Winnebago Man - 6 stars out of 10

Winnebago Man - 6 stars out of 10

"Winnebago Man" is an interesting look into the real life of accidental Internet sensation Jack Rebney and his infamous Winnebago sales outtakes.  Although I had somehow never seen this YouTube viral video, I can see why people quickly latched on to the misfortunes of this frustrated salesman.  Although it is layered with profanity and disdain for humanity, this is actually the story of a sweet old man who wishes that he had a voice beyond that of his famous freakout.  The film never grows stale as it has three distinct sections: the search for Jack, the true nature of Jack, and the film festival.  I would only put the quality of the documentary as average but it brings perspective to the power of the Internet and drives home the point that you can't judge a book by its cover (or a Winnebago by its salesman).

Ernest in the Army - 2 stars out of 10

Ernest in the Army - 2 stars out of 10

The earlier Ernest movies could actually pass for "real" movies but this one obviously went straight to video.  It has a couple of funny moments, but this movie is significantly cheesier than "...Goes to Jail" or "...Saves Christmas."  It just feels fake and I never cared about what was happening, just hoping for another Ernest slapstick moment.  The ending narration is really corny and the movie as a whole just does not deliver like the classic Ernest movies.  Maybe it's because Chuck and Bobby (a.k.a. those two hilarious guys from all of the Ernest movies) were missing, but something about "Ernest in the Army" makes it seem like it missed basic movie training.

The Omen (1976) - 8 stars out of 10

The Omen (1976) - 8 stars out of 10

"The Omen" is one of those classic horror films that focuses more on giving you nightmares than a few cheap scare.  The premise alone is enough to send chills down your spine, and this film simply takes that premise and develops it in a straightforward way.  The film does have some awesome shocking moments (like the hanging and the tricycle) but gathers its momentum from pure intensity and creepiness (particularly Mrs. Baylock, the nanny).  The true genius of this film is the intrigue of its story, growing weirder and weirder at every turn and yet remaining completely believable.  Gregory Peck does a great job of portraying his internal struggle to follow logic or believe in this Satanic evil.  The birthmark scene is incredible and the film's climax feels very personal, placing each audience member in the midst of Peck's decision as Damien suddenly appears to be an innocent child.  "The Omen" is not the scariest movie ever made but its frightening musical theme will haunt your thoughts any time that you think about abortion or notice a young child acting out of the ordinary.

Girls Just Want to Have Fun - 2 stars out of 10

Girls Just Want to Have Fun - 2 stars out of 10

"Girls Just Want to Have Fun" is everything that you'd expect from a cheesy 80's teen comedy.  The acting is over the top and there are a few too many cheesy montages set to a fast-paced 80's hit, but the movie accomplishes what it sets out to do.  I was really blown away with how young Helen Hunt looks (I had never seen her in such a young role) and Sarah Jessica Parker looked a lot better when she was 20 years old.  Acting-wise, these two were fine.  It was Morgan Woodward and Ed Lauter whose acting went way beyond necessity; at times, it felt as if they were trying to out-shine the leads by overacting.  Regardless, this movie isn't about quality of acting or plot - it is about the dancing and the 80's style.  The dancing isn't always the best but it really does help to capture that 1980's teen feel.  I could go on and one but the Netflix synopsis of this movie says all that you need to know: "Two rebellious girls find themselves on a wild adventure filled with cute boys, prudish nuns, mean rich kids and parents that just don't understand."

Watchmen - 3 stars out of 10

Watchmen - 3 stars out of 10

"Watchmen" was not my favorite superhero movie.  In fact, I couldn't really get into it at all.  I was warned that I should read the graphic novel before seeing the film and now I see why.  While Superman and Batman have been included in pop culture for a long time, this film made me realize how little of the DC Comic universe I am familiar with and how different it is than the Marvel universe that has dominated cinema over the past fifteen years.  "Watchmen" just doesn't "feel" like other superhero films and it is not supposed to.  Right away, I liked that the heroes do not have super powers and that they were just average people trying to make the world a better place amidst the Cold War.  Granted, that was spoiled when a gigantic blue character came into the picture, but their inclusion in a warped 1980's New York City was pretty cool.  The concept had a lot of promise and, maybe my mistake was watching the 3+ hour Director's Cut, but my excitement for "Watchmen" ended there.  Rorschach was really cool but his voice reminded me of Batman (the Christian Bale edition) too much, Nite Owl II (played by Patrick Wilson who is awesome) visually reminded me of Batman so I was kind of sad when I realized that it wasn't Batman, and Dr. Manhattan didn't remind me of Batman at all but he just didn't fit in with the rest of the characters.  That's where I lost interest - I feel like the movie would've been great without Dr. Manhattan but since most of the plot revolved around him, I couldn't ignore him and enjoy the story.  I'm sure that if I was familiar with the graphic novel, I would like him a lot more but I just couldn't form any sort of attachment to this large smurf.  The special effects are awesome, the cinematography gives the film a really dark feel, and the violence is portrayed beyond what we want to see (circular saw + arms = no cutaway... well in a sense there WAS a cutaway...), but unless you are already interested in this group of heroes, I don't think that this movie will make you a fan.

Escape from Alcatraz - 9 stars out of 10

Escape from Alcatraz - 9 stars out of 10

"Escape from Alcatraz" definitely sits amidst Shawshank and Green Mile as one of the greatest prison movies of all time.  Though the main theme is the escape, the audience will still get to know all of the different personalities of the diverse characters, experience the racism of the 1960's, and really empathize with characters (like Doc and Litmus) as the warden subtly torments them.  Despite the dreary atmosphere inside of the prison, it combines with the beautiful artistry of the sunrises and sunsets over "The Rock" to create a visually stunning experience.  This true story has suspense to the nth degree, with extended periods of silence to keep you on the edge of your seat.  You will not be disappointed with this classic.

Le Maison en Petits Cubes (The House of Small Cubes) - 8 stars out of 10

Le Maison en Petits Cubes (The House of Small Cubes) - 8 stars out of 10

“Le Maison en Petits Cubes” is a beautiful story of a man who lived a fulfilling life and relives his memories through a series of flashbacks in reverse order.  This Japanese short is conceptually cool with a unique artistic flair.  Its simplicity gives it its charm with a dreamlike musical score by Kenji Kondo and a fantastic cubist world.  The idea of a town progressively flooding and constantly building new rooms on top of the old house is very original and becomes the perfect setting for a simple love story to evolve through memories triggered by different rooms.  The format of the film has great proportion, taking just enough time to introduce the unique situation of the town and then revealing the old man’s life.  “Le Maison en Petits Cubes” is certainly deserving of its Oscar for Best Animated Short and it’s a great remedy for a sentimental mood.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0V9BYAZP3yU