn that same sex relationships are discussed which may make some viewers uncomfortable. Click here for the Netflix link in case you would like to add it to your queue. All the best, Alan Alan Zibluk Film Critic Extraordinaire Cell: (203) 500-3834 E-mail: alan@internetguy.ws 2011-04-20 18:11:28 http://internetguy.ws/TheInternetGuy&p=94AB41A4F0AC55F0E040A8C0AC001F5A Suspecting her husband, David (Liam Neeson), of infidelity, doctor Catherine (Julianne Moore) hires sexy escort Chloe (Amanda Seyfried) to seduce him and test his faithfulness. But as Catherine checks in on Chloe's encounters with David, Chloe's reports become increasingly lurid. Soon, the relationships between all three intensify in unexpected ways. Renowned filmmaker Atom Egoyan directs this psychological drama. I am going to start with the fun stuff first. Julianne Moore does have two topless scenes in this movie and they do look especially perky. I loved her in the shower. Her woman on woman loves scenes were hot and I did need to take a cold shower afterwards. People who have a crush on Ms. Moore may enjoy this movie with the sound off and listening to something else. I have to say as a man who does have a little crush on Julianne Moore the movie industry needs to do a better job in telling us when her character dies early. Shame on you “Children of Men” as her character dies 20 minutes into it. I had to get that out. Her character is still alive in the beginning and ending of this film (sorry for the spoilers). That was fun to get out and I will now post my serious movie critic comments. This is a woman’s film. Julianne Moore’s character gets excited hearing about details of her husband’s infidelity. I find this difficult to comprehend. I have had a couple girlfriends in my life and I always found it difficult to look at old pictures of them with someone else. It is difficult. This is just me. I did not like this film. I did not understand Chloe’s motivation. The Chloe character started off well but soon it fizzled. The ending was way too convenient. I am giving this dud two stars. As far as psychological dramas go, I think “Play Misty for Me” and “Fatal Attraction” are much better films. I do not think actress Amanda Seyfried will be in the same company as Jessica Walter and Glenn Close at Awards shows. Click here for the Netflix link in case you would like to add it to your queue. All the best, Alan Alan Zibluk The Film Movie Critic Cell: (203) 500-3834 E-mail: alan@internetguy.ws 2011-04-10 10:46:36 http://internetguy.ws/TheInternetGuy&p=94AB42910B204932E040A8C0AC001F58 I promote a few affiliate programs which I consider to be really good. NPN is one of them. One of my requirements is that is has to be global. Below is a message from Geoff, founder of the company. I have found him to be accessible. Things are really starting to develop around our new website. If you haven’t looked at it, there are some new videos I have put up, including some great member testimonials that I’ve already gotten great comments about.. This site is designed to sell and all of my testing has resulted in very good conversion rates – even without any sort of ‘pre-sell’. I’d recommend that you start firing some qualified traffic at it to see for yourself. I have added a new capture page to your selection of capture pages in the same style as the website, which tested well also. This is connected to the ‘free report’ that has been responsible for thousands of NPN signups since it was first introduced. You will find your affiliate URL to this new page under ‘capture pages’ in the left menu in your backoffice. There will be more capture pages created as we go along.. Also.. There are brand new plug-n-play banners for promoting your GlobalNPN business in your backoffice (finally, I know:)! There are the standard size banners, plus some ‘blog ready’ sized banners for you to use right away. Also on the banners page there are some really cool looking ‘membership cards’ that you can use as banners as well. As always, I’d recommend sending your banner traffic to a capture page first – preferrably the new one! Below are two of the new banners. There is a couple more. All the best, Alan Alan Zibluk http://www.alzibluk.com Cell: (203) 500-3834 E-mail: alan@internetguy.ws 2011-04-09 07:36:07 http://internetguy.ws/TheInternetGuy&p=94AB427FBC8D4932E040A8C0AC001F58 Two teens try to destroy a suburban family in director Robert Altman's risqué comedy, which follows misfits O.C. Ogilvie (Daniel Jenkins) and Mark Stiggs (Neill Barry), who see red when an insurance salesman cancels the policy of O.C.'s grampa (Ray Walston). Bent on revenge, the youngsters carry out a vendetta against the loutish salesman (Paul Dooley). The high-powered cast includes Jane Curtin, Martin Mull, Dennis Hopper and Louis Nye. I was first introduced to O.C. and Stiggs in the early 1980’s reading my brother’s National Lampoon Magazines. I admit I thought they were cool as they never worried about consequences. Although they had no redeeming social qualities, I did think they were pretty funny. My favorite was when they played Huck Finn tubing down a river. Click here for a brief history of them (caution the background music is loud so you may want to turn down your speakers). Robert Altman was a famous director. He is probably best known for 1970’s MASH starring Donald Sutherland, Elliott Gould and Tom Skerritt. His technique is having multiple things happening at once. This worked well in MASH, not so much for any other film he has directed. I have no idea why a studio would combine these two together. This movie is horrible. It makes Mad Magazine's "Up the Academy" look like “The Godfather II." I almost turned it off as it was that dreadful (I wished I followed my gut instinct). It tries to be offensive but it just wasn’t funny. It did not capture the feel of the original characters that was introduced in National Lampoon Magazine. There are only two things I liked (I’m being kind). One was seeing a young Cynthia Nixon (Miranda Hobbes in Sex and the City) in this. I always liked her. The second was seeing Jane Curtain’s character constantly sneaking in booze (my favorite is the head of lettuce). Robert Altman in an extra on the DVD admitted this was not a good movie and that no one was happy with the final product. He further said the best part was actually Cynthia Nixon. I am agreeing with his sentiments. This movie is so horrendous I did not bother searching for a clip. I am giving this bomb 0.0678 stars. Click here for the Netflix link in case you would like to add it to your queue (I do not recommend this one). This movie again is awful, horrible, dreadful, vile