The James Bond series has primarily revolved around action, suspense, and romance over the years, but in Casino Royale you'll see many different traits that pertain to the young Mr. Bond. Of course, you'll still see a lot of action and suspense...
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The James Bond series has primarily revolved around action, suspense, and romance over the years, but in Casino Royale you'll see many different traits that pertain to the young Mr. Bond. Of course, you'll still see a lot of action and suspense with the new technologies and computer graphics, which really gives the scenery a more captivating montage. But the central idea of the story derives from a poker tournament with a ten million dollar buy-in. Yeah, ten million dollars.

And, as usual, it's all about the double agent, Bond, to find the bad guys, who hired the bad guys, and ultimately take out the main dude that's causing all the pain. To do that, Bond enters in this poker tournament, Casino Royale, to defeat the boss behind the scenes. Thing is, he's the incipience of the Bond we're most familiar with, so he makes mistakes. A lot of mistakes. Mistakes that could've cost him everything. Which of course means this film isn't the same-old same-old when it comes to suspense. James has a big ego that gets in the way quite a bit, and no matter how much confidence he has, sometimes it's not enough.

The big question, I suppose, is just how good of a job Daniel Craig did as Bond. Although I've probably seen one less Bond movie than the average action/adventure movie enthusiast, I can safely say he did a phenominal job. But since this was Bond's first big mission, and his character was still developing, any former Bond could've played this part equally as nice. Which asks the question, "How good will he do in later movies to come?" Well, since this film is on the spot, let's just say he made a spectacular effort in his debut. It's hard to say if he's the "best Bond ever", but I certainly wouldn't rank him higher than Brosnan. I think the best feature about him is that he really looks like a Bond and not just some second degree actor they found in a soap opera. Eva Green plays the Bond girl. Unlike other Bond girls, Eva was a bit more hesitant, and was more focused on getting "out" of the action rather than jumping "in". Not only did that give Bond a hell of a lot more work to do, it made her become a more believable character. Over all, Casino Royale is a must-see if you have a moderate taste for action movies. It probably won't be anything great in your eyes if you don't like fictitious stunts. In the end, Casino Royale is nothing short of the most explosive movie of 2006.

I know what you're thinking... you've probably never heard of this film. But contrary to first impression, The Gathering began cold, and finished with explosive after-taste. Like The Prestige, the answer to the enigma is found at the end of the...
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I know what you're thinking... you've probably never heard of this film. But contrary to first impression, The Gathering began cold, and finished with explosive after-taste. Like The Prestige, the answer to the enigma is found at the end of the movie. I can safely say that my attention was drowning through the first hour or so, but the final part of the film really kicked on the after-burners and put on a tremendous show. Since my basic impression was low, the movie turned out to have a very unique plot that made a lot of sense, even though it's not noticed from the first hour or so of viewing. A lot of the beginning is made up of random junk--an old Roman church is found in an underground passage after being deliberately buried. On the other side of the story, a mother and her kid hit a pedestrian with their car. But later on in the movie both sides of the story begin to merge into what turns out to be a very interesting mystery. In fact, The Gathering is one of the most ingenious movies I've seen in a long time.

If there was ever a guy in the history of the world capable of producing an offensive cultural term-based movie that really wasn't offensive, it's Borat. He's from Kaz...Kadsz-Kazkh...well, one of the 'stans. .. Okay, let me try... Kazhakstan. I...
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If there was ever a guy in the history of the world capable of producing an offensive cultural term-based movie that really wasn't offensive, it's Borat. He's from Kaz...Kadsz-Kazkh...well, one of the 'stans. .. Okay, let me try... Kazhakstan. I hope I'm right.

Well, anyway, this happens to be the opening setting of the movie. Most of the film, however, takes place in America, as Borat tries to express his culture and traditions among the rotten-spoiled American way of life. On the way he ends up learning more than he bargains for--though most of the experience he goes through proves ill to a degree. If you were wondering if there was even a story to this movie, don't be alarmed... there is. It's just one of those documentaries gone bad, you could say. On a more important note, Borat comes across an old episode of Baywatch, falls in love with Pamela Anderson, and convinces his comrade to travel to California. There Borat plans to marry the lovely Pam and live happily ever after. And along the way he obviously encounters some hysterical moments. Some are gut-busting while others are mortifying (and yes, will cause you to look away from the screen for your own protection). Basically, Borat is doing a story on America's culture to see what he can teach them. Therefore, a lot of his dialogue originates from a broadcasting angle, which makes it all the more gut-busting.

