White House Down

IMDb writes, "While on a tour of the White House with his young daughter, a Capitol policeman springs into action to save his child and protect the president from a heavily armed group of paramilitary invaders." Tatum (22 Jump Street - in production) is the cop and Foxx (The Amazing Spider-Man 2 - in production) is the president. It is action, but a lot of comedy. Don't focus too much because then it isn't believable in a few parts. Also, some of the acting is off. Gyllenhaal (Nanny McPhee Returns) is a secret service agent, Clarke (Public Enemies) is a bad guy, Jenkins (Step Brothers) is third in line for presidency, Woods (Hercules) is head of secret service, Reddick (The Wire) is head of military, Weber (U-571) is a secret service agent, and Craven (A Few Good Men) is a cop. All in all, I say: SEE IT - it's fun.

Don't Say a Word

I recently re-watched this film on Sundance. Douglas (Wallstreet) is a psychiatrist who has a knack with teens. A young teen (Murphy from 8 Mile) that has been to several institutions since her father died falls into his care. His is daughter (Bartusiak from The Patriot) is kidnapped, and it turns out the girl in the hospital holds a secret. A secret Sean Bean's (Game of Thrones) character will do anything to unveil. Esposito (Crash) plays a cop, Janssen (Goldeneye) plays the mom, and Platt (X-Men: First Class) plays another doctor. And then there is Conrad Goode (Con Air) shown below - a biker & bad guy - but kind of cute. All in all, I say: RENT IT

Vice

Did you know there were about 1,200 political assassinations last year in the Philippines and that there are more gun murders there than anywhere else in the world? Did you know there are 50 million more men than women in China as a result of the one child policy from the 80s? Did you know the weapons we used in Iraq had uranium and mercury in them causing hundreds of birth defects in children currently being born? Did you know 50% of the youth in Spain is unemployed? Did you know 3/4ths of all male youth in Indonesia smoke and children can purchase cigarettes? Did you know girls are force feed in Mauritania in hopes they will find a husband because skinny is no good? Do you know what North Korea looks like? If you didn't know this then you HAVE to see the HBO series Vice. Season one is available on HBOGo for those who have a subscription. All in all, I say: STREAM IT

World War Z (movie)

Think of this movie as a personal story behind the log like format of the book. This is a focus on one person involved in the war described in the book. The zombies are fast because they are not the dead come back to life. They are infected and once bitten the virus acts quickly. The virus speeds them up, so they can infect others. Think of it like the ebola virus; the virus, in order to survive, must finds other healthy hosts. One character in the movie describes it kind of like this: mother nature is a serial killer. Like all serial killers the ultimate goal is to be discovered and stopped, but she will make it difficult. She will mask her weaknesses; that's what makes her a bitch. Pitt (Thelma & Louise) is the main character, Enos (Big Love) is his wife, and with only one line and a couple of seconds on screen Fox (Party of Five) is a parajumper. Morse (The Green Mile) plays a CIA guy who helps lead Pitt to patient zero. Capaldi (Torchwood) plays a WHO (World Health Organization) doctor. The special effects aren't bad, there isn't any gore, and there are some inconsistencies. For example, in one scene a couple of zombies can break glass and break down a heavy metal door. Later, a couple of zombies can't break any glass and can't get through a wooden, swinging door. All in all, I say: SEE IT if you like Zombie movies - otherwise RENT IT later.

People Like Us

Pine's character (Smokin' Aces) loses his father, finds out his mother (Pfeiffer from What Lies Beneath) has a heart condition, and is under suspicion for having illegally played the stock market. It turns out his father left him a job - to find his half sister (Banks from The Next Three Days) and give her $150,000.  It is simple and not too heavy. It isn't unrealistic and the acting is pretty good. All in all, I say: SEE IT - it's playing on HBO or Showtime right now.

