Wild Target (2010)

WILD TARGET (2009) is one of the most enjoyable, relaxing and hilarious films I have ever seen. The British have a way with this kind of black comedy that we have yet to perfect, though we try.

The legendary assassin Victor Maynard (Bill Nighy in yet another cool-as-a-cucumber role of a lifetime) is reaching a midlife crisis. He falls for his latest hit, young swindler Rose (Emily Blunt in a role that actually fits her well). As she throws him off his game initially, he begins to like her immensely.

A fateful encounter in a parking garage introduces them to each other and to Tony (a sweet Rupert Grint), a bisexual pothead garage attendant who saves first the life of Rose, then Victor. They flee together, and a sort of sweet madness ensues.

It is not what you'd expect, and were it not for occasional foul scenes (which we can bear with a guffaw) I'd recommend such caliber of comedy for children. Sadly, black comedy of this caliber is not for children's innocent eyes. But here I'll leave this fantastic film, for you to discover and judge.

The cast is rounded out by crooked art collector Ferguson (Rupert Everett, appearing apparently because he needs the work) and the immortal Aileen Atkins as Victor's former-assassin mother and first teacher. (In a bit of a snit, she excoriates Victor for his crisis: "A Beretta! The gun of princes! For your SEVENTH birthday!") Also moving to me was Victor's white cat Snowy, who has the most wonderful MEOW.

With all the great talent here and others whose names I'm too tired to mention, I have to say a word about Rupert Grint. Rupert's a handsome, rising star with a flair for sweetness, drama and comedic skills I have often compared to those of Buster Keaton. Sometimes I wonder if old Buster from Kansas and Rupert from Stevenage are somehow related.

Rupert is the busiest of the HARRY POTTER 'children', with two excellent films under his belt already (CHERRYBOMB and DRIVING LESSONS). This, his third major film with major work to show for it, is his third film off the POTTER reservation. Here's a toast: a long and successful career for Rupert!

And a long, cult-classic status for WILD TARGET ... one of the best films (for its genre) that I have ever seen.

WILD TARGET is an English remake of the French film "Cible émouvante" (1993) which I am now anxious to see. I understand the great Jean Rochefort plays "Victor Meynard" in this original version.

Bill Nighy has a following in my store no matter what the film's theme is, and in this case he plays his age and character beautifully.

The story follows an aging hit man revered as the best at what he does, but an assignment to snuff a young klepto/con-artist played adequately by Ms. Blunt goes awry and the fun begins. It is like a bumbling Stooges act for the middle of the film as he decides to protect her instead, while also apprenticing a hapless young man. Nighy's mom is a little over-the-top by Eileen Atkins who I last saw in the nice film Evening, and the remaining cast is average to overly cheesy. The comedy tried to be dark as the body count goes up, but Nighy carries this overall without letting it get too slapstick.

The Blu specs are solid as the picture is clear, so much so that the background failings can be obvious (can see the rain outside nearby windows when they are trying to make it look sunny, crew reflections, etc.) and the DTS is mixed nicely. The car chase scenes are where the channels get used the most and it surrounds you just right. Unfortunately though Fox once again dumps this BD with nothing extra. The "On Target with Emily Blunt" lasts a few minutes and is immediately forgettable. You really want to have there be a making of documentary or commentary as quite a few questions come up about the production (why he holds the gun in such an obscure way throughout the film, locations, etc). 3.5 for the film and .5 for the Blu specs. Region coded A with English language only and subs in same. A light comedy that does not take itself too seriously, enjoy.

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Victor Maynard (Bill Nighy) is an erudite, posh gentleman who also happens to be a professional hit man. Hired to terminate Rosie (Emily Blunt), a pretty young thief, he instead falls for her. On the run from the men who hired him, they are accompanied by a confused stoner (Rupert Grint) as they hide out till the coast is clear.

I always enjoy the wonderful Bill Nighy and he has many witty scenes early on; unfortunately, none of them are shared with Blunt or Grint. Blunt's character is thoroughly unlikable and she has no romantic chemistry with Victor; Grint's drifter serves no purpose in the story, he's awkward, and mumbles his dialogue. The film starts out promising enough as we watch Victor alone, but once the three come together it's absurd and silly.

This is an okay rental, just don't expect big laughs or a plausible script.

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I came across this as a complete lark, but found it well-made, well-acted, and pretty funny. The premise is great (what if the best assassin fell in love with one of his targets), and the character development is great.

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Wild Target is an off-beat dark comedy about a hit-man who changes his ways when he encounters Rose, a beautiful woman who was intended to be his next victim. After failed attempts to kill her, he can't seem to shake her, and soon finds himself connected to her. With the mission failed, Victor finds himself with Rose and a young slacker (Rubert Grint), as they are now the intended victims.

