2012 Coriolanus Blu-Ray Movie Review

Coriolanus is a Roman warrior who dedicates his life and career to defending Rome from foreign invaders. He has it all: a beautiful wife and son, mother who is patriotic, loyal to the family (and controlling to say the least). Marcus Coriolanus has potential to become a powerful politician. But his patriotism is matched by his sense of entitlement of his class status for greater things, which in turn creates resentment from his political enemies. His enemies turn ordinary people against Corealanus and before long, Marcus' career comes to a screeching holt and Marcus Coriolanus finds himself in exile. Nations and people who were his enemies yesterday become his allies tomorrow and Marcus sets on a mission to get his revenge.....

The film is a classic tale of honor and betrayal. Those who are familiar with Shakespeare's tale would know exactly what this film is all about since its core premise is intact. It is about a man of honor; a man whose integrity feels so out of place in this world. Torn between his own principles and pride, the man chooses to be who he is, and the traditions and responsibilities of the world fall down on him. Fiennes' version of Shakespeare's creation is shot more like a war film that comes complete with bloody, intense gun battles and knife to knife combat. Fiennes knew what he was in for and handles everything with careful accuracy and heed. For a man on his directorial debut, Fiennes wields the story with precision to make the Shakespearean story as timely to modern times while resonating the political strife as only Shakespeare ever could.....

Ralph Fiennes (Voldemort in Harry Potter) comes out with an outstanding performance. He is very believable in his role as someone so proud that he would deny himself being subjected to the `nays' of an ungrateful bellowing crowd. Fiennes exhibited that power and intensity that made him so convincing as both a savior and a destroyer of men and nations. Butler is just as capable in his role, but he was easily overshadowed by Fiennes.

Fiennes does so well in modernizing this classic story. He directed with care and uses his own love for the material that he was able to capitalize on the story's key moments to drive the film's momentum. He was able to cut off the excesses of the play and what becomes is a tightly wound drama-thriller. As a performer in his own film, Fiennes was scary and intimidating; if a little enigmatic. Supported by a strong cast in Butler, Redgrave, Cox and Chastain, "Coriolanus " is a powerful film that is worthy of a look.

This film is brilliant, and most watchers will be pleasantly surprised.

Highly recommend it.



Actors: Ralph Fiennes, Gerard Butler
Directors: Ralph Fiennes
Studio: The Weinstein Company
Release Date: May 29, 2012

2012 Man on a Ledge Blu-Ray Movie Review

2012 Man on a Ledge Blu-Ray Movie Review: Nick Cassidy (Sam Worthington) is an escaped, convicted diamond thief with an elaborate plan to clear his name. After checking into an upper-floor room at Manhattan's Roosevelt Hotel, he orders a hefty meal, then exits the window and positions himself on a ledge. People below notice him and soon the police are called in. When a cop attempts to talk him in, Nick asks to speak with a different negotiator, Lydia Mercer (Elizabeth Banks).

Mercer has been ostracized by her peers recently because she lost a previous jumper. Her self-assurance has been tarnished, and she is perplexed as to why this potential suicide has requested her. The cops dust for fingerprints to identify the would-be jumper, but the room is clean. So Nick's identity remains unknown to them for quite some time....

As a thriller, "Man on a Ledge " works reasonably well. A large part of the movie involves an intricate caper that occurs as Nick teeters 25 floors above the street. The mystery unfolds as the police, Nick's family, a wealthy businessman (Ed Harris), dirty cops, and Nick himself converge in the film's denouement.

Actors: Sam Worthington, Ed Harris, Elizabeth Banks, Jamie Bell, Anthony Mackie
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Summit Entertainment
DVD Release Date: May 29, 2012

Lethal Weapon Collection 2012 Movie Review

Way, way back in the day, before a traffic pullover and then some breathlessly nflattering words, Mel Gibson was THE man. Mad Max, Braveheart, even Ranson, almost everything he touched was gold. But Lethal Weapon changed everything. The prototypical 1980s buddy flick, teams the unstable Mel Gibson with the stable family man, Roger Murtaugh, played by Danny Glover. Whatever it was, these two had an absolutely magical chemistry on film that defied insanity, death and even bad scripts as the movies went on. 

While the movies get progressively worse as they got bigger, with the exception of 2, Gibson and Glover propel this through sheer star power and will. If you want to see two masters at work, doing what they do almost effortlessly, resulting in pure eye candy, check these films out. They are a tad violent and a little sewer mouthed, hence the R ratings, but they are fantastic. Add Joe Pesci to the mix, right off his Goodfellas role, and you got a great movie on your hands.

If these are not the special editions, that would be too bad, because they are fun, but only the first one adds any real grabbers. The scene where Riggs walks into a sniper's line of fire who was shooting kids is chilling and establishes Riggs' death wish quickly and brutally. Modern post-Columbine sensibilities may find it hard to take, but it is an amazing scene. All the other scenes are filler, but really fun filler. 

If you can take a good hard R with lots of great comedy, this is a movie set for you. Just remember it is a product of its times, and people were not as politically correct then. These still stand out literally as some of my favorite films that I never get tired of watching.

Lethal Weapon Collection 2012 Movie Review

• Actors: Joe Pesci, Danny Glover, Mel Gibson
• Genre: Comedy, Action
• Release Date: May 22, 2012
• Number of discs: 5
• Run Time: 476 minutes
• Studio: Warner Home Video

Safe House 2012 Movie Review

The action/drama/mystery film opens with a quick character build up of the multifaceted CIA agent Matt Weston (Ryan Reynolds). He operates a safe house with nobody in it. He wants a European field assignment, but lacks department seniority.