Gone

Seyfried (Dear John) was kidnapped and thrown into a hole. On the night she was supposed to die in that hole she managed to escape. Every night since then she has expected her abductor to come back. Unfortunately, the detective in charge (Sunjata from Rescue Me) and indeed everyone believed it never happened and that she is mental. She comes home from work (her friend from work is Carpenter from Dexter) to find her sister gone. No one believes her sisters has been kidnapped, so she goes in search on her own. Stan (Once Upon a Time) plays her sister's boyfriend, Bentley (The Hunger Games) plays a rookie detective, and Pare (Streets of Fire) plays the head of the detective squad. The killer is no one we think it is and the ending makes you think there is a sequel. All in all, I say: SKIP IT

Stoker

Wasikowska's character India (Australian actress from Alice in Wonderland) doesn't like to be touched, has very acute senses, and has some very disturbing urges. Her father played by Mulroney (The Grey) takes her on hunting trips because he feels doing a little bad will reduce the urge to do evil. Her mother played by Kidman (Australian actress from The Others) is a lonely alcoholic who doesn't know how to connect with her daughter. India's life starts to fall apart when her father dies on her birthday - a very significant day. Her uncle (Englishman Goode from The Lookout) as it turns out is exactly like India, and he has a master plan for both of them. This plan falls to pieces once his niece and protege finds out he killed her father. India will then discover her true self. Englishman Wentworth Miller from Prison Break wrote this movie. Strange is all I have to say. All in all, I say: RENT IT if you like twisted tales.

Detention of the Dead

Yes, that means Zombies! This is a comedy though not a horror. There is a bit cheesy stuff, it is predictable, and although it's a comedy I never laughed. It wasn't scary either. It is actually based on a play. Most of the movie takes place within a high school library. Kind of Breakfast Club meets Night of the Living Dead. One of the 2 main girls was in Red State - so not her first zombie type movie. The only person I recognized was Adler from Glee. All in all, I say: SEE IT if you like cheesy zombie movies otherwise forgetaboutit.

Monsters University

The prequel to Monsters Inc., how did the best team on the scare floor come to be? Crystal, Goodman, and Buscemi reprise their roles. Mirren (Prime Suspect) is the Dean. Hayes (Will & Grace) and Foley (Kids in the Hall) play a two-headed monster. Molina (An Education) plays a professor. Fillion (Castle) plays a rival. I really don't want to write anything about the plot because I think you should go into the film without knowing - it's more fun. I saw the 2D and really don't think I missed out on much. There is a website for the movie, too. It's designed like a really university. My favorite part - baby Mike - sooooo cute. All in all, I say: SEE IT in theatres and take the kids - they only get bored in one part toward the end. There is something at the end of the very long credits.

Arrested Development 1,2,3,4

Jason Bateman (Hancock), Portia de Rossi (Better off Ted), Will Arnett (Up All Night), and Tony Hale (Veep) are the children of a corrupt business couple played by Jeffrey Tambor (The Larry Sanders Show) and Jessica Walter (Play Misty for Me). Bateman's son is played by Michael Cera (Juno). de Rossi's husband is played by David Cross (voice of Crane in Kung Fu Panda - from Atlanta). Ron Howard (Happy Days) narrated the half hour show which is more like 20 with no commercials. Henry Winkler (Happy Days) plays a lawyer. Will Arnett's wife (rumoured to be separated), Amy Poehler (Parks & Recreation), is also in this. Jason Bateman's sister Justine is in an episode. Isla Fisher (Rango), Liza Minnelli (So You Think You can Dance), Andy Richter (Conan), Ed Begley Jr.(St. Elsewhere), Scott Baio (Charles in Charge), Charlize Theron (Hancock with Jason Bateman), James Lipton (Inside the Actor's Studio), Ben Stiller (Meet the Fockers), Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Veep with Tony Hale), and many many more make appearances. It is all on streaming on Netflix. All in all, I say: SEE season one only - it all down hill from there.