I don't mind understated comedy and love dry humor, but this film just didn't hit the mark (pardon the pun). Some comedies work at an understated level, but the story here just seems so stilted and dead in Wild Target. If there is any comedy ,it barely has a pulse, as many of the jokes are mistimed. Most of the acting seems uninspired and the script really lacks anything creative.

I differed from most in that I detested the film during the first half, but it kind of grew on me a little when we find more about the characters as they are hiding out in the second half. What I didn't like was that the resolution felt a little forced, and the main character's transformations a little contrived.

There were some enjoyable moments, though. I did think it was interesting to see Rubert Grint in a different kind of role, and there are moments when Victor actually is a bit of a sympathetic character. Over all, though, Wild Target is a bit average.

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27 Dresses (2008)

If you're a fan of weddings you'll laugh along to the affectionate pokings and proddings that 27 Dresses takes at the wedding industry. If you hate them, you'll like the potshots it takes. Depending on how you feel about weddings, you'll either see them through Kevin's (James Mardsen) eyes or through Jane's (Katherine Heigl) but both points-of-view are represented equally in this delightful time waster.

"The Wedding Party" is a fairly standard making of featurette that mixes clips from the film, behind-the-scenes footage, and soundbites from the cast and crew. Everyone gushes about each other. It's a light and breezy extra, much like the film itself.

"You'll Never Wear That Again!" takes a look at the hideous bridesmaid dresses from the film. The director told wardrobe to find the ugliest dresses and succeeded. The various themed weddings are also discussed in this engaging and fun extra.

"Jane's World" examines the production design and how they made Rhode Island look like New York City (?!). A lot of research was done on weddings in order to capture the distinct look of each one.

"The Running of the Brides" is an annual tradition that sees women from all over the country camping out at a store where they all try to get the perfect dress to get married in. It's a shopping frenzy as people race around to get a dress or trade with others.

Also included are three deleted scenes. The first one sees Jane trying to get a cab in New York (good luck) and was wisely cut. The best of the bunch sees Jane, her best friend (Judy Greer) and Tess' best friend trying on bridesmaid dresses. The interaction between the three of them is amusing. Finally, there is a scene where Jane and Tess retrieve George's dog from a pound which seems out of place in the film and was also wisely cut.

Katherine Heigl is pretty good in this feel good comedy. She's always been a bridesmaid (27 times would you believe???) and all those dresses are kept in her closet. She's really hoping for another kind of dress (white). She has been in love with her boss, George (Ed Burns) for years but can't get her feelings returned. Along comes her sister and does exactly that. She and George start dating and before long Jane is about to wear dress 28. Will she get George to like her before he walks down the aisle with her sister? It's actually a surprisingly good movie that I really loved. I thought it might be like other cheesy chick flick comedies, but it's a little more. It's well acted and very funny too.

I think this movie could appeal to almost anyone (including guys). Judy Greer is as good as always (she plays Janes friend Casey) and the rest of the cast do well too. It doesn't hurt that Ed Burns is a very good looking guy and acted pretty well in this. It's light popcorn fun, but worth your time watching it. You'll hopefully love it too.

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Watching this DVD, 27 Dresses, was a decent way to spend the hour and forty-five minutes with my wife. She picked this one. I thought Katherine Heigl was a charming lead, and that she lived up to her growing reputation as one of the newer leading ladies in Hollywood. She was very good here, and even better in Knocked Up (Unrated Widescreen Edition). The other players were capable, including Marsden who had a nice chemistry with Heigl. The plot was average romantic comedy. There was little new ground here and some pretty predictable moments. That does not make the film bad; rather it served to make it a comfortable movie that was fun to watch due to the actors involved. Three stars.

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"27 Dresses" is not the greatest romantic comedy to hit the screen. It's predictable, by-the-book and adds nothing new to the genre. You have the confident-on-the-surface, always reliable, never-loved leading lady, Jane (Katherine Heigl), the annoying and spoiled little sister (Malin Akerman), the protective best friend (Judy Greer), the oblivious love interest (Edward Burns), and the bad seed who turns out to be the good guy (James Marsden). What makes "27 Dresses" better than all of the other films that clutter the romantic comedy genre is the fact that these stereotypical characters are played to perfection by their respective actors and actresses.

