I did a little two-movie marathon today. The first of the two is Colombiana (2011) starring Zoe Saldana, Michael Vartan, Cliff Curtis, Lennie James and Jordi Mollà. A young woman, after witnessing her parents’ murder as a child in Bogota, grows up to be a stone-cold assassin. Hot chick kickin’ ass? Check. Zoe Saldana gets the movie
she deserves with this excellent action thriller. Since Avatar, Star Trek and The Losers, she has stepped into the limelight as not only a good actor, but now as a good action star. Writer and producer Luc Besson knows how to make his leading ladies shine i.e: The Fifth Element, Leon: The Professional and La Femme Nikita. I call this movie an action thriller cause well, it’s a given its gonna be action, but the thriller is the excellent cat and mouse game between Zoe Saldana’s character and the authorities that are after here while she executes her revenge. I really liked the over plot and story. The script is smart and clever too. I also liked the casting of the film. And trust me, for my dude friends out there; Zoe Saldana is one hot butt kicker. For this reason she stays on my top 5 list I have referenced several times: http://spartanphoenix.wordpress.com/2010/11/08/celebrity-top-5-freebee-sex-pass-list/

In action scenes, I have always enjoyed good and creative death scenes. This movie does not disappoint in this area. Not only does Zoe Saldana kick ass in some hand-to-hand combat, she is very proficient with all kinds of weapons. The movie was rated PG-13 and kudos to the editing, as it teased your mind just enough to figure out how gruesome the death scenes can get with out actually being rated R. Of course the perve side of me wanted it rated R for another reason. The movie was the perfect length, and worth a theater visit. Check it out!

The second and last movie of my short movie marathon was Our Idiot Brother (2011) starring Paul Rudd, Elizabeth Banks, Zooey Deschanel and Emily Mortimer. A comedy centered on an idealist who barges into the lives of his three sisters. About five minutes into the film my wife surprised me and met me in theater. I unusually tell her my movie marathon schedule so she knows what I’m seeing and when. From time to time she surprises me and shows up to meet. I like it when she does that; she’s a cool wife. All right, on with the movie take. I had been
seeing a lot of hype about this movie due to the TV commercials and the late night interviews with the stars with one of favorite late night shows Chelsea Lately. After all of the hype I didn’t find the movie as funny as I thought it would be especially with the talented cast it had. Don’t get wrong, the movie did have it funny parts, but I found the movie more drama, than comedy. It’s misleading that way. However the drama in this movie does work, and the main message of this film isn’t too preachy. Paul Rudd was very charming and the leading ladies in this film that play his sisters are also charming and fun to watch. This movie was only 90 minutes so the lack of comedy didn’t hurt as much as it could of. But I did wish it was funnier. I wouldn’t dismiss this film, just wait for video and don’t expect it to be the laugh fest the trailers lead you to believe the film is.

Next week is DragonCon 2011 for me. It’s one of my favorite times of the year. My friend Cat is visiting and I see ourselves checking out a movie or two. After all, Cat was one of my original movie marathon buddies.

More later, stay tuned!

- Spartan Phoenix

Spartan Phoenix Movie Round up! Alright its time for some movie lovin’ catch up!

Conan the Barbarian (2011) 3D. The tale of Conan the Cimmerian and his adventures across the continent of Hyboria on a quest to avenge the murder of his father and the slaughter of his village. First things first, this movie is not worth the extra charge for 3D. As fun as it was, its not worth 3D. Its hard to compare this movie with the original Conan the Barbarian (1982) starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. It was a different time and a different feeling. The original, Conan stands on it’s own, but I did like this new one. My only problem with the new one was the some of the plot holes, But do I really need an A+ plot with a  Conan movie? No. It was rated R, which a Conan movie should be. There was plenty of blood and violence and some boobies. By the way, the sex boobie scene with star Jason Momoa and his hot co-star Rachel Nichols were stunt
boobies, not hers, sorry guys. As for Jason Momoa, I was pleased with his role as Conan, I thought it was good casting. I’ve been a fan of his
since his co-starring role on the TV series Stargate: Atlantis. So new Conan is fun, not great, but worth a check on video or a matinee movie price.

Fright Night (2011) 3D. A teenager suspects that his new neighbor is a vampire. I didn’t expect much from this remake, but I must say it was refreshingly fun. I liked the backdrop of Las Vegas as a Vampire haven. I also liked the cast, especially the lead teen / vampire hunter role-played by rising star Anton Yelchin (Terminator Salvation, Star Trek 2009). This movie also did a wonderful job with the 3D effects. This is a must see on the big screen. The movie was very funny too. I was also impressed with Colin Farrell’s character as “Jerry, the Vampire”. He was charismatic and funny too. I’ve been impressed with Colin’s recent low-key movie roles that have showcased his acting instead of his looks like Horrible Bosses, The Way Back, Crazy Heart and In Bruges. Fright Night in 3D was more fun than expected and worth seeing in 3D.

The Help (2011). A look at what happens when a southern town’s unspoken code of rules and behavior is shattered by three courageous women who strike up an unlikely friendship. This was a movie my wife “called”. This means it was a movie I had to see with her and not alone in one of my movie marathons. Just like every other woman in this country, this movie was a must see after reading the book. I didn’t read the book, yeah, big surprise right. But my wife did and really wanted to see the movie adaptation. I wanted to see this movie actually, cause
I was impressed with the casting, and I was not disappointed. This movie is a well-acted and excellent portrayal of the time of segregation of the south on the 50’s and 60’s. Everything from the sets, costumes, cars, and music transported us to a tumultuous time in our U.S. history. This movie was a good history lesson. I also would like to see some Oscar nominations for the to lead maids played by Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer. They were absolutely awesome in their roles. Also great in their roles was America’s new sweetheart Emma Stone as the lead Eugenia Skeeter’ Phelan and Bryce Dallas Howard who played the evil but captivating Hilly Holbrook. It was nice to see a movie with great acting, sorry and plot with out action, explosions and special effects up the whazoo. This movie was great drama, and is a must see.

