I really liked this movie. It’s kind of slow paced, but didn’t mind it cause the cast was incredible. If you enjoyed Sideways, you’re sure to enjoy this flick. I think Ellen Page is going to be a real star in Hollywood. She’s a sexy dork/nerd type and one of the few teen actresses that can actually act. I never like Sarah Jessica Parker in movies, but must say that she was good in this one. Dennis Quaid is getting damn old. I remember him in the 80s with his wife Meg Ryan. He used to be a pimp back in the day.

The movie flows like “the squid and the whale.” It’s kind of like rushmore. The comedy is dry but the characters make the film feel genuine. The film has a lot of heart and i recommend it.

Thumbs up for smart people.

What a god awful movie this was. I just finished watching this sorry excuse for a movie. I can’t believe so many actors wanted to be in this movie. Granted, non of them are A listers, but still. I’m thinking Forrest Whittaker took this role before he won his Oscar. This movie was hideous. The story didn’t flow and i was left watching 10 mins of the movie over and over again. I wasn’t even curious about who the shooter was. What was the point of this flick? Save the president? Honestly, i wouldn’t mind if the president got shot. It’s not like back in the day of JFK. I don’t think the country would mourn that much if Bush got shot.

Not worth watching. Thumbs down! Way Down!

This Showtime Original TV series is pretty amazing. I rented the first season of The Tudors because i got interested in Henry the 8th. My interest sparked because i saw “The other Boyln girl.” I couldn’t resiste Natalie Portman and Scarlet Johansson. Anyway, on the bonus disk of “the Tudors” there was the first episode of Californication starring David Ducovny. I thought the writing was solid and the actors amazing. I like the daughter in the movie. She’s not annoying like most child actors. His wife and his wife’s boyfriend’s daughter are hot.

If you like witty dialogue and good acting, you should check this series out. Watch it on showtime or rent the whole first season on dvd.

Happiness stars an indie style all star cast. The film features Phillip Seymore Hoffman as a shy pervert. The lives of all of the characters are inter mingled. The characters all seem to escape happiness. It’s an examination of how shitty life really is. The outwardly perfect couple in the movie is the worst off. The film is pretty long but each story line moves smoothly along so the viewer doesn’t really notice. It’s a black comedy that should be viewed by mature audiences. The theme of abnormal sex is a motif through out this film. The movie seem Freudian. Sexual tension and sexual frustration is what makes these people so dysfunctional. It was pretty cool watching Phillip Seymore Hoffman play a character he knows how to play best. He plays the loser perfectly. His character is both sad and creepy. Everything about him is creepy and disgusting. Bravo Hoffman. Thumbs up!

Lars and the real girl is a movie starring Ryan Gosling and Emily Mortimer. The film is beautifully acted and the story focuses on the characters. The main character played by Gosling is a sweet young man who lost his mother when he was a baby. To supplement the love from his mother, he becomes delusional and believes that a mail order sex doll is his new girlfriend. The story sounds ridiculous, but it works because of the acting. The character is so sweet and the whole town loves him. The scene he first introduces his new girlfriend to his brother and is wife is a classic. The film is touching and deep. It’s funny and it’s got heart. Thumbs up way up for this movie.

Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts finally make a movie together. Too bad it sucks. Too bad they choose to collaborate together after they peaked in Hollywood. This movie is bland and it was put together without thinking about whether the movie will be good or not. The dialogue was obvious and it seemed like it was more a lecture then two characters talking to each other.

I love the director of this movie. I love The writer and producers. I also love the actors in this film. Why did i hate this movie? Maybe because it was corny. Maybe because they dumbed down the movie a little too much. Maybe because, Julia Roberts looked really creepy in this flick.

I don’t know why, but i feel bad for Tom Hanks. I used to think that he was an Ace. I would get all excited when a new movie of his would open in theatres. Those days are gone and i feel like this movie was a bad way to say good bye to one of my favorite actors.