Heigl demands your attention whenever she is on the screen. Whether it's her beauty or her acting prowess, you cannot look away when she's in a scene. She makes a perfect team with James Marsden, who I've always personally felt has been underused as an actor. Akerman is the perfect spoiler to all of the fun, and proves that the failure of "The Heartbreak Kid" was more due to the story itself and not her performance in it. Edward Burns is his old reliable self, and even though his is one of the thinnest characters in the film, he's still a joy to watch. My personal favorite of the whole bunch, however, is Judy Greer as Jane's best friend. Her character is perhaps the most stock of the lot, but she pulls it of with flair and fun.

The story, as I've already stated, is run-of-the-mill. It wouldn't surprise me to stumble on clones of this film on WE, Oxygen or even ABC Family. Heigl is always the bridesmaid and never the bride and when her sister moves in on a potential love interest, things start hitting the fan. Toss in a relentless reporter who writes a wedding column, and you have a fun though formulaic film.

"27 Dresses" is a solid four star film. It proves that you can take a standard love story and build it into something special thanks to excellent direction and acting. I highly recommend it to fans of romantic comedies.

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This film is actually much more enjoyable then one might think, and it was unfairly bashed by critics.

Katherine Heigl once again shows that she can carry the weight of a leading headliner in a major studio film. It follows the story of a girl who is in love with being in love and the procession of a wedding. It maybe because she lost her mother at a young age, or it maybe because she is in love with her boss, who dependant on her in the work place but not aware of her in matters of the heart.

James Marsden is a skeptical struggling news reporter who is tired of covering the wedding section of a major newspaper chain. He secretly scoffs at the ridiculous measures that women will go to have "the perfect wedding", even though his articles are the stuff that describes marital bliss as being touched by Heaven. He bumps into Katherine Heigls character at a wedding and is amused by her serious undertaking of being the "perfect" bridesmaid. At the same time he become unknowningly smitten with her, he decides to base an article that sheds light on how ridiculous some women become with their desire for "fairy tale love and marriage".

Enter Katherin Heigl's sister who is coming to visit, and is immediately attracted to Hiegl's boss who is too aware of the opulent attractive sister. Hiegl is heartbroken and miffed and the stage is set for the film which touches the heart and tickles the funny bone.

This is a quintessential film for those who love FOUR WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL, THE WEDDING PLANNER, RUNAWAY BRIDE, MY BEST FRIEND'S WEDDING and other romantic comedies.

There are some truly hilarious moments and some tender poignant scenes as well. The viewer finds himself or herself, whatever the case maybe, cheering on Heigl to achieve her heart's desire throughout the obstacles of the film. Hiegl truly shows in this film that she indeed has star power rivaling Reese Witherspoon and Julia Roberts for the romantic comedy genre.

This is not just a chick flick, men should take note as well and will probably enjoy it as well, even though it might be a guilty pleasure for them. Buy this film and add it to your collection.

HERE COMES THE BRIDE AND HERE COMES THE DRESSES AND THE LAUGHTER. ENJOY!!!

Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)

Last time around, Kevin (Macaulay Culkin) was left home alone (pun intended) by his family in a frantic hurry to get to the airport. And to add insult to injury, he had to deal with a couple of bumbling sillies--burglars who wanted to burglarize his house--who went by the name of the "Wet Bandits." This time around, it's more of the same, but with a slight difference: this time, he gets on the wrong plane, and is left to his own devices in the "Big Apple"--a/k/a New York City.

The plot is pretty similar to the last one in many ways: Kevin gets into trouble due to getting into it with his older brother, and is punished. He gets fed up with his family treating him unfairly, and in the midst of his angst, wishes that he could have a vacation on his own, without any of his family. The next morning, in a frantic hurry, the family rushes to the airport to go to Florida for Christmas vacation. In the airport, Kevin stops to put some batteries into his small camcorder (which will be largely significant later in the film), and as soon as he lifts his head, his family are long gone. He spots an older guy from the backside who looks like his dad, and therefore gets on the same plane as this gentleman, believing that it really was his dad. Needless to say, he was in for a big surprise when the plane landed.

Meanwhile, the "Wet Bandits" (Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern) escape from jail, and are in the "Big Apple" as well. You know what happens: they cross paths, and these two clowns are looking for revenge. The slapstick craziness that was seen in the last film, is taken up an extra notch, and is made gut-bustingly funnier as a result. (And again, just listening to Daniel Stern's demented operatic-like screeching as he gets his, alone, just slams the wind straight out of me. It's too hilarious!)

As for poignant moments, last time around, the "scary" character was an old man who was rumored to be a murderer. This time, it's a homeless woman who dwells in Central Park, and her companions are a bunch of pigeons.

These Home Alone films are recommended for anyone with a taste for over-the-top, outrageous slapstick humor, added with a large dose of mischief. Also recommended if you want to bring out the kid in you.