The Big Lebowski (1998) “Dude” Lebowski, mistaken for a millionaire Lebowski, seeks restitution for his ruined rug and enlists his bowling buddies to help get it. This movie was only playing on the big screen for one night only. It was also being released on blu-ray the same week. And lead “Dude” actor Jeff Bridges released a country album the same week too. I have to admit that when I first saw this movie on the big screen, I didn’t get it. I didn’t like it. As time went on the cult status of this movie increasingly rose especially with the video sales and the annual convention called “ Lebowski Fest”. More on that event can be found
here http://www.lebowskifest.com/

Last year I borrowed the movie from my friend Porter cause I wanted to see what I missed. Now that I get it, I found a new respect for this movie. Its very funny once you “get it”. When I found out this movie
was playing on the big screen, I contacted my buddy Porter and he met up with me to see it. It was only playing at two theaters here in the Atlanta area. It wasn’t a big crowd, but the Lebowski faithful were there. I was a little disappointed by not seeing anyone in costume. The movie was fun to see on the big screen and my appreciation for this movie grows.  I wouldn’t mind attending one of these Lebowski Fests. Beer,
bowling, costumes? What’s not to like?

30 Minutes or Less (2011). Two fledgling criminals kidnap a pizza delivery guy, strap a bomb to his chest, and inform him that he has mere hours to rob a bank or else… I was looking forward to this movie cause the lead star Jesse Eisenberg and director Ruben Fleischer did one of
my favorite movies Zombieland (2009). The movie had a good comedic cast too. The move had some very funny parts, but wasn’t as funny as I expected it to be. The two funniest characters in the movie were played by Aziz Ansari and Nick Swardson, both of which are very funny comedians in their own right. Danny McBride was also funny, but some of the jokes fell flat at times. Not worth the movie ticket but worth a video see.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes 3D (2011). During experiments to find a cure for Alzheimer’s disease, a genetically enhanced chimpanzee uses its greater intelligence to lead other apes to freedom. I really liked the story and the concept behind this film. What this movie did for me was now put a back-story for all of the Apes movies of the past I’ve seen. I now know what we did as humans to piss them off. San Francisco was ground zero for the ape revolution. OK I can go with that. The real star of this film is the one you don’t get to see his real human face, I’m talking about the actor that brought to life the lead ape Caesar
played by motion capture actor Andy Serkis. Andy is also known for other famous creatures he has played like Gollum, Kong (King Kong) and as Captain Haddock in the upcoming release I’m very excited about: The Adventures of Tintin (2011). As for Apes, I would say that I liked it overall. But I did get an uncomfortable feeling during the first half of the film. It’s the feeling you get when you visit a zoo and you get depressed seeing all of the animals in captivity. It was a little depressing to see what the apes went through. But I think that is what the movie is trying to do, so kudos for making me feel bad to be a human. I did see this movie in 3D. It’s not worth the 3D price, but worth a theater visit.

The Change-Up (2011) A comedy in which a married father accidentally switches bodies with his “ladies man” best friend, leading to a series of wildly complex difficulties. This movie was some funny shit! It’s rated R for a reason and is worth a see. After seeing this movie I have decided one thing; Co-star Jason Bateman, is a comic genius. His co-star Ryan Reynolds, was very funny as well, but Jason Bateman steals the show. This movie does a good job on the “personality switch” twist. This move was also filmed in Atlanta, my town. So it was cool to see the location shoots that I had seen myself.

I would also like to mention that female costar hottie Olivia Wilde has officially made my new “Top 5 Freebee List”. Not sure whom she knocks off the list yet, but feel free to let me know whom you think she should replace: http://spartanphoenix.wordpress.com/2010/11/08/celebrity-top-5-freebee-sex-pass-list/

Oh and Jason Bateman had the best line in the film. Picture this, he’s Ryan Reynolds personality in Jason Bateman’s body and is buck-naked. He’s cupping his junk with his right hand and holding a mirror under his crotch with his left hand. He says: “Holy fuck knuckles, I have freckles on my taint!” Ha! Comic awesomeness. This movie is a very funny, check it out!

Crazy, Stupid, Love. (2011) A father’s life unravels while he deals with a marital crisis and tries to manage his relationship with his children. This was a date night movie with my wife. I will start off saying that I liked this movie more than my wife did. Overall I enjoyed this movie and the twist at the end that ties all of the relationships together. Lead actors Steve Carell and Ryan Gosling were picture perfect as their roles. Steve Carell played the down on the dumps soon to be divorcée and Ryan Gosling plays the ladies man who helps with the “man up makeover”. America’s new sweetheart Emma Stone was charming as
the “game changer” love interest to Ryan Gosling. The best part of the film is when Steve Carell gets his man mojo back and starts his own version of the “ladies man”. This movie does take a serious turn towards the end, which does add to the drama, but that is when the funny ends and the story takes a more serious note. Skip the movie theater, but check it out on video.

More movie madness to come, check me out later bitches!

- Spartan Phoenix

 Cowboys & Aliens (2011) starring Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, Olivia Wilde, Clancy Brown, Keith Carradine and Sam Rockwell. Directed by Jon Favreau.

A spaceship arrives in Arizona, 1873, to take over the Earth, starting with the Wild West region.. where a lone cowboy leads an uprising against the terror from beyond our world. The stranger with no memory of his past stumbles into the hard desert town of Absolution. The only hint to his history is a mysterious shackle that encircles one wrist.

I started to watch this movie about 3 ½ hours ago. Right now it’s about 3:30 in the morning. I just got back from watching the midnight premier of Cowboys & Aliens at the local AMC Theater.

This is one of the movies I was looking forward to most out of the summer movies this year. Before seeing it, there is so much going for it. The plot itself is cool, Cowboys and Aliens do battle. It’s directed by fanboy favorite director Jon Favreau who brought the awesomeness that is Iron Man 1 and 2. Staring new badass James Bond Daniel Craig. And of course, starring the legend, Indiana Solo himself, Harrison Ford, the coolest actor of all time.