Man of Steel

It's a bird, it's a plane, it's a whole new and improved Superman. By the way, I learned that the symbol on his chest is not an S on his planet, but the symbol for hope. This version shows how and why he was on Earth, a little bit of his life as a child, a little bit of his life as an adult hiding, and ends with him coming out so to speak. I did not see it in 3D. Zack Snyder (Watermen and Dawn of the Dead) directs. Henry Cavill (Immortals) minus his UK accent and with a chest equal to that of Vin Diesel in Pitchblack - yummy - is Superman. Amy Adams (Enchanted) is Ms. Lane. General Zod is played by Michael Shannon (The Woodsman) - I miss you . Diane Lane (Jumper) and Kevin Costner (Waterworld) are his Earth mother and father. Russell Crowe (Gladiator) and Antje Traue (German actress from 5 Days of War) are his bio parents. Richard Schiff (West Wing), Christopher Meloni (Oz), and Laurence Fishburne (Matrix) also make appearances. The plot is slightly different and in a slightly different order the Superman with Reeves. I thought it was very well done - the action, the acting, and the plot. You will find yourself saying, "No capes!" in a couple of scenes (The Incredibles). All in all, I say: SEE IT and see it in theatres.

Cloud Atlas

I tried so hard to keep with it, but alas within 20  minutes I couldn't take it anymore. All in all, I say: SKIP IT

Prime Suspect Season 1,2,3,4,5,6,7

Mirren (Red) is one of the first female cops to become the American version of a homicide detective. In every season she has to put up with corrupt cops, politicians, or chauvinistic cops. Her personal life is a mess. This show in the UK led the way for The Closer. There are a lot of similarities. In several of the shows I had a difficult time understanding what was going on and what was being said. You really have to like murder shows like Law & Order to see any of these. Season 4 was amazing - there were a ton of famous British actors - a ton. All in all, I say: STREAM IT on Netflix

Movie 43

IMDb writes, "A series of interconnected short films follows a washed-up producer as he pitches insane story lines featuring some of the biggest stars in Hollywood." Although there are a ton - I mean a ton - of famous, amazing actors - it is vulgar and gross and unnecessary. All in all, I say: SKIP IT

Girl In Progress

Mendez (Hitch) was very young when she had a child. Now her child is a teenager and thinks that if she goes through all the steps to becoming an adult as a teen she can be on her own sooner. This is a wake up call for mom. There's arguing & crying. It didn't seem new or different - I was bored. Modine (Memphis Belle)plays a boyfriend of the mom. Arquette (Medium) is a teacher that helps connect mother and daughter. All in all, I say: SKIP IT

Black Rock

As far as the plot goes, you've heard it all before. Three girls are on a camping trip to reconnect and work out differences. They run into 3 crazies recently dishonorably discharged soldiers. The girls have to fight for their lives. Why can't they swim off the island - water is too cold. Why can't they call for help - no cell phone service. Why isn't help on the way - no one knows they are there. Not going to tell you who dies - will say there is at least one survivor. It was a little long for my taste - it seemed to drag out. All in all, I say: SKIP IT.

The Darkest Hour

Aliens attack the earth for its mineral resources. This movie focuses on a group of survivors in Moscow, Russia. The group must go from point A to point B which is a nuclear submarine. On the way, the find out some secrets on how to kill the aliens. It's typical plot - the only thing that is different is the alien. It was a clever idea. Hirsch (Into the Wild), Thirlby (Dredd), Minghella (British - The Social Network), and Kinnaman (Swedish - The Killing). This is actually subtitled I. There is a II which is an action short film released in the UK around the same time. All in all, I say: WATCH IT on tv. It's on HBO or Showtime.

Longmire

Robert Taylor (Australian tv show Killing Time) is a sheriff in Wyoming - my new top choice for retirement. Taylor doesn't not use his accent. He is a man's man. He is up for re-election and one of his deputies, Branch (Chase from Saving Grace) wants the job. His other deputy (Sackhoff from Battlestar Galactica) is from the big city; she moved because of her husband's job. Their marriage is in ruins and she really likes the sheriff (insert female giggle). The sheriff lost his wife and may have killed a man - no not in Reno. Basically, he has baggage, but with the mountain man stuff and his dry wit, he's so lovable.  His best friend is played by Phillips from Young Guns. Lots of Native American politics and stuff in this too. The setting, the actors, and the type of crime drama all works together in harmony. All in all, I say: SEE IT on A&E.