I've seen many reviews about this Blu-ray disc, and they say it's a big disappointment when compared to the first Home Alone Blu-ray. Well, I'll be the judge of that (of course, it's my review). Does this Blu-ray look as good as Home Alone? Nope, but it still looks very good on an HDTV. If you stand 1-2 feet from the screen, you will see a lot of grain though, but if you stay at a normal seating distance, it looks great. I compared it to the previous DVD version I have, and there is no comparison. There are simple things you can see now that you could not before like: the note given to Kevin, clear Christmas lights, and the text when Kevin uses his Dad's Visa Card. The old DVD version could not be played properly on widescreen TVs since it wasn't enhanced while the Blu-ray version is 1080p which makes a HUGE difference. The DVD version suffered with Dolby Surround 2.0 while we get DTS-HD sound on the Blu-Ray. There are no extras, but it's a good thing since this was a single layer-disc which allowed for a higher data rate on the picture quality. So, if you're wanting to get the best version of Home Alone 2 or upgrade to a better version, than this Blu-Ray version is it.

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What kind of idiots do you have working here?

"The finest in New York."

This is just an idea of the great writing & acting in Home Alone 2:Lost In New York. This is the second of 4 movies by Chris Columbus. Lil' Kevin McCallister gets caught up in more trouble again in this sequel to Home Alone.

Home Alone 2:Lost in New York starts with the Christmas Pageant where young Kevin manages to get himself in a bit of bother with Buzz who manages to make Kevin look like a laughing stock in front of many parents. Buzz then makes a very phony,but convincing apology to the family who accept it (as idiots).As he brings this apology to an end,he calls Kevin a "troutsniffer". The acting in this film is pure brilliance,especially the parts of the two "Wet Bandits" played by Joe Pesci & Daniel Stern.This film is such a hilarious film especially with great actors such as Joe Pesci,Daniel Stern,Catherine O'Hara,Tim Curry,Rob Schneider & not forgetting the fine young actor Macaulay Culkin. If you like Home Alone 2:Lost in New York then you are bound to love Home Alone.Although Home Alone 3 & 4 are not worth seeing as they are not the originals with Macaulay Culkin & the original Bandits

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I cant really decide which one I like better this or Home Alone 1. They are both awesome. My 6 year old and 3 year old absolutely love this one and watch it everyday! Sometimes we even spot "Harry and Marv in thier van" when we are out and about. A really fun movie, I highly recommend getting it.

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Home Alone 2 is a fitting sequel to the timeless 1990 classic, and this transfer on Blu-ray is great! Most scenes are dazzlingly brilliant, and the bit of grain that shows up from time to time can be virtually eliminated by turning your tv's sharpness setting down to zero. The audio options are many, and the film sounds awesome. I bought this in a 2-pack with Part 1 (which also looks & sounds amazing start to finish). I highly recommend this blu-ray!

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Pariah (2011)

"Pariah" (90 min.) brings the story of Alike (played by Adepero Oduye), a 17 yr. old girl living with her younger sister and her mom and dad. Alike is discovering that she likes girls better than guys. Alike's mom picks up on the fact that Alike is going through a "tomboy" phase, and is urging dad to do something about it. Dad, however, has his own problems (the movie shows a short phone call that one might interpret he has another lady in his world) and besides (as he says) "Alike is always daddy's girl". Needless to say, a lot of tension builds up between mom and dad and Alike. To reveal more from the plot would spoil the pleasure of watching this movie, you'll just have to see how it all plays out.

A lot has been made of the fact that this is a movie about a "black teenage girl coming out". I guess I really don't see at all what the relevance is, if any, of the race or color in this movie. What I saw was an intense family drame, set in contemporary Brooklyn, New York. It's not even so much a "lesbian" movie. I came away impressed by the fact that this is writer-director Dee Rees' debute film, as the movie certainly doesn't feel like the work of a novice.

There are a number of acting performances worth noting, none more so of course than Adepero Oduye in the role of Alike, but also Kim Wayans as Alike's mom and Charles Parnell as Alike's dad. Last but not least, there was plenty of great music featured in the movie (unfortunately the credits went by so quickly I barely had time to register all the music that was featured, although I did notice that Reema Major has 5 or so songs credited). In all, I thought that "Pariah" was well worth it, and I would readily recommend this if you are looking for something good to watch outside the Hollywood commercial mainstream.