and horrendous. All the best, Alan Alan Zibluk The Film Movie Critic Cell: (203) 500-3834 E-mail: alan@internetguy.ws 2011-04-05 18:23:19 http://internetguy.ws/TheInternetGuy&p=94AB4273BA504932E040A8C0AC001F58 After ace counterfeiter Rick Masters (Willem Dafoe) murders the partner of Secret Service agent Richard Chance (William Petersen), the gumshoe will stop at nothing to even the score. Big problem, though: Masters is, well, a master at the game and outfoxes Chance at every turn. Can Chance outwit him? William Friedkin directs this suspenseful, violent thriller with the City of Angels (a misnomer in this case) as the alluring backdrop. I believe it is the Los Angeles backdrop that makes this movie work. It was a hoot to relive 1985 again with the music, cars and white pants. Hey where are my white pants and can I still fit in them? This movie is about revenge and how far the lead character will go to get even. This plot is in many movies however it plays out very differently here. I found the last ten minutes very shocking. To Live and Die in LA does have a 1980’s Miami Vice feel to it and in reading the trivia found out there was actually a lawsuit against this movie for it. It was tossed out of court and I agree with that decision. Unlike Crockett and Tubbs from Miami Vice (two guys too cool for school) things do not work out so smoothly for our heroes. I think actor Willem Dafoe is really good at playing a bad guy. Rick Masters is one of the better villains I have seen in movies. I am giving this one 3.4 stars. It isn’t the best movie ever but worth seeing every 20 years. I did see back in the 80’s and as I said back in the beginning it was fun reliving 1985. Click here for the Netflix link in case you would like to add it to your queue. All the best, Alan Alan Zibluk The Film Movie Critic Cell: (203) 500-3834 E-mail: alan@internetguy.ws 2011-04-03 08:24:02 http://internetguy.ws/TheInternetGuy&p=94AB4176069155F0E040A8C0AC001F5A A prominent New York City gang leader named Cyrus (Roger Hill) wants to wage an all-out battle against the police, and as part of his strategy he calls upon Gotham's gangs to set aside their turf wars and come together at a summit. At the meeting, a rival leader kills Cyrus, but a Coney Island gang called the Warriors is wrongly blamed for Cyrus' death. Before you know it, the cops and every gangbanger in town is hot on the Warriors' trail. This is loosely based on "Anabasis" by Xenophon. The plot is simple, nine members of “The Warriors” gang are trying to get back home safe from within enemy territory. They are following a New York Subway map and with each stop they encounter a different gang and engage in battle. There is no character development but I liked this movie. It had “A Clockwork Orange” feel to it. If you can remember 1979 and when the band “Kiss” was really huge you may enjoy this one. The hairstyles, clothes and dialogue will take you back. I loved the battle music and the different gangs they encountered. My favorite gang had to be the “The Baseball Furies.” This movie is violent but it had a cartoonish feel to it. This was validated when I saw the extras and the director even said this wasn’t supposed to be taken too seriously. This film was apparently controversial at the time. There is one serious thing I take from this. I am a person who “observes and reports” and it has always irritated me when one person has to ruin everything for everyone. There is always one bad person in every crowd. This is demonstrated very early in the movie. I am giving this one 3.4 stars. It is a quick ride which never stops. Click here for the Netflix link in case you would like to add it to your queue. All the best, Alan Alan Zibluk The Film Movie Critic Cell: (203) 500-3834 E-mail: alan@internetguy.ws 2011-03-30 15:51:48 http://internetguy.ws/TheInternetGuy&p=94AB4234DE2B4932E040A8C0AC001F58 Director David Fincher's biographical drama chronicles the meteoric rise of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) from Harvard sophomore to Internet superstar, examining his relationships with co-founder Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield) and Napster founder Sean Parker (Justin Timberlake). Winning Golden Globes for Best Picture and Best Director, the film also racked up Oscar nods in the same categories and for lead actor Eisenberg. When I was in College at SCSU I remember a professor saying if you want to see a really good business model then see the movie “The Godfather.” I agree with that statement. I want to add “The Social Network” to that list. I have been online and active on the web since 1992. All these guys did was take ideas that were already out there and made them better. The subject matter fascinates me. I think this is a phenomenal movie. In the end they say 15% truth 85% exaggeration. The story on the rise of Facebook is incredible. You cannot dispute this which makes the story work. Besides the social media aspects of this movie, I love the relationships that were examined here. Relationships are complicated, whether is just a best friend or someone we are intimate with. I have had both in my life and it is so easy to be diluted (from the movie) and not see someone outside interfere with all that. It happens way too much in this life. This film is 2 hours long. I watched the first 50 minutes Saturday (went to bed thinking I was only giving it 3 stars) and then watched the last 70 minutes Sunday resulting in me giving it 5 stars. I didn’t care for the first 50 minutes with the Winklevoss Brothers story but when Justin Timberlake’s character is introduced the movie becomes really compelling. I am giving this one 5 stars. On a personal note I never betrayed a friend or ever cheated on anyone I was serious with. I still have had people from the outside come in to plants seeds of doubt (Alan is not a good friend/not a good boyfriend). This reminded me how delicate and fragile relationships are. We all need to be wiser on what is going on. Click here for the Netflix link in case you would like to add it to your queue. All the best, Alan Alan Zibluk The Film Movie Critic Cell: (203) 500-3834 E-mail: alan@internetguy.ws 2011-03-20 12:00:54 http://internetguy.ws/TheInternetGuy&p=94AB426F71CC09FFE040A8C0AC001F56 Paul Mazursky's 1969 classic puts two couples and their relationships under the unforgiving lens of society's microscope in this unflinching examination of marriage. After one liberal group therapy session, Bob (Robert Culp) and his wife, Carol (Natalie Wood), are convinced they're open-minded enough to embrace a no-guilt approach to fidelity. But can they convince their best friends, Ted (Elliott Gould) and Alice (Dyan Cannon), to do the same? I respect the fact that this is an intelligent movie that was controversial at the time to make. It deserves to be a classic and I did laugh twice. I further respect the adult subject matter here. Having said these things let me come out and say I really didn’t care for this film. The characters were just a little too full of themselves which rubbed me the wrong way. The term “hipster doofus” comes to mind. I did like the very end of this movie when the four of them walked out of their Las Vegas hotel and they played “What the World Needs Now is Love" sung by Jackie DeShannon. I never realized what a beautiful women the late Natalie Wood was. I found a really nice tribute video with this song to Natalie Wood. Here is the link to that video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kicr39iLXiw I am only giving this one 2.7 stars. I just didn’t like the characters. They were too believable and I know they would never be friends with a person like me. I am not hip and I own up to it. Click here for the Netflix link in case you would like to add it to your queue. All the best, Alan Alan Zibluk The Film Movie Critic Cell: (203) 500-3834 E-mail: alan@internetguy.ws 2011-03-07 04:20:30 http://internetguy.ws/TheInternetGuy&p=94AB4120ED9855F0E040A8C0AC001F5A Black Dynamite (Michael Jai White) is the only one strong enough and brave enough to take on the baddies who murdered his brother. What's the former CIA agent to do? Expose a conspiracy that leads straight to the White House. Providing plenty of hilarity and sexy, slick action, Scott Sanders directs this homage to classic 1970s blaxploitation flicks. Salli Richardson-Whitfield and Arsenio Hall also star. This movie did a fantastic job in spoofing the movies I saw on Channel 5 out of New York growing up. I am talking about both the Shaft and Bruce Li movies. We have awful editing, bad lighting, over the top acting, reused car crashes and seeing the same bad guy get killed over and over again. This movie is short and never takes itself seriously. Those of you that know and appreciate my juvenile sophomoric humor (Mel) would get a kick (no pun intended) out of this one. I am giving this one 4 stars. Click here for the Netflix link in case you would like to add it to your queue. All the best, Alan Alan Zibluk The Film Movie Critic Cell: (203) 500-3834 E-mail: alan@internetguy.ws 2011-03-05 14:02:34 http://internetguy.ws/TheInternetGuy&p=94AB4267A0B509FFE040A8C0AC001F56 This riveting Oscar-nominated documentary offers an unfiltered look at a revivalist subculture in which devout Christian youngsters are being primed to deliver the fundamentalist community's religious and political messages. Building an evangelical army of tomorrow, the Kids on Fire summer camp in Devil's Lake, N.D., is dedicated to deepening the preteens' spirituality and sowing the seeds of political activism. Let me start by saying Netflix recommended this documentary based on how I have rated other movies. I like this one. There is no narration and it is up to the viewer to make up his/her own conclusion. I like how the young girl denounced Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan. I wish our society would just say no to Jersey Shore as it is becoming a situation. However I do not see how believing in evolution, global warming and liking the Harry Potter films as being evil. I think this film will encourage healthy debate. I am giving it four stars. Click here for the Netflix link in case you would like to add it to your queue. All the best, Alan Alan Zibluk The Film Movie Critic Cell: (203) 500-3834 E-mail: alan@internetguy.ws 2011-03-05 12:29:22 http://internetguy.ws/TheInternetGuy&p=94AB412044CE55F0E040A8C0AC001F5A Ravenous piranhas with razor-sharp teeth terrorize Lake Havasu vacationers in director Alexandre Aja's remake of Joe Dante's campy 1978 horror film, itself a satire of Steven Spielberg's Jaws. When an earthquake tears open the bottom of Lake Havasu, schools of carnivorous piranhas are released from their underwater lair, and the lake turns into a bloody, frenzied death trap for unwitting water-goers. I know this movie wanted to be campy and be a guilty pleasure but it lacked in the humor department. Killer Klowns from Outer Space, Snakes on a Plane and Lake Placid are much better movies in this genre. I think my problem is with actor Jerry O'Connell. He plays a sleazy Joe Francis (Girls Gone Wild) character and it is just not believable. Jennifer Aniston has the same problem, not believable as a villain. I have to say to both Jerry and Jennifer that not everyone can be a John Lithgow. Jerry O’Connell is a fan of this blog and I just want him to know my comments are not meant to be spiteful. I liked him in both Stand by Me and Sliders. I think Sliders deserves a remake. I thought the Piranha was pretty cool and I am a huge fan of gratuitous nudity but that was not enough for me to like this. I think the scene that really bothers me is the severed penis being ripped apart by the Piranha. I only giving this one 2 stars. Click here for the Netflix link in case you would like to add it to your queue. All the best, Alan Alan Zibluk The Film Movie Critic Cell: (203) 500-3834 E-mail: alan@internetguy.ws 2011-03-05 07:47:12 http://internetguy.ws/TheInternetGuy&p=94AB41F8E9C04932E040A8C0AC001F58 When he visited family in Mississippi in 1955, 14-year-old Emmett Till never imagined he wouldn't be coming home. But that was before he met Roy Bryant and J.W. Milam, who savagely beat and killed the boy for allegedly whistling at a white woman. This absorbing documentary from director Keith Beauchamp ultimately moved the U.S. Department of Justice to reopen the case in 2005, 50 years after the crime. This was a very upsetting but necessary documentary to watch. I am ashamed to say this but I put off watching this in favor of watching the 20/20 special on Charlie Sheen. I confess this as I know more people out there don’t want to be bothered with the unpleasant stuff and be entertained. There is nothing entertaining about this movie. I say this documentary is necessary as I think of the phrase “those who fail to learn from the mistakes of their predecessors are destined to repeat them.” I also think of “all that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing.” This movie is a little over an hour. My recommendation is you watch this one twice. The second time you should watch it with director Keith Beauchamp’s commentary. He explains many of his shots and you can tell he is really passionate about this cause. He explains some things that may have been missed the