However… I had one huge hesitation about this film before I saw it, please, please don’t fuck up the western part of this film. I was sure they would get the Alien part of the film right, which I think they did. But I have been a huge fan of the western genre, especially of the westerns released in the past 20 years like Unforgiven (1992), Silverado (1985) ,
Open Range (2003), 3:10 to Yuma(2007) and my favorite western of all time, Tombstone (1993).

Give Val Kilmer his Oscar already damit!

I really wanted Jon Favreau and crew to make me believe as we the audience were drawn and sucked into the wild western world. I was not disappointed. In my opinion, this is a western flick, which I was very happy with. As for the Aliens, I was pleased with the way they were portrayed and the reason why there were here on earth. I also liked the look of them too. They were ferocious, fast and unforgiving, heh heh, pun intended.

Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford both commanded the screen each time the camera was pointed on them. When they shared the screen, it was action hero royalty at its best.

Seeing Harrison Ford wear another hat other than his trademark Indy fedora, was very cool. It’s a tribute to his acting that made me believe he reminded me of no one else but the character he was playing in Cowboys & Aliens.

Olivia Wilde, the hot female lead was convincing in her role too. She has a great look with her long tight form fitting dress with a pistol and gun belt hanging Clint Eastwood style off her petite figure. Yeah that was hot!

Don’t think she plays the damsel in distress, cause you would be wrong. In this movie, her character has a key role and a specific reason to be where she is. My only problem I had with Olivia Wilde’s was that her character didn’t flash a little side boob action with the PG-13 rating. All you get is a little hard nip through the clothing action. Which reminds me, I think my wife has a little girl on girl crush with Olivia Wilde. I wonder how I can work that into my favor, hmmmm. Anyways….

Cowboys & Aliens was a good movie. And the gamble that paid off with the marriage of two popular genres. Jon Favreau does movie fun nerd right in this flick. Thanks for keeping the West wild man! Have fun and go see this movie.

Staying up late so you guys don’t have to. Till next time…

- Spartan Phoneix, you’re movie nerd master!

I had to work a morning shift on Friday, the opening weekend for both Captain America and Friends With Benefits. I made arrangements
to head to the movie theater right after work. Since I wanted to see the 3D showing of Captain America I had to see Friends with Benefits first cause the timing worked better. But not to worry, my nerdness remembered to bring my own pair of 3D glasses. When it comes to seeing movies in 3D some should be missed, some should not. Captain
America: The First Avenger falls into the latter. More on that
later.

Friends with Benefits (2011) starring Justin Timberlake, Mila Kunis, Woody Harrelson, Patricia Clarkson, Jenna Elfman and Richard Jenkins. While trying to avoid the clichés of Hollywood romantic comedies, Dylan (Timberlake) and Jamie (Kunis) soon discover however that adding the act of sex to their friendship does lead to complications. I have become a big fan of Justin Timberlake, but in
an N’SYNC, or gay way. Well, I’ll let you decide that. I have become a fan of Justin Timberlake’s exploits of Saturday night Live. This guy is funny. He has very good comedic chops. His character in this movie was funny and charming. Mila Kunis, his co-star was also entertaining, not to mention, kinda hot. Woody Harrelson plays Justin’s very gay co-worker and is hilarious and steals the scenes he shares. The movie’s script was funny and it also takes a refreshing serious turn when Justin’s character has to deal with his father’s illness instead of running from it. The movie pokes fun at the romantic comedy formula (which I’m a fan of) without becoming a slave to it. I liked the way it ended with its tribute
to romantic comedies but with its own fresh take on what matters most in many relationships…. sex. This is a good date movie otherwise wait for video.

Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) starring Chris Evans, Tommy Lee Jones, Hugo Weaving and Hayley Atwell. After being
deemed unfit for military service, Steve Rogers volunteers for a top secret research project that turns him into Captain America, a superhero dedicated to defending America’s ideals. This movie was soooo much fun. As you know, I see all superhero movies, but have not read the back-story of most of them. There are a few that I know the back-story for, but for this year’s superhero movie releases, not so much. Not having any expectations is a good thing, which is the reason I seemed to be the only one that liked Green Lantern.

The thing I liked best about this Captain America movie was the back story Chris Evans’s character as Steve Rodgers and how his too short and skinny character becomes the hero by showing heart and honor. I thought the casting of Chris Evans as Captain America and Hugo Weaving as the evil Red Scull was perfect. The ladies will like seeing Chris with his shirt off. Overall, the casting of all of the other characters was done well. I enjoyed the storyline; the humor and I also loved the introduction and back story of Howard Stark’s character, the father of Tony Stark aka Iron Man. Howard Stark’s role in this film is interesting, cause you get to see how is advance weapon technology assist’s not only Captain America but also lends a hand in his birth and origin to becoming the superhuman he is. Look carefully when Steve Rogers is making his transformation in the “super human pod”, all of
the control panels say “Stark Industries”.

I have seen a lot of 3D movies since the 3D craze started, and for the first time while watching one I jumped back in my seat in a certain scene in this Captain America movie. There is a very cool scene involving his shield that does an awesome ricochet back at the audience. Awesome!!!! This movie was a good old action packed superhero movie worth seeing in 3D. It’s my favorite superhero movie this year. Check it out in the
theater, in 3D if you can!