The movie switches to Tobin Frost (Denzel Washington) obtaining an embarrassing electronic file from the MI6 in South Africa. "Frost", because he is cold. Denzel uses his expected savvy to escape. He is a rouge super agent who free lances, buying and selling information. In order to escape the bad guys, Tobin surrenders to the CIA. Now the questions are: Was this his original plan? What is on the file?

Tobin is taken to our aforesaid safe house for intense interrogation. Frost is too important of a person and the top secret safe house comes under attack. The young low level highly trained Matt Weston is now on the run with a man who is a master manipulator of people. To our list of unanswered questions we now add, "Who is the mole?"

Ryan and Washington give us excellent performances. It had elements of the Bourne series that made this story interesting, but it doesn't quite measure up to that film. Cliche ending. I would say if you are a fan of the trilogy, check this one out.

Multiple chase scenes, torture, killings, shoot outs, minor "roof top" jumping, car wreaks without explosions

Overall, one of the best thriller action movies in the past year.

Safe House 2012 Moview Review

• Starring: Denzel Washington, Ryan Reynolds
• Supporting actors: Vera Farmiga, Brendan Gleeson, Sam Shepard, Rubén Blades, Nora Arnezeder, Robert Patrick
• Directed by: Daniel Espinosa
• Genre: Action, Crime, Mystery, Thriller
• Runtime: 1 hour 56 minutes
• Release year: 2012
• US Theatrical Release Date: Feburary 10, 2012
• Studio: Universal Pictures

The Woman in Black 2012 Movie Review

The Woman in Black is a pretty traditional haunted house story that focuses on atmosphere and the lingering feeling of dread instead of CGI gore and horror. If you've read the book, you'll be familiar with the unsettling nature of the story - a general sense that translated well to the stage play and here to the film. The filming locations capture the remoteness of a house cut off by tide and tragedy and the general production design makes great use of a set to spring some fairly major jumps.

Daniel Radcliffe is well cast in bringing an innocence to a pretty dire situation where children keep dying every time the woman in black shows up, and he's clearly going to keep going beyond Harry Potter. The rest of the cast do well to portray the town that doesn't want Radcliffe there too. All of the tension and surprises rise from the situation and some clever camera shots and even the most hardened horror fan should get quite a few scares.

It's all a fairly solid production until the ending. Susan Hill's book transcended the genre with the end of her story (which has since been copied many times) but this movie doesn't stay faithful to the original material in an attempt to spare the audience the downer.

The Woman in Black 2012 Movie Review

• Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Ciaran Hinds
• Directed by: James Watkins
• Genre: Drama, Horror, Thriller
• Runtime: 1 hour 36 minutes
• Studio: CBS Films

Red Tails 2012 Movie Review

First, as of 22 Jan 2012, "Red Tails" is the number two in the country, with a $19 million dollar purse for the first week! Secondly, there was an apparent miscalculation by the movie industry writ-large, that the American public has somehow lost interest and draw power in a TRUE story of Americans overcoming overwhelming odds and adversity to fight for their country and for racial equality.

Red Tails delivers outstanding performances by both A-listers Cuba Gooding Jr. and Terrence Howard as well as the up-and-coming supporting actors. The action, tempo and effects were great. The storylines for the characters were good as well. The movie allows Americans the opportunity to review first-hand the bigotry and sheer ignorance of that time period, in hopes we will rise above it today. And that perhaps by remembering racism and prejudice in the context of such magnificent sacrfice and human struggle will minimize the impact of the small pockets of poison that still lingers within our society, even today.

Red Tails is AWESOME true-story of America at its best, while simultaneously being at its worse. Its a great movie to take young teens to, just as a reminder, although we havent quite attained "the dream", perhaps they can step closer to attainment in their generation.

Red Tails 2012 Movie Review

• Starring: Nate Parker, David Oyelowo
• Directed by: Anthony Hemingway
• Runtime: 2 hours 5 minutes
• Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama, History, War
• Release year: 2012
• US Theatrical Release Date: January 20, 2012
• Studio: Fox

This Means War 2012 Movie Review

"This Means War 2012" Movie Review. When two CIA agents find themselves vying for the same woman, their rivalry is epic! Lucky Reese Witherspoon, to be one-third of an eternal triangle with these guys!

Even though this is a romantic comedy, CIA activities and skirmishes are couched in enough reality that we invest a little skin in the game. But the banter and camaraderie between two hunky heroes keep it cartoony and light. Furthermore, the conversations between our heroine and her best friend are hilarious, particularly when they are being overheard by the guys.

Reese Witherspoon, tests products and facilitates focus groups, but she hasn't quite recovered from her last break-up. Her best friend offers sage advice that positively drips with envy. Chris Pine is the smooth man about town, a CIA-trained lady killer with blue eyes you could get lost in. Problem is, Reese isn't about to fall. She may be tempted, but she won't fall. Tom Hardy is the third side of this triangle, who pretends to be a travel agent, which contributed to the end of his marriage. Now he's competing with Chris Pine for Reese's affections and not doing too badly, either, despite being British.

If you're in the mood to sit back, laugh, and not have to think too much this is the movie for you! It's the perfect combination of Comedy, Romance, and Action. The cast has good chemistry and are sexy to boot! As with any romantic comedy, you can't over analyze...you just have to sit back and enjoy!

This Means War Movie Review 2012

• Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Chris Pine
• Directed by: McG
• Runtime: 1 hour 38 minutes
• Genre: Action, Comedy, Romance
• Release year: 2012
• Studio: Fox