HIT MOVIEZ

Here is the summary for the movie Bruno from imdb

Brüno is a gay Austrian fashion guru. He has his own fashion based television show, Funkyzeit, the most popular German-language show of its kind outside of Germany. After he disgraces himself in front of his Funkyzeit fan base, he is ruined in German speaking Europe. He decides that in his quest for worldwide fame, he will move to Los Angeles and reinvent himself. Accompanying him to the US is Lutz, his former assistant's assistant. Lutz is the only person left in his circle that still believes in Brüno's greatness. Brüno goes through one reinvention of himself after another, ultimately straying to areas far removed from his own self. Perhaps when Brüno finds an activity that he truly does love, he will also find that über-fame he so desperately desires. Written by Huggo

Here is a review for the movie Bruno from dvdtalk

It appears the trilogy is now complete. After creating starring vehicles for his characters Ali G (2002's "Ali G Indahouse") and Borat Sagdiyev (2006's smash "Borat"), the time has come for Sacha Baron Cohen to allow Bruno an opportunity to carry his own picture. "Bruno" will likely be welcomed by an adoring audience fully equipped to endure the traditional blast of Cohen-approved smut and merciless social commentary, especially after "Borat" turned his obscure antics into box office gold. However, don't hold sudden international success against Cohen's superb modus operandi, who once again tears into a clueless world seeking to mock, celebrate, and disgust anyone who will welcome him.

Watching his success on German television taken away from him, fashion expert Bruno (Sacha Baron Cohen) is ready to make the leap to America. Traveling to Los Angeles with assistant Lutz (Gustaf Hammarsten), Bruno hopes to hit it big on network television, only to watch as his special brand of homosexually charged antics fail to impress American test audiences. Dejected, Bruno travels around the globe trying to make himself famous, finding nooks and crannies of culture to test his charms. Armed with his gumption, his adoptive African baby O.J., and his innate sense of cutting-edge style, Bruno finds he must make peace with himself before he can change the world.

With "Bruno," Sacha Baron Cohen finds his velvet bag of magic tricks nearly empty. With the megaton success of "Borat," the actor is a now a fixture of the media spotlight, unable to hide behind careful disguises and fool unsuspecting victims. To help control the necessity for surprise, "Bruno" is caught somewhere between the faux-documentary shenanigans of "Borat" and the straight-laced comedic stylistics of "Ali G Indahouse." It's a bubbling potion of the staged and the real that supplies a suitable comfort zone for Cohen to manufacture his most outrageous character: a hulking gay fashionista with a tireless libido and a limited appreciation for personal space.

"Bruno" doesn't feature a rigid structure, but merely provides a faint sense of purpose for our Austrian hero to go out into the world and try to spread his special brand of tight-pantsed cheer through increasingly preposterous situations. If Ali G trafficked in B-boy stupidity and Borat represented extreme foreign cluelessness, Bruno is a big gay menace. Using the character's homosexuality as the bayonet on the rifle of satire, "Bruno" is more consumed with stirring up homophobic response than trying to stitch together a consistent feature film. "Bruno" eventually sheds all dramatic pretenses to run free in the fields of Cohen's pervy imagination, sticking the character in impossible situations of conflict to capture the often colorful reactions.

Whether he's enlisting in boot camp, trying to seduce Ron Paul to help market a sex tape, appearing on a Jerry Springeresque talk show to defend his African baby, meeting with Christian homosexual conversion experts, struggling to interview Paula Abdul while using Mexican day laborers as furniture, looking to broker peace in the Middle East, visiting a swinger's party, or assuming disguise as "Straight Dave" and staging a UFC event (taking the sport to its natural conclusion), Bruno is craving fame at any cost. Cohen's enviable energy in the role goes a long way toward smoothing out the rough edges of the filmmaking, working to mold a thin structure of fame-whore ridiculousness to a picture more concerned with gags and punchlines, often accompanied by graphic male nudity. "Bruno" is habitually shocking, especially in the manner it fixates on anal play and the defiant heterosexuality of the marks, but Cohen keeps the horseplay frothy enough to avoid a hate crime mentality.

"Bruno" doesn't break new ground for Cohen and his marvelous comic impulses, but it gives him room to play, and that's just as welcome. "Bruno" contains plenty of belly laughs, audible gasps, and provides a sly refresher on obscene civilian prejudice, drilling to the cancerous heart of intolerance one laugh at a time.

8/13/2009 08:55:00 AM
Categories: Movies Starting with B. Author: kevin

Here is the summary for the movie Bolt from imdb

Bolt, an American White Shepherd, has lived his whole life on the set of his action TV show, where he believes he has superpowers. When separated from the studio by accident, he meets a female alley cat named Mittens and a hamster named Rhino. Along the way, he learns that he doesn't have superpowers and that the show is not real. Written by jcsmarchesi

Bolt tells the story a dog who plays a heroic dog in a hit TV show and has some trouble recognizing that he doesn't even have superpowers. This becomes something of a hindrance when he is accidentally shipped from Hollywood to New York City. From there he has to make his way home with the help of a manky old cat and an overweight hamster in a plastic ball. Written by wolf_stoned

Emerging from Disney's wounded in-house animation arm, "Bolt" is as routinely arranged a tale as the Mouse House is capable of telling. However, the lack of screenwriting imagination is offset by the inherent charm of the picture, resulting in a pleasing arrangement of CG-animated action set-pieces and slapstick comedy to push "Bolt" beyond the repetitive family film norm.

Bolt (voiced by John Travolta in a winningly playful performance) is a Hollywood canine action star, only he doesn't know it. As the lead in a hit television series, Bolt spends his day defending "his person" Penny (Miley Cyrus) from a stream of bad guys with his heat vision, karate-chops, and super bark. Accidentally separated from the show, Bolt finds himself shipped to New York City, making it his mission to return to California and soothe a worried Penny. Taking a street cat named Mittens (Susie Essman) as his prisoner, Bolt is forced to confront a world where his "powers" are on the blink. Befriending an enthusiastic admirer in Rhino the hamster (Mark Walton), the trio trek across the country, with Mittens teaching Bolt the realities of life as an average dog.