My video pick this time is the movie Take Me Home Tonight (2011) starring Topher Grace, Anna Faris, Dan Fogler and Teresa Palmer. It was just released on video July 19^th, 2011. I just bought a bluray copy
myself. When I saw this movie in the theater I mentioned in a previous blog entry that it was one of the funniest movies I’ve seen, and I still stand by this claim. This is a must see movie for all fo us that grew up in the 80’s and have a love for 80’s pop culture. It stars Topher Grace from That 70’s Show fame. It takes place on one night in 1988 that changes the lives of everyone involved in on wild night that includes two parties, a stolen car, sex on a trampoline, and a ride in a large steel ball rolling down the street. This movie pays and awesome tribute to life in the 80’s and is very funny. Its rated R for language and Angie Everhart boobies. Who is Angie Everhart? This is Angie Everhart:

Also you get to see a cute gothy Michelle Trachtenberg from Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and EuroTrip (2004) fame:

If you see this movie, I recommend renting or buying the actual DVD or blu-ray due to the special features on the disc. You wont get the special features if you stream of watch this on demand. There is a video for the song Don’t You Want Me (originally done by Human League) covered
by a band on the soundtrack to this movie. The cover is not the notable thing about this video. The entire cast of the movie is in this video for the band and does an awesome tribute to every single cool 80’s movie. It’s a very funny and creative tribute to 80’s decade. As I’ve said its one of my favorite movies I’ve seen this year. Its disappointing that it didn’t get the attention it deserved in the theatrical release, so lets give it its due on video. Check it out my movie nerds!

- Spartan Phoenix

Don’t worry Spartan Phoenix Movie Marathon Man fans, I’m not dead. Just busy and very preoccupied with family, work and other fun stuff. Ok maybe I’ve been a little lazy in keeping up with this blog too. Don’t worry though, I’ve still found the time to do some movie marathons, I mean come on, shit, movies are in my blood, cant stop seeing them even now. Lets dive right into it.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 starring…. Well you know who is in these movies. If you don’t, stop reading this, go to the mirror and punch yourself really hard in the neck and watch your own reaction to this. For this final installment of the Harry Potter movie franchise I decided to take advantage of a special movie event that selected AMC theaters were doing. Harry Potter 7 Part 2 opened Thursday at Midnight. I bought a two-movie ticket for $20 bucks to see HP 7 Part 1 at 9pm, Thursday night at 9pm, and then in the same theater saw HP 7 Part 2 later at midnight (12:01am Friday) in 3D! Every theatergoer even got a special pair of Harry Potter promo 3D glasses.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 was awesome! Being a huge fan of these books and movies I was very satisfied with this last movie of the franchise. There was two scenes in the movie that I was hoping the movie would include and not fuck it up cause they were my favorite parts in the book. The two scenes I speak of was Neville Longbottom kicking some snake ass and Mrs. Weasley kicking some Belatrix ass! I was not disappointed!

On a personal note during a certain scene in HP 7 Part 2 I got a little sad cause I started to think of my mom. My mom passed away last December (2010). My mom was a bookworm. She loved reading books. I didn’t. I loved TV and movies. When I got into Harry Potter I listened to the audio books, which were the best I’d ever heard. I got my mom into Harry Potter and she dived head first into the books and it was something we shared together closely. Miss ya mom!

For more info about the awesome Harry Potter audio books, check out my post last year of Harry Potter 7 Part here: http://spartanphoenix.wordpress.com/2010/11/21/harry-potter-deathly-hallows-unstoppable-saw-3d-morning-glory-skyline/

Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011) starring everyone one from the last movies
except Meagan Fox and some new hotness. Transformers 3 was everything I expected and more. What a great popcorn movie. This movie had so much frickin action, I didn’t wanna get up from my chair to pee. If this is the last movie of the franchise I will be satisfied. New hottie girlfriend of Sam Witwicky played by Rosie Huntington-Whiteley was good on the eyes. Whether she can act or not didn’t matter in this film cause that’s not why you see these movies. Director Michael Bay gave me what I wanted in a Michael Bay film: Action, explosions, gunplay, humor, tiny bit a drama and more action. I think Michael Bay gets a bad rap from movie snobs. I have enjoyed all of his movies cause he gives me my fun summer movie popcorn action adventure films. Transformers: Dark of the Moon has an added bonus for sci-fi nerds like myself. One of the new Transformer characters Sentinel Prime was voiced by Star Trek legend Leonard Nimoy (aka Spock bitches!) There were even two Star Trek references in the movie too. Transformers 3 was a lot of fun and the best of the trilogy by far. I saw this movie in 3D IMAX. The IMAX sound was awesome! Have some fun at the movies and
check it out!

Like I said even though I haven’t been posting movie blogs in the last two months I have been busy seeing movies. I’m gonna give you guys a quick rundown on what I’ve seen and whether you should see it or not. Here it goes….

Horrible Bosses (2011). Very funny movie with a great cast. Jennifer Aniston is hot and very naughty in this flick and Jason Bateman
is excellently funny in this film. See it!

Cars 2
(2011). This movie was a little boring for my taste. I didn’t really like the
first one. It’s a kid’s movie and should be treated as such. At least I got a
15 minute nap somewhere in the middle of the movie. I didn’t miss anything. Skip it.

Larry Crowne
(2011). After losing his job, Larry Crown (Tom Hanks) a middle-aged
man reinvents himself by going back to college. This movie was refreshing and fun. It was co-written by Nia Vardalos star of My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Julia Roberts plays Larry Crown’s college teacher and love interest. I recommend this film, check it out.

Bad Teacher
(2011). This movie was just OK. It had its funny moment. Co-star Jason Segel was a lot funnier than star Cameron Diaz. If this movie weren’t rated R, it would have sucked. Check it out but wait for video.

Green Lantern
(2011). This movie got slammed by everyone, included Green Lantern comic book loyalists. Since I didn’t know jack shit about the history of Green Lantern and had no expectations so I actually enjoyed it. Star Ryan Reynolds was entertaining as the lead Lantern hero. Love interest played by Blake Lively was hot and not annoying, as many have complained about. I liked it, but wait for video.

Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011). This was a good sequel to the first one. I like the new characters and the movie was very funny. I enjoyed the 3D showing I saw too. It looked great in 3D. I hope they make a 3^rd one. I’m sure they will. See it.

Super 8
(2011). I thought this movie about an alien who escapes from military captivity in a rural small 1970’s town was just OK. I wasn’t impressed like many other critics were. The best thing about this movie was the 1970’s setting and the young cast. Wait for video, but its not a must see in my opinion.

