THE TOWN(2010)

I had tabbed this movie as one of the few releases that could compete for my prestigious movie of the year award. While the final product is very good, but it only has an outside shot at the biggest award of the year. Ben Affleck shows a knack for being able to direct a solid story of crime/drama movies, but "The Town" just lacks a little something. A well crafted story that is acted, photographed, and directed beautifully. It's a great mix of "Heat" and "The Departed". This movie really has all the essentials for the "Oscar" season, so I predict many nominations from this movie come award season. A more than adequate follow up to Ben Affleck's directorial debut("Gone Baby Gone").

Ben Affleck is a leader of a bank robbery gang and soon becomes attached to a bank manager that they previously robbed and took hostage. He wants to get out of the game and move away, but is forced to finish one last heist or his new love will pay the price.

This is a must see movie. It didn't blow me away like "Inception", but this is a full rounded movie that ranks up with the best that you'll watch this year. Keep your eyes on this during the awards season.

RESIDENT EVIL: AFTERLIFE(2010)

I can't believe there are four of these movies now! And a fifth to follow soon. All four installments are pretty much the same movie. Just add some different fight sequences and more wire acts and you've got yourself a new "Resident Evil" franchise. A brisk movie with no story or characters, but some decent action that doesn't totally bore me. I've seen much worse, but that's no compliment either.

Milla Jovovich is back and continuing right where the last one left off. She reunites with some friends from the last movie and they look for a camp of refugees, but run into some zombies and the evil "Umbrella" corporation along the way.

I wouldn't waste your time unless you tolerated any of the previous sequels.

FROZEN(2010)

"Frozen" is a small release that I had read about and decided that I should give it a viewing. It follows the same mold as "The Ruins" which came out a few years ago. Man versus nature and the mentality of it all. It's a suspense/horror film, but nothing supernatural about it. That's the main difference between the two movies. I enjoyed the realism of the story and the setting. It's a solid character piece and it makes you think about what you would do in the same situation. A little boring, but still a well paced story that is a good diversion from all the special effects movies.

Two best friends and one of their girl friend's go skiing. They later find themselves trapped all alone and high above on the chairlift. Would you try to escape or wait and become "Frozen"?

This is a good rental if you like realistic horror. No monsters, ghosts, or carnage. An interesting movie that I'd recommend.

THE AMERICAN(2010)

One of the most boring movies of the year by far! Totally marketed wrong. Almost no action or story at all. It's a character piece on an assassin? Or is it a love story of an assassin? Either way they are both very boring to watch unfold. One of the slowest 90 minutes ever filmed. The pacing is very slow. The editing also makes some jump cuts that makes me wonder. Unless you like slow and boring movies then stay far away from this one. It's not that it's incompetent, but I just don't want to ever watch this movie again.

George Clooney is an assassin that has to relocate after assassins find him. He then has the whole morale, love, and trust issues to deal with.

The trailer might interest you, but be aware that you'll watch a different movie than that.

MACHETE(2010)

I've been looking forward to this movie ever since I saw the fake trailer during the "Grindhouse" intermission. A totally over the top "B" movie that had gore, humor, and nudity. A deadly combination to say the least. The final product wasn't as good as the fake trailer, but it still has some redeeming qualities. The character of Machete doesn't have enough ammo to sustain a feature length movie, so the jokes and killings become redundant. It still was a fun time watching it for the first time, but not a movie that gets better the more times you watch it. There are some funny political views mixed in with the gore as well.

After watching his family killed, Machete is set up by the U.S. government as an assassin. Machete then has to fight for the Mexican cause.

This movie is fun, but wears thin at times. Could've been great, but it's a decent time at the movies.