Pariah is a powerful first film by an emerging director, Dee Reese, well acted by a wonderful ensemble of actors, and beautifully and evocatively shot by Director of Photography Bradfford Young. Certainly the story is one that is not widely present within contemporary cinematic culture, but the film stands on its own as a powerful piece of work, not merely a sociological footnote. The true brilliance of this movie is the way in which the visual experience wraps itself around the film's narrative. The camera work alone is truly groundbreaking and original, creating a consistently shallow sense of visual space that directs and redirects our attention in ways that allows us to experience the world intimately through the eyes of the young protagonist.

This is a film that should have received a wider screening than it did. That it was critically hailed was well deserved. That it is now available on DVD is truly cause for celebration. Buy this film, and keep your eyes and heart wide open while watching it.

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A nicely written and acted tale of a 17-year-old girl by the name of Alike who goes through the hardships of being a lesbian teen and dealing with her ongoing homelife. As a black lesbian I'm happy to see there is a black film aimed in a serious way on a LGBT-subject without comic relief. Adepero Oduye, an actress I never heard of until this film, challenges her character well in this heartfelt role. Kim Wayans, someone who most of us grew up laughing at thanks to 'In Living Color' also plays the overprotective mother of Alike and also deals with a struggling marriage. Though this is a slow burn movie, the storytelling does a good enough job getting it's point across. I liked it and hoped many will be open in taking a look at Pariah.

Rating 3.5/5

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This movie was so good it had parts of my life in here, helk anyone who is in the lgbtq community knows someone or has been through that type situation. I hope to see more films that show "our" life all the actors did great and I will def be buying the dvd. :)

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This movie has surely captured my soul. It is a miracle of a movie in a way that it highlighted the raw life and struggles of Alike. Immediately it reminded me of the book Dying To Be Straight! in the way that it showed the pain of the main character Alike as she struggles and gripes with the issues of Lesbianism through the eyes of a mother who is super religious. Rarely have I seen such a movie that not only brings to light a complex social issue such as homosexuality, but a movie that goes into the heart of a situation that is rarely spoken of in Black America. The only recent movie that I could compare that deals with the social crisis of Pariah has to be Precious.

There was bad lighting in a few parts of the movie on the production end. But as far as the screen play itself, the screen play was superb, it's surely worth renting or purchasing this movie.

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Jarhead / The Kingdom / Green Zone Triple Feature (2005)

I'm not one to provide summaries of movies or opinions of the plot and acting. For those, go to the individual releases and I am sure you will find them there. My reviews cover only the quality of the Blu Ray transfers for audio and video. It is not surprising that these 3 movies were all combined into a 3 pack as they all deal with the wars in the Middle East and there are many commonalities between them.

Jarhead....The video transfer is very clean without noticeable grain, no artifacts or aliasing. The film makes plentiful use of bleach bypassing and a desaturation of the colors. In many areas, the film's whites are almost blown out and that was deliberate as it clearly recreates the blazing hot sun and sand reflections of the environment. Lots of detail in the shadows and darker scenes as well. If you liked this movie, the update to BluRay video transfer is really very good.

The audio is DTS HD 5.1 and produces a clearly lossless audio experience with ambience used for the entire 5.1 sound system. While there is some quality panning and discreet channeling, there is not a whole lot of it. As I said, the ambience of the environment is evenly spread across the entire theater and, as usual, very nicely spread across the front sound stage with wide definition for the soundtrack itself .

Kingdom.....The video transfer is good not great with some degree of film like grain that is not at all distracting. Like Jarhead, the film displays desaturated colors though no where near as much as was in Jarhead. I saw no stair-stepping or artifacts and there was enough detail in the shadows to satisfy me.

The audio is also DTS HD 5.1 with your sound system used primarily for ambience with some discreet channeling to the rears but not a great deal of it. The LFE channel is used but sparsely. There are some deleted scenes, in addition to the typical commentary, that could have been included in an extended version, but not a whole lot would have been gained by their inclusion. Also included was a video timeline of the oil situation in Saudi Arabia that provided some interesting facts dating back to the '40s. However, navigating through the timeline was very time consuming and I don't think I would refer back to it.

Green Zone... This was the only one of the 3 films that I already had the Standard Definition DVD of, and the one I looked forward to watching the most. I hadn't watched it in some time so this will not be a side by side comparison, however, I don't remember seeing as much grain in the film as I had watched on the SD version. Granted, there are a great many scenes shot in dark areas and any camera has difficulty shooting in low light, but there was so much grain in some of the scenes that it was truly distracting to me. It is my guess, that they simply reformatted the film to blu ray, without any attempt to clean the video. All in all, a very disappointing transfer to blu ray.