X-Men: First Class (2011). I really liked this new X-men movie with the younger versions of the mutants. The highlight of the movie was a young Magneto played by Michael Fassbender who finds some former Nazi’s in hiding and kicks some ass. Kevin Bacon played the main bad guy and this was a huge bonus. Check it out!

The Hangover Part II (2011). This sequel was an awesomely funny follow-up to the original. I laughed just as much and maybe more than the original. The Thailand setting for this film was perfect with all of the debauchery the Hangover Wolf pack gets into. Don’t miss it; this movie is some funny shit!

Well that’s it for now. Thanks for being patient and I will movie nerd it soon!

- Spartan Phoenix

Thor … ehh.

Thor (2011) starring Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston and Anthony Hopkins. The powerful but arrogant warrior Thor is cast out of the fantastic realm of Asgard and sent to live amongst humans on Earth, where he soon becomes one of their finest defenders. So the first of the big budget superhero movies to come out this summer is Thor. You know I will see all of these superhero films, but Thor intrigued me cause I was curious how lead actor Chris Hemsworth would pull it off. Chris had a small put important roll as Kirks father in the last Star Trek film directed by J.J. Abrams. Also, Chris has been cast as Patrick Swayze’ s character Jed in the upcoming Red Dawn(2011) re-make. Here is a peak at the new cast for the new Red Dawn movie:

A bit of trivia, Chris beat out his own brother Liam Hemsworth for the lead role as Thor.

I saw Thor in IMAX 3-D. However this time I saw it on a ”real” IMAX screen, which was cool.  For my thoughts about “real” and “fake” IMAX theaters check out my previous post on the subject here:

http://spartanphoenix.wordpress.com/2010/04/07/is-your-imax-theater-a-real-imax-theater-do-i-feel-guilty-for-what-i-do/

Lead actor Chris Hemsworth was convincing and charming as Thor. But I did find the movie as a whole disappointing. Natalie Portman was a non-factor, as anyone could have done her lamely written role. This was disappointing cause I wanted her to shine in a movie to make up for the craptastic movie Black Swan. I think she phoned this one in. The only thing I really liked about this movie was Thor’s warrior friends that go to battle with him. I didn’t like the bad guy and the story telling had holes. I wont say this movie sucked, but it wasn’t good. Wait for video. If you do see it don’t forget to wait through the end of the credits to see a secret scene.

I’m still high from the awesomeness that was Fast Five (2011), its going to be interesting to see if any of the big summer movies can top it in my opinion.  After the disappointment of Thor I walked right into another showing of Fast Five to cheer me up. It worked. Go see Fast Five instead.

- Spartan Phoenix

All right, its time for some movie catch up. You must be informed! I just saw Thor, but I wanted to catch you up on other movies I’ve seen in the last month. Thor will be in my next post in a couple of days.

The summer movie season has officially kicked off, well if you’re listening to the hype machine by the people who have brought you Fast Five (2011). And you should listen to them. More on Fast Five in a bit. The summer movie season always kicks off in May. But the movie companies have been trying to get a jump on the season by releasing big budget action films at the end of April. And they have done this successfully this time around.

Fast Five (2011) starring Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Dwayne Johnson, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson, Ludacris and Sung Kang. Dominic and his crew find themselves on the wrong side of the law once again as they try to switch lanes between a ruthless drug lord and a relentless federal agent.  This movie kicked fuckin’ ass! By far, this movie is the best of the franchise. The movie is shot mostly in Rio and the city delivers a great backdrop. This latest installment of the Furious movies has more action, more cars, more hot babes, more gunplay, and is also very funny. The cast brought together from all of the previous films paid off in so many ways. All cast members had a chance to shine in this film including the bad guys and of course the awesome addition to tuff guy action hero Dwayne Johnson. This movie rocked on all levels. This is a fun popcorn movie worth seeing in the theater. I saw it in IMAX and the sound that IMAX delivered was an extra bonus. See this movie bitches! Oh and stay through the credits for an extra secret scene.

Dylan Dog: Dead of Night (2010) starring Brandon Routh, Sam Huntington and Taye Diggs. The adventures of supernatural private eye, Dylan Dog, who seeks out the monsters of the Louisiana bayou in his signature red shirt, black jacket, and blue jeans. Instead of sneaking into this movie after I saw Fast Five I actually went to another theater and paid to see this movie. These two movies weren’t playing together in the same theaters, which bugged the shit out of me. But this movie was worth the ticket. I enjoyed the supernatural theme of this movie, which explored vampires, werewolves, zombies, etc in the state of Louisiana. I liked the concept of this story and it was very funny. Brandon Routh was entertaining as the human supernatural private eye. This movie is based on a graphic novel. I know vampire movies are the big thing now, but this movie has its own twist and take of the whole genre that is worth checking out.

The Lincoln Lawyer (2011) starring Matthew McConaughey, Marisa Tomei, Ryan Phillippe and William H. Macy. A lawyer conducts business from the back of his Lincoln town car while representing a high-profile client in Beverly Hills. This is one of those movies that completely surprised me on how good it turned out to be. It’s not your average Matthew McConaughey movie, and you know what I mean when I say that. He was very good as an actor in this film. This movie had a great cast and great story too. I was riveted to the story and “who done it and who to believe” storyline. I believe this movie is based on a book. You have to check out this movie. Don’t let Matthew McConaughey scare you away from this movie. I believe its his best role to date. I will go on record and say it is one of the best movies I have seen this year so far. Check it out!

Hanna (2011) starring Saoirse Ronan, Cate Blanchett and Eric Bana. A 16-year-old who was raised by her father to be the perfect assassin is dispatched on a mission across Europe, tracked by a ruthless intelligence agent and her operatives. This movie was very cool. The soundtrack done by the Chemical Brothers really added to the tense action and chase scenes in the film. This movie will prove that lead actress Saoirse Ronan is going to be a big star soon. She commands the screen in everything I have watched her in. Cate Blanchett plays the devious agent chasing her and she is fun to watch as her evil side is showcased. Cool story and a cool flick!

