jackass 3

look, i know these jackass movies are terrible, but i have to admit that i like them.  as terrible and society destroying as they are, they are actually pretty good!  if you've ever watched any of the multitude of jackass knock-offs, then you know how bad they can be.  these guys though, are surprisingly clever and fun with their stunts.

trick r treat

a very lame collection of horror shorts strung together as a night of kids going around trick or treating on halloween.  none of the stories are either clever nor scary.  i don't get why people like this film.  its turned into a bit of a cult classic at this point and i don't get it at all.

stay tuned

i remember when this one first came out and being very intrigued by it.  turns out there was no reason for that...  the premise follows an unhappy couple as they unknowingly make a deal with the devil that leads to them being trapped in their tv.  as the channel changes, so does their peril.  there are some interesting elements that are included, one of which is an animated portion done with chuck jones himself!  unfortunately the sum is a lot less then the sum of its parts.  everyone is trying really hard in this movie, but all of it leads to nothing worth while at all.  disappointing.

sucker punch

this is a challenging one.  its kind of hard to nail down, the film is at times a story of female empowerment, but the next minute it seems misogynistic.  i'm not entirely sure which the director intended, so i'm just going to assume that he meant it to be the former, not the latter.  the story follows a young woman as she is checked in to a mental ward.  she and some of the other inmates formulate a plan to get out, at each step along the way everything becomes a fantasy and the task must be accomplished in a different dream world- a samurai battle, world war one, a dragon attack, etc.  though the storyline has too many questionable elements for some, the visuals of the film make it worth seeing.  even if you don't like it, you have to admit that it is a gorgeous film.

hall pass

ugh.  the concept of this one is so lame and offensive that it was doomed before it even started.  the idea that a wife would give her husband a 'hall pass' to have sex with anyone he wants is just dumb.  and this one never comes close to rising above that terrible concept.  owen wilson and jason sudekis flounder in this unfunny comedy that tries for the grossout, but ends up being toothless and amateurish.

never let you go

a great and unusual drama that is set in an alternate world where medical advancements have made it so that people can live well over 100 years.  this comes though, at a cost.  the three leads in this film must deal with the realities of that cost as it has an immediate effect on them.  as they learn the reality of their existence they learn about the implications of love and the larger world around them.  i'm being a bit vague here, but that's because the plot reveals are an important part of appreciating the story and i don't want to spoil them for anyone who may want to watch it.

three men and a little lady

not nearly as fun or cute as the original.  the story is much weaker and the humor is a lot more miss than hit, but the charm of the three leads saves this one from being a total disaster.

three men and a baby

this one is a fun little movie about three friends who are rooming together and have to deal with a baby being left on their doorstep.  its a ridiculous concept that is mostly played for laughs, which would have fallen flat if it weren't for the great cast they got.  selleck and danson are fantastic, showing off the great comedy chops they honed on tv, and guttenberg is clearly having a lot of fun too.  my one major problem with this film is the strange subplot about a heist that they get caught up in.  what is that doing in this movie?  i have no idea...

someone marry barry

though it may not be a good movie, i rather enjoyed this little romantic comedy.  mostly my enjoyment can be chalked up to the fantastic cast.  the lead, played by the always fantastic tyler labine, is a guy who is so childish and resistant to growing up that even his friends are sick of him.  the movie starts with all of barry's friends married and deciding that what they really need to do is find someone for barry.  not necessarily because they want him to be happy, more just that they are sick of him and want him to have someone else to bother.  the only problem is that they set him up with lucy punch- who happens to be even worse than barry!  its rediculous and fun, and thats all i was really expecting, so i was happy with the final product.

the phantom

i don't know why this movie got as much hate as it did when it first came out- i think its fantastic!  granted, after tim burton's 'batman' was such a success, movie studios seemed to get the wrong idea from it, it seemed like they collectively figured 'well, batman seems to be set in a 1940's era, so that's probably what made it so popular', and then proceeded to make superhero type  movies that were exclusively set in the 40's.  this one was a part of the glut along with 'dick tracy' and 'the shadow'.  both of those were lackluster, but i think this one actually delivers!  it taps into the fun adventurer swashbuckler sort of action as indiana jones, only its with a superhero.  in my opinion billy zane is almost as good as a harrison ford from indy, but i know i'm in the minority on that one...  no matter what people may have thought of it at the time, its totally worth revisiting because its such a fun and ridiculous romp!