"Bolt' is a nice change of pace from the Disney Animation Studios norm. Coming after the misguided antics of "Chicken Little" and "Meet the Robinsons," "Bolt" settles into more comfort food tones, showcasing the antics of cute animals against a backdrop of pure Americana. Directed by Byron Howard and Chris Williams, the picture contains a lovely momentum, shifting between threads of comedy, slick action (emphasized outrageously in Disney Digital 3-D), and heartache with minimal fuss throughout most of the running time, hitting expected notes of mass-consumption gaiety that will surely amuse younger audience members.

Trouble is, there's no real bite to "Bolt" in either plot or emotion, leaving behind a frustratingly shallow movie that's much too quick to lay the melodrama on thick in an attempt to reach out to the viewer. Bolt's arc from superdog to confused canine is a point belabored into ground by the filmmakers, who whip the straightforward plot point over and over, reducing the movie's pace to a crawl at certain critical junctures. The sympathetic goo is extended to Mittens and Penny as well, who get their own overscripted cross to bear, again, stopping the movie cold in the name of derivative manipulation.

"Bolt" is breezier as a road movie, watching the group cross the country on their way to Los Angeles, with Mittens giving Bolt pointers on primary pooch pleasures, such as begging for food and car riding smell opportunities. The performances lend the movie an interesting spin, as Travolta and Cyrus are the only real stars of the movie. The rest of the cast is made up of character actors (including Greg Germann, Diedrich Bader, and James Lipton) cast more for vocal quality than star power. It's a nice change of pace, especially with the likes of Walton, who puts his heart into interpreting Rhino's Bolt fan spasms and plastic-ball-encased heroism, gorging on slapstick to become the film's comedic highlight and the lone character not burdened with an irritatingly gloomy backstory to overcome.

More admiration for "Bolt" is revealed with the film's soundtrack, employing Jenny Lewis (a musical performer of staggering serenity and crushing grace) to provide a mid-movie montage with a bouncy, folksy song entitled "Barking at the Moon." Further surprise arrives at the end credits, with John Travolta returning to his "Let Her In" musical roots to duet with Cyrus on the tune "I Thought I Lost You."

Filled with explosive canine derring-do, gorgeous animation with a pleasing fixation on Midwest panoramas, and a hilarious psychotic hamster rolling around stealing laughs, it's easy to appreciate "Bolt" as a nontoxic entry in the CG-animation sweepstakes. Perhaps the film isn't endowed with a glop of Pixar preciousness, but "Bolt" gets by on a heady froth of charisma and a few surprises where it counts the most.

3/06/2009 05:47:00 PM
Categories: Movies Starting with B. Author: kevin

Here is the summary for the movie The Blues Brothers from imdb

After the release of Jake Blues from prison, he and brother Elwood go to visit the old home where they were raised by nuns. They learn the church stopped its support and will sell the place to the education authority, and the only way to keep the place open is if the $5000 tax on the property is paid within 11 days. The brothers want to help and decide to put their blues band back together and raise the the money by staging a big gig. As they set off on their "mission from god" they seem to make more enemies along the way. Will they manage to come up with the money in time? Written by Sami Al-Taher {staher2000@yahoo.com}

Here is a review for the movie The Blues Brothers from dvdtalk

The Movie

I was very lucky to be born in the early 70s, and here's why: I grew up with two busy parents and a big sister who wanted very little to do with her movie-addicted and perpetually annoying little brother. Which means that when my afternoons weren't filled with softball games, action figures, and trips to the mall with the neighborhood families -- I was being babysat by some of the most wonderful folks imaginable.

If I were actually able to sit down and calculate how many times I've seen Animal House, Caddyshack, The Jerk, Meatballs, 1941, Airplane!, Trading Places, Stripes, Ghostbusters, and of course The Blues Brothers -- let's just say I'd end up pretty embarrassed by the final tally. Rainy Sunday? Time for another visit with Seems Like Old Times. Bored friends stopped by with nothing to do? That sounds like a job for Vacation or Fletch. Nothing good on TV? I had a well-worn tape that boasted the can't-miss triple feature of Three Amigos, Spies Like Us, and Foul Play.

Belushi, Aykroyd, Martin, Chase, Murray; these guys were like gods to me when I was just a formative little movie geeklet. And every single time The Blues Brothers came on TV (which was fairly often), you'd know where you could find me: plastered in front of the TV, tapping my toes to the wonderful music, chuckling at the oh-so-dry jokes, and widening my eyeballs at the astonishingly cool car chases.

For the longest time, The Blues Brothers ranked at the very top of my Favorite Comedies list. I made everyone watch it. Mom, Dad, disinterested sis and her eye-rolling pals ... heck, I even had my grandmother watch the thing with me when it hit HBO -- and she loved it.

The very first (and still the very best) movie to be inspired by Saturday Night Live characters, The Blues Brothers is an absolute joy to behold. It's silly and smart; it's chaotic and cracked; it's full of brilliant musical sequences and amazing car chases. Basically it's one of the most "fun" movies I've ever seen. And I've seen it about 25 times.

The story couldn't be more simple: Jake, fresh out of a stint in the pen, and his brother Elwood decide to reunite with their old band in an effort to raise the funds needed to save their old orphanage from foreclosure.

Sounds pretty simple, right? Wrong.

Turns out that Jake & Elwood are, by their very nature, inherent troublemakers and amazingly consistent chaos-magnets. What should be a rather easy task (find the old pals and play a packed gig) turns into a fiasco of truly epic proportions. In their travels, Jake & Elwood manage to infuriate various law enforcement officials, a group of neo-nazi bastards, an unpleasant country western band, and a mysterious woman with a penchant for powerful weaponry.

And all that really matters to these guys is:

1. Play the gig.

2. Get paid.

3. Get the money to the orphanage.

Everything else is remanded to the rear-view window. The brothers drive a magical car, cheat death numerous times, destroy more public property than Godzilla, and end up hunted by the army, the coast guard, and a SWAT team -- all to save a grumpy old nun and her needy orphans.

