Dark horse # 2 - Veronica Guerin

Why would anyone want to kill Veronica Guerin? Well, before I answer that question, allow me to ask you a series of others... Do you remember when reporters had a spine? When they risked their lives, their careers, and even their own families to bring injustice to light? I often wonder, as I'm sure you do, if there are any left. Ireland had one, and this is her tale, and it is worth remembering.
From director Joel Schumacher ("A Time to Kill", & "The Number 23"), "Veronica Guerin" is a tale of absolute courage. In the 1990's, Ireland was a battlefield. Rival crime bosses clashed to control the drug trade. Police were outnumbered and overworked, and society had turned a blind eye to the epidemic that had gripped their children. A wife and a mother, and an avid fan of the Manchester United football team, a reporter who usually sticks to feel-good stories, took up a challenge. Veronica Guerin (Cate Blanchett) alone had the guts to write about the cartels, and for 18 months, she dug, following the story from the addicted adolescents to the heads of the table. In doing so, she became more dangerous to the underground than the police ever could. To this day, if you were to ask any Irish native where they were on June 26, 1996, they will always remember the name, the woman, and the valor. As a result of her bravery, Ireland enacted the Proceeds of Crime Act and the Criminal Assets Bureau Act of 1996, so that assets purchased with money obtained through crime could be seized by the government. This also led to the formation of the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB). I implore you to not only purchase and/or rent this movie, but also to allow it to transport you back into the world as it used to be, when one could stand against many, and arise triumphant. When being a reporter was not just a job, but a responsibility to right the wrongs, and to speak the words left unspoken. I invite you to re-enter this world with me, and honor those who have given their lives to bring it to light. Keeper? Any day of the week, and twice on Sunday.

Hot Tub Time Machine

Alright, I am big enough to admit it: I was wrong. About the movie, that is. At first, the previews didn't really inspire much confidence. So I was surprised to find myself indulging, and actually enjoying "Hot Tub Time Machine". Directed by Steve Pink, the plot is a "Back to the Future" and "The Hangover" merger. John Cusak, Craig Robinson, Rob Corddry, (Adam, Nick and Lou) are three friends whose lives haven't turned out as well as they dreamed. After Lou's 'accidental' suicide attempt, they decide to return to the last place they felt alive. Unfortuately, the ski resort has seen better days. Liquor and an antique hot tub are the only comfort that awaits them. Thanks to a Russian energy drink and some cryptic advice from Chevy Chase, that hot tub becomes a portal. They are back in the 80's, and young again. Hilarity ensues. Including a scene where Nick calls his then 9 year old wife to grill her about her adultry. Oh, and I can't forget to mention Phil (Crispin Glover), the one-armed hotel concierge. Its good to see Cusak step back into this role. I haven't seen it since "American Sweethearts". If you're out on date night, this is the movie you want to see. Worth the money? Yep.

Repo Men

Set in the near future, "Repo Men" tells the tale of Remy (Jude Law) and his partner Jake (Forest Whitaker), two ex-soldiers turned collection agents for the company known as The Union. The Union specializes in the sale of artificial organs. for a price, you can get a new life. Unfortunately, if you can't make your payments, they can repossess it. It was almost disturbing to see the two characters go about their day, stunning their clients, then opening them up and taking back what is owed them. Leaving the unlucky defaulters dying in a pool of their own blood. How this can be legal I have no idea. The plot turns, however, when Remy suffers an accident and has to be fitted with his own mechanical organ. Suddenly, his heart is no longer in it, literally, and he becomes a mark. Though there are a few bad-ass moments, where Jude Law shows off his buff bod and fighting skills, the movie ends with a predicatable twist, and I felt, an overabundance of amateur surgery. This movie is a rental, definitely not worth $12.50. But possibly worth the $4.99.

DVD - Avatar

"Avatar" comes out for sale this Thursday the 22nd. The release dated seemed a little quick to me. Then I realized that the timing coincided perfectly with the release of the new 3D televisions. It's not gonna work boys, sorry. While I do enjoy the occasional 3D feature, and believe me "Avatar" is the last one I'm gonna see for a while now that they have raised the prices, I'm not about to run out and buy a whole new T.V. If you haven't seen "Avatar" yet, then you have officially run out of excuses. I'm not going to describe the plot as I normally do, because I don't want to ruin it for you if you haven't seen it. If you have, you could never forget it. I plan on buying just a regular copy of the film, not the collector's super-ultra bluray edition. But if you want to spend the extra cash, go for it. There was a lot of talk about the hidden meaning behind the film, and controversy over director James Cameron. I don't pay attention to any of that nonsense. It was an awesome movie. Though I wouldn't describe as the advertisements do "The Greatest Film of All Time", it was well worth the extra money I spent to see it in IMAX 3D. And now, it's going to be well worth the extra money to buy it on DVD. Keeper!