The Audio is lossless DTSHD 5.1 and boasts a great balance between the soundtrack, dialogue and foley effects. From the very beginning you are treated to wonderful use of the discreet channels with excellent panning from rears to the front stage and around. The LFE channel gets a nice workout though out the film. The audio is clearly the star of the transfer and the best of all 3 films.

Extras include deleted scenes that could have been in an extended version, and commentaries. Unfortunately, previews of upcoming films to Blu Ray pop up on the opening menu whose space could have been more widely used to reduce the compression of the film itself. When will these companies, in their efforts to get more money, realize that people do not want to buy commercials for other products, they just want a better quality product?

The 3 films are all contained within one DVD plastic holder, each in their own place holder. The first page holds one disc on each side while the 3rd is held on the back cover. These are all single discs and I doubt there is any difference at all between them and their individual movie counterparts. Thus, having this combo saves a bit of space on the shelf, and if the price is right, is worth having despite my great disappointment in the quality of the Green Zone video transfer.

All my movie reviews are of this nature and focus only on the quality of the transfer to BluRay so check them and see if they are of help as well.

Hopefully, this review has been of some help to you in determining your purchase, hope I am on the correct path with a review of the transfer quality as opposed to providing plot summaries.

Thanks

I am rating this 5 stars based on the price for the movies. Everyone likes something different so I wont get into reviewing the movies. Came when it was supposed to and for three movies its a steal.

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GREAT combo pack! All the movies on this 3-pack are great. I had seen 2 of the 3 (not Green Zone) and was totally worth the proce even for just 2 great films. After watching Green Zone I am even MORE pleased with this purchase. AWESOME gift for a guy.

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Green zone bluray came with hiccup. While you watch the movie it skips or video bounces in a way that it's not normal

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All 3 movies are just different enough to keep you watching. Matt Damon is always good, Jamie Foxx is surprising and Jake Gyllenhal is getting better in action movies.

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Blue Streak (1999)

Blue streak was a good film, funny, good action scenes and a good cast. Martain Lawerance is always good in the films he's been involoved with, from House Party 1&2, Bad boys and Nothing to lose. This is not his best movie (as Bad boys would take some beating), but is one of his best and a lot better than Nothing to lose. Blue Streak is a solid film. Extra on the DVD lok well worth the purchase inluding an HBO First Look Featurette, music video's and the trailer.

Blue Streak is a great comedy/action movie. The movie stars Martin Lawrence (from Bad Boys) as Miles logan, a supergenious when it comes to crime. When his group decides a huge diamond from a bank that is worth $17 MILLION! One of the guys truns on them and makes the plan go wrong. Miles is the only one who gets arrested but before he did, he hid the diamond into a construction across the street. After two years of prison, Miles was finaly let out but things did not go so well. One, his girlfriend dumps him and the building that the diamond was hidden in became a police station. Now Miles has to break into a police station which happens to be the one place you would actually want to break in. Miles gets a fake ID and poses as a cop so he can retrieve the hidden diamond but it instantiousely partnered with a rookie cop, Carlson (Luke Wilson). Logan ends up having to do stuff with police department and seem to fit time to get back the diamond. One thing was for sure, Miles knows how the criminal mind works and manages to solve cases like a pro. Soon Miles has a biig case that involves finding missing drugs. Logan other problem is that he knows his old friend Deacon(Peter Green, the guy who turns on him in the beggining) is still after the diamond and knows Miles is too. Miles has to worry about things.

Overall, I think Blue streak is a good comedy that you will love. Buy it cause I know youll love it.

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I admit, I'm not a very big fan of Martin Lawrence. I don't find his type of humor very funny and do find it crude, unoriginal, and rude. Unlike, say Richard Pryor, there is no wit in Lawrence's comedy. He goes for the lowest level of humor and does not seek any depth or to grow.

However, I was pleasantly surprised by BLUE STREAK. The film stars Lawrence as a jewel thief named Logan who is sent to jail when a heist goes sour. He hides the jewel in a building under construction, but when he returns to the site two years later after serving his time in the pen, he discovers the building to be the site of a new police headquarters. So, he goes "undercover" as a cop to get his "baby" back and along the way nabs crooks and impresses the rest of the force.

The premise of the movie has been done before, but for the most part works here. However, the movie works best when Lawrence is interacting with other actors. When left by himself, the action halts and the film loses continuity (like in the pizza delievery scene). Nevertheless, the movie does have a few moments and rises above it's major flaws.

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Martin is just to funny in this movie. This is the perfect role for him. Nobody could of done a better job in this movie. You'll laugh hard... so be careful...

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Martin Lawrence once again stars in a outstanding comedy, the plot is already interesting and the movie itself is very easy watching and pleasant, the actors are all great and Martin is just too funny. You won't get borred one minute.