Motive

A new tv show that already has 13 episodes made - they already have 2 seasons ready to go. My question is why? I was so not impressed. The cast didn't seem to mesh at all. I had no interest in the characters and I really don't like the main character. Lehman (Canadian from Poltergeist: The Legacy) and Ferreira (Portuguese from SGU) are two homicide detectives. The show is advertised like the cops are finding out everything backwards which to me would mean they know the killer and they just have to find evidence. Not true - it's backwards for the viewer. We know the killer - the cops still do everything in order evidence and then killer. Holly (NCIS) is the autopsy person- she's trying too hard to be like Isles in TNT's Rizzoli & Isles.
I could barely get through one episode. All in all, I say: SKIP IT

The Fosters

Teri Polo (West Wing) and Sherri Saum (In Treatment) are a gay couple who are raising 5 kids. Polo is a cop whose ex-husband (Danny Nucci an Austrian from the tv show Snoops) is her current partner on the force - they have one son. Saum is a VP at a charter school. When the show starts it is explained that the 2 had recently officially adopted twins. In the first show we are introduced to a young girl and her younger brother who have been in the foster system for awhile. The couple agrees to keep the extra 2 until they can be officially adopted. Timothy Busfield (West Wing) directs some of the shows. It is well written and the chemistry is there for the entire cast. It is going to be some of your typical teenager crisis stuff with a little foster care stuff thrown in. I have seen 2 episodes - and although I now it is going to get more and more soap opera like - for right now I like it. All in all, I say: SEE IT on ABC Family. It is called the Fosters for 2 reasons. One Polo's character's last name is Foster and 2 - they are foster parents.

King & Maxwell

A tv show on TNT Monday nights. Both are ex-secret service. Now they are private investigators for hire. There is action! There is wit! And there is a handsome face...ahhhh.Sean King is played by Jon Tenney (The Closer) and Michelle Maxwell is played by Rebecca Romijn (X-Men). Ryan Hurst (Sons of Anarchy) has a role in the first 3 episodes as a high functioning autistic man - the first case we see the 2 solving. Michael O'Keefe (Caddyshack) plays an FBI agent that the 2 investigators come across in some of their cases. I've only see the first show, bit loved it. All in all, I say: SEE IT

Branded

I thought it might be insightful or something, and I like Ed Stoppard from Upstairs Downstairs (2012). All in all, I say: SKIP IT - it was crap!

Pressed

I thought it would be good with Goss (Red Widow) in it - martial arts maybe - NOPE! This was a crap movie. All in all, I say: SKIP IT

The Fall (tv series)

A BBC tv series that only has five episodes in the first season. It is about a Detective Inspector (Anderson from X-Files) from the Met (the Irish police department) who works on a case for an old friend (Lynch from The Secret of Roan Inish) in Northern Ireland - Belfast. While consulting she discovers that what they have is a serial killer. He (Dornan from Once Upon a Time) tries to find away around all his lies and escape. She tries to get through all the clues to capture him. All in all, I say: STREAM IT on Netflix if you like this sort of show. Worried about getting invested, well see below for info on season two.

According to tvwise.co.uk, "Shortly after the series premiered as BBC Two’s highest rated drama series in 8 years TVWise broke the news that the core cast of The Fall had signed on to do a second run and that BBC Two controller Janice Hadlow was on the verge of green-lighting the second season. Hadlow and the BBC’s Controller of Drama Ben Stephenson have now pulled the trigger on that and formally renewed the series for a second season. There is no official word from the BBC on the number of episodes ordered for the second season or when production will commence, but sources tell me that the order is for five episodes and that shooting should commence on location in Belfast, Northern Ireland, in January 2014. In addition, as TVWise previously reported, Gillian Anderson has been upped to executive producer for season 2. My sources also tell me that the scripts for the show’s second season are already written. In fact I’m told that BBC executives gave series creator Allan Cubitt the go-ahead to begin scripting season two shortly after production wrapped on the show’s first season in Northern Ireland in June 2012."