Easily of the most ebullient and smoothly enjoyable musical comedies ever made, The Blues Brothers boasts a roster of musical talent that must be heard to be believed: Cab Calloway, Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, James Brown, and John Lee Hooker, all legends of the music industry, had their careers earn a well-deserved shot in the arm from their appearances in The Blues Brothers. And the musicians hired to play Jake & Elwood's band? Top-notch artists across the board. The flick's basically one-third blues music, one-third character-based comedy, and one-third car chase -- and all of it's grade-A prime American Comedy, brewed in the vintage year of 1980.

Everything in The Blues Brothers is larger than life. The lead characters, who are on a "mission from god," are seemingly immortal ... or at least unstoppable. The stunts, the tunes, the set pieces, the non-stop chaos that is the finale; it's all a part of the "bigger is better" school of comedy, which in many ways makes The Blues Brothers the more highly regarded cousin to Steven Spielberg's equally insane war comedy 1941.

Although the show belongs mainly to Belushi, Aykroyd, and the dazzling array of musical guest stars, The Blues Brothers is also built with a foundation of great little character parts: Kathleen Freeman as a hilariously intimidating nun; Henry Gibson as an "Illinois Nazi" with a score to settle; Carrie Fisher as a murderous mystery woman; Charles Napier as a fuming country crooner; plus keep your eyes peeled for folks like Frank Oz, John Candy, and even Steven Spielberg! Small contributions by these guys, but each one earns a few laughs.

The Blues Brothers was produced with a then-considered-mammoth budget of $27 million, but it also went on to gross over $115 million worldwide -- and that's just the initial theatrical run we're talking about. Since its debut in 1980, the film has become a bona-fide comedy classic of the most beloved kind. Every time I pop the movie in, it feels like I'm slipping into an great old pair of slippers -- and woe is the poor fool who tries to get me on the phone or drag me out of the house before the "Jailhouse Rock" finale pipes through my speakers.

Notes on the "extended" version - Overall, I'm a "theatrical cut" kinda guy when it comes to The Blues Brothers. The original (and now out-of-print) Universal DVD did not offer the theatrical cut of the movie, which left me little choice but to "get to know" the extended cut, which runs about 15 minutes longer than the 133-minute theatrical version.

On the plus side, the long version includes a lengthier cut of the supremely rousing "revelation at the church" sequence. Indeed, nearly all of the classic set pieces (Cab Calloway's "Minnie the Moocher," Aretha Franklin's "Think," and the Blues Brothers farewell concert) are made a little bit longer in the extended version. There's also a cool gas station explosion and a few new chuckles, but...

...the longer version is also packing some dead-end sequences that add virtually nothing to the movie -- aside from extra running time. Elwood's "explanation" on how the Bluesmobile gains it magical powers and several droplets of dialogue have been reinstated -- but they don't really help the movie in any discernible way. (OK, it's cool to see where Elwood originally got the goop he used to sabotage the police car tires ... but is it this bit really necessary?) Perhaps it's simply because the theatrical cut is the version I grew up with, but I'll side (say, 60/40) on the side of the original Blues Brothers.

But that's part of the beauty in this re-release. Fans can finally choose which version they want to enjoy. On side A you'll find the extended cut; flip the disc over and there's the theatrical. (I'd have preferred Universal do this release in a full 2-disc delivery, but that's a minor gripe, all things considered.)

The DVD

Video: Regardless of which version you choose, you're getting a Widescreen (1.85:1) Anamorphic presentation, and the picture quality is pretty darn solid. You'll obviously notice some grain and minor source flaws (especially in the darker scenes), but overall the movie looks quite grand.

Audio: Now here's a minor annoyance: The extended cut comes with a fantastic Dolby Digital 5.1 audio track -- while the theatrical cut warrants no better than a Dolby Digital 2.0 treatment. Hmph. (Alternate language options - French & Spanish - are offered only on the 2.0 theatrical cut.) Both audio tracks are quite good, but obviously the 5.1 brings the tunes home in truly vibrant fashion. Optional subtitles are available (on both versions) in English, Spanish, and French.

Extras

Fans who purchased the first Blues Brothers DVD should be happy to know that the 56-minute (and really excellent) Stories Behind the Making of The Blues Brothers has been carried over to this new release. Full of anecdotes and recollections from Dan Aykroyd, director John Landis, producer Robert Weiss, executive producer Sean Daniel, editor George Folsey, cinematographer Stephen Katz, and perhaps a dozen others (including several of "the band!" members), this is a fantastic retrospective featurette that gives the fans precisely want they want: the scoop on how the flick came to be, how so many great musicians were lined up, how that massive "mall chase" was done, etc. This might not be a new supplement, but it's one that's definitely worthy of a second visit.

As far as new goodies are concerned, you'll get a 22-second Introduction to the Film by Dan Aykroyd, a 7-minute mini-concert called Going Rounds: A Day on the Blues Brothers Tour (which is actually a somewhat embarrassing display by Jim Belushi and Dan Aykroyd), a 15-minute "look back" featurette entitled Transposing the Music (which offers some new interviews with Aykroyd, Landis, Jim Belushi, John Goodman, composer Howard Shore, and John's widow, Judy Belushi-Pisno), and a 9-minute Remembering John tribute, in which several of the aforementioned folks share their favorite "Belushi" moments and memories.

Rounding out the double-sided package are a handful of text-based production notes, the original theatrical trailer, and a rather pointless menu option called Musical Highlights -- as if you couldn't just flick to your favorite tunes by using the normal "scene selection" menu.

Offered on the previous DVD but missing from this one are some rather pointless filmographies and a huge, healthy photo gallery.

Final Thoughts

The Blues Brothers is loud, chaotic, indulgent, and crazy -- but it's also got a sly attitude and a palpable sense of love and respect for the blues classics. Frequently over-the-top and aggressively raucous, it's one of my very favorite comedies -- and musicals.

Hard to believe that after 25 years, not one movie has been unable to unseat The Blues Brothers as the grade-A #1 SNL-inspired comedy flick -- but then again we're talking about movies like Superstar, It's Pat!, and A Night at the Roxbury ... flicks that don't even deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as The Blues Brothers.