In a nutshell, Borat is a great movie that mostly everyone with a crude sense of humor should look into.

There are some movies that you just can't figure out. But when you finally do understand the nature of the film, not only does it feel clarified; it also allows you to have a more appealed sense to the production. In movies like The Prestige, that...
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There are some movies that you just can't figure out. But when you finally do understand the nature of the film, not only does it feel clarified; it also allows you to have a more appealed sense to the production. In movies like The Prestige, that one question I mentioned earlier tends to pop up quite a bit. But in this case, many, many questions can rise to the situation. That's because of the abnormal deliverance of The Prestige's scenes, most of which, to an extent, originate during the past, and sometimes the present. Of course, many film directors have adopted the notion of getting to the good stuff first, and then later on in the movie it's explained how that good stuff came to be. While it's becoming an idiosyncrasy for many directors, The Prestige's scene layout is even more unique. In fact, it's so unique, that at the end of the film it almost seems prosiac.

The basic tale is told of two magicians--rivals--who compete dangerously in the business of magic tricks and secrets. They take turns sabotoging each other's shows until they both find themselves very unhappy in life. One loses his wife in a magic trick. The other endeavors quandary after quandary in pain-staking labor. The story will switch back and forth to each character enough times for you to get an understanding of their personalities and traits. Eventually, science finds its way into the matter. One of the basic problems The Prestige scants is it's unclear message to the audience. But believe me; the film makes perfect sense at the end. It's just hard to imagine some of the situations that take place. It was a great movie, but a little over the top, and a little hard to follow.

If you want a good laugh and a good scare at the same time, you can't go wrong with Slither.



Movie-goers in general should like the idea of a mixed genre film, but more specifically, a movie that contains elements...
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If you want a good laugh and a good scare at the same time, you can't go wrong with Slither.



Movie-goers in general should like the idea of a mixed genre film, but more specifically, a movie that contains elements that have the ability to entertain you in multiple ways. If there's been one combination of genres that's been popular recently, it's the "spoof" (or comedy mixed with horror) variety. Even if you've been disappointed with Scary Movie and Shaun of the Dead, or other movies of that nature, Slither may be a decent option to consider. One thing that's hard to find early on in the film is the plot. The basic scenario involves an alien creature infecting the body and mind of a buckled-down guy known as Grant. Over time the infection gets worse and the parasite gains complete control over him. Soon enough, he's wreacking havoc in the town, killing animals and infecting other bystanders. Eventually, it boils down to a select few characters to stop the incident from spreading any further. Most of the conflicts that develop are fairly disturbing, but for the most part, situations are absurdly funny in a way. Circumstances simply build up with humor as things get weirder and weirder. But above all else, the most important attribute Slither provides is entertainment. It may be dull. It may be uninspiring. It may be mainstream. Whatever the case, the simple fact of the matter is Slither is entertaining, which is gradually starting to become hard to find in modern-day spoofs. But in truth, some parts aren't that creative. When the alien parasites take over peoples' bodies it feels a little too much like Night of the living Dead, or any of the other dozens of movies created with that idea. Thankfully, similar to Night of the Living Dead, a portion of humor was added to coax feeling and dread with the mindless slaves. In addition, the characters who are battling this alien host will express more than just fear, which makes it all the more entertaining and suspenseful. If you're an avid movie watcher, Slither is definitely worth checking out. But if you're one who's short on time and only watches movies nomated for awards, don't bother with this film. Unlike other spoofs, such as Scary Movie, you won't find the crude and unmistakably immature humor in Slither. Over all, if you're patience is exceptionally long-lasting, you'll more than likely find something enjoyable in Slither.

The Departed mixes nearly every genre that a movie can sustain in a completely entertaining package, all through one hundred and fifty-eight minutes of viewing.

The days of Boston's lesser-known publicities could be best portrayed...
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The Departed mixes nearly every genre that a movie can sustain in a completely entertaining package, all through one hundred and fifty-eight minutes of viewing.

The days of Boston's lesser-known publicities could be best portrayed in violence and gang activity. On the other hand, there are cops willing to take down the bad guys by whatever means necessary. It just so happens that they put a cop (Dicaprio)undercover to work in one of Boston's most notorious criminals, Francis Costello (Nickelson). Dicaprio's character, Bill (or sometimes refered to as William) Costigan, ends up getting the inside scoup of Costello's big plans. He's after money in a deal with Chinese businessmen who are looking for "microprocessors", as they're usually called in the movie, and Costello can get them what they want for a share of one million dollars. Costigan becomes their "new guy" after some brief tortue for devotion purposes, allowing him to get inside the ring and report back to officers.