first time. I am giving this one 3.8 stars. I thought the commentary was really well done. It is not pleasant to watch. This case sparked the Civil Rights Movement. This is the reason why Rosa Parks did not give up her seat on the bus. Click here for the Netflix link in case you would like to add it to your queue. All the best, Alan Alan Zibluk The Film Movie Critic Cell: (203) 500-3834 E-mail: alan@internetguy.ws 2011-03-04 16:41:07 http://internetguy.ws/TheInternetGuy&p=94AB41F8E6534932E040A8C0AC001F58 Miles Kendig (Walter Matthau) knows too much. One of the CIA's top international operatives, he's suddenly relegated to a desk job in an agency power play. Unwilling to go quietly, Kendig, aided by a Viennese widow (Glenda Jackson), begins writing a memoir that exposes the darkest secrets of every major intelligence agency in the world. The CIA wants Kendig dead, but he refuses to cooperate -- he's having too much fun. Walter Matthau is not your James Bond suave and debonair type of spy. He relies on smarts and old man charms. This is a fun movie to watch as he gets revenge on his new boss. Ned Beatty is good here as the irritating boss who feels he knows more than Walter Matthau’s character. I am giving this one 3.4 stars. It was fun to watch Walter Matthau outsmart everyone and sing The Barber of Seville by Gioachino Rossini. We also heard some Mozart. I enjoyed it. Click here for the Netflix link in case you would like to add it to your queue. All the best, Alan Alan Zibluk The Film Movie Critic Cell: (203) 500-3834 E-mail: alan@internetguy.ws 2011-03-04 16:37:17 http://internetguy.ws/TheInternetGuy&p=94AB411E7BEE55F0E040A8C0AC001F5A On a Mohawk reservation on the Canadian border, Ray Eddy (Melissa Leo, in an Oscar-nominated turn) teams with widowed tribe member Lila Littlewolf (Misty Upham) to smuggle illegal immigrants into the United States. Though the work provides the women with much-needed money, each trip puts them in peril. Charlie McDermott and Michael O'Keefe also star in this riveting drama nominated for multiple Independent Spirit Awards, including Best Feature. The title of this movie is perfect. Desperate times call for desperate measures seems to be the theme in this dark and depressing film. One family has popcorn and tang for dinner. The cinematography caught the mood of this movie which was cold, bleak and grey. It is good to see a movie like this from time to time to appreciate all the things we have. I am giving this one 3.2 stars. The acting was great and if you are looking for total sadness, you may want to check this one out. Click here for the Netflix link in case you would like to add it to your queue. All the best, Alan Alan Zibluk The Film Movie Critic Cell: (203) 500-3834 E-mail: alan@internetguy.ws 2011-03-04 16:33:44 http://internetguy.ws/TheInternetGuy&p=94AB410BB5E455F0E040A8C0AC001F5A After trading in his professional past as a black-ops CIA operative for a new identity, Frank Moses (Bruce Willis) is basking in normality. But he's forced to return to old habits when an assassin puts a target on his back and goes after the woman (Mary-Louise Parker) he loves. Helen Mirren and John Malkovich co-star as former members of Frank's team who reluctantly reassemble to save his life in this Golden Globe-nominated action-comedy. This all star cast features Bruce Willis, Mary-Louise Parker, Morgan Freeman, Helen Mirren, John Malkovich, Julian McMahon, Ernest Borgnine, Richard Dreyfuss, Brian Cox, Karl Urban and James Remar. I am giving this one 3.9 stars. It really is just 3.4 stars but I have a soft spot for Ernest Borgnine who had to be 93 while filming this. He was not a breakout character or anything but still to see someone his age still walking and remembering his lines was a pleasure. I hope I am as good if I reach 93. Mr. Borgnine is from Hamden, CT which is the next town over from where I grew up. He is a local and I am proud to say that. You can shoot holes at this movie and say things like “that can’t happen” or “that’s not realistic.” We see movies to be entertained and this movie with all the turmoil in the world was a great escape. This movie is all about respect, friendship and just doing the right thing. It worked on so many different levels for me. Click here for the Netflix link in case you would like to add it to your queue. All the best, Alan Alan Zibluk The Film Movie Critic Cell: (203) 500-3834 E-mail: alan@internetguy.ws 2011-02-26 15:11:40 http://internetguy.ws/TheInternetGuy&p=94AB41DADF424932E040A8C0AC001F58 Narrated by actor and pot activist Woody Harrelson, this slick and snappy documentary chronicles the history of marijuana use and prohibition from the early 1900s through modern day. Biased toward legalization in tone, the clever if subjective film reveals the absurdity of government anti-grass tactics. Comic Tommy Chong also lends his voice to this informative and amusing illustration of how one substance among many has created such a clamor. I wasn’t too familiar with the history of marijuana so this was an interesting movie for me. These days I get really upset on the subject of wasteful spending. What is the big deal? I admit I was scared to ever try it growing up as I was afraid I would go paranoid and hurt people. As Pinto said to Professor Jennings in Animal House “I won't go schizo, will I?” Jennings response “It's a distinct possibility.” I am going to give this one 3 stars. The one thing I would like to say as a responsible movie critic is too much of any one thing is never good. I am talking about things like too much chocolate, caffeine, alcohol, junk food, etc. I am a firm believer in moderation. Click here for the Netflix link in case you would like to add it to your queue. All the best, Alan Alan Zibluk The Film Movie Critic Cell: (203) 500-3834 E-mail: alan@internetguy.ws 2011-02-26 07:11:31 http://internetguy.ws/TheInternetGuy&p=94AB41CE3FE74932E040A8C0AC001F58 When dreamy delivery girl Ramona (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) starts popping up in his life, slacker musician Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera) takes notice. But to win the love of this rollerblading goddess, Scott must vanquish all seven of her evil exes in martial arts battles. Based on Bryan Lee O'Malley's graphic novels, director Edgar Wright's action-packed romcom also stars Anna Kendrick, Brandon Routh and Chris Evans. I would say this movie is a mix of John Hughes “The Breakfast Club” meets “The Matrix.” It is Scott Pilgrim’s fantasy world as he deals with his real life insecurities by imagining Mortal Kombat/Guitar Hero video game competitions with his girlfriend’s exes. This