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The Damned United (2009)

The Damned United is not your typical sports film. It's much more than that. It's a study of contrasting personalities. Set during the 60s and 70s, the movie details the conflict of two very different managers of rival football (soccer) clubs i.e. Brian Clough and Don Revie. Don Revie (played by Colm Meaney) is the manager of the top ranked and virtually unbeatable, Leeds United. They are the Damned United of the title. Brian Clough (played by Michael Sheen) is the very outspoken, but extremely talented manager of a second tier team, Derby County.

At the start of the film, Revie has accepted the position of manager for Team England. That leaves the position of Leeds United manager open and the job is offered to Brian Clough. The film traces Brian Clough's rise as Derby County manager and fall as Leeds. Of course, he finds much more success after his tenure at Leeds United. But, that's another movie. Most Americans might ignore a film about English football thinking the subject boring. This is not the case. It's a marvelous character study and a fantastic movie. Michael Sheen's performance as Brian Clough is absolutely riveting. He's a very talented and versatile actor with roles as diverse as David Frost, Tony Blair and even Lucien from Underworld. I found myself fascinated by Clough's obsession with Revie. That obsession is what drives the plot. The adapted script is extremely well done by Peter Morgan. He also wrote the screenplays for Frost/Nixon and the Queen. It's an extremely literate script with sharp dialog.

One thing I will mention is that while Colm Meaney did not have as much screen time as Michael Sheen, he makes his presence felt as Revie. He's a marvelous character actor who has big shoes to fill with this role. All the characters in this film are larger than life. Now, what makes this story interesting is that you eventually learn that Brian Clough's obsession with Revie arose from a perceived slight at a match. Clough says that Revie refused to shake his hand at the end of a game. Is that what has been driving this man ? That obsession is what keeps you glued to your seat. Michael Sheen is just that good at playing Clough. He's a foul mouthed ball of energy.

And this movie isn't just about the conflict between Clough and Revie. It's also a very good portrait of the friendship between Clough and his co-manager, Peter Taylor played by Timothy Spall. These two are also contrasting personalities. Peter Taylor was Brian Clough's anchor. He kept all of Clough's eccentricities in check. He's the sensible one. They were a team and when they had a fall out, that left Clough foundering.

One small detail I found interesting was the accents of the performers. Most Americans are used to hearing the polished accents of BBC English. There's none of that here. The movie is filled with rough Northern accents that may seem jarring at first, but eventually grow on a person.

This is a movie I hope more people will watch because it really is a fascinating subject. Is it true to life ? I'm sure it's a dramatization of the facts. However, that does not detract from the movie. You expect movies to take a certain amount of poetic license. Make time to see this movie, you won't regret it.

"The Damned United" has turned out to be an impulse buy that is paying me back dividends. Michael Sheen plays Derby county/ Leeds United manager Brian Clough, A straight talking egotistical man who, along with this partner Perter Taylor(Timothy Spall), had an uncanny talent for taking sub par teams and turning them into champions. The film bounces around his time line by telling how he became a successful coach by leading Derby County, took over the reins of Leeds United from his arch enemy Don Revey(Clom Meaney)and eventually failed and fell into disgrace. Michael Sheen really shines in his roll as Clough and it was a joy to see him return to a roll that seems tailor suited for him. He had a bad run with this rolls in those lame Vampire/Werewolf flicks. He and Spall are the glue that hold the film together and had great chemistry. I didn't know about Clough's story before I watched this film and it's a truly remarkable one. What he did was like talking the Detroit Lions and making them Super Bowl champions. A virtually impossible task. Clough was one of those iconic "love him or hate him" type of characters that pop up in sports every once in a while. I liked him right away and his cocky way of telling his bosses off, keeping his players in line and his consuming hatred for that bloody Don Revey are a true joy to witness. "The Damned United" is a solid film with a cast made of superb actors. A must see.

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This is a brilliantly filmed, original movie. Based on David Peace's spare, gritty novel, it brings alive the ill fated 44 day managership of Brian Clough at Leeds United, explaining why he was such a controversial choice to manage the club given the long acrimonious history between Leeds and Derby when Don Revie was the manager of football's champions Leeds and Clough was at the helm of young pretenders Derby.

Michael Sheen shows off his brilliant skills in conveying real life characters (he has given similar treatment to Tony Blair, David Frost and Kenneth Williams); and recreates Brian Clough in his own image, a slightly camp, antagonistic manager frequently undermining his own chairman.

The filming recreates many of the tropes of the 1970s ashtrays laid out with half time oranges in the dressing room, Wizard boys comics, psychedelic wallpaper and makes the film a hugely enjoyable piece of ersatz period drama.