However, only two people on the face of the earth know Costigan is undercover for the academy, both chiefs of their department. They tell nobody else in the academy because, later on through the details, they find out there's a rat on the other side of this operation. Sullivan (Matt Damon) grew up with Costello, but he became a cop for the simple matter of protection. This turns out to be mixed tiding for both sides, sometimes good for one, and sometimes good for the other, when things start to develop later on.

The story is rather hard to follow, but about half way through it all, things will start to make loads more sense. For the majority of the beginning, the scenes switch from Dicaprio's character to Damon's character quite a bit, although they each have no idea the other exists, let alone being occupied as rats for both sides.

Although The Departed may introduce a hodgepodge of general categories, most of the film revolves around suspense. After one conflict develops it soon after dies and a new one arises that's usually even bigger. Probably the most impressive piece happens to be the way the characters are syncronized; you'll get to know each of the major characters quite easily, even though it's somewhat hard to keep track of the developments. While suspense is the big focal point, you'll also find comedy, tragedy, drama, love, and even some horrid implementations.

You can't go wrong with four big names, Nickelson, Dicaprio, Damon, and Wahlberg, in the acting department. In any case, you'll witness counter-acting, if you will, where the rat tries to keep his mantality under control in an environment that is hostile to him. Even the cop who's a rat for Costello has his moments of doubt for much of the film. But more importantly, there's no telling who comes out of this alive and who is chopped up and fed to the poor.

Even the best movies, however, can have their disadvantages. Since it was a tad difficult to hear the characters speak, I put the subtitles on, and I couldn't help but notice the F word being exposed in nearly every other line. And, if you can believe it, even more vulgar things come out their mouths from time to time.

If there's one movie that will keep your attention all through a good two and a half hours of viewing, it's The Departed. It is a bit hard to tell from the previews, but this film is extremely unique, even though it carries the popular topic of cops versus robbers. Things happen in such an unlikely way, that most of the time it's generally difficult to guess the outcome. Over all, this is one of the most impressive movies I've ever beheld, simply because it maintains a wide variety of movie-genre ingredients that typically keep you entertained until the very end.

Apocalypto is an intriguing piece of work directly from the mind of Mel Gibson, but many of the aspects are rather suggestive and questionable.

In the beginning, the main villagers are confronted by a remote tribe whose homes were...
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Apocalypto is an intriguing piece of work directly from the mind of Mel Gibson, but many of the aspects are rather suggestive and questionable.

In the beginning, the main villagers are confronted by a remote tribe whose homes were attacked and destroyed. Later on, our focal tribe is also take into custody for sacrifice to the gods. However, one man in particular does the unthinkable, and attempts to make his way back home in the most unlikely circumstances.

Even though the entire dialogue is completely made up of subtitles, the acting in general is pretty well plotted. A few outbursts and scenes feature suggestive dialogue, however, such as modern humor and sarcasm, which isn't expected in an extremely bygone setting.

As far as suspense, action, and creativeness, Apacolypto captures every asset that you'd typically expect from Mel Gibson quite well. There is, however, a great deal of disturbing blood and gore (mainly because of the sick minds of those who create sacrifices, such as tearing out the hearts of prisoners, and cutting their heads clean off), and some limited nudity; the Mayans weren't the type of people to cover all their members. Many of the situations are hard to predict, at least. All through the time the main character is held prisoner, it's hard to guess just how he escapes, up until the very end. Even then, it seemed so unlikely, that it just appears to be an impossible wager. No matter the case, there are some inventive twists that allow the main guy to live in tight predicaments.

Other parts are a bit cheesy. For example, many of the stunts performed seem impossible, or at least very improbable in the case that it's unenjoyable to watch. As their capturers make their way back to their civilization, they walk right through an incredibly strong current near a water fall. That is obviously impossible for anyone to accomplish, especially with all the weight (the prisoners were tied to a long pole; a good half dozen for each pole) holding them. They actually had worse luck, surprisingly, on a cliff ledge.

Over all, out of its flaws, Apacolypto is a well delivered cinema that should be viewed.

If you don't know what all happened over at Iwojima sixty years ago, you may want to consider this heart-warming story.

This is the tale about three men and their lives following the crisis at Iwojima. The first blood shed indicated...
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If you don't know what all happened over at Iwojima sixty years ago, you may want to consider this heart-warming story.