is just such a wild idea and I think it plays out well. You can’t help yourself but to like Michael Cera as he was Paulie Bleeker in Juno. I have to admit I thought about past relationships while watching this. To them I didn’t have a past and any mention of it would lead them to locking themselves in the bathroom. Further I too didn’t like hearing about past boyfriends or husbands so I understand the insecurity. Should people in serious relationships talk about past serious relationships to each other? It is an important question to ask. I am giving this thought provoking movie 3.45 stars. I liked it. Click here for the Netflix link in case you would like to add it to your queue. All the best, Alan Alan Zibluk The Film Movie Critic Cell: (203) 500-3834 E-mail: alan@internetguy.ws 2011-02-23 16:03:03 http://internetguy.ws/TheInternetGuy&p=94AB405E1567423AE040A8C0AC001F5C Based on actual events in 1971, this thriller tells the story of a car dealer (Jason Statham) who becomes involved in a London bank heist, only to find that the contents of the bank vault will draw him deeply and irrevocably into the city's criminal underbelly. Murder and scandal abound in this tale of corruption populated with a surprising mix of offenders, from low-level thugs to government officials -- all the way up to the royal family. I believe after seeing this Jason Statham could be this era’s Steve McQueen. He doesn’t have to say anything and yet he is cool. I have talked to my critic friends about this and I am not the only one who feels this way. This is not your usual action Transporter type of movie. It is based on actual events. You will not see the actor do any fancy kicks or punches but you do get to see him slap a really bad guy around. It was satisfying to watch. I found this to be a good suspenseful crime drama movie. You do see different characters and storylines but in the end you do see them all connected. I would like to see Jason Statham do more movies like this. I believe the action ones are the ones that pay the bills. I am giving this one 3.4 stars. It is not the best bank heist movie I have ever seen but good enough to recommend. Click here for the Netflix link in case you would like to add it to your queue. All the best, Alan Alan Zibluk The Film Movie Critic Cell: (203) 500-3834 E-mail: alan@internetguy.ws 2011-02-21 13:40:11 http://internetguy.ws/TheInternetGuy&p=94AB41C369B04932E040A8C0AC001F58 In director Blake Edwards's satire of the Hollywood film industry, squeaky-clean superstar Sally Miles (Julie Andrews) is the key to a fading director's (Richard Mulligan) sudden plan to flip his flop into a smash: He wants Sally to appear topless in a reshot version of his film. This wickedly funny, ingeniously subversive comedy also stars Larry Hagman, William Holden, Robert Preston, Robert Vaughn, Loretta Swit and Rosanna Arquette. This movie is famous for showing Julie Andrews topless. I had to admit it was weird for me to see. It is after all Mary Poppins. This was actor William Holden’s last movie. It is ironic how his character talks about consuming way too much alcohol in his life. The actor died hitting his head after a serious binge drinking shortly after. I hope you are reading this Charlie Sheen. This satire is based loosely on events in Blake Edward’s life and also Hollywood. John Barrymore’s (Drew Barrymore's grandfather) corpse was actually borrowed. I am reminded of the phrase “life is stranger than fiction.” There is sex and drug use in this movie. This movie is definitely not for everyone. I think the underlying message here is how little Hollywood cares for one another. You are only as good as your last film. If you are a success everyone wants to be your friend but the minute you fail no one wants any part of you. It is a sad comment. I think for this reason alone I am rating this one 2.8 stars. It could be my mood. People more familiar with the Hollywood scene have rated this higher. Click here for the Netflix link in case you would like to add it to your queue. All the best, Alan Alan Zibluk The Film Movie Critic Cell: (203) 500-3834 E-mail: alan@internetguy.ws 2011-02-21 11:18:39 http://internetguy.ws/TheInternetGuy&p=94AB422660AC09FFE040A8C0AC001F56 This updated feature-film take on the hit 1980s television show follows a group of Iraq War veterans on the run from U.S. military forces while they try to clear their names after being framed for a crime they didn't commit. Along the way, Col. Hannibal Smith, Capt. H.M. "Howling Mad" Murdock , Sgt. Bosco "B.A." Baracus and Lt. Templeton "Faceman" Peck help out various people they encounter. Joe Carnahan directs this high-octane actioner. I will say this movie is a worthy remake (or reboot) of its 1980’s TV series predecessor. Both had preposterous situations but also just a lot of fun. I was reminded of the Transformer movies during this as there were lots of explosions, enemy fire, and falling debris. We have characters constantly escaping certain death and never once did I fear for any of our heroes. There are no gray characters. We just have good guys taking on the bad guys. The friendship in the TV series seemed more genuine. My only problem is the Jessica Biel character. Although she cannot act and her only purpose is to be eye candy, it doesn’t work here. This formula works really well with Megan Fox in the Transformer movies but not here. Here’s why, a girl just doesn’t belong with The A-Team. It didn’t work for Melinda Culea and Marla Heasley in the TV series, it doesn’t work for Jessica Biel. I want to say to the women readers I feel the same way about Sex in the City. A guy would not belong at the same table with Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda. Yes I did watch the TV series, no to your second question and it would have been Cynthia Nixon. Watching this movie will not make you any smarter but it was fun. It was a good escape. I am giving this one 3 stars and putting it in the category of “guilty pleasures” in my movie folder. Other movies in this category are Road House, Lethal Weapon and Independence Day. Click here for the Netflix link in case you would like to add it to your queue. All the best, Alan Alan Zibluk The Film Movie Critic Cell: (203) 500-3834 E-mail: alan@internetguy.ws 2011-02-20 09:38:05 http://internetguy.ws/TheInternetGuy&p=94AB3FD61A0AED91E040A8C0AC001F60 Ambitious young record company intern Aaron Green (Jonah Hill) will let nothing get in the way of his planned rise to the top in the music business -- not even the unruly rock star (Russell Brand) he must escort to Los Angeles for the start of his anniversary concert. Doing whatever it takes to get