Spaced

A UK show that lasted for only 2 seasons. Two people recently out of relationships and needing a flat decide to get one together. Their favorite will only take them as a couple and not as singles, so they decide to pretend they are a couple. Pegg (Shaun of the Dead) and Hynes (Shaun of the Dead) are the writers and main characters. Pegg's character is a graphic artist who is into all things Sci-fi - much like he is in real life. Hynes is a writer - much like she is in real life. Also in the cast is Frost (Shaun of the Dead). There are some bizarre episodes that would probably be funny if I were British, but there are just as many that are funny for Americans. All in all, I say: STREAM IT

The Last Stand

Aside from the two on the poster; Whitaker (The Crying Game), Stormare (Swede from Fargo), Guzman (Borinquen from Carlito's Way),  Alexander (Thor), Stanton (Alien), Santoro (Brazilian from 300), Rodriguez (Man on a Ledge), and Noriega (Spaniard from Transsiberian). A small town on the US-Mexican border becomes a battleground to stop an escaped cartel leader. There is typical one liner humour throughout. There is a great deal of blood. It was directed by a South Korean, Kim Jee-Won, who also directed The Good, The Bad, The Weird. All in all, I say: STREAM IT or RENT IT - I saw it on Directv On-Demand. It was a no brainer.

Shadow Dancer

Owen (Children of Men) works for Anderson (X-Files); they are British MI5 agents. They each have someone undercover with the IRA - informants really. Owen's is new - a mother played by Riseborough (Oblivion). The IRA gets wind that there is a snitch and they are on the lookout. When Owen finds out who Anderson's informant is he makes a decision to save Riseborough. This proves to be a mistake in the twist of the an ending. This was directed by Marsh who directed 2 award winning documentaries: Man on Wire and Project Nim. Aiden Gillen (Game of Thrones) is also in this film I watched on Directv OnDemand. All in all, I say: SEE IT if you like espionage and movies about "The Troubles". SKIP IT otherwise.

Fast & Furious 6

Hobbs (Johnson from Scorpion King) has Dom (Diesel from Riddick) and Brian (Walker from Takers) reassemble their crew in order to take down a mastermind (Evans from Clash of the Titans) who commands an organization of mercenary drivers across 12 countries. He also found someone important - Letty (Rodriguez from Resident Evil). Payment? Full pardons for them all. All the usually characters are in the film. The good guys lose 2 people - and in one scene there is a hint as to who will play bad guy in next film - and since it's Jason Statham (Transporter) - there might actually be another Fast & Furious. Don't go for plot or award winning acting - go for the fun - the jokes and the action. The action is awesome!!! When Letty fights Riley (Carano from Haywire) not once but twice - OMG!!! All in all, I say: SEE IT

Luke - ahhhhh - what a great addition.

After Earth

This is movie is based on an idea from Will Smith (Men in Black) and was written with the help of a couple of people including M. Night Shyamalan (The Village). Despite the sci-fi look it is a movie about over coming fear. A very simple plot really - don't let all the narration and back ground info at the beginning hold you back. Another project of the Smith's - father and son together again. Remember they were in Pursuit of Happyness. Father and son crash land on Earth - long after humans have left. They are both having a hard time dealing with a tragedy - they both need to overcome it. They both do an amazing job - the film is directed by Shyamalan. All in all, I say: SEE IT - I really like it.

Ruby Sparks and CleanSkin

 IMDb writes, "A novelist struggling with writer's block finds romance in a most unusual way: by creating a female character he thinks will love him, then willing her into existence." I fast forwarded through most of it. I just couldn't get into it. All in all, I say: SKIP IT

Netflix writes, "A burned-out secret service agent must pursue a deadly suicide bomber and dismantle a terrorist cell that is wreaking havoc on the streets of London. The target, meanwhile, reveals what set him on the path toward becoming a murderous extremist." I got all excited about this when I saw Sean Bean (Game of Thrones) but I got bored fast and fast forwarded through most of it. All in all, I say: SKIP IT