The Bounty Hunter

From the same director that brought us “Hitch” and “Sweet Home Alabama”, comes yet another piece of evidence that proves my current belief; Romantic comedies are dead. Yep, sorry folks, it’s gone. Ladies, I am especially sad to say that those movies that you force your man through have been bad enough lately to make you want to consider an action film. Jennifer Aniston still looks great for a 41 year old, and I have enjoyed some of her movies in the past. And Gerard Butler, well, he had me after “300”. But any at least mildly intelligent person could have guessed this movie from the previews alone. Butler portrays Milo Boyd, an ex-cop turned fugitive finder, who’s more broken up about his recent divorce than he let’s himself realize. Jennifer plays Nicole Hurley, a reporter who let’s her own pursuit of personal success distract her from her commitments to the law. Let the chase begin. Ok, I get it, you both are in a relationship, and you wanted to do a film together. But, being professionals, you must know by now that the combination rarely works. I’ll be honest, Butler’s recent transistion into romantic comedies never really felt right to me anyway, and “The Ugly Truth” brought me some chuckles, but this was bad. Gentlemen, if your girl recommends this one on dinner-and-a-movie night, please recommend another one as harshly as you can get away with. Ladies, if you recommend this, you’re just being mean.

Dark horse #1 - Sleepers

In 1995, Lorenzo Carcaterra wrote "Sleepers", his autobiography. It sold 1.4 million copies, a year later, it was made into a film. "Sleepers" is a movie you have probaly never heard of. Don't feel bad, neither did I. I stumbled across said film in The Bin. You know The Bin, it's the one that's usually next to either the register or the DVD section. There are jewels in there, usually at a very reasonable price, I refer to them as "Darkhorses".

This Darkhorse came into my cart and into my heart, and it will never leave. It premiered in 1996, and to date has grossed over $500 million. But you'd never know it.

"Sleepers" is the true tale of four friends, Tommy Marcano, John Reilly, Lorenzo "Shakes" Carcaterra, and Michael Sullivan. (Joseph Perrino, Brad Renfro, Geoffrey Wigdor, Jonathan Tucker play the young versions of the boys) Growing up in Hell's Kitchen, New York in the 60's, the four friends endure more than you would imagine at home, and more than you could fathom on the streets. Nonetheless, their comradere, along with good friend and Catholic Priest Father Bobby (Robert De Niro), was all they had, and all that would save them. Though the four consider themselves to be impervious in their concrete kingdom, when a prank goes wrong, the friends are sentenced to Wilkinson Home for Boys, a reform school for juvenile offenors. There, is where the horror began, and the main gaurd, Sean Nokes (Kevin Bacon)is the catalyst.

After surviving the hell of reform school, the four friends drift apart, but cold-blooded vengence brings them back together. During the resulting trial, the real truth is exposed, and friendships are tested. (Billy Crudup, Ron Eldard, Jason Patric, and Brad Pitt play the adult boys.) This movie is one that I believe all true movie fans should see at least once. Available on Amazon for as little as $5.99and always present at Best Buy, or on Netflix, this movie is well worth the time, and the money. Definitely a keeper, and a definitely a Darkhorse.

What Are Your Top 5 Favorite War Movies?

This is it, my first poll question. Take the time to think about it. It can be any movie, new or old, foreign or domestic battles, and no, Band of Brothers doesn't count because that's a miniseries. Please post a response. My choices;

Saving Private Ryan
We Were Soldiers
Enemy At The Gates
The Patriot
Braveheart


My Dad's,

Saving Private Ryan
In Harm's Way
Patton
We Were Soldiers
The Green Berets

The Silent Vengence of the "Firefly" Crew-"Castle"

On Monday nights, on ABC at 10pm, the show "Castle" airs. It's currently on it's second season, and has officially been picked up for a third. From creator Andrew W. Marlowe ("End of Days" & "Air Force One"), "Castle" is the story of Richard Castle, a best-selling crime writer who has writers' block. So, he calls in some favors to be allowed to tag along with homicide detective Kate Beckett (Stana Katic) and the NYPD as they solve murders.