the rocker from Point A to Point B, Aaron encounters all manners of mishaps in this comedy directed by Nicholas Stoller and produced by Judd Apatow. I did not realize that this was a sequel of sorts to Forgetting Sarah Marshall as Russell Brand reprises his Aldous Snow character. Kristen Bell does have a cameo as Sarah Marshall. Jonah Hill was also in that movie but plays a different character here. I don’t know what it is but Russell Brand and Jonah Hill have great onscreen chemistry. They could be a great comedy team and hope to see them in more movies together. Forgetting Sarah Marshall is the better movie. It was funnier and there were some scenes I found quite touching. I gave that movie 4 stars and do recommend it. Click here for the Netflix link for Forgetting Sarah Marshall. I did like this movie but would have liked it better if it wasn’t Aldous Snow again. He was great in the first movie as someone so self absorbed you couldn’t help but laugh. In this second one he is more human and caring which didn’t work for me. I like the comedy aspects of this movie, wasn’t too crazy about the drama. I am giving this one 3 stars. If you are going to see this, see Forgetting Sarah Marshall first. The best part of both films is seeing Russell Brand and Jonah Hill together. Click here for the Netflix link in case you would like to add it to your queue. All the best, Alan Alan Zibluk The Film Movie Critic Cell: (203) 500-3834 E-mail: alan@internetguy.ws 2011-02-13 14:10:11 http://internetguy.ws/TheInternetGuy&p=94AB40CC78AC55F0E040A8C0AC001F5A Personal politics aside, legendary adult film star Linda Lovelace (as herself) is a candidate the entire country can support for the newly formed Upright Party in this hybrid of sex romp satire and documentary farce. Tracking a fictional cross-country campaign that will leave you in stitches, this commentary on apathetic American voters features fantastic celebrity cameos, including Micky Dolenz, Scatman Crothers and more. I knew going in that this movie was going to be bad and cheesy. I thought the absurdity of it would make me laugh. I was wrong. This movie had lots of Polish, Asian, Italian, Black and Gay jokes but none of them were funny. There was also lots of “coming” and “going down” references but none of them worked. Spare yourself the 95 minutes and avoid this one. I almost wasn’t going to write a review of this one out of embarrassment but when I logged into my Netflix Account I saw the only 6 reviews were people who liked it. I have to warn people not to waste their time. I am not posting a trailer for this one as well as including a Netflix link to it. It was that bad. I am given this one zero stars (Can I use a negative number?). The only thing I liked about this was seeing an old rotary phone, a Soylent Green reference and being reminded of a George Harrison video with the over the top zany characters. Since I like videos, I am sharing that George Harrison video below. All the best, Alan Alan Zibluk The Film Movie Critic E-mail: alan@internetguy.ws 2011-02-06 17:25:11 http://internetguy.ws/TheInternetGuy&p=94AB41E187DD09FFE040A8C0AC001F56 Screenwriter Tony Gilroy delivers a finely tuned directorial debut with this dramatic thriller about burned-out corporate lawyer Michael Clayton (George Clooney), a man who's built his career on cleaning up other people's messes. When a guilt-ridden colleague (Tom Wilkinson) threatens the settlement of a multimillion-dollar case, Clayton faces his biggest challenge yet. Tilda Swinton nabbed an Oscar for her turn as a conflicted general counsel. I thought watching most of this I was going to write a nasty review. There are way too many comparisons with other movies like Network, The Firm that I thought I wasn’t going to like it but the end really played out well. I felt something and I liked how Michael Clayton relied on his family when the chips were really down. This alone has gotten me in an emotional state. To quote Linda Richman from an SNL sketch, "I'm feeling verklempt, talk amongst yourselves." I am going to say skip the first 85 minutes of this. It is a two hour movie and the last 35 minutes were the only ones worth watching. I was thoroughly entertained at the end. I am giving this one 3.2 stars. Click here for the Netflix link in case you would like to add it to your queue. All the best, Alan Alan Zibluk The Film Movie Critic Cell: (203) 500-3834 E-mail: the@filmmoviecritic.com 2011-02-06 07:33:09 http://internetguy.ws/TheInternetGuy&p=94AB4169226E4932E040A8C0AC001F58 Set in the decadent 1980s in Los Angeles, a Hollywood executive (Billy Bob Thornton) plays his ex-wife (Kim Basinger) and his mistress (Winona Ryder) while his son, Graham (Jon Foster), finds himself among a group of brats, including Christie (Amber Heard), who are all caught up in the thick of drugs and sex. Mickey Rourke and Brad Renfro also star in director Gregor Jordan's intricately plotted film based on Bret Easton Ellis's book. I have a fondness for the 80s and Kim Basinger so I had to see this movie despite the fact I could not find anyone saying anything positive about it. Even Netflix questioned my decision to get this one. There are lots of gratuitous nudity and drug use in this and definitely not for a prudish person. I am giving it one star. This is not a good movie however I did enjoy not like it and laughing at the dialogue. Click here for the Netflix link in case you would like to add it to your queue. All the best, Alan Alan Zibluk The Film Movie Critic E-mail: alan@internetguy.ws 2011-02-02 08:58:40 http://internetguy.ws/TheInternetGuy&p=94AB40BE907455F0E040A8C0AC001F5A Newly stationed in Jordan, idealistic CIA agent Roger Ferris (Leonardo DiCaprio) teams up with veteran operative Ed Hoffman (Russell Crowe) and the head of Jordanian intelligence (Mark Strong) to infiltrate an underground network of terrorists and locate a criminal mastermind. Based on the best-selling novel by David Ignatius and directed by Ridley Scott, this suspenseful spy thriller features top-rate performances and explosive action sequences. I can’t put my finger on it but I just didn’t care for this movie. It is one of those films where you ask does the end justify the means. In this case I say no. Roger Ferris (DiCaprio) is the action guy here. He seems to know what is going on and knows his job well. Ed Hoffman (Crowe) plays the Ben and Jerry’s ice cream eating boss who undermines Roger’s efforts. Ed Hoffman is definitely a different type of character Russell Crowe normally plays. He constantly calls the people around him “buddy” in an insincere way. You just want to slap his smug face. I should caution there were scenes of torture and at times Ed Hoffman was extremely vulgar. Vulgarity doesn’t bother me but I have been with mixed company who would feel uncomfortable watching this. On the subject of vulgarity I admit I have always got a kick out of Jeremy Piven’s character in Entourage and Kim Cattrall in Sex in the City. Both characters are so outrageous I find myself actually laughing out loud. The character of Ed Hoffman is not funny here, just annoying. Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe both have made better movies. I liked Leonard DiCaprio’s work in The Aviator and Catch Me If You Can. I liked Russell Crowe in L.A. Confidential and American Gangster. Both actors also had gangster movies out at the same time. Leonard DiCaprio was in The Departed and Russell Crowe was in American Gangster. American Gangster is the much better movie. This film is not awful but I was expecting better. The acting is fine but I am only giving this one 2.8 stars. Click here for the Netflix link in case you would like to add it to your queue. Russell Crowe is rumored to be extremely difficult to get along with. Below is a spoof from South Park on him a few years ago. The New Terrance and Phillip Movie TrailerTags: SOUTHPARKmore... All the best, Alan Alan Zibluk The Film Movie Critic E-mail: alan@internetguy.ws 2011-02-02 05:15:31 http://internetguy.ws/TheInternetGuy&p=94AB4165AE3B4932E040A8C0AC001F58 While diving off Bermuda, vacationers David Sanders (Nick Nolte) and Gail Berke (Jacqueline Bisset) stumble upon a mysterious glass vial. With help from veteran treasure-hunter Romer Treece (Robert Shaw), they learn the ampoule belongs to a World War II morphine shipment lost at sea … and thus begins an adventure that pits the trio against a Haitian drug kingpin (Louis Gossett Jr.) who'll stop at nothing to get his hands on the priceless cargo. I remember seeing this movie when I was a child on ABC’s Sunday Night of the Movies. We had a black and white TV so this movie wasn’t a big deal for me. I wanted to see this movie today for two important reasons. One was I wanted to see exotic blue water during this awful winter we are experiencing here in the northeast. The second was to see Jacqueline Bisset. I liked her in Bullitt and reading up on this movie I found her involvement on this project started the wet T-shirt craze. I could not have watched this film at a better time as the weather outside is dreadful. There really isn’t much of a plot here. Good guys vs. bad guys in a race to find sunken treasure in the deep. There were plenty of dangers as well as lots of beautiful underwater scenes. I admit I did get a little tense when one of the good guys would get stuck as I am a little claustrophobic. That is really it to this film. It is not Gone with the Wind but I enjoyed this escape. I am giving this one an even 3 stars. My favorite scenes were seeing Jacqueline Bisset swim with the fish. Well back to reality. Hey did you know Snooki from Jersey Shore is a New York Times bestseller? Should I watch the movie again? Click here for the Netflix link in case you would like to add it to your queue. All the best, Alan Alan Zibluk The Film Movie Critic E-mail: alan@internetguy.ws 2011-02-01 14:58:38 http://internetguy.ws/TheInternetGuy&p=94AB4155FA534932E040A8C0AC001F58 Longstanding family conflicts resurface when drama queen Kym (Anne Hathaway, in her first Oscar-nominated role), a former model who's been in and out of rehab for 10 years, returns to her parents' home just before her sister Rachel's (Rosemarie DeWitt) wedding. Debra Winger co-stars as the girls' emotionally distant mother in director Jonathan Demme's critically acclaimed portrait of family angst and unrest. Netflix recommended this movie to me as I normally do like critically acclaimed movies. This is one of the few times it was not a good fit for me. The acting here is great and it felt real. I think that might be my problem. I felt like I was in a friend home and watching that friend get into a serious heated argument with a sibling or significant other. I felt very uncomfortable through a lot of this. If you like weddings you may appreciate this one. Although this movie was definitely not for me, I am giving it 3 stars as the acting was terrific and I know some people reading this would really like it. Click here for the Netflix link in case you would like to add it to your queue. All the best, Alan Alan Zibluk The Film Movie Critic E-mail: alan@internetguy.ws 2011-01-29 05:15:44 http://internetguy.ws/TheInternetGuy&p=94AB41B1454D09FFE040A8C0AC001F56 Amid a volatile climate of ever-changing gas prices, this documentary delves into the short life of the GM EV1 electric car -- a fuel-efficient auto that was once all the rage in the mid-1990s and now has fallen by the roadside. How could such a green-friendly vehicle fail to transform lives? Through interviews with government officials, former GM employees and concerned celebs, filmmaker Chris Paine seeks to find out. Let me start by saying I like ideas. Ideas mean options and alternatives. I do not know if the idea of the electronic vehicle would have caught on or not but it seems a shame it was not given a chance. Celebrities like Ed Begley, Jr. and Peter Horton were only allowed to lease the cars and then to their dismay their cars were taken away and destroyed. They wanted to buy and keep them. I admit I do not like Peter Horton (he was married to Michelle Pfeiffer and I was not) but still feel he should have been able to test the car out longer. I am giving this one 3.7 stars. This was a good documentary. Click here for the Netflix link in case you would like to add it to your queue. All the best, Alan Alan Zibluk The Film Movie Critic Cell: (203) 500-3834 E-mail: alan@internetguy.ws 2011-01-27 12:36:45 http://internetguy.ws/TheInternetGuy&p=94AB41B078E009FFE040A8C0AC001F56 After his engagement falls through, Leonard Kraditor (Joaquin Phoenix) juggles the affections of Michelle (Gwyneth Paltrow), his beautiful, self-destructive neighbor, and Sandra (Vinessa Shaw), the attractive, sensible daughter of his father's business associate. Writer-director James Gray's beautifully nuanced romantic drama is set in Brooklyn and also stars Elias Koteas. The film was nominated for the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. I loved the location shots of New York City. I felt I was there in the fancy restaurant scene where they discussed the opera. I love the soundtrack of this movie. The acting here was flawless. There is a scene between Isabella Rossellini and Joaquin Phoenix as mother and son in a stairwell so well acted I was moved. They may be both nuts