Arthur (2011) starring Russell Brand, Helen Mirren, Jennifer Garner and Greta Gerwig. A drunken playboy stands to lose a wealthy inheritance when he falls for a woman his family doesn’t like. This movie re-make was OK. The best part of this film was Helen Mirren who played the nanny to Russell Brand’s Arthur character. She was very funny. This movie had its funny parts other than her. My problem with the movie was with Russell Brand. He seems to be playing himself. Don’t get me wrong, he’s a funny guy, but he needs to branch out in another comedic role and not look and act the same in every film. Wait for video.

Your Highness (2011) starring Danny McBride, James Franco, Natalie Portman and Zooey Deschanel. When Prince Fabious’s bride is kidnapped, he goes on a quest to rescue her… accompanied by his lazy useless brother Thadeous. I knew I was gonna get my raunchy comedy out of this film, and trust me they had plenty of boob, dick, fart, and sex jokes in this film. And some of them were very funny. However towards the end of the film some grew tiresome. It didn’t bother me enough not to recommend this movie if this is the type of humor you’re looking for. For you guys, there is plenty of boobies to see, unfortunately they are not from the lead actresses. I’m a big fan of Danny McBride, he is funny in this film. There is some funny sense and characters in this film, but this humor is not for everyone. I get it, so I recommend this film, but wait for video.

Unknown (2011) starring Liam Neeson, Diane Kruger, January Jones, Aidan Quinn and Bruno Ganz. A man awakens from a coma, only to discover that someone has taken on his identity and that no one, (not even his wife), believes him. With the help of a young woman, he sets out to prove who he is. I wanted to see this film because of the success of Taken (2008). Liam Neeson is kind of becoming and older action star in his own rite because of this that, I think this is great. Unknown (2011) is not as good as Taken, but I still recommend it. It’s shot on location in Germany and other parts of Europe. I liked the story and the twist at the end. This movie has a spy who’s who thriller thing going on that is very fun to watch unfold. Check it out on video if you missed it in the theater.

Source Code (2011) starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan, Vera Farmiga and Jeffrey Wright. An action thriller centered on a soldier who wakes up in the body of an unknown man and discovers he’s part of a mission to find the bomber of a Chicago commuter train. This movie didn’t do it for me. I liked the concept of going back in time several times to stop the terrorist plot especially when each time is a little different. But I didn’t like the ending and how Jake Gyllenhaal’s character was used in this story. I don’t recommend this film, sorry guys, try again.

Beastly (2011) starring Alex Pettyfer, Vanessa Hudgens, Neil Patrick Harris and Mary-Kate Olsen. A modern-day take on the “Beauty and the Beast” tale where a New York teen is transformed into a hideous monster in order to find true love. This movie is a modern take on the Beauty and the Beast story. Lead actor Alex Pettyfer is gonna get a lot of attention from young girls and women cause of his good looks and brooding style. That’s why I may have liked it more if I was a 14-year-old girl. It was interesting to see Mary-Kate Olsen as a gothic girl who deals out curses and Neil Patrick Harris has a blind Yoda type. It wasn’t a bad movie, but it wasn’t a great one either. This is more of a chick flick. My wife may want to see it, which is cool. It’s a rental.

African Cats (2011).  A Disney Nature documentary centered on two cat families and how they teach their cubs the ways of the wild. Its not becoming a tradition to take my 5 going on 6-year-old daughter to Earth Day releases of their Disney Nature movies. Last year it was Oceans (2009). This year it was African Cats (2011).  Little C is still trying to not talk through the whole movie. She gets so excited and amerced into the movie she has to be reminded to not talk. She did a good job overall and really enjoyed the movie. Towards the 70-minute mark I could tell she was getting a little restless. The movie was very cool and beautifully shot. The lives of these cats are very harsh yet amazing at the same time. If you have kids I suggest making and Earth Day Disney Nature tradition of your own.

Thor is next! Stay tuned.

- Spartan Phoenix

Before Thor gets it opening weekend movie take in. I thought I would share my predictions of the Top Ten 2011Summer Movie Money Makers. I recently joined a 2011 Summer Movie Pool that has a cash prizes for the winners. The contest Starts the first week in May 2011 and ends the last week of August 2011. I’m bummed that I can’t count Fast Five. Oh well, not my rules. This list is harder than you think cause there is always a surprise box office hit and a dud. I chose to leave out the Hangover 2, and I think Kung Fu Panda 2 is going to be the 2^nd best summer moneymaker next to the last installment of the Harry Potter Films. This is my first time doing this, so I don’t expect to do well in my pool. But I took some obvious choices for my picks. Lets see how well I do come September.

Here are my picks for the Top Ten 2011 Summer Movie Money Makers:

01: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II

02: Kung Fu Panda 2

03: Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

04: Transformers: Dark of the Moon

05: Thor

06: Cars 2

07: Green Lantern

08: X-Men: First Class

09: Captain America: The First Avenger

10: Cowboys and Aliens

Here is a link to the summer movie pool I entered:

http://mcgauley.net/moviepool/index.php

Let the debate begin!

- Spartan Phoenix

This comes a little late. But better late than never right? As many of you know I did my Spartan Phoenix Movie Marathon Man experiment last year. I saw 200 movies in one calendar year. This means I saw my fair share of good movies and crappy movies. I wanted to share my 2010 best and worst movie picks. Now, since I have already given my review on each of these chosen flicks in my past blogs I’m not going to give them again. I’m just going to list the movies with maybe a short note about them. The movies listed below are not in any particular order, but I will single out my best and worst film of 2010.