Detective Beckett is a brilliant and beautiful cop who didn't initially warm up to Castle, finding him annoying and his slightly sexual anecdotes inappropriate to say the least. She tried all she could to get him out of her hair. But thanks to friends in high places, she's stuck with him. She soon discovers, however, along with her fellow detectives, Javier Esposito (Jon Huertas), and Kevin Ryan (Seamus Dever), that having a consultant who thinks about murder and death as much, if not more, than they do, does come in handy. Eventually, Beckett comes to rely on Castle, and enjoy his corky, boyish wit, perhaps a little too much?

Richard Castle is used to the high life. He enjoys his fame, indulging in lavish parties, beautiful women, and pounding away on his laptop in his high-rise apartment which he shares with his teenage daughter Alexis (Molly C. Quinn) and his ex-starlet mother Martha (Susan Sullivan). At times it seems that Alexis is the most grown up of the bunch. She is a remarkably well grounded teen who Castle chastises, lovingly, for being so goody two shoes. The author has met his match in Beckett, an intelligent and gorgeous woman who he can not charm, and who he can't write without, especially considering the fact that his main character, Nikki Heat, is based on her.

This show is awesome! Even if you've never even heard of it, you can jump right in and learn all the background you need just from the opening credits. Funny, and witty, the dialogue flows between the great characters so smoothly, that you can't help but smile as Castle throws a in a little writers' eccentricity, or as the plot takes it's trademark twist at the end. Just when you think you've got it all figured out...BAM...and it's usually Castle who comes up with the breakthrough.

Now, you're probably asking, what does this have to do with "Firefly"? Well, there was one particular Halloween episode that saw Richard Castle don a costume that only the fans would recognize, and one that made me giddy to see again... it was the wardrobe of Capt. Malcolm Reynolds, the captain of the "Firefly" ship Serenity. He laced up the leather, tied on his sidearm, and stood looking into the mirror, as he began pullin his gun to shoot his reflection over and over, Castle's daughter Alexis walked in...

(Alexis) "What are you suppose to be?"
(Castle, surprised) "I'm a space cowboy."
(Alexis) "Okay, first of all, there were no cows in space. Second of all, didn't you wear that like seven years ago?"
(Castle, putting his gun back in the holster, looks back meekly) "But I like it."

So do I Captain, so do I.

Boondock Saints 2

The sequel to a cult classic came out, and I was so excited to see it; "Boondock Saints 2: All Saints Day". I was a HUGE fan of the first movie, and with Troy Duffy back as director, along with the original cast, I felt it was worthy of a viewing. Contrary to most opinions I've heard, the film wasn't horrible, then again it wasn't spectacular either. Most sequels are like that. In fact, I can only think of one instance where the sequel was actually better than the original.

The MacManus family is back after an eight year exhile in Ireland to escape persecution for their bloody rampage of justice. Suddenly, a Catholic priest is killed in a way that sends a clear taunting message to the brothers, and they come back to Boston to clear their names, along the way picking up a new funny sidekick. In the first movie is was Rocco "The Funnyman", in the sequel, it's Romeo "The Mexican". Even though it's been ten years since their last blockbuster, Norman Reedus (Murphy MacManus) and Billy Connelly (Papa MacManus) look great. I wish I could say the same, however, for Sean Patrick Flanery (Conner MacManus). I wish that I could somehow get a hold of some celebrities and let them know what all of their "yes men" never seem to have the balls to say, "YES, I CAN TELL YOU GOT A FACELIFT, AND IT LOOKS AWFUL!!!" It's so blatantly obvious, that it's distracting in some scenes.

The sequel had all the best intentions, reuniting the entire cast, including all the original, somewhat incompetant Boston police officers, (Detectives Greenly, Duffy, and Dolly), along with a new female FBI agent (Julie Benz), taking up the role that Willem Defoe occupied in the original film. Though I thought she did an admirable job as his replacement, I was glad to see Agent Paul Smecker make a cameo appearance to balance her out. The film had a few bad-ass moments, but it just didn't hold me at gunpoint like the first one did. Good for a rental, but not one I would pay $19.99 for.