3/06/2009 05:40:00 PM
Categories: Movies Starting with B. Author: kevin

Here is the summary for the movie Bedtime Stories from imdb

Marty Bronson (Jonathan Pryce) who raises his son and daughter on his own has to sell his homey motel to clever Barry Nottingham (Richard Griffiths) who promises to make Marty's son manager, when he's grown up and has proven himself. Nottingham pulls down the motel to raise a pricey hotel. Although grown up, Marty's son Skeeter Bronson (Adam Sandler) works as a janitor and general servant, but unlikely as it seems, he still dreams of becoming the manager. When Nottingham announces a brand-new gigantic hotel project, he makes his future son-in-law, base Kendall (Guy Pierce), manager, shattering Skeeter's dream. At the same time Skeeter's sister Wendy (Courtney Cox) has to leave town for a job interview and asks him to alternate looking after her two children Patrick (Jonathan Morgan Heit) and Bobbi (Laura Ann Kesling) with Wendy's responsible-minded colleague Jill (Keri Russell). He doesn't get along with either Jill or the children, but his easy-goingness loosens them all up and once he starts telling his bedtime stories, the children grow fond of him and begin to bring in their ideas about how the stories should go. When the stories turn out to become true in real life, Skeeter tries to manoeuver the stories into a direction which will make his dream come true, too.

Here is a review for the movie Bedtime Stories from dvdtalk

Taking time out of his hectic PG-13 schedule to make a flick for the kiddies, Adam Sandler tones down his act a smidge for the Disney film experience, "Bedtime Stories." Only six months ago Sandler was try to ease Middle East tensions and enjoy sex with Lanie Kazan in "You Don't Mess with the Zohan," and now it's all bug-eye guinea pigs, gumball storms, and Buzz Lightyear cameos. Even if you hold distaste for Sandler's juvenile antics, I think some credit has to be given for his recent interest in versatility.

Left to care for his niece and nephew while his sister (Courtney Cox) is away on a job hunt, Skeeter (Adam Sandler) finds he has little in common with the kids, and even less with fellow caretaker Jill (Keri Russell). Enticing the children with wild bedtime stories, Skeeter dreams up faraway lands of enchantment where his make-believe surrogate enjoys the spoils of war. However, the children keep their uncle grounded by including punishments and failure for Skeeter and his massive imagination. When the bedtime story embellishments start to show up in the real world, Skeeter finds he's unlocked a gold mine, trying to convince the kids to help him with money, women, and a chance to snatch a promotion away from his hotel workplace rival Kendall (Guy Pearce, enjoying the change of pace).

If one accepts that "Bedtime Stories" is strictly for family audiences, it's great deal easier to embrace the film as a tempered, but amiable offering from Sandler, reaching out directly to the nosepickers this holiday season to expand his fanbase. A lavish fantasy/comedy, "Stories" is a routine tale of underdog success and childlike wonder, putting Sandler's ease with youngsters to good use as our hero is sent on several imaginary missions to experiment with the magical results.

Following Skeeter into western, sci-fi, gladiatorial, and medieval "chapters" of the bedtime story allows Sandler sizable room to flex his goofball muscles. More at ease in front of the camera than I've ever seen him, Sandler appears to enjoy the comfy PG surroundings, permitted to employ fart jokes, booger monsters, and the aforementioned ocularly challenged guinea pig to help bring the movie to a child's level. The dumbing down of the material isn't an inspiring sight, but Sandler's charm always saves the script from its worst tendencies, especially when he's allowed a moment to spin jokes his own specialized absurd way.

At 95 minutes, "Stories" stalls to stretch itself out. It's a thin concept and director Adam Shankman doesn't grip the promise of the material with optimal fervor, instead letting dull asides with the formula stuff (Kendall's deceptions, flirtations with Jill) lead the way over uproarious eccentricity. Thankfully, appearances from the "The Sandler Players" such as Alan Covert, Rob Schneider (playing a Native American), Nick Swardson, and Jonathan Loughran help extend the strangeness, while supporting work from Russell Brand (as Skeeter's best friend) reveals a refreshingly silly new side to his comedic gifts.

"Stories" is more harmless merriment than hilarity, and I give Shankman credit for never swallowing the picture in special effects, employing the ornamentation wisely around the film in a manner that furthers the fantasy vibe. However, Sandler's mischievous heart just doesn't belong in a straight-up kid zone like "Bedtime Stories," especially one with a script that doesn't elevate beyond the expected.

12/31/2008 03:04:00 AM
Categories: Movies Starting with B. Author: kevin

Here is the summary for the movie Behind Enemy Lines Columbia from imdb

Navy SEALS mount an attack on Colombian special forces to clear their names and rescue a hostage.

Here is the direct download for the movie Behind Enemy Lines Columbia.

12/31/2008 02:49:00 AM
Categories: Movies Starting with B. Author: kevin

Here is the summary for the movie Bolt from imdb

Bolt, an American White Shepherd, has lived his whole life on the set of his action TV show, where he believes he has superpowers. When separated from the studio by accident, he meets a female alley cat named Mittens and a hamster named Rhino. Along the way, he learns that he doesn't have superpowers and that the show is not real. Written by jcsmarchesi

Bolt tells the story a dog who plays a heroic dog in a hit TV show and has some trouble recognizing that he doesn't even have superpowers. This becomes something of a hindrance when he is accidentally shipped from Hollywood to New York City. From there he has to make his way home with the help of a manky old cat and an overweight hamster in a plastic ball. Written by wolf_stoned

Emerging from Disney's wounded in-house animation arm, "Bolt" is as routinely arranged a tale as the Mouse House is capable of telling. However, the lack of screenwriting imagination is offset by the inherent charm of the picture, resulting in a pleasing arrangement of CG-animated action set-pieces and slapstick comedy to push "Bolt" beyond the repetitive family film norm.