A surprisingly good movie. King of California stars Michael Douglas and the lovely Evan Rachel Wood. It’s a father daughter treasure hunt story. The father is a crazy man and the daughter is a precocious old soul. The story is generic but the characters are kinda interesting. Miss Wood is lovely. I think she has a very bright future in front of her. She’s not your typical teen actress. She has depth and is on the dark side. I think she could blossom into a premier actress in Hollywood. These underdog redemption stories are only good if you feel for the character. Maybe, my age makes me take more heart with this film. Being a certain age makes you stressed about financial success. Since the main character is a father who never made anything of himself, i ended up routing for the hero. I wanted him to succeed. It’s a good dvd find. Only wish there was a love story mixed in for Rachel Wood. It would have been nice to see. Corny at times, but worth renting. Thumbs up.

Both these guys are one step away from the championship match. What else can you say about these two actors that have not been addressed already? You guys already know who you are going to vote for so here are some funny clips that might keep you guys entertained. To vote for who is the better actor just leave a comment. Your vote WILL matter. Thanks.
Jack Nicholson

Robert DeNiro

Al Pacino
Pros: A very talented actor. Great roles over the years has helped but he brings it is every films he does. His delivery in some of his scenes can not be matched. He is great at changing his mood at a dime. He is able to play a “bad guy” that you love, for example Donnie Brasco or even Scarface which might be the biggest “bad guy” role there was.
Cons: Many feel he overacts too often. He had some horrible supporting roles in Gigli and The Recruit. Needs to be more selective in the roles he plays. There is such a thing as too much Pacino. Also Pacino will never be able to pull of comedy because everyone associates him with as such a serious character.

Dustin Hoffman
Pros: A actor with great range. Look at his work in Toostie and Rain Man. Two completely different roles that he pulled off perfectly. He does any kind of genre, action, comedy, romance, and even suspense.
Cons: His choice of roles now a days is not great. He did Meet the Fockers and Stranger than Fiction which did not showcase his true talent. Some may say that he had great roles which made him into a star. Also can he carry a movie by himself like Al Pacino?
My Verdict:Who is the better actor? Hard one to call. If you say Scent of a Woman was Al Pacino’s best performance and Rain Man was Dustin Hoffman’s best performance than the better actor is clearly Dustin Hoffman. The problem with Al Pacino is that he is such a great actor that you don’t see his character for who they really are, you just see Pacino. Same thing for Tom Cruise. They are such big named stars that they really can’t pull off the characters they are playing.

Robert DeNiro
Pros:Great passion for his role. May be the top character actors in Hollywood of all time. He has played some of the most unforgettable characters of all time like Vito Corleone, Al Capone, and Jake LaMotta. I mean he was able to make Vito Corleone his own which many thought would not be possible because of what Marlon Brando did two years earlier. Throughout the years he has won every award imaginable and remained cool, much like Jack Nicholson.
Cons:
Some horrible screen choices along the way. Anyone seen Godsend, Hide and Seek, and The Fan? He seems to play “bad” guys very well but that seems to be his limit. What is the deal with DeNiro trying to do comedy? Meet the Parents was ….ok, but he should have left it at that. Meet the Fockers was horrible and A Sharks Tale was just sad. He should stick to what he is good at…being a wise guy.

Denzel Washington
Pros: The passion this guys brings to a film is unmatched. Even if the film that he is in sucks, he is able to save it with his strong performance. Think of a movies like The Hurricane and John Q, if anyone else was playing the lead in either of the two films would it even be watchable? People thought that he could never play a villian, much like Tom Hanks who has always seemed to play the heros. But his performance in Training Day and American Gangster proved that he is not just a one trick pony.
ConsSometimes tends to overact, making some of his characters unbelievable. Even if his performance was strong, he has picked some really bad movies. Never ventured out to do comedy, which might not be a bad thing but an effort would be nice.
My Verdict
Both great actors. I know what some of you guys are thinking. Why do you trash DeNiro for doing comedy and trash Denzel for NOT doing comedy. My point is this. DeNiro did a good comedy in Meet the Parents and proved that he could pull if off. But then he went on to make a couple more which kind of made him a joke. I am not saying Denzel should do a string of comedies but he should do one to see if he can or can not do it. My pick between the two has to go with Denzel who seems to get better with age while DeNiro gets worse every year. Denzel has better range and give his all in every performance. At times, (and some of you might agree with me) DeNiro seems to mail it in to just get his HUGE paycheck. Like “hey I am DeNiro….where is my money.” But my vote does not matter. If you want to vote just leave a comment. Since the average number of comments I get is around five, your vote might end up being 20% of the vote.