Spartan Phoenix’s Top 10 Best Movies of 2010

To single out my best film of the year it would have to be:

 True Grit

True Grit is by far the best movie I saw all of last year. I grew up watching westerns and war movies with my dad. This is why westerns are one of my favorite movie genres. Since the 90’s, westerns have made a comeback and True Grit stands on top with some of the best westerns I have seen in the past 20 years.

Here are my other 9 best films of the year:

 She’s Out of My League

She’s Out of My League was one of the funniest films with a great collection of back to back funny scenes. The movie had heart too.

The Joneses

The Joneses is a very interesting film about a fake family used to push products within their community.

City Island

City Island was well acted. It a very funny story about a disfunctional family living on a small New York Island. 

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Trilogy)

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo was the first of the trilogy. I have to count all three into one for my best of 2010 picks. This was a great dramatic and thriller packed trilogy.

Red

Red is a funny action comedy with a great cast.

 Secretariat

Secretariat is a great family film about the true story of this famous horse.

Unstoppable

Unstoppable is a great thrill ride. Its one of those edge of your seat action thrillers. There was good drama too.

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World has a great script with a bunch of very funny characters. This movie was a pleasent surprise and well acted too.

Kick-Ass

Kick-Ass is one of my favorite graphic novel movies. The movie does a great job showing the viloent, grity and funny storyline that the graphic novel conveyed.

Spartan Phoenix’s 10 Worst Movies of 2010

My worst film of the year was no contest. It was:

Black Swan

 Before I saw this movie with my wife (then girlfriend) we heard about all of the critical acclaim it got. I just don’t get this movie. I thought it was a pile of confusing mess with your mind crap. I’m glad Natalie Portman got her Oscar for this picture cause she is a good actress, but her portrayal as a ballerina was the only redeeming thing about this movie. The only people that seem to like this film are professional kiss your ass critics.

 Here is a list of my other 9 craptastic films of 2010.

The Ghost Writer

The Ghost Writer was a boring Roman Polanski story that had a shitty ending.

After.Life

After.Life was a poor attempt of at a 6th Sense rip off with a twist.

Splice

Splice is about an animal / alien type of hybrid. A sucktastic film with one of the most uncomfotable sex scenes Ive ever watched.

Cyrus

Cyrus was suppose to be a dark comedy. It wasnt funny at all. It was depressing as shit.

The American

The American was probably Clooney’s worst film I had ever seen. The first five minutes of the film was great, then it went into the crapper fast.

Buried

Buried takes place inside a pine coffin box where the lead and only star of the film is trapped, the whole movie. Buried = fail.

Hereafter

Hereafter is Clint Eastwoods worst and maybe only bad film that I can think of.

 The Warrior’s Way

The Warrior’s Way was a misirable attempt of a Kung Fu Western.

 The Tourist

 The Tourist was two good actors stuck in a bad film. Half the movie was watching Jolie walk around in snappy clothes. Depp’s character was hard to watch. A waste of big name talent. 

So there you have it. Those are my best and worst movies of 2010. I had a tougher time picking my top 10 best films than I did my worst. The next thing I want to do is compile a new updated top 100 movies of all time. I havent done this in over five years so I think its time. Stay tuned. Oh, below is a reminder of how many movies I saw last year month by month. Its funny to note that in my first month I saw only 12 movies compared to 24 on the last month. Twice as much, geeze.

Stay tuned, – Spartan Phoenix

• February            2010: Movies Seen: 12
• March              2010: Movies Seen: 14
• April                 2010: Movies Seen: 16
• May                  2010: Movies Seen: 18
• June                 2010: Movies Seen: 19
• July                  2010: Movies Seen: 14
• August             2010: Movies Seen: 21
• September            2010: Movies Seen: 17
• October            2010: Movies Seen: 14
• November            2010: Movies Seen: 13
• December            2010: Movies Seen: 18
• January            2011: Movies Seen: 24

February & March 2011

So what has your favorite movie marathon man Spartan Phoenix been up too? Haven’t heard from me a while huh? Well… I got married March 4^th to my wonderful fiancé (now wife) Jane. And I have become a father to her daughter “Little C”.  So husband and father duties have kept me busy and I haven’t had time to write up movie blogs. I have had time to see some movies through the past month and a half, just not as much as I did last year during my movie marathon man blog experiment. I still have some 2010 year end wrap up stuff to share with you guys, but lets get to some recent Spartan Phoenix movie takes. I’ve got a lot to cover so I’m gonna keep my reviews short and sweet. So let’s get you caught up!

*Spoiler Alert” Sanctum (2011) starring Richard Roxburgh, Ioan Gruffudd, Rhys Wakefield and Alice Parkinson. An underwater cave diving team experiences a life-threatening crisis during an expedition to the unexplored and least accessible cave system in the world. I saw this movie in 3D. I liked the concept and the fact that it was based on a true story. Its not worth a 3D viewing, but maybe a video rental. My one main problem with the movie was that everyone except one person died in the movie. This annoyed me.

The Eagle (2011) starring Channing Tatum, Denis O’Hare and Jamie Bell. In 140 AD, twenty years after the unexplained disappearance of the entire Ninth Legion in the mountains of Scotland, young centurion Marcus Aquila (Tatum) arrives from Rome to solve the mystery and restore the reputation of his father, the commander of the Ninth. I kind of liked this movie. It wasn’t great but and interesting take on history at that time. The best part was the location shoots and the costumes. This movie should have been rated R instead of PG-13. It would have been better if it were grittier.

Just Go with It (2011) starring Adam Sandler, Jennifer Aniston, Brooklyn Decker, Nick Swardson, Bailee Madison, Griffin Gluck and Nicole Kidman. On a weekend trip to Hawaii, a plastic surgeon convinces his loyal assistant to pose as his soon-to-be-divorced wife in order to cover up a careless lie he told to his much-younger girlfriend. This movie was funnier that I expected, but keep in mine I had very low expectations for this film. Jennifer Aniston, , Nick Swardson and the kids played by Bailee Madison, Griffin Gluck were the funniest roles in this film. Recent Adam Sandler flicks have been disappointing for me. This movie was a step in the right direction.