This is the tale about three men and their lives following the crisis at Iwojima. The first blood shed indicated that a war broke through on Japanese soil, and the Americans knew they wouldn't leave quietly. For over thirty days, the battle raged on. What most people didn't realize at that point, was the flag, the American flag that was raised, identical to the monument in Philidephia, did not signal that the war was over. Three of the flag-raisers settled down after the battle. One began a family and got married. Another embarked on some alone time. And the remaining man, who was of an indian tribe, relived the horrors of what happened back at Iwojima every single night.

When you compare this movie to, say, Saving Private Ryan, a lot of the similarities come within the battle scenes; really incredible action within the beginning, and then the aftermath of what happened follows. Just like the old man at the beginning of the movie says, every jackass that thinks they know what war is can tell you a thing or two about it, but to actually live and breath a battlefield is more than anything you could have ever imagined. It was definitly something to hold in awe and sorrow, seeing the way certain human beings were being killed. While it certainly isn't a gore fest, a great deal of killing takes place in the most unimaginable ways, that it makes a horror movie look like A Christmas Carol.

When you act the part of a soilder, you need to stay strong and committed to the duties of an actual war hero. The three men that are most featured in this movie didnt't like to be thought of as "war heroes", simply because they only hoisted a flag atop a mountain on Iwojima, but the battle still went on for another four weeks or so. Flags of Our Fathers is an emotional tear-jerker through and through, and the actors themselves get caught up in the moment as well, expressing much sorrow and anger towards what happened that fateful day.

As far as expecting a thrilling blockbuster of a motion-picture, don't let your expectations exceed you. There is more of a history lesson within Flags of Our Fathers than an actual rollercoaster ride. Ceremonies, funerals, and broken down lives are all touched after the battle, and each of them have their own story. Those that rose the flag only know, but they can't give away the truth to the wrong people, as they grieve for the losses, and the crushed feelings of loved ones. Over all, Flags of Our Fathers is as emotional as it is action-packed. If you're the type that loves war scenes and a good dose of history on the side of what took place, this film is definitely for you.

If there hasn't been enough action in any of the movies you've seen for the past year, look no further than Mission Impossible III.

Welcome to the world of Ethan Hunt, where things can go amiss in the blink of an eye, and you're a...
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If there hasn't been enough action in any of the movies you've seen for the past year, look no further than Mission Impossible III.

Welcome to the world of Ethan Hunt, where things can go amiss in the blink of an eye, and you're a prime target every second of your life. But on top of that, you're trying to get a family going; settle down a little, and maybe have some quiet time of your own. As you may have already guessed, the once retired Ethan Hunt [Tom Cruise] is dragged back into yet another (impossible) mission. This time, it's about a rabbit's foot.

A new villain arises, played by Philip Seymour Hoffman, who ruthlessly does whatever he wants, wherever he wants. After some brief quarreling with the Mission Impossible team, Hoffman decides to run off with Cruise's most priceless possession. This time, it's the women he loves, and if he doesn't get the Rabbit's Foot in time, she will die.

It's impressive just how dynamic and heart-pounding Mission Impossible III really is. Unlike the first two, this third chapter is much more explose and mind-blowing. Nigh every scene taken from this movie will keep you on the edge of your seat, and your mind running wild. What's going to happen next? It's the question that most frequently comes up in your brain during a movie. It's very hard to predict the outcome of Mission Impossible III, which is why it is so suspense-ridden.

Then of course come in the fancy gadgets, cars, and super sly tricks to fool the bad guys. Some of these bursts are enough to make you awe out loud, while others are just plain heart-stopping. Who says movies are fake, when getting in depth with the story can be the most realistic thing since non-fiction. Love, betrayal, suspense, action (my, oh my, is there a lot of action), and even sympathy. It's all what makes Mission Impossible III the cream of the crop, because the rest of the series doesn't even contend with this film.

If you ever thought MI movies had terrible acting (I'll admit, I thought MI2 was terrible in this department), you should be pleased to hear that there is a big improvement with Mission Impossible III. Tom Cruise got his act together, and instead of acting too cool, he acted extremely casual during most of the movie. Then, when things started to heat up, he exploded with anger, and nearly went to the ends of the earth to reach his goal. In my opinion, his best acting performance yet.

Overall, Mission Impossible III is the most impressive thrill ride of 2006, save only a few big titles, perhaps. The time sake reaches its limit more than once in this movie, as Ethan Hunt faces his biggest challenge yet. This movie is a must see, and cannot be missed for whatever reasons you have. If you weren't big on the series before, you will surely have a better opinion for it if you see the third installment.