in real life but I forgive them after seeing their performance in this film. Gwyneth Paltrow is a physically beautiful woman. She did show one breast in this movie and it was spectacular. Her mom is actress Blythe Danner who I think was pretty hot back in her day. I particularly remember her for playing Hawkeye’s girlfriend in M*A*S*H for one episode. My only minor complaint is story. I am extremely familiar with the food chain and there is no way the Leonard and Michelle characters would have any type of relationship. This part is just not believable. I was in a serious relationship for 5 years. Although it didn’t work out, the scene where the Sandra gave Leonard the gloves had me remembering the better times of a relationship (I still use the gloves she gave me 15 years ago). It made me smile. I don’t think many women viewers would like the way this movie ended but do any of us really end up with the person we wanted to be with. I am not trying to be mean or disrespectful to anyone reading this. I am giving this one 3.9 stars. It was really well acted. Click here for the Netflix link in case you would like to add it to your queue. All the best, Alan Alan Zibluk The Film Movie Critic Cell: (203) 500-3834 E-mail: alan@internetguy.ws 2011-01-27 08:56:26 http://internetguy.ws/TheInternetGuy&p=94AB3FF37F7252BCE040A8C0AC001F5E This riveting documentary depicts former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger as a warmonger responsible for military cover-ups in Vietnam, Cambodia and East Timor, as well as the assassination of a Chilean leader in 1970. Based on a book by journalist Christopher Hitchens, the film includes interviews with historians, political analysts and such journalists as New York Times writer William Safire, a former Nixon speechwriter. As a person who has watched way too much Star Trek, two things from watching this documentary stand out. Absolute power corrupts absolutely and the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the one. I am fascinated with both Richard M. Nixon and Henry Kissinger as their admirers and haters agree on one thing, brilliant political minds. In this movie you do hear both sides and it is up to the viewer to decide if he is a war criminal. I normally don’t do this but I am going to share my opinion on the subject. I do believe he can be considered a war criminal. I think he is a monster created by another monster (escaping Nazi Germany at an early age) and it is such a depressing tragedy. This is a good movie but I have to caution that I found myself extremely sad after watching it. I am giving it 3.5 stars. I am going to watch Airplane! (1980) now which always cheers me up. "Surely you can't be serious. I am serious... and don't call me Shirley." Click here for the Netflix link in case you would like to add it to your queue. All the best, Alan Alan Zibluk The Film Movie Critic Cell: (203) 500-3834 E-mail: alan@internetguy.ws 2011-01-27 08:53:12 http://internetguy.ws/TheInternetGuy&p=94AB4198A5AE09FFE040A8C0AC001F56 Partners in crime Paulie (Ethan Hawke) and Brian (Mark Ruffalo) find themselves at odds after years of pulling dangerous jobs, surviving turf wars and evading a determined detective (Donnie Wahlberg) in this gritty crime drama set in South Boston. The childhood buddies have gone through the wringer together, but when Brian's relationship with his wife (Amanda Peet) begins to fall apart, their loyal friendship is tested. This is based on a true story of Brian Goodman who plays the part of Pat Kelly. Mark Ruffalo plays him here. This film has a great setup and really good ending which I was satisfied with. I wasn’t too crazy about how the middle played out. I felt the movie spent too much time on Brian’s downfall and not enough time on his redemption. I liked the friendship of the Paulie and Brian characters. I was moved. I am giving this one 3 stars. I like actor Mark Ruffalo. I thought he was good in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Zodiac and Collateral. I am glad his career survived In the Cut (the movie Megan Ryan went topless in). Click here for the Netflix link in case you would like to add it to your queue. Alan Alan Zibluk E-Based Business Cell: (203) 500-3834 E-mail: alan@internetguy.ws 2011-01-22 11:01:52 http://internetguy.ws/TheInternetGuy&p=94AB413649E34932E040A8C0AC001F58 Journalist Rachel Armstrong (Kate Beckinsale) turns Washington on its ear when she outs a casual acquaintance (Vera Farmiga) as a CIA agent. The government's formidable prosecutor (Matt Dillon) sends Rachel to jail for contempt, where she discovers the true impact of her decision. David Schwimmer and Alan Alda co-star in this drama from Rod Lurie, the politically savvy filmmaker behind The Contender and "Commander in Chief." The only good thing I have to say about this movie is that I learned about The Intelligence Identities Protection Act of 1982. It felt more like a Lifetime original movie than a political thriller. It is a sad story, I did not like the characters and the dialogue was uneven. I should have taken a better look at who was in this film before I added this to my Netflix queue as I try to avoid anything with David Schwimmer (grudgingly I will admit he was okay in Curb Your Enthusiasm). I am giving this one 2.2 stars. I did not like this movie however I did like the song at end Nothing but the truth by Coby Brown. Although I did not like this film, you can click here for the Netflix link to add it to your queue. Alan Alan Zibluk E-Based Business Cell: (203) 500-3834 E-mail: alan@internetguy.ws 2011-01-22 10:58:14 http://internetguy.ws/TheInternetGuy&p=94AB400A34B94932E040A8C0AC001F58 Filmmaker Robert Greenwald takes aim at the corporate giant that's come to symbolize big business in America Wal-Mart blasting the box store Goliath for allegedly paying substandard wages, skimping on employee benefits and gutting communities. This hard-hitting, emotional documentary profiles the struggle of everyday folks from around the country who've committed themselves to fighting the mega-retailer. When I watch a movie like this I like to hear both sides. You will only hear one side in this one. I can tell you alone of the Walton Family charitable contributions is reason enough not to like them. Apparently there has been a lot of crime in Wal-Mart parking lots. They have security cameras everywhere but only pay attention to what is going on inside the store. Customers and ex-employees said they really don't care what happens to the customer once they leave. Alan Alan Zibluk The Film Movie Critic http://www.filmmoviecritic.com Home: (203) 393-9630 Cell: (203) 500-3834 2010-11-26 05:37:56