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The Damned United looks and smells and sounds like a sports film, but it is ultimately a Shakespearean tragedy imbued with deep romance. That the tragic hero at its center, Brian Clough (Michael Sheen, brilliant), is wearing soccer shorts instead of a crown doesn't minimize the grandeur and pathos, indeed, the epic quality of his fall from grace. That the similarly epic love is between two middle-aged men likewise doesn't diminish it. This is one of the sweetest, most heart-breaking stories of hubris and, ultimately, the redemption of love we have seen in a long while. (Really!)

The setting is 1970s England, where much as it remains today soccer rivalries are fierce, and matches are cause for national celebration or mourning. In this heady world of winners and losers, of glamour and legends, a young, cocky manager, Brian Clough, is newly promoted to Leeds United. Leeds United was, in 1974, the top English team, and Clough has big shoes to fill Leeds' former manager, the beloved Don Revie (Colm Meaney), has left to manage the national English team, and he leaves behind him a wake of trophies and a team of fiercely loyal players. Clough, odiously arrogant, swoops in on the very wrong foot, with complaints about Leeds' weather ("Wish I was still back in Majorca!" he exclaims obnoxiously) and radical rules such as that former manager Revie's name must never be mentioned quickly alienating the players, the owners, and the fans. Clough's tenure at Leeds, indeed, was a complete failure: under him, Leeds lost games, fell to the bottom of the division, and he was quickly sacked after 44 days.

The film underpins this tale of torturous disaster with a flashback to when Brian Clough, together with his partner, Peter Taylor (Timothy Spall), managed the unknown Division II team, Derby United, to unknown heights of glory. Spurred on by insatiable ambition, as well as his hurt pride at losing to Leeds without even an acknowledgement of a handshake by Revie, Clough drags the team up from the Division II nether regions, eventually catapulting it to the top of the Division I. It is here that England begins to take notice, and Clough's ego begins to swell.

The story is beautifully told. It manages to project this classical weight of tragic flaws and doomed anti-heroes without ever becoming bogged down by it. Some sequences such as Derby United's rematch against Leeds, as experienced privately by Clough, locked in his office are incredibly sweeping. Indeed, it is in scenes like this as well as the media interview Clough gives with Revie where typically "British" filmmaking is used to great effect. That is, by opting for subtlety and the quiet roar, i.e. less is more, the power of these moments in Clough's life is greatly felt. Michael Sheen's acting is likewise brilliant; the look on his face when Revie, on live television, explains why he failed with Leeds was gut-wrenching.

Similarly, the love between Clough and Peter Taylor is palpable from the beginning their shared joy, boyish tackles and Taylor's loyalty and unacknowledged importance are obvious to the viewer, if not to Clough himself. Indeed, as Clough powers ahead on per Taylor's words, and per the usual classical drama his doomed, misguided quest, it becomes more and more obvious how important Taylor is to Clough. There's a great scene when Taylor chastises Clough for being too ambitious, describing it like a sleeping monster that, when awoken, manages to swallow everything up even the beautiful. The later falling out between Clough and Taylor on the sunny shores of Majorca underscores this wonderfully.

By the end of the movie, we were dying to see the two men, the "damned united" of Derby, finally reconciled, and the film for all its wallowing in defeat and destruction and vengeance and tragic flaws does have a slightly more upbeat coda. Overall, an absolute joy.

*Review originally published at The Post-Punk Cinema Club:

Want The Damned United (2009) Discount?

Before giving us Best Picture THE KING'S SPEECH (2010), Tom Hooper made the glorious, British "football" biopic, THE DAMNED UNITED.

You needn't know of Leeds United, 1970's-era English football, or even manager Brian Clough to adore this film. Morgan's screenplay (based on David Peace's novel) creates a most compelling triangulation of adult male friendships and rivalries.

Clough (played to perfection by Michael Sheen) adores his dutiful right-hand man, Peter Taylor (Timothy Spall), while despising his rival Don Revie (Colm Meaney). When he takes over for Revie (who leaves Leeds to coach the English national team), Clough's on-the-field failures lead to a falling out with his friend.

UNITED is a joyride of a sports film. There is the thrill of competition and the agony of defeat, of course...made all the more so by the inner turmoil that drives the talented Clough, who is haunted by father-figures from opposite ends of the spectrum.

Sheen's performance here could have been just brash and cold, yet it is his portrayal of Clough's desperation and vulnerability that gives this film a beating heart and a loving soul.

THE DAMED UNITED is classic Tom Hooper in that way; damnable famous men resized to next-door neighbor scale.

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