Bolt (voiced by John Travolta in a winningly playful performance) is a Hollywood canine action star, only he doesn't know it. As the lead in a hit television series, Bolt spends his day defending "his person" Penny (Miley Cyrus) from a stream of bad guys with his heat vision, karate-chops, and super bark. Accidentally separated from the show, Bolt finds himself shipped to New York City, making it his mission to return to California and soothe a worried Penny. Taking a street cat named Mittens (Susie Essman) as his prisoner, Bolt is forced to confront a world where his "powers" are on the blink. Befriending an enthusiastic admirer in Rhino the hamster (Mark Walton), the trio trek across the country, with Mittens teaching Bolt the realities of life as an average dog.

"Bolt' is a nice change of pace from the Disney Animation Studios norm. Coming after the misguided antics of "Chicken Little" and "Meet the Robinsons," "Bolt" settles into more comfort food tones, showcasing the antics of cute animals against a backdrop of pure Americana. Directed by Byron Howard and Chris Williams, the picture contains a lovely momentum, shifting between threads of comedy, slick action (emphasized outrageously in Disney Digital 3-D), and heartache with minimal fuss throughout most of the running time, hitting expected notes of mass-consumption gaiety that will surely amuse younger audience members.

Trouble is, there's no real bite to "Bolt" in either plot or emotion, leaving behind a frustratingly shallow movie that's much too quick to lay the melodrama on thick in an attempt to reach out to the viewer. Bolt's arc from superdog to confused canine is a point belabored into ground by the filmmakers, who whip the straightforward plot point over and over, reducing the movie's pace to a crawl at certain critical junctures. The sympathetic goo is extended to Mittens and Penny as well, who get their own overscripted cross to bear, again, stopping the movie cold in the name of derivative manipulation.

"Bolt" is breezier as a road movie, watching the group cross the country on their way to Los Angeles, with Mittens giving Bolt pointers on primary pooch pleasures, such as begging for food and car riding smell opportunities. The performances lend the movie an interesting spin, as Travolta and Cyrus are the only real stars of the movie. The rest of the cast is made up of character actors (including Greg Germann, Diedrich Bader, and James Lipton) cast more for vocal quality than star power. It's a nice change of pace, especially with the likes of Walton, who puts his heart into interpreting Rhino's Bolt fan spasms and plastic-ball-encased heroism, gorging on slapstick to become the film's comedic highlight and the lone character not burdened with an irritatingly gloomy backstory to overcome.

More admiration for "Bolt" is revealed with the film's soundtrack, employing Jenny Lewis (a musical performer of staggering serenity and crushing grace) to provide a mid-movie montage with a bouncy, folksy song entitled "Barking at the Moon." Further surprise arrives at the end credits, with John Travolta returning to his "Let Her In" musical roots to duet with Cyrus on the tune "I Thought I Lost You."

Filled with explosive canine derring-do, gorgeous animation with a pleasing fixation on Midwest panoramas, and a hilarious psychotic hamster rolling around stealing laughs, it's easy to appreciate "Bolt" as a nontoxic entry in the CG-animation sweepstakes. Perhaps the film isn't endowed with a glop of Pixar preciousness, but "Bolt" gets by on a heady froth of charisma and a few surprises where it counts the most.

12/05/2008 01:58:00 PM
Categories: Movies Starting with B. Author: kevin

DARK KNIGHT DVD QUALITY NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE

HERE IS THE SUMMARY FOR THE MOVIE THE DARK KNIGHT FROM IMDB

Batman raises the stakes in his war on crime. With the help of Lieutenant Jim Gordon and District Attorney Harvey Dent, Batman sets out to dismantle the remaining criminal organizations that plague the city streets. The partnership proves to be effective, but they soon find themselves prey to a reign of chaos unleashed by a rising criminal mastermind known to the terrified citizens of Gotham as The Joker. Written by Peteagassi

With just one year passed after taking out Ra's Al Ghul's plan to have Gotham eliminated and the mysterious disappearance of Dr. Jonathan Crane AKA the Scarecrow, after the city was nearly plundered with his toxins, Bruce Wayne and his vigilante alter-ego the Batman, continue the seemingly-endless effort to bring order to Gotham, with the help of Lt. James Gordon and newly appointed District Attorney Harvey Dent, but a new threat has now emerged into the streets. The Dark Knight faces a rising psychopathic criminal called The Joker, who's eerie grin, laughter, and inhuman morality makes him more dangerous than what he has yet to unleash. It becomes an agenda to the Batman to stop the mysterious Joker at all cost, knowing that the both of them are in the opposite line. One with no method at all and seeks to see the world plunge into the fire he has yet to lit. One who represents the symbol of hope and uses his own shadow to bring the peace and order he has yet to accomplish on doing. Written by Anonymous

Set within a year after the events of Batman Begins, Batman, Lieutenant James Gordon, and new district attorney Harvey Dent successfully begin to round up the criminals that plague Gotham City until a mysterious and sadistic criminal mastermind known only as the Joker appears in Gotham, creating a new wave of chaos. Batman's struggle against the Joker becomes deeply personal, forcing him to "confront everything he believes" and improve his technology to stop him. A love triangle develops between Bruce Wayne, Dent and Rachel Dawes. Written by Leon Lombardi

You might not think it possible for a character that is pushing 80 years-old to have as much energy in his old bones as Batman does in his latest screen epic, The Dark Knight, but that is just not the case. In his follow-up the franchise re-energizing Batman Begins, director Christopher Nolan takes the Caped Crusader to places never before explored in film, and seldom touched upon even within the comics. The result is a superhero film unlike most other superhero films--a grim, often unrelenting tale of moral ambiguity about men driven by convictions so intense it compromises their sanity.

With masked vigilante Batman (Christian Bale) striking fear into the hearts of criminal throughout Gotham City, it looks like there may actually be hope for the city that has been plagued by rampant crime and a corrupt police department. But despite his best efforts, Batman has not been able to stop all crime, especially those committed by a psychotic criminal who calls himself the Joker (Heath Ledger). Horribly scarred, and hiding behind poorly applied clown make-up, the Joker brings a wave of senseless terror to the streets of Gotham the likes of which have never been seen before. When he offers the leaders of all the crime syndicates his services in dealing with Batman, Joker sets the stage for a brutal war that will leave much of the city burning and in ruins.