Drive Angry 3D (2011) starring Nicolas Cage, Amber Heard, William Fichtner and Billy Burke. A vengeful father escapes from hell and chases after the men who killed his daughter and kidnapped his granddaughter. This movie was the perfect guilty pleasure movie! Great action, funny one-liners, awesome cars, cool bad guys and nudity! I saw this movie in 3D and it was way worth it. Don’t take this movie seriously and you will have fun with it. It was a fun roller coaster ride for me.

I Am Number Four (2011) starring Alex Pettyfer, Timothy Olyphant, Teresa Palmer and Dianna Agron. John is an extraordinary teen, masking his true identity and passing as a typical high school student to elude a deadly enemy seeking to destroy him. Three like him have already been killed … he is Number Four. This was and interesting movie. I really liked the story concept and the cast. This is one of those movies I excited about what was going to happen next. Timothy Olyphant had a cool supporting role as a “keeper or protector”. He can currently be seen in one of my favorite TV shows Justified. I hope they make a trilogy out of this movie; I would like to see an expanded storyline of these characters.

Hall Pass (2011) starring Owen Wilson, Jason Sudeikis, Jenna Fischer, Christina Applegate and Nicky Whelan. A married man is granted the opportunity to have an affair by his wife. Joined in the fun by his best pal, things get a little out of control when both wives start engaging in extramarital activities as well. This movie was rated R and for good reason. This movie was very funny and I recommend it. The break hilarious out role in this movie was co-star Jason Sudeikis from Saturday Night Live. I can see him take funny man leading comedy roles in the near future.

The Adjustment Bureau (2011) starring Matt Damon, Emily Blunt. Do we control our destiny, or do unseen forces manipulate us? Matt Damon stars in this thriller as a man who glimpses the future Fate has planned for him and realizes he wants something else. My wife and I had a date night and went to see this movie together. It was one of those movies we were excited about seeing. The concept of the movie was great, and visually it was cool too. It was based on a short story by Philip K. Dick more famously known for his other stories made into movies like Blade Runner and Total Recall. But the movie was slow and dragged out. The movie picked up speed at the end with an exciting finale. I would wait for video on this one.

Red Riding Hood (2011) starring Amanda Seyfried, Gary Oldman and Billy Burke. This story is set in a medieval village that is haunted by a werewolf, a young girl falls for an orphaned woodcutter, much to her family’s displeasure. I didn’t expect a lot from this film and I’m glad I didn’t. The costumes and sets were very cool, but the story didn’t hook me. Amanda Seyfried was good in her role but I had a tough time with the rest of the cast. I thought Gary Oldman phoned in this role, which was disappointing. Some of the supporting cast was interesting as well as the soundtrack.

Take Me Home Tonight (2011) starring Topher Grace, Anna Faris, Dan Fogler and Teresa Palmer. This movie follows an aimless college grad who pursues his dream girl at a wild Labor Day weekend party. He, his twin sister and their best friend struggle with their burgeoning adulthood over the course of the night. This is one of my favorite movies of the year so far. A very funny film set in the latter part of the 80’s, which I remember very well. Anyone who was a fan of the 80’s and the memorable pop culture it gave us must see this film. Its sad this movie didn’t get the promotion some big studio flicks do. If you missed this film in the theater, please, please see this movie on video. It already has a place waiting on my video shelf.

Battle: Los Angeles (2011) starring Aaron Eckhart, Bridget Moynahan, Michelle Rodriguez and Michael Peña A Marine Staff Sergeant who has just had his retirement approved goes back into the line of duty in order to assist a 2nd Lieutenant and his platoon as they fight to reclaim the city of Los Angeles from alien invaders. I really liked this film especially since I grew up in Southern California and was familiar with the locations the humans vs. alien battles took place. This was a good popcorn movie with action and drama. I like the battle sets. Some parts were predictable but I didn’t care cause this move was a fun ride. Check it out!

Sucker Punch (2011) starring Emily Browning, Abbie Cornish, Jena Malone and more hot chicks in skimpy outfits. “A young girl is institutionalized by her abusive stepfather. Retreating to an alternative reality as a coping strategy, she envisions a plan which will help her escape from the mental facility”. This movie has been called “Kill Bill meets Inception”. I would say that is a good description except that it would have been cooler if the movie were rated R instead of PG-13. I did enjoy this film. I saw it in IMAX, which meant the sound, was great. The action scenes and the good-looking young cast of girls kicking ass was a lot of fun to watch. I enjoyed the whole cast too not just the main cast. My only problem was the ending; it left me a little unsatisfied. I still recommend the film, but unless you see it in IMAX, wait for video.

Paul (2011) starring Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Seth Rogen, Jason Bateman and Sigourney Weaver. “Two British comic-book geeks traveling across the U.S. encounter an alien outside Area 51.” This movie is a must see for sci-fi nerds like me. I mean come-on, the movie starts in the biggest event for nerds: ComicCon in San Diego. This movie was extremely funny and the whole cast was great.  I call this movie a hilarious nerd road trip, with heart. I’m glad this movie was rated R for the language. I know for a fact that my nerd peeps have salty language.

Limitless (2011) starring Bradley Cooper, Robert De Niro and Abbie Cornish. “A writer discovers a top-secret drug which bestows him with super human mind abilities” I liked this movie more than I thought I would. I really liked the story and the drama behind it. Bradley Cooper was great in this role. You find yourself routing for him all the way through the film. I liked the big company conspirator’s subplot the movie had to offer. I also liked the exciting ending too, it didn’t disappoint. Lately Bradley Cooper has been good in all of his movie roles. He’s a good leading man. Geesh, sounds like Spartan Phoenix has a new man crush. Check this movie out, it’s a cool flick.

Do you know how you’ve seen a shit load of movies? When you seen all of the movies shown on posters hanging outside of your multi-plex movie theater.

I’ll be back movie peeps. Gonna see more movies tomorrow.

- Spartan Phoenix