Manborg (2013)

A masterpiece of constraints.  Urban legend is the movie was made for $2000. I can’t believe it.  It’s a comic book movie sometimes literally. Lots of fun here and the dialogue at times killed me. Great carboard characters.  Its only an hour long and that’s another of the great decisions made by Steven Kostanski the director and chief bottle washer who created this charmer.

Four Stars

Dark Skies (2013)

A movie that fails to generate the required energy to make it a big success. It was directed by Scott Stewart who proved he has some chops in the movie Priest.  It plays like a low key documentary about a family who is targeted by alien physiologists.
I liked it better a couple of days later. If you like your slice of life sci fi its worth a look.

Two point eight stars.

The Last Stand (2013)

Vintage Arnold! If you like the brand you will love the movie. Rotten Tomatoes gave it a mere 60% and it was a bomb at the box office. Wrong on both counts. He's back.

Four Stars

The Numbers Stations

One of my favourite books is Cyptonomicon. It should be a movie and I based upon his suburb work on Numbers Station, I nominate Danish newcomer Kasper Barfoed to direct. F Scott Fraizer another rookie did the screenplay and would be a great choice for any movie based upon this effort. The movie stars John Cusack as the prototypical wet worker who loses his edge. The movie is full of moral dilemmas, and Cusack painfully works them out for us. Malin Akerman plays a sweet civilian contractor who broadcasts secret code  for the CIA. After a fall from grace Cusack is assigned to protect her, but more importantly the code. It should be a routine and boring assignment, but of course its not. A terrific movie due to be released in the USA on April 26.

Four Stars

Jack Reacher (2013)

If you liked Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol, you will like this movie. Tom Cruise only plays one character these days but he plays them professionally. The plot is a long way from original, but still strong.  There are a couple of times the writing goes solid cheese and I expect at Cruise's direction. Rosamund Pike played the female non romantic lead. The former Bond girl offset the worst of Cruise. It has been a critical and financial success for good reason.

Three Stars

Alien Armageddon (2011)

Low, low budget, cheesy effects, but a worthwhile timewaster. Neil Johnson is the one man show behind this. For one man its quite an accomplishment. I would love to see him get some serious cash. The Alien invasion story is a combination of everything that has gone before, but its a great twist on same old same old. You will never think about serial killers the same.

Two point seven five stars.

Repo Men (2010)

Miguel Sapochnik directs this obvious message movie about the ridiculous nature of capitalism. It was a huge financial flop ($17 million worldwide), which is likely why I had never heard of it. I would reward him with more opportunities. Jude Law stars as an artificial organ repo man, his partner is Forrest Whittaker. Other notables are Liev Schreiber(Goon, Manchurian Candidate) and Brazilian Alice Braga (Predators, I am Legend).  A well-acted, well told tale. Rotten Tomatoes gave it 24%. Another case where maybe the reviewers should consider a brain transplant. It was a very good entertaining action movie that made you think about the absurdity elements of capitalism impose on society.

Three stars