Meanwhile, Bruce Wayne is looking for a reason to retire from his career as Batman, so he can pursue the love of his life, Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal). But before he can give up fighting crime forever, Bruce Wayne must find a new hero to replace Batman. Wayne sees such a hero in Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), the crusading district attorney who also happens to be his rival for the love of Rachel. Romantic rivalry notwithstanding, Batman prepares to let Dent lead the charge in cleaning up the streets of Gotham City. Unfortunately, the Joker has other plans, and as he steps up his war to destroy Batman, he adds several others to his death list, including Dent, Rachel and James Gordon (Gary Oldman), Batman's closest ally on the police force. This leads to an epic showdown that is brutally violent both physically and mentally, that will take an incredible toll on all the key players.

Arguably one of the best comic book movies to date, The Dark Knight is certainly the best Batman movie to date. Just as Batman Begins drew from some of the best eras of Batman--primarily his early days in the late 1930s, his classic 1970s tales by Denny O'Neil and Neal Adams, and Frank Miller's seminal interpretations (both Batman: Year One and The Dark Knight Returns)--so to does The Dark Knight take from the best interpretations of the Caped Crusader. When Batman ventures off to Hong Kong to retrieve a criminal who could help bring down Gotham's crime families, it recalls the re-invention the character underwent in the 70s with O'Neil and Adams. Likewise, Batman's bordering-on-insanity pursuit of justice owes much to Miller's work. But the film's crowning achievement--the Joker--comes straight from the character's most earlier exploits, when he was little more than a deadly enigma.

It is difficult to separate all of the hype surrounding the death of Heath Ledger, who died shortly after he finished filming, from the hype surrounding what truly is a stunning performance. In much the way Brandon Lee's overshadowed the initial release of The Crow, so too has Ledger's death threatened to overshadow The Dark Knight. But his performance simply refuses to be obscured by the tragedy that surrounds it. Ledger is, for lack of a better term, absolutely brilliant and almost unrecognizable, giving a stunning performance as "an agent of chaos" that sets the tone for the film, and helps put the "dark" in The Dark Knight. And make no mistake; this film is not only dark, it is depressing and disturbing as well. It is also bordering on brilliant.

Ledger's performance is the highpoint of The Dark Knight, but the film is filled with other great work by an incredible cast. Oldman is terrific as soon-to-be Commissioner Gordon, and both Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman give solid performances as Alfred and Luscious Fox. Even Tiny Lister gives a great performance in what could have easily been a throwaway role. And of course there is Bale, who manages to give Bruce Wayne the depth that he lacked in the hands of George Clooney and Val Kilmer.

Having resurrected the franchise with Batman Begins, Christopher Nolan has taken the series to new heights. Nolan has crafted a taut film noir that has disguised itself as an action thriller. Exploring the fine line that separates good and evil, The Dark Knight revolves around Batman as much as it does the Joker and Harvey Dent--who is destined to become a rather gruesome looking Two-Face--with a surprising amount of attention also paid to Jim Gordon. The result is an ensemble film that traverses rugged moral terrain, making The Dark Knight the comic book movie equivalent to L.A. Confidential.

11/16/2008 12:11:00 AM
Categories: Movies Starting with B, Movies Starting with D, Movies Starting with T. Author: kevin

Here is the summary for the movie Body of Lies from imdb

Roger Ferris, Leonardo DiCaprio, is a CIA covert operative working in Jordan searching for terrorists who have been bombing civilian targets. Ferris uncovers information on the Islamist mastermind Al-Saleem (Alon Aboutboul). He devises a plan to infiltrate Al-Saleem's terrorist network with the help of his boss back in Langley, Ed Hoffman (Russell Crowe). Ferris enlists the help of the Chief of Jordanian Intelligence, Hani Salaam (Mark Strong) on this operation. But he doesn't know how far he can trust him without putting his life in danger. During war time, a spy doesn't know who he can trust, not even his own people. Douglas Young (the-movie-guy)

Here is a review for the movie Body of Lies from dvdtalk

"Body of Lies" is a mediocre espionage film tarted up as a prestigious offering, cast with blinding stars, directed by a once mighty visionary, and drawing from topical source material meant to provoke chills and international thought. However esteemed the package may be, "Lies" is a turgid Middle Eastern thriller, firing blanks as an action submission and presenting a wet match to light the fire of political discourse.

As a C.I.A. operative, Roger Ferris (Leonardo DiCaprio, appropriately furious) fights tooth and nail every day to maintain his cover and keep one step ahead of terrorists during his rounds of the Middle East. As Ferris's boss, Ed Hoffman (Russell Crowe) enjoys the easy life in Washington overseeing perilous missions, abusing Ferris's exasperation to his own advantage. Sent to Jordan to cozy up to intelligence officer Hani Salaam (Mark Strong), Ferris begins a campaign of deception to help nab an influential terrorist leader, only to find his own methods are starting to spiral out of control, leaving him and his newfound Iranian love (Golshifteh Farahani) wide open to vicious retaliation and the potential loss of American support.

Serviceable is a great way to describe "Body of Lies." There's nothing bone-rattling about this presentation of paranoia, instead the film takes a paint-by-numbers approach to wartime maneuvering and geopolitical happenings. Scott focuses on his polish this time around, making "Lies" a pretty picture with pretty stars, forgetting this genre is always best served with gritted teeth and an antagonistic point of view. Instead we have "The Kingdom" all over again: a topical thriller that uses Hollywood convention to limbo under any real confrontation or political stance. "Lies" isn't nearly as dopey as last year's Peter Berg sleeping pill, but it comes close, passing up an opportune moment to enrage audiences with a stark display of terrorism run amuck to skip through a field of cliché that wastes the monumental talents of the cast.

Scripted by William Monaghan (based on David Ignatius's book), "Lies" takes a sprawling, globe-trotting look at the mind games of terrorists and those who enlisted in the fight to curb violence. Scott is predictably skilled at getting a sense of scope into the film, observing Ferris as he rubber bands all over the map to maintain his cover and integrity. "Lies" generates location recognition wonderfully, and I have little reservation with the technical achievements of the film. What bothers me is the tepid pacing of the picture, and the shameless calculation of the screenwriting, viewed directly in the character of Aisha, a nurse who treats Ferris for a possible case of rabies, stealing his heart in the process.

While performed with suitable flirtation by Farahani, the character is meant to soften Ferris and provide a dangling thread for the third act to swoop in and exploit. It's tough to find a purpose for Aisha beyond obvious romantic manipulations, and the subplot seems to elongate an already overstuffed motion picture (125 minutes). Aisha is emblematic of the film's attempt to follow structure within a plot that demands chaos, forcing Scott to usher in a mammoth suicide bombing, shoot-out, or torture sequence every 15 minutes to keep his audience awake.

"Lies" isn't insightful about the war on terror, tends to sermonize when backed into a corner, and indulges Crowe far too much as he clowns it up as the prototypical American military fatso who would sell his own mother to protect himself. "Lies" cannot be swallowed as a lesson on current events, it's not that profound. It's a movie with terrorism, not about terrorism, and the thinness of the film starts to increasingly irritate when Scott has to find a way to end the picture on a stable note. Even if the concept was fresh ("Traitor" danced a similar jig two months ago), "Lies" remains an anesthetizing viewing experience.

10/19/2008 05:34:00 AM
Categories: Movies Starting with B. Author: kevin

Here is the summary for the movie Beverly hills Chihuahua from imdb

While on vacation in Mexico, Chloe, a ritzy Beverly Hills chihuahua, finds herself lost and in need of assistance in order to get back home.

Here is a review for the movie Beverly Hills Chihuahua from dvdtalk

"Talk to the paw." Yes, that's an actual line from "Beverly Hills Chihuahua," Disney's latest attempt to induce drastic birth control methods in America. I feel like an ogre beating up on such a mindless, semi-harmless production aimed directly at distracting toddlers while moms and dads fight about house payments, but it's difficult for me to condone such unfunny funny business. "Chihuahua" is terrible and kids deserve better.

A pampered pooch, Chloe (voiced by Drew Barrymore) lives a life of California luxury with her owner, fragrance tycoon Viv (Jamie Lee Curtis). Entrusting Chloe to her niece Rachael (Piper Perabo), Viv takes off on business, leaving Rachael stuck bringing the dog along on an impromptu trip to Mexico. Wandering away from her hotel, Chloe is kidnapped and forced to join an illegal dog-fighting circuit. Finding comfort in former police dog Delgado (Andy Garcia), Chloe manages to escape, heading off on a cross-country journey to return home. Back in the states, lovesick Papi (George Lopez) springs into action, crossing the border to find his canine princess.

Had "Chihuahua" been something straightforward, a creation that believes in brevity and the value of an imaginative punchline, perhaps the end product might've found an unexpected rhythm and taken audiences by surprise. What's actually here is a lazy movie that bathes in the stink of inanity, using talking dogs as a way into the hearts of audiences. With the Cesar Millaning of America going on right now, it's hard to argue Disney's creative angle, but did they really need to hire Raja Gosnell to direct? The man who made two terrible "Scooby-Doo" pictures and the loathsome "Yours, Mine and Ours" remake? Was there no one else?

Gosnell is a filmmaking zombie and blankly guides "Chihuahua" through an obstacle course of slapstick, cartoon mischief, and dangerous Mexican stereotyping. I write dangerous because, frankly, I'm not sure if "Chihuahua" actually crosses a line of taste, it just feels wrong. Portraying Mexico as a breeding ground for criminal activity, imagining the local police as incompetent fools, and encouraging lines such as "hold your tacos!," the movie doesn't exactly make a strong case for racial harmony. However, worrying about such touchy matters comes a distant second to the real cancer of the film: it's not funny in the least.

What disturbs me most about "Chihuahua" is how seriously Gosnell takes the movie. This is no farce, it's a character study, with backstory for the dogs, the goofiest being Delgado, who lost his scent after blowing a "Miami Vice" style bust and yearns for its return. Boy, Lassie never had such gravitas. Gosnell has a story to tell here and he's sticking to it, no matter how much it bores the audience to tears. Rolling through backstabbing mice, villainous dog nappers, and the blossoming romance between Rachael and Papi's kindly gardener owner, "Chihuahua" almost doesn't have time for jokes. Did I mention Chloe's discovery of an independent Chihuahua tribe located in hidden Mexican ruins? That the leader of said tribe is voiced by Placido Domingo? There's plenty of strange going on, but still no laughs.

Sure, there's cute dogs to look at, and who doesn't love reducing a once proud culture to a horde of dog-fighting heathens, but the absence of ingenuity, of basic comedic curiosity, is disturbing and worse, frightfully boring. In fact, the only hilarious moment in the film is the epilogue, where Disney, after spending 90 minutes showcasing wisecracking, heroic animals that fight for honor and bust criminals, pleads for audiences to be careful with pet adoptions. Suddenly the film has a conscience. If only it had a brain.

10/11/2008 06:20:00 PM
Categories: Movies Starting with B. Author: kevin

BLAIR WITCH PROJECT NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE

HERE IS THE SUMMARY FOR THE MOVIE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT FROM IMDB

Three film students travel to Maryland to make a student film about a local urban legend... The Blair Witch. The three went into the woods on a two day hike to find the Blair Witch, and never came back. One year later, the students film and video was found in the woods. The footage was compiled and made into a movie. The Blair Witch Project. Written by Kevin Overstreet {GrndZero23@aol.com}

Heather Donahue, Michael Williams and Joshua Leonard, student filmmakers, set out to shoot a documentary about a local legend, the Blair Witch. In the forests near Burkittsville, Maryland, many children have vanished in the 1940s and people still avoid going too deep into the woods. So, the party sets out to look for facts that prove the legend, equipped only with two cameras and a little hiking gear. First, they find little piles of stone that must have been arranged artificially, later, they have to admit to be lost in the woods. Eerie sounds at night and more piles of stones in places where they have not been before cause the already desperate group to panic. And one night, days after they should have been back home, Josh disappears completely. Only what has been recorded and filmed with the cameras is found a year later and shows what happened in the woods. Written by Julian Reischl {julianreischl@mac.com}

Three film students set out into the Black Hills Forest to make a documentary on the legendary Blair Witch. Armed with a 16mm camera, a Hi8 video camera, and a DAT recorder, every step, word and sound is captured. After wandering around the Black Hills Forest, Heather, Josh, and Mike are cold, lost and hunted. Finally, one night after the last ray of light had left the forest black, they were never to be seen again. One year later, a bag full of film cans, DAT tapes, and video tapes were found. The behind the scenes, video footage and the film, are cut together, and this is..."The Blair Witch Project." Written by Michael McCaffrey {apollo@chariott.com}

In October of 1994, three student filmmakers hike out to the woods of Blair, hoping to find evidence of a local legend "The Blair Witch". At first, they find nothing except a pile of stones arranged by hand. As the sun goes down, they realize they are lost, but there is little panic. They camp out, and in the middle of the night they see and hear things, things that are not normal. When they awake, they find wooden dolls in cross-like formations. They were not there that night. Then one of the students, Josh, is separated from the group. The other two finally realize that they are in a very serious situation, and that they are being stalked, stalked by something that may be the very thing they were looking for... Written by ipreach4ever

In October of 1994, 3 students go into the woods to find the Blair witch. They find wooden dolls. When the last ray of light leave the forest. The forest is left black. Then, everyone mysteriously disappears. Then a year later, A thousand of film cans, tapes and footages were found. They are combined and made into "The Blair Witch Project" Written by Cheatmaster2006@hotmailcom

10/10/2008 11:57:00 PM
Categories: Movies Starting with B. Author: kevin

BANGKOK DANGEROUS NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE

HERE IS THE SUMMARY FOR THE MOVIE BANGKOK DANGEROUS FROM IMDB

A hitman who's in Bangkok to pull off a series of jobs falls for a local woman and bonds with his errand boy.

HERE IS A REVIEW FOR THE MOVIE BANGKOK DANGEROUS FROM DVDTALK

There was a time not long ago when a Nicolas Cage film would command swirling industry buzz, a spellbinding marketing push, and demand the most prestigious spot at the area multiplex to placate the stampeding masses. Today, Cage is relegated to movies that barely make a splash on the pop culture canvas, are released over one of the worst weekends to unload a feature film, and are held from the greasy grasp of movie critics out of sheer panic that word of dispiriting quality would be unleashed prematurely. This is not the Nicolas Cage I used to adore, and "Bangkok Dangerous" is not the type of dreck the once mighty prince of strange should be wasting his time with.

A hitman with a gift for stealth attacks, Joe (Nicolas Cage) is sent to Thailand to carry out a series of contract killings. Settled into a lively, impulsive environment in Bangkok, Joe hires grifter Kong (Shahkrit Yamnarm) to help him polish off his targets, soon stumbling upon a gorgeous deaf-mute pharmacist who exposes unexpected sympathies within the professional killer. Required to assassinate a leading politician, Joe finds his allegiances have changed, declining the hit, and raising the sadistic ire of the crime family that brought him to town. Now on a race to get out of Bangkok alive, Joe must consider the welfare of his new friends, leaving the once ruthless executioner vulnerable to the city's unforgiving elements.

Remaking their cult 1999 film "Bangkok Dangerous," the Pang Brothers (Danny and Oxide) have returned to the shallow Hollywood shores they dipped a toe in with 2007's dreary bore, "The Messengers." Now settled down with material familiar to their special Pang touch, it seems a foregone conclusion that the new "Bangkok" would contain the same measure of spitfire as the old "Bangkok." However, that's not including the Nicolas Cage factor in this assumption.

An actor of outstanding entertainment value, Cage doesn't always fit snugly inside material in the same heroic manner he imagines. The actor has a way of weighing down movies where he's woefully miscast, draining the life out of screenplays that should conceivably be a total gas. "Bangkok" is a prime example of Cage wedged into the wrong film. He's a comatose, bewigged force here; a drab screenwriting cliché in search of directorial muster to make the character passably dimensional. Leaving matters of coherence to the Pang Brothers is a huge mistake, and it leaves Cage hanging during the picture. Joe is equal parts Miyagi and murderer, offering Cage a platter of reactions and impulses to enjoy. It's a crime he's such a dour screen presence in the picture. Without any Cagey tics and bops to wake up the proceedings, there's nothing in "Bangkok" worth investing in.

It's hard to discern what is so appealing about the Pangs. They're an extremely clichéd pair of filmmakers, indulging in every trendy editing and photography tool around to conjure up a threatening world for Joe to wade through. "Bangkok" should be a dense visual feast of inhospitable foreign lands, but it seems someone on the crew forgot to plug in the lights.

The film is shot so impossibly dark (and predictably transformed into a bland acid-washed visual experience by the color-phobic goons that currently run the post facilities), it's difficult to stay close to the few pockets of action the film indulges in. Maybe this is the Pangs' way of keeping the eye off the obvious deficiencies of the filmmaking, but it's maddening, leaving me aching for someone in the cast to spark up a lighter or flick open a cell phone for just a few more levels of illumination.

There's never an instant in "Bangkok" where the story feels motivated by emotion. Joe's eventual thaw is fumbled by the Pangs' unfamiliarity with sentiment, and it makes the film's eventual slide into sacrifice hard to swallow. It leads to a somewhat daring ending (for Cage at least), but it's attached to the wrong film. "Bangkok Dangerous" is a shallow picture, not something that's capable of suggesting grand displays of salvation. The film is a bore, not a heartbreaker, a reaction that's reinforced by a few moments of extreme gore tossed around to jolt the audience awake. It's hard to be a romantic tragedy when boat propellers are chopping hands off. Something tells me that'll lose the female audience.

It turns out Bangkok isn't very dangerous. It's glacial, abysmally photographed, dreadfully acted, faintly plotted, and frequently absurd. But dangerous? Not really.

HERE IS THE DIRECT DOWNLOAD FOR THE MOVIE BANGKOK DANGEROUS.

9/15/2008 06:17:00 PM
Categories: Movies Starting with B. Author: kevin